1 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:20,320 What is kraklacin fellow thermonuclear a efforts. I am a Dan Valley coming at 2 00:00:20,359 --> 00:00:26,239 you as always with my certified fantabulous co host, mister Grant Hughes. We 3 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:32,119 are on to our Eastern Conference Optimism Index, where Grant and I will talk 4 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:39,520 about one thing, development player, whatever reason, why we have liked watching 5 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,240 this team, why we're higher on their future for some reason, even if 6 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:47,159 they're not playing too well. Just trying to shine some bright bright light on 7 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,799 some brighter spots so far this season. Go check out the Western Conference edition. 8 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:55,600 Grant spearheaded that one. It was fantastic as as I expected it to 9 00:00:55,679 --> 00:00:59,920 be, and all the usual reminders. Please remember to sub YouTube, spot, 10 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,880 Apple or the biggest ones. Comment like our videos helped the algo, 11 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,959 love us back, follow us on the socials. The links to those are 12 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:10,239 in the podcast and YouTube descriptions as well as on your screen if you're watching 13 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:12,719 join our discord. The link to that is in the podcast and YouTube description 14 00:01:14,079 --> 00:01:17,799 description. Great discussions always happening over there. That's also how you can get 15 00:01:17,799 --> 00:01:23,879 in mail bag questions or sometimes talk with Grant and myself. I believe that's 16 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,799 it, so Grant, how the heck are you doing. I'm doing very 17 00:01:26,799 --> 00:01:32,040 well. I'm excited to take a back seat to you as you lead most 18 00:01:32,079 --> 00:01:34,959 of the discussion on the East. And I'm also glad your voice is back 19 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,120 so that you're up for that task, because you know, everybody wants to 20 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:44,519 hear those golden pipes. Apparently some of the people liked the first podcast we 21 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,879 did, was it Piece or Panic for the West? I think, or 22 00:01:47,959 --> 00:01:51,799 was it the East. My voice was apparently struggling to the point where people 23 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,480 liked it though. But then that second podcast we recorded back to back and 24 00:01:55,519 --> 00:01:57,879 went off the rails and we got a little lucky where we didn't do our 25 00:01:57,879 --> 00:02:00,799 normal two podcast session this week because of our schedules. So we're recording this 26 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:06,079 these stats any numbers I know will be accurate heading into games on Wednesday. 27 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:07,680 There's no games on Thursday. This will go up on Friday, so it'll 28 00:02:07,719 --> 00:02:12,639 all still be germane. But it probably helped me a little bit that we 29 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,439 weren't talking for four hours this time, so my voice is a little bit 30 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,240 a little bit fressure as we get into the Eastern conference. Also, I 31 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:22,840 didn't have to talk as much because you had the West that's true. So 32 00:02:23,319 --> 00:02:27,800 do we want to start things off? I think so. And I'm in 33 00:02:27,879 --> 00:02:30,719 charge of the alphabet this time, so I'm feeling the pressure. So but 34 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,120 this is always easy because you know, when we start the alphabet, it 35 00:02:35,159 --> 00:02:38,719 is a letter A. That's the that's what you come here to learn on 36 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,759 hardwood, Knox. So let's tell me Dan about the Atlanta Hawks. What's 37 00:02:42,759 --> 00:02:46,960 got your attention there? In a positive way? The Jalen Johnson breakout still 38 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:52,240 has my attention. We've talked about him sufficiently enough that it's kind of like, 39 00:02:52,319 --> 00:02:53,520 oh, are we really going to talk about this dude again? So 40 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,680 I tried to approach it from a different way and just I'm looking at his 41 00:02:57,879 --> 00:03:00,759 entire package and I don't expect him to nail more than forty percent of his 42 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:05,680 threes all season, but defenses are starting to treat him as more of a 43 00:03:05,719 --> 00:03:08,439 threat. They're closing out harder when he's catching it, and that will erase 44 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:13,080 some of his wide open triples. But he counters that with just like a 45 00:03:13,159 --> 00:03:17,039 tough to plan for speed attacking those closeouts, and he's keeping defenders off balance. 46 00:03:17,879 --> 00:03:23,159 He has some real on ball acceleration. He's busted out a nifty mix 47 00:03:23,199 --> 00:03:27,479 of floaters and fades, and he's a pretty reliable finisher around the hoop when 48 00:03:27,479 --> 00:03:30,599 he gets all the way to the basket. And I think a big element 49 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,120 of why the Hawks offense is I mean, they were efficient last year, 50 00:03:34,159 --> 00:03:38,000 they're fast as hell this year. Their second and average possession time right now, 51 00:03:38,039 --> 00:03:43,240 and they're first off opponent misshots. And that's in part because you have 52 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,159 so many different guys aside from a Tree Young or Dejontey Murray who can just 53 00:03:47,199 --> 00:03:52,000 push off a rebound, and Jalen Johnson has been one of them. I've 54 00:03:52,039 --> 00:03:59,000 really also enjoyed his defense. He does he makes mistakes, but like Atlanta 55 00:03:59,039 --> 00:04:01,240 can tether him to a big forward and say just stay on him, and 56 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,280 they're asking him to fight through these screens, but he also just has the 57 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,759 chops to hang in space. He had some really good moments against shake Yil 58 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:14,039 just Alexander, against Tyrese Maxi. I think he's been a really good help 59 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,399 side rim protector this year. No other Hawks rotation players actually surrendering a lower 60 00:04:18,439 --> 00:04:23,120 clip at the basket, which is pretty gnarly when you consider they have cappella 61 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,279 and a kungu right there and the big one. I don't know if I 62 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:30,560 expect this to sustain, but the Hawks' is half court defense improves by twenty 63 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,040 points per one hundred plays with him on the court. That's the best mark 64 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:39,160 among anyone who has logged at least two hundred and twenty five minutes. And 65 00:04:40,079 --> 00:04:44,800 I'll frame it this way. If you have any other thoughts on Jalen Johnson, 66 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,360 please share them. But like he's creating this interesting dilemma where the Hawks 67 00:04:47,399 --> 00:04:51,600 just got off one expensive forward. He's extension eligible after this year, and 68 00:04:51,639 --> 00:04:55,480 the way he's playing right now is gonna be worth quite a bit of money. 69 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,920 So that's where I was gonna go. Actually, as I agree, 70 00:04:58,959 --> 00:05:01,040 I think he's been one of the most you know, I don't know if 71 00:05:01,079 --> 00:05:05,680 it's a surprise, but like pleasant players, you know, young among young 72 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:11,600 guys, certainly for this season. And I echo everything you said about, 73 00:05:11,639 --> 00:05:15,839 like I think, you know, the the athleticism, the defensive impact, 74 00:05:15,879 --> 00:05:18,319 the help stuff. That's all I think if you look at the numbers, 75 00:05:18,959 --> 00:05:23,800 what makes him you know, different or better than guys like Collins who was 76 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,639 there before, and even DeAndre Hunter now and to a lesser extent, aj 77 00:05:26,759 --> 00:05:30,120 Griffin not quite the same player types exactly, but if we're talking about Hawk's 78 00:05:30,319 --> 00:05:32,480 big wings and forwards, yeah, you have to draw some comparisons. Like 79 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:38,560 he I think he makes quicker decisions with the ball just generally speaking, he's 80 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:42,000 not tasked with a bunch of playmaking. But you know, hunter Is has 81 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,639 never been a good passer, has always been a guy that if he puts 82 00:05:44,639 --> 00:05:47,040 it on the floor, like the expected outcome of the possession just gets way 83 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,720 worse. He's not going to set a lot of guys up. Johnson moves 84 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:54,839 the ball more quickly and intuitively, and I think that also ties to his 85 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,839 instincts are just good defensively, Like he's disruptive. Like his block rates have 86 00:05:58,879 --> 00:06:01,839 always been high. He's above the eightieth percentile. This year, he's his 87 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,319 steel rate looks not as impressive. He's you know, one point four percent 88 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:09,439 is in the fifty first percentile, but last year he was at one point 89 00:06:09,439 --> 00:06:12,519 five percent at the same position, that's the eighty first percentile. So, 90 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,160 like, he's a disruptive defender because he kind of processes pretty quickly and has 91 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,079 the athleticism to get there and make stuff happen. And then you see that 92 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:24,439 on the offensive end too. And that's why I think, like when it 93 00:06:24,519 --> 00:06:28,000 comes time to pay up, you have to treat him. You know, 94 00:06:28,439 --> 00:06:30,240 the Hawks were, you know, in the right I think at the time 95 00:06:30,319 --> 00:06:32,959 to pay John Collins what they did. But you've got to maybe pay this 96 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:38,879 guy more just because of he's more versatile already, he's he can shoot it 97 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,839 like he's he's kind of like a lot of the calling stuff, except maybe 98 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:46,920 a little more on ball skill potentially, And so you've got to pay him. 99 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,120 And then it's suddenly like, well, we've already earmarked a kong Wu, 100 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,959 We've paid him to succeed Capella. And now it's like, well do 101 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,639 we talk about DeAndre Hunter moving? What? What? Because the Hawks do 102 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:00,360 not pay the tax. We know that, like all their moves are based 103 00:07:00,399 --> 00:07:04,959 on avoiding that. So there may be a forced decision kind of in a 104 00:07:04,959 --> 00:07:09,399 good way, I guess, because you're happy that Johnson has developed like this, 105 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,519 but you wonder what the fallout will be through the rest of the rotation 106 00:07:13,639 --> 00:07:16,560 with guys like Hunter that I think, in hindsight, probably wasn't the right 107 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:21,160 decision to treat him like someone that is a cornerstone, and Johnson looks more 108 00:07:21,199 --> 00:07:27,120 like that type of player. I think just because of positional scarcity, Capella 109 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,680 will be the one that would fall by the wayside. I will just to 110 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,160 the money point because of all he does defensively, if the three point and 111 00:07:32,199 --> 00:07:36,879 the fact that he's John Calls had trouble contributing offensively within this roster context. 112 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:41,879 So Jalen Johnson does different things and just clearly fits as more of a play 113 00:07:42,079 --> 00:07:45,680 like in the play finisher reps that are available to him, he's doing more 114 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,680 with them. If he continues to hit threes at anywhere near this clip, 115 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:54,879 you're probably looking at a twenty five million dollars a year player. I would 116 00:07:54,879 --> 00:07:58,480 think. So, I mean, like, you know, he he's averaging 117 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,279 a block and a steal, he's two and a half assists these more assistant 118 00:08:01,279 --> 00:08:05,720 turnovers, which is like, you know, not necessarily the highest bar, 119 00:08:05,279 --> 00:08:09,240 but given his usage, it's impressive. I just I just think, yeah, 120 00:08:09,279 --> 00:08:13,439 I I so. Then you've also we didn't even talk about Sidik Bay 121 00:08:13,519 --> 00:08:16,920 yet, and the reason he was you know, not let go but the 122 00:08:16,959 --> 00:08:18,800 Pistons moved on is I think that the thought was that they didn't want to 123 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:22,120 pay him his next contract, and so Sidik Bay is gonna be up for 124 00:08:22,279 --> 00:08:26,639 I guess he'll be restricted. But that's another one, like, would you 125 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:30,279 just be better off with Bay and Johnson and move on from basically every other 126 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,960 winging forward on this roster. That's that's a totally realistic possibility. But you're 127 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,360 gonna have to cut some salary someplace if you pay those guys' market rates. 128 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,559 The bright spot that's causing a dilemma that they were gonna enter anyway, frankly, 129 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:43,919 because they don't want to pay the tax and you're paying Murray and Trey 130 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,279 as it is. Yeah, all right, that'll cover the Atlanta Hawks, 131 00:08:48,279 --> 00:08:52,039 Boston Celtics. Nothing great going on there. I can't imagine you were able 132 00:08:52,039 --> 00:08:56,159 to find a positive to focus on forever Charlotte Horneton overtime. So it's doom 133 00:08:56,200 --> 00:09:00,000 and gloom, and this is the most overrated team in an NBA history. 134 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,000 No, So look, you know, I was a Celtic skeptic, more 135 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:07,080 so before the Drew Holiday trade. I thought they just conceded too much defensive 136 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:11,039 versatility and playmaking. Even after Drew Holiday, I questioned whether they would have 137 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:16,600 the same versatility on defense. You worry about the health stuff with Christops, 138 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,840 and then there's still there's probably still a playmaking deficit, but the amount of 139 00:09:20,879 --> 00:09:24,679 space they're able to generate, and like they're driving kicks, spacey driving kicks 140 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:28,960 is what I called them. I still would to argue they underutilize them. 141 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,519 Their drives per game are down from last year. I think a lot of 142 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:37,600 that probably just has to do with some absurd shot making from the perimeter and 143 00:09:37,799 --> 00:09:41,559 leaning on it perhaps too much. But when you get going downhill as Boston 144 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:46,000 this year, like there's real ball movement and there's real great opportunities, and 145 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:50,080 just having Chris stops has broken defenses a lot of the times because whether he's 146 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,799 camped out on the wing, above the break in the corner, so many 147 00:09:54,799 --> 00:09:56,559 teams don't really understand like, oh, is he gonna duck in baseline? 148 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:58,519 How do we account for that? Or how do you just defend a pick 149 00:09:58,519 --> 00:10:03,120 and pop or someone who's camped out on the three point line and can get 150 00:10:03,159 --> 00:10:07,759 a shot off over anyone and is hitting his looks so efficiently. And then 151 00:10:07,799 --> 00:10:11,360 you add the element of oh, he's still able to punish mismatches. That's 152 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,320 huge. But like the driving kick game over the past, like a little 153 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,960 bit over a week, the Celtics have an eleven point three assists rate on 154 00:10:18,039 --> 00:10:22,759 their drives that's the fifth highest. It's about the fifth highest in the league, 155 00:10:22,879 --> 00:10:26,240 and they have a top five pass rate on drives during this span. 156 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:31,200 When you watch it, it just works. And so my point here is 157 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:37,639 there's a lot to just appreciate about Boston, which right now Milwaukee is is 158 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:43,000 perking up. But Boston has clearly been and by and large always had the 159 00:10:43,039 --> 00:10:46,200 ceiling of they could be the best team on offense and defense in the league. 160 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:48,279 And probably we're the only team we could say that. About the fact 161 00:10:48,279 --> 00:10:52,919 that they can attack in this way in the half court, I think will 162 00:10:52,919 --> 00:10:56,440 give them a variance that serves them well once you get to the playoffs. 163 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:00,559 I just feel like it gives them an It was something they could always do, 164 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,080 but like this spacing is next level from them, and I think it 165 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:09,200 gives them another way to go about winning, and in some to some degree, 166 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:13,039 you should offset what I still feel like is a team that is at 167 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,840 a play making deficit. Yeah, yeah, no, I did you give 168 00:11:16,879 --> 00:11:20,600 the Porzingis post up numbers specifically? I was looking him up while you're talking. 169 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,159 Sorry if I so. No, he's been killing it. But it's 170 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,600 like, so that's like the if you were skeptical about Boston, I guess 171 00:11:26,639 --> 00:11:28,879 other than the depth and like some of the health stuff, one of the 172 00:11:28,919 --> 00:11:33,080 things you might have cited was well, like can't you just get away with 173 00:11:33,519 --> 00:11:37,399 switching and then leaving small guys on porzingis because forever you know, Rick Carlisle, 174 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,759 I think famously an oppressor, was confronted with why don't you post up 175 00:11:41,799 --> 00:11:45,240 porzingis more in Dallas and he said he cited the points per play on post 176 00:11:45,279 --> 00:11:48,240 ups and basically it was like, because we don't score or when we do 177 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,519 that, and it's a dumb thing to do. Uh, And now the 178 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:54,879 numbers are unbelievable. So one point five to six points per play when porzingis 179 00:11:54,919 --> 00:11:58,159 posts up, which is the in the one hundredths percentile, And it's not 180 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,360 a small sign. Yeah, it's pretty high. It would be hard to 181 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:05,080 be higher. I don't know how you would do that. And he's doing 182 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:09,799 that on you know, fifteen ish percent of his touches or post up touches. 183 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:13,200 The crazy like he's getting fat. He's drawing shooting fouls on a quarter 184 00:12:13,519 --> 00:12:18,840 of his post ups, which is just like that's free money and he's a 185 00:12:18,879 --> 00:12:22,519 good free throw shooter. And so if you're worried about the playmaking in Boston 186 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:26,840 and the offense stagnating, to have this as a okay, nothing worked, 187 00:12:26,279 --> 00:12:30,679 let's throw it in there and based on the numbers so far, we're gonna 188 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,480 score a point and a half just by throwing it into the post. To 189 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:37,120 Porzingis, like that, you know, that doesn't necessary directly address the fact 190 00:12:37,159 --> 00:12:41,159 that, you know, there's not a lot of great passers on this team 191 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:45,559 and things can get stagnant. But that's a pretty sweet, you know, 192 00:12:46,279 --> 00:12:48,559 button that you get to push if an offensive possession is not working well. 193 00:12:48,639 --> 00:12:52,639 So, yeah, I think and unexpected that's the main thing, is like 194 00:12:52,759 --> 00:12:56,879 you can't have foreseen Porzingis's post up game being like the key to a potentially 195 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,279 you know, certainly top five, but maybe number one offense in the league. 196 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:05,600 That's kind of wild. Yeah, And it's like he was as I 197 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:09,600 realized that my video is off. Now this is an apology to listeners on 198 00:13:09,799 --> 00:13:13,440 YouTube. We've been having issues with that and I don't know why. Yeah, 199 00:13:13,759 --> 00:13:16,080 he he did a lot of this stuff last year. Was just could 200 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:20,120 this sustain in where he is in a system where he's not the primary option 201 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:24,200 necessarily on a better team, And it was just he had a career year, 202 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:28,720 and so you're always going to be inherently skeptical, but totally all right, 203 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:31,440 that was quick because basically everything about Boston's been good. Howbout the Brooklyn 204 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:35,279 net stand they're next in the alphabet, They're not on Boston's level, but 205 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,120 some positives to pick out here. Yeah, So my thing is an emergent 206 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:45,080 supporting cast for them, specifically looking at like what that's done for their offense, 207 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:46,440 because we know that and part of this just might be health related. 208 00:13:46,639 --> 00:13:50,960 Their defense is not as good as we've expected. They're eleventh in points score 209 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:56,000 per possession on offense, which is a really big deal because like McHale Bridges, 210 00:13:56,080 --> 00:14:00,600 Spencer Dinwidie, Cam Johnson, they've not been off to the best starts 211 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:03,679 this like most efficient starts anyway this year. So you have a guy like 212 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,360 Cam Thomas, and I actually saw he's been out dealing with that ankle spray, 213 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:13,000 and I think and I saw some conversations start and float around that giving 214 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:16,399 him such agency over the offense has actually hurt mckal bridges. I could see 215 00:14:16,399 --> 00:14:20,120 that a little bit. But like mcal Bridge is shooting percentages are Elon's worse 216 00:14:20,559 --> 00:14:24,559 with cam Thomas off the floor, and so when you have Cam Thomas, 217 00:14:24,679 --> 00:14:28,960 yes, he's still a little too mid range dependent. But like among the 218 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,639 sixty five players who have finished at least one hundred drives this year, only 219 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,960 Joell Ebiid is scoring more, is yielding more points per drive, Like that's 220 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:39,000 a big deal. He's exploring different levels of the middle, is how I 221 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:43,600 would phrase it. Then Lonnie Walker the fourth might have been the best minimum 222 00:14:43,679 --> 00:14:46,240 signing of the summer. He's a sixth Man of the Year candidate. He's 223 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:50,759 hitting his shots. Specifically, his fifty four point seven effective field goal percentage 224 00:14:50,799 --> 00:14:56,519 on pull up pull up jumpers ranks eighth among anyone who is attempted as many 225 00:14:56,519 --> 00:15:00,559 of those those attempts. And so the only players in front of a Dianner 226 00:15:00,559 --> 00:15:03,639 Fox, Luca, Tim Hardaway, Junior Tyres Halibert and Shake Gilges, Alexander 227 00:15:03,919 --> 00:15:09,279 Now Chris Middleton shout out to him and de Jonte Murray and then look Jorny 228 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:13,240 Finney Smith. Forty five plus percent from three is big. After shooting sub 229 00:15:13,279 --> 00:15:16,399 thirty percent on drives last year, he's up to over fifty percent. Now, 230 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:20,399 it's not a huge part of his game, but the fact that he 231 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:22,840 can now do that and a lot of it has to do Oh there's there 232 00:15:22,879 --> 00:15:26,120 is open space in Brooklyn when they have either none of Simmons or Claxton on 233 00:15:26,159 --> 00:15:28,960 the floor or just one of them. And Simmons has been out and Claxon's 234 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,600 back, so that's been Stuff's been pretty open for him. Those guys are 235 00:15:33,639 --> 00:15:37,200 not the driving force necessarily behind what Brooklyn is doing on offense, though I 236 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,679 think you could argue Cam Thomas and Lonnie Walker might be. They're helping the 237 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:46,759 Nets sustain what's been a less than optimal start from from their most their three 238 00:15:46,799 --> 00:15:50,480 most important players or a few of their most important players. Yeah, you 239 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:54,559 know what's interesting. The defense side has just been kind of confounding to me, 240 00:15:54,759 --> 00:15:58,080 just based on the personnel, and you went through some of the reasons 241 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,399 why maybe it's underperformed this and I didn't know this. I was just looking 242 00:16:00,399 --> 00:16:04,279 through some stats here. So last year, granted, like the Nets were 243 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:08,279 kind of two different teams last season, but they were number two in terms 244 00:16:08,279 --> 00:16:12,039 of suppressing opponent three point at ten frequency, which we care more about than 245 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:18,200 accuracy. Obviously, because phantom defense can make the accuracy numbers go one way 246 00:16:18,279 --> 00:16:22,000 or the other. Opponents took thirty three percent of their shots from deep last 247 00:16:22,039 --> 00:16:26,559 year. They're up to forty percent of those shots now and that ranks twenty 248 00:16:26,559 --> 00:16:30,759 seventh. And basically what looks like has happened is the nets have kind of 249 00:16:30,799 --> 00:16:33,159 flipped in terms of they don't allow a lot of attempts at the rim. 250 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:37,039 Their top ten there and last year they were twenty fifth. So they've basically 251 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:41,200 exchanged a bunch, you know, walling off the rim for giving up a 252 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:44,039 lot of threes, and I think maybe that just means you're going to have 253 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:48,600 more variants generally speaking. So I still think the defense can get better, 254 00:16:48,519 --> 00:16:52,759 and I think, you know, offensively, I'm not sure how great it 255 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,799 is to have Cam Thomas matter this much, because he feels to me like, 256 00:16:56,639 --> 00:17:00,159 you know, don't do it, don't say you know, I'm gonna 257 00:17:00,159 --> 00:17:03,240 say six, man, I know, I thought you were gonna say microwave 258 00:17:03,279 --> 00:17:06,039 score, which I feel like is an insult. How deep his his armory 259 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,599 is. I think he might be like one of the most talented scores in 260 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,640 the NBA full stop. I just don't know if he's going to do enough 261 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:15,720 else to justify like, I don't think the bridges, like detracting from bridges 262 00:17:15,799 --> 00:17:18,680 is a real issue, and you give a stat that you know kind of 263 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,440 corroborates that. But I just wonder how great it is if if Thomas is 264 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:26,240 in your starting unit and is doing you know, if he matters that much. 265 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:30,680 I'm not I'm not sure if there's a precedent for that being optimal, 266 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,799 but certainly a positive so far because he's been one of the before he got 267 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,640 hurt. He was one of the most fun players to watch in the league 268 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:40,440 and will be again once he's back. Thank you to everyone who bore with 269 00:17:40,519 --> 00:17:42,640 us through I guess was it part of the Celtics. I was off screen 270 00:17:42,839 --> 00:17:48,799 and most of the nets. I'm back on screen using my FaceTime camera because 271 00:17:48,799 --> 00:17:52,920 my webcam, my four K webcam barely just is not working. Don't you 272 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,359 just love it? So thanks everyone who bore with us through my blank screen. 273 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,960 That's all right. I just ignored it because I believe it throw you 274 00:18:00,039 --> 00:18:02,400 off a little bit, or you're not looking at the screen enough. Because 275 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,240 sometimes when people disappear on me, it throws me off while I'm trying to 276 00:18:04,279 --> 00:18:07,240 talk it is weird. I was concerned if I was going to pick up 277 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:11,000 on when you were ready to stop talking about the Nets, but powering through. 278 00:18:11,279 --> 00:18:15,319 The Charlotte Hornets are next. They're four and nine and they are minus 279 00:18:15,319 --> 00:18:18,759 eight point one net rating. Dan, tell me what's good about the Charlotte 280 00:18:18,759 --> 00:18:22,839 Hornets. We can just move on. No, uh, there's actually I 281 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:26,160 think we can frame it this way. People were too quick to judge the 282 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:33,440 Brandon Miller pick as a basketball like value proposition, and I did that. 283 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:36,200 Yeah, I mean we both did it. But by the people i'd be 284 00:18:36,319 --> 00:18:40,799 the Hardwood Knox jackasses, Scoot and him are going to be tied together. 285 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:42,480 Maybe for the rest of their career. We're going to debate who's better, 286 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:47,759 who's more valuable, who should have been drafted by the Hornets Specifically, I 287 00:18:47,799 --> 00:18:51,000 think Miller right now is proving why we play the games, and part of 288 00:18:51,039 --> 00:18:55,720 that is Goot Henderson is not playing the game at the moment. But even 289 00:18:55,759 --> 00:18:57,680 when you look at Brandon Miller the counting stats, you don't fall in love 290 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:02,839 with them. The shooting splits aren't great, but I appreciate the process and 291 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:07,079 the he looks very plug and play off the ball. He's already, he's 292 00:19:07,079 --> 00:19:10,839 already cutting. He will run the floor in transition, which makes sense because 293 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:15,920 LaMelo ball exists. He's also but he's hitting like forty eight plus percent of 294 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:18,119 his pull up twos right now, and so the jumper looks good. I 295 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:22,599 would expect that to come around. Can he ever create consistent separation and get 296 00:19:22,599 --> 00:19:26,119 to the basket in these frum scratch situations, I do not know, But 297 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:32,119 he also doesn't need to do that to be an All star level player, 298 00:19:32,279 --> 00:19:37,319 if not better than that. I think I've been most impressed though, with 299 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,160 his defense. They are putting him on a bunch of tough assignments and the 300 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:47,240 results aren't always good because Charlotte's defense is really bad this year. But the 301 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,559 fact that you could put him on point of attack guards with his size, 302 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,599 it has worked like it's John Hollinger wrote about this at the Athletic. It 303 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:57,319 has forced the ball out of their hands unless you're name Jordan Poole, who 304 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:02,960 just took shots anyway against him. And he's also just like as a helper, 305 00:20:03,079 --> 00:20:06,519 just as someone who's sticking with bodies. He's contested about as many looks 306 00:20:06,559 --> 00:20:08,960 at the rim as PJ. Washington like, that's a big deal. And 307 00:20:10,279 --> 00:20:11,880 I know the Hornets are leading a lot on Mark Williams right now, who 308 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:15,039 doesn't look as good in your two. I think in part because of how 309 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:19,039 much responsibility he's bearing on the defensive end. It feels like he's really impacted 310 00:20:19,079 --> 00:20:25,400 his offense to have a prospect like this at Miller to where it's three an 311 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:29,920 elite D and more and his three hasn't even come along yet. Yeah, 312 00:20:30,079 --> 00:20:33,119 is a big freaking deal. That's the thing. Like I think he's a 313 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:36,279 little, I mean, maybe a lot too mid range heavy still, but 314 00:20:36,319 --> 00:20:38,759 he's he's an accurate mid range shooter, so the damage there is kind of 315 00:20:38,799 --> 00:20:41,960 mitigated. I wish you would shoot more threes, but the defense is legit. 316 00:20:42,039 --> 00:20:45,839 And especially on a team where maybe you don't want LaMelo Ball having to 317 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:51,119 handle you know, much, since his offensive playmaking loads so big, you 318 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:53,480 know, a guy like Miller really matters. I kind of think, you 319 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:57,400 know, it is going to be hard to avoid the Scoot Miller comparison basically 320 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:03,079 forever. I think people that thought that believed in Miller are kind of looking 321 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:07,799 you know, right to some extent now. But also people that were skeptical 322 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:10,160 of him can point to a lot of stuff, which is just to say, 323 00:21:10,519 --> 00:21:12,440 do you feel like the rap on him was he's going to be a 324 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:17,839 good NBA player and like probably a good starter, but nobody was seeing, 325 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,440 you know, true superstar upside, which is kind of the problem if you're 326 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:26,160 picking a guy second. But like again, Scoot hasn't played, and when 327 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:27,359 he did play, he didn't look very good at all. So you know, 328 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:33,000 upsides all great, But if Miller is a useful contributor now and just 329 00:21:33,079 --> 00:21:37,920 projects to be nothing less than that going forward, you know, there's worse 330 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:41,400 things than having a rookie that you can put on the other team's best offensive 331 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,039 player and you can trust to make shots Like that's you know, even if 332 00:21:45,079 --> 00:21:47,359 the ceiling may be still is not as high as you'd want it to be. 333 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:52,279 I don't understand why the default comparison for players of this body type and 334 00:21:52,319 --> 00:21:55,480 who people decide can't be superstars as always. I guess, I guess, 335 00:21:55,799 --> 00:21:59,839 did you say the name yet? What is it? Middleton? No? 336 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,839 I was gonna say Paul George. Paul George is better. That's my point 337 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,599 is, like, if the number two pick turns out to be Paul George 338 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:10,039 or Chris Middleton. I thought that as an absolute victory. That's a home 339 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:12,200 run. Yeah, that's great. Like, how many players over the last 340 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,960 fifteen years are better than Paul George Like year to year, I mean, 341 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,400 he's always the top twenty guy and has been what he finished third in the 342 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,319 MVP, you know when he was with OKC, Like, yeah, and 343 00:22:23,839 --> 00:22:27,200 you take Paul Georgia too, right, I just don't understand why it feels 344 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:30,559 just like it's not everybody, but when the comp is, oh, it's 345 00:22:30,599 --> 00:22:34,000 this, it's this kind of elite wing who's not actually elite, and we're 346 00:22:34,039 --> 00:22:37,240 so we're just gonna say they can't be a superstar. His best case scenario 347 00:22:37,279 --> 00:22:41,359 is Paul George. I'm like, his best case scenario is Paul George's head 348 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:44,319 to the Hall of Fame. Right, He's definitely in Like he's been one 349 00:22:44,319 --> 00:22:48,160 of the best all around basketball players of our lifetime. Basically, really quickly, 350 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:52,240 you did mention Scoot I saw I caught the Blazers a good chunk of 351 00:22:52,279 --> 00:22:57,119 the Blazers Suns game on Tuesday night, having Malcolm Brogden back because we dumped 352 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,960 all over the Blazers offense during the optim A stick portion of their podcast. 353 00:23:02,279 --> 00:23:04,920 Just not having an organizer, it just it looked so much better, oh, 354 00:23:06,279 --> 00:23:08,119 just having him there. And so I'm just curious if this team gets 355 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:11,160 a little friskier. Now, that was not related to the Hornets, No, 356 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:15,680 Brandon Miller kind of sort of but not really kind of. So what 357 00:23:15,759 --> 00:23:18,279 you got there was like two degrees of separation. Let's separate from the Charlotte 358 00:23:18,279 --> 00:23:22,440 Hornets and moved to the Chicago Bulls. Five and ten, minus four point 359 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,279 eight in net rating. Let's get positive. This team was surprisingly easy to 360 00:23:26,319 --> 00:23:30,480 come up with something positive because it feels like there's really only one thing to 361 00:23:30,559 --> 00:23:36,400 go with, and that's the defense. Still knows how to force turnovers. 362 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:41,759 They are second in opponent turnover rate right now, only the Magic are in 363 00:23:41,759 --> 00:23:42,960 front of them, which, holy hell Magic. They have the best defense 364 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:45,960 in the league. By the way, did you know that had updated after 365 00:23:47,519 --> 00:23:51,400 I saw they were top five a couple days ago and I did a double 366 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:55,920 take then, so it's a triple take now there. The Bulls lead the 367 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:00,640 league in turnovers forced when defending and transition, and they are second behind only 368 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,960 the Oklahoma City Thunder, which just makes so much sense when you like read 369 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:07,759 who the team is inforcing turnovers on pick and rolls. It starts on the 370 00:24:07,759 --> 00:24:11,440 perimeter, it ends on the perimeter. For them, they get incredible, 371 00:24:11,519 --> 00:24:15,039 incredible ball and passing lane pressure from both Javon Carter and Alex Caruso, and 372 00:24:15,079 --> 00:24:19,279 they just have a smattering of peskiness. I called it with Tory craig Io 373 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:23,559 de Summu and even doubt here Patrick Williams has had his his defensive highs. 374 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:29,680 I do get a little annoyed that they don't parlavies turnovers into transition opportunities. 375 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:33,160 They're just so I know they don't necessarily have the personnel when it's Vuch and 376 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:36,880 Derozen, but it's you're forcing turnovers be better than twenty fifth and pace. 377 00:24:37,279 --> 00:24:41,200 However, they're still playing faster, a lot faster in those situations than their 378 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:45,119 overall offense, and they are eighth in offensive efficiency after forcing a turnover. 379 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,200 And so this is why the forcing the turnovers is important from a defensive perspective. 380 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:53,640 It's driving what is a very weak offense overall. For the third year 381 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,880 running with zach Levine, Demarta Rosenen, nicole I Vucevic as you'r as your 382 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:02,759 headliners there, I don't think we could overstate how important this is. It 383 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:06,119 really just I don't It doesn't matter in the context of should they keep this 384 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:10,319 team together? But forcing turnovers are mazifake with Chicago. That's part of the 385 00:25:10,319 --> 00:25:12,759 reason why you could stomach watching them. But I look, I think it's 386 00:25:12,759 --> 00:25:17,319 a bright spot. These are the players who are always selling out. Specifically, 387 00:25:17,319 --> 00:25:19,160 when you look at Carter and Caruso, two of sort of the driving 388 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:23,319 forces from their their top down defense, and even Patrick Williams, that's like 389 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:27,000 a good baseline to where if you could kind of if they had more assets 390 00:25:27,079 --> 00:25:30,759 or just were more creative, you could see the bones of well, maybe 391 00:25:30,759 --> 00:25:34,440 we're a trade or two away from being a sensible, sensibly built team. 392 00:25:34,839 --> 00:25:37,319 Yeah, And I think to me, one of the other positives is going 393 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:41,319 the other way, which I think probably you'd bet on a tear down. 394 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:45,880 Obviously with the Levigne stuff kind of you know, boiling right now, someone 395 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:52,079 like carus I think they're gonna get a pretty good return for like, you 396 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,359 know, up to four guys that they might think about trading, like Lavin 397 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:57,599 will bring back plenty. Caruso is playing some of the best basketball of his 398 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,720 career. He's making half of his threes. I think I saw Stati's on 399 00:26:00,759 --> 00:26:04,240 the longest streak of double digit scoring nights of his career, which isn't long, 400 00:26:04,279 --> 00:26:07,160 but like, if you're getting any offense from him two games, I 401 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:11,720 think it was like eight or something. But you'll get something for him, 402 00:26:11,799 --> 00:26:14,200 you might. I think you should get a first for Alex Caruso, like 403 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:18,039 a decent one. Javon Carter's shooting over forty percent from three, You'll get 404 00:26:18,039 --> 00:26:19,599 something for him. I don't know what you get for DeRozan, but he's 405 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:23,480 expiring, and you know, assuming he's gonna make mid Rangers at some point 406 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:27,400 again this year, someone will want him. Like the positive to me in 407 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,359 addition to like, the turnovers are crazy, and that's a huge plus. 408 00:26:30,559 --> 00:26:33,200 But when you trade a couple of the guys that are causing those turnovers, 409 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,960 you're still going to get a good return, and this rebuild can kind of 410 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:40,799 you know, we're not that far away from talking about how the Bulls have 411 00:26:41,079 --> 00:26:45,640 like a pretty sweet collection of assets to start over with. I think that's 412 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:49,799 pretty flattering. Yeah, right, you know, you should get a couple. 413 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:53,000 I think they should meet like four or five first pretty easily if they 414 00:26:53,039 --> 00:26:56,000 trade me. I don't know the zach Colvine stuff. I feel like this 415 00:26:56,079 --> 00:27:00,160 happens a lot where what's being reported in the speculation matches up with what they 416 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:04,759 actually get. But if you had to take the over under on two point 417 00:27:04,759 --> 00:27:11,519 five first round picks or prospect equivalents on a Zachlavine trade right now, would 418 00:27:11,559 --> 00:27:14,119 you bet the over the under on that? I think it'd probably go over 419 00:27:15,039 --> 00:27:18,160 if you're letting me use a like a you know, a rookie scale contract 420 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,440 prospect type guy as one of those, because I could see it being two 421 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:25,279 first like decent ones, and then a young player plus the salary match, 422 00:27:25,599 --> 00:27:27,880 or you could even get three if one of those is you know, have 423 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:32,599 some decent protections on it or might not convey or whatever. And then and 424 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:36,359 then whatever you get for Carter Caruso DeRozan, I don't know what you get 425 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:40,599 for Vucevic. He may just not be someone that the Caruso between them is 426 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:42,279 at least two first round picks, I think. I think so. Yeah, 427 00:27:42,519 --> 00:27:45,920 even even though ones are rental and the others like, you know, 428 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,799 not going to play more than twenty five minutes for you. It's just what 429 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:53,000 they both bring is valuable Uh, Cleveland Cavaliers are next up. They've we've 430 00:27:53,079 --> 00:27:56,519 moved on from the sub five hundred East teams for a little bit, eight 431 00:27:56,559 --> 00:28:02,920 and six plus zero point nine net rating, kind of rounding into form after 432 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:06,880 a rough start and still not fully healthy. Donovan Mitchell's been missing time, 433 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:10,880 and they were able to beat the hold off the Sixers on Tuesday night. 434 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:14,160 I bet you thought I was gonna focus on Evan Mobley's offensive growth, which 435 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:17,079 I think is way more pronounced than people are giving credit for. I decided 436 00:28:17,079 --> 00:28:22,079 to focus on the entire team though. They are playing faster and it's it's 437 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:26,559 important, slower, methodical over dribbling stuff kind of punctuated what they did last 438 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:30,559 year. They were twenty ninth in average possession time. They're all the way 439 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:34,279 up to twenty first right now, which again is not lightning speed, but 440 00:28:34,319 --> 00:28:37,839 it's faster. And the bigger thing is they're getting out in transition more, 441 00:28:38,599 --> 00:28:42,880 especially after snaring live rebounds. They're getting out in transition on those plays thirty 442 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:48,319 one point two percent of the time. That's a top nine rate compared to 443 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:52,319 the ranked seventeenth in that same category last year. And I think the bigger 444 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,880 thing is so when you're playing with some of your bench guys. There is 445 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,759 that inherent inclination to play fast. They also rolled out I haven't been seen 446 00:28:59,799 --> 00:29:03,519 a lot of even when Jared Allen was out with George Nang and Dean Wade 447 00:29:03,559 --> 00:29:06,759 as your front court, they rolled that out against the Sixers. I didn't 448 00:29:06,759 --> 00:29:08,519 look at the data on it, like that lineup is just built to play 449 00:29:08,559 --> 00:29:11,799 fast. That can happen. We're not built to play fast, but like 450 00:29:11,839 --> 00:29:15,559 Georgia x oct particularly fast, but he will push the ball or he'll get 451 00:29:15,559 --> 00:29:18,880 rebounds and get the quick outlet so that the guards can start running things. 452 00:29:18,039 --> 00:29:22,000 Also, by the way, maybe one thing I should have focused on this 453 00:29:22,039 --> 00:29:25,480 more, but I started prepping before he was really going off. The Craig 454 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:29,720 Porter Junior minutes have been an absolute delight for what's going on. He's had 455 00:29:29,759 --> 00:29:33,440 two unbelievable games in a row and just like talk about found money, like 456 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:37,279 how in the world has he been so impactful out of nowhere and just really 457 00:29:37,319 --> 00:29:42,279 helping him navigate absences from both Garland and Mitchell who speaking of Mitchell, he's 458 00:29:42,279 --> 00:29:48,279 looking to push more. Evan Mobley is just making quicker decisions and there is 459 00:29:48,279 --> 00:29:51,160 a when you're looking not even just at the transition, but the half court 460 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:55,839 stuff running faster. Max Struce just provides. It's not just he fires up 461 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:59,960 so quickly, he's moving quickly. He'll pass quickly, He'll decide to drive 462 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:03,720 and then pass quickly. He'll get off his two's quickly. The fact that 463 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:08,759 he is such a quick decision maker has really benefited their base offense. That 464 00:30:10,079 --> 00:30:12,759 I think, combined with Domin Mitchell looking to push even if he can hold 465 00:30:12,759 --> 00:30:15,119 the ball, still a lot when you get to the half court. And 466 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,039 then just Evan Mobley, I know there's been moments where it feels like there's 467 00:30:18,039 --> 00:30:22,720 a stall or it's buffering internet and he's trying to figure things out. The 468 00:30:22,079 --> 00:30:26,599 decisions he can make from the center of the floor with his live dribble, 469 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:30,720 like they're just faster, and I think you could argue is Cleveland fast enough, 470 00:30:30,759 --> 00:30:33,519 but like this is just another as you're sort of dealing with some of 471 00:30:33,519 --> 00:30:37,279 the space and concerns that you still have when you're playing dual biggs, dealing 472 00:30:37,319 --> 00:30:40,720 with some of the defensive concerns that have returned when you're playing both those bigs. 473 00:30:40,799 --> 00:30:44,319 Just being able to play faster, not just in transition, but in 474 00:30:44,359 --> 00:30:48,799 your half court base. I do think it makes them more viable in the 475 00:30:48,799 --> 00:30:52,119 playoffs. And that's not something I think a lot of people would say about 476 00:30:52,119 --> 00:30:56,599 the Cavaliers and the Macro because of how topsy turvy their start has been. 477 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:00,200 I'm just a full on believer that it's owed to injuries literally more than anything 478 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,119 else. Yeah, and they've been a little unlucky in terms of three point 479 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:07,039 opponent three point accuracy. I just like you're at, what are they ranked 480 00:31:07,119 --> 00:31:11,599 right now? On defense? They were number one last year and they're twelve 481 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:15,880 right now, Like they're going to be a top five defense, Like, 482 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:18,920 there's just no I don't care if it's two small guards. We've seen it. 483 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,599 We've seen proof that that doesn't matter when you've got the bigs behind them. 484 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:23,599 So yeah, there's I mean to say that, I think there were 485 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:26,799 four and six at one point, and they were just such an easy pick 486 00:31:26,839 --> 00:31:30,319 for teams that you just could sell their slow start because of the injuries and 487 00:31:30,359 --> 00:31:34,079 because of all like just the proof of concept from last year. So yeah, 488 00:31:34,119 --> 00:31:37,559 of the teams that are I don't know whose record still isn't what you 489 00:31:37,559 --> 00:31:41,079 maybe thought it was. Cleveland's just like there's no doubt that there's going to 490 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:45,359 be, you know, significant improvement even from even from Hero when they played 491 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:51,480 well lately. That takes me happy about Isaaco Korro's three point shooting when healthy 492 00:31:51,519 --> 00:31:55,000 over forty percent on the air is he he is right at forty percent? 493 00:31:55,039 --> 00:31:57,799 Man and Strus is at thirty seven point three on almost eight attempts a game, 494 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:00,559 like that's exactly what do you have his per thirty six? Like, 495 00:32:00,599 --> 00:32:04,240 what is he doing per thirty six? That is a ten? Well, 496 00:32:04,279 --> 00:32:07,759 he's averaging thirty five point eight minutes, so it's all right, so I 497 00:32:07,799 --> 00:32:09,319 would actually like that number to be hot. That's lower than what he was 498 00:32:09,319 --> 00:32:13,839 averaging last year. My have he's doing more stuff inside the art though for 499 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,720 them, which is important. He's averaging just under four assists. I don't 500 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:20,559 know what he averaged last year. Jil Bald movement has been just great for 501 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,079 them. They look really good, all right. That takes us to the 502 00:32:22,119 --> 00:32:25,680 Detroit Pistons. Oh man, we are pivoting hard here. They're two and 503 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:30,400 thirteen minus seven point nine net rating. They are on what is the losing 504 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:34,200 streak at eleven something like that. It's not good, is what it is. 505 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:38,480 They are not winning games and not staying particularly close in a lot of 506 00:32:38,519 --> 00:32:43,039 them. So what do you got here? One? I have three notes 507 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:45,319 like one, thank you for going through the vitals because it gives me time 508 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:50,200 to time stamp these things before I begin talking too. If anyone seen me 509 00:32:50,359 --> 00:32:52,319 just watching it, I'm just looking all around. One of my dogs was 510 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:55,680 laying right by my chair wheels, and it felt like he was still there, 511 00:32:55,759 --> 00:32:59,480 and I just looked around, and he's now in one of his beds. 512 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,039 If anyone see behind me all over the thing right there, so I'm 513 00:33:02,079 --> 00:33:06,119 not running over my dog. I was very concerned that that's what I was 514 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:08,279 about to do. But now I can fidget like I normally do. That's 515 00:33:08,319 --> 00:33:14,039 exciting, and I think maybe so maybe it was only two notes. My 516 00:33:14,119 --> 00:33:17,279 pistons, we've already talked about Joleen Duran, we did a little thing on 517 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:22,000 them, or Sarr Thompson. I don't know if we've talked about him at 518 00:33:22,079 --> 00:33:25,599 length. Let's do that. Holy holy fuck, is all I have to 519 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:29,319 say there is let's get the cliche out of the way, which is a 520 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:34,319 very real thing. The jumper is an issue, but like he can still 521 00:33:34,359 --> 00:33:37,839 do stuff on offense. I do if he doesn't have a jumper, you 522 00:33:37,839 --> 00:33:40,680 do need to plan your roster and lineups to where if you want him to 523 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:45,480 cut more, you want him to run off screens more downhill, you know, 524 00:33:45,599 --> 00:33:49,400 you need to either have a floor spacing big or just better floor spacing 525 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:52,119 in general, which the Pistons don't have right now. Still, you can 526 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:54,039 see the outlines of what he can do away from the ball and the fact 527 00:33:54,039 --> 00:34:00,799 that he's just already a good passer without running the offense. He's a top 528 00:34:00,839 --> 00:34:05,160 eight assist rate among everyone who has finished as many drives as him, and 529 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:08,320 that number is like over sixty players, I believe. And then we just 530 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:13,440 get to the defense, like, okay, look, the counting stats are 531 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:15,199 sexy. He's grabbing over ten boards a game, a lot of those coming 532 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:17,719 on the defensive end. He's in the top five of stocks, steals, 533 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:23,480 and blocks right now. Super cool. Love it. Opponents are shooting forty 534 00:34:23,599 --> 00:34:29,000 six point four percent against him at the rim. That's a top three mark 535 00:34:29,119 --> 00:34:34,199 among eighty players who have contested at least forty looks near the basket, and 536 00:34:34,559 --> 00:34:37,039 Osar Thompson has by the way, I brought the number down as low as 537 00:34:37,039 --> 00:34:42,159 possible because the star. Thompson has contested like sixty looks at the basket, 538 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:45,320 so only Walker Kessler is in front of him, and you're not gonna guess 539 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:49,920 the other name. It's Christian Wood. We really do players in front of 540 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,880 him. Yeah, so playing with Anthony Davis looks pretty good on him at 541 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:53,719 point. I mean, he's looked, He's actually looked really good with the 542 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:59,159 Lakers and basically all his minutes. The other thing is just the assignment. 543 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:04,039 So I dug into the data and I pulled his top seven defensive assignments. 544 00:35:04,079 --> 00:35:07,639 These stats aren't perfect, but I'm not gonna cite what opponent shot against him. 545 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:12,760 Instead, I'm gonna tell you what the teams have averaged per possession when 546 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:17,199 he's guarding these players. Chicago average is averaging point nine eight points per possession 547 00:35:17,639 --> 00:35:22,599 when when I saw Thompson guards the marta Rozen Milwaukee has scored one point zero 548 00:35:22,679 --> 00:35:28,800 four points per possession when he guards Damian Lillard. Portland has scored one point 549 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,400 zero two points per possession when he guards Shandon Sharp. Again, just because 550 00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:35,840 you're wondering why Shandon Sharp's there, I'm just looking at the top seven assignments 551 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:38,920 from him so far. Atlanta has scored point eight points per possession when he 552 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:45,079 guards to Jante Murray Okase has scored point nine to seven points per possession when 553 00:35:45,079 --> 00:35:49,920 he guards Shake Gilges Alexander Golden State has scored point nine eight points per possession 554 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:53,400 when he guards Klay Thompson, and the Sixers have scored zero point seven to 555 00:35:53,480 --> 00:36:00,000 nine points per possession when he guards Tyrese Maxi. The breadth of these assignments 556 00:36:00,079 --> 00:36:05,920 and the results are just both absurd and even if his jumper never comes along, 557 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:08,400 this is going to be a really useful NBA player, Not in Detroit's 558 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:12,480 current environment, but if he can even become I don't know what would be 559 00:36:12,519 --> 00:36:15,840 the comp where it's if he can become this player. If he could become 560 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:21,400 RJ. Barrett off the catch right now, and even even a lesser version 561 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:24,159 of what RJ. Barretts done off the catch this season, this might be 562 00:36:24,199 --> 00:36:28,800 an all NBA player. He's almost certainly gonna make it All defense team. 563 00:36:29,159 --> 00:36:31,840 I mean, he's like the Barrett comparisons interesting. That's he kind of is 564 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:36,559 a tricky guy to figure out. Like if you ask the question, well, 565 00:36:36,599 --> 00:36:39,880 if he could do X like catch and drive like Barrett or hit open 566 00:36:40,119 --> 00:36:45,480 like when he's left wide open in the corners or whatever, be Gary Payton 567 00:36:45,519 --> 00:36:49,559 in the second and just you know, shoot thirty six percent or whatever it 568 00:36:49,599 --> 00:36:52,039 is. He's been higher, he's been lower. He's tricky to like he's 569 00:36:52,079 --> 00:36:57,000 tricky to imagine if you add a skill or two. I think he's ahead 570 00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:59,800 of where Barrett was in terms of like if he has the ball with a 571 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:01,480 line dribble, can he get to where he wants to go? Like he 572 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:05,719 first of all, he's a he's ahead of r J. Barrett there now, 573 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:07,960 probably even with r J. Barrett's problems. I was more so e 574 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:13,000 citing like what's a an if he shooter that can be bankable and certainly if 575 00:37:13,039 --> 00:37:16,119 he gets RJ. Barrett's catch and shoot stroke right now or something like who 576 00:37:16,159 --> 00:37:21,320 is the player where it's they're kind of fringe even if if he's Marcus Smart 577 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:25,920 off the catch from three in most seasons and there's no reason, so like 578 00:37:27,039 --> 00:37:30,960 I don't know where to go with like what he could be what's fascinating to 579 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:34,440 me? And the stats are amazing, but just watching him play and he's 580 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:37,679 one of the most fun like non shooters to watch play that has been in 581 00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:42,760 the league for a really long time, usually a rookie, and considering the 582 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:45,480 assignments he's gotten, it's like doubly true. A rookie will get tested a 583 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:49,119 lot, like guys will kind of go at him, especially if he has 584 00:37:49,599 --> 00:37:52,440 some reputation like this, But generally speaking, guys are gonna get shots up 585 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:57,880 against him. You can already see just anecdotally the amount of times every game 586 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:01,320 where he's in a you know, not necessarily an isolation situation, but maybe 587 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:05,400 he's chasing a guy over a screen and gets back in front, or like 588 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:08,280 guys just don't attempt shots that they would otherwise attempt. So, like the 589 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:13,440 block rate's great and all the like, all the suppression of field goal percentages 590 00:38:13,599 --> 00:38:16,400 is great, but like his defense is like there's a third level, which 591 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:21,719 is you don't even let the other guy shoot because he realizes I don't have 592 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:22,599 the space to do it. I got to get off the ball. He 593 00:38:22,639 --> 00:38:27,599 already does that all the time as a as an individual defender. So like, 594 00:38:28,159 --> 00:38:30,400 I don't know, I mean, I can't remember the last defensive prospect 595 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:34,880 that I was like more excited by as a wing than him. I And 596 00:38:35,159 --> 00:38:37,039 I don't know where I like I literally can't think of someone. I'm sure 597 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:42,519 listeners will throw out some names, but like you know, I don't know 598 00:38:42,559 --> 00:38:45,159 what to I don't know who to compare him to. That that's I guess 599 00:38:45,159 --> 00:38:47,159 that's the takeaway. He's that this might be a good baseline. Is so 600 00:38:47,639 --> 00:38:52,320 when you look at I mean, the dude is is six seven or six 601 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:58,440 six, like he's around that size and block rate is just absurd. So 602 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:04,079 I went back and looked, h, this is every player to like until 603 00:39:04,119 --> 00:39:08,320 this season who is six foot seven or shorter and had a block rate of 604 00:39:08,360 --> 00:39:13,559 at least two, defensive rebounding rate of at least twenty, steel percentage of 605 00:39:13,599 --> 00:39:15,280 at least one point five. So it's like it's cherry picked, but those 606 00:39:15,280 --> 00:39:19,800 are just common base lines. Yeah, and then I sorted them by, 607 00:39:20,079 --> 00:39:27,840 okay, who matched Asar Thompson's rookie assist percentage. So there are three other 608 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:30,599 players to date that have turned in the season like that, and two of 609 00:39:30,639 --> 00:39:35,679 them all three of them have multiple seasons of it. Draymond Green is first 610 00:39:35,679 --> 00:39:39,119 with seven, Paul Millsap is second with three of those seasons, and then 611 00:39:39,119 --> 00:39:43,440 there's Charles Barkley with two. And that's just it. And then Scotty Barnes 612 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:46,599 is doing it right now. That's like, well, and those guys are 613 00:39:46,599 --> 00:39:51,159 all that's the crazy thing. So he's categorized on cleaning the glasses of forward, 614 00:39:51,199 --> 00:39:53,480 which he sort of is and isn't right because he has like you know, 615 00:39:54,199 --> 00:39:58,039 like you just say, like some point guard instincts, like as a 616 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:00,960 prospect him win, I'm Thompson was off the floor or off the ball like 617 00:40:01,199 --> 00:40:05,440 Lasar was running the offense. And granted that's like, you know, we're 618 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:08,360 talking about a totally different level of competition, but like he's not. He's 619 00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:12,559 not Paul Millsap. That's like a totally different type of player. So you're 620 00:40:12,599 --> 00:40:16,480 getting and so circling back like being categorized as a forward, he still has 621 00:40:16,519 --> 00:40:21,320 a ninety seven percent percentile block grate and he's still in the hundredth percentile as 622 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:25,239 an offensive rebounder among forwards and like you can put him on Damian Lillard defensively 623 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:29,599 and feel great about it. They're like the disconnect between those two things is 624 00:40:29,679 --> 00:40:32,119 kind of wild, and it again it speaks to like who is what is 625 00:40:32,159 --> 00:40:37,119 this guy? Like he's definitely not something you see more than once every what 626 00:40:37,519 --> 00:40:40,960 ten years fifteen years. I'm really hoping when the Pistons are fully healthy that 627 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:45,679 we get to and it's just tough because they're never gonna roll out a big 628 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:50,440 unless it's Stew at the five, that you could get to four out around 629 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:53,079 him. But can we get to three out like consistent where it's you're looking 630 00:40:53,119 --> 00:40:59,159 at. Probably a good lineup would be a healthy Monte Morris with Boye Bogdanovich. 631 00:40:59,679 --> 00:41:01,079 You could whatever big you want. If he's not gonna be. If 632 00:41:01,079 --> 00:41:04,159 it's not gonna be Stew at the five, get me dirt at the five 633 00:41:04,239 --> 00:41:07,800 then and that it's do you trust Kate enough? Is it? Alec Burk's 634 00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:13,440 there, You're too small? But give him three dependable shooters get to those 635 00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:16,079 lineups more often, which is not something Detroit has had the capacity to do 636 00:41:16,639 --> 00:41:20,679 at the moment. And I would really like to see, Okay, even 637 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:22,239 if he's not the one taking jumpers, like what does this look like on 638 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:25,880 off? Yeah? No, he's he's one to watch for sure. Will 639 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:30,239 this will not be the last time we discuss him. I think will be 640 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:31,840 the last time in this pot we talked about the Pistons because we're on to 641 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:37,840 the Indiana Pacers. Who are eight and five plus point zero zero point six 642 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:44,480 net rating, but the best offense in the National Basketball Association, and that 643 00:41:44,599 --> 00:41:49,079 got a pretty solid boost when they scored six hundred trillion points last night. 644 00:41:49,119 --> 00:41:52,480 As we record this on Wednesday, that game I only caught bits of. 645 00:41:52,519 --> 00:41:57,119 It was absurd. I have no I like, that's a game I should 646 00:41:57,159 --> 00:42:00,719 probably go back and watch, and I just don't think it might exhaust me. 647 00:42:00,039 --> 00:42:02,760 Tyres Albert threw this one pass. He was trapped at the back court. 648 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:07,679 He slung it one handed across the court to a to the corner on 649 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:10,000 the other end obi top and then got the actual assist to Uh. I 650 00:42:10,039 --> 00:42:13,840 think it was was Aaronie Smith, like was just cutting the back. It 651 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:21,400 was. It was chaos. So I heard a stat and it like kind 652 00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:23,760 of warped my brain. So I think the over and I'll get it not 653 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:28,679 exactly right, but the point will convey. I think the over under for 654 00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:34,159 that game was something like Indiana Atlanta was what we're talking about from Tuesday night 655 00:42:34,639 --> 00:42:38,000 was in the like two fifty range, so like you know, one twenty 656 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:42,360 four twenty six or one twenty five apiece or whatever, which is the highest 657 00:42:42,559 --> 00:42:45,920 spread that we've seen in a really long time. They scored. They beat 658 00:42:45,960 --> 00:42:50,519 that number by like fifty plus points. Like they were over the highest over 659 00:42:50,599 --> 00:42:52,880 under we've seen in a really long time. They could buy for three hundred 660 00:42:52,880 --> 00:43:00,039 and twenty something was real five right, It's like, I just so so 661 00:43:00,719 --> 00:43:01,880 we haven't even got to what you'r thing is. But like, holy god, 662 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:06,800 Terry Saliburtn is the best offensive orchestrator that we've seen in a very long 663 00:43:06,840 --> 00:43:08,760 time. But what do you like about the Pacers? Is it the defense? 664 00:43:09,880 --> 00:43:14,199 No, I'm not gonna focus on the defensive bride surprise. Last year 665 00:43:14,519 --> 00:43:20,360 there was a much ado made over their offensive progress. However, despite being 666 00:43:20,559 --> 00:43:24,280 a flashy offense, they ranked twenty fourth in half court efficiency. I hope 667 00:43:24,320 --> 00:43:27,960 you haven't looked at these numbers. Do you know where they rank this season 668 00:43:28,039 --> 00:43:31,480 in half court not overall offensive rating, but half court offensive rating. Unfortunately 669 00:43:31,559 --> 00:43:35,679 I do know that because when they were not even as high as they are 670 00:43:35,719 --> 00:43:37,719 now, I cited it as something I wrote as like a holy shit, 671 00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:43,320 this is getting serious for the Pacers. But please tell us they are now. 672 00:43:44,079 --> 00:43:47,960 Jackie my notes first in half court efficiency. That mark, I mean 673 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:53,360 it includes the Atlanta game. But they also got shellacked against the Magic on 674 00:43:53,440 --> 00:43:57,760 Sunday Night, the league best defense, Orlando Magics. So that's what the 675 00:43:58,039 --> 00:44:00,920 that's what Orlando's defense apparently looked like against the best offense in the NBA. 676 00:44:01,039 --> 00:44:04,679 By the way, we haven't gotten to the Magic yet, so I digress 677 00:44:04,920 --> 00:44:07,679 that stability is important because yes, this team is still the fastest team in 678 00:44:07,679 --> 00:44:12,800 the league off opponent makes, but to have the half court stability was sort 679 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:15,320 of the missing element. And I think they've done some stuff with Tyre's haliburt 680 00:44:15,360 --> 00:44:19,559 and off the ball. Caitlin Cooper had pointed that out. I think really 681 00:44:19,599 --> 00:44:23,000 the bigger thing for me is well over top and flying around helps Bruce Brown 682 00:44:23,119 --> 00:44:29,480 is his steadiness intelligence like rolled into one, and so they've been able to 683 00:44:29,480 --> 00:44:32,800 get to units without Tyre's Haliburton. We're no, the results on defense still 684 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:37,199 aren't always great, but you're able to survive without Tyre's haliburt, and I 685 00:44:37,199 --> 00:44:42,119 think that's really helped inflate their their offensive rating. And look, we caught 686 00:44:42,119 --> 00:44:44,880 a lot of shit because neither of us are as high on bennedc. Mathern 687 00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:49,360 as most pacers fans. I do wonder if bringing Buddy healed off the bench 688 00:44:49,639 --> 00:44:52,800 has also kind of helped stabilize that because now you just have this lights out 689 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:57,440 shooter playing around. Yeah, he could spend some time with like the main 690 00:44:57,480 --> 00:45:00,079 guys, but when you're getting to these units that have to three reserves and 691 00:45:00,119 --> 00:45:04,400 Buddy Heeld and Jalen Smith around the court at the same time, it doesn't 692 00:45:04,440 --> 00:45:07,559 matter how slow things are operating, how much you don't trust your creation. 693 00:45:07,199 --> 00:45:12,840 Defenses are just being bent to the point of breaking. And this is like, 694 00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:15,280 this offense is for real. The show is real, and if they 695 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:19,519 can get any sort of just stops or at least I know you're playing small, 696 00:45:19,559 --> 00:45:22,199 but could we grab a defensive rebound? Could we stop pailing that's such 697 00:45:22,199 --> 00:45:27,079 an excessive clip this team could or even if they make a trade, like 698 00:45:27,159 --> 00:45:30,840 who is the worst player they could acquire? And you're just ready to say, 699 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:32,800 oh, this is a top four team in the East that I don't 700 00:45:32,800 --> 00:45:37,599 think it needs to be og Ananobi. No, I think you wouldn't. 701 00:45:37,639 --> 00:45:40,199 You wouldn't quite need that. But but that is where the help. Can 702 00:45:40,199 --> 00:45:45,719 we can we just somehow get them a star Thompson and just just enjoy the 703 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:49,400 peer care. He would look like on offense on this team, he would 704 00:45:49,480 --> 00:45:52,519 just be dunking NonStop, just over and over and over again. A couple 705 00:45:52,559 --> 00:45:57,000 of things. Uh, guess who started for the first time last night, 706 00:45:57,039 --> 00:46:00,400 Buddy healed, And guess who was a plus twenty Buddy. So I think 707 00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:05,800 maybe that's changing, and I'm not going to back off my Benedict Matheren does 708 00:46:05,800 --> 00:46:08,119 not make as much sense as a starter as Buddy Heel does, and so 709 00:46:08,199 --> 00:46:12,239 I think I think we're gonna be We're gonna be vindicated on that. I 710 00:46:12,320 --> 00:46:15,079 want to talk about Haliburton real quick, because I know time and time again 711 00:46:15,519 --> 00:46:22,880 when trying to convey just like how little attention he was getting last year relative 712 00:46:22,920 --> 00:46:27,400 to how historic he was as an offensive like initiator, because he averaged twenty 713 00:46:27,400 --> 00:46:30,199 and ten and he shot forty percent from three that had never happened before. 714 00:46:30,599 --> 00:46:34,159 He's at twenty four and twelve and he's shooting forty five percent from three this 715 00:46:34,239 --> 00:46:37,679 year, and I just like don't see other than like suddenly he's a really 716 00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:42,039 improved in terms of volume, especially like off the dribble three point shooter, 717 00:46:43,519 --> 00:46:47,840 Like nothing feels unsustainable. I think we keep We've been a little hyperbolic these 718 00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:52,559 last couple teams talking about Thompson, as you know, defies comparison and Haliburton 719 00:46:52,719 --> 00:46:57,920 is this great. But like the list of guys I think that you can 720 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:01,960 rely on to have so total control over an offense and believe and know that 721 00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:07,039 they are going to generate awesome looks for themselves and everybody else, like Haliburton's 722 00:47:07,079 --> 00:47:09,880 in. You know, you can't just go around the league and say like, 723 00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:13,519 well, I mean it's you know, Curry and Luca territory. It's 724 00:47:13,559 --> 00:47:19,000 like you gotta do some like back dating stuff and start mentioning guys like Nash 725 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:22,800 and like young Chris Paul and stuff like that, because just as an offensive 726 00:47:22,800 --> 00:47:27,840 engine, like good luck finding someone that you can rely on to ensure elite 727 00:47:27,880 --> 00:47:30,280 offense more than you can rely on him. He's been I mean I don't 728 00:47:30,480 --> 00:47:35,639 We can't say he's been the MVP because that's just it's stupid to say anybody 729 00:47:35,639 --> 00:47:38,719 has this early. But if he's not in the top like what six or 730 00:47:38,760 --> 00:47:42,719 seven in terms of MVP right now, I like, I don't know what 731 00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:46,000 we're doing because he's been unbelievable coming off a year that no one had ever 732 00:47:46,079 --> 00:47:52,360 had last year. Yeah, I and how does he do what he does 733 00:47:52,440 --> 00:47:55,639 with with apparently out ever turning the ball. Oh right, he has a 734 00:47:55,719 --> 00:48:00,719 forty did you mention his assis presentage at forty eight point three and he's a 735 00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:05,760 twelve point four turnover rate just like I haven't looked, but I would hazard 736 00:48:05,800 --> 00:48:08,559 that a like first of all, that it's this rate is just absolutely mind 737 00:48:08,599 --> 00:48:13,400 meldingly high. I don't know how many players throughout NBA history, and maybe 738 00:48:13,440 --> 00:48:16,239 Chris Paul crops up there once. This is just like it's that the the 739 00:48:16,360 --> 00:48:20,880 scoring package is the passing package of the everything. If he wasn't such a 740 00:48:20,880 --> 00:48:23,880 weak point on defense though like he does, that's just you could still build 741 00:48:24,119 --> 00:48:29,679 a contender around him. It's just they they're still they need the wing thing, 742 00:48:30,159 --> 00:48:32,920 like it can't just be like the Aaronny Smith or Bruce Brown like they 743 00:48:34,000 --> 00:48:37,559 need that. They need that player. And I'm one, I'm curious how 744 00:48:37,559 --> 00:48:39,480 they like this. JAREDS Walker's not a wing. Could he develop into him? 745 00:48:39,519 --> 00:48:43,039 He's not playing a ton you mentioned. It's not gonna be better than 746 00:48:43,119 --> 00:48:45,280 Bathord, who I did not know came off the bench on Tuesday night, 747 00:48:45,320 --> 00:48:49,199 and I do wonder if that could hurt it might help him. Looking at 748 00:48:49,199 --> 00:48:52,079 the level of competition he goes at. But that doesn't hurt what I was 749 00:48:52,119 --> 00:48:53,360 mentioning about Buddy Heals where it's okay, well, you just have him coming 750 00:48:53,400 --> 00:48:57,800 off the bench to stabilize some of the non Halibert minutes. Yeah, I 751 00:48:57,800 --> 00:49:00,360 think a lot of it, you know, right, It's it's interesting. 752 00:49:00,360 --> 00:49:02,679 I think matheren is just his game makes a lot of sense as the go 753 00:49:02,760 --> 00:49:06,519 get us buckets while we don't have our best guys out there type of guy 754 00:49:06,519 --> 00:49:08,440 because he'll get to the foul line or you know, he's shown in long 755 00:49:08,480 --> 00:49:12,599 stretches the ability to do that really well. I mean, it's a good 756 00:49:12,599 --> 00:49:15,559 problem because both those guys can really score it, and Halbert is just going 757 00:49:15,639 --> 00:49:19,719 to make it easier for whoever he's out there with. So that's it for 758 00:49:19,800 --> 00:49:22,320 the Pacers. We're on to the Miami Heat, who sit at nine and 759 00:49:22,440 --> 00:49:28,400 five, which is a pretty darn good record considering they're just barely overbreak even 760 00:49:28,400 --> 00:49:32,119 in net rating plus zero point three. Have been mostly defined by their defense 761 00:49:32,159 --> 00:49:35,920 so far this year. But I'm curious where you're going to go here for 762 00:49:36,039 --> 00:49:38,599 the Heat? Do you go in any number of directions? Jimmy Butler flip 763 00:49:38,679 --> 00:49:42,880 the switch taken to making more threes. How may Hawk is filling all the 764 00:49:42,920 --> 00:49:45,880 gaps. He's starting to hit his threes as well. Tayla Martin has not 765 00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:47,119 looked great, but he's at least back. I'd be thankful for that. 766 00:49:47,800 --> 00:49:52,280 Dougan Robinson, the inside the arc know how that he showed during the playoffs 767 00:49:52,360 --> 00:49:55,880 is carried over the regular season. Yeah, Hayward hog Smith, what's that 768 00:49:57,400 --> 00:50:00,039 still here? I did not think we'd be talking about the that Duncan Robinson 769 00:50:00,440 --> 00:50:05,400 sustained off the dribble and non three point shooting game after the playoffs, But 770 00:50:05,480 --> 00:50:07,840 here we are, and then you haven't Hay what Highsmith? Just defending up 771 00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:10,440 and down the positional spectrum, among other things. I think the big one 772 00:50:10,440 --> 00:50:15,760 for me is just Bammannebayo continues to grow on the offensive end. He's scoring 773 00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:19,360 more despite playing slightly fewer minutes. Big part of that is he's just getting 774 00:50:19,360 --> 00:50:22,360 to the foul line more often per thirty six minutes. What's interesting about that, 775 00:50:22,400 --> 00:50:28,599 though, is his rim frequency has declined by ten percent for a second 776 00:50:28,639 --> 00:50:31,159 consecutive year like that double digit, so he's not getting there as much. 777 00:50:31,320 --> 00:50:36,079 But a lot of that's just in service of the agency he's having over the 778 00:50:36,119 --> 00:50:39,360 offense from the in between or as a lead playmaker. He just looks so 779 00:50:39,519 --> 00:50:45,440 much more of that part. And it's like the patience he is showing when 780 00:50:45,480 --> 00:50:49,199 he gets the ball to let plays develop. He's taking more isolations this year, 781 00:50:49,280 --> 00:50:52,760 he's been knocking down shots in those situations, added unreal clip. More 782 00:50:52,800 --> 00:50:58,840 of his buckets that ever have now gone unassisted. He's upped his efficiency on 783 00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:04,119 fataway jumpers compare last year. And when he is getting paint touches, he's 784 00:51:04,119 --> 00:51:07,920 shooting above sixty percent on them right now, and then he's generating fouls at 785 00:51:07,920 --> 00:51:12,400 a good clip. There's only two other players who have made as many field 786 00:51:12,440 --> 00:51:16,320 goals and free throws at the same clips as bam Adebayo this season. That's 787 00:51:16,360 --> 00:51:20,360 Anthony Davis and chet Holmgrid who just pops up into all these things. It's 788 00:51:20,719 --> 00:51:25,239 it's absolutely unreal. I think there can be concerned because Miami still loses the 789 00:51:25,280 --> 00:51:30,239 minutes that Jimmy Butler doesn't play when you look when you start to dig into 790 00:51:30,239 --> 00:51:32,480 the lineup data on that, though, bam is asked, being asked to 791 00:51:32,519 --> 00:51:37,880 carry these combinations that just have no secondary creation. Maybe that changes a little 792 00:51:37,880 --> 00:51:43,639 bit when Tyler Hero comes back. I do think ultimately this development from BAM, 793 00:51:43,679 --> 00:51:46,880 when you're looking at Miami's best lineups, is going to end up being 794 00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:51,559 huge for the team, what to not just survive the regular season, but 795 00:51:51,559 --> 00:51:53,599 once you get to the playoffs, especially if you're not going to wind up 796 00:51:53,639 --> 00:51:59,239 making a trade for someone who cracks your closing lineup. Yeah, I mean, 797 00:51:59,400 --> 00:52:02,960 you're talking about lineups like their starting unit is just one of the best 798 00:52:04,039 --> 00:52:07,400 ones in the league full stop right now. So we're talking about Lowry, 799 00:52:07,440 --> 00:52:09,440 Duncan, Robinson, high Smith, Butler, and out of Bio. They're 800 00:52:09,599 --> 00:52:13,679 in one hundred and fifty one possessions, which is a decent number for as 801 00:52:13,760 --> 00:52:16,480 early as we are. They're plus nineteen point one, and the most surprising 802 00:52:16,480 --> 00:52:21,000 thing is that unit is really scoring. I guess maybe that's not surprising because 803 00:52:21,039 --> 00:52:23,239 Butler, Robinson, and Lowry are all comfortably over forty percent from three, 804 00:52:23,280 --> 00:52:27,280 but high Smith is like thirty percent. Ish is not a threatening shooter. 805 00:52:27,679 --> 00:52:31,079 Auto Bio is a great offensive player. But like I thought that if you're 806 00:52:31,079 --> 00:52:34,880 gonna play Heismith a lot, and you're gonna play him with BAM, you'r 807 00:52:34,920 --> 00:52:37,280 spacing might get a little crunchy, especially with Jimmy out there, but that 808 00:52:37,719 --> 00:52:42,760 unit is scoring totally. Like if if they're at one twenty four point five 809 00:52:42,800 --> 00:52:46,239 points per one hundred offensively, like if that comes down by twenty percent, 810 00:52:46,280 --> 00:52:50,840 you're still like in pretty good shape for a Miami offense. I did want 811 00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:54,519 to pull up the because you alluded to it. The minutes with uh auto 812 00:52:54,559 --> 00:53:00,239 bio on the corp and Butler off are real rough specifically on offense. They're 813 00:53:00,239 --> 00:53:04,800 like a seventh percentile scoring efficiency offense. In those situations they're getting out scored 814 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:07,480 by eight point two points per hundred. So, bam, how many you 815 00:53:07,559 --> 00:53:12,559 know if you have the most used lineup though, that's like in that the 816 00:53:12,599 --> 00:53:16,440 most used yes, bam, No, Jimmy lineup yeah is minus nine point 817 00:53:16,519 --> 00:53:21,400 three right now is but who's in it? Is my point? It's yeah, 818 00:53:21,599 --> 00:53:27,199 Josh Richardson, Jimahawk as Duncan Robinson, Caleb Martin and bam. So 819 00:53:27,519 --> 00:53:30,760 that sounds like a lineup that should be working will work better over the long 820 00:53:30,880 --> 00:53:32,519 terriblely it should, I think. Well, yet, see I don't know 821 00:53:32,519 --> 00:53:37,039 if it's sorted for like what the opponents are shooting, but they're not scoring 822 00:53:37,559 --> 00:53:40,639 actually they're scoring fine, they're giving up one twenty five point three on defense, 823 00:53:42,280 --> 00:53:45,039 so maybe that's that's the issue. Maybe that's I don't have it sorted 824 00:53:45,079 --> 00:53:46,920 to tell me how opponents are shooting from three. That could just be kind 825 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:52,199 of noisy. But yeah, no, the heat. Just to fin I 826 00:53:52,239 --> 00:53:57,159 thought the heat were like based on, you know, being basically a five 827 00:53:57,199 --> 00:54:00,400 hundred team last year, until they've made the finals all of a sudden and 828 00:54:00,440 --> 00:54:02,119 losing talent. We're just going to really struggle this year. And was wrong 829 00:54:02,159 --> 00:54:07,360 about that. We're both officially because we don't think we were fair when we 830 00:54:07,679 --> 00:54:10,320 killed them for their offseason, but we're both default they do. We don't 831 00:54:10,360 --> 00:54:13,760 need to explain it. You just have to believe that my A is going 832 00:54:13,800 --> 00:54:15,880 to be a threat. What about it? Like they've just earned that benefit 833 00:54:15,920 --> 00:54:17,159 of the doubt. Now. I know they'll figure it out, and then 834 00:54:17,199 --> 00:54:21,920 once we fully embrace that, then they'll suck and we'll just not know which 835 00:54:21,960 --> 00:54:24,880 way is up after that. Speaking of up, the Milwaukee Bucks, things 836 00:54:24,920 --> 00:54:29,880 are looking up after a start I stupidly panicked over. So they're ten and 837 00:54:29,960 --> 00:54:32,679 four. They are plus two point two, which still seems you know, 838 00:54:32,760 --> 00:54:37,199 that's not in step with the ten and four record, but we're not super 839 00:54:37,239 --> 00:54:40,880 worried about that. And I'm also just gonna stop panicking about Milwaukee, especially 840 00:54:40,960 --> 00:54:44,800 after like six games, which I did, So tell me about the Bucks. 841 00:54:44,800 --> 00:54:47,519 What's good that's going on there. I think the big optimism, aside 842 00:54:47,519 --> 00:54:51,760 from you know, Dame just has really has changed their offense even when he's 843 00:54:51,800 --> 00:54:55,440 not hitting threes, is that Adrian Griffin apparently listens to his players. So 844 00:54:55,719 --> 00:55:00,800 through the first four games of the season, they didn't have Brook Lopez, 845 00:55:00,800 --> 00:55:05,079 the Defensive Player of the Year runner up who thrives working at drop coverage. 846 00:55:05,239 --> 00:55:08,599 He was not working at drop coverage nearly as often. The results were bad. 847 00:55:08,920 --> 00:55:15,000 Milwaukee ranked first in opponent rim frequency, but they were dead last in 848 00:55:15,079 --> 00:55:19,119 shooting accuracy, surrendered surrendered at the hoop. They were allowing about an eighty 849 00:55:19,159 --> 00:55:23,480 one percent clip through those first four games. That contributed to their defensive struggles. 850 00:55:23,519 --> 00:55:27,400 They were twenty ninth overall on defense, twenty fourth and a half court 851 00:55:27,440 --> 00:55:31,840 defense. Then they started playing Brook and dropped more. It was on November 852 00:55:31,840 --> 00:55:36,960 third against the Knicks. During that game, Griffin went on ESPN and said 853 00:55:37,440 --> 00:55:42,039 the players acts to put Brook back and drop and so he just obliged, 854 00:55:42,679 --> 00:55:46,000 and the Bucks defense has been night and day since then. They're allowing more 855 00:55:46,039 --> 00:55:50,119 looks at the rim, but that's what happens if you're going to drop that 856 00:55:50,280 --> 00:55:54,719 deep. But they're now fourth in shooting accuracy allowed at the rim. Their 857 00:55:54,719 --> 00:55:59,840 half court defense has recovered from twenty fourth to a good, not great, 858 00:55:59,840 --> 00:56:02,480 but better fourteenth. And they still have their issues, I think, specifically 859 00:56:02,519 --> 00:56:07,320 when you're looking at the point of attack, even more specifically when you're looking 860 00:56:07,360 --> 00:56:10,760 at their guards, how easy it is to get behind them off your missus 861 00:56:10,760 --> 00:56:15,199 in the offense. That's something they need to figure out a way to address, 862 00:56:15,239 --> 00:56:16,920 maybe at the trade deadline or can you know, some of these guards 863 00:56:16,960 --> 00:56:22,280 just play better in those situations. But if you're the Bucks and your offense 864 00:56:22,639 --> 00:56:27,119 is just going to be thermonuclear af and is only going to get better as 865 00:56:27,199 --> 00:56:30,360 Damian Lillard gets better, you just need to have an average or better defense. 866 00:56:30,840 --> 00:56:36,320 They have a better than average defense right now, and so that case 867 00:56:36,360 --> 00:56:38,800 that we were building for them to actually be the favorites in the Eastern Conference, 868 00:56:38,840 --> 00:56:43,960 even though the Celtics exist, especially with you know, Chris Middleton minutes 869 00:56:44,000 --> 00:56:47,280 gradually coming up his pull up jumpers starting to fall like this team is right 870 00:56:47,320 --> 00:56:51,079 there, it's not Boston and everyone else. To me, it's still Boston 871 00:56:51,119 --> 00:56:53,360 and Milwaukee and everyone else. Yeah, I think that's right. And I 872 00:56:53,440 --> 00:56:59,119 think too, like I wonder what the sort of statute of limitations is going 873 00:56:59,199 --> 00:57:02,960 to be on this Discussing the logic of taking brook Lopez out of a drop 874 00:57:04,360 --> 00:57:07,920 getting off of it after four games is great, but I just wonder almost 875 00:57:08,159 --> 00:57:12,039 like, hey, let's try to force turnover. So right, that was 876 00:57:12,119 --> 00:57:15,559 the stated goal. But it's like this team was, you know, has 877 00:57:15,599 --> 00:57:19,239 been top whatever defensively. There's like one blip in there when they were fourteenth 878 00:57:19,239 --> 00:57:22,000 a couple of years ago. But their top ten routine league with like terrible 879 00:57:22,199 --> 00:57:25,039 opponent, Like they don't force turnovers. It's just like not part of it 880 00:57:25,079 --> 00:57:29,840 and it still works great. It's almost like like, you know, how 881 00:57:29,960 --> 00:57:32,880 whenever we've been through this, as Bleacher Report has been like acquired and reacquired 882 00:57:32,920 --> 00:57:38,039 and had bigger and bigger companies in charge of it. Sometimes like things people 883 00:57:38,039 --> 00:57:42,360 will come in and say, like I gotta change something, So we're going 884 00:57:42,440 --> 00:57:45,280 to use a new email server for some reason, just because that's that's what 885 00:57:45,320 --> 00:57:49,280 we do. When when a company gets taken over and it's like, yeah, 886 00:57:49,320 --> 00:57:52,159 but the old one was fine, do we need and it's gonna, 887 00:57:52,559 --> 00:57:55,519 we're gonna. I am here to effect change and guess what now it's outlook, 888 00:57:55,679 --> 00:57:59,719 deal with it. Now we're gonna So it's almost like Griffin came in 889 00:57:59,760 --> 00:58:01,079 and was like, how do I put my stamp on this team? I 890 00:58:01,119 --> 00:58:05,599 know, I know we're gonna change the defense, We're gonna we're gonna force 891 00:58:05,639 --> 00:58:07,320 turnovers. It's a new day. And then you quickly realize, like, 892 00:58:07,400 --> 00:58:10,119 no, the old one was totally fine. We don't need to we don't 893 00:58:10,119 --> 00:58:15,800 need to do anything. They also were not forcing overs during that stretch. 894 00:58:15,840 --> 00:58:19,639 Anyway, I understand the logic of, Okay, we're significantly weaker at the 895 00:58:19,639 --> 00:58:22,159 point of attack. Is this a way to cover up for it? Yeah, 896 00:58:22,199 --> 00:58:23,840 but it was nice. I wouldn't have tried it either. But you're 897 00:58:23,880 --> 00:58:28,119 right about the leaving their mark, because we talk about this when there's a 898 00:58:28,159 --> 00:58:31,159 front office change or an ownership change of NBA teams, they want to leave 899 00:58:31,159 --> 00:58:34,400 their mark. Is it firing the head coach, isn't making a trades, 900 00:58:34,440 --> 00:58:37,800 is tripping down the roster. I'm assuming that's the logic. I think it's 901 00:58:37,840 --> 00:58:43,519 good that he listened to his players. And I also think it's like these 902 00:58:43,559 --> 00:58:45,599 players were so quickly to ask for that. They didn't even give it five 903 00:58:45,639 --> 00:58:50,280 years like no, this is this is cooked. I knew that they they 904 00:58:50,320 --> 00:58:52,960 got like a half decade of information that says like no, no, it 905 00:58:52,960 --> 00:58:54,480 works when we do this, Like but like you couldn't you, like, 906 00:58:54,679 --> 00:58:59,559 especially see a new head coach, we have to do personnel that oh will 907 00:58:59,559 --> 00:59:01,360 give it more more than four games. Right, the fact they asked for 908 00:59:01,400 --> 00:59:06,559 it so quickly, I love and appreciate. Yeah, I think he ultimately, 909 00:59:06,559 --> 00:59:08,800 You're right, he deserves credit because it would have been so easy to 910 00:59:08,840 --> 00:59:13,519 say, like maybe not even in as polite as terms as let's just see 911 00:59:13,719 --> 00:59:15,559 as like no, no, no, this is my I'm I'm going down 912 00:59:15,599 --> 00:59:19,559 with it. I'm sticking to this for better or worse for half the year. 913 00:59:19,800 --> 00:59:22,119 We'll see where we are. Like, no, he moved off it 914 00:59:22,239 --> 00:59:25,119 quickly, So that's that's definitely a credit, especially like you're coming in to 915 00:59:25,559 --> 00:59:30,440 coach a potential championship roster and you'd want to make it feel like you're doing 916 00:59:30,480 --> 00:59:34,800 something to affect to like get this team where it wants to be, to 917 00:59:34,840 --> 00:59:37,280 get off that quickly is good. Let's get off of the Milwaukee Bucks and 918 00:59:37,320 --> 00:59:40,960 move to the New York Knicks, who are eight and six plus four point 919 00:59:42,039 --> 00:59:45,960 seven net rating. The offense is tenth, the defense is seventh. Should 920 00:59:45,960 --> 00:59:49,519 have a better record than they have, but here we are. What do 921 00:59:49,559 --> 00:59:52,719 you like about the Knicks so far? I don't know who needs to hear 922 00:59:52,800 --> 00:59:55,480 this, but Mitchelle Robinson has been their best player, and I think we 923 00:59:55,519 --> 00:59:59,320 really need to appreciate them. Jalen Brunson is coming for that crown. He's 924 00:59:59,360 --> 01:00:02,239 more important. The RJ. Barrett decision making turn is real, but he 925 01:00:02,280 --> 01:00:06,599 has been dominant, arguably at both ends of the floor. The on off 926 01:00:06,639 --> 01:00:09,920 splits on defense are very wonky. Opponents are shooting more often and better at 927 01:00:09,920 --> 01:00:14,920 the room when he's on the court. But those offenses are really planning around 928 01:00:14,960 --> 01:00:19,400 Mitchell Robinson this season, where they're trying to have bigs where they can stretch 929 01:00:19,480 --> 01:00:22,599 him out. They're gonna put them in the corner or they're gonna go out 930 01:00:22,599 --> 01:00:25,519 of their way, which it makes sense to put Julius Randall and Jalen Brunson 931 01:00:25,800 --> 01:00:30,400 in pick and roll together, and they either know that the Knicks aren't gonna 932 01:00:30,400 --> 01:00:32,679 switch or they know that the Knicks aren't gonna change up their coverage. The 933 01:00:32,719 --> 01:00:37,880 ground that Robinson has had to cover, and I the hesitance that I feel 934 01:00:37,920 --> 01:00:45,480 like he inflicts upon opponent offensive plays. It's Anthony Davis esque. It's not 935 01:00:45,679 --> 01:00:47,320 nearly the same as Anthony Davis. I'm just talking about the ground that he 936 01:00:47,360 --> 01:00:52,320 needs to cover as a big who's not allowed to play this traditional big man 937 01:00:52,400 --> 01:00:59,599 role on the defensive end. But he's arguably been even more valuable on offense 938 01:01:00,199 --> 01:01:04,840 because the Knicks still desperately need his offensive rebounding. He currently has the highest 939 01:01:04,880 --> 01:01:10,199 offensive rebounding rate on record, and so that's just massive unto itself, because 940 01:01:10,400 --> 01:01:15,360 you look at a Knicks team, their first chance offense in the half court 941 01:01:15,599 --> 01:01:19,880 is bad. They're twenty third right now. Mitchell Robinson. This is all. 942 01:01:20,000 --> 01:01:22,920 This is according to PBP stats, and it's entering Wednesday's games. Mitchell 943 01:01:22,960 --> 01:01:29,639 Robinson's grabbing about twenty five percent of New York's missed twos, including twenty nine 944 01:01:29,719 --> 01:01:35,159 percent of their missed attempts at the rim and twenty five percent exactly of their 945 01:01:35,199 --> 01:01:38,760 missed twos between four and fourteen feet. This matters because the Knicks are dead 946 01:01:38,840 --> 01:01:45,599 last in efficiency at the rim and twenty fifth inefficiency from that foreign fourteen foot 947 01:01:45,960 --> 01:01:52,239 range, So him generating those second chance opportunities is just critical to their offensive 948 01:01:52,519 --> 01:01:55,679 livelihood for anyone who cares. He's also grabbing about eleven percent of New York's 949 01:01:55,679 --> 01:02:00,440 miss threes. Now, Robinson is woefully inefficient when it comes to trying to 950 01:02:00,440 --> 01:02:04,559 go back up with the ball and score when he does this, but he 951 01:02:04,679 --> 01:02:07,960 knows how to get the ball out to someone who's on the three point line 952 01:02:08,159 --> 01:02:12,480 or just around the basket, and the numbers actually bear that out that his 953 01:02:12,639 --> 01:02:19,440 offensive rebounds are more valuable than other people's offensive rebounds because the Knicks' second chance 954 01:02:19,679 --> 01:02:23,039 offensive rating with Mitchell Robinson on the floor, they're averaging one point one to 955 01:02:23,119 --> 01:02:29,239 two points per possession versus point eight nine without him. And a big part 956 01:02:29,280 --> 01:02:30,559 of that is, yes, Mitchell Robinson kind of knows where to look. 957 01:02:30,719 --> 01:02:36,039 But when you have so many bodies trying to prevent Mitchell Robinson from getting said 958 01:02:36,079 --> 01:02:39,239 offensive rebound, someone's going to be open, gonna be able to duck in 959 01:02:39,320 --> 01:02:44,199 going ahead and open three. And until we've seen Jalen Brunson get a little 960 01:02:44,199 --> 01:02:50,119 bit hotter. But until this Knicks team performs its first chance half court offense 961 01:02:50,320 --> 01:02:53,519 more consistently, because that's an issue dating back to last season, Mitchell Robinson 962 01:02:54,159 --> 01:03:00,079 is probably no worse than the second most important player in that building right now. 963 01:03:00,239 --> 01:03:02,400 Argue third, because it's like, well of r J. John brunt 964 01:03:02,440 --> 01:03:06,519 in two and Julius Randall, two of those guys hit more more of their 965 01:03:06,559 --> 01:03:10,239 perimeter looks that stabilizes the offense. But right now, Mitchell Robinson is probably 966 01:03:10,280 --> 01:03:14,679 the Knicks's second most important player, and he's been their best player this season. 967 01:03:15,119 --> 01:03:16,280 We should just appreciate it. I don't know if this is the ideal 968 01:03:16,360 --> 01:03:21,159 situation for them to be in, but you absolutely have to appreciate the body 969 01:03:21,159 --> 01:03:22,760 of work. I agree, I think it's And it's just always kind of 970 01:03:22,760 --> 01:03:28,360 fun when we don't have this happen very much, where a big guy doing 971 01:03:28,400 --> 01:03:31,199 big guy stuff like matters in the modern NBA, because you know, all 972 01:03:31,199 --> 01:03:35,599 we focus on is like, well, Kinny Garden a switch and he's not 973 01:03:35,639 --> 01:03:37,639 gonna provide any spacing and all this, like that's all we've talked about for 974 01:03:37,679 --> 01:03:42,719 like ten years about big guys like Mitchell Robinson, and now I just it's 975 01:03:42,719 --> 01:03:46,000 like a refreshing thing that he is, and you're like, you're not overstating 976 01:03:46,000 --> 01:03:50,320 it at all, especially for this team specifically that just couldn't make a two 977 01:03:50,400 --> 01:03:52,960 for you know, the first three weeks of the season at all, to 978 01:03:52,039 --> 01:03:59,559 have just the most like ideal fit for that deficiency to just mitigate it and 979 01:03:59,599 --> 01:04:03,639 then you know, make the Knicks semi functional on offense despite just at one 980 01:04:03,679 --> 01:04:08,039 point, maybe like not that long ago, because they're up the fifty six 981 01:04:08,039 --> 01:04:10,239 point eight percent at the room, which is still lasting the league, but 982 01:04:10,280 --> 01:04:14,480 it's not the worst in like franchise history, which was but you know, 983 01:04:14,599 --> 01:04:17,360 up until maybe a week ago, he's just like, you couldn't you could 984 01:04:17,360 --> 01:04:23,039 not come up with a player more purpose built to keep the Knicks like at 985 01:04:23,079 --> 01:04:27,559 a break even level or better with the specific flaws they have than him. 986 01:04:27,559 --> 01:04:30,079 So he's been yeah, like, no no argument here, he's been unbelievable. 987 01:04:30,800 --> 01:04:33,840 From the New York Knicks, we moved to the Orlando Magic and they're 988 01:04:33,920 --> 01:04:38,519 number one in the NBA defense, allowing one hundred and six point seven points 989 01:04:38,519 --> 01:04:41,079 per hundred possessions. As we record this, they are nine to five, 990 01:04:41,679 --> 01:04:45,440 their net rating, seventh best in the league. Plus four point seven despite 991 01:04:45,800 --> 01:04:48,599 an offense that has not been good. What what I've we got to talk 992 01:04:48,639 --> 01:04:51,880 about the defense? I guess, But what do you like about the Magic 993 01:04:51,960 --> 01:04:56,920 so far? Well, it is just their their top right defense feels for 994 01:04:57,000 --> 01:04:59,519 real, even if they're not going to say in first place, it feels 995 01:04:59,559 --> 01:05:03,280 top five, top seven at worst. Would you dig into when you watch 996 01:05:03,360 --> 01:05:06,920 them? I think you just get it. They don't start. There's like 997 01:05:08,239 --> 01:05:13,480 no deficient defensive players on this roster that are logging heavy minutes. Cole Anthony's 998 01:05:13,559 --> 01:05:16,239 not great because he's small, but he's a really good defensive rebounder for his 999 01:05:16,320 --> 01:05:21,920 size. Anthony Black navigates the floor in the half court as a defender like 1000 01:05:23,039 --> 01:05:27,000 in all defense, vet Jalen Sugs is this unique meld of strength and eclipsing 1001 01:05:27,039 --> 01:05:30,079 hands. The Jonathan Isaac Minnetes. Yeah, they're always gonna be limited until 1002 01:05:30,119 --> 01:05:35,400 the end of time, but his dominant interchangeability is really able to inflict havoc 1003 01:05:35,800 --> 01:05:39,679 on the half court. This is all happening. By the way, Markel 1004 01:05:39,760 --> 01:05:43,159 Foltz has missed a bunch of time with his left knee injury, and then 1005 01:05:43,159 --> 01:05:46,400 Wendell Carter Junior, who was holding opponents to sub forty percent shooting at the 1006 01:05:46,480 --> 01:05:50,599 rim, has not been playing. Oh that's okay, because Gogo Batadz is 1007 01:05:50,639 --> 01:05:54,639 just gonna come in and be a really good rim protector and move well on 1008 01:05:54,679 --> 01:05:58,480 defense. I would not I did not see enough of him last season. 1009 01:05:58,519 --> 01:06:01,400 I guess. I don't know if he saw Saw flashed or gave us flickers 1010 01:06:01,400 --> 01:06:04,519 of this. I've been absolutely mind blown by that. I do think a 1011 01:06:04,519 --> 01:06:09,360 lot of it helps where your role becomes simplified when you're this good on the 1012 01:06:09,400 --> 01:06:13,119 perimeter. I think even Franz Wagner's more of a nuisance on the wing that 1013 01:06:13,199 --> 01:06:16,639 he gets credit for. Palla Bankaro's a little bit switchier and just physical that 1014 01:06:16,760 --> 01:06:20,880 he more physical than he gets credit for. So this defense is the best 1015 01:06:20,920 --> 01:06:24,840 in the league, might get better. And when you dig into the numbers, 1016 01:06:24,920 --> 01:06:28,920 so watching it, you just get it forcing turnovers like whoa. But 1017 01:06:28,960 --> 01:06:32,000 then you dig into the numbers and it's well, where is the regression going 1018 01:06:32,039 --> 01:06:35,480 to come from? I don't know. Opponents are shooting thirty three and a 1019 01:06:35,519 --> 01:06:40,320 half percent on wide open threes, that number will come up. Yeah, 1020 01:06:40,440 --> 01:06:43,000 that is That's like the only thing I found where I'm like, well, 1021 01:06:43,039 --> 01:06:46,920 you know like this is gonna change because are markkel Foltz and or when no 1022 01:06:47,000 --> 01:06:53,599 Carter Junior're gonna make them worse on defense. They've they've catered to defense in 1023 01:06:53,639 --> 01:06:57,400 a way to where it has impacted their offense when you start to get into 1024 01:06:57,440 --> 01:07:00,960 the half court stuff how it looks. But by building this defense, it 1025 01:07:01,039 --> 01:07:06,800 is also giving them a we're one off the dribble shot maker away feel from 1026 01:07:06,840 --> 01:07:13,960 being this materializing giant in the Eastern Conference. Yeah, and I will, 1027 01:07:14,519 --> 01:07:16,880 like I it's kind of a bit at this point where I just I dump 1028 01:07:16,920 --> 01:07:20,159 on Jalen Suggs because he's such a good defensive player and he can't pass and 1029 01:07:20,159 --> 01:07:25,480 can't make threes thirty five point one percent from deep this year still turns it 1030 01:07:25,519 --> 01:07:28,320 over way too much, doesn't have He's just I don't know what you're gonna 1031 01:07:28,360 --> 01:07:30,159 do with him as like a facilitator. But if he could be a league 1032 01:07:30,199 --> 01:07:33,920 average three point shooter with the level of defense that he plays, then like 1033 01:07:34,079 --> 01:07:39,159 I'm not I think I might be done bagging on how the Magic just don't 1034 01:07:39,159 --> 01:07:42,039 have good enough guards. At least they're gonna have one. I think if 1035 01:07:42,039 --> 01:07:44,480 he's gonna shoot like this, the other thing. I just looked this up 1036 01:07:44,480 --> 01:07:46,920 because I had to do. I couldn't believe when I saw this. So 1037 01:07:47,360 --> 01:07:50,840 Jonathan Isaac, right thirteen point seven minutes, you mentioned like he's just always 1038 01:07:50,880 --> 01:07:54,800 gonna be a pitch count guy and just is not gonna, you know, 1039 01:07:54,880 --> 01:07:59,039 play tons of games in a row uninterrupted based on his history. In thirteen 1040 01:07:59,039 --> 01:08:02,079 point seven minutes per game, he's averaging over a block and a steal and 1041 01:08:02,119 --> 01:08:05,679 he's played a dozen games. No one in NBA history has played that many 1042 01:08:05,679 --> 01:08:09,400 games in a season. It's a low bar and averaged a block and a 1043 01:08:09,440 --> 01:08:12,000 steal with as few minutes as he has. I could have just pulled up 1044 01:08:12,000 --> 01:08:15,159 his block and steal rates on cleaning the glass to emphasize how ridiculous he's been. 1045 01:08:15,479 --> 01:08:18,159 But like, man, you're getting a lot in a short amount of 1046 01:08:18,159 --> 01:08:21,399 time from him in terms of defensive impact. I think, and this is 1047 01:08:21,399 --> 01:08:24,720 what this is kind of who we thought he would be if he could have 1048 01:08:24,720 --> 01:08:28,079 stayed healthy. And you're never going to get this over thirty five minutes a 1049 01:08:28,119 --> 01:08:30,840 game. But man, like just as as someone to throw in there and 1050 01:08:30,880 --> 01:08:33,479 just ruin an offense for you know, the equivalent of like a quarter per 1051 01:08:33,520 --> 01:08:38,960 game that's like he's you know, he's not the reason that they have the 1052 01:08:39,000 --> 01:08:43,640 number one defense, but he is for sure a reason. All right, 1053 01:08:43,720 --> 01:08:46,399 we've got Orlando, here we go. Philadelphia seventy six Ers are next. 1054 01:08:46,760 --> 01:08:51,479 They are ten and four plus nine net rating that's second best in the league, 1055 01:08:51,760 --> 01:08:56,800 number three offense, number ten defense, a whole bunch to like and 1056 01:08:56,920 --> 01:08:59,319 maybe some knits to pick, but not that we're going to do that here 1057 01:08:59,359 --> 01:09:02,039 because this is a positive edition of the podcast. What's going on with the 1058 01:09:02,039 --> 01:09:05,560 Sixers that has your attention? Tyres Maxley going kaboom And it's just like you 1059 01:09:05,560 --> 01:09:09,800 could look at other stuff Tobias Harris, Jaden Springer and I'm just no like 1060 01:09:09,880 --> 01:09:12,760 it. It has to be Tyres Maxi going kaboom. This is not your 1061 01:09:12,840 --> 01:09:15,439 run of the mill star arrival. It's more like an all NBA turn. 1062 01:09:16,680 --> 01:09:20,560 He's averaging twenty seven points and seven assists, hitting over forty two percent of 1063 01:09:20,600 --> 01:09:26,640 his triples. Luca, Steph Hallie and Tatum are the only players who've made 1064 01:09:26,640 --> 01:09:29,960 more pull up triples, and Maxi so far as shooting fifteen of twenty seven 1065 01:09:30,000 --> 01:09:34,119 on step back threes, and that includes the weirdo airball step back three he 1066 01:09:34,159 --> 01:09:40,319 took against the loss to the Calves on Tuesday Night. Mid Range efficiency not 1067 01:09:40,479 --> 01:09:44,279 there yet. Tough to kind of harp on it though, when he's polished 1068 01:09:44,279 --> 01:09:47,840 his change of pace when he goes downhill, he's shooting fifty percent on floaters, 1069 01:09:47,880 --> 01:09:51,319 which is lower than last year. But it's just coming amid more attention 1070 01:09:51,760 --> 01:09:59,279 and like more more traffic and tighter spaces. So his growing unpredictability is huge 1071 01:09:59,319 --> 01:10:01,600 for the Sixers all defense. And it's also you know, it's translated to 1072 01:10:01,640 --> 01:10:04,560 his playmaking. You don't know what type of passes he's gonna make. Now 1073 01:10:04,600 --> 01:10:09,000 he's doubled his He's nearly doubled his assists for thirty six minutes. He was 1074 01:10:09,039 --> 01:10:13,159 averaging six point nine potential assists last year. That's up to ten point eight. 1075 01:10:13,239 --> 01:10:16,439 Now. Defenses are harder pressed to get him to pick up his dribble, 1076 01:10:16,600 --> 01:10:18,920 which I think has helped him a bunch. And yeah, there's a 1077 01:10:19,000 --> 01:10:24,720 chemistry with Joel Embiid that is telepathic, but he doesn't need Joel Embid, 1078 01:10:24,720 --> 01:10:28,479 like this rise is independent of Joel Embiid, And to that end, the 1079 01:10:28,520 --> 01:10:31,720 Sixers have are winning the minutes without Embid. When Maxi plays by ten points 1080 01:10:31,760 --> 01:10:35,880 per one hundred possessions with an offensive rating that rates not only the eighty fifth 1081 01:10:35,880 --> 01:10:41,640 percentile, but in a half court offensive rating that rates in the seventieth percentile. 1082 01:10:42,159 --> 01:10:45,239 This is like what we're witnessing now is huge. It changes the entire 1083 01:10:45,319 --> 01:10:48,000 calculus of not just the Sixers future, but what they need to do with 1084 01:10:48,079 --> 01:10:53,159 the trade assets they got from the James Harden deal. Where we weren't the 1085 01:10:53,199 --> 01:10:56,159 first once introduced this, we have talked about it. You don't necessarily need 1086 01:10:56,199 --> 01:10:59,840 a capslock star. You're not desperate to get involved on the zach Lavine discussions, 1087 01:10:59,920 --> 01:11:02,279 or Pascal Siakam becomes available, you might be able to just kind of 1088 01:11:02,600 --> 01:11:06,039 fuz and fiddle, not on the margins, but I'm like the top, 1089 01:11:06,119 --> 01:11:10,119 middle, middle, top of your rotation, rather than looking, oh, 1090 01:11:10,119 --> 01:11:15,000 we need a second best player or a third best player. So the fact 1091 01:11:15,000 --> 01:11:19,880 that Maxi has one of the most dangerous step back threes, like just if 1092 01:11:19,880 --> 01:11:23,399 you were just a good off the dribble, like pull up three point shooter, 1093 01:11:23,439 --> 01:11:26,279 which he's been even last year. He's in the thirty eight percent range 1094 01:11:26,319 --> 01:11:29,720 last year on those shots. But the fact that like maybe the fastest guy 1095 01:11:30,399 --> 01:11:33,760 Downhill has a step back and you have to guard him like on your heels 1096 01:11:33,800 --> 01:11:39,880 anyway is just cruel, Like there's no there's no like easy solid for a 1097 01:11:39,920 --> 01:11:43,159 guy that you have to give a cushion to or he's gonna go right by 1098 01:11:43,239 --> 01:11:45,880 you. But who also can go back, like go away from you the 1099 01:11:45,920 --> 01:11:49,479 opposite direction and get a shot off and you're getting yelled at by your coach 1100 01:11:49,560 --> 01:11:51,600 either way, like you, oh, you can't let him get to that. 1101 01:11:51,680 --> 01:11:54,760 It's like, well if I, if I don't let him get to 1102 01:11:54,800 --> 01:11:58,000 that, he's gonna be three steps by me and you know, be touching 1103 01:11:58,000 --> 01:12:00,520 the paint with no one's even had a chance to blink yet I wanted to. 1104 01:12:00,720 --> 01:12:03,760 So I don't know where we talk, and we may have talked about 1105 01:12:03,800 --> 01:12:08,279 him as a most improved guy. Certainly he's gonna get a lot of votes 1106 01:12:08,319 --> 01:12:11,680 for that, but that's like even that award is kind of beneath him at 1107 01:12:11,680 --> 01:12:15,119 this point, like what potentially, but it's not. I just want to 1108 01:12:15,119 --> 01:12:18,920 emphasize, like it's not just always playing a little bit more. You know, 1109 01:12:19,000 --> 01:12:23,039 he's leading the league in minutes right now. He's up to thirty eight 1110 01:12:23,039 --> 01:12:26,239 point seven from just thirty three and a half last year. So like, 1111 01:12:26,319 --> 01:12:29,159 yeah, he's playing more, but all his per one hundred possession stats are 1112 01:12:29,239 --> 01:12:32,079 up, all his per thirty six stats are up like substantially. And the 1113 01:12:32,119 --> 01:12:35,479 thing is, it's not like he's just playing more minutes in the same role 1114 01:12:35,600 --> 01:12:40,640 like his the difficulty of his role and the negative impact that should have on 1115 01:12:40,680 --> 01:12:45,800 his scoring efficiency is just totally reversed because he's just doing way more with more 1116 01:12:45,840 --> 01:12:50,159 defensive attention and is more efficient than ever. It's just the volume and efficiency 1117 01:12:50,199 --> 01:12:55,039 are usually like you're trading off has not happened. So this is not a 1118 01:12:55,079 --> 01:12:58,399 case of if he wins most improved, it's because the guy went from ahways 1119 01:12:58,399 --> 01:13:00,399 a bit player too. Now he's on the ball and the counting stats are 1120 01:13:00,479 --> 01:13:03,079 up. It's like the counting stats are up because he's playing more and he's 1121 01:13:03,079 --> 01:13:06,239 doing more with those minutes in a harder role. It's just like, this 1122 01:13:06,279 --> 01:13:11,720 doesn't this isn't how it works. Typically speaking, he's he's just exceeded expectations 1123 01:13:11,760 --> 01:13:15,079 in like every possible way, I guess he'd say, or really quickly, 1124 01:13:15,079 --> 01:13:18,680 our bur colleague and friend, Brian Depoory pointed this out to me. Maxually 1125 01:13:18,720 --> 01:13:23,920 may have actually benefited from the Sixers not extending him because he would not probably 1126 01:13:23,960 --> 01:13:28,359 have had the leverage to include the all NBA language in his contract or maybe 1127 01:13:28,399 --> 01:13:30,920 even get a player option, because like we're seeing all these hiring guys not 1128 01:13:30,920 --> 01:13:33,680 get player option, and I was just like, we might make it all 1129 01:13:33,800 --> 01:13:38,319 NBA team this year, or now we know that he has Oh, he 1130 01:13:38,319 --> 01:13:41,800 can get the five year player option special. Yeah, right, No, 1131 01:13:41,960 --> 01:13:44,199 he could ask for anything at this point, and you can't. I don't 1132 01:13:44,239 --> 01:13:45,800 think you can tell. Well, I mean there is a max salary. 1133 01:13:45,840 --> 01:13:49,000 I'd like it. I'd like the seven year deal please, and I'd like 1134 01:13:49,000 --> 01:13:51,960 one hundred million a year. Make it, make it happen. Darryl moorey 1135 01:13:53,039 --> 01:13:56,560 Tamper, figure it out. All right. So that's the that's Philly. 1136 01:13:56,840 --> 01:13:58,680 We are on too. We've only got two more here in the East. 1137 01:13:58,760 --> 01:14:01,479 Unless my skipped some alphabetical teams, I don't think I have. No. 1138 01:14:01,600 --> 01:14:04,479 This is similar quick one because like the Sixers is kind of just you can't 1139 01:14:04,520 --> 01:14:09,079 pick any any one or anything else. Yeah, So we have the Toronto 1140 01:14:09,159 --> 01:14:13,600 Raptors coming up next. Six and eight minus one point five net rating, 1141 01:14:13,640 --> 01:14:17,039 twenty fifth in offense, eighth in defense. You know, kind of a 1142 01:14:17,039 --> 01:14:20,640 weird year. Scottie Barnes is up, seat comes down. What do you 1143 01:14:20,640 --> 01:14:25,720 think so far are the raptors The Scottie Barnes megal leap is for real, 1144 01:14:26,039 --> 01:14:30,680 and we've covered in detail on this podcast. You could still sort of harp 1145 01:14:30,880 --> 01:14:34,520 on his flaws. There's that hesitance in drawing contract contact, not getting all 1146 01:14:34,560 --> 01:14:39,920 the way to the basket. Has some Yankee fadaways, but like the book 1147 01:14:40,000 --> 01:14:45,000 on, his scoring and playmaking transformations are like they're extensive. He's now a 1148 01:14:45,079 --> 01:14:48,560 multi level threat as a scorer. Defenses aren't gonna guard him on threes, 1149 01:14:48,920 --> 01:14:53,760 but he's making them pay for that, and his decision making from the in 1150 01:14:53,880 --> 01:14:58,199 between. It's still not perfect, but he's definitely more comfortable splitting traffic, 1151 01:14:58,600 --> 01:15:02,399 angling his body to maintain separation after he leaves his feet, and he's consistently 1152 01:15:02,439 --> 01:15:06,640 hurting opponents who just dropped too far on him inside the arc. This number, 1153 01:15:06,800 --> 01:15:10,199 it's not he's not taking a ton of them, but this number is 1154 01:15:10,199 --> 01:15:14,960 now held up for weeks. He's shooting sixty percent on more than two pull 1155 01:15:15,039 --> 01:15:17,640 up two attempts per game, so he's hitting sixty percent of his pull up 1156 01:15:17,680 --> 01:15:21,520 twos. Uh, that's probably not unsustainable, but it is a harbinger of 1157 01:15:21,560 --> 01:15:27,800 how much more expansive his offensive package has become. The same goes for as 1158 01:15:27,840 --> 01:15:32,239 passing. It's I would say it's visibly more measurably more dynamic. The live 1159 01:15:32,359 --> 01:15:38,239 dribble vision feels more comprehensive, especially when he's in the open floor. He's 1160 01:15:38,279 --> 01:15:43,600 certainly calmer, more collected when facing doubles and threading the needle over length. 1161 01:15:44,680 --> 01:15:46,600 There are some lineups where it still just gets a little bit clumpy. That's 1162 01:15:46,600 --> 01:15:49,800 not really on him so much as on the Raptors, And I think even 1163 01:15:50,159 --> 01:15:57,840 what's what's just as crucial is that this offensive growth has come with defensive growth. 1164 01:15:57,880 --> 01:16:00,079 So it's not like doing more on offense has made him received on the 1165 01:16:00,119 --> 01:16:04,880 defensive end. The Raptors under dark old Royakovich do have him guarding like more 1166 01:16:05,079 --> 01:16:10,520 likely sized players. Uh, And he's racked up these counting stats that are 1167 01:16:10,560 --> 01:16:13,600 like, oh, why wasn't this happening all along? He's seventh in stocks, 1168 01:16:13,840 --> 01:16:16,239 But he's also just he closes out, and I when I was writing 1169 01:16:16,239 --> 01:16:19,840 about this, he closes out with his speed and control dials both turned to 1170 01:16:19,880 --> 01:16:28,119 eleven. I don't like it just doesn't make sense. He's he's as my 1171 01:16:28,199 --> 01:16:31,439 dogs go off in the background. For everybody with a Kniett Barnes fans, 1172 01:16:31,479 --> 01:16:35,079 those guys, yeah, they're pretty happy. Let me shut this this door 1173 01:16:35,119 --> 01:16:40,600 and see if that helps. So I don't even know what I was saying. 1174 01:16:40,680 --> 01:16:44,119 Oh, I was talking about his closeouts. So those are a great 1175 01:16:44,159 --> 01:16:47,319 thing from him. And he's also just like when he gets behind the play, 1176 01:16:47,680 --> 01:16:51,199 he's he's recovering well. And he's also been a regular help presence around 1177 01:16:51,239 --> 01:16:56,159 the basket. I think this his leap hasn't been lost in Toronto. There's 1178 01:16:56,199 --> 01:16:58,560 a question of, well, how meaningful is it when they're not great. 1179 01:17:00,159 --> 01:17:03,359 It's not that Toronto doesn't have access to a direction. Scotty Barnes is the 1180 01:17:03,399 --> 01:17:08,920 access. He's good enough to be that direction. Whether they're optimizing that access 1181 01:17:09,520 --> 01:17:13,000 is what's at play, and I think the answer is still no. But 1182 01:17:13,439 --> 01:17:16,239 the fact that they know they have access to a direction in Scottie Barnes is 1183 01:17:16,279 --> 01:17:19,920 a pretty big deal. Yeah, no, I'd echo everything you said there. 1184 01:17:20,760 --> 01:17:24,720 If we're gonna I was gonna pick knits about like still too many mid 1185 01:17:24,840 --> 01:17:27,960 range shots going up. But he's just better at though he's more accurate on 1186 01:17:28,000 --> 01:17:30,239 all those now, so it's less of an issue, and the three point 1187 01:17:30,239 --> 01:17:33,239 frequency being like, you know, significantly spiking, and he's making them, 1188 01:17:33,359 --> 01:17:36,319 Like I'm I'm not concerned that, like he's a little more jumper dependent than 1189 01:17:36,359 --> 01:17:40,119 he's been in the past, just because he's making them. And if you're 1190 01:17:40,159 --> 01:17:42,479 gonna knock like that was the knock, is that, well, he doesn't 1191 01:17:42,479 --> 01:17:45,000 make him Well, he's making his jumpers, so I don't care if his 1192 01:17:45,079 --> 01:17:48,560 rim frequency is down. That takes us to our last team alphabetically, and 1193 01:17:48,640 --> 01:17:53,279 I'm just actually, I haven't looked, but I feel like I can guess 1194 01:17:53,680 --> 01:17:57,800 where you're going here. For the Washington Wizards, who are two and eleven, 1195 01:17:58,560 --> 01:18:00,479 they are not dead last in that rating, so that's cool. There's 1196 01:18:00,479 --> 01:18:03,840 two West teams below them, Portland and San Antonio, still minus ten point 1197 01:18:03,880 --> 01:18:09,520 nine twenty first on offense. They are dead last in defense and pretty comfortably 1198 01:18:09,560 --> 01:18:14,840 so, one twenty three point three per one hundred allowed and the highest opponent 1199 01:18:14,880 --> 01:18:19,079 effective field goal percentage. They are also allowing the most opponent offensive rebounds, 1200 01:18:19,119 --> 01:18:21,199 so if you don't get him the first time, you're getting them the second 1201 01:18:21,239 --> 01:18:26,439 time. This is the Washington Wizards. What's the best thing about the Washington 1202 01:18:26,479 --> 01:18:31,399 Wizards so far. Jordan Poole sound bites. Look, it's Denni Avdi has 1203 01:18:31,399 --> 01:18:34,920 gotten a lot better. But anyone who listens this podcast knows how much I 1204 01:18:35,079 --> 01:18:39,920 have been enamored with Denny Avdi and talked about Dennyavia but a lot of cool 1205 01:18:39,960 --> 01:18:43,319 Bali was supposed to be a project, and just like I know, the 1206 01:18:43,560 --> 01:18:46,920 Wizards aren't having him running a bunch of picking rolls and running sets for him. 1207 01:18:47,439 --> 01:18:53,720 He's a nineteen year old who is shooting forty six plus percent on threes. 1208 01:18:54,079 --> 01:18:58,119 They're all unguarded and I don't care like he's taken them. They're going 1209 01:18:58,159 --> 01:19:02,319 in. The efficiency will slip potentially even plummet put the willingness to just un 1210 01:19:02,399 --> 01:19:08,279 cork those trays at all. That's the win right now, Like, that's 1211 01:19:08,279 --> 01:19:12,880 the win for this team. And he can do other stuff on offense which 1212 01:19:13,000 --> 01:19:16,880 will mitigate whatever regression might hit his jumper. His drives are chaotic, but 1213 01:19:16,920 --> 01:19:21,840 he's a willing kicker and he doesn't let the ball stick his half court off 1214 01:19:21,880 --> 01:19:26,960 ball floor navigation. It does keep defenses on tilt, and he's just a 1215 01:19:27,039 --> 01:19:30,199 lightning rod. In transition. He's averaging one point three three points per possession 1216 01:19:30,199 --> 01:19:33,960 in transition, shooting thirteen of eighteen overall, that rates in the eighty six 1217 01:19:34,039 --> 01:19:40,079 percentile. I think I've been I think what he's doing on offense is just 1218 01:19:40,119 --> 01:19:44,520 more shocking because he's contributing and he's clearly ready, and I'm curious to see 1219 01:19:44,520 --> 01:19:46,119 what they could do if they what he can do if they put the ball 1220 01:19:46,119 --> 01:19:50,000 in his hands more. The defense, though, is just we can't lose 1221 01:19:50,000 --> 01:19:53,840 sight of it. Even though Washington is just not a good defensive team, 1222 01:19:54,159 --> 01:19:59,520 they're baptizing him by fire. He has defended everyone from guards like Jalen Brunson 1223 01:19:59,800 --> 01:20:03,640 and Damian Lillard for extensive reps, to guys like on the wing in Jalen 1224 01:20:03,720 --> 01:20:09,000 Brown and Brandon Miller, to then like these combo forward big types like both 1225 01:20:09,439 --> 01:20:14,079 Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam. Again, the results aren't always going to be 1226 01:20:14,159 --> 01:20:18,479 pretty, and you can toss Kolabali around on screens. He also doesn't look 1227 01:20:18,520 --> 01:20:24,319 overmatched in pretty much any situation. He slides his feet really well. Like 1228 01:20:24,359 --> 01:20:29,520 the east west agility that he has is incredibly impressive. He closes out hard 1229 01:20:29,520 --> 01:20:32,840 and at intelligible angles. It's like he's kind of operating even faster than Scotty 1230 01:20:32,880 --> 01:20:36,279 Barnes on closeout speed. I'd like to compare those two if there's any data 1231 01:20:36,359 --> 01:20:40,920 on their closeout speed. But like, he's not fouling a ton in those 1232 01:20:40,960 --> 01:20:44,960 situations. He rebounds well for someone of his size and build. I know 1233 01:20:45,000 --> 01:20:46,399 he has the length. I know a lot of those rebounds are uncontested, 1234 01:20:46,439 --> 01:20:50,399 but he hasn't knows for finding the ball off those misses. And then he's 1235 01:20:50,399 --> 01:20:56,279 just really good at using his length to disrupt shots and handles at every level, 1236 01:20:56,319 --> 01:21:00,640 both on and away from the ball. This is just it's the perfect 1237 01:21:00,680 --> 01:21:03,640 type of emergence for him because I don't know, you look at him and 1238 01:21:03,680 --> 01:21:06,239 say, oh, that will be the guy who directs our rebuild. But 1239 01:21:06,279 --> 01:21:09,760 he's talented enough to where you wonder, oh, is this gonna be one 1240 01:21:09,760 --> 01:21:13,000 of our two or three most important players on a great team. And he's 1241 01:21:13,039 --> 01:21:15,920 not driving too much winning at the moment, like you're still gonna be bad 1242 01:21:16,359 --> 01:21:20,279 for the next two years. And so it's sort of a perfect storm of 1243 01:21:20,279 --> 01:21:25,359 optimism with him. And I'll close with this the caveat that it's still early. 1244 01:21:26,079 --> 01:21:30,119 Here is every other rookie Grant who is shorter than six' seven to 1245 01:21:30,199 --> 01:21:33,760 post a steal rate of at least one point five and block rate of two 1246 01:21:34,640 --> 01:21:41,600 while maintaining Klabally's defensive rebounding percentage and playing at least twenty five minutes per game. 1247 01:21:41,800 --> 01:21:45,479 So it's matching cool Bally's defensive rebounding rate being shorter, then six to 1248 01:21:45,520 --> 01:21:50,479 seven block and steel rates of one point five for steals, two for blocks, 1249 01:21:50,520 --> 01:21:53,479 and then you have to be playing at least twenty five minutes per game. 1250 01:21:53,760 --> 01:21:56,880 There's Charles Barkley and Lonzo Ball, so it's a cherry pickstat, but 1251 01:21:56,920 --> 01:22:00,279 it's just interesting company to look at with what he's doing. I think those 1252 01:22:00,279 --> 01:22:04,279 are really because what I was gonna say is is he's he's still a mystery 1253 01:22:04,319 --> 01:22:09,159 box, but like the good kind now because in the draft it was almost 1254 01:22:09,199 --> 01:22:13,159 like, you know, there's all these tools here. Defensively, we think 1255 01:22:13,159 --> 01:22:15,520 he'll be good, but we don't really know like how what form that'll take. 1256 01:22:15,560 --> 01:22:19,439 And then offensively, no idea. So mystery box but not the right 1257 01:22:19,520 --> 01:22:24,319 kind. Like now it's well, he's shooting sixty one percent on corner threes 1258 01:22:24,359 --> 01:22:27,039 and eighty percent at the rim, and as an awesome defender. And is 1259 01:22:27,079 --> 01:22:31,359 in this weird combo or this weird status where his comps are in one regard 1260 01:22:31,399 --> 01:22:35,840 anyway, Lonzo Ball like the Ultimate Connector and Charles Barkley like the Option one 1261 01:22:35,920 --> 01:22:40,199 superstar. So he's somewhere between those guys, and they're both good. We 1262 01:22:40,239 --> 01:22:45,279 don't know what kind of player he'll ultimately be, but the options like are 1263 01:22:45,479 --> 01:22:47,600 just you know, they're broader even than they were in the draft, but 1264 01:22:47,600 --> 01:22:50,640 they're just all the options look better now, you know, in terms of 1265 01:22:50,680 --> 01:22:56,600 his possible outcomes, just because again I don't know, like even if all 1266 01:22:56,640 --> 01:23:00,399 of these numbers regress significantly, I'm still gonna leave his rookie seat thinking he 1267 01:23:00,520 --> 01:23:05,319 just had so much more than I was led to believe going into the draft. 1268 01:23:05,399 --> 01:23:09,840 So yeah, that's that is the absolute like gott to pick him for 1269 01:23:09,960 --> 01:23:14,159 the Wizard's positive positive vibes. What's interesting is I'm not sure if I feel 1270 01:23:14,199 --> 01:23:17,880 any more confident in my prediction that he would make first team All NBA because 1271 01:23:17,880 --> 01:23:21,319 you have a star Thompson, Wemby's gonna make it. You have Chet Holmgren, 1272 01:23:21,800 --> 01:23:26,960 and so that's just two spots, and they're just like Marcus sasser Case 1273 01:23:27,000 --> 01:23:31,479 and Wallace Derek Lively, de George Hibay Hawk as Brandon Miller, Jordan Hawkins, 1274 01:23:31,800 --> 01:23:35,960 Like the names are just like, I mean, the fact that Scoot 1275 01:23:35,960 --> 01:23:41,560 Henderson and Amen Thomson got injured probably help his case. So I don't know 1276 01:23:41,560 --> 01:23:44,479 if I feel better, I don't feel worse, but like it doesn't even 1277 01:23:44,520 --> 01:23:46,760 if he doesn't make it. That prediction I think some people thought was ridiculous 1278 01:23:46,760 --> 01:23:49,840 when I made it. It definitely does not, at least look ridiculous now. 1279 01:23:50,000 --> 01:23:54,640 No, I think it wasn't because you know, you're banking on the 1280 01:23:54,640 --> 01:23:58,760 Wizards is gonna be so bad that like, why wouldn't you play him, 1281 01:23:58,960 --> 01:24:00,800 you know, thirty plus minutes every night? And then that wasn't happening early 1282 01:24:00,880 --> 01:24:03,720 in the year, but he's played over thirty in three of his last five 1283 01:24:03,760 --> 01:24:08,560 games, So like, as the volume ticks up, maybe those counting stats, 1284 01:24:08,680 --> 01:24:11,520 you know, get to where you know, I don't know what you'd 1285 01:24:11,520 --> 01:24:14,840 call a casual all rookie team voter would say, like, well, I 1286 01:24:14,840 --> 01:24:17,359 mean, he's got this many twenty point games now and in addition to all 1287 01:24:17,399 --> 01:24:20,039 the stuff you see on film, which was a big part of my basis, 1288 01:24:20,039 --> 01:24:24,319 and the fact he's driving his case by I just thought that we're going 1289 01:24:24,359 --> 01:24:27,479 to give him absurd volume on offense to explore what he is. That's not 1290 01:24:27,600 --> 01:24:30,840 really what they're doing. And yet he's driving his case anyway, which is 1291 01:24:30,920 --> 01:24:32,720 a big deal. Yeah, and that could change and then maybe maybe then 1292 01:24:32,720 --> 01:24:38,840 the numbers really spike. I think your bet on that front is only going 1293 01:24:38,880 --> 01:24:41,720 to look better as time goes on, unless he just, like you know, 1294 01:24:42,600 --> 01:24:44,960 shoots twenty percent from three for the rest of the year. But I 1295 01:24:44,960 --> 01:24:47,039 don't think that's going to happen. Are you ready to take us out? 1296 01:24:47,039 --> 01:24:49,920 No stat heading today? I am fading. You have a schedule crunch, 1297 01:24:50,279 --> 01:24:53,840 Yes, you want to take us out of here. All that means is 1298 01:24:53,880 --> 01:24:56,479 there'll be more. I have some stat hadding. I'm excited about that. 1299 01:24:56,560 --> 01:24:59,399 I will keep in my back pocket for next time. I have the most 1300 01:24:59,479 --> 01:25:03,039 random STAF padding question for you yet. Oh that's saying something. Yeah, 1301 01:25:03,520 --> 01:25:05,680 I don't know what I'm gonna lose sleep over that one. I don't know 1302 01:25:05,720 --> 01:25:09,840 what to think about that. Everybody, Thank you for listening, thank you 1303 01:25:09,880 --> 01:25:13,039 for watching, Thank you for contributing. Even though we didn't use any of 1304 01:25:13,039 --> 01:25:15,800 your stat padding stuff this time, we probably will in the future, you 1305 01:25:15,840 --> 01:25:19,279 know. The drill. If you want to support us, you can do 1306 01:25:19,359 --> 01:25:23,279 that by following us on our socials. You can join our discord. You 1307 01:25:23,319 --> 01:25:25,960 can buy our merch figure out how to do that through the links in the 1308 01:25:26,000 --> 01:25:30,560 YouTube and podcast description. Again, continue, rate, review, subscribe, 1309 01:25:30,199 --> 01:25:32,960 write good things about us where you can do that, Say good things to 1310 01:25:33,000 --> 01:25:36,359 your friends and enemies. We close, as always with an apology oooh, 1311 01:25:36,399 --> 01:25:40,319 I almost got the closing wrong. Geez, I'm Russian too much, with 1312 01:25:40,399 --> 01:25:43,760 a shout out to the one and only Frank Milakina and an apology to Jared Allen