1 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:18,120 What is krack alackin Hardwoodknocks Listeners, I am Damna Valley commanding with out my 2 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:23,559 fan dabulous post adam promo mlver please to drop the second of our three part 3 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,920 Super Super Mega Playoffs Primer. We have Bryant ta Porak, my good friend 4 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:33,320 and longtime colleague over at Bleacher Report is back. He's a senior quality quality 5 00:00:33,439 --> 00:00:36,759 editor there excuse me, follow him on Twitter at b to Porek. That's 6 00:00:36,759 --> 00:00:41,079 at bt O p O r e k. He's also the co host of 7 00:00:41,119 --> 00:00:44,920 the NBA podcast where they talk about you guessed at the NBA Podcast at Large. 8 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,240 Go over there, rate review, subscribe to them at the NBA Pod 9 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:52,000 on Twitter. He also covers the NBA, the Sixers, and a salary 10 00:00:52,039 --> 00:00:56,359 cap over at four Sports. We're getting into the three series that we did 11 00:00:56,359 --> 00:00:59,679 not cover in the previous episode. If you're looking for in depth dives on 12 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:03,159 Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Bucks, Bulls, and MAVs Jazz, we already did 13 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,000 those. We're going to get into net Celtics, which, by the way, 14 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,280 we talked about this before the report came out that Ben Simmons is looking 15 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:12,439 at playing games four to six. We did heads there a little bit, 16 00:01:12,519 --> 00:01:17,239 but just so you know that Warriors Nuggets. We also tackled that before we 17 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,560 had the news that Steph would probably be ready for Game one, but we 18 00:01:19,599 --> 00:01:22,239 acted as if he was going to be ready for Game one. So how 19 00:01:22,239 --> 00:01:26,159 do you like them? Apples? And we close with the Sixers and the 20 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,359 Raptors. We get into a lot of great stuff. My final housekeeping notes 21 00:01:30,439 --> 00:01:33,200 though, please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us wherever you 22 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,840 get your podcasts, especially subscribe. This is your first time listening. If 23 00:01:36,879 --> 00:01:38,680 you've done all those things, we asked that you help us promote the pod, 24 00:01:38,799 --> 00:01:42,280 Retweet it, tell your friends, family members, random people on the 25 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,879 internet about us. Let them know that we put a lot of work into 26 00:01:45,879 --> 00:01:52,519 covering the NBA at large as thoroughly and not as insufferably as possible or as 27 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:56,319 sufferably who I don't even know how to phrase that. And also just follow 28 00:01:56,359 --> 00:01:59,840 us on all the socials. We're on TikTok and ig at, Hardwood Underscore 29 00:02:00,239 --> 00:02:04,319 on ig at Hardwood Knox. On TikTok, I am posting original content there 30 00:02:04,359 --> 00:02:07,359 and addition to clips from the show. Follow us on YouTube, YouTube dot 31 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,719 com Hardwood Knox. We will come up so you can search Hardwoo Knox if 32 00:02:09,719 --> 00:02:13,599 that does not work, and join our discord. We have a few new 33 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:15,439 members after the last episode. We're looking to have a lot of fun in 34 00:02:15,479 --> 00:02:17,919 there. Things have been quiet, I think on nights where there haven't been 35 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,759 games, but we have a bunch of people in there. It can be 36 00:02:21,759 --> 00:02:23,319 a lot of fun during game time. Come hang out. The link is 37 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:28,000 in the podcast description. You can DM me on Twitter at Dan for Valley 38 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,840 FA V A l E. If you do not otherwise if you're not able 39 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:35,240 to access it for some reason. With all of that out of the way, 40 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:39,240 let's go talk some more about the riveting or at least they should be 41 00:02:39,319 --> 00:02:45,680 twenty twenty two NBA Playoffs with Brian to pour at Now, do you want 42 00:02:45,719 --> 00:02:51,000 to do Brooklyn and Boston? Yes? Please? Overarching thoughts on this series, 43 00:02:51,159 --> 00:02:53,960 which is just don't I don't even know what to make of it. 44 00:02:54,479 --> 00:02:58,520 Everything in my gut. I mean, well, here's the first question, 45 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:00,599 and I don't think we necessarily they have the answer because I know he's been 46 00:03:00,599 --> 00:03:05,639 out for a while, but Boston is SAT guys. Then they were playing 47 00:03:05,879 --> 00:03:10,599 other teams that SAT guys. How much does not having Robert Williams the third 48 00:03:10,719 --> 00:03:17,120 impact Boston's defense. Bruce Brown seems to think it will by the way, 49 00:03:17,159 --> 00:03:22,439 Caffeine Pride. What Kevin Durand said. That was caffeine Pride talking. That's 50 00:03:22,439 --> 00:03:25,319 my new favorite. I didn't see that. That's fantastic. Might say something 51 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:30,840 inflammatory or stupid on the pot of say Caffeine Pride. Sorry, that's amazing. 52 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:32,919 Yeah, I knew Kadi was not a fan of the comments. I 53 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,879 did not see that specific quote. Wow, that's awesome. Look, but 54 00:03:38,039 --> 00:03:40,039 he needs to put more respect on Bruce Brown's name. He's shooting fifty four 55 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:44,879 percent from three over the last month. He's doing like little playmakings out of 56 00:03:44,879 --> 00:03:46,840 the short role basically, yeah, and doing what he does on defense. 57 00:03:46,879 --> 00:03:51,120 So Bruce Brown could say whatever the fuck Bruce Brown wants. Yeah, without 58 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,280 Bruce Brown, they lose to the Calves and they're they're playing Miami instead of 59 00:03:54,319 --> 00:03:59,719 the Celtics, So he can Bruce Brown. Honestly, it might be the 60 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:05,039 third best player right now. Oh god, you're probably not wrong, because 61 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:09,639 the other candidate would be. It hasn't been Seth Curry, that's for sure. 62 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,879 Yeah, Seth Curry's on a bomb ankle might have been Nick Claxton, 63 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,639 which also wasn't necessarily like great news, but I love Nick Claxton, so 64 00:04:15,879 --> 00:04:19,920 yeah, which, well, Biggs are are my favorite. Yeah, but 65 00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:26,040 it's a fair question going back to how it affects their defense. Honestly, 66 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:30,360 it might not matter because their perimeter defense is so good. Like this is 67 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,079 another one where you know, I know, the Nets are still considered one 68 00:04:33,079 --> 00:04:38,279 of the title favorites out East and there is a chance that they win this 69 00:04:38,319 --> 00:04:44,560 series because Kyrie and Kevin Durant are just so singularly great that I mean, 70 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:48,279 you know, with the playing game on Tuesday, it's like the Cavs cut 71 00:04:48,319 --> 00:04:51,000 down the Nets lead and seemed like they were going to get back into that 72 00:04:51,079 --> 00:04:54,879 game, and then every single time they did, Kevin Durant just pulls up 73 00:04:54,879 --> 00:04:57,920 from mid range jumper. It's like, no, I'm gonna keep you guys 74 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:02,000 just enough at Bay to maintain in this league. Now. I mean, 75 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:09,000 the Celtics do have plenty of options to throw at him, but Robert Williams 76 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:15,360 would have been a key piece for both Durant and Irving, just preventing drives 77 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,079 to the basket for Irving. Like, with all due respect to the eighty 78 00:05:18,079 --> 00:05:21,639 six year old Al Horford, who has been good this year. He is 79 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:27,040 definitely not going to be the same type of defensive presence. But I just 80 00:05:27,079 --> 00:05:30,920 think, especially like that, it makes me so mad how well the Derek 81 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:35,800 White trade worked out for the Celtics, But between him, Smart Tatum Brown 82 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:40,839 like, they have a number of options to throw with both of those guys. 83 00:05:40,879 --> 00:05:45,759 So I think they will miss Williams in this series, but that won't 84 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,480 be the reason they lose. If they do lose, I'm almost wondering. 85 00:05:49,199 --> 00:05:51,519 I don't want to call it a blessing in disguise, but it forces you 86 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,079 to. I mean, in one look, when the Celtics play Horford without 87 00:05:55,079 --> 00:06:00,199 Williams plus six point five points per possession permanent possessions on the season, still 88 00:06:00,199 --> 00:06:02,800 have an elite defense. I'm just wondering because of Brooklyn set up specifically, 89 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,240 I don't real that you necessarily want two bigs on the court for an instance 90 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:11,759 a period of time, and just looking at how the Calves went after Kevin 91 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,800 Durant and Kyrie Irving down the stretch of that playing game, Boston is built 92 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,639 to do the same thing and do it better. You still put yourself in 93 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:26,279 compromising positions but if you're playing Tatum and Smart and Brown and then White instead 94 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:28,839 of Williams and Horford, and then Horford's in the middle, Like, is 95 00:06:28,879 --> 00:06:32,279 it a little easier to do that because like you just have those four perimeter 96 00:06:32,319 --> 00:06:35,240 guys who can fly around or maybe it's hey, Marcus Smart, Like you 97 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:40,240 can just stay on Kevin Durant, or you can just stay on Kyrie Irving 98 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,759 and then we'll go after the other one and try and force the ball out 99 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,720 of their hands. And even if it's we're just gonna throw everything we have 100 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:49,959 at them. Regardless of who it is. That lineup where you have those 101 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:55,399 four perimeter players is just built to recover a lot better, I would think 102 00:06:55,439 --> 00:06:59,480 than Williams Horford in the front court. This all goes without saying I'd prefer 103 00:06:59,519 --> 00:07:01,000 to have william him in the front court of that lineup than Horford, just 104 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:05,079 because he's so much quicker on the perimeter now. But I think the one 105 00:07:05,199 --> 00:07:11,439 big setup actually makes a lot of sense for Boston in this series. Which 106 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,160 is not to say I think that williams injury is a blessing in disguise. 107 00:07:14,519 --> 00:07:18,079 I just don't know that this is the matchup in which it will materially impact 108 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:21,920 them as much. Yeah, I mean they still have Tice, they still 109 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:27,959 have Grant Williams as well, and like the Nets don't have a dominant big 110 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,040 like if they're going against you know, if Boston is going against Gianness or 111 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:36,439 is going against Joel Embiid or Nikola Yokich, Williams absence would be much more 112 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:43,560 concerning. But now you're living with Andre Drummond taking anything that isn't a lot 113 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:47,759 dunk or just an offensive putback if it means getting the ball out of Kevin 114 00:07:47,839 --> 00:07:53,800 Durant and Kyrie Irving's hands. So yeah, I think, or I mean, 115 00:07:53,839 --> 00:07:57,680 Bruce Brown led the team. I just praise Bruce Brown, but you 116 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:01,560 know led the team in that playing game with nineteen shot attempts. You will 117 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,879 live with all nineteen of those if it means Kadi and Kyrie are not taking 118 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:11,879 those. So I'm with you. I think that the four Smart White, 119 00:08:11,959 --> 00:08:15,959 Tatum Brown, like you can basically tell them all right, Smart White, 120 00:08:15,959 --> 00:08:18,680 you take turns on Kyrie and Seth and then Tatum and Brown, you take 121 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,160 turns on Kadi, and when every one of you guys needs a breather, 122 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:28,120 you can defend Brown on the short roll like, I think the Celtics matchup 123 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,759 defensively really well against Brooklyn, and then that's do not match up really well 124 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:37,519 defensively against Bossett. The I have so renny big questions for this series, 125 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:43,840 but sort of you touching upon this, what is Brooklyn's most used five man 126 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,320 lineup in this series or what is Brooklyn's closing lineup in tight games for this 127 00:08:46,399 --> 00:08:50,399 series? We know that they have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving like those are 128 00:08:50,799 --> 00:08:56,200 set in stone? Is Bruce Brown also set in stone at this point? 129 00:08:56,039 --> 00:09:01,919 I think he has to be just again for d defense defense primarily, but 130 00:09:03,879 --> 00:09:09,600 how they use him as like a de facto big man. I think he's 131 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:11,799 got to be in there. We saw a lot of Nick Clackson. I 132 00:09:11,799 --> 00:09:16,720 think he probably is in there as well. And then that fifth spot, 133 00:09:16,759 --> 00:09:20,360 it's like whichever one of Seth Curry, Patty Mill's Gore and drug it's just 134 00:09:20,399 --> 00:09:22,879 shooting the best that night would be my guess. I'm wondering if this is 135 00:09:22,879 --> 00:09:28,200 the series and maybe not because they have Horford where you know, we saw 136 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,080 it they closed the game against the comprom behind victory against the Knicks where it 137 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,919 was Kevin Durant and Bruce Brown in the front court. I'm wondering if we 138 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,559 see those looks at all in this series, do they take Robert Williams' absence 139 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:43,480 as an opportunity to try and do that. I'd just be I'd be curious 140 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,480 to see, especially, I mean if, yeah, if they have Daniel 141 00:09:46,519 --> 00:09:50,159 Tis playing like that might even be more of a incentive to do that, 142 00:09:50,519 --> 00:09:52,879 just because he's not going to be able to keep pacing that line up. 143 00:09:52,879 --> 00:09:58,679 Bruce Brown already imply that he's cat nip apparently to offense. I'm when you 144 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:03,399 go through the matchups though for booking on defense, and I think they've overachieved 145 00:10:03,399 --> 00:10:07,840 that point's defensively this season. It's almost entirely because of unlucky opponent shooting, 146 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:11,600 like and they do have a fairly good shot profile, like more recently, 147 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:16,639 like they were in the top five of opponent three point in tenh three and 148 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:18,679 so like that can that can be a part of scheme, but it also 149 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:24,559 just might be because their interior is so inviting and when Andre Drummond isn't on 150 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:28,639 the court essentially that that that helps the volume there. What is like who 151 00:10:28,759 --> 00:10:31,720 is guarding who for the nets? At this point, Like who is drawing 152 00:10:31,799 --> 00:10:37,399 the You know, Bruce Brown's gonna get somebody, But like, who is 153 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,600 Brooklyn's second most important perimeter defender again in the series. But I think you 154 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:46,399 can make the case that Claston's just their most valuable defender in general, It's 155 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:50,240 got to be Kevin Durant, right, Like I assume Brown and Durant are 156 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,639 going to just switch back and forth between Brown and Tatum throughout the series because 157 00:10:54,639 --> 00:11:00,279 they have no other good options unless you know, Ben Simmons, he is 158 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:05,200 able to make his debut at some point. Ben Simmons is back, could 159 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:09,000 be the X factor for the series. It honestly could be. Like I'm 160 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:13,159 very skeptical that he actually does play, and you know, if he does, 161 00:11:13,759 --> 00:11:16,120 I can't imagine they're like, all right, even played basketball and ten 162 00:11:16,159 --> 00:11:20,000 months at this point, go play thirty five minutes a night. So like, 163 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:22,799 no, maybe they play him for ten, fifteen, twenty, But 164 00:11:22,919 --> 00:11:28,840 like, who else do they have? They don't have another good option to 165 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:33,080 depend either of those guys. No, they don't. And I was I 166 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:37,440 was also going to say, like Boston's half court offense, to look and 167 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,399 feel of it sometimes is spotty, but they've been first in half court efficiency 168 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:46,799 since the trade deadline. So it's just like you're gonna just run out of 169 00:11:46,879 --> 00:11:48,320 and they have so many guys who can at least hit shots. Maybe they're 170 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,799 not always making these complicated plays, but who are you putting Kyrie Irring on? 171 00:11:54,320 --> 00:12:00,399 Yeah in this series, like it's just Seth Curry. Yeah. I 172 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,440 just think Boston is going to have so many guys they can hunt. Like 173 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:07,159 I think when Seth is on the floor, they will hunt him. When 174 00:12:07,159 --> 00:12:09,639 Patty Mills is on the floor, they will hunt him. When Druga is 175 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:11,399 on the floor, they will hunt him. When Kyrie is on the floor, 176 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:16,759 they're going to go after him. You know, Kyrie has played well 177 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:22,200 defensively in stretches, but is that going to sap some of his offensive efficiency, 178 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,840 Like if he's not having one of these unconscious shooting nights, is that 179 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:31,000 going to turn the tide in a game or in the entire series. So 180 00:12:33,039 --> 00:12:37,480 it just feels like Boston has so many more areas to attack, and you 181 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:41,639 bring up a good point like maybe then that's just doubled down and say, 182 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:46,399 you know what if we can if we go small and we do do Durant 183 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:52,639 Brown Kyrie Seth and either Patty or Draggage. Sure, maybe Horford mashes up 184 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:58,559 on mashes us on post ups, but like we'll live with that because again 185 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:01,480 it's a math problem us that we're going to knock down Enough three is that 186 00:13:01,799 --> 00:13:05,840 and al Horford post up is an age is not super efficient in general, 187 00:13:07,159 --> 00:13:11,080 and b is only gonna be wear two points in set of three. Yeah, 188 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:15,879 I just the math there starts up. But again they have Kevin Durant. 189 00:13:15,919 --> 00:13:20,480 The other thing here is I'm gonna set They've both averaged about forty minutes 190 00:13:20,879 --> 00:13:24,039 since the middle of March, Kevin Ran and Kyrie Irving. What is our 191 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,639 I'm gonna set the over under at forty one for each of them? Are 192 00:13:28,639 --> 00:13:31,879 you taking the over underd minutes for this series over for Durant? For sure? 193 00:13:33,039 --> 00:13:37,360 But I mean that's you know, it's concerning. It's like, you 194 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:39,840 hope he stays healthy, but at a certain point, I mean he's just 195 00:13:39,879 --> 00:13:46,320 had to play so many minutes for this team, thirty seven point two on 196 00:13:46,399 --> 00:13:50,480 the year. Now he missed twenty seven games and Kybrie has missed fifty three, 197 00:13:50,799 --> 00:13:56,000 so fresh legs potentially, But you know, we saw some signs of 198 00:13:56,120 --> 00:14:01,000 Kyrie like fading down the stretch of the regular season. Steve Dash was saying, 199 00:14:01,039 --> 00:14:03,039 like, that's just part of him just getting back up to being a 200 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,399 full time player. It's like, well, that probably could have been rectified 201 00:14:07,399 --> 00:14:13,039 earlier this season. So, I mean, like I don't remember. I 202 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,559 know they released the full schedule, but like I don't remember if they have 203 00:14:16,759 --> 00:14:20,200 a two days off at one point, but you know, they're playing almost 204 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,360 every other day at this point, and he's looked gassed in a couple of 205 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,399 fourth quarters. I'm not even trolling him, but like, yeah, you're 206 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:31,639 going from one to two day work weeks to like four day work weeks. 207 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,159 Is it like that's three or four day work weeks, and you're playing this 208 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:39,320 type of load up this minute's load. It's it's at least a factor in 209 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:43,240 this And look, it's not going up against the Knicks. It's not going 210 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,080 up against I mean, actually the Cavs defense is exhausted, but like you're 211 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,639 going up against Boston's defense, which has been the best in the league for 212 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,279 basically the entire year. Yeah, yeah, exact, like you have to 213 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:58,559 go against Marcus Smart and Derek White, you get no reprief. Yeah, 214 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,039 So I'm just which leads me to, well, we have to I was 215 00:15:01,039 --> 00:15:05,080 gonna jump to predictions. Who is your ex factor for Brooklyn in this series, 216 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:11,679 assuming that Ben Simmons does not play, I will say Bruce Brown. 217 00:15:11,519 --> 00:15:18,679 Actually it would be your thoughts on Ben Simmons aside, like he would be 218 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,440 stupid to bring him back now, right? That puts him in just me 219 00:15:22,519 --> 00:15:26,360 a no win situation. Just it's not the fact that he hasn't played in 220 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:31,039 a year. It's the fact that this is also a new team and you're 221 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:35,679 just going to integrate him in midstream of a playoff series against what's been the 222 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:37,720 second best team in the East all season and arguably the best team in the 223 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:45,080 East for a half this season. I just don't And theoretically he makes so 224 00:15:45,159 --> 00:15:50,519 much sense defensively because they just don't have guys who make sense defensively. But 225 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,399 I've questioned, and most people disagree with me. I've questioned his offensive fit. 226 00:15:54,559 --> 00:15:58,720 He is used. He played in the dunker spot in Philly, but 227 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,360 he's used. That wasn't the best version of Ben Simmons. He's used to 228 00:16:02,399 --> 00:16:04,799 having the ball in his hands and while Katie and Kyrie Ken space the floor 229 00:16:04,799 --> 00:16:08,279 around Ben Simmons. I doubt either of them want the ball out of their 230 00:16:08,279 --> 00:16:12,879 hands that much so that they can kauto to Ben Simmons and the whole. 231 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:17,600 I would be fascinated by seeing Ben Simmons as the screener. It's not something 232 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:19,360 we saw a lot in Philly, so it's not just something that he's done. 233 00:16:19,399 --> 00:16:22,320 And when he did do it, like the results were, the results 234 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,000 weren't great. So I'm just there are so many questions that you need to 235 00:16:26,039 --> 00:16:30,519 answer. Do it in training camp and also back injuries are fickle. I'm 236 00:16:30,559 --> 00:16:33,519 just I know there's gonna be the discussion, Oh, should Ben Simmons come 237 00:16:33,559 --> 00:16:37,440 back? There was the video of him hitting jumpers that the Nets posted. 238 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:41,279 I don't know if you saw what I posted on that though I quote tweeted 239 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:45,039 it with the first time like Sixers fans reacting to Mets fans Seamus, oh, 240 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:49,600 first time Ben Simmons. Yeah, I'm so happy I do not have 241 00:16:49,639 --> 00:16:52,759 to find over Ben Simmons work up videos anymore. I'll say that much, 242 00:16:52,799 --> 00:16:56,440 but I completely agree with you it. Like I wrote a post over at 243 00:16:56,519 --> 00:17:02,559 fours late in March, I think whereas just like it just feels like they're 244 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:04,720 running out of time on this season, Like, I just don't see a 245 00:17:04,799 --> 00:17:10,119 way for all of the reasons you mentioned, especially offensively, Like yeah, 246 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:14,759 okay, he would make sense of the Bruce Brown short role, the short 247 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:21,240 role role that he was playing. But I don't think teams defend Ben Simon 248 00:17:21,279 --> 00:17:23,000 is the same way that they do Bruce Brown because Bruce Brown is at least 249 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:27,039 willing to take jump shots or take floaters or take three pointers. And you 250 00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:30,720 know, unless Ben comes out and is more willing to do that in Brooklyn 251 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:36,400 than he was in Philly. Like I think Boston in particular that has had 252 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,960 a lot of success defending him over the years, especially in the playoffs. 253 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:45,440 Like again, it just comes down to specific personnel, Like you can put 254 00:17:45,839 --> 00:17:49,119 Jaylen Brown on Ben Simmons and you still have Tatum to put on Kevin Durant 255 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:55,440 or vice versa. And I don't think that's a winning matchup for Ben Simmons, 256 00:17:55,440 --> 00:18:00,759 Like you're you're expecting nothing out of him as a score except in transition. 257 00:18:00,799 --> 00:18:03,279 I think the only hope is you know, his rebounding, his playmaking 258 00:18:03,279 --> 00:18:10,920 and his defense can help swing a game. Who's your ex factor for Brooklyn 259 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:15,000 in this series? Then? Yeah, it's Bruce Brown. I mean, 260 00:18:15,519 --> 00:18:18,160 they're just gonna need someone else. I like Seth Curry's been dealing with this 261 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:22,720 ankle injury. He's just not himself. You know, maybe they can get 262 00:18:22,759 --> 00:18:30,480 these multiple shooting lineup going and maybe that can you know, play the Celtics 263 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,440 into or like the you know, the Nets can play any of the Celtics 264 00:18:33,519 --> 00:18:37,079 bigs off the floor. But even if they can, like I, you 265 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,880 know, put out Peyton Pritchard or pay up put out aaron Ni Smith, 266 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:45,720 and I still think the Celtics have a better five man group than that's due. 267 00:18:45,839 --> 00:18:48,640 So they need a lot out of Bruce Brown on both ends of the 268 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,119 floor as to have a chance of hole in this upset. He's minus factor 269 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:56,279 as well, And there's also just a notion of, yeah, they're gonna 270 00:18:56,279 --> 00:18:59,440 put him in actions on offense, so it'll be a little bit different from 271 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:03,480 when he's not directly involved in the action. I would hazard that Boston is 272 00:19:03,519 --> 00:19:06,480 just basically knocking a guard him like they I know he can cut, but 273 00:19:06,559 --> 00:19:08,200 like they're not going to read into his three point percent. They're gonna be, 274 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,480 hey, make these if we're gonna die by Bruce Brown three pointers, 275 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:18,079 fine, I'm tempted to go Claxton just because of I think he'll end up 276 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:21,519 being the most played big for them in this series unless they tilt really tall 277 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:26,200 towards small ball. And we also saw how he can help in a game 278 00:19:26,519 --> 00:19:30,920 like Cleveland where if the Celtics try to cater towards their hyper versatile lineups. 279 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:34,039 I even thought about, like because of Seth Curry's injury and just if they 280 00:19:34,079 --> 00:19:37,799 decide to lean in the offense, I think Patty Mills could become like the 281 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,079 X factor there, but it's Bruce Brown just because the workload he's gonna have 282 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:47,440 to shoulder defensively. Yeah, yeah, totally. Speaking of injured stars and 283 00:19:47,519 --> 00:19:51,119 Luca as we're recording this is doing some work on the exercise bike with Maxi 284 00:19:51,200 --> 00:20:00,359 Cleveland so Maps, Maps and five Duggets Warriors. Steph has that foot injury. 285 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:04,640 We haven't heard anything on as of this recording about whether he's going to 286 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,519 play. I think the assumption is that the sort of extra week off is 287 00:20:08,559 --> 00:20:12,039 going to do him just fine. And I'm of the mind that if he's 288 00:20:12,079 --> 00:20:15,160 gonna play, I trust that he's going to be really good because he is 289 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:19,000 someone who has had to come back from injuries even in the playoffs before. 290 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,400 He's just such a He's just so fucking great. Like there's just you're not 291 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:27,799 going to get me to doubt Steph Curry. But Nuggets won't have Jamal Murray 292 00:20:27,839 --> 00:20:33,640 and Michael Porter Jr. Warriors probably will have Steph. What are just your 293 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:37,240 overarching thoughts on this series? Oh, we didn't do predictions for NETS Boston. 294 00:20:37,319 --> 00:20:41,680 My god, I'm a terrible podcast. Who do you have in the 295 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:47,799 Nets Boston series? I have Boston in six and I almost want to go 296 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:52,039 Boston five. I think Kevin Durant can single handedly win one of their games. 297 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:56,480 Maybe Kyrie does as well, but the matchups are just so bad for 298 00:20:56,599 --> 00:21:03,039 Brooklyn against Boston. It just feels Boston has more answers than Brooklyn does. 299 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,200 I'm gonna double down on my taint that I just don't view the next as 300 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:10,039 contenders this season, and it's not through any sort of just malice or agenda. 301 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:14,400 The defense, I think is just going to be abominable against better teams 302 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,920 of the course for seven game series, and I question whether both Kyrie Irving 303 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:22,039 and Keimer Durant can keep what they're doing up at this scale when you look 304 00:21:22,039 --> 00:21:25,279 at the minutes they're playing, and I'm more concerned about Kyrie Irving because of 305 00:21:25,319 --> 00:21:27,880 his role this year. I'm going to Boston in five, love it. 306 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:32,279 Love it. Now we can go to Warriors Nuggets. What are your own 307 00:21:32,319 --> 00:21:37,839 marking thoughts on that series? I mean, what did the Warriors do against 308 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:44,240 Nikola Yoka, who is apparently heading to his second straight MVP Award and well 309 00:21:44,279 --> 00:21:48,319 deserved MVP award If they can figure out how to pord it to Drew Handlin 310 00:21:49,319 --> 00:21:52,720 that's true. Oh yeah, I'm sorry. Is this an advanced analytics podcast 311 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:56,880 or are we friendly here? Were not friendly? I don't know what the 312 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:02,200 hit a left handed lighteup in a free throw? Probably not honestly, so 313 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,039 I guess I'm not a real hooper. I can definitely hit a left hand 314 00:22:04,079 --> 00:22:07,039 and lay up. I might be able to hit the free throw of him, 315 00:22:07,039 --> 00:22:10,200 allowed to shoot it with my hand and make it a hook shot. 316 00:22:10,599 --> 00:22:12,599 There we go. The only thing in my repertoire as a left handed hook 317 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:19,359 shot. No, I mean that's the key, if they if the Warriors 318 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:26,160 can somehow handle Yokich, any aspect of Yokich, whether score, rebounder, 319 00:22:26,519 --> 00:22:32,400 passer, If they can limit his effectiveness in even one of those three departments, 320 00:22:32,759 --> 00:22:37,599 they probably win this series going away. But I mean, if Steph 321 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,160 is not back, or if he is limited in any way, it's much 322 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,920 like Luca that at least opens the door for a Nuggets team that probably overachieved 323 00:22:47,079 --> 00:22:55,559 all year given the absences of Murray and Porter. And then I mean it 324 00:22:55,599 --> 00:22:57,400 doesn't right, it doesn't sound like either of those guys are going to come 325 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:02,000 back. But I love that the playoffs just have like a bunch of these 326 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:06,160 series where it's like, well, what if Kauai all of a sudden coming 327 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:08,799 back? We like, what if Murray and Porter all of a sudden decide 328 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:15,079 what if Ben Simmons plays, Like, of those four Kauai, Porter, 329 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,640 Junior, Murray and Ben Simmons, if you had to pick one, And 330 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,000 I don't think I'm forgetting any like major injuries, because Stephen Luca are going 331 00:23:22,039 --> 00:23:23,720 to play at some point. Yeah, of those four, who would you 332 00:23:23,759 --> 00:23:33,319 be most likely to return? God, I don't think Kaui. It's just 333 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,440 so hard to know because like it's Kauai for me, because I just I 334 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:44,000 feel like there's a power vacuum in the West to where if I think that 335 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,039 the full strength Warriors team is close to the Suns, but for me, 336 00:23:47,079 --> 00:23:49,279 it is the Phoenix Suns and everybody else. If the Warriors look at all 337 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:53,279 vulnerable at the start of like that, like if the Nuggets beat the Warriors 338 00:23:53,759 --> 00:23:56,400 or they like got out to it, I could just see and the Clippers 339 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:00,000 are in the playoffs, let's just see with that point, I just see 340 00:24:00,079 --> 00:24:03,359 quite like you fuck it, I'm gonna come back, and the opportunity the 341 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:07,000 Warriors look for a week, if we can beat the Suns, We've become 342 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:08,599 title favorites. I wouldn't take them to beat the Suns, but I'm just 343 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:12,960 that's my logic there. Yeah, I mean that that would be their hardest 344 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:17,559 tess if they win the one eight, like they are probably cruising to the 345 00:24:17,559 --> 00:24:21,359 finals at that point. Yeah, I'm with you there, But I'm sorry 346 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:22,880 for interrupting. That was just we have so many of these like, oh 347 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,640 will they won't they? And they're not really looming over because let's just be 348 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,880 honest, they won't, but if they were, I think it would be 349 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:33,319 cool. Yeah. Yeah, But so I'm assuming neither of those neither Murray 350 00:24:33,319 --> 00:24:36,720 and Porter playing in the series, or if they do, they play very 351 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:41,559 limited minutes. So I mean, like the Nuggets bench was an absolute crime 352 00:24:41,599 --> 00:24:45,599 scene for the first half of the year, and then the addition of DeMarcus 353 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:49,279 Cousins, the addition of Brent Forbes and Bones Highland just really getting comfortable in 354 00:24:49,319 --> 00:24:53,079 his role has been a big thing for them. So, you know, 355 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:59,359 I think the Nuggets don't have the top end talent to compete with the Warriors 356 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:03,119 outside of Yoki, so they're gonna have to continue leaning on their depth. 357 00:25:03,759 --> 00:25:07,680 You know, How do the Warriors contain Yokich? I think is the single 358 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:12,880 biggest question of the series from either side. Yeah, I'm assuming we're gonna 359 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:17,720 see a lot of Draymond Green on Yokich, but I also and I haven't 360 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:19,880 decide on my X factors just yet, but like it might be Cavan Looney 361 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:23,000 if only because is he gonna use all six of his fouls to make life 362 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,160 tough on yo Kis? But he will see time because they're gonna play Green 363 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,880 and Looney together. They're just you know, and that's to probably help them 364 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:33,559 on the defensive class as well. They've generally been in a like they've gotten 365 00:25:33,559 --> 00:25:37,160 by excuse me as defense. As a defensive rebounding team, but like that 366 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:42,119 probably gets a lot harder if you're using Wiggins or Porter as your other guy 367 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:47,640 next to next to Draymond against a team with Yokit. So yeah, and 368 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:51,039 I don't know how that looks. But I also wonder, like, how 369 00:25:51,079 --> 00:25:56,319 does yokitch match up with the Warriors, who like they're gonna be you know, 370 00:25:56,079 --> 00:26:00,960 they're like they move so fast even when they're not moving so fast, 371 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:04,240 so like they're eighth in average offensive possession time, but I think that undersells 372 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:08,440 how fast they can actually move in the half court, and that like couldn't 373 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:11,519 make life difficult on him, because as good as he is on defense, 374 00:26:11,599 --> 00:26:15,039 or is not bad as he is on defense, like this is not great 375 00:26:15,079 --> 00:26:18,039 hands in the right spots, but there are just some things where it's like 376 00:26:18,079 --> 00:26:21,799 if Steph turns a corner, if Jordan Pool turns a corner, or if 377 00:26:21,839 --> 00:26:26,799 like Klay Thompson is flying around him, and like the Warriors are forcing switches 378 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:30,480 or setting these off ball screens, like what do you what do you do? 379 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:34,400 And so this feels like a uniquely bad matchup for both sides of the 380 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,240 coin, where it's like I don't know how you go about defending Yokich. 381 00:26:37,279 --> 00:26:41,079 But I also don't know that Yoki matches up all that well defensively against Golden 382 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:45,319 State. Yeah. No, that's a fair point. I mean that's if 383 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:49,240 Looney's on the floor, that gives him an out. I think. So, 384 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:53,519 you know, how much do we see of the quote unquote like death 385 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,519 lining up two point zero or three point zero, where they do you know, 386 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:00,720 Steph playing Pool, Wiggins and Drain just to give yo kids nowhere to 387 00:27:00,799 --> 00:27:07,680 hide defensively? We're just assuming, like who gets the primary Steph assignment? 388 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:12,359 Do we just assume that it's Aaron Gordon? I guess? I mean the 389 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:18,720 Nuggets don't really have a good option, I mean Gordon Knight, Yeah, 390 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:22,599 because like Jeff Green maybe gets a little bit of time on him, But 391 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,079 I don't love that Will Barton Monte Morris, Like this is another way. 392 00:27:26,279 --> 00:27:32,440 It's similar to Brooklyn Boston, where it's like Warriors have a lot of potentially 393 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:36,519 good answers for the Nuggets. The Nuggets do not have a ton of good 394 00:27:36,559 --> 00:27:41,480 answers for the Warriors. I'm wondering how big the Nuggets bench becomes in this 395 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:45,240 just if we assume that Yokis plays forty minutes, how do they how do 396 00:27:45,279 --> 00:27:48,559 they go about, like, are we going to see some of the smaller 397 00:27:48,599 --> 00:27:52,839 front courts then where it's Jeff Green is the five and maybe Jamke Green kind 398 00:27:52,839 --> 00:27:55,799 of fallows by the wayside, or maybe do you go go to a Jeff 399 00:27:55,839 --> 00:28:00,640 Green Jamichael Green combination here, I'd be more intrigued, like one of the 400 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:04,200 Greens and then Aaron Gordon a sort of populating your front court in those minutes. 401 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:08,240 Because the Warriors, just like Wiseman's not go we already know he's not 402 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,880 gonna play this season, and whether it's Lunear, whether it's Draymond, like, 403 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:17,160 you're not gonna have like the Warriors aren't gonna have this traditional but you're 404 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:19,960 not gonna worry about Beelitza either, So they're not gonna have this traditional being 405 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,920 in the middle, and that could provide a unique opportunity I think through the 406 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:30,359 bench in many ways also because if you're I don't know how you're mirroring the 407 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:34,200 non Steph minutes for the Warriors. The Warriors offense is back to being a 408 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:38,279 disaster without Steph Curry. I know Jordan Poole has come on play. Thompson 409 00:28:38,319 --> 00:28:44,119 has been great over his last ten games or so. But since Seth up 410 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:48,279 set, Steph Curry went down. And there's a lot of noise in this 411 00:28:48,319 --> 00:28:51,559 because of the teams they faced and also who they played. But the Warriors 412 00:28:51,599 --> 00:28:55,920 are twenty fifth in points scored per possession. Like that is Steph Curry's MVP 413 00:28:56,079 --> 00:29:00,119 case right there, Like you've off differentials that you took this dude away and 414 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:04,920 the offense still imploded while you had two guys playing their best basketball the season, 415 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:10,920 at least for Kay Thompson certainly, And like, how are you getting 416 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:12,559 by if you're the Warriors in those minutes? I'm assuming it's a lot of 417 00:29:12,599 --> 00:29:17,839 Jordan Pool and Clay Thompson, But do you have like is that is that 418 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:21,000 enough? Just because Klay Thompson has been so good, but I feel like 419 00:29:21,039 --> 00:29:26,039 he's gotten better and in part because like he's just not forcing it as much. 420 00:29:26,079 --> 00:29:27,880 He doesn't feel like he's putting the ball on the floor as much, 421 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:33,079 and without Steph Curry and the threat of him doing literally everything whether he has 422 00:29:33,079 --> 00:29:36,759 the ball or not, like you do need some of that on ball jet 423 00:29:36,799 --> 00:29:40,839 fuel. It's not newsflash. It's not gonna be Andrew Wiggins. Like let's 424 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:45,920 just let's not pretendin yeah, excuse me, all star starter Andrew Wiggins, 425 00:29:45,319 --> 00:29:49,799 it's gonna be Jordan Pool then, Like yeah, and they've been pretty religious 426 00:29:49,799 --> 00:29:52,799 about like we're not going to see a lot of dre without Steth, Like 427 00:29:52,839 --> 00:29:56,039 those are two that are maybe it's different in the playoffs, but those are 428 00:29:56,039 --> 00:29:59,839 two players that we're going to see a lot of time together. And so 429 00:30:00,119 --> 00:30:03,440 is that I guess I'm asking questions about both. I don't want to call 430 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:07,359 it their benches because like we're involving Clay Thompson and like I don't like Jordan 431 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:11,559 Pool's like just been one of their most important players all season and it's not 432 00:30:11,599 --> 00:30:15,799 even depth overall, But like some of the non I guess I'm questioning what 433 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,880 the non star minutes look like for both teams. You take stuff off the 434 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,559 court, you take yokis off the court, who has the edge, like 435 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:26,559 in that scenario, not even head to head, but like who whose rotation 436 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:30,599 do you trust more without their star in it? Yeah? I mean again, 437 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:36,799 I think the Warriors have more top end talent even with Sam's step stands 438 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:44,559 yok Like you feel better if it's like Clay and Pool anchoring than I don't 439 00:30:44,599 --> 00:30:48,160 even know would be anchoring for the war for the Nuggets. But I will 440 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:53,799 say Bowen Thailand maybe the spoiling my ex factor here, but like I don't 441 00:30:53,799 --> 00:30:56,279 even know if he would be my ex factor for the series. But he 442 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:00,319 is the exact type of guy where it's like this guy can hit three or 443 00:31:00,359 --> 00:31:03,640 four threes in three minutes and all of a sudden, the twelve point lead 444 00:31:04,119 --> 00:31:10,319 is gone. So like he is very capable. I'm swinging a game like 445 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:15,640 I would trust Pool more over the course of a series, but like Highland 446 00:31:15,759 --> 00:31:19,640 is the exact type of guy that the Nuggets will need to spring an upset. 447 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:25,759 And just to back up my point, the Warriors, we're all mostly 448 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:29,279 average on offense. When Steph and Pool played without Curry this season, one 449 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:33,200 twelve point two points per one hundred and forty seven percentile. You'll take those 450 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,640 minutes. But there are some lineup combinations and I think you know, there's 451 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:40,839 the starting lineup without Steph was just awful. Minus That lineup was minus thirty 452 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:44,839 four point eight per one hundred and so you had someone you put in Otto 453 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:49,759 Porter like that helped it out a little bit. But the non Steff questions 454 00:31:49,799 --> 00:31:53,160 for me are there, But I'm also with you that they do seem to 455 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:57,119 have the more just like established supporting cast there, And I'm just question I'm 456 00:31:57,119 --> 00:32:02,119 also questioning how much do we see the Nuggets rely on Bones Highland in this 457 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:06,799 series? Is there the stigma of it? Felt like Michael Malone put him 458 00:32:06,799 --> 00:32:12,039 into the lineup by necessity, like the personnel demanded it. Is he going 459 00:32:12,079 --> 00:32:15,640 to keep him there playing the type of minutes that he has been playing, 460 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:20,640 And I would argue you probably should just do that because as you mentioned, 461 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,839 and start to run out of options pretty quickly. I don't even know what 462 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:29,359 to buy you time in this matchup, Like what is the Nuggets' best lineup 463 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:31,880 without Yokis? And I don't I don't want to say that like this focus 464 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:36,440 too much on the no Yokis minutes, Like series can be one or lost 465 00:32:36,559 --> 00:32:42,319 during those six to eight minute total stints per games with We've seen it with 466 00:32:42,359 --> 00:32:45,920 Joel Eenbid a couple times. Yeah, I mean, I think Highland, 467 00:32:46,279 --> 00:32:51,680 especially over the final month, like starting March. The second was their first 468 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:53,640 game in March. But so this is the final twenty games of the season. 469 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:59,680 You know, he shot forty seven point eight overall forty one point two 470 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:04,839 from re average fourteen points per game. I think he's their most reliable bench 471 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:07,200 scorer at this point, which is crazy to say about a rookie who is 472 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:10,359 selected late in the first round, but like you go down the list, 473 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:14,200 it's like, well, do you trust him more than Austin Rivers at this 474 00:33:14,359 --> 00:33:19,200 point? Probably so you know, like PJ Dojer is not there for a 475 00:33:19,279 --> 00:33:23,359 ton of offense. I don't even want to mention Facundo Campazzo and fear of 476 00:33:24,079 --> 00:33:28,039 Nuggets fans. You know, Brent Forbes is there as well. I think 477 00:33:28,079 --> 00:33:31,880 he'll play an important role, but I think, especially if you are just 478 00:33:32,079 --> 00:33:37,640 trying to keep pace with a Nuclear Warriors offense, you're gonna need big contributions 479 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:43,720 from your bench and from guys like Bones and Brent, And then hey, 480 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:47,079 like, maybe do we see a DeMarcus Cousins revenge series? Like I think 481 00:33:47,559 --> 00:33:51,079 I feel like he's like a like, is he going to be a nonfense 482 00:33:51,079 --> 00:33:53,799 I was going to ask you who you like who becomes more important to the 483 00:33:53,880 --> 00:34:01,319 series, DeMarcus Cousins, Austin Rivers or Bryn Forbes. I hope for the 484 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,960 Nuggets sake, I hope it's not Austin Rivers. I think it's going to 485 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:08,840 be Austin Rivers. Oh boy, that's gonna be rough. It depends on 486 00:34:09,079 --> 00:34:13,400 you know, if you're get you have Will Barton, maybe Aaron Goren's give 487 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:16,000 me more an offensive Bones Island is killing it. Maybe you're less relying on 488 00:34:16,079 --> 00:34:20,199 him. But I think it's going to be awesome Rivers. It's very possible. 489 00:34:20,199 --> 00:34:24,440 I will say, I think given the Warriors lack of size and you 490 00:34:24,519 --> 00:34:29,679 know, with drama, it has not mattered and it will never matter. 491 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:35,760 But like they don't have a ton of rotation guys above sixty seven sixty eight 492 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:39,320 honestly, So like I think one of the keys to beating them is just 493 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:44,960 destroying them on the glass, making sure you're limiting them to one shot opportunity, 494 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:49,119 because if you know, if you're giving Clay Steph Jordan Poole second or 495 00:34:49,199 --> 00:34:52,000 third chances on a possession, it's not not going to add up in your 496 00:34:52,039 --> 00:34:55,639 favor over the course of the series. So that is one area where I 497 00:34:55,679 --> 00:35:01,079 could see Boogie helping out. But you know, if the Warriors, like 498 00:35:01,199 --> 00:35:07,119 if if they can match Boogie with Looney outside of starting minutes, like maybe 499 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:12,039 as it gives him a place to hide. But if he's going against you 500 00:35:12,159 --> 00:35:16,239 know, be Eliza, that he's just you don't want him scrambling out to 501 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:21,960 the perimeter like that. And I'm interested. I don't think they're gonna go 502 00:35:22,119 --> 00:35:25,480 this deep in their bench. But do the Warriors break out Kuminga at all? 503 00:35:25,519 --> 00:35:29,960 Because he's a guy that the Nugget is just seemed to have no answer 504 00:35:30,079 --> 00:35:35,239 for, especially if Aaron Gordon to preoccupy with Steph And that's what I was 505 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:37,599 also gonna because once you get beyond Looney, like what are you doing with 506 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:43,480 those minutes alongside Draymond Green? Or how are you populating the front court? 507 00:35:44,679 --> 00:35:50,519 There's Draymond and Looney separate of course, but like Otto Porter and then like, 508 00:35:50,599 --> 00:35:53,119 couldn't we see Kamina in this series? Maybe think so? I hope 509 00:35:53,159 --> 00:35:57,599 so, because I mean he's especially over the second half of the season, 510 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:04,079 he popped man like, he showed that he is deserving of a rotation spot. 511 00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:06,559 He's not, you know, I'm not going to play it like thirty 512 00:36:06,599 --> 00:36:10,280 plus minutes per game, but yeah, why not, especially if the if 513 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:15,159 the Nuggets try to go big with Boogie, like you don't have a ton 514 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:20,280 of big options and you know his athleticism alone, it is really going to 515 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:23,119 give the Nuggets a lot of trouble. I think, who has Is this 516 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:29,880 more of a Jonathan Comingo or Gary Payton the second series? Oooh ooh, 517 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:34,400 I'll answer mine first, and you may. I think it might be Cominga. 518 00:36:35,039 --> 00:36:38,559 And I know that Gary Payton's spot and the rotation has been let's say, 519 00:36:38,639 --> 00:36:42,400 unstable, even though I think he's been huge for the Warriors, and 520 00:36:42,679 --> 00:36:44,960 you know when you do your six Man of the Year ballot, he shouldn't 521 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:49,039 win. But like he was in my honorable mentions for it, the Nuggets 522 00:36:49,119 --> 00:36:52,599 don't have like that dangerous point of a tax. If Jamal Murray or even 523 00:36:52,679 --> 00:36:55,679 Michael Porter Jr. Was playing, I might go with Gary Payton the second 524 00:36:55,719 --> 00:37:00,960 But because even if you just need bodies to throw at you kitch or fouls, 525 00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:05,440 I could see it being I would probably pick like Otto Porter Junior getting 526 00:37:05,519 --> 00:37:08,639 that before Cominga maybe, But it feels like this would be more of a 527 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:13,440 Cominga series than a just because of the way the Nuggets are built, more 528 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,239 of a Cominga series than a Gary Payton a second series. And looking even 529 00:37:16,239 --> 00:37:20,599 if it's just a matter of like the secondary front court minutes where it's, 530 00:37:20,599 --> 00:37:24,239 oh, you're trying to match up with Jeff Green or I don't even I 531 00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:28,239 feel like these nag He's not going to play much this series, mostly because 532 00:37:28,239 --> 00:37:30,719 he's coming off that that injury. But like, if you have to match 533 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:31,840 up with like one of the Green brothers, where is Aaron Gordon all of 534 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:37,519 a sudden like the four or something. So I think I don't feel too 535 00:37:37,559 --> 00:37:40,159 confident in it, but I think this is more of a cominga series. 536 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:45,320 Yeah. I mean, especially on the off chance that Michael Porter Junior returns, 537 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:47,559 he'd be instantly one of the best options there. And you're right, 538 00:37:47,679 --> 00:37:53,320 I mean Monte Morris, isn't that guy like Bones is more of a three 539 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:57,880 point threat than he is? You know, he's not gonna like beach off 540 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:01,599 the dribble a ton or if he is, you have Draymond their larking. 541 00:38:02,159 --> 00:38:07,000 So yeah, probably this was someone that I think Clay and even Jordan Pool 542 00:38:07,039 --> 00:38:09,840 like, if you don't want to trade off the offense, yeah, they 543 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:14,599 can still handle that. Yeah. Yeah, so I would agree it's probably 544 00:38:14,679 --> 00:38:19,239 more of a commenus series. But I have no sense of how deep Steve 545 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:21,880 Kerr is going to go to his bench, like, I mean, I 546 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:24,039 guess that's part of the risk or the trouble with Clay, Like, you 547 00:38:24,559 --> 00:38:30,159 know, this is not prime Klay Thompson, and especially coming off of both 548 00:38:30,199 --> 00:38:32,840 of those injuries, Like, I don't know that you can ramp him up 549 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:37,719 to forty plus minutes of game and Steph coming off of his injury, like, 550 00:38:37,079 --> 00:38:39,719 is he ready to play forty minutes per game right off the bat? 551 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:45,679 So that might be one area one advantage for the Nuggets that like their guys, 552 00:38:46,119 --> 00:38:49,400 like they can lead more heavily on the starters if they need to. 553 00:38:49,519 --> 00:38:53,119 Then I think the Warriors probably can. Who with that in mind, who 554 00:38:53,239 --> 00:39:00,440 is your X factor for Let's start with the Warriors here? Probably Klay. 555 00:39:00,119 --> 00:39:05,519 Is that unfair? Is he like to high profile of a X factor? 556 00:39:06,519 --> 00:39:12,079 I think because there's like so much variability now caked into his performances, at 557 00:39:12,119 --> 00:39:15,559 least in theory. Because if you're do you expect the Klay Thompson that you've 558 00:39:15,599 --> 00:39:21,800 seen over the past few weeks. I it's fair if you do, but 559 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:24,480 I also get if you maybe wouldn't. And then like sort of the other 560 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:32,000 part of all this though, is his role defensively has changed like his matchup 561 00:39:32,039 --> 00:39:37,679 difficulty per b Ball Index is lower, his positional versatility, he's classified as 562 00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:40,559 a wing stopper, where he's probably in years pass. I should look this 563 00:39:40,639 --> 00:39:44,639 up before I'm spouting. It was more of like a point of attack guy, 564 00:39:45,679 --> 00:39:47,239 Like what are I guess it's not as important in this series, just 565 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:52,159 because we already mentioned that, you know, Bones Highland, Monte Morris or 566 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:55,559 those guys gonna instill fear and you know, it's like from the from the 567 00:39:55,639 --> 00:39:59,599 point of attack. I honestly don't know, but yeah, I think I 568 00:39:59,639 --> 00:40:04,719 think it's totally fair to say Clay Yeah, I mean, it's part of 569 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:07,800 it. By the way, he's actually had more positional defensive versatility this year 570 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:15,440 than in the previous two seasons he played for and he's always beside as a 571 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:19,719 wing stopper, which is actually that did it surprised me a little bit, 572 00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:23,039 just because we've seen him so much guard the other teams like best ball handler. 573 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:28,239 Yeah, that does surprise me. And a lot of it is like 574 00:40:28,519 --> 00:40:30,159 which play are you gonna get? Are you gonna get the last couple weeks 575 00:40:30,199 --> 00:40:34,639 are you're gonna get? Well, you know, I think hopefully what we 576 00:40:34,719 --> 00:40:37,840 saw early on where he's a lot more inconsistent. He's shaken off for the 577 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:40,280 rest he played thirty two games, Like, I don't think he's going to 578 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:45,920 be the Clay of old, but he's still a high volume, very efficient 579 00:40:46,039 --> 00:40:51,199 three point shooter and that's not going to change. It's just how many minutes 580 00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:57,159 can he play and how does he handle his matchup defensively? Like I think 581 00:40:57,679 --> 00:41:00,880 he will be fine, and I think that will work out in the Warrior's 582 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:06,519 favor, But you just you don't know with someone who you know, we've 583 00:41:06,519 --> 00:41:09,119 seen plays at games of basketball in three years, who are you throwing on 584 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:13,679 Clay? Who are you throwing on Jordan Pool? And if the Warriors have 585 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:20,199 those two playing with Steph for stretches, Like what is Denver's answer? Right? 586 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:23,599 I mean, because you can like where is Monte Morris in that scenario? 587 00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:29,400 Because if you have Aaron Gordon on Steph, maybe you do Will Barton 588 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:31,360 on Clay And I don't love that, or you have to do you have 589 00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:34,639 to do Monte on Jordan Pool? I think that would be what you have. 590 00:41:34,719 --> 00:41:37,559 I'm trying to think of, Like is this is this Austin Rivers breaking 591 00:41:37,599 --> 00:41:40,599 Kate? I don't think he's going to give you that much more resistance that 592 00:41:40,719 --> 00:41:45,559 you take Will Barton off the court or Monte Morris for that matter. I 593 00:41:45,599 --> 00:41:49,880 mean you run out of options there really quick. That could be Another question 594 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:52,719 is if Steph is available, Like how much do we see the three guard 595 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:59,079 lineup versus this version of the Nuggets. I would imagine a lot, because 596 00:41:59,079 --> 00:42:01,679 I think it is going to worst the Nuggets into kind of a breaking point 597 00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:07,079 unless no Firing Murray or Michael Porter Junior coming back. And also they've been 598 00:42:07,079 --> 00:42:13,079 a plus thirty three point six per one hundred on the floor together. Yeah, 599 00:42:13,119 --> 00:42:15,000 I don't know who to pick for my X factor. I want I 600 00:42:15,119 --> 00:42:19,519 get Clay. I also thought about Jordan Pool just because there are just gonna 601 00:42:19,519 --> 00:42:22,480 be minutes where Steph Curry is not on the floor even if he's playing, 602 00:42:22,119 --> 00:42:25,519 and can you be even close to net neutral during those A lot of that's 603 00:42:25,519 --> 00:42:30,800 going to fall on Pool. I thought about like Porter or Kaminga because of 604 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:34,920 the secondary big minutes they're gonna have to log I refuse to pick Andrew Wiggins, 605 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:37,679 even though if he's giving you anything on offense or sort of a weak 606 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:40,480 side rebounder, that's a huge X factor I think I'm just gonna set along 607 00:42:40,519 --> 00:42:45,719 Kaman Looney because on an individual possession basis, he's going to spend the most 608 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:51,880 time on Nakolio Kitch and that is the Warrior's biggest question. They might have 609 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:55,159 fewer questions to answer than Denver in this series, but it is their biggest 610 00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:59,920 one. And I'm not saying he's the quintessential answer, but if Draymond Green 611 00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:04,840 is able to continue captaining the entire defense and he's more of someone who helps 612 00:43:04,880 --> 00:43:07,079 out with Yokich and then does everything else, it probably gives you a better 613 00:43:07,119 --> 00:43:12,039 shot. So how much are we going to see Kevon Looney? He is 614 00:43:12,079 --> 00:43:14,159 going to be again when he's on the floor, like, got your primary 615 00:43:14,199 --> 00:43:16,599 option against Yoki and then just what does what does that look like? Yeah? 616 00:43:16,679 --> 00:43:22,320 I mean if if the three guards plus Wiggins plus Dre lineup can hold 617 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:27,400 their own against Yokich, that's probably curtains for the Nuggets. So they they 618 00:43:27,519 --> 00:43:31,639 need to hope that Yokich destroys those lineups, forces them into playing Louey more 619 00:43:32,079 --> 00:43:37,559 and then you know he destroys those lineups as well. Denver is X factor. 620 00:43:37,519 --> 00:43:42,239 Gotta be Aaron Gordon, right, I think I mean, just given 621 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:45,880 his importance defensively in this series, and then also what do they get out 622 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:52,000 of him offensively? But Yokich is incredible and he's gonna get his but he 623 00:43:52,159 --> 00:43:59,119 needs a secondary scorer and less Murray Reporter come back, Martin Morris Highlands, 624 00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:01,360 will all of them something. Jeff Green will give them a little bit, 625 00:44:01,599 --> 00:44:06,159 but they need like a clear cut number two guy. So Gordon is just 626 00:44:06,239 --> 00:44:08,880 going to have a huge role on both ends of the floor here and if 627 00:44:08,920 --> 00:44:13,679 he comes up short on either end, probably not looking great for the Nuggets. 628 00:44:14,280 --> 00:44:15,559 I went with Will Barton, who I feel like we haven't talked about 629 00:44:15,679 --> 00:44:20,119 much on this because I basically for all the reasons you mentioned about the offense, 630 00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:24,280 is maybe he's one that's tasked with running some more Nicole Yoki Yokich list 631 00:44:24,440 --> 00:44:28,880 units. Or is it just Aaron Gordon is cooled off a bunch or he 632 00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:30,960 excuse me, Will Barton is cooled off a bunch since the trade deadline. 633 00:44:31,239 --> 00:44:35,639 Like, if he can play better, that's huge for your offense. We 634 00:44:35,719 --> 00:44:37,960 also have to believe that I think Golden State understands that you can't lose track 635 00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:42,239 of Monte Morris and the half court anymore because that dude can stroke it from 636 00:44:42,280 --> 00:44:46,239 long range and mid range and there might be more of a focus on containing 637 00:44:46,360 --> 00:44:52,920 him at points. But also just if you need like who not, Let's 638 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:58,320 be honest, who is their best point of attack playmaker right now? Is 639 00:44:58,400 --> 00:45:01,880 it Monte Morris? Is it Bones Island or is it Will Bartin? And 640 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:06,639 even lets it we can obfuscate the point of attack definition because I know, 641 00:45:06,760 --> 00:45:10,000 like none of those guys meet the bill there would I would argue, if 642 00:45:10,039 --> 00:45:15,280 you want to go with best, maybe Bones Highland just because there's more unpredictability 643 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:21,360 at least esthetically when I'm watching him functionally watching him, But I think it's 644 00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:29,400 actually Will Barton. Yeah, I think, especially like because Bones again, 645 00:45:29,480 --> 00:45:32,519 it's he's more of a three point threat that I think than Barton. Although 646 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:37,199 like the shot distribution when you reflected this year, but you map it on 647 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:40,800 a permanute basis, it would Barton is definitely more of a guy who is 648 00:45:40,920 --> 00:45:46,639 going to attack you off the dribble. So yeah, I mean, I 649 00:45:46,679 --> 00:45:51,280 don't I don't know how much success he's going to have doing that in this 650 00:45:51,519 --> 00:45:54,800 series, but if he is, that it's a great shout as an X 651 00:45:54,880 --> 00:46:00,559 factor because that that could be just you know, they need some thing other 652 00:46:00,639 --> 00:46:07,719 than okay yo Kid to do everything. Yeah, I would agree predictions. 653 00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:15,440 This one's tough without knowing. It's similar to like the Luca Dallas thing without 654 00:46:15,559 --> 00:46:22,960 knowing exactly what to expect that of Steph early on, like fully healthy Steph. 655 00:46:22,079 --> 00:46:28,679 Game one probably Warriors in five or six, and given the wild card 656 00:46:28,880 --> 00:46:32,280 of a potential Murray and Porter return, although I don't think it's especially likely, 657 00:46:34,079 --> 00:46:37,639 I'm gonna go to the cowards way and say Warriors and seven. I'm 658 00:46:37,679 --> 00:46:43,119 gonna say Warriors in six. I think they're that problematic of a matchup for 659 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:46,280 Denver, and I don't look forward to the discourse surrounding Nicole Yo Kid if 660 00:46:46,280 --> 00:46:49,880 he gets bounced in the first round. Again, the MVP is a regular 661 00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:52,719 season award, and let's not pretend that the Nuggets are anything close to the 662 00:46:52,800 --> 00:46:58,639 full strength here. I think he is a fraud and real Hoopers know that 663 00:46:58,880 --> 00:47:02,920 KD especially shout out to Kevin Durant. How would Joe be not the MVP 664 00:47:04,039 --> 00:47:06,840 when he won the scoring title? That's just the only How is he not 665 00:47:06,920 --> 00:47:12,320 the MVP? You tell me? Speaking of Joel Embiid, we move we 666 00:47:12,480 --> 00:47:15,960 close with the six Craptors, the final playoff series that has been set, 667 00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:19,360 and I think the one I'm most excited to watch, both because of the 668 00:47:20,119 --> 00:47:24,199 matchup chess on paper, but also because of like how nuclear things could get 669 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:29,760 if the Sixers play really poorly and you're dealing with James Harn's upcoming free agency 670 00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:34,400 and Doc Rivers future. We know that you're secretly rooting for the Raptors because 671 00:47:34,400 --> 00:47:37,199 you want a new head coach in Philly, Lakers fans should definitely be rooting 672 00:47:37,440 --> 00:47:45,360 for the Sixers. What just take me? You are like the best person 673 00:47:45,440 --> 00:47:49,159 to have on for this specific series, Like what are you just thinking leading 674 00:47:49,199 --> 00:47:53,920 into it? Aside from that Matisse Tiples would just get the booster. Sure, 675 00:47:54,360 --> 00:47:57,719 no, he got you got one shot. He just didn't get the 676 00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:01,880 second one. I just have a pit of dread in my stomach about this 677 00:48:02,000 --> 00:48:08,559 series. Like maybe it's I mean the regular season the Raptors won three one 678 00:48:08,719 --> 00:48:13,440 the last two games they've played within the past month, James Harden, Like 679 00:48:13,559 --> 00:48:15,119 after the James Harden trade, you just have to throw out you know, 680 00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:21,400 full regular season results for the Sixers don't matter because everything before James Harden's debut. 681 00:48:21,880 --> 00:48:24,400 Who cares. They're a totally different team now. They played twice in 682 00:48:24,440 --> 00:48:29,440 the last month, lost both times. Fred van Vleet and Ogian and Obi 683 00:48:29,679 --> 00:48:35,599 missed both of those games. So assuming those guys are back, and yeah, 684 00:48:35,679 --> 00:48:40,119 I don't think they're gonna be fully healthy, but playing certainly concerning based 685 00:48:40,199 --> 00:48:45,679 on what we've seen recently the Raptors, I mean, I've been talking about, 686 00:48:45,760 --> 00:48:51,880 you know, matchups kind of dictating, you know, whether who wins 687 00:48:52,039 --> 00:48:55,000 a playoff series, and the Raptors just feel like a really f and bad 688 00:48:55,079 --> 00:49:01,280 match the Sixers for a number of reasons. They don't have a clear answer 689 00:49:01,360 --> 00:49:06,239 for Joel Embiad. So that is where if you're path mapping out a path 690 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:10,880 with Sixers victory, it is Joel Embiid using the spike that he feels about 691 00:49:10,960 --> 00:49:15,639 Nicol Yokich winning MVP for the second straight season to just do like drop forty 692 00:49:15,719 --> 00:49:20,360 twenty every game, because that's honestly what they're gonna need out of him. 693 00:49:21,239 --> 00:49:28,199 But this version of James Harden, can he beat switches, I don't know 694 00:49:28,360 --> 00:49:34,440 anymore, which is very concerning. And if he can't, the Rafters have 695 00:49:35,519 --> 00:49:37,199 no shortage of six eight, six nine, guys that they can throw at 696 00:49:37,280 --> 00:49:43,480 him. They learned their lesson. I mean like teams early on were blitzing 697 00:49:43,559 --> 00:49:46,960 Harden and daring someone else to beat them, and the Sixers are very capable 698 00:49:47,000 --> 00:49:52,920 of doing that. But if you can just switch between you know, Og 699 00:49:53,199 --> 00:49:58,639 Scotty and Pascal on Harden and he can't beat those guys off the dribble, 700 00:49:59,000 --> 00:50:02,880 it's gonna be a long serio for the Sixers. Yeah, there's I will 701 00:50:02,960 --> 00:50:07,719 still maintain that the attention James Harden draws feels like it's still been important, 702 00:50:07,760 --> 00:50:12,320 important to the supplementary offensive players. Looking at Maxine, even Tobias Harris, 703 00:50:12,639 --> 00:50:15,159 who we both last time you're on this podcast, we absolutely destroyed his performance 704 00:50:15,199 --> 00:50:20,440 on the court, and he's he's somewhat suddenly turned things around. But yeah, 705 00:50:20,599 --> 00:50:23,519 I don't like the Raptors are built to make a lot of difficult even 706 00:50:23,599 --> 00:50:27,440 on a team that has just James Harden being James Harden. And we saw 707 00:50:27,480 --> 00:50:30,960 it in their most recent matchup where it's like, no, they're not gonna 708 00:50:30,079 --> 00:50:32,800 keep the ball out of Joel Beat's hands, but they're gonna make you run 709 00:50:32,920 --> 00:50:37,599 through a zillion different labyrinths to get the ball to him. And that's gonna 710 00:50:37,639 --> 00:50:40,960 burn time off the shot clock. They have the ability to throw multiple bodies 711 00:50:42,039 --> 00:50:45,880 at him if they want, and you can't like, who are you hunting 712 00:50:45,239 --> 00:50:47,719 on this team? Like, oh, precious that chews on James Harden. 713 00:50:47,800 --> 00:50:52,639 They don't fucking care. They probably want that right right, Yeah, there 714 00:50:52,159 --> 00:50:57,119 there is no weak link defensively, or at least not one that they can 715 00:50:57,239 --> 00:51:00,519 target, Whereas I mean, the Raptors in the fourth quarter of that game 716 00:51:00,639 --> 00:51:07,480 recently really wet after Tyres Maxie, Like they put and beat on Siakam and 717 00:51:07,559 --> 00:51:12,239 then they just spammed Siam Gary Trent Junior pick and rolls and went right after 718 00:51:12,320 --> 00:51:15,159 Maxie. So that is another concern. I mean, Maxie is going to 719 00:51:15,239 --> 00:51:21,400 be you know, it is great offensively and has settled into the number three 720 00:51:21,480 --> 00:51:28,000 option, probably better than anyone could have anticipated. But you know, are 721 00:51:28,079 --> 00:51:30,239 they going to be able to play him off the floor? Like, are 722 00:51:30,280 --> 00:51:34,559 they gonna just I don't think they will, like to the extent that the 723 00:51:34,760 --> 00:51:37,280 Sixers literally take him off the floor because they don't have a better option, 724 00:51:37,719 --> 00:51:45,599 But can they figure out way to protect him from getting roasted as an individual 725 00:51:45,719 --> 00:51:51,079 defender? How big is Tyble's absence in the games that take place in Toronto. 726 00:51:51,239 --> 00:51:57,760 Knowing that Philly's I guess like their weakest like defensive link is their ability 727 00:51:57,880 --> 00:52:01,960 to probably defend in transition, I would argue, And now not having him 728 00:52:02,840 --> 00:52:06,760 is this just like Ganty Greenians. So I'm at the clock a half decade 729 00:52:06,800 --> 00:52:09,400 out of like what is the what is the answer? Yeah, I mean, 730 00:52:09,480 --> 00:52:14,519 they just don't have another wing defender. It's like Shake Milton is going 731 00:52:14,599 --> 00:52:19,559 to play the most minutes at that position. Otherwise it is for con corkbos 732 00:52:19,679 --> 00:52:22,360 or like Charlie Brown Jr. Who I think is on a two way and 733 00:52:22,480 --> 00:52:28,199 isn't even eligible for the playoffs that I think about it, So yeah, 734 00:52:28,239 --> 00:52:31,719 I mean I think it's it's big. But who were we talking about earlier, 735 00:52:31,960 --> 00:52:36,840 Oh Boston with like you know, it does Robert Williams injury actually force 736 00:52:36,920 --> 00:52:40,519 them into the best lineup for this specific matchup. And I do wonder if 737 00:52:42,159 --> 00:52:47,360 Tible's decision not to get vaccinated or not to get fully vaccinated also made Doc 738 00:52:47,480 --> 00:52:52,519 Rivers stumble ass backwards into the best possible lineup for this series, because I 739 00:52:52,639 --> 00:52:57,280 think Danny Green, you know, when Thibles on the court, the Raptors 740 00:52:57,360 --> 00:53:00,239 just completely more They're like, all right, if you want to shoot threes, 741 00:53:00,559 --> 00:53:05,480 great, we're going to sag so far off of you to clog up 742 00:53:05,599 --> 00:53:08,840 driving lanes and to throw help at Joel Embiid. We don't care. You 743 00:53:08,920 --> 00:53:13,079 can take one hundred threes. We will like, we'll live with the result, 744 00:53:13,199 --> 00:53:20,079 especially over a seven game series. Danny Green not nearly as good defensively 745 00:53:20,199 --> 00:53:23,519 as Thiable or you know, at what he was in his prime, but 746 00:53:23,800 --> 00:53:29,440 a much much better shooter. So the offensive spacing I think is going to 747 00:53:29,519 --> 00:53:32,239 be a lot better. With that said, yeah, it's a concern, 748 00:53:32,400 --> 00:53:37,400 especially if Danny gets into foul trouble, because again, they just don't really 749 00:53:37,559 --> 00:53:43,280 have any other options. I will say, the thing that works in their 750 00:53:43,320 --> 00:53:49,480 favor in that regard is the Raptors don't have that like elite wing scorer like 751 00:53:49,679 --> 00:53:52,480 Kevin Durant, the Tatum, the you know, Paul George Kawhi Leonard, 752 00:53:52,719 --> 00:53:58,639 so like that. Not the Thible or Green could have handled someone like that 753 00:53:58,840 --> 00:54:04,320 anyway, but the Raptors might not have the personnel to exploit his absence in 754 00:54:04,519 --> 00:54:08,000 that way. Who's the person you're throwing Diable on when he's playing? Is 755 00:54:08,039 --> 00:54:10,719 it like? Is it Fred VanVleet. It's not Fred VanVleet, is it. 756 00:54:13,320 --> 00:54:19,519 Yeah, I mean, because Fred's been just so inconsistent with that knee 757 00:54:19,519 --> 00:54:24,559 injury since the All Star break, so maybe o Gianna Nobi, I don't 758 00:54:24,599 --> 00:54:28,800 know, also been banged up a lot he was playing as well. Yeah, 759 00:54:29,079 --> 00:54:31,960 I mean it's the Raptors are gonna be fascinated because I just don't know 760 00:54:32,599 --> 00:54:39,599 who the throw like they started Siakam precious A, Scottie Barnes and Kem Birch 761 00:54:39,679 --> 00:54:43,360 and then Gary Trent Junior in that game the other day, so I think 762 00:54:43,400 --> 00:54:46,719 that means that line up struggled to score. It did, but I think 763 00:54:46,760 --> 00:54:52,000 that means Scotty Barnes played at the two like started at the two, So 764 00:54:52,960 --> 00:54:57,760 I'm interested to see who they trot out in their starting five. Kem Birch 765 00:54:57,960 --> 00:55:00,360 had no chance against that beat. I don't think he played is a ton 766 00:55:00,440 --> 00:55:02,519 in this series, and they're going to have a short bench like I think 767 00:55:02,679 --> 00:55:09,519 Sad and Chris Bouche. And that's probably all she wrote there, but I 768 00:55:09,639 --> 00:55:15,559 mean, I think the Raptors like that. It's similar where the Sixers have 769 00:55:16,039 --> 00:55:22,159 the better top end talent, but I think the Raptors match up better against 770 00:55:22,199 --> 00:55:25,880 the Sixers and the Sixers to the Raptors. Do you have any like thoughts 771 00:55:25,920 --> 00:55:30,519 on how the Sixers can try and navigate I don't want to say the nonstar 772 00:55:30,639 --> 00:55:32,159 minutes, but the way they're going to stagger their stars. You know about 773 00:55:32,159 --> 00:55:36,639 this for Forbes, and I knew that the hardened Maxi minutes without Embided were 774 00:55:36,719 --> 00:55:42,199 terrible. I did not realize that the Embided Maxi minutes without or assuming the 775 00:55:42,280 --> 00:55:45,320 hardened without Maxie or Embide minutes since they were originally tethering those two together, 776 00:55:45,360 --> 00:55:49,159 were bad. I know, I didn't look enough to see that the Embide 777 00:55:49,199 --> 00:55:52,280 Maxi minutes without Hearten weren't that great either, And so like, what is 778 00:55:52,320 --> 00:56:01,559 the course of action here for Doc rivers pray whatever his gut instinct says, 779 00:56:01,639 --> 00:56:07,480 do the other that's probably I don't know. I mean, it's it's it's 780 00:56:07,679 --> 00:56:10,639 gonna be tough. I think, you know, you have to space the 781 00:56:10,679 --> 00:56:16,400 floor. So I think probably shake Yang and Danny Green with and beaten Maxie 782 00:56:16,480 --> 00:56:22,639 would make the most sense. And then you know, the backup big question 783 00:56:22,760 --> 00:56:25,199 for Philly is going to be looming large in this series as well. Doc 784 00:56:25,360 --> 00:56:30,239 very condescendingly said that, you know, when when the opponent has a small 785 00:56:30,280 --> 00:56:34,199 backcourt, they're gonna go Paul Reid, and then when they have a big 786 00:56:34,239 --> 00:56:38,239 backcourt, they're gonna go Andre Drummond. Which makes sense, and that's what 787 00:56:38,440 --> 00:56:44,559 people have been clamoring for because as why we've been watching on DeAndre Jordan, 788 00:56:44,920 --> 00:56:47,000 you know, try his lifeless corpse up and down the court for a month, 789 00:56:47,519 --> 00:56:52,880 but Doc had not been doing that up until the last couple of games. 790 00:56:53,239 --> 00:56:59,039 So, like I think Reid is going to play in this series, 791 00:56:59,239 --> 00:57:02,800 I don't think DeAndre should or is going to very much. I mean, 792 00:57:04,440 --> 00:57:08,800 in the game the previous game, not the one recently, he played eleven 793 00:57:08,880 --> 00:57:15,440 minutes and was a minus ten and they lost by five. So that speaks 794 00:57:15,559 --> 00:57:19,440 and somehow I don't think it accurately captured how bad DeAndre Jordan was in this 795 00:57:19,519 --> 00:57:22,960 matchup. So I think we see not a lot of Paul Reid because you're 796 00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:28,400 gonna play at beat forty minutes or so, but we'll see Paul Reid for 797 00:57:29,199 --> 00:57:35,239 the backup big minutes. You know, Doc has talked about like the concern 798 00:57:35,320 --> 00:57:37,920 about him getting into foul trouble, and it's like, bro, he's playing 799 00:57:37,000 --> 00:57:40,079 ten minutes a game. It's he really could rack up six fouls in ten 800 00:57:40,159 --> 00:57:45,039 minutes or if he does, like okay, dust off DeAndre Jordan or dust 801 00:57:45,079 --> 00:57:47,920 off Paul Milstap for like two minutes if you need to. But give Paul 802 00:57:49,000 --> 00:57:52,440 Read the first crack at the backup big and I think I think he will. 803 00:57:52,559 --> 00:57:57,480 What was the what was the quote he had the other night on Paul 804 00:57:57,519 --> 00:58:00,679 Readers, like this is not the Paul We're not going to make Paul Reid 805 00:58:00,760 --> 00:58:08,800 show Paul Read victory tour? Is there? Moving this to the Raptors, 806 00:58:08,960 --> 00:58:16,000 is they're like an element of they could hamper themselves in this series because even 807 00:58:16,079 --> 00:58:20,360 over this elite stretch that they've had, which is basically lasted half the season 808 00:58:20,400 --> 00:58:23,840 at this point, their half court offense has not been great. They're relying 809 00:58:23,880 --> 00:58:27,960 on cleaning up a lot of missus or getting out in transition. Again, 810 00:58:28,159 --> 00:58:30,679 I don't know that it will be a problem to get out and transition against 811 00:58:30,719 --> 00:58:35,800 Philly. They are around league average and three point efficiency during this stretch, 812 00:58:35,840 --> 00:58:37,400 but they're also twenty six and three point tenth three. Like they're just not 813 00:58:37,599 --> 00:58:40,079 locked and over with a lot of shooters, in part because, as you 814 00:58:40,159 --> 00:58:44,480 mentioned, they're not playing lineups with a ton of shooters if their full cast 815 00:58:44,559 --> 00:58:45,760 is available. And I'm looking at their injury report right now. I'm not 816 00:58:45,920 --> 00:58:50,079 used to seeing no current injuries for any team, let alone the Raptors. 817 00:58:50,199 --> 00:58:53,159 But no current injuries to report. Believe it or not, but I know 818 00:58:53,280 --> 00:58:57,320 Siakam is different, Like this isn't the same player who couldn't dribble. It 819 00:58:57,400 --> 00:59:00,360 felt like in a straight line against Boston in twenty twenty. There's more directionality 820 00:59:00,440 --> 00:59:05,719 to his drives, better decision making. He is just a much better player 821 00:59:05,840 --> 00:59:07,199 than he was then. And you still do have Fred Van Fleet, but 822 00:59:07,320 --> 00:59:13,199 feel like he's done better in the like point guard ish type of role where 823 00:59:13,239 --> 00:59:16,280 he needs to have more influence over the offense. You've run reps through Scottie 824 00:59:16,280 --> 00:59:20,719 Barnes and crunch Time and there's been some flashes there. Garus Trent Junior can 825 00:59:20,760 --> 00:59:24,360 be electric, but there's still just something about this half court offense that feels, 826 00:59:24,679 --> 00:59:29,920 if not solvable, like it can that it can go through slumps of 827 00:59:30,000 --> 00:59:31,320 its own accord. And I do think a lot of that has to do 828 00:59:31,400 --> 00:59:35,480 with like Nick Nurse, and this is probably because when you look at the 829 00:59:35,519 --> 00:59:38,079 bench, there just aren't any secondary creators some of these units he's running out, 830 00:59:38,079 --> 00:59:42,480 they're not built to score like these just egregiously saying like we're gonna play 831 00:59:42,519 --> 00:59:45,599 a bunch of life sized guys and it's gonna hurt our offense, but that's 832 00:59:45,599 --> 00:59:50,039 just what we're going to do. Does that give you any hope if you're 833 00:59:50,119 --> 00:59:53,480 the Sixers or we pass the point of where we should actually be concerned about 834 00:59:54,119 --> 00:59:58,880 the aesthetics of Toronto's offense a lot of the time, Yeah, it doesn't 835 00:59:58,920 --> 01:00:00,559 give me a ton of hope. I think they're just gonna lean even more 836 01:00:00,639 --> 01:00:05,400 heavily on that starting group. And it's not like the Sixers bench has been 837 01:00:05,440 --> 01:00:07,880 any better. Like the Sixers are also a very top heavy group. They're 838 01:00:07,880 --> 01:00:13,320 gonna play they're top four, and FAD's been at least like you can point 839 01:00:13,360 --> 01:00:15,320 to that guy coming off the bench and playing really well. Yeah, and 840 01:00:15,639 --> 01:00:19,199 you think Buche too, Yeah, and Brouchet I was going to say, 841 01:00:19,880 --> 01:00:23,079 and the Sixers, it's like, well, like George and Yang, I 842 01:00:23,199 --> 01:00:29,199 think is you are. He will be a consistent member off the bench, 843 01:00:29,239 --> 01:00:31,400 and he will knock down some big shots at times. It was work on 844 01:00:31,519 --> 01:00:37,440 in like October November. Yeah, like Shank is finding his footing lately. 845 01:00:37,599 --> 01:00:40,599 Matisse will play in the games in Philly, presumably. I think they're going 846 01:00:40,639 --> 01:00:44,280 to just keep Danny in the starting lineup the whole time. I don't think 847 01:00:44,320 --> 01:00:49,599 they want to go back and forth. But yeah, then that's like pray 848 01:00:50,360 --> 01:00:54,400 pray. John Hollinger was right about Paul Reid last thing before. Actually, 849 01:00:54,400 --> 01:01:00,719 actors, the Sixers will win this series if James Hard is James Harden. 850 01:01:00,960 --> 01:01:06,400 Would you even guarantee that they win if James Harden is James Harden And let's 851 01:01:06,440 --> 01:01:09,760 not let's make it not playoff James Harden, but like regular season James Harden. 852 01:01:10,440 --> 01:01:15,119 No, because Doc Rivers, Doc Rivers versus Nick Nurse is the biggest 853 01:01:15,320 --> 01:01:19,679 mismatch. We've discussed a lot of mismatches on this episode. That is the 854 01:01:19,800 --> 01:01:22,760 single biggest mismatch in the first round of the playoffs. Yeah, I look, 855 01:01:22,800 --> 01:01:25,840 I've just very much the Raptors just do things on defense with lineups that 856 01:01:25,880 --> 01:01:29,599 I hate that I don't understand that tend to work out. So yeah, 857 01:01:29,639 --> 01:01:31,519 i'd agree with Yeah, who is your ex factor for the Sixers in this 858 01:01:31,639 --> 01:01:38,159 series? Danny Green? I think we just especially given the absence of Matisse, 859 01:01:39,079 --> 01:01:43,199 if he is able to play, Like, I just don't know if 860 01:01:43,239 --> 01:01:45,719 he's he will be able to play forty minutes a game over the course of 861 01:01:45,800 --> 01:01:49,880 the series, and I think they're going to need him to, you know. 862 01:01:50,000 --> 01:01:53,320 Tobias is another one. You mentioned him earlier, like he really struggled 863 01:01:53,400 --> 01:01:59,360 in those first couple of games with Harden, but has gotten so much better 864 01:01:59,599 --> 01:02:04,199 lately, Like he finally after two years of Doc Rivers just begging him to 865 01:02:04,239 --> 01:02:07,519 catch and shoot, he finally is just catching and shooting now. So no, 866 01:02:07,679 --> 01:02:12,000 he's gonna have to what knows they have the Raptors have no shortage of 867 01:02:12,079 --> 01:02:16,840 six eight guys, so he's gonna have to take on someone. I don't 868 01:02:16,960 --> 01:02:22,960 know if they'll start. I guess if they start, they're normal five the 869 01:02:22,079 --> 01:02:27,119 Raptors do, and Bead will start on Siakam and then Tobias is probably on 870 01:02:27,159 --> 01:02:34,119 Scotty Barnes, but then that probably means Danny Green on og and then yeah, 871 01:02:34,199 --> 01:02:36,800 like where do you hide hard? Maybe you hide Harden on Ouchi and 872 01:02:36,840 --> 01:02:39,400 put Danny Green on Gary Trent and then Maxie on Fred van Fleet. Like 873 01:02:40,079 --> 01:02:45,719 this is another one where it feels like the Raptors have more like more answers 874 01:02:45,800 --> 01:02:49,880 against the Sixers and the Sixers to the Raptors. And that's not even including 875 01:02:49,960 --> 01:02:54,559 the coaching. My extractor for them was to Bias Harris, you laid out 876 01:02:54,599 --> 01:02:58,000 basically why on offense, Like, if he's gonna play like he's been playing 877 01:02:58,000 --> 01:03:00,679 that, I'll be huge for them, And I guess it's not necessarily. 878 01:03:00,679 --> 01:03:02,239 I mean, they need it. If James Harden is gonna be hitting shots 879 01:03:02,280 --> 01:03:06,360 like this, he's gonna get rid of the ball. Debias Harris is gonna 880 01:03:06,360 --> 01:03:08,039 be opening some make shots. But I'm also, like you mentioned him Defendie 881 01:03:08,039 --> 01:03:10,920 Scotty Barnes based off some of the lineups that Nick Nurse is going to throw 882 01:03:12,000 --> 01:03:15,159 out there, they're gonna be reps where he has to guard Pascal Siakam probably, 883 01:03:15,719 --> 01:03:20,679 And I've also just wondered, and I don't know how out there this 884 01:03:20,880 --> 01:03:23,119 is, but like, given some of the lineups that the Raptors throw out 885 01:03:23,159 --> 01:03:27,960 there, like, is there a like Tobias Harris and center scenario here that 886 01:03:28,039 --> 01:03:31,119 the Sixers should be exploring if they just refuse to break out Paul Reid. 887 01:03:32,159 --> 01:03:36,360 I think they're going to break out Paul Reid. They did in the last 888 01:03:36,400 --> 01:03:38,000 game, and they have over the last couple of games of the season. 889 01:03:38,119 --> 01:03:43,159 But like, I would much rather see it Tobias and the Yang front court 890 01:03:43,199 --> 01:03:46,039 than I would Deandrew Jordan. DeAndre Jordan has absolutely no place in this series. 891 01:03:46,079 --> 01:03:50,000 And if he plays a single minute, Doctor Rivers is point shaving, 892 01:03:51,639 --> 01:03:55,679 You're a chapter for the Raptors. I mean, where do you even like 893 01:03:57,119 --> 01:04:00,679 any of the guy? I mean, Siakam is too important, Advanvleet, 894 01:04:00,639 --> 01:04:05,239 He's like too important to be an X factor, but like if he's hampered 895 01:04:05,320 --> 01:04:10,119 at all, is at least something that will be keeping an eye on. 896 01:04:10,840 --> 01:04:15,559 I think probably I'm split between Og and Scotty Barnes just because they can do 897 01:04:15,760 --> 01:04:23,000 everything. And you know what, we haven't seen a ton of Og lately. 898 01:04:23,199 --> 01:04:26,239 I mean, I know he came back for a couple of games at 899 01:04:26,320 --> 01:04:30,079 the end of the season, but you know, otherwise, like miss a 900 01:04:30,159 --> 01:04:32,880 ton of time right after the All Star break, so he looked fine, 901 01:04:33,400 --> 01:04:38,079 but I'm just going to keep an eye on, like does that finger injury 902 01:04:38,679 --> 01:04:42,719 hamper him at all? And then Scotty can is just like so versatile, 903 01:04:43,280 --> 01:04:47,119 so depending on who's guarding him, whether it's Tobias or Danny Green at first 904 01:04:47,760 --> 01:04:51,039 you can can he make them pay for that? Because if he can, 905 01:04:51,199 --> 01:04:56,639 then the Sixers just don't have answers up and down the lineup, And this 906 01:04:56,840 --> 01:04:59,079 is going to be a shorter seven series, and I think a lot of 907 01:04:59,159 --> 01:05:01,480 us are expecting. I went with Ogi as well, just because it feels 908 01:05:01,519 --> 01:05:04,880 like not that he's unknown, but like he's just dealt with so many stopping 909 01:05:05,000 --> 01:05:12,599 starts this season. I did entertain Scottie Barnes also because it's like, does 910 01:05:12,679 --> 01:05:15,079 he see time on Joel Ebead in this series? I guess functionally he should 911 01:05:15,079 --> 01:05:18,239 not, but he might see time on everybody. And he's also the first 912 01:05:18,320 --> 01:05:25,239 rookie since I think Damian Lillard to average over thirty five minutes a game in 913 01:05:25,400 --> 01:05:28,280 over seventy appearances. It's like, this is someone who's played a lot, 914 01:05:28,400 --> 01:05:30,719 like it is the rookie wall ever gonna be a thing with him? Or 915 01:05:30,800 --> 01:05:32,400 is he just gonna be I know he struggled at some point in the season, 916 01:05:32,480 --> 01:05:35,519 but also just like Kenny shoulder that workload in the playoffs. But I 917 01:05:35,599 --> 01:05:40,679 think it's just og Hana Nobi maybe because maybe because I'm curious more than anything 918 01:05:40,760 --> 01:05:44,840 else about what he's gonna look like if he's playing heavy minutes over a consistent 919 01:05:44,920 --> 01:05:50,559 period of time. Yeah, for sure. Predictions. I'm going Raptors in 920 01:05:50,679 --> 01:05:57,360 six. I'm gonna go Raptors in seven. I came dangerously close to predicting 921 01:05:57,360 --> 01:06:02,199 the Raptors to come out of the East for Bleacher Report, but I flaked 922 01:06:02,400 --> 01:06:05,760 on that prediction. There's just we went over it. There's so many matchup 923 01:06:05,800 --> 01:06:09,920 problems here, and it's to the I'm not going to assume that James Harden 924 01:06:10,760 --> 01:06:13,920 doesn't make his shots in this series or looks like he's moving really slow, 925 01:06:14,280 --> 01:06:17,559 Ian if you told me that he's great. I don't know that the Sixers 926 01:06:17,760 --> 01:06:24,119 are deep enough to overcome just the breadth of different looks the Raptors can throw 927 01:06:24,119 --> 01:06:27,920 with them, who are not particularly deep themselves. But like their top seven 928 01:06:28,320 --> 01:06:32,599 guys are going or just re kill on defense for Philly. Yeah, I 929 01:06:32,679 --> 01:06:36,920 mean the Sixers are just so not flexible in what they can do, Like 930 01:06:38,400 --> 01:06:42,599 their personnel is just not flexible, especially with Matis being out for at least 931 01:06:42,880 --> 01:06:46,360 or four three of these because the other things. Yeah, and so I 932 01:06:46,440 --> 01:06:50,920 mean, like i think I'm guessing they split the first two in Philly Toronto 933 01:06:51,000 --> 01:06:56,960 wins three and four. Back home without Matis, Sixers win Game five and 934 01:06:57,039 --> 01:07:00,480 then the Raptors close them out and six because yeah, I mean the Raptors 935 01:07:00,559 --> 01:07:03,679 can throw out so many different styles of lineups and Nick Nurse is so creative 936 01:07:03,760 --> 01:07:08,400 and you know who like willing to throw a box in one, like who 937 01:07:08,559 --> 01:07:12,159 knows what they're going to be able to do? The Sixers. I will 938 01:07:12,239 --> 01:07:15,679 say, shout out to Austin Krell of the Painted Liance for this idea. 939 01:07:15,920 --> 01:07:19,039 The Raptors have struggled against his own this year, and the Sixers have been 940 01:07:19,119 --> 01:07:24,760 more willing to do it than they have in years past. So like I 941 01:07:25,199 --> 01:07:28,559 as much as it's easy to poke fun at Doc Rivers and to you know, 942 01:07:28,840 --> 01:07:30,039 pray for him to be the coach of the Lakers next year, Like 943 01:07:30,119 --> 01:07:33,360 this is a big Doc Rivers series, Like if he's going to be going 944 01:07:33,400 --> 01:07:38,519 against one of the smartest, most innovative coaches in the NBA, he has 945 01:07:38,639 --> 01:07:43,280 the top end talent advantage, but the matchups do not favor the Sixers here, 946 01:07:43,480 --> 01:07:47,280 so can he junk this up? And you know force the Raptors half 947 01:07:47,320 --> 01:07:51,360 court offense to sputter? I think is one of the biggest questions. Ryan, 948 01:07:51,639 --> 01:07:55,639 This was great. Thank you so much for going in detail on every 949 01:07:55,719 --> 01:08:00,079 series that we know about heading into Thursday. Can you tell our listeners where 950 01:08:00,079 --> 01:08:02,519 they can find you in all the great work that you do. Yeah, 951 01:08:02,679 --> 01:08:06,519 you can find me on Twitter at the two Poor X, the t O, 952 01:08:06,679 --> 01:08:12,039 P O R e K. I cover mostly the Sixers, but some 953 01:08:12,239 --> 01:08:15,800 also some salary cap stuff at Fork Sports, So I'll be doing a bunch 954 01:08:15,840 --> 01:08:19,640 of stuff heading into free agency, and then you can find my podcast, 955 01:08:19,800 --> 01:08:25,920 the NBA Podcast Wherever Podcasts Profound and Dan. Thank you as always for having 956 01:08:25,960 --> 01:08:28,920 me on. I will be I'm happy to come back in two weeks to 957 01:08:29,000 --> 01:08:34,520 celebrate doctor Ver's newest job at the Lakers. Thank you again, Brian, 958 01:08:34,600 --> 01:08:38,800 As you know I'll be festering you again. Please do, please do,