1 00:00:15,439 --> 00:00:20,519 What is krack Alakin fellow thermonuclear a efforts. I am Damn Valley coming at 2 00:00:20,519 --> 00:00:24,719 you with i'll call the bonus episode. This week, Greg Whissinger of The 3 00:00:24,839 --> 00:00:29,600 King's Harold follow him at g whist That's at gwi SS back on the pod 4 00:00:29,719 --> 00:00:34,399 to talk about the King's Warriors matchup and why he believes in you know, 5 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,920 areas of concern, but also why the national media at large, including this 6 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,799 podcast, might be underestimating the Kings. Bring on guests for every series that 7 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,479 was is way too difficult. Please check out minding grants, Deep Dive also 8 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,479 Rememderous. Subscribe you I've done that already. Hit subscribe on YouTube, Subscribe 9 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:52,000 and Apple Spotify. Help us continue to grow the show. Join our discord 10 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,640 link is in the podcast description as well as the YouTube description All that Jazz. 11 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:59,159 We appreciate word of mouth, recommendations and shout outs on Twitter. It's 12 00:00:59,159 --> 00:01:02,520 always nice when we can get some positive feedback to rather than people always just 13 00:01:02,799 --> 00:01:06,599 being in our mentions or my dms and mad or questioning me about something we 14 00:01:06,599 --> 00:01:08,200 said. I understand it's part of the gig and I like to be accessible, 15 00:01:08,239 --> 00:01:12,760 but it's been a very exhausting a couple of weeks where the feels like 16 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:17,040 the constant feedback loop is mostly negative. A lot of Discord members are super 17 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,680 nice, so shout out to you guys. But yeah, bringing Greg on 18 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:23,359 Kings and their playoff drought, so I think it's, you know, Sacramento 19 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,879 fans definitely deserve this, and I do think that there's just been an over 20 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,000 welly number of people picking against them in the Warriors series, so I thought 21 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,879 it'd be interesting to one allow him to come on and shit talk, which 22 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,159 he did not take advantage of enough, I don't think, but it was 23 00:01:37,159 --> 00:01:40,640 still fun conversation, but also too to get perspective from someone closer to the 24 00:01:40,719 --> 00:01:42,439 Kings what we might be underestimating, why they have a better chance in this 25 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:48,280 series, and just allow you know, Sacramento Kings fans a chance to just 26 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:53,640 emote over this because it's it's huge and we'll bring Greg back. For some 27 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,760 reason, they keep continue to make it out of the first round of the 28 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,799 playoffs, into the second round and into the conference finals, into the NBA 29 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,280 Finals, who knows. But it was a fun conversation. I think you'll 30 00:02:02,359 --> 00:02:06,280 enjoy it, And yeah, that's it for me. Let's get to this 31 00:02:06,319 --> 00:02:13,199 convo with Greg Whizzinger from The King's Herald. What is krack Alakin, fellow 32 00:02:13,199 --> 00:02:16,800 thermonuclear affors, I am Dan Pavalley coming at you with a Sacramento Kings slash 33 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:21,840 Warriors specific pod, but it's really a King's specific pod. Before we dive 34 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,520 into the to all the ship talking, I think it's gonna take place. 35 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:29,960 Greg, how are you doing? The beam is lit? I mean, 36 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:32,680 we're the three seed, we got a home court game, we are doing 37 00:02:32,759 --> 00:02:38,159 great. You offered, you said that if we want to do any playoff 38 00:02:38,199 --> 00:02:39,879 content that you'd be willing to do it. So you're not yourself to hop 39 00:02:39,879 --> 00:02:45,159 on very quickly after that. I think it's important that Kings fans do get 40 00:02:45,199 --> 00:02:49,479 to be as bombastic as they please, because it's been so long since that 41 00:02:49,599 --> 00:02:53,639 they've been to the playoffs and why. I also think relative to every other 42 00:02:53,719 --> 00:02:55,520 higher seed, I think the Grizzlies and Nuggets are getting us a little bit, 43 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,520 but the Kings feel the most dismissed of any like top three seed in 44 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:05,039 the even like top four seed in the both conferences in the playoffs this year, 45 00:03:05,039 --> 00:03:09,360 and so I think that's also worthy of shit talking as well, and 46 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:14,879 so you're here to just let's take this wherever we go about this warrior series 47 00:03:14,879 --> 00:03:17,479 about the King's making the playoffs in general, I will play Devil's advocate wherever 48 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:22,719 I see fit. But I'm very I've been bracing myself for this all day, 49 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:23,960 and so I'm just excited to see where you take this. So what 50 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,280 are you just your general thoughts, feelings, emotions, heading into a not 51 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,520 just a playoff berth for the first time in sixteen years, but your third. 52 00:03:30,719 --> 00:03:35,479 This isn't like you had to go through the play in like your third. 53 00:03:35,719 --> 00:03:39,120 Like your third, we have home court advantage, which is huge. 54 00:03:39,159 --> 00:03:44,199 I mean Game one of ending the playoff, Droute will be at home in 55 00:03:44,319 --> 00:03:47,680 Sacramento. I mean that's just it's an awesome thing. And yeah, we're 56 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:52,199 going to talk our ship just in case all the punnits are right and this 57 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:53,479 is our only shot at doing it and we're out in the first round, 58 00:03:53,599 --> 00:03:58,280 right, Like that, of course, is a very real possibility. Like 59 00:03:58,319 --> 00:04:01,840 I get why that narrow exist, but you know, there's plenty of reasons 60 00:04:01,879 --> 00:04:06,680 that Kings fans can still be excited and believe that there's a very real shot 61 00:04:06,719 --> 00:04:11,280 to advance past the first round and you know, if luky things happen, 62 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:15,639 maybe even beyond you never know, right, but yeah, it's just a 63 00:04:15,759 --> 00:04:19,879 really exciting fun time for Kings fans that, after all we've been through, 64 00:04:20,639 --> 00:04:24,360 Yeah, we didn't have to deal with the stressful playing because we all kind 65 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,600 of assumed like, okay, the league put in this play in thing, 66 00:04:27,639 --> 00:04:30,800 and someday we're going to stumble as backwards into the playoffs and call it a 67 00:04:30,879 --> 00:04:36,000 success, right that we finally managed to be you know of you know, 68 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:41,079 fifteen teams a top eight, right, Like, you know, it's the 69 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,240 lowest of bars to clear, and the Kings couldn't do it for so long, 70 00:04:45,199 --> 00:04:49,399 and so it's so rewarding that when that streak finally ended, it's actually 71 00:04:49,439 --> 00:04:55,920 like legit unquestionable, Like there's no there's no asterisks behind it or anything weird. 72 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,519 It's just no, they're the three seed, they've been great all year, 73 00:05:00,079 --> 00:05:03,959 they've got a historically great offense. You know, they've got a fun 74 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:09,600 team, a young team. It's also not like when the Grizzlies into their 75 00:05:09,639 --> 00:05:12,079 streak with Jimmy Butler, where it's like, yeah, this is all gonna 76 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,920 come crashing down next year and everyone knows it, like this is something that 77 00:05:15,959 --> 00:05:19,319 could be sustainable beyond a single year, Like it's a great time to be 78 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:26,040 a Kings fan. Finally, so the many questions I have, the first 79 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:30,480 one was, regardless of what you actually feel about this series, were the 80 00:05:30,519 --> 00:05:33,519 Warriors a team you would have preferred to avoid? And of course, like 81 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:39,560 come on, I mean for multiple reasons. I mean one, I mean, 82 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:44,600 the two teams are so close in proximity that there's naturally going to be 83 00:05:45,519 --> 00:05:49,040 Warriors fans in the building. It happens anytime the Warriors and Kings play, 84 00:05:49,079 --> 00:05:54,800 and that happens at Chase Center as well. I mean there's Kings fans that 85 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,439 are going to be there, so that overlap is bound to exist. But 86 00:05:58,519 --> 00:06:01,040 you know, you don't really want the posing team kind of infiltrading and all 87 00:06:01,079 --> 00:06:06,240 that. But I mean Round one tickets are a lot more expensive in Sacramental 88 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:10,759 because of demand and kind of the resale prices are through the roof right now, 89 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,240 So I think at least in first round, we're not going to see 90 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,279 a ton of people coming from the Bay Area. You know, maybe is 91 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:20,759 it the tech people from the Bay Area inflating those prices. I think it's 92 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:27,040 more the people who have been starved for seventeen years of playoffs, like because 93 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,000 I mean you can get game three for like a quarter of the price of 94 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:36,360 Game one or two right now. So there's that element. But then there's 95 00:06:36,399 --> 00:06:41,000 also the element like, regardless of the final record, I mean, they're 96 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:45,759 the defending champs, it's Steph Curry. We know Clay can go nuclear, 97 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:51,000 like I mean his historic like the famous like Clay third quarter that was against 98 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:55,240 the Kings, So like we know as well as anyone how he can suddenly 99 00:06:55,279 --> 00:07:00,480 go off. You know, we know that Draymond will get away with absolute 100 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:02,879 murder, both in what he does to the refs and what he does to 101 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,800 Sabonis. Like we know all these things are going to happen. So it's 102 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:12,800 definitely not the ideal matchup, but nonetheless, in its own way, it's 103 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,839 fun because the Kings and Wars have actually never been in the playoffs in the 104 00:07:15,879 --> 00:07:20,079 same season, So not only have they not faced each other, the two 105 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,800 franchises have never been good at the same time. Were the wise playoff teams 106 00:07:24,839 --> 00:07:27,720 the first time all the California teams made it too? Was the other thing 107 00:07:27,759 --> 00:07:30,480 that I saw, Yeah, I mean the Kings are a pretty big part 108 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:35,040 of that. But but yeah, I mean it's it's one of those things. 109 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:39,920 Where is it the matchup I would have picked absolutely not. But you 110 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,000 know, if if the Kings can beat the Warriors in advance, I think 111 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:45,959 it also would do a lot to kind of start to shift some of the 112 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:50,000 narrative around the franchise and shift expectations of what that team is pot is capable 113 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,959 of. So in a way, it could be a blessing in disguise, 114 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,480 depending how it goes, I would think, just because I don't there's not 115 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,720 really like an easy season the West, but I probably subscribe to their notion, 116 00:08:03,319 --> 00:08:05,199 unless you're missing a key player, get it out of the way as 117 00:08:05,199 --> 00:08:09,720 early as possible. So Andrew Wiggins is just coming back. Harry Painting the 118 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,879 second hasn't played a ton to get the Warriors now, and that's probably better 119 00:08:13,879 --> 00:08:18,240 than getting them in you know, a later round. I would completely agree 120 00:08:18,279 --> 00:08:20,680 with that. Yeah, I mean they've already said that Wiggins is likely to 121 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,120 be limited as far as minutes. He hasn't played in a while. I 122 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,759 mean, I know he's been saying he's been staying in shape, but you 123 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,319 can stay in shape and that doesn't mean you're in game shape. Everyone, 124 00:08:30,839 --> 00:08:33,639 especially played at Kings, who are just a blur. Yeah, they play 125 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:37,759 fast even in their half court sets. They move a lot, They're they're 126 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,039 very fascinating. I mean, getting Wiggins back is huge for the Warriors. 127 00:08:41,799 --> 00:08:46,519 It's I'm curious to see, you know, is it ninety five percent of 128 00:08:46,519 --> 00:08:48,600 Wiggins? Is it ninety eight percent? Is it eighty percent? Like I'm 129 00:08:48,639 --> 00:08:52,360 curious to see kind of where he's at and how much he influences it. 130 00:08:52,399 --> 00:08:56,840 But getting him back is still a big X factor for the series. I'm 131 00:08:56,879 --> 00:09:00,799 also interested in this series. I mentioned this when Grant and I did our 132 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:05,120 preview of like every first round series. For people who think, and I 133 00:09:05,159 --> 00:09:07,759 do disagree with this, but they think that NBA offense is just so homogeneous. 134 00:09:07,759 --> 00:09:11,159 Now the Kings and Warriors are like the two that maybe deviate the most 135 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,120 in the league based off how they run their sets and all the off ball 136 00:09:15,159 --> 00:09:20,360 actions that they're implementing. What do you make of just specifically that chess match, 137 00:09:20,799 --> 00:09:24,000 And I'll start on the offensive end. Are people like what are people 138 00:09:24,039 --> 00:09:28,919 discounting where they think, yeah, because the Warriors have the bonus, because 139 00:09:28,919 --> 00:09:31,559 the Warriors have green excuse me, that they're going to be able to blow 140 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:35,279 up what the Kings are doing more so than the Kings being able to blow 141 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,440 up with the Warriors or dream What do you just sort of make of that 142 00:09:37,519 --> 00:09:39,960 notion, given that, again, a lot of they're not running like the 143 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,759 exact same stuff. There's different personnel here, but they do kind of subscribe 144 00:09:43,759 --> 00:09:46,679 to the same principles a lot of the time, which is not really surprised, 145 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,960 you know, and Mike Brown came from Golden State, right, I 146 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,720 think that's really the going to be The interesting part is like Steve Kerr and 147 00:09:54,759 --> 00:09:56,759 Mike Brown obviously know each other extremely well. Mike Brown was there for like 148 00:09:56,799 --> 00:10:01,720 five years, and so they are intimately familiar with what each other is going 149 00:10:01,759 --> 00:10:05,799 to be trying to do and how each team adjust encounters and all. That 150 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:11,159 is going to be really fun to watch as far as what the Warriors can 151 00:10:11,159 --> 00:10:16,000 do. The part that I don't know if it necessarily concerns me, because 152 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:20,200 I think the King's offense is so potent that even if it takes a slight 153 00:10:20,279 --> 00:10:22,320 step back from where it was in the regular season, it's still going to 154 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:26,320 be a great offense. I'm not really worried about their ability to score. 155 00:10:26,919 --> 00:10:31,679 That has rarely been an issue this season. I do think that the Warriors 156 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:37,840 are a smart enough team, an experienced enough team, and a switchable enough 157 00:10:37,879 --> 00:10:41,600 team that they can really work on disrupting passing lanes. I mean, that's 158 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:46,320 really been where the Kings have struggled at times this year, is when teams 159 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,600 can really disrupt their flow as far as just getting in the passing lanes and 160 00:10:50,159 --> 00:10:54,120 you know, disrupting the dribble, handoffs and the things that the Kings like 161 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:58,720 to run. It doesn't necessarily stop them for a full game, but it 162 00:10:58,759 --> 00:11:01,639 can disrupt them. It can throw off and in a playoff series, you 163 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:05,240 know, that can make the difference of a game or two. So that's 164 00:11:05,279 --> 00:11:09,200 what I could see the Warriors disrupting. Now. The on the flip side 165 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:13,120 of that, the challenge for the Kings on defense, you know, and 166 00:11:13,399 --> 00:11:18,639 they are often a challenged team on defense, is just that you know, 167 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:22,960 with the Warriors, they you know, they go so small so often that 168 00:11:24,399 --> 00:11:26,399 it's really easy to you know, kind of pick on Sabonus or pull him 169 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:31,559 away and negate some of his strengths as far as his defense rebounding, Yeah, 170 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,840 he's also I mean, he's not a wing defender, and he's not 171 00:11:33,919 --> 00:11:37,600 a switchable big in that way. So you know, I wouldn't be surprised 172 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,000 if there's times when the Kings, you know, instead of turning to Alex 173 00:11:41,159 --> 00:11:43,200 Len, you know, if they go with a more traditional center, they're 174 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,919 going with JIMSI met two who's a little bit more versatile, a little more 175 00:11:46,919 --> 00:11:50,799 switchable, or just go super small and kind of match the Warriors by playing 176 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,919 Trey Laos at the five, which they've had some success with throughout the year. 177 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:00,000 The King's defense is interesting because they finished twenty fifth and points lout purpose 178 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,000 and you look at the personnel on paper and you're just like, yeah, 179 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,279 that tracks. But like they they're not without defensive fundamentals. You and I 180 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,279 talked about this semi recently. They grab their defensive rebounds, and if you 181 00:12:11,279 --> 00:12:13,600 pull some bonus away from the basket, yeah, that could be an issue. 182 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,759 But you know, by also making a ton of shots, you're able 183 00:12:16,759 --> 00:12:18,519 to set your defense in the first place. They don't foul a ton. 184 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,679 They're among the best teams in the league get forcing opponents to go through their 185 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:28,200 offense deep into the shot clock inside seven seconds you look at their shot profile 186 00:12:28,519 --> 00:12:33,799 and on the expected field goal percentage that cleaning the glass has sacramental ranks eleventh, 187 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,799 but they finished twenty seven, so it suggests that there's some unluckiness there. 188 00:12:37,879 --> 00:12:41,720 And then I knew of the road versus home splits, but I was 189 00:12:41,759 --> 00:12:46,240 digging into it more. They're eleventh, and this isn't necessarily like germane to 190 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,200 the defensive argument, but they're ninth. Excuse me, in points alot per 191 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,799 possession on the road. I'm investigating opponent shooting percentages. It's not because of 192 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:58,639 like super cold three point shooting. They're limiting opponent percentage at the rim better 193 00:12:58,639 --> 00:13:01,919 than normal on the road. There want any explanation behind that, But is 194 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:05,840 the King's defense what are you most worried about as it goes up against the 195 00:13:05,879 --> 00:13:09,799 Warriors offense? And is there a chance that it's better than the raw numbers? 196 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,440 To jest, which is you look at it and they were twenty fifth, 197 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:18,000 Like that's not good. The road home split, as far as how 198 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,759 they played on defense, has been a thing like the entire year. It's 199 00:13:20,799 --> 00:13:22,879 been consistent. It's not like an end of the year fluke or a weird 200 00:13:22,919 --> 00:13:28,159 schedule thing. Or anything like. It's been consistent and we cannot make rhyme 201 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,679 of reason of it. For whatever reason, they just play a lot better 202 00:13:31,799 --> 00:13:35,759 defense on the road. I have no idea why. And the hope is 203 00:13:35,799 --> 00:13:39,480 that maybe they can just play a little bit better even at home in a 204 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:43,399 playoff series. And you know, some of it also, when you break 205 00:13:43,399 --> 00:13:48,360 down the defensive stats by quarter, the Kings are a lot better in the 206 00:13:48,399 --> 00:13:52,279 fourth quarter. So you know, there is kind of that question of how 207 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,480 much of it is that they do run such a fast paced, high powered 208 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,480 offense even in their half court sets, you know how much it is just 209 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:03,320 their attention and their devotion to that side of the ball in can they step 210 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:09,159 that up in the playoffs? Now, I'm hesitant to put all my stock 211 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:13,440 in a team ranked twenty fifth defense, even with those good roads stats, 212 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,440 you know, overall, they're still really bad. I'm hesitant to say like, 213 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,120 well, that team can turn it on like that. That there's some 214 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:24,200 hesitation there on my side, But I do think that they are capable of 215 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:31,240 being a little bit better than what their regular season numbers look like. The 216 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,679 other part of it, though, the other thing, just as far as 217 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:39,320 their issues on defense and you mentioned the shop profile expected field goal percentage. 218 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,559 I think if it's over eighty two games and the opponents are consistently hitting that 219 00:14:43,639 --> 00:14:48,639 much better than expected, you have to point to the defense. I don't 220 00:14:48,679 --> 00:14:54,559 think you can't write it off as luck after that mini games. Just from 221 00:14:54,639 --> 00:14:58,519 watching pretty much every game the season, what I see is the biggest issue 222 00:14:58,519 --> 00:15:03,120 and what le leads to those kind of outlier shooting percentages, is that the 223 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:11,000 Kings really struggle with stopping penetration from the outside, and then they kind of 224 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:16,679 collapse to help, and the opponents can swing the ball around and there's usually 225 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,639 an open shooter in the corner, which I don't know how much you've watched 226 00:15:20,679 --> 00:15:24,879 the Warriors this year, but that's a less than ideal thing against the Warriors. 227 00:15:24,279 --> 00:15:30,080 In my humble opinion, I think if they let the Warriors shoot open 228 00:15:30,159 --> 00:15:33,759 threes from the corner all game, they could be in trouble. Yeah, 229 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:39,000 and they shouldn't look. The King's best form of rim protection in this series 230 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:41,840 might be the fact that the Warriors are reversed to getting there in the first 231 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:45,919 place, and so there's not really you don't need to overreact in those situations 232 00:15:45,919 --> 00:15:46,960 when they do get in the lane. But yeah, you're absolutely right. 233 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:50,559 If that turns into just like, oh, they're gonna need to whether it's 234 00:15:50,679 --> 00:15:54,639 drive or short roll Draymond to kick out, like they need to not overreacting 235 00:15:54,639 --> 00:15:58,080 those situations. Otherwise you're gonna be given up a ton of high quality looks 236 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:02,600 to don't take e Vincenzo or you know, I guess Steph Curry Oviously, 237 00:16:02,639 --> 00:16:06,639 Klay Thompson has been pretty good this year. And look, I mentioned Steph 238 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:14,440 Curry and that's just like an unsolvable a quandary for every single team who is 239 00:16:14,519 --> 00:16:18,080 just like the the natural answer would be, okay, well, davey On 240 00:16:18,159 --> 00:16:19,799 Mitchell needs this needs to be a davy On Mitchell series. I don't know 241 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:22,919 if there is such a thing as a Davey On Mitchell series right now, 242 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:25,960 based on how much I trust him on offense, who is like the what 243 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:29,000 are how are they going to go about defending Steph Curry? Actually, do 244 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,919 not think that I saw any of the Warriors Kings games this year, to 245 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:34,559 be honest with you, and so like, I don't even know many Steph 246 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,639 played in for that matter, but like, how are they going to go 247 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,360 about defending him? Who's the primary defender. They're gonna try some like anything 248 00:16:41,559 --> 00:16:45,879 like Hijinksia, gobox and one or something against him. What do you expect 249 00:16:45,919 --> 00:16:49,000 with that matchup? So the Kings did have a lot of success this year 250 00:16:49,039 --> 00:16:52,799 when they used zone defense. When they went zone, it was actually a 251 00:16:52,879 --> 00:16:59,240 very effective defense. They didn't do it a ton, mostly because Mike Brown 252 00:16:59,279 --> 00:17:03,200 spoke openly about this that he is concerned that it put them in a bad 253 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,880 position for defensive rebounding. And so I don't think that we'll see, you 254 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:11,920 know, just like a traditional two three zone against the Warriors very much. 255 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:15,359 Especially, you know, if they've got someone like Looney out there who's a 256 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:21,359 really good offensive rebounder and has an act for finding loose balls a boxing one, 257 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:25,000 I wouldn't be surprised to see him throw that at him. But yeah, 258 00:17:25,039 --> 00:17:26,119 I think we'll see a lot of different looks. I mean, Mike 259 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,119 Brown has been a guy who's not afraid to experiment and try things and just 260 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:36,519 kind of see what works. I think Fox has stepped up in a big 261 00:17:36,559 --> 00:17:40,200 way defensively this year. It's not that he's ever going to be a shutdown 262 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,759 defender, but he's been much better than he's ever been in years past in 263 00:17:42,799 --> 00:17:48,680 the NBA. I wouldn't be surprised if there's times when he's guarding him. 264 00:17:48,839 --> 00:17:52,160 I wouldn't be surprised if we see some extended run for Davion Mitchell because he 265 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,640 is such a good defender. But I mean, Davion's talked in the past 266 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:00,880 that Steph is a really hard defender for him because the Vian sometimes gets a 267 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:06,079 little lost off ball and Steph moves so well off ball. So I mean 268 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,720 that was something like last offseason Davion Mitchell was talking about publicly that it was 269 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:12,119 a challenge for him to guard a guy like stuff and that was something he 270 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:17,920 had to improve on. Another big thing I could see him try would just 271 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:21,759 be trying to throw some disruptive length like Kessler Edwards. They acquired him at 272 00:18:21,759 --> 00:18:25,160 the trade deadline. You know, he's had some good games. He's had 273 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:27,759 some you know, played some minutes, but didn't do much games. I 274 00:18:27,799 --> 00:18:30,839 think he's a guy who could potentially have a big impact because he does give 275 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:34,920 them more length on the wing and could help counter some of what the Warriors 276 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,920 will bring to the table. But he's also a very inconsistent offensive contributor, 277 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:44,039 which makes it a challenge to play him a lot. So I think the 278 00:18:44,599 --> 00:18:48,119 long answer is basically just that they're going to throw a lot of different work, 279 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,880 a lot of different looks, and at the end of the day, 280 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,279 you're hoping to keep him to like thirty instead of Forge. You know, 281 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,640 is there another matchup in this or player on the war It's like whether it's 282 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,680 an actual head to head match up or just something about the Warriors that you're 283 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:12,759 going to be watching intently during this series. The other big one's going to 284 00:19:12,799 --> 00:19:18,000 be Pool, and and Pool is kind of an odd one because if you 285 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,960 look at this year, he had two games against Kings where he did basically 286 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:26,240 nothing and two games where he absolutely went off. And I wouldn't be surprised 287 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,559 if the series is the same way right where. I mean, he's kind 288 00:19:29,559 --> 00:19:32,599 of that way anyway, where you'll have a quiet game and then he'll go 289 00:19:32,599 --> 00:19:34,559 off for thirty. You know, like that's just kind of who he isn't 290 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:41,480 but I he's a guy who worries me. You know, he's talented enough, 291 00:19:41,559 --> 00:19:45,920 and he's really kind of their biggest depth piece behind their their main like 292 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,400 core group of guys, right and you know, the King's bench has been 293 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,559 kind of hit or missed this year. If the King's bench steps up and 294 00:19:52,599 --> 00:19:59,200 plays well, the Kings usually win. If they don't and they let the 295 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,559 other teams by go off, then the Kings usually lose. So a guy 296 00:20:02,559 --> 00:20:06,200 like Jordan Poole Bull just coming off the bench is a big thread. I 297 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:11,359 think, how do we feel about Keegan Murray going into this matchup? After 298 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,799 this season? This would be your time to talk some shit about Keegan Murray. 299 00:20:14,799 --> 00:20:18,079 I know you mentioned to me something about the Rookie of the Year honors 300 00:20:18,079 --> 00:20:21,440 in cases that are being made for specific rookies, but not for Keegan. 301 00:20:22,559 --> 00:20:26,920 Oh, just that any argument you make for Jaylen Williams being Rookie of the 302 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:33,319 Year is an argument that should actually just be applied to Keegan Murray. If 303 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:36,160 I had a vote, I'd go Polo ben Cara. I think he should 304 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:38,200 be Rookie of the Year. But if you're worried about efficiency, if you're 305 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:44,279 worried about contributing to a team that's winning games, like that's Keegan Murray. 306 00:20:44,319 --> 00:20:48,160 He just set the rookie record for most three pointers made in the season on 307 00:20:48,279 --> 00:20:52,119 high efficiency as the third, fourth or fifth option in the offense. Most 308 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:56,079 games like he has been phenomenal. I mean, when you look at a 309 00:20:56,160 --> 00:21:02,720 rookie coming in and having an immediate impact on a winning team without having to 310 00:21:02,759 --> 00:21:04,880 be a focal point, like, he's done everything you could ask. I 311 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:08,920 mean, and there's plenty of room for him to continue to improve. I 312 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,839 mean, beginning of the season, he was doing nothing but standing around shooting 313 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,079 threes. You know, as the season's progressed, you know, Mike Brown's 314 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,400 challenged him to do more, like getting more involved with rebounding. His rebounding 315 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:22,000 numbers went up, get more involved with creating off the dribble. He's doing 316 00:21:22,039 --> 00:21:25,160 that. You know, he attacking the rim, He's doing more of that. 317 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:30,079 So you know, he's got versatility to his game. I worry that 318 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:33,559 Mike Brown might keep on a little bit of a short leash just because he 319 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,720 is a rookie still. But then that's kind of been a trend throughout the 320 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,359 season that when things get tight in the game, they really want to win. 321 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:45,079 If Keegan's out of an off night, he usually heads to the bench 322 00:21:45,079 --> 00:21:51,279 pretty quick. So but if he's on, I mean, he's capable of 323 00:21:51,319 --> 00:21:56,319 giving him a twenty twenty five point night easily, you know, so it 324 00:21:56,359 --> 00:22:00,640 could be a huge factor. But yeah, he I don't think he shouldn't 325 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,680 Ricky here, but he should definitely be more in the conversation than he is. 326 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:11,319 Something else I just thought of when we were talking about the like the 327 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:14,480 Warriors defending the King's offense is there. So I was about to ask you 328 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,400 who your biggest is Keegan Murray, like your biggest X factor for the Kings 329 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:18,680 for the series, or the name that popped in my head who was going 330 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:22,880 to argue for for it might be Kevin Hurder because I feel like he is 331 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:26,519 someone based off what he can do with the ball in his hands, in 332 00:22:26,559 --> 00:22:30,759 addition to just the motion and the actual shooting, gives you alternatives within your 333 00:22:30,759 --> 00:22:33,920 offense to where if the Warriors do blow certain things up, you don't have 334 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,799 to abandon it entirely, or you're not all of a sudden bereft of these 335 00:22:37,079 --> 00:22:41,160 secondary options from a Fox or a Sabonus. And so he might be mind. 336 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,640 I thought about Monk too, because I still question the King's bench and 337 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,160 so you kind of want him to. I know everyone says that depth is 338 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,079 overrate in the playoffs, but like you gotta go like six and seven deep 339 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,480 at least so I could pick out like in Keegan Murray could be one. 340 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,880 I could Harrison Barnes could be one for me too. Do you have like 341 00:22:56,319 --> 00:23:00,680 the biggest X factor for the Kings? So you know, when we think 342 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:07,359 about the starting lineup, it's built around that concept that if option one gets 343 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:10,559 blown up, you're fine because you've got options three, four, and five. 344 00:23:11,319 --> 00:23:15,160 So you know they're built around you know, Sabonus and Fox, but 345 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,759 then they've got Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, Kevin Hurder, any one of 346 00:23:18,759 --> 00:23:23,640 those guys could be having an on night and can destroy a team. I 347 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,839 think the bigger X factor is Malik Monk because the bench unit, you know, 348 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:30,400 has not been as consistent, and Malik Monk is part of that. 349 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:37,839 He is not as consistent. Part of what worries me is that he really 350 00:23:37,079 --> 00:23:42,240 always wants to hit the home run when the crowd is amped, and the 351 00:23:42,279 --> 00:23:45,279 crowd is gonna be amped like the entire time in the playoffs, so he's 352 00:23:45,319 --> 00:23:52,160 gonna do some things and when it's working, it's spectacular. It's the most 353 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,640 fun things you've ever seen. And then when it doesn't work, it's him 354 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:59,680 just like sailing balls into the crowd. Or launching up all advised three. 355 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:03,799 He's a you know whatever he else like, it's hard to rain him in 356 00:24:03,839 --> 00:24:08,599 when he gets a little too excited. But if he is hitting, you 357 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:12,599 know, not just his shooting, but also his playmaking, his distributing ability. 358 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:17,880 You know, when he's really firing on all cylinders, he completely changes 359 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:22,039 what the bench can be. So I think he's a huge factor. And 360 00:24:22,079 --> 00:24:26,079 then you know, on the bench, it's definitely gonna be a tighter rotation. 361 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:30,440 But Trey Lyles has been huge for them. I think that he's going 362 00:24:30,519 --> 00:24:33,519 to be a big part of it. And then I mentioned Kessler Edwards earlier. 363 00:24:33,599 --> 00:24:40,000 If he can disrupt on defense and have any sort of impact, a 364 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,960 positive impact on the offensive side, that's huge. I mean, that's a 365 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:48,680 big swing for any one game. The nice thing about the King's all right, 366 00:24:48,839 --> 00:24:52,519 Just the nice thing about the way that the Kings are built this year, 367 00:24:52,319 --> 00:24:55,640 you know, both with the starting unit and the bench, is that 368 00:24:56,200 --> 00:25:00,880 they're not entirely reliant on one guy having a good night, or even two 369 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,240 guys having a good night. There's so many guys that any one of them 370 00:25:03,319 --> 00:25:08,480 is capable of stepping up and really leading the charge on any given that do 371 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:12,599 you have any sense or would you guess, like how many minutes that we're 372 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:15,559 gonna end up seeing Fox and Sabonis playing, Because while I do think there's 373 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,519 there there is some depth to the Kings, and like you mentioned, what 374 00:25:18,519 --> 00:25:22,680 they've been able to do all season and then they're staggering that darn Fox alone 375 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:26,079 minutes got better as the season progressed, like they are still you know, 376 00:25:27,759 --> 00:25:33,640 I'm just curious how their one star stretches is my point hold up in this 377 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:37,119 series, because that seems like it could be a bigger turning point for them 378 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:42,519 than even the Warriors. And it's gonna be really interesting because Sabonus and Fox, 379 00:25:42,559 --> 00:25:47,400 like Fernan Kings fans who watch their games on a regular basis, like 380 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:51,240 you know, when their breaks are coming. Mike Brown has been very methodical 381 00:25:51,319 --> 00:25:55,000 about, you know, kind of like a couple of minutes into the fourth 382 00:25:55,079 --> 00:25:57,640 Darren's gonna sit for like three four minutes, and sometimes it feels way too 383 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:02,039 long, and then he comes back in and so I'm curious to see how 384 00:26:02,079 --> 00:26:06,039 he tightens those up, because I do think we'll see them play higher minutes 385 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:07,440 than they did in the regular season. I mean, sa bonus was a 386 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:11,640 thirty four Foxes at thirty three, and they led the team. I mean 387 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:17,359 they have been careful not to overload anyone with minutes, but you know, 388 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,920 in the playoffs, the rotations, Titan, you want your stars on the 389 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:26,000 floor more. There's more on the line, you know. I would expect 390 00:26:26,039 --> 00:26:27,960 both of those numbers to go up at least a couple of minutes a game, 391 00:26:29,039 --> 00:26:33,000 But it's hard to predict. Mike Brown, like he might just stick 392 00:26:33,039 --> 00:26:37,440 with what he thinks has worked so far. Who knows. He's been way 393 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:41,880 more flexible in Sacramento than I remember him being in Cleveland, and so I 394 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:45,240 feel like he will ratchet it up where necessary, would it be my guest? 395 00:26:45,279 --> 00:26:48,599 But again I mean where this is uncharted territory for just the Kings in 396 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:55,359 general, so that'll be something to watch. Is this is the cliche question? 397 00:26:56,559 --> 00:27:00,160 The biggest reason the Kings win this series would be what Darren Fox? 398 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:07,200 I mean, King of the Fourth like he's gonna I mean he's deep, 399 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:11,319 like far and away the most like clutch player, you know, clutch moments. 400 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:17,480 He can always get to his shot and converts at a very high clip. 401 00:27:17,519 --> 00:27:19,279 I mean, he lives for the big moment, and this is gonna 402 00:27:19,279 --> 00:27:22,960 be the biggest moments of his career. I mean, if there's ever a 403 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:27,240 guy I have full faith in his ability to step up on a big stage, 404 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:30,400 it's Fox. I mean he's shown it every time he's been given a 405 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:36,279 chance, and I'm really excited to see what he can do. And if 406 00:27:36,279 --> 00:27:38,559 the game is on the line, I fully trust having the ball in his 407 00:27:38,599 --> 00:27:47,960 hands, and after all the painful years of being a Kings fan, like 408 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:51,640 that feeling of the games on the line, it's in his hands and I'm 409 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:55,599 like, yeah, there's a good chance this ends positively. That's just a 410 00:27:55,680 --> 00:28:00,480 magnificent feelings. They're gonna definitely test his decision making in the lane, and 411 00:28:00,519 --> 00:28:03,559 he's been I think he's been buying large as awesome doing that this year and 412 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,880 like the thirty percent usage, not even eleven percent turn over it, he's 413 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:11,200 just been I had him on my second team all NBA. I think he's 414 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,240 where he ended up. He's been great, though. I do think the 415 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:18,359 Warriors pose just a very good test for him because of Draymond one being and 416 00:28:18,559 --> 00:28:22,599 Looney even being there, but then also the guys that are going to be 417 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:26,400 in front of him initially, whether that's gonna be Wiggins at points, Devincenzo 418 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,079 or you know, Gary Payton a second now playing and Gary Payton a second 419 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,880 will put you in hell like and that's just like, that's a super tough 420 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:36,559 matchup. And so he's I've I've said, and this is from someone who's 421 00:28:36,599 --> 00:28:38,720 just so far away from the situation. I think everyone often has just said, 422 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,000 well, like Demontesi Bonus is their best player, He's been the reason 423 00:28:42,039 --> 00:28:45,720 they're here, and I've always tramed it as I think he might be either 424 00:28:45,839 --> 00:28:49,039 most valuable, but Danon Fox me is just their best player. And a 425 00:28:49,079 --> 00:28:53,039 part of that is the clutch stuff. And then yes, Domas might unlock 426 00:28:53,079 --> 00:28:56,960 a lot of what they do, I just don't think it means nearly as 427 00:28:56,039 --> 00:29:00,839 much without what it actually unlocks to what Darron Fox is within that, but 428 00:29:00,839 --> 00:29:04,000 then also what he is separate from that, as we've seen, and so 429 00:29:04,039 --> 00:29:07,119 I think he's the player on the Kings. I think a lot of maybe 430 00:29:07,119 --> 00:29:11,000 basketball stake goes are probably more interested in the Domas Draymond Green matchup. I 431 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:15,400 think I'm just more interested in the Darron Fox versus the Golden State defense at 432 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:19,880 large matchup. If that makes any sense. Yeah, I mean there's debate 433 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:26,119 even in Kings circles on is Sabonis or Fox better or more important or you 434 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:30,880 know, which way it goes, And I don't have a clear answer. 435 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:33,559 I mean, obviously the team is built around what Sabonis is able to do 436 00:29:33,599 --> 00:29:37,480 as far as distributing the ball, you know, creating space with screens, 437 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:44,319 you know, the passing and the movement. But i mean Fox and Sabonis 438 00:29:44,359 --> 00:29:48,279 both are on the same page that like, yeah, they run it mostly 439 00:29:48,319 --> 00:29:51,640 through Sabonis and then they get down the crunch time and it just runs through 440 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:55,880 Fox and he just picks apart the defense. So it's kind of I mean, 441 00:29:55,880 --> 00:30:00,880 they work very well together in tandem. And you talk about, you 442 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:03,680 know, the different looks that the Warriors are gonna throw at Fox, and 443 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:08,400 that's definitely a real thing. But it's not like the Kings can't force switches 444 00:30:08,559 --> 00:30:14,400 and you know, you know, use sabonas to give Fox space or get 445 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:17,480 a pesky defender off. I'm like, there's a lot of different things that 446 00:30:17,519 --> 00:30:19,759 they can throw at him, and you know, ways to still create those 447 00:30:19,759 --> 00:30:26,640 looks for everyone. What if you're so you're the Kings and from an offensive 448 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,960 perspective or even from a in terms of defending the Warriors. And I think 449 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:33,039 my guests would be the answer to this is two different ones. Do you 450 00:30:33,119 --> 00:30:36,599 prefer, as a again, the Kings going up against the Warriors when they 451 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:40,519 have both Kevon Looney and Draymond in the front court, or when they're gonna 452 00:30:40,519 --> 00:30:44,200 go with just Draymond in the front court, they might slide pull into lineup, 453 00:30:44,279 --> 00:30:47,200 or de Vincenzo into the lineup, or Gary Payton the second into the 454 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,319 lineup. Which version of the Warriors do you prefer to go up against? 455 00:30:49,599 --> 00:30:52,519 Look, I think pretty clearly on offense, you just rather go up against 456 00:30:52,559 --> 00:30:55,720 the two big version of the Warriors, would be my guess. Maybe not, 457 00:30:55,759 --> 00:30:57,319 maybe you feel differently, but if you're the King's offense, do you 458 00:30:57,359 --> 00:31:00,200 prefer to go after that version as well? Or the smaller version of the 459 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:06,319 Warriors? Yeah, I mean I think that the bigger version of the Warriors 460 00:31:07,119 --> 00:31:12,480 still isn't very big, and it's still lays into the King's strengths in a 461 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:17,880 lot of ways, because you know, Luny's not gonna I mean, he's 462 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:21,599 a versatile big and does a lot of things very well, and I think 463 00:31:21,599 --> 00:31:26,480 in a lot of ways. He's kind of underrated, but is generational. 464 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:27,920 I know, this season it feels like he just hasn't made his improp of 465 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:32,480 playoff mode. Von Luney is generational, right, Like, I'm not trying 466 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:34,359 to sell him short or disrespect him or anything like that. I mean, 467 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,480 I know he's a big listener to your podcast. I'm sure he's putting this 468 00:31:37,519 --> 00:31:41,079 on the bulletin board and all that. But uh, you know, I 469 00:31:41,079 --> 00:31:45,599 feel like Sabonis kind of has that matchup, right, Like I feel pretty 470 00:31:45,599 --> 00:31:52,599 good about that one, you know, the switching and smaller version. I 471 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,960 still feel like Sabonis has that matchup on offense, Like, I don't think 472 00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:01,119 the Warriors have a good answer for Sabonis. And you know, Draymond obviously, 473 00:32:02,039 --> 00:32:06,880 you know, one of the better best defenders of the generation, and 474 00:32:07,079 --> 00:32:10,799 his size rarely holds him back because he is such a smart defender and bates 475 00:32:10,839 --> 00:32:16,079 guys into things. And you know, well he's facing the Kings with playoff 476 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:19,720 raffs, so I mean he'll get away with everything. So you know, 477 00:32:19,799 --> 00:32:25,000 there's a lot to be said for using Draymond on sabonas but I still think 478 00:32:25,039 --> 00:32:29,400 it's one of those things where the Kings will need Sabonis to really just assert 479 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,559 himself more than he traditionally has, regardless of what the lineup is, because 480 00:32:32,559 --> 00:32:37,400 he should be able to beat whoever they're throwing at, Whereas you know, 481 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:40,200 the different looks could throw off some of the other guys more than it should 482 00:32:40,279 --> 00:32:45,200 him. I have more narrative driven questions for you, But is there anything 483 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:50,160 just on the court that we really haven't discussed anything you go into the weeds 484 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:55,039 that you think we overlooked that you want to hit. I think we've hit 485 00:32:55,079 --> 00:33:00,200 the big like actual pretending we're talking about real bad basketball stuff and not me 486 00:33:00,359 --> 00:33:05,000 just like talking some crap. So I think it's a good point for us 487 00:33:05,039 --> 00:33:07,400 to go ahead and shift this one. I don't know if it's gonna give 488 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,880 you good opportunity, But why aren't we making more of the Harrison Barnes going 489 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:15,759 up against the Warriors thing? Is it just because the Kings haven't been the 490 00:33:15,759 --> 00:33:17,359 playoffs and forever? So that's just gonna take Prents. Is just like, 491 00:33:17,559 --> 00:33:22,920 shouldn't we expect at least one Harrison Barnes revenge game in this or is it 492 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,240 gonna be? Is it gonna boul the opposite where he's gonna have PTSD and 493 00:33:25,279 --> 00:33:31,160 just miss a bunch of corner threes or something. I think it's I think 494 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:38,680 it's the combination of the fact that the Dallas stint happened m and so that 495 00:33:39,119 --> 00:33:46,279 really shifted what people thought of Harrison Barnes, and he doesn't play anything like 496 00:33:46,359 --> 00:33:51,200 he does in Dallas with this version of Sacramento. And I also credit to 497 00:33:51,279 --> 00:33:54,160 him because I'm pretty sure I dumped on his play for like the first quarter 498 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:58,319 or so for the season and he ended up being like really solid by the 499 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:04,119 end. But he was in the games. Yeah, he was so bad 500 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:08,320 like the first at like ten games of the year, we were like, 501 00:34:08,519 --> 00:34:14,599 oh God, McNair waited too long to trade Harrison Barnes. He has done 502 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:19,079 like he is worthless, Like he was awful to start the year and he 503 00:34:19,119 --> 00:34:22,000 turned around and has been great, like he's been a crucial piece. And 504 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:31,840 and I think it's funny that Yo McNair caught a lot of flack over the 505 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:37,320 years for not trading Harrison Barnes because there were all these rumors every year and 506 00:34:38,119 --> 00:34:43,000 a lot of us, myself included, who were like, why aren't the 507 00:34:43,079 --> 00:34:46,920 King's just like getting something for Harrison Barnes and like tanking the rest of the 508 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:51,199 season for a better But you know, like a lot of us were in 509 00:34:51,199 --> 00:34:52,920 favor of some of those packages and you look back at those packages now and 510 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:58,920 you're like, Aaron Nick Smith probably wasn't a good return for Harrison Barnes. 511 00:34:59,599 --> 00:35:02,440 That's probably a good call there. If you like offense, maybe not be 512 00:35:02,519 --> 00:35:06,880 a pretty good defensive season in Indie. If anybody cares about AARONI Smith talk, 513 00:35:07,119 --> 00:35:08,679 have you seen the Kings? They don't care about defense we need, 514 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:15,320 you know, So it's that whole like, Okay, maybe there's a reason 515 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:19,480 that that guy's in the chair and not me, But no, I mean, 516 00:35:19,519 --> 00:35:23,119 Harrison Barnes has been great for the Kings this season. Just veteran presence, 517 00:35:23,159 --> 00:35:28,800 reliability. He is a guy who can just kind of still bully and 518 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:32,039 slowly eurosteps way into the pain and get a bucket when you need it. 519 00:35:32,119 --> 00:35:37,079 And yeah, I think there's gonna be some some key moments for him in 520 00:35:37,119 --> 00:35:42,559 this series. I think it's also just it's been so long since he was 521 00:35:42,599 --> 00:35:45,960 with Golden State, you know that, you know, I mean most Warriors 522 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:49,559 fans took a year or two to kind of get on the bandwagon, so 523 00:35:49,679 --> 00:35:52,559 they don't even remember that he was there. You know, there, we 524 00:35:52,599 --> 00:36:00,079 are, there it is, I told you we were shifting gears, all 525 00:36:00,119 --> 00:36:02,480 right, go ahead, no I I wouldn't be surprised if we get a 526 00:36:02,519 --> 00:36:06,400 little bit more of the chatter as the series goes on, but it's obviously 527 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:08,920 been a long time. But also like part of it's just that Harrison Barnes 528 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:12,920 is like the nicest guy in the world and is not gonna like talk trash 529 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,679 or yeah he had polite yeah, like he had some kind of like hurt 530 00:36:16,679 --> 00:36:21,639 feelings about the way that things went down with him leaving, but that's all 531 00:36:21,679 --> 00:36:23,360 in the past, and he's obviously not the type of carries a grudge. 532 00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:27,320 That's another thing for me, by the way, not related to the Kings 533 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:30,440 as a total tangent, but whenever players talk about like we Lebron is an 534 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:35,360 example like getting player X and you're just like a guy in that locker room 535 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:37,119 who knows that you would be one of the people traded for player X. 536 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:39,519 And it was just like that way with the Warriors and Kevin Durant, where 537 00:36:39,559 --> 00:36:43,320 it's like that chatter's existing all year and they're like yeah, of course, 538 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:45,639 we'd love to play with Kevin Durant. Harrison Barnes is just sitting there like 539 00:36:45,639 --> 00:36:49,199 it's upcoming free agent, Like, yeah, okay, I just that's so 540 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:52,880 awkward to me. The dynamics of, yeah, these players are smart enough 541 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:57,360 to know who's gonna cost you to get so and so. And I mean 542 00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:00,519 it's a credit to Barnes that, like he was in the trade rumors with 543 00:37:00,559 --> 00:37:06,039 the King's year after year after year because he's on a nice contract, good 544 00:37:06,079 --> 00:37:12,039 contributor, and every year he's in the rumors, but didn't end up getting 545 00:37:12,079 --> 00:37:16,400 traded and he never made a fuss about it. Never. I mean his 546 00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:20,400 play dipped a little. I mean, he was still putting up good numbers, 547 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:22,639 but just kind of watching the games, you could tell he was kind 548 00:37:22,639 --> 00:37:25,679 of tired of being in a losing situation year over year. But guy's a 549 00:37:25,679 --> 00:37:30,760 consummate pro, and I mean he's got he's a free agent this summer. 550 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:37,280 There's been no talk, but also no drama around a new deal or anything 551 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:39,199 like that. Like he's just kind of playing it out and we'll see what 552 00:37:39,199 --> 00:37:43,719 happens this summer. But like I'd like for the Kings to be able to 553 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:45,880 keep him, but I also wouldn't be surprised if he's like, this year 554 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:49,960 was nice, but the last few years have been hell and I gotta go. 555 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:55,920 Is there any level of the playoff berth that is or there is? 556 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,519 How vindicating is the playoff berth? Or I think them that's made not just 557 00:38:00,599 --> 00:38:05,000 about this season's Kings, But I do find and I'm doing it now, 558 00:38:05,119 --> 00:38:07,679 but I'm doing it on purpose. I'm not using as the crux of my 559 00:38:07,679 --> 00:38:12,119 analysis. Everything that's related to Sacramento is almost invariably brought back to this a 560 00:38:12,159 --> 00:38:16,599 bonus Haliburton's trade. And while Haliburton's youngest on his rookie scale, YadA, 561 00:38:16,679 --> 00:38:20,360 YadA, YadA, there's so much left to play out. Is there a 562 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:24,960 level of vindication here for that? Because you didn't just backdoor your way into 563 00:38:25,079 --> 00:38:28,559 the play in and maybe the playoffs? But you are, as we said 564 00:38:28,559 --> 00:38:30,280 it that like it's the third seed. I don't care what you say about 565 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:34,920 the Westward like there's actual separation between like the Kings and a huge chunk of 566 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:44,079 the conference. It feels so good because the Kings have been on the the 567 00:38:44,079 --> 00:38:49,519 degraded end of so many trades over the years that you know, as a 568 00:38:49,599 --> 00:38:51,800 King's fan, you try to talk yourself into like, yeah, well, 569 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:52,639 you know, I mean it could work out because I mean, look at 570 00:38:52,639 --> 00:38:55,159 this and look at this and look at this right, And there was a 571 00:38:55,159 --> 00:38:58,000 lot of that with the spons trade, It's like, okay, well, 572 00:38:58,039 --> 00:39:00,880 I mean the guy's you know, been an All Star a couple of times, 573 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:05,559 like he's young, like, but there was still very valid concerns like 574 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:08,960 that you gave up all the years of team control for Haliburton, you gave 575 00:39:09,079 --> 00:39:15,719 up you know, all of that that you know, he could become all 576 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:22,280 that potential for a guy who, you know, it was even debatable if 577 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:27,800 he'd been the best player on Indiana's playoff teams, and he probably tops out 578 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:30,199 at what he is now, which I would say it's third team All MBA, 579 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:32,639 which is not an insult, like it's just no, it's just I 580 00:39:32,679 --> 00:39:37,400 mean, it would be a surprising leap if he takes a next step to 581 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:44,039 be in that next tier conversation, which is then you're in like MVP conversation. 582 00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:46,599 Rich. I mean, I think some of the totals have him like 583 00:39:47,079 --> 00:39:50,960 fifth or sixth in like betting lines and stuff like that. But it's a 584 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,119 three person race, Like I don't really pay too much attention to who's been 585 00:39:54,159 --> 00:40:00,079 their sixth and MVP conversation this year, but you know, kind of the 586 00:40:00,679 --> 00:40:04,599 wonderful part of it is that not only has it worked this year, but 587 00:40:04,639 --> 00:40:07,880 I kind of mentioned how it's something that could be sustainable, right, Like 588 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:12,880 Sabonis is only twenty six, Fox is twenty five, Keegan's twenty two, 589 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:17,480 Hurders twenty four, Monks twenty four, Daveen's twenty four, Like they have 590 00:40:17,599 --> 00:40:22,119 a core of guys who are all in their early to mid twenties kind of 591 00:40:22,199 --> 00:40:28,679 just entering their playing prime to where if this works and it's good, it 592 00:40:28,719 --> 00:40:32,960 could be good for a number of years. And if next season is like 593 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:37,880 this season, there's not really a big concern that Sabonis isn't going to resigned, 594 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:40,719 Like he seems very happy here, his family loves where they live, 595 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:45,079 Like, I mean, all the good things are happening, right, Like 596 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:46,519 that was one of the other big concerns at the time of the trade, 597 00:40:46,559 --> 00:40:51,519 Like he only had last year, I'm sorry, this year, and then 598 00:40:51,679 --> 00:40:55,840 one more year under contract. That risk seems very minimal at this point. 599 00:40:55,920 --> 00:41:00,280 Like no Kings fans are like panicked that he's going to leave after next season 600 00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:04,760 anymore, which I think also changes the dynamic of that trade because it was 601 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:07,440 a valid concern at that time when he's coming to a thirty win team. 602 00:41:07,519 --> 00:41:13,039 You know that if we hadn't turned it around, if the Kings were still 603 00:41:13,079 --> 00:41:17,360 bad, it would be perfectly reasonable for him to walk away. Now that 604 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:23,280 risk seems very low. The offense is working, you know, and some 605 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:27,480 of that is credit to the offseason moves around, you know, getting shooters 606 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:30,239 around him, what you know, Keegan Herd her Mong. I mean that 607 00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:36,000 was critical to a Fox and Sapona's parent working. It was just the trade 608 00:41:36,039 --> 00:41:38,400 got graded very much on based on what the King's roster was at the time 609 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:45,639 of the trade, not and realistically I didn't expect him to pull off the 610 00:41:45,639 --> 00:41:49,440 turnaround this quick either, so I understand the criticisms. Yeah, it's very 611 00:41:49,519 --> 00:41:53,440 vindicating scene how well it has worked, and knowing that it's not just a 612 00:41:54,199 --> 00:41:58,320 one and done that this could be a good thing for years to come, 613 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:02,760 which soften it's the blow of maybe losing the player like Haliburton and his future. 614 00:42:04,719 --> 00:42:09,280 There's almost because you mentioned the sustainability factor. To me evaluating this, 615 00:42:09,639 --> 00:42:13,920 the stakes feel higher than they normally would not in the sense of, oh, 616 00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:15,280 the Kings are going to blow it up if they perform poorly. But 617 00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:20,119 because this feels so sustainable, where if you had just entered here and a 618 00:42:20,159 --> 00:42:22,519 lot of it seemed like a fluke, or maybe some of the players were 619 00:42:22,519 --> 00:42:24,480 older, you look at it as just sort of happy to be here, 620 00:42:24,559 --> 00:42:27,880 enjoy the moment, kind of like what the thunder are going through now, 621 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:30,480 but you're old and like it's not going to last. But because it's going 622 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:35,920 to last, do you or could like in theory, seems sustainable. How 623 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:38,400 much do you balance like actually just being happy to be here and enjoying this 624 00:42:38,519 --> 00:42:43,599 versus can we actually use this as a litmus test for where we do stand 625 00:42:43,639 --> 00:42:46,800 in the larger Western Conference for then how we flesh out this team around who's 626 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:52,400 already here moving forward. It's definitely a balance of both, because I mean, 627 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:57,199 you look at the Western Conference this year and it's a weird ass year 628 00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:02,920 for the Western Conference. Are editor in chief The King's Herald made a comment 629 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:06,440 on Twitter the other day that I think the spot on like he's like, 630 00:43:06,480 --> 00:43:08,519 my hot take is that next year the Kings are going to end up with 631 00:43:08,639 --> 00:43:14,800 more Winds and a lower seed than this year, like which believable because the 632 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:17,239 West is still like it's drunk on mediocrity right now. But even I'm using 633 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:21,639 the Lakers as an example, I don't have them winning against the Grizzlies like 634 00:43:21,960 --> 00:43:23,559 they were forty one and twenty nine after they started two in ten, Like 635 00:43:23,599 --> 00:43:27,679 that's not and that was like they weren't great, and that was with the 636 00:43:27,760 --> 00:43:30,639 Lebron missing a shit ton of time, the whole d Loo miss time once 637 00:43:30,639 --> 00:43:34,639 he got traded Anthy Davis miss time. So the West is still even if 638 00:43:34,639 --> 00:43:37,960 it doesn't have the same higher tier level of contenders, it is still just 639 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:43,880 a blood like the Intracontra Intraconference blood bat is still very much there. Yeah, 640 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:45,679 I mean, it's been a weird year, and some of these teams 641 00:43:45,679 --> 00:43:49,559 are starting to slip and are going to fall off next year. Some are 642 00:43:49,599 --> 00:43:52,800 gonna emerge and rise, Like we would expect Phoenix Right to have more wins 643 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:55,960 next year than they did this year. Like yeah, I mean, there's 644 00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:01,119 there's gonna be some balancing that happens probably next year that wasn't there because this 645 00:44:01,199 --> 00:44:05,199 year, everyone, like I said, was just kind of cannibalizing each other 646 00:44:05,280 --> 00:44:12,519 the entire year. But I think that what this playoffs gives us an opportunity 647 00:44:12,559 --> 00:44:15,199 to see, you know, one Kings fans, even if it's a first 648 00:44:15,280 --> 00:44:17,719 round to exit, as disappointing as that would be as a three seed, 649 00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:22,320 we're still gonna be a thrilled this was a one successful season. No matter 650 00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:25,079 what happens, we are playing with house money at this point in time, 651 00:44:25,559 --> 00:44:30,639 and that's a fun feeling because, yeah, I want to beat the Warriors. 652 00:44:30,639 --> 00:44:31,760 I'd love to see the second round. If they don't, though, 653 00:44:32,320 --> 00:44:37,360 I'm just fine. This is still the best King season I've experienced in nearly 654 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:42,159 two decades. Like it's fine, So there's definitely that happy to be here. 655 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:44,320 But at the same time, like I want to see how far they 656 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:47,960 can go. I also think it's good that they're going to get the chess 657 00:44:47,960 --> 00:44:52,559 matches and their weakness is really highlighted, because that's going to really pinpoint. 658 00:44:52,599 --> 00:44:57,400 Okay, what do we need to target in the off season, because I 659 00:44:57,440 --> 00:45:00,000 think that it you know, if you put hooked him up to a lot 660 00:45:00,119 --> 00:45:02,159 detect your test, Monna McNair would probably tell you that this team is better 661 00:45:02,159 --> 00:45:07,920 than he thought it would be This year too. Like this team was not 662 00:45:07,159 --> 00:45:10,920 the finished product, like the fact that it has done this well. It's 663 00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:15,280 like anyone can tell you the bench needs some work, but like you know, 664 00:45:15,360 --> 00:45:19,360 the defense needs work, Like there's things that you need to improve on 665 00:45:19,480 --> 00:45:24,000 to be more successful going forward. But playoff basketball is really going to highlight 666 00:45:24,199 --> 00:45:28,599 what are the issues and what's just noise? You know, what are the 667 00:45:28,639 --> 00:45:30,840 parts that you can build around and focus on, and what are the things 668 00:45:30,840 --> 00:45:37,159 that you absolutely have to address. What is it going to be? Like 669 00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:39,760 how loud is it going to be on Twitter or social media general? If 670 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:45,840 the King's win Game one? Block me? Now, like just I mean, 671 00:45:46,559 --> 00:45:51,000 honestly, will any of that's, like any of that flame flicker if 672 00:45:51,039 --> 00:45:53,159 they lose Game one for you? Or will you still commit to the just 673 00:45:53,239 --> 00:45:58,639 fall on? Okay? Good? I mean I've out a tweet that I 674 00:45:58,719 --> 00:46:02,480 retweeted the other day. It was from twenty seventeen where I was telling one 675 00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:06,079 of my friends who writes about the Lakers, I'm like, listen, if 676 00:46:06,159 --> 00:46:07,880 the Kings ever win thirty six games in the season again, I'm gonna be 677 00:46:07,880 --> 00:46:13,320 insufferable, So like look out that. It's like I am not responsible for 678 00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:15,639 anything I say or do. This week, like and through the first round. 679 00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:22,440 It is. It is pure joy and losing will not hamper that because 680 00:46:22,480 --> 00:46:28,119 I've had fun you know on basketball Twitter as a Kings fan throughout all of 681 00:46:28,599 --> 00:46:31,880 the losing streaks, Like, what's a playoff loss gonna do to me? 682 00:46:31,960 --> 00:46:37,000 Damp in my spirits? No? Like, yeah, you can't. You're 683 00:46:37,000 --> 00:46:39,559 at the point where you can't be hurt because like you've just seen it all 684 00:46:39,599 --> 00:46:44,199 at this point. This is you're You're like you're on the mountaintop at this 685 00:46:44,239 --> 00:46:46,159 moment. If you fall from the mountaintop, who cares. Yeah, I 686 00:46:46,159 --> 00:46:51,960 mean I've died so many times I can no longer be killed. Like what 687 00:46:52,079 --> 00:46:53,599 is is? Do we have any Like what is gonna be the go to 688 00:46:53,719 --> 00:46:59,039 ship talking point for the Warriors entering this Like is it their road splits? 689 00:46:59,199 --> 00:47:01,639 Like I think people kind of not dismissed those, but they're like they're game 690 00:47:01,679 --> 00:47:05,559 planning for the same opponent yard paying a seconds there. Now Wiggins is back. 691 00:47:05,599 --> 00:47:07,440 We don't you know. They went four and seven on the road over 692 00:47:07,480 --> 00:47:10,400 their last eleven games. That's a good sign. Never mind that the only 693 00:47:10,440 --> 00:47:13,960 teams to win fewer games on the road this season. We're Detroit Houston and 694 00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:16,920 San Antonio, who are all Victor Weiben Yama obsessives. But what is what 695 00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:21,039 can you already see a lot of it obviously is in the moment based off 696 00:47:21,039 --> 00:47:22,119 what the game happens or where you're going to see social media. But what's 697 00:47:22,119 --> 00:47:24,800 the what's the ship talking point for the Warriors that we need to be on 698 00:47:24,840 --> 00:47:30,480 the watch for. I mean, it's the same as it's always been. 699 00:47:30,559 --> 00:47:35,960 It's just yo, it's who they have and it's what they've done. I 700 00:47:35,960 --> 00:47:39,039 mean, they're they're very much living in the past instead of learning about where 701 00:47:39,039 --> 00:47:43,679 their future is going. And this could be the last gaps for this franchise. 702 00:47:43,719 --> 00:47:46,280 I mean, I mean if they fall to the Kings of all teams, 703 00:47:46,320 --> 00:47:51,039 can you imagine what that must do for morale? I mean, it 704 00:47:51,079 --> 00:47:53,920 would just be devastating that. I feel like the pressure's all on them, 705 00:47:53,960 --> 00:47:58,519 even though we're the three seed. They're they're favored in the betting odds, 706 00:47:58,599 --> 00:48:02,360 like they've got steph they've got Clay, they've got tram On, like they 707 00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:05,880 they should be able to put us away in four, right, I mean, 708 00:48:06,039 --> 00:48:08,119 all the pressures on them, and if I was a Warriors fan, 709 00:48:08,239 --> 00:48:12,119 I just can't imagine how bad I'd feel if I even dropped one or two 710 00:48:12,159 --> 00:48:15,000 games to the Kings, the lowly Kings of all teams. I mean, 711 00:48:15,320 --> 00:48:21,079 come on. I do agree with you though, that the pressure is all 712 00:48:21,199 --> 00:48:22,719 on them, and I saw the serious prices. I think the Kings are 713 00:48:22,760 --> 00:48:27,840 actually favorite in game one, though right it keeps moving back and forth, 714 00:48:28,199 --> 00:48:31,639 it shifted. I think they are now, but so now would be the 715 00:48:31,639 --> 00:48:35,599 time to one and get anything else off your chest that we haven't talked about. 716 00:48:35,679 --> 00:48:38,000 And then two, I would like your what's your series prediction? Right 717 00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:47,159 now? So I am predicting Kings and six. And it's almost surprising to 718 00:48:47,199 --> 00:48:52,719 me even that I'm packing the Kames because where I got to there is that 719 00:48:52,519 --> 00:48:58,360 I spent all year waiting for the other shoe to drop on this team, 720 00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:00,760 because I've had the rug pull out from me so many times as a King's 721 00:49:00,800 --> 00:49:06,719 fan that at the end of the day, I feel like, if you 722 00:49:06,840 --> 00:49:12,239 took away the franchise name, if you put the players, the stats, 723 00:49:13,119 --> 00:49:17,679 everything, if you took all of that and put any other logo on this 724 00:49:17,800 --> 00:49:22,960 roster and this stats and this matchup, there's no way that even with the 725 00:49:23,000 --> 00:49:29,199 Warriors experience, they would be considered the favorite. I just don't think it 726 00:49:29,199 --> 00:49:31,800 would happen. And I get it because it's taken me all year to come 727 00:49:31,800 --> 00:49:36,719 around of the fact that I can buy in and enjoy and kind of count 728 00:49:36,760 --> 00:49:40,920 on this team to step up and do what they should do. But that's 729 00:49:40,960 --> 00:49:45,960 kind of my hotache is that people are still blinded by the logo next to 730 00:49:46,000 --> 00:49:53,000 the team name, and I'm excited for the opportunity for the Kings to start 731 00:49:53,079 --> 00:49:59,639 changing that narrative. This is terrible Devil's advocating by me because I mostly agree 732 00:49:59,719 --> 00:50:04,000 with you, but I think it also applies to the Warriors, where people 733 00:50:04,000 --> 00:50:07,199 are having they're not ready to move on from what this And look, the 734 00:50:07,239 --> 00:50:09,199 Warriors won the title last year with basically this core, So I get the 735 00:50:09,239 --> 00:50:14,119 reluctance, and I think I'd feel more impassionate about like, oh, let's 736 00:50:14,119 --> 00:50:15,880 not dismiss the Kings, and I actually so I have the Warriors in seven. 737 00:50:15,920 --> 00:50:17,840 I think the Kings are built to make this serious. I just have, 738 00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:21,960 Yeah, I figured, I just have a lot of concerns about how 739 00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:24,920 they're how the Warriors, who like they can wear them down on defense and 740 00:50:24,920 --> 00:50:29,400 just seem a little bit better built to disrupt Sacramental's offense and vice versa. 741 00:50:29,800 --> 00:50:31,360 If it was another team though, if they had like played the like even 742 00:50:31,400 --> 00:50:35,440 the Clippers, especially without Paul George, if it was the Lakers or the 743 00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:39,280 Timberwolves or whatever, I still think the Kings and some of those like Clippers, 744 00:50:39,400 --> 00:50:43,039 Lakers, they probably wouldn't have been favorites. And that's just this team 745 00:50:43,079 --> 00:50:45,000 is good. It's not just fun, and I think the people who like 746 00:50:45,079 --> 00:50:50,400 they're not just they are happy to be here because of just like everything all 747 00:50:50,400 --> 00:50:52,400 the ship the franchise has gone through to get here, but the actual talent 748 00:50:52,480 --> 00:50:55,960 on this team when when you watch them as I have choppering in throughout this 749 00:50:55,960 --> 00:51:00,000 seams like they are good and they have good top ends out their offense is 750 00:51:00,079 --> 00:51:06,840 just so synchronized, and I'm I'm actually still not sure people generally him not 751 00:51:06,880 --> 00:51:08,679 un showing how good Daron Fox is and so like, I'm very excited to 752 00:51:08,719 --> 00:51:15,559 see like darn Fox and high stakes basketball games. So that's what I'm looking 753 00:51:15,559 --> 00:51:17,840 forward to. This was fantastic, right though. I'm glad that you were 754 00:51:17,880 --> 00:51:21,440 agreed to come on and it's I'm excited. I'm thrilled for Kings fan. 755 00:51:21,719 --> 00:51:24,000 My advice to be talking your shit someone who doesn't like to be shit talked 756 00:51:24,000 --> 00:51:28,000 too, because I'm super sensitive. I'm a very fragile ego. Talk your 757 00:51:28,000 --> 00:51:30,000 ship. You've you've earned it, and that's part of what the good nature 758 00:51:30,039 --> 00:51:35,800 ship talking makes it fun. And like Kings fans just you guys deserve every 759 00:51:35,840 --> 00:51:37,800 bit of this and so it's exciting to see and I actually think it's It 760 00:51:38,039 --> 00:51:42,079 probably would have been a compelling matchup regardless, but I really do believe that 761 00:51:42,119 --> 00:51:45,159 this is going to be a super compelling, like playoff series. I'll be 762 00:51:45,239 --> 00:51:50,159 shocked if any of these teams just rips off a four or five game victory. 763 00:51:50,280 --> 00:51:54,519 Yeah. I mean, Draymonda's podcast was talking about no matter how bad 764 00:51:54,559 --> 00:51:58,079 the team is, like it's hard to win for in a row against any 765 00:51:58,119 --> 00:52:00,840 women. I thought that was a really smart who by him to kind of 766 00:52:00,840 --> 00:52:05,199 try to temper expectations before they went up against the Kings. So look, 767 00:52:05,239 --> 00:52:07,880 a free shit talking advice is if the Kings do win game one, you 768 00:52:07,880 --> 00:52:09,599 have to start talking about how you're really going to be analyzing that four or 769 00:52:09,639 --> 00:52:13,480 five matchups, so you you know who you prefer the Kings to face in 770 00:52:14,039 --> 00:52:16,199 round there or no, they get two seven excuse me in that two Steves. 771 00:52:16,239 --> 00:52:19,159 So you're really gonna want to know who the Kings get the face in 772 00:52:19,199 --> 00:52:21,840 round two. That's got to be your game one slant. If the Kings 773 00:52:21,840 --> 00:52:24,639 win, we might they make that our game one preview is just kind of 774 00:52:24,639 --> 00:52:29,639 breaking down who we want to face in the second round. That's perfect, 775 00:52:30,039 --> 00:52:34,599 right. Are you able to tell everyone where they can find you the work 776 00:52:34,679 --> 00:52:37,039 that you put out slash edit and where they can just find all your shit 777 00:52:37,119 --> 00:52:40,679 talking in general? Yeah, So the biggest thing is Kings Harold dot com. 778 00:52:40,719 --> 00:52:46,159 We're totally fantastic website and the stuff that is it. Will Griffith I 779 00:52:46,159 --> 00:52:49,639 don't want to get his name wrong follow on Twitter that he did after the 780 00:52:49,639 --> 00:52:53,480 losses with the Charities was just absolutely stand that fan base is you guys will 781 00:52:53,480 --> 00:52:58,519 eventually hate me again because I feel like I get I'm friends friendly with people 782 00:52:58,519 --> 00:53:00,639 on social media like you who like Grant fired me into like you know, 783 00:53:00,840 --> 00:53:02,920 some of the fan base members follow me and they seem to like me when 784 00:53:02,920 --> 00:53:06,599 I'm high on them. But I will invariably have a descending opinion from the 785 00:53:06,599 --> 00:53:08,199 fan base. They will hate me again. But for now, I mean 786 00:53:08,199 --> 00:53:12,159 they're good graces and it the King's fan base has really been a joy. 787 00:53:12,239 --> 00:53:15,480 I mean, I'm also not like Lakers Twitter, so like I'm clearly gonna 788 00:53:15,519 --> 00:53:19,960 feel differently, but it's been a joy to just follow the social media aspect 789 00:53:20,199 --> 00:53:22,760 like that stuff Kings Harold is fantastic. That was my long winded way of 790 00:53:22,800 --> 00:53:27,880 saying those five words. Well, thank you. Yeah. So we're we're 791 00:53:28,199 --> 00:53:34,920 independent website Kings Harold dot com. We have podcasts, we have you know, 792 00:53:35,239 --> 00:53:37,800 previews, commentary, interviews, we have you know, people in the 793 00:53:37,800 --> 00:53:44,000 arena as credential reporters. We do a little bit of everything. Can follow 794 00:53:44,039 --> 00:53:49,480 us at the Kings Harold on Twitter and I'm on Twitter at Gwiss and you 795 00:53:49,480 --> 00:53:52,719 know there's some basketball ship talking and then a whole bunch of other random stuff 796 00:53:52,760 --> 00:53:54,639 that it has nothing to do with basketballs. Been a little light on the 797 00:53:54,639 --> 00:54:00,639 Blakin eighty two content of late, but I will forgive you. I'll see 798 00:54:00,679 --> 00:54:04,039 what I can do. I can do. This was great, Greg. 799 00:54:04,079 --> 00:54:07,079 As you know, maybe we'll be talking again next time. We would normally 800 00:54:07,079 --> 00:54:09,480 talking would Norman would typically be the uh, the season outlooks, But who 801 00:54:09,480 --> 00:54:13,320 knows, maybe we'll be talking off to bring you back on when it's the 802 00:54:13,360 --> 00:54:16,440 Kings versus whoever in the Yeah, so I'll talk again, like, uh, 803 00:54:17,400 --> 00:54:21,400 well, no, we should probably do like a round two periods week 804 00:54:21,440 --> 00:54:43,639 and a half, right, so four games from now, yeah,