1 00:00:14,759 --> 00:00:21,719 What is krakolac in fellow thermonuclear af efforts. I am a thoroughly disheveled Dan 2 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,519 Valley who is just very upset right now about a template that I made that 3 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,239 wasn't working for Granted. And I joined by the certified fantabulous Grant Hughes, 4 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:34,479 who is here. We are going to bounce around the league and talk about 5 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:39,240 surprises or disappointments and basically play a game of real or not, like, 6 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,039 do we need to expect these disappointments to continue? Are these surprising teams, 7 00:00:43,039 --> 00:00:46,600 players, whatever? Sustainable? Felt like a good time to do that now 8 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,240 that we're about Grant, we're about a quarterway through the regular season. I 9 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:51,880 don't know if you noticed that, but I know I keep waiting to get 10 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:56,119 officially to the quarter because then we can Then it's then you feel like some 11 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,320 of these things are stabilizing and we can really plus then you could do first 12 00:00:59,399 --> 00:01:00,960 Quarter Award. We all want to do that, right. That's gonna be 13 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:06,319 fun. I do wonder though, if the increase in parody does make it 14 00:01:06,439 --> 00:01:08,599 less valuable to go through the first twenty games like it normally does, where 15 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,680 it's there are just so many teams where you're just using one as an example. 16 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,439 It's like, Okay, the Clippers are old and don't look great, 17 00:01:15,519 --> 00:01:19,879 but like they have these players. If stuff like starts flowing, like they're 18 00:01:19,879 --> 00:01:23,400 a team that could just surge, even like the Warriors. So I'm curious 19 00:01:23,439 --> 00:01:27,400 if there will be more middle Why in the first minute and fifteen seconds So 20 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,439 you have to bring up the Warriors after the worst loss of the season last 21 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,560 night. I'm sure we'll get to them with the news updates very quickly. 22 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,400 To everyone, just please remember to rate, review, subscribe Apple. Spotify 23 00:01:38,519 --> 00:01:41,640 ratings help us a ton. Leave reviews on Apple even if you don't use 24 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,159 them. It takes five seconds. Definitely subscribe on YouTube. Tell people about 25 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,840 us if you've not already. I've been getting a lot of Instagram, dms 26 00:01:48,879 --> 00:01:53,239 and tags on Twitter about us being in people Spotify podcast wrapped up screenshots. 27 00:01:53,239 --> 00:01:56,480 Those are really cool to see, so send them our way. Tag us 28 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,519 in discord, Join our discord. The link that's in the podcast cast and 29 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,120 YouTube is decription. We really do appreciate all the support that we've gotten this 30 00:02:02,239 --> 00:02:07,159 year. It was a banner year in terms of downloads, and certainly this 31 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,120 is the first year that like, we really committed to YouTube, and so 32 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:14,159 I think this is the will be the first twelve month period we ever did 33 00:02:14,159 --> 00:02:17,759 a million views on YouTube, which is so tiny compared to all these other 34 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,280 podcasts that do it, but it's a big milestone for us. So we're 35 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,840 super appreciative. And look, we're closing in on four thousand subscribers, so 36 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,759 we're a few hundred away from that. Go go get us to four k 37 00:02:28,439 --> 00:02:32,000 socials. They're on the screen podcast YouTube description Grant, how the heck are 38 00:02:32,039 --> 00:02:38,479 you doing? I'm shoveled because you were dis shoveled and it made me wonder 39 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,639 has anyone ever described them? And what do you think shoveled means? Like? 40 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,800 Put together? It feels like a compliment or feels like a positive. 41 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:47,240 It's too close to shoveled. And I don't really if someone said I'm shoveled, 42 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,120 I don't really. I would think that they were drunk. I was 43 00:02:50,199 --> 00:02:53,439 ready to shovel some dirt on the Warriors last night. If you want to 44 00:02:53,719 --> 00:02:55,360 use that term, what do you want to start with? You want to 45 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,879 start with some news? Yeah, let's let's get to news. Do you 46 00:03:00,039 --> 00:03:04,120 want to start us off? And we'll alternate. Sure, Uh again, 47 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,240 alphabet is the alphabet thing? Is it unfunny? Do we need to drop 48 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,360 the alphabet bit? No? Did you see it in discord? I think 49 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,879 it was b Rich said you know this, you know this podcast is gonna 50 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,840 be a banger or whatever because Grant started off with A in the alphabet. 51 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,840 So I think our listeners appreciate we're just admitting that, Yeah, there's human 52 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:25,879 error, but there's an element of us where if we overthink it, we 53 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,319 just become an eft and we jump teams in the middle of the alphabet. 54 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,919 It happens. I feel like once every other like conference episode where we're trying 55 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,680 to go through all these teams, I'll fuck up the alphabet. I think 56 00:03:37,719 --> 00:03:40,159 probably if we leave it alone, if we don't continue to make it a 57 00:03:40,199 --> 00:03:44,680 bit, that's when we'll mess it up and then not acknowledge it. And 58 00:03:44,719 --> 00:03:46,960 that would be the worst thing is if we just go right from like Atlanta 59 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:51,639 to like Charlotte or something and just forget B as a letter. Okay, 60 00:03:51,719 --> 00:03:54,240 so Atlanta, worn't you skip the c's or the d's just because there are 61 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:58,400 so there are a bunch of teams with those or the ms. If you 62 00:03:58,479 --> 00:04:00,080 just went, that'd be the world. That'd be the probab the most egregious, 63 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,719 where you just go from the Lakers and it's like, all right, 64 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,719 the New Orleans Bellies. I've done so many and you are in the exact 65 00:04:08,719 --> 00:04:14,599 same boat, so many thirty sliders that like it's apha. Alphabetically naming every 66 00:04:14,599 --> 00:04:18,000 team in a row is just like it happens without my brain even acknowledging that 67 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,079 it's happening, just as long as I get started and get on a run. 68 00:04:21,439 --> 00:04:25,480 Do you know how I I practice it out by whenever we do these 69 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:29,600 every team exercises, I won't copy and like I have a list of teams 70 00:04:29,639 --> 00:04:32,319 on so many different like we have our master spreadsheet. Yeah, I type 71 00:04:32,319 --> 00:04:36,120 them out, like I go Atlanta all the way through Washington just to like 72 00:04:36,759 --> 00:04:41,079 condition myself and okay, like that's the that's the order. It does get 73 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,279 tough. This this is now a full on bit. Maybe people are gonna 74 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,639 be tired of it now when we're splitting it by conference, right, it's 75 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,600 like if I don't separate them in the dock that I'm looking at in my 76 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,360 notes, and so it's like if you have to kind of calculate that where 77 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:55,800 it's oh no, we're not going to Dallas, we got to go to 78 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,519 Detroit. Right, just give over Dallas and Denver because we're doing the East. 79 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:00,879 But if you have the East, do you have like the first six 80 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,519 teams in a row alphabetically because you don't get to a West team until Dallas. 81 00:05:04,759 --> 00:05:10,199 And speaking of that, this is tangentially related. I promise whenever we 82 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,600 do those East West stuff, or even if we focus on a like a 83 00:05:14,639 --> 00:05:18,360 cluster of any I'll just put this right. Any hook on YouTube that has 84 00:05:18,399 --> 00:05:24,879 anything to do with the Western Conference always thoroughly outperforms the Eastern Conference. One 85 00:05:25,519 --> 00:05:29,600 I don't I guess it has to do with our following. I don't understand 86 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,000 it necessarily. So you must be the driver of this podcast, really, 87 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,399 because I live on the East coast and there's a the posse that get no 88 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:39,639 attention, and then the West one is just just pop off. Yeah, 89 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:44,240 well you know this is the This this is where you should live. If 90 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,720 you could pick anywhere, just you know, time zone, your weather is 91 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:49,480 better than where I live, I'll take it. The only place you could 92 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,839 top at is Hawaii because then you're in your late games start at like four 93 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:58,279 o'clock or whatever. It's perfect or even earlier anyway, Atlanta Hawks, Let's 94 00:05:58,319 --> 00:06:01,399 do it. Hawks Now Sunday that Jalen Johnson underwent an X ray on Saturday 95 00:06:01,439 --> 00:06:05,560 night and an MRI on Sunday morning been diagnosed with a left distal radius fracture. 96 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,639 What I saw was that he will not require surgery, so that's a 97 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,600 positive. He's going to be reevaluated in three to four weeks. That's a 98 00:06:13,639 --> 00:06:16,560 big, big loss for the Hawks because he does a ton of stuff athletically 99 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,519 that they just don't get from other guys that can play that position. Yeah, 100 00:06:20,519 --> 00:06:23,839 and you mentioned a quarter season awards. I haven't thought about it, 101 00:06:23,879 --> 00:06:26,399 but he has to be in the running for Most Improved Player for sure at 102 00:06:26,399 --> 00:06:30,959 the moment. The Celtics coach Joe Mizzoula said Sunday that Christops Porzingis and his 103 00:06:31,079 --> 00:06:36,360 calf injury will be reevaluated after about a week or so. Brooklyn nets Cam 104 00:06:36,399 --> 00:06:41,319 Thomas is expected to be back from an ankle injury on Thursday. Then that's 105 00:06:41,319 --> 00:06:44,160 also announced on of Eber twenty second that Ben Simmons, who has a back 106 00:06:44,199 --> 00:06:47,040 injury that has a much longer, more complicated name I think they've called it 107 00:06:47,079 --> 00:06:50,639 has begun light individual work and he's going to be reevaluated in seven to ten 108 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:55,319 days, so end of this month probably, so coming up fairly soon. 109 00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:00,680 That's according to Adam Zagorio zagsblog dot Com on to the Bulls. I had 110 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,680 a oh no there, so I don't have I had the wrong Hornets update 111 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:06,040 in there for some reason. But so for the Hornets this is and this 112 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:09,439 is a big one. I don't really know how I ended up missing that. 113 00:07:10,199 --> 00:07:13,600 Ben LaMelo ball, I don't even know what the exact injury is, 114 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,079 but he's going to miss a ton of time. Let me look at see 115 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,959 if I can find it likely to miss extended time with his ankle sprain per 116 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:25,560 report, there's no exact timeline, but it is the same ankle that he 117 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:29,800 had surgically repaired. He's not he did avoid a fracture that was per Sham's. 118 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:32,480 But when you're dealing with the same ankle injury and I saw people kind 119 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,759 of floating around, at what point do we start to have longer term questions 120 00:07:35,759 --> 00:07:40,600 about his viability? The thing I will say, he's been good for the 121 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,079 most part when he is healthy and we had these same questions about Steph Curry 122 00:07:44,319 --> 00:07:46,600 earlier in his career, and that turned out, all right, I'm not 123 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,040 LaMelo Ball's not Steph Curry, but we don't need to be. I know 124 00:07:49,079 --> 00:07:51,680 it's been four years, almost four years now he's been in the league. 125 00:07:51,759 --> 00:07:56,160 At the same time, still kid in his early twenties. Let's not you 126 00:07:56,160 --> 00:08:00,639 know, jump the shark here, Yeah, Kuggo Bulls. They are focused. 127 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,879 I thank god we're getting this now on trading Zach Levine and have told 128 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,120 other teams they won't even deal anybody else until they know what they're going to 129 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:11,480 get for Levine. That's according to Casey Johnson of NBC Chicago. You know 130 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:16,040 better three years late than never. I guess to start the teardown. That's 131 00:08:16,279 --> 00:08:20,120 it. Stupid logic though, by the way, right it isn't it. 132 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,360 I bumped on that too, but I didn't have a strong opinion on whether 133 00:08:24,439 --> 00:08:26,720 that made sense. What do you think? Why do you think that's bad 134 00:08:26,759 --> 00:08:30,800 logic to wait until you know what you're going to get for Levine before you 135 00:08:30,839 --> 00:08:35,919 move down the ranks to like whatever, DeRozan Caruso Vouch. Isn't the whole 136 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,840 idea of running an NBA team, Hey, we can multitask. Well, 137 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:43,480 I just like, and if you wanted to get to a position where, 138 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,600 well, let's see what we get for the Lavigne return, maybe you shop 139 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:52,000 Levine when other teams are actively engaged on the trade market, where right now 140 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,960 you know we're getting closer to December fifteenth, but that's sort of this just 141 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,759 unofficial benchmark. And I think the chaos and parody of this season is going 142 00:08:58,799 --> 00:09:03,919 to have more teams than normal maybe waiting, especially if you're you know there 143 00:09:03,919 --> 00:09:05,519 are gonna be teams. Yeah, I'm sure there's teams ready to buy, 144 00:09:05,759 --> 00:09:07,879 but there are probably people that are kind of just waiting, like, oh, 145 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,840 Lavine's available, but could Toronto still blow it up? And the answer 146 00:09:11,919 --> 00:09:15,000 is just I think it's no at this point. But could they be waiting 147 00:09:15,039 --> 00:09:18,440 on to are they? Like? Could something go wrong with with the Clippers 148 00:09:18,519 --> 00:09:22,519 and Paul George's decides that he wants to trade? And so if you wanted 149 00:09:22,519 --> 00:09:26,159 to wait to see what the Lavine return was, then you should have done 150 00:09:26,159 --> 00:09:28,480 this over the offseason rather than waiting until you were eleven games in the season 151 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:33,240 to acknowledge, Oh, fuck, like, something's not right here. Let 152 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,480 me try this on you. I just I just thought of it. What 153 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,320 if the reasoning behind like, well, we're gonna see what the packages are 154 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:46,120 for Levine before we do anything else is Levine is probably the squeakiest wheel among 155 00:09:46,159 --> 00:09:50,720 the guys that are angling to get out of Chicago, because there's just been 156 00:09:50,759 --> 00:09:54,120 more reports than about him being upset or disgruntled than anybody else, and they're 157 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,360 kind of thinking this almost feels like a half measure, like let's just get 158 00:09:58,399 --> 00:10:01,639 rid of him before we consider trading anybody else, and maybe that this would 159 00:10:01,639 --> 00:10:05,320 be very bulls thinking of like maybe that'll solve the problem because everything else is 160 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:09,039 great. We just got to get rid of zach Lavine and then we don't 161 00:10:09,039 --> 00:10:11,200 have to blow it up. We'll just go forward with what we have. 162 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,879 What if that, if that's the path they're taking, they should just bench 163 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:18,919 Nikolovucevic and then they can play all a rollout on Andre Drummond. And so 164 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,039 I don't think they're thinking in those terms. This might just be a leverage 165 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,399 thing. But the framing, even if it is a leverage thing, to 166 00:10:24,399 --> 00:10:28,759 me, I think is dumb fair. It's on to me and we are 167 00:10:28,879 --> 00:10:33,159 We're on to the Mavericks. Maxi Kleeba has not played since November eighth and 168 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,440 remains out with a dislocated right toe. He's not listed as out indefinitely, 169 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:41,200 but just something to monitor there. He's dealt with so many injuries over the 170 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:45,000 past few years. We already covered Mark Cuban selling his majority steak in the 171 00:10:45,039 --> 00:10:48,279 team, so go listen to that mail bag podcast where I covered it. 172 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:52,000 But he reportedly did not sell the majority stake to run for president. I 173 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,559 can't believe That's the thing that I need to say. So he's not leaving 174 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:56,879 Shark Tank at the end of next year and selling his majority stake in the 175 00:10:56,879 --> 00:11:01,600 match that he can run for president. What he actually did is he took 176 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,120 less than he could have gotten because the maps were valuated technically higher than the 177 00:11:05,159 --> 00:11:09,559 three point five billion dollar, which I did clarify on that podcast, but 178 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,039 people were reporting that he made three point five billion dollars. No, he 179 00:11:13,159 --> 00:11:18,399 sold a share of a three point five billion dollar evaluation of that valuation could 180 00:11:18,399 --> 00:11:22,480 have been higher, but he elected to take less so that he could remain 181 00:11:22,519 --> 00:11:24,120 in charge of the team. This is I don't think anything like this has 182 00:11:24,159 --> 00:11:26,840 ever happened in the NBA as far as I know, so I'm interested to 183 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:31,080 see how it plays out, because if you're going to drop billions of dollars 184 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:33,039 like this is still let's just say to fifty to fifty split or fifty one 185 00:11:33,159 --> 00:11:37,559 fifty, that's still going to run one point eight billion dollars or whatever. 186 00:11:39,519 --> 00:11:41,559 At some point you're gonna want to say on how the team is being run, 187 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:45,840 I would assume. But the whole casino ties there, and how much 188 00:11:45,879 --> 00:11:50,120 of an advocate Mark Cuban has been for getting casino gambling, sports gambling into 189 00:11:50,159 --> 00:11:54,960 Texas unsuccessfully obviously, the fact that it was sold to someone so embedded with 190 00:11:54,039 --> 00:12:00,320 the Las Vegas Sands Corporation just just some interesting stuff to monitor over the next 191 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:03,799 few years. I think it seems very much like and this has to have 192 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:09,200 been reported or at least like alluded to now with the new ownership group coming 193 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:13,399 in or you know, joining Cuban, I guess like you can dangle a 194 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:18,399 brand new arena with like tons of you know, casino complexes around it as 195 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,559 part of a Hey, Texas, can we legalize gambling here? We're going 196 00:12:22,639 --> 00:12:26,519 to privately fund this like multi billion dollar project, create all these jobs, 197 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:28,759 create all this revenue. You think you want to maybe rethink the you know, 198 00:12:28,879 --> 00:12:33,279 gambling legality here so we can just you know, rake in tons of 199 00:12:33,279 --> 00:12:37,240 money for everybody involved. Like that's that seems like it's not even the cynical 200 00:12:37,279 --> 00:12:39,840 take. It's just like that's what That's what's happening. It feels like I 201 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:45,279 have the Detroit Pistons next. Mark Stein reported back on November twenty first that 202 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,000 Monte Morris will be reevaluated in six to eight weeks why not just way longer 203 00:12:48,039 --> 00:12:54,360 following additional treatment to addresses ongoing quad strain. Boyan Bogdanovich calf is expected to 204 00:12:54,399 --> 00:12:58,720 make his season debut soon. The Distons stay losing in a batter moment for 205 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,840 the out, I had the Nuggets listed after the Pistons on our dog. 206 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:07,639 We did it, We did it. Nikola Jokic is playing through back issues 207 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:11,399 and he did miss Tuesday's game. Jamal Murray, who's not played since November 208 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:15,840 fourth, returned to the Rockets on Wednesday night, a game that I believe 209 00:13:15,879 --> 00:13:18,960 is unfolding as we record this podcast. Okay, here we go. Uh, 210 00:13:20,159 --> 00:13:24,000 don't say Warriors, this isn't in the news doc. I'm just gonna 211 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:31,360 just point lead and became the first team in like ten years to allow a 212 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:37,559 team to shoot forty free throws and turn it over twenty times. Just atrocious, 213 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:41,600 awful loss to the Kings, uh during which Gary Payton the Second suffered 214 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,960 a right calf injury. He's gonna be out indefinitely. Chris Paul also left 215 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:52,559 with what they're calling a left leg injury. We don't have any more information 216 00:13:52,639 --> 00:13:54,159 on what that is or how long he's gonna be out, but you know, 217 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,559 given his age, given his history with like muscle strain injuries, and 218 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,360 how long that how often those can recur, that might be a while as 219 00:14:01,399 --> 00:14:05,919 well. Also, just to pile on the great news, members of the 220 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:09,279 organization, according to I think it was a Kendra Andrews report, were frustrated 221 00:14:09,279 --> 00:14:15,879 with Andrew Wiggins for basically not coming into this season in shape. So everything 222 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:20,120 is super great for the Warriors right now, and nobody on Twitter is calling 223 00:14:20,159 --> 00:14:22,679 for Steve Kurr to be fired or the core to be blown up or just 224 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,000 you know, canceling the rest of the season. That's definitely not happening. 225 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:28,960 There was also the report, I didn't include this in there, that they're 226 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:33,360 interested in bringing Chris Paul back next year. At a discounted number, So 227 00:14:33,679 --> 00:14:37,200 go figure that they don't want to pay his was he guarantee or his non 228 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:41,720 guarantee of twenty five million, thirty million, whatever it is, So go 229 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:46,279 figure. The Houston Rockets, we're back on the good alphabet train. I'm 230 00:14:46,279 --> 00:14:50,000 and Thompson, who's been out with a right ankle injury since November first, 231 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:56,720 was able to take part in non contract, non contact drills during practice this 232 00:14:56,759 --> 00:15:00,120 past weekend, but he's yet to be cleared as of now for contact for 233 00:15:00,159 --> 00:15:03,759 scrimmage work. That came per Jonathan Fagan of the Houston Chronicle. SI dot 234 00:15:03,759 --> 00:15:07,879 COM's Tony East reports that Pacers forward slash leander Jalen Smith is going to miss 235 00:15:07,919 --> 00:15:13,519 at least the next two games with left heel and left knee injuries for the 236 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,000 For the Lakers, there's old notes in here that didn't delete when I apologize 237 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,799 for not proofruiting this plant. Grant Ruy Hachimura underwent a procedure on Friday to 238 00:15:20,879 --> 00:15:26,000 repair a nasal nasal fracture and he'll be re evaluated in one week, which 239 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,840 we are coming up on. That comes per Mike Trudell of Spectrum Sports Net. 240 00:15:31,799 --> 00:15:35,679 For the Memphis Grizzlies. Marcus Smart spotted during Wednesday's shoot around without a 241 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:37,519 boot on his injured left foot. That's per to Michael Cole of the Memphis 242 00:15:37,519 --> 00:15:43,159 Commercial. He has not played since November fourth. Additionally, for the Grizzlies, 243 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,399 Jake Lavia is going to undergo a procedure was set to undergo procedure about 244 00:15:46,399 --> 00:15:50,720 a week ago on November twenty first, to address a corneal abrasion in his 245 00:15:50,799 --> 00:15:52,840 left eye. Sounds fun and is going to be reevaluated in two to three 246 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:58,159 weeks. Luke Kennard, also who's been out since November fourteenth, has about 247 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,120 another week to go for he's gonna get reevalued. Waited for a bone bruise 248 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:03,960 in his left knee. Tyler Herrowa has been dealing with a left ankle injury 249 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,399 and has him played since November eighth, is at apparently at least one week 250 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:12,519 away from returning to Miami's lineup. Jade McDaniels, with a sprained right ankle's 251 00:16:12,559 --> 00:16:17,039 been out since the twentieth. He's at least one to two weeks away from 252 00:16:17,039 --> 00:16:19,240 being re evaluated. So that always you know, you don't know what that 253 00:16:19,279 --> 00:16:23,080 reevaluation is gonna show she could be some more time after that. Anthony Edwards 254 00:16:23,159 --> 00:16:26,120 left the Wolves win over the Thunder on Tuesday, which was a great game. 255 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:30,080 He had a nasty fall right on his right hip. It's right hip 256 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:34,960 contusion. Not expected to play Thursday. Unclear on the full timeline when he 257 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:37,799 went down. I don't know if you saw it, but man, it 258 00:16:37,879 --> 00:16:41,279 was just he was way up there, got kind of undercut and just right 259 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:45,120 smack on that hit pointer. He was going through it for sure that one. 260 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:48,720 I thought when he did it was going to be a big deal. 261 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:52,519 I was surprised because I watched that game too. I was surprised that they 262 00:16:52,559 --> 00:16:56,279 didn't call time out earlier or commit a foul to get him off the court 263 00:16:56,279 --> 00:17:00,120 after he hit his free throws. That surprised me. He was hurting the 264 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,559 Pelicans. After more than three weeks on the sidelines due to a collapse lung, 265 00:17:03,599 --> 00:17:07,720 CG. McCollum returned to the Pelicans on Wednesday versus the Sixers. Despite 266 00:17:07,759 --> 00:17:11,880 speculation from fans not really reporters, that he might come off the bench, 267 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,039 he was in the starting lineup. Trey Murphy, still dealing with that left 268 00:17:15,079 --> 00:17:18,759 knee stuff, has been upgraded to doubtful on the Pelicans' injury report. He's 269 00:17:18,839 --> 00:17:22,160 yet to play this season, and Matt Ryan, who's dealing with the right 270 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:27,000 cap strain, hasn't played since November eighteenth. He could return soon. Update 271 00:17:27,039 --> 00:17:32,640 on the Josh Giddy situation which is ongoing for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 272 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:37,799 family of the alleged underaged girl with whom he also allegedly had an inappropriate relationship. 273 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,599 A lot of alleging happening. Just to make sure we're covering our bases. 274 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:47,240 The family's not cooperating with the Newport police investigation as of now, so 275 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:52,599 maybe not hear a whole lot more about this with any kind of definitive information 276 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:56,160 for a while. Hopefully we get the results. But we really all myself 277 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:57,839 included because I probably spent too much time on it, just need to withhold 278 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:03,839 the actual opinionated commentary until we have any facts whatsoever. This is me quietly 279 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:10,240 nodding and not opening any further. For the Orlando Magic, Markel Foltz is 280 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,000 now day to day with his left knee tendonitis. He has not played since 281 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,759 November ninth. Wendell Carter Junior, who has been sidelined since November second with 282 00:18:15,839 --> 00:18:21,160 a fractured third metacarpool of his left hand, had his cast removed and could 283 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:22,519 be ready to play in two weeks. He called that, by the way, 284 00:18:22,759 --> 00:18:26,519 the best day of his life when he had the cast removed. WoT 285 00:18:26,559 --> 00:18:30,200 out to Wendell Carter Jr. Jonathan Isaac has missed the past two games with 286 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,960 a sore left ankle and remains day today. Everybody sit down for a second 287 00:18:34,079 --> 00:18:37,799 Phoenix Suns. Bradley Beal, who's been dealing with a lower backstrain, is 288 00:18:37,839 --> 00:18:41,240 at least one week away from being reevaluated. This is dragging for quite some 289 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:45,359 time in ways that should concern the Suns, although they have done just fine 290 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,559 with their two stars for the most part. Those are the two stars we 291 00:18:48,559 --> 00:18:52,319 talked about that they can't lose Booker and could Durant give some chance for the 292 00:18:52,319 --> 00:18:56,200 Blazers. Anthony Simon's who has appeared in just one game and had right thumb 293 00:18:56,319 --> 00:19:00,240 surgery. He had the splint slash cast removed on November nineteenth. He has 294 00:19:00,279 --> 00:19:06,240 resumed on court work. I still have not found anything about the timeline specific 295 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:10,799 timeline for his return. Keigan Murray has been out since November twentieth, with 296 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,720 a lower back injury. He is at least practicing again, so that's a 297 00:19:14,759 --> 00:19:18,799 positive something to monitor in Utah. Larry marked and experience left hamstring soreness during 298 00:19:18,799 --> 00:19:22,200 practice on November twenty fourth, so he technically hasn't played this November twentieth, 299 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,839 I think was their last game before that. He's not expected to return while 300 00:19:26,839 --> 00:19:30,519 they're on their current road trip, which means that the earliest he will come 301 00:19:30,559 --> 00:19:34,119 back is against the Blazers on Saturday, December second. Wrapping up here for 302 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,440 the Wizards, you can skip this. That's an old note. I apologize. 303 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,759 He still out for four to six weeks. Actually, so we did 304 00:19:41,759 --> 00:19:45,119 that like two weeks ago. Delann Wright should be like two to four weeks 305 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,480 away from returning. How about's all that day? That's good? You just 306 00:19:48,559 --> 00:19:52,160 you just healed Delon right by two weeks. Good job. I apologize for 307 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:56,119 leaving so many odds and ends. This putting these things together is actually tedious 308 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:59,799 and annoying, but I think it's it's important. So all right, you're 309 00:20:00,079 --> 00:20:03,680 this is your this is your show for the man, all right. So 310 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:06,759 I don't I don't know, I never knew. I don't know if I 311 00:20:06,839 --> 00:20:10,200 arrobbed at anything you said, what did you suggest real or not? As 312 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:18,599 a as a sustainable but you don't want to call that for disappointments shows sustainable. 313 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:22,200 This podcast, for me, what it is is kind of like a 314 00:20:22,279 --> 00:20:26,599 so what's up with and then insert team you know whether and it might just 315 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,920 it might not be. It's just really more it's kind of a personal thing, 316 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:32,839 I guess, because there's just you know how there's just teams where you 317 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:36,960 just don't you don't have a feel yet or maybe you're not really sure. 318 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:41,519 There are some sustainability questions with a lot of these, and you know, 319 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:45,160 the real or not I think does apply, But they're really just teams that 320 00:20:45,519 --> 00:20:48,680 I I don't know. I wanted to kind of kick back and forth with 321 00:20:48,799 --> 00:20:52,640 you to see if we can, I don't know, help crystallize like what 322 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:56,119 we ought to be thinking about these teams. And the first of those is 323 00:20:56,119 --> 00:21:00,279 the Orlando Magic and this will happen in a couple of cases. I put 324 00:21:00,279 --> 00:21:07,400 most of these stats together yesterday. So the Magic have since throttled the Wizard's 325 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,000 Surprise surprise one thirty nine to one twenty. I will say, look touching 326 00:21:11,079 --> 00:21:12,920 go at the beginning, it did I watched the first half of that game, 327 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:18,400 and I was ready to just just start downgrading everything I was gonna talk 328 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:19,640 about. And then they score one hundred and thirty nine points. I'm not 329 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:22,480 gonna look. I assume that's the season high by a comfortable margin. But 330 00:21:22,559 --> 00:21:27,640 the Wizards will do that to you. And it's kind of like, I 331 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:30,160 guess I'm not going to lean too hard on that one thirty nine because most 332 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:34,279 of my questions are about Orlando's offense. So they're now thirteen and five. 333 00:21:34,319 --> 00:21:38,119 Their net rating was plus six point two as of yesterday. It's significantly higher 334 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,079 than that. They were sixteenth in offense, second in defense. Just to 335 00:21:41,079 --> 00:21:45,200 get like sort of a baseline, I don't know if cleaning the glasses cleanlass 336 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,519 probably hasn't updated with that game, but rest assured that their offensive rating, 337 00:21:48,599 --> 00:21:52,920 I'm sure is better than sixteenth. Now I'm gonna refresh real quick and just 338 00:21:52,039 --> 00:21:57,200 double check and see if that has changed. They are up to thirteenth in 339 00:21:57,279 --> 00:22:00,640 offense and they are fourth in defense. Now plus six point eight is their 340 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:04,240 net thirteen and five is a new record. So when Wendell Carter, we 341 00:22:04,279 --> 00:22:08,920 mentioned Wendell Carter's got the cast off when he went down. I thought, 342 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:14,960 and I think maybe conventional wisdom was that well, defensively, now there's big 343 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,400 trouble. And this is a team that even you know, based on last 344 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:22,039 year, was gonna hang his hat on defense. Nobody thought Gogobitadze was gonna, 345 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:23,720 you know, be adequate. Jonathan Isaac could not be relied upon. 346 00:22:23,839 --> 00:22:27,160 Mo Wagner, you know, a nice like twelfth guy, but he's not 347 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:32,079 gonna do much. And then what's happened is they've gone ten and three now 348 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,200 and have won eight straight. There are some pushover wins in that run, 349 00:22:36,279 --> 00:22:38,359 but they've beaten the Lakers, they've beaten the Bucks, Denver, Boston. 350 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:42,000 There's some good wins in there. As of yesterday, four of the top 351 00:22:42,039 --> 00:22:45,319 five guys and plus minus during this run are bench players. So it's not 352 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:48,240 like, oh, you know, Palla was just player of the Week in 353 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:51,920 the East. But it's not just him and Franz Wagner being great. It's 354 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:56,160 like Gary Harris is positive, Joe Ingles is positive, Cole Anthony Isaac, 355 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,279 go, all these guys. So now as a result of all this, 356 00:22:59,799 --> 00:23:04,279 they do you remember what their preseason over under was and where you were on 357 00:23:04,319 --> 00:23:10,400 it. I can tell you I heard I bet you it was probably thirty 358 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,839 three and a half, and I took the under it was thirty seven and 359 00:23:12,839 --> 00:23:18,039 a half, which you did go under. I went over, I said 360 00:23:18,039 --> 00:23:21,160 thirty eight. And now they're projected for like a mid forties win total. 361 00:23:21,279 --> 00:23:26,519 This has gone by ESPN's BPI, which is like that validates people that thought 362 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:30,279 Orlando was gonna be kind of like, okay, see East be the team 363 00:23:30,319 --> 00:23:33,160 the young team that really like rises up and is now just a playoff team 364 00:23:33,319 --> 00:23:37,000 more than it does people like me and I guess you're joining me here that 365 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:44,359 thought marginal improvement was coming but not necessarily anything great. I guess I have 366 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,720 a bunch of stats here. Most of them are really positive towards the defense 367 00:23:47,759 --> 00:23:52,359 being legit. I'm just curious, like, based on what you've watched or 368 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:57,359 any numbers you've come across, would would you start to skew more towards Orlando 369 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,880 is like maybe even better than a play in team because they're you know, 370 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:04,200 they've won thirteen out of eighteen games right now, like those wins are banked, 371 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,359 so you can play five hundred ball and your your eight games, you 372 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:11,920 know, your eight games on the good side of five hundred. Have you 373 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:15,400 changed your opinion? Do you have questions about them? Like? Is there 374 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,000 any if you're curious. I have a lot of numbers we can go through, 375 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,079 but I just want to know where you're at before I kind of continue. 376 00:24:21,559 --> 00:24:25,960 I think I'm at they're closer to a top six team in the East 377 00:24:26,079 --> 00:24:30,279 overall than not or that they're more than a playing team and certainly not a 378 00:24:30,279 --> 00:24:33,440 lottery team. A big part maybe I'm reading too like the offense has been 379 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:37,480 pretty good over this stretch. They're tenth in first chance half court offense, 380 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:40,720 which is a big deal. However, and you sort of alluded to this 381 00:24:40,759 --> 00:24:42,640 when you start to dig into what their best lineups have been, and you 382 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:47,799 sense it when you're watching them. Their best offensive units, articularly, are 383 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,119 usually just a bunch of bench guys that are on the floor, and so 384 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:52,359 yeah, like Palo might be in there with Frans might be in there, 385 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:56,920 but it's Cole Anthony sort of driving that ship. They're winning minutes. Where 386 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,119 Mo Wagner or Gogo Batadz is going to be in there, that's not but 387 00:25:00,519 --> 00:25:03,599 that's fine to get through the regular season. I worry, what do your 388 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:10,000 top end units look like in the playoffs, and maybe it doesn't matter that 389 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:14,039 much. I mean, so, for instance, their preferred what I would 390 00:25:14,039 --> 00:25:18,799 think would be their closing lineup at this juncture if everyone were healthy, faults, 391 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:22,640 Sugs, Wagner, Franz Wagner, if anyone was wondering about the confusion, 392 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:25,720 Pallow and Wendell Carter Junior. They barely play together this season. They 393 00:25:25,759 --> 00:25:27,079 have a plus thirteen net rating, though, and it's all because of what 394 00:25:27,079 --> 00:25:30,200 they're able to do on defense. And so you can put your top end 395 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,400 guys on the court and say, yeah, we'll win these important minutes against 396 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:37,240 other teams as best players. But if you need buckets, if you get 397 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:38,680 to a point where you need to open up the floor in the half court, 398 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,319 and I'm not talking about look the Magic do. If you watch them, 399 00:25:42,759 --> 00:25:48,279 they do a pretty good job of spacing the floor around the drives of 400 00:25:48,319 --> 00:25:52,119 Palo Bancaro and Franz Wagner. However, defenses don't give a fuck still, 401 00:25:52,319 --> 00:25:56,640 they are going to crowd those and so you need I don't think you necessarily 402 00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:00,279 need someone who's gonna hit shots off the dribble, but they could really use 403 00:26:00,319 --> 00:26:03,400 another shooter, and I don't think it's a cliche to talk about, but 404 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:07,359 like that is the missing element to this team. It's you know, maybe 405 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:11,960 it changes if when you have everyone who's healthy and if Jalen Suggs is gonna 406 00:26:11,039 --> 00:26:15,079 hit a bunch of threes and you have Wendell Carter Junior kind of stretching the 407 00:26:15,079 --> 00:26:18,400 floor from the five spot, but defenses just aren't for the rest of the 408 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,640 season. Are You aren't gonna care? And so during the regular season, 409 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:23,480 I don't think it matters. Like if you told me right now the Magic 410 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:29,400 finish that it's okay, there's Milwaukee, there's Boston, there's Philly, and 411 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:33,440 then the Magic are fourth in the standings, I'll believe it. Their playoff 412 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:37,400 stock still concerns me unless they figure out a way to effectively open up the 413 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:41,200 floor, I'll say, in those high leverage minutes. Yeah, to that 414 00:26:41,319 --> 00:26:45,920 point, you're you're absolutely right, Like the look of the offense don't seems 415 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,880 so shocked. No, it's like, oh shit, I agree, No, 416 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:52,039 no, no, well, it's just like, as I'm looking at 417 00:26:52,039 --> 00:26:55,279 my numbers, what you're saying is like you could not have provided a better 418 00:26:55,799 --> 00:26:59,839 sort of like segue into them, because they're the Magic going into tonight's game. 419 00:26:59,839 --> 00:27:02,640 In anyway, I'm sure it's better now because they played the Wizards. 420 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:07,440 They're number one in rheum attempt frequency. They are number one in location based 421 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:11,039 effective field goal percentage, but they're twenty second in actual field goal percentage effective 422 00:27:11,039 --> 00:27:14,160 field goal percentage. So that's just like and it's because they don't make threes 423 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:18,519 and they don't shoot them, and it's because they don't have three point shooters 424 00:27:18,559 --> 00:27:22,599 like Jalen Suggs came into tonight at thirty six percent. He was three or 425 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,319 six, So he's nudging up towards like the high thirties. Which if Jalen 426 00:27:26,319 --> 00:27:30,039 Suggs is like a moderate volume, you know, thirty eight thirty nine percent 427 00:27:30,039 --> 00:27:33,960 three point shooter, that changes a ton That doesn't. It doesn't mean he 428 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:36,279 can run a pick and roll. It doesn't mean he's going to break down 429 00:27:36,279 --> 00:27:40,759 his guy individually and create shots for other people. But he's a hillacious defensive 430 00:27:40,759 --> 00:27:44,319 guard who he's no defense for sure. Oh again, with the getting rid 431 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,200 of positions he's on, I don't know if he's first team that would be 432 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:48,640 something like he right now, he's been one of the ten best defenders in 433 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:53,240 basketball. You can't have the best defensive guard in basketball conversation without getting to 434 00:27:53,319 --> 00:27:57,039 him like in pretty short order, and so and the Magic are number one 435 00:27:57,119 --> 00:28:00,920 enforcing turnovers, Like he is very much a part of that. But yeah, 436 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:03,480 the stuff he does, I mean on the ball to but away from 437 00:28:03,519 --> 00:28:06,880 all, he's just he's a he's a menace. And yeah he's awesome. 438 00:28:07,039 --> 00:28:08,720 He's awesome at what he does. If he is a legit three point shooter, 439 00:28:08,799 --> 00:28:12,240 and we're way it's like his his track record is what it is just 440 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,279 awful, and so like we can't say this is the new normal. But 441 00:28:15,319 --> 00:28:18,720 if he's improved enough, then you don't sort of because if he's not, 442 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,079 then what you're talking about is like you kind of have to make a decision 443 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:26,400 and it's gonna necessarily mean your defense will get worse to bring in the type 444 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:30,119 of shooter or offensive player you're talking about, and you hate to take away 445 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:33,799 from what's been such a strength so far unless you really have to. Now, 446 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:37,119 Like the other upgrade is like right now they're starting Anthony Black, who 447 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:41,440 just like barely looks at the basket. Is not like no defense cares if 448 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:45,599 he's open. Then Mark el Foltz is kind of the same way, except 449 00:28:45,599 --> 00:28:48,720 like he can be on the ball a little more so it's a little different. 450 00:28:48,079 --> 00:28:52,599 But like the Magic just do so much right, Like they get really 451 00:28:52,599 --> 00:28:56,400 good shots. They are number three in free throw rate coming into tonight. 452 00:28:56,480 --> 00:29:00,200 Like they the offense like has the bones of something that will work, they 453 00:29:00,279 --> 00:29:04,160 just don't have the pieces that will cash in on the good shots they're creating. 454 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:08,279 So like, so anyway, like to answer my question to you is 455 00:29:08,559 --> 00:29:12,759 I'm much more bullish on the idea that this is like a mid to high 456 00:29:12,759 --> 00:29:17,720 forties or maybe more win team in the regular season. But like you could 457 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:22,400 almost not draw up a like a worse or like a simpler playoff matchup for 458 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:26,359 a team to attack where it's just like, we don't let Franz and Poalo 459 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:30,440 score, we pack the lane and just if Jalen Suggs and Markel Foltz and 460 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,920 whoever else are gonna beat us from three great and they just you know, 461 00:29:34,079 --> 00:29:37,559 the game plan is already done for whoever plays the Magic unless they change the 462 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:42,400 roster. But yeah, I think like you also assume that you get Wendell 463 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,400 Carter back. Like, by the way, he's been a decent spacer at 464 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:48,559 center, so maybe that helps too, and the defense is at least as 465 00:29:48,599 --> 00:29:53,519 good because you're gonna get regression from guys like like Mo Wagner's like seventy percent 466 00:29:53,559 --> 00:29:57,240 true shooting, and it's just like suddenly incredible, Like in the six Man 467 00:29:57,319 --> 00:30:02,920 of the Year conversation, Gogobatadz is not going to stay this good. You 468 00:30:03,079 --> 00:30:06,079 might say Suggs is a little over his head. Maybe Carter coming back off 469 00:30:06,079 --> 00:30:08,319 sets that. But yeah, this team is like they're on like a high 470 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:12,920 fifties win pace right now. So if they could find any kind of offense, 471 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:18,519 pretty exciting for them. And I think what has changed, And like 472 00:30:18,599 --> 00:30:21,440 to your point, by the way, just about the shooting. Having Franz 473 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:25,480 Wagner Leisure team in three point attempts per game at five point two is just 474 00:30:25,599 --> 00:30:27,920 that's like you need a higher volume guy, and there is right now. 475 00:30:29,279 --> 00:30:33,400 Among their rotation players, they have one dude, and that's Gary Harris, 476 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:36,319 who is averaging more than seven attempts per thirty six minutes. And like the 477 00:30:36,359 --> 00:30:41,799 fact that Jonathan, that Jonathan Isaac is second among their everyday rotation players in 478 00:30:41,839 --> 00:30:45,559 three point tens for thirty six minutes is just weird, And like I don't 479 00:30:45,559 --> 00:30:48,359 know how else to frame that. I know it's because he doesn't play a 480 00:30:48,359 --> 00:30:51,759 ton like he's in his small stins. They I did mention them as a 481 00:30:51,799 --> 00:30:55,599 potential Zach of then Destination Magic fans don't like that. I understand why they 482 00:30:55,599 --> 00:30:59,000 don't like that. I might still depending on the cost if it's just salary 483 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,839 and picks taking a look. But I do think their success has changed the 484 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,640 context of what they need where it's I don't think Buddy Heal becomes available at 485 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:08,279 this point, given how if he Ben mcmathern has been and the Pacers are 486 00:31:08,279 --> 00:31:12,200 trying to win. But it could be like, does Tim Hardaway Junior become 487 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:17,759 available? Does what about aj Griffin in Atlanta? Are they ready to sell 488 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:21,519 medium on him? That might be someone who could help them a little bit. 489 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:26,079 I keep thinking back to how much like this team might be the second 490 00:31:26,079 --> 00:31:29,039 best team in the East right now if they they had been the squad that 491 00:31:29,119 --> 00:31:33,359 got Max Truce instead of Cleveland. That's a pointless what if because it's just 492 00:31:33,359 --> 00:31:37,440 they're not gonna get him. If the Grizzlies go off the rails Luke Canard 493 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:41,839 on this team, that could be super interesting. I don't know who else 494 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:47,200 could really become available, Like they just need sort of a caps lock shooter. 495 00:31:47,359 --> 00:31:49,359 It doesn't need to be someone who operates a ton on the ball. 496 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:53,920 It just needs to be someone who defenses, will guard in the half court 497 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,920 in their most important minutes. And so that that's kind of a big ask. 498 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:00,240 But it's a lot different than saying, you know, you look at 499 00:32:00,279 --> 00:32:04,559 some of these other teams and it's they need a secondary like off the dribble 500 00:32:04,759 --> 00:32:08,400 score and the magic because you have Fronds, because you have Pawo Bancaro, 501 00:32:08,599 --> 00:32:13,880 and because you have Martl Foltz and even just Jalen Sugg's doing some stuff when 502 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,200 the floor is actually open, and even you can run things through Wendell Carter 503 00:32:16,279 --> 00:32:21,039 Junior. They don't need that player anymore. To me, it's they need 504 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,799 they need the buddy heeled who becomes available, because I don't think he's going 505 00:32:23,839 --> 00:32:28,000 to be Buddy Heel or just like what if you had he's not available, 506 00:32:28,039 --> 00:32:30,480 but literally anyone could have had him once you had Isaiah Joe, just like 507 00:32:30,559 --> 00:32:35,359 someone that is out there to just if you're open, he's gonna get up. 508 00:32:35,359 --> 00:32:37,480 You know, ten twelve threes per thirty six and they're all good shots 509 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:40,599 by definition, because he's shooting. Just someone like that, you don't even 510 00:32:40,599 --> 00:32:44,519 need to be an ace defender, you can. Yeah, it seems like 511 00:32:44,599 --> 00:32:47,039 it should be fairly easy to go find because you're not looking for a fully 512 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:51,200 like a fully rounded out player. You just need a guy who's gonna like 513 00:32:51,279 --> 00:32:53,880 not get crushed on defense and take and make a bunch of threes like that's 514 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:58,799 that's a niche guy. I do wonder if they're positionally this could be tough, 515 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:00,720 Like Doug McDermott could be like, I'm just trying to float names that 516 00:33:00,759 --> 00:33:06,079 are just gettable and won't cost you a ton here. Uh, like there's 517 00:33:06,119 --> 00:33:08,599 just no one else is really springing springing time. I'm like, preferently they 518 00:33:08,599 --> 00:33:12,559 need to kind of come in like the wing format, or at least someone 519 00:33:12,599 --> 00:33:15,519 who doesn't infringe upon minutes that you're gonna give to your Wendell Carter Junior and 520 00:33:15,599 --> 00:33:20,759 Pallo and so you know there are some players like Doug McDermott is better off 521 00:33:20,759 --> 00:33:23,119 at the four if you're gonna play Franz Poul and Wendel Carter Junior together, 522 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:27,559 Like does Doug McDermott can he see time in that lineup, and you know, 523 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:29,759 I don't know if you want it to come. Like I mean, 524 00:33:29,839 --> 00:33:31,519 maybe if they're hitting, he's hitting enough of his threes, Like if Tias 525 00:33:31,599 --> 00:33:35,680 Jones became available, defenses will guard him a little bit more than they will 526 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:37,400 A Falter and Anthony Black. But like, I don't know if that's enough, 527 00:33:37,519 --> 00:33:42,319 but it just feels like it could be a like maybe even Royce O'Neill 528 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:45,279 or Dorian Finney Smith do it for them. I don't know if the volumes 529 00:33:45,319 --> 00:33:47,680 necessarily enough, but like that's the we've I've beat it to depth. Like 530 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:51,359 that's the kind of level of player they need, I think to really turn 531 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,759 a corner, rather than they need a star or primary or secondary creator. 532 00:33:55,079 --> 00:33:58,880 Yeah, all right, you want to talk Pelicans, have you? I 533 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:01,160 mean, I feel like I'm stepping onto your corner by bringing up the Pelicans, 534 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:04,480 But they are a team that I want to know. What's up with 535 00:34:04,519 --> 00:34:07,839 them? Rome eighty one to eighty is mad at me for not I was 536 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:10,239 on the verge of just deboarding the bandwagon, and I stayed on and then 537 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:14,239 they turned a corner and he said, ever since Dan announced that he was 538 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:16,360 staying on the Pelicans bandwagon, it's just they they're losing to the Jazz. 539 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,480 It's just nothing looks right right. They lose the Jest twice. Did I 540 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:23,719 imagine both times without lowry marketing? I think, I think so, So 541 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:28,880 I'll double check that. But yeah, that's not so. They beat the 542 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:34,239 Sixers tonight by ten, but Joel Embid didn't play. But so I'll update 543 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:37,000 some of their numbers. They are. The Pelicans are ten and nine now, 544 00:34:37,599 --> 00:34:40,440 minus point five net rating, eighteenth in offense, thirteenth in defense, 545 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,239 nothing like, you know, spectacular coming out there. And they've had their 546 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:49,679 injuries, like like Trey Murphy. We we went through them already on the 547 00:34:49,679 --> 00:34:52,599 newser but like Trey Murphy hasn't played yet. McCollum just now is getting back. 548 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:57,239 Naji Marshall missed some time. Jose Alvarado, I think he's played four 549 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:00,760 or five games. So you know, there's like, you know, Murphy, 550 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:04,920 I think in particular, everybody had him pegged as a most improved guy, 551 00:35:05,079 --> 00:35:08,199 and I think his shooting and his defense and athleticism would be a perfect 552 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:14,119 compliment. So not totally fair to evaluate them, But injuries have long been 553 00:35:14,199 --> 00:35:17,719 a part of New Orleans whole story and That's what is most interesting to me 554 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:23,559 is like the injuries that we worry the most about Zion to Zion and Ingram 555 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:30,159 like haven't really happened, right, So in some sense, at least, 556 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:32,599 you know, the worst the best case scenario has taken place, Like both 557 00:35:32,599 --> 00:35:36,559 of those guys have been available for you know, the vast majority of the 558 00:35:36,639 --> 00:35:39,079 season and you're still roughly a five hundred team. You've gotten out scored on 559 00:35:39,119 --> 00:35:43,079 the year, and so I just kind of wanted to dig into like, 560 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:45,599 well, they have those guys, and the whole theory was if you have 561 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:49,800 Zion and Ingram or at least Zion really like, your offense is great and 562 00:35:50,159 --> 00:35:52,960 this team is capable of getting right back to where it was when it was 563 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:58,199 at its best. Some red flags have arisen for me, and a lot 564 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:00,360 of this is going to be made to look Redicut because if have you looked, 565 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:04,000 because a lot of it's going to be on how Zion you know, 566 00:36:04,159 --> 00:36:08,239 the career low for field goal percentage a percentage of field goal attempts at the 567 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:13,639 rim used to be seventy five percent for him and now he's at sixty four 568 00:36:13,679 --> 00:36:15,039 percent. So he's just not getting to the room as much. He was 569 00:36:15,079 --> 00:36:19,760 ten of ten in the restricted area tonight against the mbidless Sixers, So I 570 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:22,119 don't know what that's going to do to the numbers, but it will improve 571 00:36:22,159 --> 00:36:27,280 them. But the problem is he's replaced a lot of that stuff generally this 572 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,679 season with like mid rangers. He's he's passing a little more out on drives. 573 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:34,719 That's helpful. His assist rate has never been higher in his career. 574 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:40,320 The problem though, is like, just anecdotally, he looks less explosive. 575 00:36:40,360 --> 00:36:43,719 I know I've mentioned that, and I think you were correct to note that, 576 00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:45,599 like, well he's coming off you know, basically a lost season. 577 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:50,320 Like let's take a break on that. I just think if if Zion is 578 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:54,360 not like maximumly explosive attacking the basket, it's just not the same thing. 579 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:58,800 Like his dunks are down. I had a stat there, I can't find 580 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:01,000 it now, But his free throw rates never been lower. True shooting has 581 00:37:01,039 --> 00:37:06,320 never been lower. Again, this ridiculous eleven of twelve night he had tonight 582 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:09,480 might change some of that. His rebounding has never been worse, his average 583 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:14,079 shot distance has never been farther from the basket. All these things are just 584 00:37:14,079 --> 00:37:19,000 indicators of like limited or like declining athleticism, or you know, his athleticism 585 00:37:19,039 --> 00:37:24,079 hasn't like returned. I don't know. I just the theory of the Pelicans 586 00:37:24,079 --> 00:37:29,360 depends so heavily on Zion being like this, you know, sixty percent on 587 00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:34,920 twos and unstoppable getting to the line all the time, spurring a transition attack. 588 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:38,280 Like none of that's really happened, And so it just changes the way 589 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:43,840 I think about New Orleans because the good thing has basically taken place, which 590 00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:46,400 is he's been healthy, and they're kind of just not that great. So 591 00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:51,280 I have a harder time saying, well, all these other injuries, once 592 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:54,039 these guys are back, maybe at clear space resion, maybe the dunks come 593 00:37:54,079 --> 00:37:58,800 back. Maybe the you know, downhill drives you know, are just more 594 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,280 effective with more room as Trey Murphy is on the perimeter. I don't know, 595 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:06,000 it's just I'm sort of I've never been as high on the Pelicans as 596 00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:09,360 some people have, and I guess, like the thing I was worried about 597 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:12,920 was Zion's never going to be healthy, and he's been healthy, and yet 598 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,920 it's I'm still kind of cold. So that's a lot for you to unpack. 599 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:19,800 But like I just think the theory of this team now has changed, 600 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:23,920 and I'm less optimistic about it in general for that reason. That's interesting so 601 00:38:24,199 --> 00:38:27,280 a lot. And I went into this a little bit on the mail bag 602 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:30,960 because we had a question about his drives. The spacing can be so bad 603 00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:35,239 at points, I think, because even when you have shooters on the floor, 604 00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:39,400 defenses are so just obsessed with Zion Williamson. And sometimes it doesn't matter. 605 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:43,480 But I've wondered if the amount of bodies being thrown at him has impacted 606 00:38:43,519 --> 00:38:49,400 his volume at the rim has impacted his rebounding just having more just having more 607 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:52,320 bodies on him or teams playing him more physically. And then also when you 608 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:58,559 look at his drives, his assist rate has never been high enough on drives, 609 00:38:58,599 --> 00:39:02,039 even when his pass rate is is high enough on drives. And that's 610 00:39:02,039 --> 00:39:06,280 sort of the case again this year. And if he had more open space 611 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:07,519 to work with, would he'd be better at finding his teammates, would be 612 00:39:07,599 --> 00:39:10,239 able to get to rim even more easily for him. We've seen instances where 613 00:39:10,239 --> 00:39:13,639 it just doesn't matter. But it's got to take a toll on your body 614 00:39:13,679 --> 00:39:15,639 if you have to go through two, three, four guys just to get 615 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:20,519 a semi contested look at the basket where maybe you don't get an end one 616 00:39:20,559 --> 00:39:22,000 because I think you know, there are players where it's just difficult. I 617 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:25,679 don't want to excuse what people might think is poor officiating, Like some players 618 00:39:25,719 --> 00:39:29,960 are just hard to referee. He's one of them because of the way that 619 00:39:30,039 --> 00:39:36,480 he is just built and the fact that their first chance offense has been I 620 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:38,400 mean, it's been better over this stretch. I think they're tenth in first 621 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:44,920 chance offense since they've turned since November fourteenth, during which time they're how many 622 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:46,760 games have they won? Were they like seven? And how many games they 623 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:52,239 won during during that stretch. They are six and three over their last nine 624 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:55,920 games, So since that like November fourteenth stretch, so their tenth and first 625 00:39:57,000 --> 00:40:00,639 chance offense. But they're just not doing a ton with their first offense, 626 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:06,320 like overall, when you're looking at the efficiency of it, and like does 627 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:08,199 the spacing improve as you get CG. McCullum back, as you get Matt 628 00:40:08,280 --> 00:40:12,400 Ryan back, as Trey Murphy the third comes back. Those feel sort of 629 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:15,639 like flash bowl of developments for them because it's not about yeah, if you 630 00:40:15,639 --> 00:40:20,920 want to see them even nudge up excuse me, VI the number of threes 631 00:40:21,239 --> 00:40:23,159 that they're actually taking. Okay, I get that, but it's more so 632 00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:25,920 about, yes, we don't want this team during the stretch. They're still 633 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:30,559 dead last in above the break three point attempt to eight twenty ninth and overall 634 00:40:30,559 --> 00:40:32,400 three point attempt rate. You want to see them take more threes, but 635 00:40:32,519 --> 00:40:37,239 just having the floor more open makes the job easier on him. I also 636 00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:38,639 think for the way it seems like they want to play, we've seen a 637 00:40:38,639 --> 00:40:44,199 little bit more synergy between Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, and the minutes with 638 00:40:44,239 --> 00:40:47,280 both of them are getting better. But they operate so separately even when they're 639 00:40:47,280 --> 00:40:51,760 together at times that if you're not going to involve them in a ton of 640 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:53,719 the same actions. And it's good that they got Zion out of the post 641 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:57,719 and he's doing more point guard things, but if they're going to do so 642 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:00,480 many things separately, the floor needs to be open to accommodate that. And 643 00:41:00,559 --> 00:41:05,000 I don't know what's a mystery with this team. I do believe just because 644 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:08,000 we haven't seen Trey Murphy CJ. McCollum was having a heck of a year 645 00:41:08,199 --> 00:41:12,119 before he went down for the most part, part of me believes that the 646 00:41:12,119 --> 00:41:15,000 tools are in place, even when looking at Jordan Hawkins and Matt Ryan, 647 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:16,840 that you could finagle enough of these lineups to say, hey, the floor 648 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:22,440 will be open. The defense they can still defend really tough. Willie Green's 649 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:25,360 been really great for the most part since he's come at coaching that end of 650 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:30,719 the floor. That could be you know, that could be something that's going 651 00:41:30,760 --> 00:41:36,000 to be fine in lineups where we actually do carve out enough spacing. But 652 00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:38,760 there's a chance that this team does need to make a move more so to 653 00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:42,760 your point, and I just don't know if they have the gall or the 654 00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:46,119 conviction in this corps right now to make that move in the middle of the 655 00:41:46,159 --> 00:41:51,239 season, or they might just be in that constant state of weight whereas we 656 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:53,840 got to wait for not that Larron NaNs Junior is down again, but oh 657 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:57,639 like brand Ingram is now missing time, that CJ and Trey Murphy you're back, 658 00:41:57,719 --> 00:42:00,840 or something along those lines. This is we're gonna deviate from, you 659 00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:04,800 know, the numbers based stuff we've been talking about. But just like, 660 00:42:04,920 --> 00:42:08,000 do you like the combination of Ingram and Zion, Like, is that is 661 00:42:08,039 --> 00:42:14,119 that a one two that makes sense to you. Man, No, look, 662 00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:15,920 it doesn't. It doesn't. You're right, it doesn't make sense, 663 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:20,000 but it can be done. I don't know if the Pelicans have optimized it, 664 00:42:20,039 --> 00:42:22,360 whether you're gonna use them, if it's a matter of using them more 665 00:42:22,440 --> 00:42:24,079 together, and I'd love to see the data on just like the two man 666 00:42:24,119 --> 00:42:29,559 game that they've run over this nine game stretch. But even if you're gonna 667 00:42:29,599 --> 00:42:31,440 try and use them independent of one another, I'm talking in the same lineup. 668 00:42:32,039 --> 00:42:35,800 It's like you need to figure out a way to open the floor then, 669 00:42:36,039 --> 00:42:39,119 because like Zion is a non shooter at this point, and defenses are 670 00:42:39,159 --> 00:42:43,840 just going to They guard Brandon Ingram differently. They even guard CG. McCollum 671 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:45,320 differently when he's away from the ball because he's not known as this motion, 672 00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:49,239 high volume three point shooter, even though we did up his three point volume 673 00:42:49,559 --> 00:42:52,760 this year. I don't know if they, but I look at them and 674 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:55,519 it's just I want to see their best players together, and they've they've done 675 00:42:55,559 --> 00:42:59,599 creative stuff where it's okay. And the lineups that we were talking about that 676 00:42:59,679 --> 00:43:01,400 don't have Zion or Ingram and it has one of them where it's oh, 677 00:43:01,440 --> 00:43:06,119 let's put the ball in Herb Jones's hands, so that kind of eradicates one 678 00:43:06,159 --> 00:43:10,199 of the non shooting problems. There's just so many different plays that they could 679 00:43:10,239 --> 00:43:14,000 make. I just I need to see Trey Murphy back because it feels like 680 00:43:14,039 --> 00:43:16,199 that could open up everything. Yeah, I agree, that is the and 681 00:43:16,239 --> 00:43:21,519 that that's been you know, some version of this, although it's usually been 682 00:43:21,679 --> 00:43:23,599 well, one or the other of Ingram or Zion or both are not healthy, 683 00:43:23,639 --> 00:43:27,440 and so like you know, you we'd have this. You're not saying 684 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:30,199 you and I, but we probably have. At some point, people would 685 00:43:30,239 --> 00:43:32,079 have this conversation of like, well, does the fit really make sense with 686 00:43:32,159 --> 00:43:36,760 Zion and Ingram, And probably the fairest answer was always like, I don't 687 00:43:36,760 --> 00:43:38,239 know. We haven't really seen enough yet, and we and and if they've 688 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:42,119 been healthy, we haven't seen enough with Now we're talking about Trey Murphy, 689 00:43:42,159 --> 00:43:44,800 like, oh, Trey Murphy's gonna I'm not saying you're saying this, but 690 00:43:44,840 --> 00:43:49,440 the idea is Trey Murphy unlocks the maximum potential of these two guys and they 691 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:52,000 are hard to sort of scheme and fit around, but it's doable, and 692 00:43:52,119 --> 00:43:57,119 someone like Murphy really matters. So like it does feel like we're just constantly 693 00:43:57,199 --> 00:44:01,480 waiting for one reason or another to like get a fair sample to evaluate this 694 00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:06,800 these two guys, and like I just can't get past the feeling that, 695 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:08,599 like, yeah, there's definitely ways to make it better, but just on 696 00:44:08,639 --> 00:44:13,559 a fundamental level, Like you know, if you're going through the best duos 697 00:44:13,559 --> 00:44:15,159 in the league and you care at all about how they compliment each other, 698 00:44:15,199 --> 00:44:19,079 like this one's pretty far towards the bottom of the list in terms of like 699 00:44:19,119 --> 00:44:22,679 complimentary skills because they just like, I don't know what you would say they 700 00:44:22,679 --> 00:44:24,440 are, like Ingram can be a good three point shooter, but he doesn't 701 00:44:24,440 --> 00:44:28,480 really want to be a catch and shoot three point player, and he can 702 00:44:28,519 --> 00:44:30,320 do so much other stuff that doesn't really make sense to use him that way. 703 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:35,039 So I don't know. I got a couple other ones. I was 704 00:44:35,039 --> 00:44:37,639 gonna do the Lakers, but it's almost like do we need to do the 705 00:44:37,679 --> 00:44:42,679 Lakers? They're just they've had so many rotation guys hurt, And you know, 706 00:44:43,639 --> 00:44:45,559 I will say with the Lakers, I was wrong. I thought their 707 00:44:45,559 --> 00:44:50,519 offense was going to be a lot better this year, and it just haven't 708 00:44:50,519 --> 00:44:54,079 been. They're so reliant on Lebron James that it's not even funny, and 709 00:44:54,119 --> 00:44:58,000 you start to toggle with lineups when he's not on the court and they become 710 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:00,320 disastrous. The fact they had to move Austin Reeves has been playing better since 711 00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:04,719 he moved to the bench feels less than ideal because now they're kind of searching 712 00:45:04,800 --> 00:45:07,760 for that, like it's another guy that they need to figure out how to 713 00:45:07,840 --> 00:45:09,840 round out their best lineups with. But you are right, they haven't been 714 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:14,880 healthy and so it's tough to get kind of a hold on them. I 715 00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:17,320 just I think it's I don't know that. I never have them in my 716 00:45:17,360 --> 00:45:22,400 inner circle of contenders, but if you did, it's probably time to rethink 717 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:25,880 that. And I'd be curious. Zach Low would talk to David Benaman about 718 00:45:25,880 --> 00:45:28,960 this. How many games were they going to give it before they're like, 719 00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:32,519 Okay, we're gonna dangle our non Reeves assets to see what we can get 720 00:45:32,519 --> 00:45:35,519 in here. I don't know what one first round pick and some of the 721 00:45:35,519 --> 00:45:38,039 money that you can offer ultimately does for you. Again, though, because 722 00:45:38,079 --> 00:45:42,639 gave Vincent is misstime, because Ruya Chi Moor is miss time. Jared Vanderbilt 723 00:45:42,639 --> 00:45:45,840 hasn't played this season, although he was played off the floor in the playoffs, 724 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:47,599 and so it's if you're gonna use that sort of as the excuse here, 725 00:45:47,800 --> 00:45:51,559 we can't help him now saying like, oh, well, Anthony Davis's 726 00:45:51,559 --> 00:45:54,559 perimeter game come back. It existed for like a season and a half. 727 00:45:54,880 --> 00:46:00,880 Yeah, this is just like this is just the normal. So their offense 728 00:46:00,960 --> 00:46:04,440 is concerning, and they're a team that needs to figure out either one. 729 00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:07,280 I mean, they need to figure out how to open up the floor in 730 00:46:07,320 --> 00:46:09,039 general. That's just that's a fact when you're looking at them. They are 731 00:46:09,039 --> 00:46:15,519 currently twenty seventh in three point attempt rate on the year, and they are 732 00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:21,199 twenty sixth in three point percentage. There's I don't look at anyone and say, 733 00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:22,679 oh, when they come back, they'll bring that up. Like Gabe 734 00:46:22,719 --> 00:46:27,360 Vincent, you can't like he's gonna rely on that. They knew something about 735 00:46:27,400 --> 00:46:31,239 that. I just don't know that they have the the assets necessary to get. 736 00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:35,760 If there are players who other teams are interested in, the Lakers are 737 00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:38,239 not going to outbid them. No. I think you know, the reason 738 00:46:38,239 --> 00:46:42,199 I hesitated was like a lot of the analysis for me on the Lakers, 739 00:46:42,679 --> 00:46:44,840 you know, not a lot, but one key part of it was going 740 00:46:44,920 --> 00:46:46,719 to be similar to the Pelicans, which is to say, like, well, 741 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:50,760 the disaster scenario for this team was that their two best players just couldn't 742 00:46:50,760 --> 00:46:52,199 stay healthy. And for the most part, Lebron and Ad have been on 743 00:46:52,239 --> 00:46:57,360 the floor and you so now you're left saying, well, I guess Gabe 744 00:46:57,440 --> 00:47:00,719 Vincent really is important because that's the guy that they need out there. It's 745 00:47:00,840 --> 00:47:04,639 just like, that's that's a concerning thing. That's a little bit of a 746 00:47:04,679 --> 00:47:07,639 red flag when the you know, the thing you were most worried about has 747 00:47:07,639 --> 00:47:10,800 not happened. And the Lakers are still kind of disappointing. Not you know, 748 00:47:12,119 --> 00:47:15,400 they're ten and eight like they're this time last year they were in a 749 00:47:15,440 --> 00:47:19,480 lot worse shape. But just this the Austin Reeves thing, I had a 750 00:47:19,480 --> 00:47:22,800 stat on that that like blew my mind. So the minutes in which Ad, 751 00:47:23,039 --> 00:47:27,440 Lebron and and D'Angelo Russell are on the court together, the Lakers are 752 00:47:27,440 --> 00:47:30,800 plus eight point four if you add Reeves to that group. This is including 753 00:47:30,800 --> 00:47:34,880 all season. He's been much better. As you mentioned, it is I 754 00:47:34,920 --> 00:47:37,400 have some of his numbers as a reserve versus a starter, But the lineups 755 00:47:37,440 --> 00:47:42,639 with Russell Reeves, Lebron, and ad which you would assume would be like, 756 00:47:42,719 --> 00:47:45,000 well, those guys are you know, they're definitely maybe del gets, 757 00:47:45,519 --> 00:47:49,880 you know, a little bit limited in the playoffs, but those units are 758 00:47:49,880 --> 00:47:52,000 minus five, like they're getting out scored with those four guys on the court. 759 00:47:52,039 --> 00:47:55,920 And there was a decent enough sample that Reeves just got moved to the 760 00:47:55,920 --> 00:48:00,039 bench. Now he's been significantly better. He's sixty three percent true shooting percentage 761 00:48:00,079 --> 00:48:04,760 as a reserve, which is back closer to like his ridiculous efficiency of you 762 00:48:04,800 --> 00:48:07,920 know, the last couple of years fifty two percent as a starter, which 763 00:48:07,960 --> 00:48:14,239 is significantly quite a ways below league average. So one of the things we 764 00:48:14,280 --> 00:48:16,400 were most sure about was that Austin Reeves was one of the most you know, 765 00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:21,039 the best bargain contracts of the offseason. He's kind of playing like a 766 00:48:21,079 --> 00:48:23,119 thirteen million dollar player. He's kind of not playing like a guy that should 767 00:48:23,119 --> 00:48:28,360 be making twenty five a year right now. If if what he is is 768 00:48:28,400 --> 00:48:31,800 a luxury reserve that for some reason doesn't work with the starters, now, 769 00:48:32,320 --> 00:48:37,760 I'd be surprised if we had these ridiculous, you know, starter reserve splits 770 00:48:37,760 --> 00:48:40,840 for Reeves all season. I would also be surprised if he continued to come 771 00:48:40,880 --> 00:48:45,159 off the bench just based on how good he's been, you know, recent 772 00:48:45,599 --> 00:48:50,159 not recently, talking about like last playoffs and last year. Still that's a 773 00:48:50,199 --> 00:48:54,400 problem. The injuries are a problem. I just I don't know. Yeah, 774 00:48:54,599 --> 00:48:58,840 there wasn't a lot to say here other than like, it's not great 775 00:48:58,920 --> 00:49:02,360 if the big guns are healthy and you're kind of you know, hanging around 776 00:49:02,400 --> 00:49:06,639 five hundred because they're not gonna be that. They sorry, but they're not 777 00:49:06,679 --> 00:49:09,079 gonna you know, Davis and Lebron are not gonna play seventy games or whatever. 778 00:49:09,119 --> 00:49:14,320 They're on pace for high sixties even I'll give you a choice here for 779 00:49:14,400 --> 00:49:17,239 a week, because we're at almost an hour already. So we can do 780 00:49:17,440 --> 00:49:22,519 the Toronto Raptors, or we can do the Sacramento Kings. Who would you 781 00:49:22,559 --> 00:49:25,960 like? Who do we need to ask? What's up with? What are 782 00:49:27,000 --> 00:49:30,559 the Let's do the Kings. I'm very curious as to where you're going with 783 00:49:30,599 --> 00:49:35,559 this. Oh well, the fundamental question is is the defense improved enough? 784 00:49:35,639 --> 00:49:37,559 And so I'm gonna pull up their their peripherals here or the rest of their 785 00:49:37,639 --> 00:49:43,320 numbers. Let's see, they are ten and six. They beat the Warriors 786 00:49:43,360 --> 00:49:46,000 last night. I don't know if I mentioned that or like, is your 787 00:49:46,039 --> 00:49:50,599 Mike dies sounds like you're a million miles away from me. I just don't 788 00:49:50,599 --> 00:49:52,719 want to talk about it. I think that's probably probably the reason. So 789 00:49:52,760 --> 00:49:57,639 they're ten and six. They have a neutral net rating. They are fourteenth 790 00:49:57,639 --> 00:50:00,320 in offense, surprisingly low. They are nineteenth and def some would say surprisingly 791 00:50:00,400 --> 00:50:08,119 high. So basically some of this will be like me rehashing my overall thoughts 792 00:50:08,159 --> 00:50:12,119 on the team, but like, they were horrible on defense last year, 793 00:50:12,280 --> 00:50:15,360 so their greatest offense of all time was not good enough to hold up and 794 00:50:15,440 --> 00:50:21,159 offset that. They didn't make any significant improvements. Keegan Murray was playing better 795 00:50:21,239 --> 00:50:22,719 until he got hurt. But other than that, it's kind of like we'll 796 00:50:22,800 --> 00:50:28,679 just be better because we believe we will be defensively, like we'll have better 797 00:50:28,719 --> 00:50:32,440 chemistry all this other stuff. I think there's marginal improvements, Like they're forcing 798 00:50:32,760 --> 00:50:37,360 a little bit more frequent turnovers from opponents, their defensive rebound rates better. 799 00:50:37,400 --> 00:50:42,199 These are these are not necessarily like you know what you'd like, are you 800 00:50:42,199 --> 00:50:45,280 know, changing the shot diet and defending the rim and stuff like that. 801 00:50:45,360 --> 00:50:50,239 But they are third in opponent location based effective FOG goal percentage. They were 802 00:50:50,239 --> 00:50:53,280 eleventh last year, so that's I mean, the process is getting better. 803 00:50:54,000 --> 00:50:58,559 They're nineteenth in deflections per thirty six. They were eighteenth last year, so 804 00:50:58,599 --> 00:51:00,519 their turnover rate is kind of I don't know how much stock you want to 805 00:51:00,519 --> 00:51:05,000 put into it. Both Murray and Fox their steel rates are up over two 806 00:51:05,000 --> 00:51:08,760 percent. Those are improvements over last season, although kind of cutting against that, 807 00:51:08,840 --> 00:51:12,320 Davion Mitchell has been in and out of the rotation, and that guy 808 00:51:12,400 --> 00:51:15,079 is basically in the NBA because he can guard, and so if he's not 809 00:51:15,199 --> 00:51:21,119 doing enough to play like regular rotation minutes because you know, for a minute 810 00:51:21,119 --> 00:51:23,239 there, Malik Monk was just the backup point guard and really still he's the 811 00:51:23,239 --> 00:51:28,840 guy that they prefer to play over Davion Mitchell. Just throwing some stuff out 812 00:51:28,840 --> 00:51:34,559 there to say that I think there's marginal improvement defensively for the Kings. I 813 00:51:34,559 --> 00:51:37,840 have no questions about their offense. I think the fact that they're fourteenth right 814 00:51:37,880 --> 00:51:42,480 now is like there's no chance that holds. But I'm not convinced that, 815 00:51:42,599 --> 00:51:45,239 like, especially if we assume that there will be injuries this year for them, 816 00:51:45,280 --> 00:51:49,760 which they're already have and there weren't last year that this defense has improved 817 00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:53,599 enough or even really at all to make a difference. So do you have 818 00:51:53,639 --> 00:51:58,840 the same concerns. You've always been a little less worried about the Kings than 819 00:51:58,880 --> 00:52:02,559 I have, I think, But I'm curious where you are with how they've 820 00:52:02,559 --> 00:52:07,920 played so far this year, if you see more positive signs defensively than I 821 00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:12,360 do, or if you see personnel that you know stand to make a difference 822 00:52:12,400 --> 00:52:15,119 on that end, that I don't. I think when it's when you're talking 823 00:52:15,199 --> 00:52:21,199 personnel specific, if you're looking for this super meaningful change that's going to turn 824 00:52:21,239 --> 00:52:27,440 them into a sustainably top ten defense that players not currently on the roster, 825 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:31,280 that's that's pretty clear. But like Sasha to Vazankov has held up better defensively 826 00:52:31,360 --> 00:52:35,000 from the moments I've watched him, and he was really good defensively against the 827 00:52:35,039 --> 00:52:37,519 Warriors the other I mean, he can't really move, but he does get 828 00:52:37,559 --> 00:52:40,000 to where he ought to be and he's really smart. So yeah, I 829 00:52:40,039 --> 00:52:43,719 think I think he's I agree, he's been better than I would have expected. 830 00:52:44,039 --> 00:52:46,960 And look, we've only seen what would be their top unit this year 831 00:52:47,320 --> 00:52:52,119 for two hundred and sixty possessions because Fox has missed time, Murray has missed 832 00:52:52,159 --> 00:52:58,239 time. The defensive rating of that unit is one oh seven point seven, 833 00:52:58,280 --> 00:53:00,880 which is in the sixty fifth percent high. And when you dig into okay, 834 00:53:00,880 --> 00:53:07,159 well, how is that happening? They're not getting super lucky when it 835 00:53:07,239 --> 00:53:09,599 comes to opponent three point shooting or shooting at the rim. With that unit 836 00:53:09,639 --> 00:53:14,000 on the court, opponents are shooting seventy six point three percent at the rim 837 00:53:14,280 --> 00:53:16,920 fourteen percent time. I'd argue that number is gonna come down and opponents, 838 00:53:19,079 --> 00:53:23,079 what's that will it? And then opponents are shooting thirty eight percent from three. 839 00:53:23,559 --> 00:53:25,920 This is what the Kings do, and I think the improvement is more 840 00:53:25,920 --> 00:53:30,000 starke than effort. They keep teams out of transition and it's not just a 841 00:53:30,039 --> 00:53:34,639 matter of getting their scoring and getting their defense at like they get back and 842 00:53:34,679 --> 00:53:39,159 they just they eliminate all second chance opportunities basically for other teams. I do 843 00:53:39,280 --> 00:53:43,239 think it's kind of a different animal when you get to the playoffs and that 844 00:53:43,320 --> 00:53:47,840 you're gonna face teams that are more equipped to hunt mismatches or go after Sabonis 845 00:53:47,880 --> 00:53:52,159 and put him in very uncomfortable situations. I do not think that means the 846 00:53:52,239 --> 00:53:54,280 Bonus is a terrible player, like a lot of people think the Kings should 847 00:53:54,280 --> 00:53:59,119 trade him. I want to know so many players are imperfect that we get 848 00:53:59,119 --> 00:54:01,400 caught up. Can you be the player in a championship team shut the fuck 849 00:54:01,480 --> 00:54:04,880 up like they have the Aaron Fox they might have, like he could be 850 00:54:04,880 --> 00:54:08,119 the best player. Yeah, the way he's been defending better, Murray's been 851 00:54:08,119 --> 00:54:14,480 defending better, Malik Monk has been defending better. There's enough incremental improvement for 852 00:54:14,559 --> 00:54:19,239 me to say this team is as good or better than last year. And 853 00:54:19,400 --> 00:54:22,440 I think it still comes down to can they get some extra wing defense? 854 00:54:22,039 --> 00:54:25,239 Rim protection would be nice, but just you're gonna place the Bonus heavy minutes. 855 00:54:25,480 --> 00:54:28,840 Can you get sort of a combo wing a three to four, a 856 00:54:28,840 --> 00:54:30,519 different type of three to four guy in here, a pair with Keegan Murray 857 00:54:30,840 --> 00:54:35,360 in place of some of the Harrison Barnes defensive minutes. And that's why I 858 00:54:35,400 --> 00:54:37,679 was just sort of surprised that you picked them, just given some of the 859 00:54:37,679 --> 00:54:40,239 injuries they've dealt with. I kind of assume they're where they should be. 860 00:54:40,280 --> 00:54:43,760 You look at the vitals and the record, and maybe you would like to 861 00:54:43,760 --> 00:54:45,440 see them be a little bit higher, and I get that, but their 862 00:54:45,480 --> 00:54:49,599 fifth in the West, and that's like, given how much time to Aaron 863 00:54:49,639 --> 00:54:52,920 Fox missed, I think that's a that's an absolute win for them. So 864 00:54:52,280 --> 00:54:57,719 I'm neither worried nor surprised by anything from them this year. Yeah, I 865 00:54:57,719 --> 00:55:00,400 guess like that's why I struggled to brand, because it's kind of like I 866 00:55:00,440 --> 00:55:02,639 just want to know what's up with them, what's going on, you know, 867 00:55:02,800 --> 00:55:06,000 I want to get a feel for them. I do. I once 868 00:55:06,000 --> 00:55:07,079 said, I didn't mention. I don't know if you you kind of touched 869 00:55:07,079 --> 00:55:12,679 on this a little bit. But their third in opponent rim attempt frequency, 870 00:55:13,079 --> 00:55:15,119 which is a huge step up from last year when they were fifteenth. So 871 00:55:15,239 --> 00:55:19,119 like that, I think if you're looking for the biggest differences, I cited 872 00:55:19,119 --> 00:55:22,320 some other marginal improvements, but to be top five after being like middling at 873 00:55:22,400 --> 00:55:25,840 just because when opponents get to the rim against Sacramento they finish like that. 874 00:55:25,840 --> 00:55:30,079 That's just because of the personnel. That's just what's going to happen. So 875 00:55:30,199 --> 00:55:35,119 limiting rim frequency for them is absolutely critical. I think maybe that does point 876 00:55:35,159 --> 00:55:37,679 to you know, they're a little more disruptive on the perimeter. Some of 877 00:55:37,679 --> 00:55:40,000 their guys like Fox that have just been about to say, yeah, like 878 00:55:40,079 --> 00:55:45,320 Keegan Murray and Fox. I feel even Keegan Murray specifically feels like they help 879 00:55:45,400 --> 00:55:49,960 with the containment and they have it like that's a must because you know, 880 00:55:50,079 --> 00:55:52,360 guys get downhill against the bonus. He's just he's just not a vertical rim 881 00:55:52,400 --> 00:55:55,360 protector, so you just have to keep guys out of the lower paint. 882 00:55:55,440 --> 00:55:59,519 So that has been a big difference, and so that's a positive. Like 883 00:55:59,559 --> 00:56:04,639 what's up with the Kings angle? I suppose, yeah, hypothet unfair hypothetical. 884 00:56:05,079 --> 00:56:08,440 So let's say the Kings end up with you know, it's April and 885 00:56:08,559 --> 00:56:13,840 the Kings are second. Let's just give them second in offense because maybe Indiana 886 00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:17,639 holds holds this up all year and they're like twelfth in defense, which is 887 00:56:17,679 --> 00:56:22,440 would be an improvement? Would that? Yeah, I mean an improvement over 888 00:56:22,480 --> 00:56:29,639 where they are now? Yeah, it would be right, would you would 889 00:56:29,679 --> 00:56:32,920 we still just have the same conversation about like, yeah, that's all great, 890 00:56:34,280 --> 00:56:37,960 but they're just solvable in the playoffs because of Sabonis, because of whoever 891 00:56:38,039 --> 00:56:40,920 else, like or would you feel you know what I mean? I think 892 00:56:40,960 --> 00:56:45,199 they're a team that the numbers can be what they are, But until they 893 00:56:45,519 --> 00:56:50,920 show in a playoff series that some of the weaknesses we all understand them to 894 00:56:50,960 --> 00:56:55,000 have just they can overcome those, it's gonna be hard to be confident that, 895 00:56:55,159 --> 00:56:59,320 you know, oh, the numbers say they're much better on defense in 896 00:56:59,360 --> 00:57:01,960 the regular seat, and I just do you think you'll feel confident then or 897 00:57:02,000 --> 00:57:07,199 will it just still be a prove it situation. It'll still be a prove 898 00:57:07,239 --> 00:57:10,960 it situation for me unless they It's always gonna be a proved situation because we 899 00:57:10,960 --> 00:57:13,880 need to see them do it. They didn't win a playoff series, Lasuer. 900 00:57:13,920 --> 00:57:17,039 They took the Warriors to the end, but they didn't win. If 901 00:57:17,079 --> 00:57:20,320 they make a move, though, like this is a team, I'm not 902 00:57:20,360 --> 00:57:22,159 picky, I would be. Would I be flabbergasts if you said, oh, 903 00:57:22,199 --> 00:57:24,360 the Kings came out of the West. No, I wouldn't, but 904 00:57:24,440 --> 00:57:29,239 I would be. I'd be more shocked if you said that about them than 905 00:57:29,239 --> 00:57:31,840 if you said it about Okay, the Nuggets, the Suns, sure like 906 00:57:31,880 --> 00:57:35,800 some of the other I mean, frankly, if you told me I think 907 00:57:35,800 --> 00:57:37,119 the Timberwolves and the Pelicans, I'd be more confident in coming out of the 908 00:57:37,119 --> 00:57:40,559 West at this point because I trust that those teams have the higher gear defensively. 909 00:57:42,119 --> 00:57:44,079 It changes for the Kings a little bit if they make a move, 910 00:57:44,119 --> 00:57:46,119 But you need to make that move, and does the right player become available? 911 00:57:46,400 --> 00:57:51,800 I'm not sure if someone like a a Dorian Finney Smith would make enough 912 00:57:51,840 --> 00:57:54,079 of a difference from I just don't think O Jiannaobi's gonna become available. We 913 00:57:54,119 --> 00:57:58,280 can talk about him until forever. I just don't think Toronto ends up moving 914 00:57:58,320 --> 00:58:01,519 him this season. That would just be such a wild thing to for them 915 00:58:01,519 --> 00:58:05,000 to do, like, oh, here's half a year before you pay him. 916 00:58:05,039 --> 00:58:07,440 What is the value you even get for him in that circumstance? So 917 00:58:08,519 --> 00:58:10,719 and so, I don't you know. You go through the list and it's 918 00:58:10,760 --> 00:58:14,559 like there might be some guys that come available as the season goes on, 919 00:58:14,639 --> 00:58:17,960 but can they get that again it just comes with like upgrading their combo wing 920 00:58:19,440 --> 00:58:23,000 defense and they look they have the assets like that to make a deal happen. 921 00:58:23,159 --> 00:58:27,079 It's just who is the right player for that? And you're not giving 922 00:58:27,159 --> 00:58:30,480 up everything for a Dorian Phinney Smith, But are you making that move? 923 00:58:30,519 --> 00:58:35,880 Do you think he is someone who makes enough of a difference and to be 924 00:58:36,000 --> 00:58:37,559 I mean, to be quite frankly, I honestly don't know, like that'd 925 00:58:37,559 --> 00:58:43,039 be a question. Yeah, I mean I think really like, you know, 926 00:58:43,039 --> 00:58:45,760 we we get caught up talking about you know, obviously Anonobi is the 927 00:58:45,840 --> 00:58:50,360 name that comes out the most. And guys you know, quote unquote like 928 00:58:50,400 --> 00:58:52,719 that Dorian Phinney Smith like these big wings, Like what if they just had 929 00:58:52,840 --> 00:58:57,480 Like I don't even and I'm just spitballing, so I don't have a we 930 00:58:57,519 --> 00:59:00,920 can come up with one, I'm sure, like a switch bull big that 931 00:59:00,960 --> 00:59:04,119 could block a shot, Like is there, like who's like, where's that? 932 00:59:05,760 --> 00:59:08,760 Who is? So name me the most? I guess like one if 933 00:59:08,800 --> 00:59:13,039 you're gonna go get that big And let's say they do exist in the realm 934 00:59:13,039 --> 00:59:15,280 of gettable. Let's say Nick Claxton, Oh God, you're never gonna play 935 00:59:15,360 --> 00:59:19,639 him with Sibonis, So what's the point. That's that's why this team is 936 00:59:19,679 --> 00:59:22,320 so confounding sometimes because of the s Bonis piece of it. It's so hard 937 00:59:22,639 --> 00:59:28,519 to like give them what they need without getting some Bonis out of the picture. 938 00:59:28,559 --> 00:59:30,800 And then if you remove the bonus from this team, they're just not 939 00:59:30,880 --> 00:59:32,800 even close to the same team. Anymore. Their offense is completely different. 940 00:59:32,840 --> 00:59:37,079 It's way worse. So I just like, maybe that's what's up with the 941 00:59:37,159 --> 00:59:40,519 Kings, Like how do you how do you really get them what they need 942 00:59:40,920 --> 00:59:45,800 without blowing it up? You don't name? That kind of springs to mind, 943 00:59:45,840 --> 00:59:50,000 and this is you might be engaging in some fluky three point shooting, 944 00:59:50,599 --> 00:59:53,320 especially because this is a team that notoriously has these guys shoot better from three 945 00:59:53,360 --> 00:59:58,679 whenever they get there. But he thible ooh on this team. Oh he's 946 00:59:58,760 --> 01:00:00,840 hitting like thirty seven percent of his threes or whatever, and he's been defending 947 01:00:00,840 --> 01:00:05,400 his butt off. Even Jeremy Grant been playing. You know, he didn't. 948 01:00:05,440 --> 01:00:07,400 I wasn't too. I didn't like what I was seeing a lot early 949 01:00:07,440 --> 01:00:09,199 on. He looks a lot better now. Like that's a lot of money 950 01:00:09,239 --> 01:00:13,480 for Jeremy Grant. I want to make that clear. But those are guys 951 01:00:14,079 --> 01:00:16,480 Jeremy like, Jeremy Grant and Keegan Murray can play together. I wouldn't if 952 01:00:16,480 --> 01:00:19,719 you said, here's sa bonus Grant and Murray. I'm not worried about it. 953 01:00:19,840 --> 01:00:22,960 No, can we get the Jeremy Grant that played center for the Thunder 954 01:00:22,119 --> 01:00:24,440 like for a little bit years ago. That would be cool. And what 955 01:00:24,480 --> 01:00:34,400 about what do you from like three years what fit with simonas the injuries with 956 01:00:34,440 --> 01:00:43,840 maxi Clebland, The idea of Zeke Nagy, Yeah, I love the we 957 01:00:44,079 --> 01:00:46,079 listen. If we love one thing, it's the idea of Zeke Nay. 958 01:00:46,199 --> 01:00:51,199 We love the concept of Yoh would actually be really good for this He might 959 01:00:51,199 --> 01:00:54,159 just wouldn't trust the spacing necessarily, and he's going towards free agency and they've 960 01:00:54,159 --> 01:00:59,880 already paid a lot of not wings. Kyle Anderson, Yeah, you're the 961 01:01:00,199 --> 01:01:01,440 you can't afford to give him up right now, but that would be uh 962 01:01:02,239 --> 01:01:05,559 not. First of all, not Reid would be perfect for this team, 963 01:01:05,559 --> 01:01:07,760 but they sure can't move him now. I'm obsessed with who, like what 964 01:01:07,840 --> 01:01:13,000 if like like a Horford type, because you can play Horford with another big 965 01:01:13,039 --> 01:01:15,440 and he'll survive on switches or like again, we're gonna have to go back 966 01:01:15,480 --> 01:01:22,480 to like several years ago. But Marvin Bagley, what about you know? 967 01:01:22,639 --> 01:01:28,199 I I Marvin Bagley has actually been probably the second best big in Detroit after 968 01:01:28,519 --> 01:01:30,719 I guess Stuart's there. But during I mean, he's been effective because he's 969 01:01:30,719 --> 01:01:35,639 not shooting threes anymore. But Detroit is we don't need to talk about Detroit. 970 01:01:36,320 --> 01:01:38,400 I think that's all I'm prepared to do. I had one other team 971 01:01:38,440 --> 01:01:42,000 I can't remember. Oh is Toronto? We don't need to talk about Toronto? 972 01:01:42,280 --> 01:01:44,920 I have? I have? Can we talk about a couple that I 973 01:01:45,039 --> 01:01:47,639 that are springing to mind for me? I'd love to Cleveland? OK? 974 01:01:47,800 --> 01:01:53,480 Is there a level of worry here? Their bottom ten in offense right now? 975 01:01:54,000 --> 01:01:59,760 It comes with the caveat that they're four best players and I mean five. 976 01:02:00,079 --> 01:02:02,079 Max Shrews has been so important, so let's just include Max Drews in 977 01:02:02,159 --> 01:02:07,280 this. They just haven't played together because Donovan Mitchell's miss time, Darius Garland 978 01:02:07,280 --> 01:02:12,000 missed time, Jared Allen miss time. The unit like what would be your 979 01:02:12,039 --> 01:02:15,639 best five man unit in theory, having Evan Mobley, Jared Allen, Darius 980 01:02:15,639 --> 01:02:22,519 Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Max Shreuce has played two hundred and eleven possessions 981 01:02:22,519 --> 01:02:27,239 together, which isn't enough. However, the offensive rating is in the forty 982 01:02:27,239 --> 01:02:30,960 second percentile, which isn't good enough during those stretches in the half court. 983 01:02:31,199 --> 01:02:37,280 The fiftieth percentile still not great. I think that, and I'm getting to 984 01:02:37,360 --> 01:02:39,639 what I think the actual problem is this team overall, when you look at 985 01:02:39,639 --> 01:02:44,079 their four best players, Mitchell, Garland and Allen and Mobi, they're playing 986 01:02:44,119 --> 01:02:45,920 faster when they're together, and the Cows are doing a better job I think 987 01:02:45,960 --> 01:02:50,320 of being opportunistic and getting out in transition. There's a different pace to the 988 01:02:50,360 --> 01:02:54,320 way that they are playing. They are fundamentally failing with their three point volume 989 01:02:54,519 --> 01:02:59,280 at this point. And it's when you're gonna play Evan Mobley and Jared Allen 990 01:02:59,320 --> 01:03:04,800 together, You're you're making a concession there because together those two were attempting what 991 01:03:05,119 --> 01:03:07,639 half a three point attempt per game, And so now you have these other 992 01:03:07,679 --> 01:03:13,039 three players, and even Max Struce's volume per thirty six minutes has come down 993 01:03:13,079 --> 01:03:16,719 from last season since joining the Cavaliers, Darius Garland's under five to three point 994 01:03:16,719 --> 01:03:20,639 attempts per thirty six minutes. He's moved off the ball. Well, that's 995 01:03:20,639 --> 01:03:22,360 something I've watched ever since Justin Rowan kind of pointed it out to me. 996 01:03:22,880 --> 01:03:25,880 That needs to come up. And so I want to see more of this 997 01:03:25,920 --> 01:03:30,320 team together because when I watch it, even Evin Mobley feels like he's making 998 01:03:30,360 --> 01:03:32,760 more like that he's making quicker decisions. He can still go through his lulls, 999 01:03:32,760 --> 01:03:37,039 but feels more confident in decisions he's making, feels more equipped to handle 1000 01:03:37,119 --> 01:03:40,000 contact and such, to make plays in the center floor, to not have 1001 01:03:40,039 --> 01:03:45,239 to be necessarily near the basket all the time. And then even Jared Allen, 1002 01:03:45,280 --> 01:03:47,400 the dunker spot pointed this one out. Like he's feels like he's more 1003 01:03:47,400 --> 01:03:53,039 confident've been making plays out of the short role the offense. Just the process 1004 01:03:53,119 --> 01:03:59,639 looks okay, but like the end result is just not good enough right now. 1005 01:03:59,679 --> 01:04:01,679 And I don't think it's just yes, we can wait for some of 1006 01:04:01,719 --> 01:04:05,760 the we can excuse me, we can wait for the sample to tick up. 1007 01:04:05,760 --> 01:04:09,440 And do I think that they're gonna shoot thirty five and a half percent 1008 01:04:09,519 --> 01:04:13,920 from three for the rest of the season. No, But like them being 1009 01:04:13,960 --> 01:04:17,360 around the bottom ten in three point ten three that no, Like you can't. 1010 01:04:17,679 --> 01:04:20,559 You just can't do that, especially when they're right now, they're just 1011 01:04:20,800 --> 01:04:25,320 really relying on getting to the basket. They're third in rim frequency, They 1012 01:04:25,320 --> 01:04:28,440 don't take a ton of mid range jumpers relative to other teams right now. 1013 01:04:28,719 --> 01:04:30,119 And I'm interested to see how this all comes together if we ever get an 1014 01:04:30,119 --> 01:04:33,320 extended stretch of Oh, all five of these players are available together. I 1015 01:04:33,360 --> 01:04:38,639 even like the look George Ygg is not the guy that you think does this, 1016 01:04:39,000 --> 01:04:41,960 but like the Couches feel like they play a lot faster when he's in 1017 01:04:41,960 --> 01:04:45,639 the court, So there are different dimensions to their offense. But the floor 1018 01:04:45,840 --> 01:04:49,159 is not even with Max Shrew's doing the things he does. I feel like 1019 01:04:49,159 --> 01:04:53,519 the Cavs are either not opening the floor enough when they're watching them, or 1020 01:04:53,559 --> 01:04:57,519 they're not capitalizing on some of the personnel that they can run out or the 1021 01:04:57,519 --> 01:05:00,880 different combinations that that they can really test. And I don't know how much 1022 01:05:00,880 --> 01:05:02,480 of that is a function of well, this is just who's available, or 1023 01:05:02,519 --> 01:05:04,920 you look at their best players and it's well, a lot of them don't 1024 01:05:04,960 --> 01:05:09,079 want to be high volume three point, like Don min Mitchell does a lot 1025 01:05:09,079 --> 01:05:11,239 of the stuff he does out of necessity, and you have Max Struce. 1026 01:05:11,639 --> 01:05:15,119 You can't have Jared Allen or Evan Mobley be your quote unquote floor spacers. 1027 01:05:15,320 --> 01:05:18,199 Karl Slavers never wanted to be a super high volume guy from behind the arc. 1028 01:05:18,280 --> 01:05:21,239 It feels like Darius gone On is kind of pushed back against that. 1029 01:05:21,400 --> 01:05:26,760 Even like you know, Don Mirian Mitchell is, I would say, is 1030 01:05:26,800 --> 01:05:30,800 the only player on this team taking enough three point attempts on a permanent basis, 1031 01:05:30,800 --> 01:05:32,880 and even eight and a half per thirty six, I'm just like, 1032 01:05:32,920 --> 01:05:36,280 yeah, that should be that closer to ten. And so is it just 1033 01:05:36,280 --> 01:05:40,920 a three point shooting or is it come back to you are kind of battling 1034 01:05:40,960 --> 01:05:45,519 against the current just by having Evan Mobley and Jared Allen on the court together, 1035 01:05:45,679 --> 01:05:47,440 and then in those minutes. One of the issues has been yes, 1036 01:05:47,480 --> 01:05:53,800 you're winning those minutes, it's not by this huge margin right now because the 1037 01:05:53,880 --> 01:05:58,440 offense has been so statistically vanilla, and I just when you dig into it, 1038 01:05:58,480 --> 01:06:01,320 I don't know with that lineup, Okay, cool, they're shooting seventy 1039 01:06:01,360 --> 01:06:04,079 two percent at the rim, that might come down. They're three point percentage 1040 01:06:04,079 --> 01:06:08,119 of thirty four and a half percent thirty two point six from above the break. 1041 01:06:08,320 --> 01:06:10,719 That might come up a little bit. But there's like that sort of 1042 01:06:10,760 --> 01:06:15,360 balances each other out, and I just don't know what to make like this 1043 01:06:15,400 --> 01:06:17,480 is the perfect what's up team because I just really don't know what to make 1044 01:06:17,880 --> 01:06:20,719 of what they're doing. And then also I can't, for the life of 1045 01:06:20,800 --> 01:06:25,920 me figure this out. Just the rebounding, the defensive rebounding with that five 1046 01:06:26,000 --> 01:06:28,519 man unit on the court. Again, it's been so little they were in 1047 01:06:28,519 --> 01:06:33,000 the zero fix percentile of defensive rebounding when those it's bad overall too, Yeah, 1048 01:06:33,000 --> 01:06:35,719 I mean it's more concerned that last season. Yeah, no, that 1049 01:06:35,760 --> 01:06:40,000 which again I mean it's less slightly less bad, but still bad. I 1050 01:06:40,000 --> 01:06:45,119 guess like as I'm looking through some of the the underlying numbers, what's what's 1051 01:06:45,199 --> 01:06:49,400 kind of interesting is like offensively, the Calves and the Magic have like a 1052 01:06:49,400 --> 01:06:53,440 lot in common, which is which is not great. It's not where you 1053 01:06:53,480 --> 01:06:56,639 want to be necessarily because we just talked about some of the fundamental flaws. 1054 01:06:56,639 --> 01:07:00,119 Like just for example, you know, Orlando is seventeenth in effective footbal percentage, 1055 01:07:00,119 --> 01:07:04,360 of the Caves are sixteenth. Orlando's first in location based affect footbal percentage, 1056 01:07:04,480 --> 01:07:10,159 the Caves are third. So like, the process is good because you're 1057 01:07:10,159 --> 01:07:12,760 getting to the rim aton, you're not taking a lot of mid rangers, 1058 01:07:13,320 --> 01:07:15,559 you know, all the all the stuff you want. But again, the 1059 01:07:15,599 --> 01:07:18,199 thing that sticks out is like, yeah, Orlando doesn't shoot threes because they 1060 01:07:18,199 --> 01:07:24,119 don't have three point shooters. Cleveland has almost always two and often three in 1061 01:07:24,159 --> 01:07:27,199 that first unit with Strus alongside Garland and Mitchell, three guys that, like 1062 01:07:27,679 --> 01:07:30,360 defenses absolutely should honor and like you said, should absolutely be getting up like 1063 01:07:30,559 --> 01:07:35,280 eight ten per game, just everybody should, especially if you got two guys 1064 01:07:35,320 --> 01:07:39,320 in the front court in Alan and Mobley that aren't going to shoot. I'm 1065 01:07:39,440 --> 01:07:43,159 less. I just can't get that concern because I believe in the talent of 1066 01:07:43,320 --> 01:07:47,840 at least their three you know, I guess perimeter shot takers and creators in 1067 01:07:47,880 --> 01:07:51,760 that first unit. But like you know, it's not like what was what 1068 01:07:51,800 --> 01:07:57,400 were they last year on offense? Like they weren't like this is still they 1069 01:07:57,440 --> 01:08:00,000 were there were seventh. Yeah, they were number seven offense last year. 1070 01:08:01,239 --> 01:08:03,960 I guess a couple things. They're turning it over a little more this year, 1071 01:08:04,119 --> 01:08:08,480 Like that shaves off a touch, you know, of your offensive rating. 1072 01:08:08,880 --> 01:08:13,519 They're getting slightly fewer offensive rebounds. They're free throw a tenth rate dropping 1073 01:08:13,639 --> 01:08:18,399 despite getting to the rim more. Yep, that's interesting. I mean I 1074 01:08:18,439 --> 01:08:23,520 suppose like if you improve the turnovers, you get a couple more offensive boards 1075 01:08:23,520 --> 01:08:26,279 and you get to the line a little more. Maybe we're talking about a 1076 01:08:26,319 --> 01:08:30,439 team that's like fourteenth in offense instead of twenty first, which they are right 1077 01:08:30,479 --> 01:08:32,840 now, and like even that would be kind of disappointing. So, yeah, 1078 01:08:32,880 --> 01:08:36,000 I don't I don't get quite what's up there. I wonder if just 1079 01:08:36,079 --> 01:08:43,840 like I don't know from a from a like a philosophy perspective, like offensively, 1080 01:08:43,920 --> 01:08:47,000 they should just be prioritizing let's get up tons of threes and just see 1081 01:08:47,000 --> 01:08:50,520 what happens. Because like again, although like, why aren't they better on 1082 01:08:50,560 --> 01:08:55,039 the offensive boards with Allen and Mobley banging around in there? If you have 1083 01:08:55,119 --> 01:08:58,359 the floor space then those two guys going for you know, fifty to fifty 1084 01:08:58,359 --> 01:09:00,640 balls on the glass, you would think you would get a lot more second 1085 01:09:00,720 --> 01:09:03,159 chance points than this team does. Yeah, that's a good, that's a 1086 01:09:03,199 --> 01:09:05,760 good. What's up? And I don't have a great answer other than to 1087 01:09:05,800 --> 01:09:10,079 say I I just think I believe in the talent there and they're gonna be 1088 01:09:10,600 --> 01:09:14,039 fine. But like you're just I'm taking it on faith because the numbers are 1089 01:09:14,079 --> 01:09:16,640 not good right now. There's I'm just wondering, is it because they're not 1090 01:09:16,720 --> 01:09:19,600 even though I think Evan Mobley is better equipped on offense to deal with some 1091 01:09:19,600 --> 01:09:23,520 of the things defenses are throwing at him. Is it just because they don't 1092 01:09:23,560 --> 01:09:27,119 have. These are not the most physical bigs in the world, and you're 1093 01:09:27,159 --> 01:09:30,279 gonna have when you're looking at the other players on the court. You know 1094 01:09:30,399 --> 01:09:33,560 how, Let's look at it this way. Of the cows is five most 1095 01:09:33,560 --> 01:09:39,319 important players relative to their position, size, whatever you want to say it. 1096 01:09:39,920 --> 01:09:45,479 How many of them are above average rebounders? Oh? Man, I 1097 01:09:45,520 --> 01:09:49,279 get it maybe, and I sort of feel like it's by necessity like this 1098 01:09:49,279 --> 01:09:57,800 this season it's probably Mitchell and Struce, I mean, as above average rebounders. 1099 01:09:57,840 --> 01:10:00,359 Now, I got to like these guys. That's where they you would 1100 01:10:00,359 --> 01:10:01,920 say, is in Actually we could actually play a stat game with this. 1101 01:10:02,239 --> 01:10:06,720 That would be in the seventieth percentile of just rebounding. All right, I 1102 01:10:06,720 --> 01:10:12,399 have it here, I've got I've got there. Like this is defensive rebounding 1103 01:10:12,439 --> 01:10:17,119 rates for so so who's in the How many of those five guys are in 1104 01:10:17,159 --> 01:10:21,640 the seventieth percentile of defensive rebounding for their positions? Strewce seventy fourth percentile, 1105 01:10:23,279 --> 01:10:27,960 Mitchell seventy eighth. And that is all she wrote. Jared Allen is in 1106 01:10:28,000 --> 01:10:32,119 the thirty first percentile at his position for one rate. Shout out to me 1107 01:10:32,520 --> 01:10:36,359 for getting that right. Without a good what about offensive rebounding is it? 1108 01:10:36,399 --> 01:10:40,439 Is it the same too our above average? That'd be real. So Struce 1109 01:10:40,560 --> 01:10:44,199 is bad there. He's thirty eighth percentile. Mobley is sixtieth percentile, which 1110 01:10:44,239 --> 01:10:46,960 is very surprising. Allen is seventy fifth percentile. So I guess you'd say 1111 01:10:46,960 --> 01:10:50,359 Mobley and Allen are doing their part on the offensive boards, Like I mean, 1112 01:10:50,439 --> 01:10:57,000 they're not getting killed there, but nobody else is. It's really got 1113 01:10:57,039 --> 01:11:00,039 the defensive reboundings. Patsy, Yeah, no, I I default too. 1114 01:11:00,119 --> 01:11:02,680 We just need to see it a little bit longer when they're together. But 1115 01:11:02,760 --> 01:11:06,800 I am I'm just and I Cavs fans hate this, so I feel bad 1116 01:11:06,840 --> 01:11:10,239 talking about it. They probably already tuned out of this since this feels doom 1117 01:11:10,279 --> 01:11:13,039 and gloomy. I said they were gonna finish second in the East this year 1118 01:11:13,079 --> 01:11:15,800 or third, whatever it was, and they still might do it. But 1119 01:11:15,840 --> 01:11:18,119 the more I watch it and the more I like the stuff, and yet 1120 01:11:18,159 --> 01:11:23,039 not enough good things are happening. I'm like, I don't know if this 1121 01:11:23,079 --> 01:11:26,720 big man thing is the is the way to go? At least maybe in 1122 01:11:26,760 --> 01:11:29,319 the regular season you figure it out. But I keep thinking back to the 1123 01:11:29,319 --> 01:11:31,760 playoffs, I'm like, I don't know, Well, in a lot of 1124 01:11:31,840 --> 01:11:38,319 ways, nothing has changed, because this team ceiling depends entirely on Evan Mobley 1125 01:11:38,399 --> 01:11:41,279 becoming the best player on the team, and like, as of right now, 1126 01:11:41,840 --> 01:11:44,960 like the idea that he's better than Donovan Mitchell or close to it just 1127 01:11:45,039 --> 01:11:47,359 is kind of ridiculous. Like he's not so as good a defender as he 1128 01:11:47,479 --> 01:11:50,399 is. He's just not that guy. And so like if he were, 1129 01:11:51,039 --> 01:11:55,560 like, we're probably at least a couple years away from Evan Mobley colon three 1130 01:11:55,560 --> 01:11:59,840 point shooter, if that's ever gonna happen. But if he were, like 1131 01:11:59,880 --> 01:12:02,239 I think you would that there's how your offense gets unstuck, if it's if 1132 01:12:02,239 --> 01:12:10,159 it's him spacing the floor or or becoming without Allen in the way, Like 1133 01:12:10,199 --> 01:12:15,119 that's there's a couple of ways you get there. But I think still the 1134 01:12:15,159 --> 01:12:16,520 story is very much the same, where it's just like this team goes as 1135 01:12:16,520 --> 01:12:19,800 far as MOBILEI can take it. I think, you know, on like 1136 01:12:19,880 --> 01:12:24,479 a five year time horizon. And I also, I mean like that's also 1137 01:12:24,680 --> 01:12:28,119 you may be inadvertent, not inadvertently, but you kind of touched upon one 1138 01:12:28,159 --> 01:12:31,720 of the concerns where it's Cavs fans don't think that Evan Mobley is this center 1139 01:12:32,199 --> 01:12:35,439 long term, and I do kind of agree when you look at his build. 1140 01:12:36,359 --> 01:12:39,960 But if he's not going to be your center, and the Cavs have 1141 01:12:40,039 --> 01:12:43,920 won the minutes he's played without Jared Allen this year very slightly, the offense, 1142 01:12:43,920 --> 01:12:46,319 surprise surprise, hasn't been great, then you need a very specific five 1143 01:12:47,079 --> 01:12:51,000 with him, and that again, that's that's an obstacle to building out your 1144 01:12:51,039 --> 01:12:56,039 team. Probably enough on the Cavs though, So before we get into the 1145 01:12:56,119 --> 01:12:58,920 guess a player stat padding, I'll throw it at this as a way to 1146 01:12:58,920 --> 01:13:03,079 talk about maybe two teams are a macro topic. Are we officially seeing a 1147 01:13:03,199 --> 01:13:09,319 changing of the guard in I'll focus on the West because we already did the 1148 01:13:09,399 --> 01:13:14,039 Orlando Magic. Are the Minnesota Timbers just the best team in the Western Conference? 1149 01:13:14,079 --> 01:13:16,159 Are the Oklahoma City Thunder? Is the expectation just that they are one 1150 01:13:16,159 --> 01:13:20,279 of the four three or four best teams in the Western Conference? Is that? 1151 01:13:20,520 --> 01:13:24,119 Just? Is this where we're at? Because I think a lot of 1152 01:13:24,119 --> 01:13:26,840 people are just talking up all the Warriors will come on, the Clippers will 1153 01:13:26,840 --> 01:13:29,800 come on, the Lakers will continue to come on. And I'm just like, 1154 01:13:29,920 --> 01:13:31,640 yeah, like, you know, maybe some of those teams, I 1155 01:13:31,640 --> 01:13:36,439 mean, the Clippers already made their moves. I look at and who of 1156 01:13:36,479 --> 01:13:40,560 those two teams are you more this season? Long term? I think we 1157 01:13:40,600 --> 01:13:43,319 all know who we believe in more. But yeah, like, what is 1158 01:13:43,359 --> 01:13:45,399 the bigger threat? It feels like to me, I will say, based 1159 01:13:45,439 --> 01:13:49,520 off what Minnesota is able to do defensively, there are still things I would 1160 01:13:49,600 --> 01:13:55,439 like to see from them for their their offense to open up. They're they're 1161 01:13:55,479 --> 01:13:59,520 a team that yeah, they're their fifth and three point percentage right now. 1162 01:13:59,600 --> 01:14:01,920 I would like to see them take more threes. They are twenty fifth in 1163 01:14:02,039 --> 01:14:05,439 non corner three point attempt rate and they're still in the bottom ten of three 1164 01:14:05,479 --> 01:14:11,439 point attempt to rate overall. They also just and this is a function of 1165 01:14:11,479 --> 01:14:14,439 the lineups they play, You just I don't know they can get around it. 1166 01:14:15,079 --> 01:14:17,640 They don't get to the rim a ton when you're looking at the frequency, 1167 01:14:17,760 --> 01:14:21,760 and that's a marginal concern when you look at how basically everyone is defending. 1168 01:14:21,760 --> 01:14:26,520 That's Karl Anthony Towns included at this point there, I would say, 1169 01:14:26,840 --> 01:14:30,159 what are their their top seven players this year? Have no top eight players 1170 01:14:30,159 --> 01:14:35,079 have all been decidedly above average defenders. You look at you can find possessions 1171 01:14:35,079 --> 01:14:39,960 where Rudy Gobert is covering like eight different things. He's just moving so much 1172 01:14:40,000 --> 01:14:45,640 better. Anthony Edwards is so much more locked in nas Red. I think 1173 01:14:45,680 --> 01:14:47,760 he's there's so many good candidates right now. I think he's my sixth Man 1174 01:14:47,760 --> 01:14:51,199 of the Year right now. I don't know if that's too We're talking about 1175 01:14:51,239 --> 01:14:54,960 the wolves, so it must be NOAs Reed. I don't know if that's 1176 01:14:55,000 --> 01:14:59,000 sort of like that's at play right now, But you go and you dig 1177 01:14:59,039 --> 01:15:01,560 into their big man common nations. Almost no matter who they're rolling out right 1178 01:15:01,600 --> 01:15:04,439 now, they're killing it. There's only like one combination that's not great. 1179 01:15:05,760 --> 01:15:09,560 I'm just I'm watching them, and I'm watching what the thunder are doing in 1180 01:15:09,600 --> 01:15:12,359 the Gudea performance lately. I don't know how much of it has to do 1181 01:15:12,399 --> 01:15:15,119 with what's going on off the court, but he's been up and down all 1182 01:15:15,239 --> 01:15:17,960 year since before the allegations even sort of resurface. He was down for a 1183 01:15:17,960 --> 01:15:23,359 good part of that stretch. But I'm looking at these two teams and I'm 1184 01:15:23,399 --> 01:15:30,000 just like, I feel like we're watching a changing tide. So I think. 1185 01:15:30,199 --> 01:15:34,359 I mean, obviously Denver they're going, I mean they're not going. 1186 01:15:34,600 --> 01:15:38,960 Sorry, But to your point, like, yeah, and I think I 1187 01:15:39,000 --> 01:15:44,319 think Minnesota right now, I would view Minnesota as like they're just the second 1188 01:15:44,399 --> 01:15:48,359 best team in the conference, just like with no qualifiers, and the record 1189 01:15:48,399 --> 01:15:50,479 says it. I mean, the record says they're better than that. But 1190 01:15:50,640 --> 01:15:55,399 you know, we're gonna just we're just gonna grant Denver the top spot there 1191 01:15:56,279 --> 01:16:00,640 and then like after that, like you're not gonna take Phoenix with their injury 1192 01:16:00,640 --> 01:16:02,880 concerns and like a bunch of minimum guys behind Katie and Booker. You're not 1193 01:16:02,920 --> 01:16:08,760 gonna take the Warriors that are terrible now and you're never gonna win another game 1194 01:16:08,840 --> 01:16:12,640 in the existence of the franchise. The Clipper not so Yeah. The thing 1195 01:16:12,640 --> 01:16:16,680 with Minnesota, you mentioned Gobert, like he is, who is the better 1196 01:16:16,680 --> 01:16:20,039 defensive Player of the Year pick right now today than Gobert, Like, I 1197 01:16:20,039 --> 01:16:25,039 don't think there is one, because this defense is really good and we got 1198 01:16:25,680 --> 01:16:30,960 got he's got the statistical case and just anecdotally, he made Chet Holmgren in 1199 01:16:30,039 --> 01:16:33,840 that game against the Thunder just not shoot the ball several times because he was 1200 01:16:34,079 --> 01:16:39,560 quick enough it was not last year and mobile enough to get out and at 1201 01:16:39,600 --> 01:16:42,920 least dissuade him from taking a three. I think Homegren should just shoot more 1202 01:16:42,960 --> 01:16:45,079 threes. He was a little hesitant, and generally I think just should just 1203 01:16:45,720 --> 01:16:49,640 pretend as if when the ball comes to him, he should just shoot it 1204 01:16:49,760 --> 01:16:54,159 if he's open, because he's gonna pull the center out like much more effectively 1205 01:16:54,359 --> 01:16:58,760 if he does that. But he sort of talked Holmgren out of shooting a 1206 01:16:58,760 --> 01:17:02,520 bunch of threes. Thenumber of shots that thunder like penetrators just did not take 1207 01:17:02,600 --> 01:17:06,520 because Gobert was around. It was like vintage Jazz Gobert, so like that's 1208 01:17:06,560 --> 01:17:10,479 a game, but we've got a you know, a full what do we 1209 01:17:11,039 --> 01:17:15,279 seventeen games? The Wolves have the best defense in the league. Gobert is 1210 01:17:15,279 --> 01:17:17,720 their best defensive player, but they also like don't play bad ones, like 1211 01:17:17,760 --> 01:17:23,640 you said, so like I guess the question would be what does Minnesota not 1212 01:17:23,840 --> 01:17:27,960 have that you would like to have on a team you view as a threat 1213 01:17:28,000 --> 01:17:30,399 to win the conference, win a bunch of playoff series? Like who what 1214 01:17:30,560 --> 01:17:33,800 is it that they're missing? Because I struggle to come up with like a 1215 01:17:33,880 --> 01:17:40,439 clear uh deficiency. I think a motion shooter, And then I do think 1216 01:17:40,479 --> 01:17:43,640 this is an overall team weakness, like they've turned the ball over a lot. 1217 01:17:43,960 --> 01:17:45,680 They do turn it over, but don't you. I still trust Mike 1218 01:17:45,720 --> 01:17:49,960 Conley as like just the ultimate game manager point guard that actually knows how to 1219 01:17:49,960 --> 01:17:53,720 play with Gobert, Like, yeah, the turnovers are up. That that's 1220 01:17:53,760 --> 01:17:57,039 the thing that jumps out in their four factors. They're twenty sixth in turnover 1221 01:17:57,079 --> 01:18:00,039 percentage, Like how much how much better are they if they just take care 1222 01:18:00,039 --> 01:18:03,199 of the ball, Like Edwards gets a little wild, Gobert is just gonna 1223 01:18:03,239 --> 01:18:06,399 bobble passes sometimes. That's part of it, I do. I mean, 1224 01:18:06,680 --> 01:18:11,279 I think we say they need a motion shooter, but it's hey, Karl 1225 01:18:11,279 --> 01:18:14,600 Anthony Towns, Jack Moore threes. I like what I've seen, Like there's 1226 01:18:14,680 --> 01:18:18,760 variant of what he's able to do of the off the dribble, but there 1227 01:18:18,840 --> 01:18:23,039 just feels like, oh, there's he goes through these stretches where oh, 1228 01:18:23,039 --> 01:18:25,359 he did take a bunch of threes. He's four or five one night, 1229 01:18:25,399 --> 01:18:29,000 but then he's going one of three the next night, and even just it 1230 01:18:29,000 --> 01:18:32,640 feels like his volume is just dropping precipitously. And I look he's shooting a 1231 01:18:32,760 --> 01:18:36,279 fairly good clip on Tuesday, he's hitting almost forty percent of the threes he's 1232 01:18:36,319 --> 01:18:41,439 taking. But five point three three point attempts for thirty six minutes is just 1233 01:18:41,479 --> 01:18:44,800 not enough from him. And if that's gonna be what you do, I 1234 01:18:44,840 --> 01:18:46,560 think what also was the problem is you put the ball in Mike Conley's hands 1235 01:18:46,960 --> 01:18:51,680 more. You kind of negate, even though he can be a little bit 1236 01:18:51,720 --> 01:18:56,159 all over the place, you negate one of your best off ball shooting threats 1237 01:18:56,159 --> 01:18:59,800 by having him on the ball, because defense is like Anthony Edwards feels like 1238 01:18:59,840 --> 01:19:02,520 that quintessential Oh. I'm convinced he would shoot thirty eight percent on pull up 1239 01:19:02,560 --> 01:19:05,880 triples before he would shoot thirty eight percent on catching shoot trip. I think 1240 01:19:05,880 --> 01:19:09,680 he's turned into quite a good shooter. But if you're gonna put Mike Conley 1241 01:19:09,720 --> 01:19:13,039 on the ball, you know he's shooting forty four percent from three this year, 1242 01:19:13,079 --> 01:19:15,920 So you're removing one of your best off ball threats. I think that's 1243 01:19:15,960 --> 01:19:20,479 the the turnovers you could probably live with, just because I don't like Anthony 1244 01:19:20,600 --> 01:19:24,640 Edwards is chaos in the best way possible. And so if that's going to 1245 01:19:24,720 --> 01:19:27,359 be someone where those offensive moments aren't great, or if you start to mix 1246 01:19:27,399 --> 01:19:30,359 a match with some of the Ben's players and you're letting a bunch of guys 1247 01:19:30,399 --> 01:19:33,680 explore their their floor game here Jaden McDaniels nas reed Conthy Towns, I think 1248 01:19:33,680 --> 01:19:39,840 it's worth it, Nikhil Alexander Walker, But I just feel like it's they 1249 01:19:39,880 --> 01:19:43,960 need to bump up their three point volume in the half court somehow, and 1250 01:19:44,079 --> 01:19:47,239 that could happen with Towns theoretically. Otherwise it's let's just throw out the name, 1251 01:19:47,319 --> 01:19:51,479 like, hey, they need like their Isaiah Joe or they're Matt Ryan. 1252 01:19:51,800 --> 01:19:55,840 That's that thing because as you're as as I was asking, like what 1253 01:19:55,880 --> 01:20:00,119 does this team not have? It's not like a player deficiency necessarily, but 1254 01:20:00,239 --> 01:20:02,600 like, so Conley's the best passer on the team, I think we would 1255 01:20:02,600 --> 01:20:09,479 agree, Like I guess maybe Kyle Anderson you'd say is a good passor he 1256 01:20:09,520 --> 01:20:13,319 definitely would say Kyle Anderson's good. Yes, is anybody else a good passer? 1257 01:20:13,600 --> 01:20:17,079 Like I don't that's good. It's like but he's so wide, like 1258 01:20:17,119 --> 01:20:19,880 he gets a little wild though, and like he gets tunnel visiony. Yeah, 1259 01:20:19,880 --> 01:20:24,479 he like he is he a good passer? Is he like adequate that 1260 01:20:24,680 --> 01:20:27,239 maybe that all I'm saying is like, maybe that's part of the reason some 1261 01:20:27,279 --> 01:20:30,640 of the like why isn't Towns getting a bunch of extra threes that we would 1262 01:20:30,640 --> 01:20:32,399 like him to get. It's like maybe the guys just aren't quite finding him, 1263 01:20:32,520 --> 01:20:36,760 and like it's definitely hard to play with Gobert, like because he just 1264 01:20:38,199 --> 01:20:41,680 like the ball just you know, clangs off his hands pretty often. So 1265 01:20:41,800 --> 01:20:45,039 like, you know, McDaniel's is not someone i'd say is a great passer. 1266 01:20:45,800 --> 01:20:47,760 H Reed is not really asked to do that. He doesn't stand out 1267 01:20:47,760 --> 01:20:50,880 as a great pastor. Alexander Walker is not a pass like a lot of 1268 01:20:50,880 --> 01:20:56,279 the guys they play are just not like making the the play before the play 1269 01:20:56,359 --> 01:20:59,359 or the pass that leads to the past. This is all just anecdotal, 1270 01:20:59,359 --> 01:21:00,920 Like they're assist a turnover is twenty six in the league. So there is 1271 01:21:00,960 --> 01:21:06,279 some statistical underpinnings for this, Like half baked point I'm trying to make once 1272 01:21:06,279 --> 01:21:11,279 there's a sis percentage nineteenth, so you know, you can have a great 1273 01:21:11,279 --> 01:21:14,840 offense without having a highest six percentage. Just for for reference, the Spurs 1274 01:21:14,840 --> 01:21:17,359 have the highest assist rate in the league. So I'm just harping on this 1275 01:21:17,520 --> 01:21:21,600 and they're twelfth in point scored per possession. There's like their offense is good. 1276 01:21:21,920 --> 01:21:27,840 I'm just saying like if we're if we're looking for issue trouble spotting, 1277 01:21:27,920 --> 01:21:31,840 like maybe they could use I mean there's seven, they're seventeenth and first chance 1278 01:21:32,119 --> 01:21:35,840 offensive rating in the half court and they're not really more efficient. I mean 1279 01:21:35,840 --> 01:21:39,119 they're more efficient, but they're not. They don't rank super high when it 1280 01:21:39,159 --> 01:21:43,319 comes to put backs or the number of plays that they're generally like, they're 1281 01:21:43,319 --> 01:21:46,880 not a team that's getting a bunch of second chance opportunities. And so I 1282 01:21:46,960 --> 01:21:50,720 want to to what to do the Thunder need, Like there I do the 1283 01:21:50,720 --> 01:21:55,600 timberlves are more complete when you look at their top eight, but the Thunder 1284 01:21:55,640 --> 01:21:59,880 feel like they have more buttons to push. I think they need more s 1285 01:22:00,640 --> 01:22:03,000 like they just you know, if Holmegren, you can play Homegren and you 1286 01:22:03,039 --> 01:22:08,199 can play Arkansas Jalen Williams, who is like just not a you know, 1287 01:22:08,359 --> 01:22:11,800 he takes a bunch of charges, but he's not big enough to defensive, 1288 01:22:11,800 --> 01:22:15,239 rebound, protect the rim, you know, set even as screen setters, 1289 01:22:15,239 --> 01:22:19,039 Like I think maybe that's SG doesn't need screens. But like that's something I 1290 01:22:19,079 --> 01:22:23,479 think they need. The other thing, I was noticing this against the Wolves 1291 01:22:23,520 --> 01:22:26,520 the other night, you know, they had some lineups out there where it 1292 01:22:26,600 --> 01:22:30,159 was you know, they do a lot of second unit stuff where Santa Clara 1293 01:22:30,279 --> 01:22:34,119 Jalen Williams is the point guard and they had him surrounded with other Jalen Williams 1294 01:22:34,479 --> 01:22:43,399 giddy I think Kenrich Williams and like Dort and so it's like where like where 1295 01:22:43,479 --> 01:22:45,920 is the shooting in this line? So they can put some lineups out there 1296 01:22:45,920 --> 01:22:48,399 that just really can't space, which you know, they drive and kick and 1297 01:22:48,479 --> 01:22:50,640 drive and kick again and there you know, they get to the rim and 1298 01:22:50,680 --> 01:22:54,920 they get to the foul line, and that they make it work that way. 1299 01:22:55,479 --> 01:22:58,560 But I think that's another deficiency where some of the lineups they trot out 1300 01:22:58,560 --> 01:23:03,640 there are both are both small and like not good spacers. So maybe I 1301 01:23:03,680 --> 01:23:08,159 don't know, let's let's just clone Isaiah Joe since he's all we're talking about 1302 01:23:08,159 --> 01:23:10,479 this whole pod. But I think those are a couple of things that I 1303 01:23:10,479 --> 01:23:14,720 would I would point out that the Thunder maybe could use some help with. 1304 01:23:15,479 --> 01:23:16,840 Yeah, and look they're another one. They're three point of tenth riches isn't 1305 01:23:16,880 --> 01:23:19,399 high enough. They have the second best half court offense in the league right 1306 01:23:19,439 --> 01:23:23,079 now, but they don't spend a ton of time in the half court like 1307 01:23:23,159 --> 01:23:26,000 so much of their stuff is. If it's not transition, it's almost semi 1308 01:23:26,000 --> 01:23:30,119 transition of how they're attacking it before defenses are set. But they're just they're 1309 01:23:30,159 --> 01:23:32,560 another revelation. And I will say, to wrap it up, both Minnesota. 1310 01:23:32,640 --> 01:23:36,960 Neither Minnesota nor Oklahoma City feels like a fluke at all. And if 1311 01:23:36,960 --> 01:23:42,000 you had to pick one, I probably would just veer towards Oklahoma City, 1312 01:23:42,000 --> 01:23:45,159 if only because I could still see them kind of experimenting their way out of 1313 01:23:45,199 --> 01:23:47,359 it, and they're not even they're not doing that because they are. It's 1314 01:23:47,399 --> 01:23:50,319 not I could say, Oh, they're playing Case and Wallace, so they 1315 01:23:50,359 --> 01:23:56,039 are experimenting right now. Kase Wallace is good, so it's not. They're 1316 01:23:56,079 --> 01:23:58,760 not playing Usman Jang a ton. He spent a ton of time in the 1317 01:23:59,039 --> 01:24:00,079 G League. He played three game, I say a ton of time, 1318 01:24:00,119 --> 01:24:03,000 but he was racking up DMPs with the Big club. Played a little bit 1319 01:24:03,039 --> 01:24:06,479 against the Timberwolves the other night. So I think they're cognizant of what we 1320 01:24:06,520 --> 01:24:11,319 need to like sort of play our best players. I guess where I go 1321 01:24:11,399 --> 01:24:14,479 with it. And I don't mean to say let's focus strictly on the basketball. 1322 01:24:14,520 --> 01:24:18,560 I do think the Josh Giddy performance has created certain conumdrums with your best 1323 01:24:18,800 --> 01:24:24,159 lineups, especially when you're as small as you are, because if you're gonna 1324 01:24:24,159 --> 01:24:27,239 be that undersized, like the floor in the half court needs to be open 1325 01:24:27,359 --> 01:24:30,800 enough. And it feels like it doesn't matter when you have Jay Dubb and 1326 01:24:30,960 --> 01:24:33,159 Jake Gilich Alexander who can just get through wherever. But when it feels like 1327 01:24:33,439 --> 01:24:36,680 Josh Giddy can't operate without one or both of them on the court, so 1328 01:24:36,680 --> 01:24:41,880 that he's not even close to a primary defensive focus when he's on the ball. 1329 01:24:41,920 --> 01:24:44,279 But how much they sag off him, whether he's on or off the 1330 01:24:44,279 --> 01:24:48,479 ball anyway, it makes me wonder just on I haven't went to the numbers 1331 01:24:48,479 --> 01:24:50,479 for this, and I will after I ask the question, is it, 1332 01:24:50,720 --> 01:24:55,680 Hey, maybe is Cason Wallace like the best fifth best player options that just 1333 01:24:55,880 --> 01:25:00,119 let's throw Isaiah Joe with the home groun J Jubb Sga Dort combination and that 1334 01:25:00,279 --> 01:25:04,199 you're you're Because if we're all in agreement, that okay, Shay needs to 1335 01:25:04,239 --> 01:25:09,960 be on the court. Jay Dubb needs to be on the court. Chet 1336 01:25:09,960 --> 01:25:13,479 Holmgrin needs to be on the court. I would still say, when you're 1337 01:25:13,520 --> 01:25:15,800 talking about high leverage moments, I would still think Loue Dort falls into that 1338 01:25:15,840 --> 01:25:20,720 category of needs to be on the court and the thunder of winning the minutes 1339 01:25:20,800 --> 01:25:25,239 with those four on the court plus eight point seven. When Giddy's there, 1340 01:25:25,239 --> 01:25:29,000 it's plus six point two. When you throw in Isaiah Joe, do you 1341 01:25:29,039 --> 01:25:30,800 know, it's plus twenty one point eight. Of course they're not ready. 1342 01:25:30,840 --> 01:25:35,079 When you throw in Caseon Wallace, it's plus forty four plus forty three point 1343 01:25:35,159 --> 01:25:40,199 three. Now, the sample sizes on those are unbelievably small. But that's 1344 01:25:40,199 --> 01:25:43,399 just kind of where I'm thinking, And that's not so long as Giddy is 1345 01:25:43,439 --> 01:25:46,720 an active member of the team. I don't see them pulling back his role 1346 01:25:47,479 --> 01:25:49,960 because they need the information on well, what can he be? What can 1347 01:25:50,000 --> 01:25:54,159 we do? But that's just an obstacle where I feel like the Wolves don't 1348 01:25:54,159 --> 01:25:59,760 necessarily have that, even if they are a team that has less optionality on 1349 01:25:59,800 --> 01:26:03,600 their roster. Yeah, I just think, you know, if Giddy is 1350 01:26:03,640 --> 01:26:09,520 not gonna be a threatening catch and shoot guy, And if he's not gonna 1351 01:26:09,560 --> 01:26:13,239 be a half decent defensive player, then I'm not really sure, like how 1352 01:26:13,319 --> 01:26:16,640 much value he's adding to a team that clearly, you know, has at 1353 01:26:16,720 --> 01:26:20,880 least at least one probably two if you're counting Jalen Williams. And and god 1354 01:26:20,920 --> 01:26:24,359 knows what Chet Holmergan is going to be like as an on ball guy, 1355 01:26:24,720 --> 01:26:28,840 because already he's got more skills than someone his size should have as like a 1356 01:26:28,880 --> 01:26:31,319 individual attacker, you know, someone you can get the ball to on the 1357 01:26:31,359 --> 01:26:34,439 move and he can get to the hoop. Like, so you're you're looking 1358 01:26:34,439 --> 01:26:39,840 at a scenario where Giddy's maybe like the fourth, you know, the fourth 1359 01:26:39,920 --> 01:26:44,399 best option to be on the ball, Like maybe not this year, but 1360 01:26:44,560 --> 01:26:47,760 like you definitely want SGA to have it. I think Jalen Williams is has 1361 01:26:47,840 --> 01:26:50,199 value as an off ball guy, so like, yeah, I guess you'd 1362 01:26:50,239 --> 01:26:54,760 give it to Giddy over him, but like Williams is a much more threatening 1363 01:26:54,840 --> 01:26:58,600 driver, is just a more multi skilled offensive player. And then whatever Chet 1364 01:26:58,640 --> 01:27:02,359 be Like, so you know, Getty's still so young, but like you 1365 01:27:02,359 --> 01:27:04,760 know, the thunder are gonna have to make a decision fairly soon. I'm 1366 01:27:04,800 --> 01:27:08,039 like, well, is he part of the core or not. It kind 1367 01:27:08,039 --> 01:27:10,760 of like, I don't know, he'd have to get a lot better at 1368 01:27:10,800 --> 01:27:14,239 a couple things for me to think he made sense as like, we're gonna 1369 01:27:14,239 --> 01:27:17,560 pay this guy like a starting member of the Corps on his next deal because 1370 01:27:17,640 --> 01:27:21,800 the stuff that he does, while valuable, just like it doesn't it's it's 1371 01:27:21,840 --> 01:27:26,760 not as valuable to this team, in particular because they have guys that need 1372 01:27:26,800 --> 01:27:29,840 the ball and should have it and should be the guys you know, passing 1373 01:27:29,840 --> 01:27:32,399 teammates open in addition to scoring, and Getty's just is a weird fit. 1374 01:27:32,479 --> 01:27:35,159 I mean, he's kind of a weird fit anywhere, but he's especially a 1375 01:27:35,159 --> 01:27:40,760 weird fit on a team that has sga uh and just you know, has 1376 01:27:40,960 --> 01:27:44,159 has defenders, has you know, needs shooters, right, we just talked 1377 01:27:44,199 --> 01:27:45,640 about they need shooters, they need to shoot more threes. Getty's not gonna 1378 01:27:45,680 --> 01:27:48,920 help you do that. So it's just a weird fit. I do think 1379 01:27:48,960 --> 01:27:53,119 I wonder if it comes down to everyone's gonna frame it as it I think 1380 01:27:53,119 --> 01:27:58,159 a j dub or Josh Gidty conversation. I really just wonder long term, 1381 01:27:58,399 --> 01:28:02,640 is it a Lou Dort or Josh conversation when you're looking at just the complimentary 1382 01:28:02,640 --> 01:28:05,520 players and how they're gonna play off your two or three best players who are 1383 01:28:05,680 --> 01:28:09,119 I mean the three best players in the Thunder right now are Chet, J 1384 01:28:09,279 --> 01:28:13,840 Dubb and Jake Gibs, Alexander and Lou Dort because of what he does defensively 1385 01:28:13,880 --> 01:28:16,560 and also effect to be shooting forty three percent from me this season, is 1386 01:28:16,600 --> 01:28:20,880 the better complimentary player. And then I still just come back to and they 1387 01:28:20,880 --> 01:28:27,159 have not walked back from this. They just trust J Dubb to run the 1388 01:28:27,319 --> 01:28:30,760 non SGA units more than Giddy, And to me, that's great for Ja 1389 01:28:30,920 --> 01:28:34,479 Dubb as not great for the Giddy fit. And if I flip flopped on 1390 01:28:34,520 --> 01:28:38,520 Giddy, I wasn't high on him. He impressed me last season. I 1391 01:28:38,560 --> 01:28:41,479 recognize that he's still young and has the chance to get better. But it's 1392 01:28:41,560 --> 01:28:44,840 just an interesting conundrum to be in. And by the way, it gets 1393 01:28:44,920 --> 01:28:47,479 harder if you decide to get beef here, because if you want to play 1394 01:28:47,520 --> 01:28:51,239 Chet next to another big at any point, that's just gonna make unless that 1395 01:28:51,319 --> 01:28:55,680 big is Miles Turner or Brook Lopez, like, that's gonna get even harder 1396 01:28:55,720 --> 01:29:00,439 to sandwich in the Giddy minutes. Yeah, you're you're really Like I'm sure 1397 01:29:00,439 --> 01:29:04,079 there's a turn of phrase that encapsulates what I'm trying to say better than I'm 1398 01:29:04,119 --> 01:29:09,800 going to by speaking it out. But like if you just, if you 1399 01:29:09,920 --> 01:29:15,119 don't capitalize on Chet's ability to space and add another like you're just you're taking 1400 01:29:15,119 --> 01:29:17,479 away from one of your own biggest strengths if you have you know, if 1401 01:29:17,520 --> 01:29:21,720 Giddy is a part of like that unit and he still can't shoot, like 1402 01:29:21,720 --> 01:29:27,239 he's just he's a he's an interesting player. But I'm I mean the fat 1403 01:29:27,279 --> 01:29:32,520 Like I realized that I can't speak unbiasedly in an unbiased way on this topic. 1404 01:29:32,920 --> 01:29:38,000 Like there's no Jaylen Williams versus Josh Giddy question, Like the question has 1405 01:29:38,000 --> 01:29:41,840 been resolved right, Like there's no one that thinks Giddy is more important long 1406 01:29:41,920 --> 01:29:44,760 term to the team than Williams. Like if there are, I'd love to 1407 01:29:44,760 --> 01:29:46,359 hear the arguments, but like I I don't see it. I think the 1408 01:29:46,359 --> 01:29:50,159 fact that the thunder give like you said, give Williams the ball when SGA 1409 01:29:50,279 --> 01:29:53,840 is not on the floor, and they don't do that for Giddy, It's 1410 01:29:53,880 --> 01:29:57,880 like, well, we've the issue is settled, and j Dubb is still 1411 01:29:57,920 --> 01:30:01,600 played more minutes without both and Giddy. Think Giddy has played without both Shay 1412 01:30:01,640 --> 01:30:04,680 and j Dubb. And I think the bigger thing is you even can the 1413 01:30:04,720 --> 01:30:08,359 minutes, So forget about Jay Dubb. Maybe he's on the court for these 1414 01:30:08,399 --> 01:30:12,640 maybe he's not, But in the non Sha minutes, there's a pathway to 1415 01:30:13,279 --> 01:30:15,039 Oh, if Ja Dubb has the ball, Chet doesn't necessarily need to be 1416 01:30:15,079 --> 01:30:18,720 on the floor. If Giddy has the ball or Giddy is just on the 1417 01:30:18,720 --> 01:30:23,800 floor, Chet absolutely needs to be on the floor, right, Yeah, 1418 01:30:23,880 --> 01:30:26,359 that's true. Yeah, you have to make a bunch of concessions, like 1419 01:30:26,399 --> 01:30:30,319 lineup wise for Giddy if he's going to play a major role. So yeah, 1420 01:30:29,920 --> 01:30:33,199 I don't know those so yeah, OK. But to circle back, 1421 01:30:33,640 --> 01:30:38,680 I just think that means, Okay, see has more questions than the Wolves 1422 01:30:38,680 --> 01:30:40,840 do, at least short term. Like long term, I think we both 1423 01:30:40,880 --> 01:30:44,000 take a thunder. We believe in their you know, we want that long 1424 01:30:44,079 --> 01:30:46,279 term stock. But if you're like, who's gonna win the most playoff series 1425 01:30:46,319 --> 01:30:49,960 this year? I think I probably, I know, I definitely would pick 1426 01:30:50,159 --> 01:30:54,880 Minnesota. I just they have more veterans. The theory of the team makes 1427 01:30:54,920 --> 01:30:59,159 sense. I think they're both great, but I think the shorter term and 1428 01:31:00,239 --> 01:31:04,560 is very much operating on a shorter term timescale like the Wolves are are I 1429 01:31:04,560 --> 01:31:10,920 think pretty significantly in my mind ahead of the thunder, for like how far 1430 01:31:10,960 --> 01:31:20,680 they're going to advance this year. We're gonna do some guestsa players here before 1431 01:31:20,680 --> 01:31:26,439 we get before we vacate the podcast. You want me to start or do 1432 01:31:26,479 --> 01:31:28,680 you want to start? How do you want to do this? Let's see 1433 01:31:29,000 --> 01:31:30,319 you go ahead. I got to pull up at least one, and I 1434 01:31:30,319 --> 01:31:34,680 can do that while you're talking. Okay, So rubik Scal sent me a 1435 01:31:34,880 --> 01:31:39,520 bunch. I want to make sure that I have all of them here. 1436 01:31:40,119 --> 01:31:44,760 Okay, So all right, clue number one and shout out again to rubiks 1437 01:31:44,720 --> 01:31:47,680 Scal for sending these over. My entire NBA career comprised of a total of 1438 01:31:47,720 --> 01:31:53,079 two point five minutes of playing time. In one preseason game, I committed 1439 01:31:53,119 --> 01:31:57,159 one shooting foul and I made the only shot I ever attempted, a twenty 1440 01:31:57,199 --> 01:32:04,039 foot baseline jumper. My entire NBA career was a pre two minutes in a 1441 01:32:04,039 --> 01:32:09,119 preseason game. Correct, you're not gonna believe I don't have a guess yet. 1442 01:32:09,359 --> 01:32:13,159 Clue number two. My NBA career happened because the studio wanted footage of 1443 01:32:13,199 --> 01:32:16,000 me playing in the NBA for my upcoming show. I signed a two day 1444 01:32:16,039 --> 01:32:20,760 contract with the Sixers so I could play in this preseason game, and I 1445 01:32:20,840 --> 01:32:27,560 retired immediately after. Oh, I was gonna say Mark Curry, but that's 1446 01:32:27,600 --> 01:32:30,359 not right. That's not a Sixers thing. Clu three. I was drafted 1447 01:32:30,399 --> 01:32:34,640 fourth overall in nineteen seventy two, and I had six eight hundred and thirty 1448 01:32:34,680 --> 01:32:39,720 one receiving yards on four hundred and ninety five career receptions. Wait, what 1449 01:32:39,720 --> 01:32:44,159 what sport are we talking about? So he was drafted fourth overall in nineteen 1450 01:32:44,239 --> 01:32:50,960 seventy two. Yes, okay, I'm clue number four. I'm a four 1451 01:32:51,000 --> 01:32:55,439 time Pro bowler from nineteen seventy eight to nineteen eighty one, and I was 1452 01:32:55,520 --> 01:32:59,640 part of two of the greatest football moments of the decade, the Miracle at 1453 01:32:59,640 --> 01:33:02,479 the met where I caught a forty six yard hail Mary pass one handed on 1454 01:33:02,520 --> 01:33:05,720 the last play of the game in nineteen eighty and the ninety eight yard play 1455 01:33:05,760 --> 01:33:11,359 from scrimmage in nineteen seventy two, a record for the longest play that didn't 1456 01:33:11,359 --> 01:33:17,199 score a touchdown. I you know, my NFL knowledge is solid, but 1457 01:33:17,279 --> 01:33:20,800 I'm not so hot on the seventies. You're gonna get You're gonna get it 1458 01:33:20,840 --> 01:33:25,800 after this, I hope. So fifth and final clue I host. I 1459 01:33:25,880 --> 01:33:30,319 host the show for sixteen years, first on NBC, then on ABC. 1460 01:33:30,680 --> 01:33:33,359 In twenty thirteen, the show was resurrected with Grant Hill and Kristin Medlow. 1461 01:33:33,840 --> 01:33:41,159 This is a mohot correct. I did not know that he got a A. 1462 01:33:41,479 --> 01:33:43,520 I don't know if you could even call it a cup of coffee in 1463 01:33:43,520 --> 01:33:46,880 the NBA. But okay, Ruby Scale remains undefeated, just with the knowledge 1464 01:33:46,920 --> 01:33:53,119 of everything encyclopedic. Okay, So I have one from Rubik scal Can. 1465 01:33:53,159 --> 01:33:57,600 I interject with it. It's very specifically for you. So I'm gonna have 1466 01:33:57,640 --> 01:34:00,079 to think back to articles I wrote and like, you know what, I 1467 01:34:00,079 --> 01:34:03,159 feel like that's a misleading comment. But that was the genesis of this, 1468 01:34:04,239 --> 01:34:13,239 all right. So that is someone I have not thought about for at least 1469 01:34:13,520 --> 01:34:15,279 eighteen weeks. Were actually talked about him in discord the other day, which 1470 01:34:15,279 --> 01:34:19,279 is why I yelled at A. I like the tall point guards, you 1471 01:34:19,279 --> 01:34:25,119 know, I think I think that's that's a player type I'm into. Okay, 1472 01:34:25,560 --> 01:34:29,439 So this is a guess the player again from Rubik scale shout out. 1473 01:34:30,560 --> 01:34:33,960 But it's semi colon. What did I just say? So you're gonna have 1474 01:34:33,960 --> 01:34:38,600 to guess this player based on their quotes only Holy shit? All right, 1475 01:34:38,640 --> 01:34:42,359 let's do this, all right. Clue one about his new plant based diet 1476 01:34:42,720 --> 01:34:46,479 quote, steak doesn't come from anything natural. God damn it. Okay, 1477 01:34:46,520 --> 01:34:49,319 can I read the rest of the questions, the rest of them? Still, 1478 01:34:50,279 --> 01:34:53,159 that's correct? Good job by you? Did you? Did you? 1479 01:34:53,279 --> 01:34:57,800 I don't remember that that quote. I vaguely remember it. He's one of 1480 01:34:57,800 --> 01:35:00,439 the people that want was vegan and wanted you to to know it. Okay, 1481 01:35:00,920 --> 01:35:03,600 after a nine I just these are these are fun. So I'm gonna 1482 01:35:03,640 --> 01:35:08,239 go through nothing against vegans. By the way, each their own after a 1483 01:35:08,319 --> 01:35:11,640 nine point performance in a playoff game. Quote, I'm an actual genius when 1484 01:35:11,680 --> 01:35:15,720 it comes to this game. It's great. Had a Thanksgiving charity meal in 1485 01:35:15,760 --> 01:35:19,600 twenty seventeen, when asked about having a platform as an elite basketball player. 1486 01:35:19,840 --> 01:35:25,239 Quote, I see you. I see everyone more than just your physical presence. 1487 01:35:25,239 --> 01:35:31,119 I see your energy. I feel it, I know it. Okay, 1488 01:35:32,000 --> 01:35:36,520 cool. You could you can training. I'm gonna I'm gonna change change 1489 01:35:36,520 --> 01:35:40,079 it up a little bit. Uh. Following a loss to the Knicks, 1490 01:35:40,079 --> 01:35:46,039 when a reporter wished him happy Thanksgiving, what did Kyrie say to celebrate Thanksgiving 1491 01:35:46,119 --> 01:35:50,560 or some shit like? Basically he said, fuck Thanksgiving? Yeah? I 1492 01:35:50,600 --> 01:35:56,159 respect that quote? Oh man? Uh? Do you want a couple more 1493 01:35:56,439 --> 01:35:59,960 these? I just like so I have another one from Rubik's gal. Okay, 1494 01:36:00,079 --> 01:36:01,680 no, I got a couple more Kyrie quotes. Let me see REQUI 1495 01:36:02,560 --> 01:36:10,520 if any of them top the Umm, that's okay, okay, just just 1496 01:36:10,640 --> 01:36:14,760 another Like, Kyrie is the type of person that would would tell you over 1497 01:36:14,800 --> 01:36:16,880 and over how he like doesn't own a TV, you know, something like 1498 01:36:16,920 --> 01:36:19,600 that, or like I'm not on social I mean, I like to say 1499 01:36:19,600 --> 01:36:21,840 I'm not on social media, so I can't complain. When asked what he 1500 01:36:21,880 --> 01:36:26,760 felt about playing in the upcoming Christmas game, quote, I don't really necessarily 1501 01:36:26,800 --> 01:36:29,479 think of Christmas as a holiday, so I'm just happy I get to be 1502 01:36:29,560 --> 01:36:33,199 with my family, so looking forward to opening presents in that whole thing. 1503 01:36:33,800 --> 01:36:36,520 But I don't think Christmas is a holiday. I just want to open presents 1504 01:36:36,560 --> 01:36:40,600 with my family, like on a morning, like under a tree hypothetically. 1505 01:36:40,960 --> 01:36:45,760 Oh that dude, man, all right, that's it. So I'm gonna 1506 01:36:45,800 --> 01:36:47,439 do it like this. I'm just gonna keep reading through the clues, and 1507 01:36:47,479 --> 01:36:50,720 you can interject when you have a guest. If you need clarification, just 1508 01:36:50,720 --> 01:36:56,079 interject, Okay. Clue number one. When someone came up during the two 1509 01:36:56,079 --> 01:37:00,000 thousand and six draft and told I was next to be told me I was 1510 01:37:00,000 --> 01:37:02,479 next to be picked, I thought he made a mistake. And then they 1511 01:37:02,479 --> 01:37:05,520 told me that I was being picked thirteenth and being traded to the Bulls, 1512 01:37:05,720 --> 01:37:09,920 and I was sure somebody was going to get fired for mistaking me for someone 1513 01:37:09,960 --> 01:37:15,920 else. Thirteenth traded to the Bulls in six. Clue two. When I 1514 01:37:16,000 --> 01:37:18,079 entered the league, I was a French League All Star, and I had 1515 01:37:18,079 --> 01:37:21,520 a massive wingspan, a love for playing defense, and very quick hands. 1516 01:37:21,920 --> 01:37:26,399 I'll pause anyway, because that's how it has to work. French League All 1517 01:37:26,439 --> 01:37:30,560 Star. Okay, go ahead. Clue three. Well, I didn't crack 1518 01:37:30,600 --> 01:37:33,439 the Bulls roster because the head coach who drafted me got fired in my sophomore 1519 01:37:33,479 --> 01:37:36,880 season. I told you someone's gonna get fired. I really came into my 1520 01:37:36,920 --> 01:37:46,359 own at my next stop with the OKC Thunder. Uh Dabo Cephalosha correct got 1521 01:37:46,359 --> 01:37:48,720 it on clue three, and there were seven clues you would have gotten on 1522 01:37:49,520 --> 01:37:53,920 is any Swedish or something? I didn't think it was well inclue number four 1523 01:37:54,039 --> 01:37:56,960 was I am fluent in multiple languages, which is partly because I grew up 1524 01:37:56,960 --> 01:37:59,880 in Switzerland. I'm the first Swiss player to be featured in the NBA. 1525 01:38:00,199 --> 01:38:04,560 How can I an unrelated stat patting question? How stupid am I that? 1526 01:38:04,920 --> 01:38:10,439 All my life? I have confused Sweden and Switzerland they're not near each other. 1527 01:38:10,600 --> 01:38:13,840 But like, I just did it right now, and I'm sorry, 1528 01:38:14,239 --> 01:38:17,680 sorry, I'm just gonna be open about it. Typical American just so sheltered 1529 01:38:17,720 --> 01:38:23,039 when it comes to geography. Yeah, it's embarrassing. Uh she So. 1530 01:38:23,119 --> 01:38:27,840 Rubisk also had said when with the answer, did you know that in cephalosious 1531 01:38:27,880 --> 01:38:30,920 time with Okac there was a total of one game that he did not start 1532 01:38:30,000 --> 01:38:33,439 and that was the first game after the trade from the Bulls. Six seasons, 1533 01:38:33,680 --> 01:38:36,800 three hundred and sixty eight appearances, three hundred and sixty seven starts for 1534 01:38:36,840 --> 01:38:42,000 the Thunder. That's pretty wild that guy could guard man. That was like 1535 01:38:42,520 --> 01:38:45,680 he belongs on the modern Orlando Magic. He could really guard ones and twos 1536 01:38:45,680 --> 01:38:49,439 and some threes, but he couldn't shoot at all. Random trivia question for 1537 01:38:49,600 --> 01:38:55,199 Grant from Ruby scal Boy. This is the first season in a decade or 1538 01:38:55,239 --> 01:38:58,960 so that Steph Curry's plus minus stats are in the red. Ignore the tanky 1539 01:38:59,039 --> 01:39:00,600 or when he broke his hand. We've talked about that on this podcast. 1540 01:39:00,920 --> 01:39:06,600 Can you name every Warrior minimum ten games played who has a better plus minus 1541 01:39:06,640 --> 01:39:13,000 than Steph Curry this season? Oh uh, we did talk about some of 1542 01:39:13,039 --> 01:39:15,640 this. Gosh, these have probably changed. Well, Chris Paul, I'll 1543 01:39:15,640 --> 01:39:20,159 bring up I'll bring up the current ones, just to hold you accountable to 1544 01:39:20,199 --> 01:39:24,600 that. I'm not gonna look so this is this year guys that have a 1545 01:39:24,640 --> 01:39:28,720 better on off than Steph. Yes, and I'll do well. I'll do 1546 01:39:28,760 --> 01:39:31,680 it by We'll do it by total, so rather than like per game or 1547 01:39:31,720 --> 01:39:39,039 whatever. Okay, Chris Paul, correct, that is one of I'll tell 1548 01:39:39,039 --> 01:39:41,800 you how many there are? Oh my god, five or six? When 1549 01:39:41,840 --> 01:39:46,039 I looked a few weeks ago or days ago, you know, it's it 1550 01:39:46,520 --> 01:39:53,159 might have doubled everyone. Can I say everyone on the team eleven players have 1551 01:39:53,199 --> 01:39:56,359 a better plus minus than Stephan the Warriors right now. So you're asking me 1552 01:39:56,439 --> 01:40:00,439 to name the entire Warriors roster basically what I think it will miss. I 1553 01:40:00,479 --> 01:40:04,159 think there's there's a method to this that would make you get it. I'm 1554 01:40:04,239 --> 01:40:08,239 curious if you if you follow it. So you're one of one, Chris 1555 01:40:08,239 --> 01:40:13,680 Paul and there's eleven. There's eleven, all right? Uh, Brandon Pajemski, 1556 01:40:13,760 --> 01:40:17,359 that's one move to uh trace Jackson Davis three of three and you just 1557 01:40:17,479 --> 01:40:23,000 named the top three players in plus minus all the Warriors. Uh, let's 1558 01:40:23,039 --> 01:40:25,880 see. I'd like to get him in order if I could, that would 1559 01:40:25,880 --> 01:40:28,920 be impressive. Well, you're already out of orders, so don't worry about 1560 01:40:29,039 --> 01:40:33,279 one. Two. Dario Sarich that's four four four and he's fourth. Moses 1561 01:40:33,319 --> 01:40:40,520 Moody you're five of five, he's sixth. Uh hm, he's seventh. 1562 01:40:40,560 --> 01:40:45,239 Actually sorry, Jonathan Kaminga, you're six of six and he is sixth. 1563 01:40:45,479 --> 01:40:49,520 GP two seven of seven and he is fifth. So you have the top 1564 01:40:49,560 --> 01:40:54,960 seven guys and plus minus. Uh. I mean like there's only so Really 1565 01:40:55,039 --> 01:41:00,000 the question should be who who is in the naked who's worse than him? 1566 01:41:00,119 --> 01:41:05,319 And I'm gonna say Wiggins is worse. Okay, that's congratulations to you. 1567 01:41:05,439 --> 01:41:09,960 That's not this game. A man. Then I'm just naming warriors. I 1568 01:41:09,960 --> 01:41:12,239 can just keep firing them off. I think I can name. I should 1569 01:41:12,239 --> 01:41:15,399 be able to name the whole roster. You're not going to. I'm not 1570 01:41:15,520 --> 01:41:18,640 going to just because of I mean, try it. Go ahead, Lester 1571 01:41:18,720 --> 01:41:25,319 kenyone is okay? Eight of eight? Gie Santos nine of nine? What 1572 01:41:25,359 --> 01:41:29,720 do you want to do here? Jerome Robinson ten of ten? One more? 1573 01:41:30,439 --> 01:41:41,119 Ooh, so which starter is it? I've already like lost the threat 1574 01:41:41,119 --> 01:41:45,119 of who I so we got leftover? We have? These are not my 1575 01:41:45,119 --> 01:41:51,119 guesses. Clay Wiggins, Draymond Looney? Am I forgetting somebody? Corey Joseph? 1576 01:41:51,359 --> 01:41:57,079 Did I say Corey Joseph? You did? Okay, I'll just say 1577 01:41:58,159 --> 01:42:06,239 I'll say Draymond. No, it's Jerome Robinson. I said that even minutes 1578 01:42:06,600 --> 01:42:11,039 you did? Yeah? Oh, then you didn't say Corey Joseph. Okay, 1579 01:42:11,439 --> 01:42:15,239 you got Joseph, you got it. You're basically like the system was. 1580 01:42:15,560 --> 01:42:18,960 Who hasn't spent aside from Paul, a lot of time in the starting 1581 01:42:19,000 --> 01:42:24,960 five? Yeah? God, what an upside down? Yere horrible. I 1582 01:42:25,079 --> 01:42:28,560 don't think I was gonna get Gee Santos and Lester Kan did you once you 1583 01:42:28,600 --> 01:42:30,720 got those who I was like, Oh, it's it's over. He's gonna 1584 01:42:30,760 --> 01:42:32,720 he's gonna get it. I don't know much. I don't know the difference 1585 01:42:32,720 --> 01:42:38,239 between Switzerland and Sweden, but I know the Warriors two way players and that 1586 01:42:38,279 --> 01:42:43,119 they've been better than Steph on off. Did you have any guess of players 1587 01:42:43,159 --> 01:42:45,600 for me left? Because I have a couple left for you. I don't 1588 01:42:45,640 --> 01:42:50,439 haven't, no, no, I don't. All right, So question for 1589 01:42:50,520 --> 01:42:59,039 Grant? Why do you hate Madonna? Why do I hate Madonna? Do 1590 01:42:59,159 --> 01:43:04,760 I hate Madonna? Madonna's overrated? I guess I don't know. My ears 1591 01:43:04,760 --> 01:43:09,840 are burning again? Is there like an actual answer I'm supposed to arrive at? 1592 01:43:09,920 --> 01:43:13,000 Or is this just an open How long? So let me just think 1593 01:43:13,000 --> 01:43:16,920 of something else? Really okay? Which movie did a better job of exploring 1594 01:43:16,960 --> 01:43:23,520 the emotional depth of the subject matter? Lion King or Coco? Oh? 1595 01:43:23,560 --> 01:43:26,720 Well, those are the top two. I think they were in the finals 1596 01:43:26,720 --> 01:43:31,479 of a Disney bracket. Which which emotion? What are you trying to get 1597 01:43:31,479 --> 01:43:35,720 me to? This movie was did a better job of encapsulating the emotional depth 1598 01:43:36,199 --> 01:43:42,880 of the subject matter. Of the subject matter, I feel like you're speaking 1599 01:43:42,920 --> 01:43:46,279 to me in a code that I don't understand. Okay, why did Disney 1600 01:43:46,399 --> 01:43:54,279 during The Lion King not do a better job of addressing how Mufasso was a 1601 01:43:54,319 --> 01:44:01,640 polygamist? Why did it not do a better job? I don't know. 1602 01:44:03,359 --> 01:44:09,560 This is so confusing. Okay, I'm gonna tell you why this is dumb. 1603 01:44:11,479 --> 01:44:14,560 Yeah, here, here's why that's dumb. Yeah, I'm supposed to 1604 01:44:14,600 --> 01:44:19,199 say I listened to an episode dumb. Yeah. Oh, I'm so sorry 1605 01:44:19,279 --> 01:44:23,119 you had to do that. I enjoyed it. Uh, And I've never 1606 01:44:23,159 --> 01:44:26,399 seen Coco, but now I want to see Coco. You were you were 1607 01:44:26,439 --> 01:44:30,560 shipping all over Madonna though, and I was like you, uh yes. 1608 01:44:31,000 --> 01:44:34,159 I mean you should know from this part that I don't remember most of what 1609 01:44:34,199 --> 01:44:38,840 I say, but I shooting on Madonna is definitely something I would have done. 1610 01:44:40,239 --> 01:44:45,640 I can't remember why. You were just like, she feels overrated was 1611 01:44:45,640 --> 01:44:50,359 basically your day? So I did remember why? So I have two actual 1612 01:44:50,399 --> 01:44:53,560 questions from I just want to see if you could catch on to so. 1613 01:44:53,640 --> 01:44:56,720 Not until I said the name of it, did you realize Well no, 1614 01:44:56,800 --> 01:45:00,000 I mean, I understand this is so off base that I that I I 1615 01:45:00,039 --> 01:45:02,640 figured that was what we were talking about, but I didn't know what the 1616 01:45:02,800 --> 01:45:06,880 what the expected answer was supposed to be. Well, I have two questions 1617 01:45:06,880 --> 01:45:11,000 for you, actually, Okay. One comes from this is a guess A 1618 01:45:11,000 --> 01:45:14,399 player from Rome eighty one to eighty Okay. Clue number one. I was 1619 01:45:14,479 --> 01:45:17,239 drafted in the lottery in the two thousand and two draft after my junior year 1620 01:45:17,279 --> 01:45:21,680 in college. I don't think you're going to get it off that. Two. 1621 01:45:23,079 --> 01:45:25,520 I was drafted by a Western Conference team, where I remained for my 1622 01:45:25,560 --> 01:45:29,800 first five seasons before being traded to the Eastern Conference. From then on, 1623 01:45:29,920 --> 01:45:32,199 I only played for teams in the Eastern Conference. Okay, I'm not going 1624 01:45:32,199 --> 01:45:34,760 to help me there. Clue three. I was a solid defender, but 1625 01:45:34,800 --> 01:45:38,600 I was best known for my three point shooting, shooting over thirty percent on 1626 01:45:38,680 --> 01:45:43,439 decent volume for seven straight seasons in the second half of my career shooting what 1627 01:45:43,560 --> 01:45:48,439 percent, thirty eight percent and went from west to East. Yeah. O 1628 01:45:48,600 --> 01:45:53,960 two is this Mike Dunlevy, Mike Dunleavy junior. Correct, got it? 1629 01:45:53,960 --> 01:45:57,600 He gave eight clues and you got it in three. That's good shit. 1630 01:45:58,600 --> 01:46:00,439 You would have gotten it I think by I am the son of a player 1631 01:46:00,560 --> 01:46:05,079 slash coach slash GM. That is so weird that that was the player in 1632 01:46:05,119 --> 01:46:10,399 a guess a player, and I have Mike Dunlevy in a stat padding question 1633 01:46:10,520 --> 01:46:15,760 for you. That's crazy. Okay, final one from be Rich Underscore at 1634 01:46:15,039 --> 01:46:18,520 X number one where you start. Let me just try to get into the 1635 01:46:18,560 --> 01:46:23,199 mind of a psychopath. Okay, now, I'm ready, Go ahead, 1636 01:46:24,479 --> 01:46:27,720 coul One. I started my professional career in Italy in two thousand and one 1637 01:46:27,720 --> 01:46:30,960 at age seventeen, Drafted in the late first round in two thousand and four, 1638 01:46:30,000 --> 01:46:33,760 I went on to set that franchise is single season record for best three 1639 01:46:33,760 --> 01:46:39,439 point field goal percentage of forty three point seven percent in the seven to eight 1640 01:46:39,479 --> 01:46:46,880 season Italy is this andres NOCCIONI No, I like that guess though, clue 1641 01:46:46,920 --> 01:46:51,520 too. I was arguably instrumental to helping that franchise win two titles in six 1642 01:46:51,560 --> 01:46:56,840 seasons before being traded to the Nets during the twenty ten twenty eleven season. 1643 01:46:58,920 --> 01:47:00,439 Okay, hold on, I gain, you gotta read me the first two 1644 01:47:00,479 --> 01:47:04,199 again because I'm annoyed that I don't have this yet, So reread the two 1645 01:47:04,239 --> 01:47:08,720 clues. I just broad. He was played in Italy as a seventeen year 1646 01:47:08,760 --> 01:47:12,640 old. Professionally, I started my professional career in Italy in twenty and one, 1647 01:47:12,640 --> 01:47:15,880 and age seventeen, I was drafted late in the first round in two 1648 01:47:15,880 --> 01:47:20,000 thousand and four. I went on to set the franchise that drafted me's single 1649 01:47:20,039 --> 01:47:25,399 season record for best three point field goal percentage forty three point seven during the 1650 01:47:25,680 --> 01:47:28,840 seven to eight season. That was Clue number one. Okay, thank you. 1651 01:47:29,520 --> 01:47:32,800 I was arguably instrumental to helping that franchise win two titles in six seasons, 1652 01:47:32,960 --> 01:47:36,039 before being traded to the Nets during the two ten twenty eleven season. 1653 01:47:38,359 --> 01:47:41,479 God this, I mean two titles in six seasons to just give it dead 1654 01:47:41,520 --> 01:47:45,720 away in like those Okay, go ahead. In July twenty eleven, this 1655 01:47:45,760 --> 01:47:48,960 is Clue three. I moved back to Europe, playing two seasons in Turkey. 1656 01:47:49,439 --> 01:47:54,399 I then signed on a ten day with the Clippers in twenty fourteen. 1657 01:47:54,960 --> 01:47:59,560 After unsurprisingly failing to make an impact, I retreated back to Europe, bouncing 1658 01:47:59,560 --> 01:48:02,319 around in Italy, Spain, and Turkey over the course of one season. 1659 01:48:02,760 --> 01:48:08,119 I then made my triumphant return to the NBA, joining the Knicks for the 1660 01:48:08,159 --> 01:48:12,800 twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen, and twenty sixteen twenty seventeen seasons where I started 1661 01:48:12,800 --> 01:48:16,520 twenty nine games and had an atrocious net rating. Is this Pablo Prigioni, 1662 01:48:17,159 --> 01:48:23,399 No shame on you, name on me. He's Italian. He was on 1663 01:48:23,439 --> 01:48:29,239 the Knicks around that time. Clue four. Never across ten seasons in the 1664 01:48:29,319 --> 01:48:31,800 NBA did I average even ten points per game for a season. I never 1665 01:48:31,840 --> 01:48:36,640 averaged four rebounds nor three assists. My career affective field goal percentage was forty 1666 01:48:36,640 --> 01:48:43,720 eight point seven. And this guy set a franchise record for three point percentage 1667 01:48:44,359 --> 01:48:48,920 in seven eight Oh my god, and won two titles with that team. 1668 01:48:49,079 --> 01:48:53,600 I should just know it from the titles like who the hell was winning titles 1669 01:48:53,600 --> 01:48:59,840 in the middle. I think you'll get it on this fifth and final clue 1670 01:49:00,359 --> 01:49:02,319 and the final one. I was better known for wearing an ugly hair band, 1671 01:49:02,520 --> 01:49:06,279 as well as dating and getting engaged to Maria Sharapova in twenty eleven. 1672 01:49:06,640 --> 01:49:10,039 Well, there's no evidence of this. I was likely even cause of her 1673 01:49:10,079 --> 01:49:15,560 multiple anti doping violations. This is Marco Yarrich, right, This is absolutely 1674 01:49:15,600 --> 01:49:17,880 not Marco Yarich. Wait, Marco Yarich, who did Oh, he's a 1675 01:49:18,600 --> 01:49:24,800 he's got another he's got a supermodel girlfriend, Maria Sharapova. She's not a 1676 01:49:24,840 --> 01:49:29,840 supermodel. That's a tennis player Italian. I don't think I know who this 1677 01:49:30,039 --> 01:49:31,359 is. Can you tell me the team he won the titles with? Or 1678 01:49:31,399 --> 01:49:33,760 is that too easy? I think it'll be too easy, But I will 1679 01:49:33,760 --> 01:49:36,720 tell you rather than do Oh, I should give you clues. Let me 1680 01:49:38,159 --> 01:49:43,239 get he I all, so I'm talking as the player. Okay. I 1681 01:49:43,399 --> 01:49:46,239 always looked like I purposely had two days stubble on my face. Oh I 1682 01:49:46,279 --> 01:49:50,920 know, God, damn it, this is Sasha Vuyashitch. Nice job, 1683 01:49:51,119 --> 01:49:55,479 You're welcome. It was my clue that did it right? Well, I 1684 01:49:55,479 --> 01:49:58,119 should have got there. I really should have got there. Yeah, the 1685 01:49:58,319 --> 01:50:02,600 last clue was a dad giveaway. I thought the thing, Yeah, I 1686 01:50:02,720 --> 01:50:06,520 picked the wrong Like, how did he pull that? I picked the wrong 1687 01:50:06,560 --> 01:50:12,760 guy for that? Okay, what's the name of Marco Yarich's maybe wife? 1688 01:50:13,479 --> 01:50:16,520 Is it? It's like, uh, some this is a supermodel for sure. 1689 01:50:16,560 --> 01:50:20,600 It's not like it might be like Adriana Lima or like something like that. 1690 01:50:21,039 --> 01:50:25,439 I don't know. Good thing we don't have the internet. Well, 1691 01:50:25,479 --> 01:50:28,560 I have some stat padding for you. All right, we'll hit me, 1692 01:50:28,800 --> 01:50:30,319 hit me with the stat padding stuff some of that. By the way, 1693 01:50:30,359 --> 01:50:35,720 Adriana Lima is Marco Yarich's wife. That is correct. There are still Nope, 1694 01:50:35,760 --> 01:50:40,960 they only made it five years ended in twenty sixteen. I don't believe 1695 01:50:41,000 --> 01:50:44,800 in love any rip to that relationship. All right, quick fire? Dan 1696 01:50:45,239 --> 01:50:47,279 who had more and ones in twenty two to twenty three? This is last 1697 01:50:47,359 --> 01:50:53,840 year? Joel Embiid or Nicola Jokic Nicole Okch That is incorrect. Joel Embiid 1698 01:50:53,920 --> 01:51:00,119 had eleven more. John Morant or Diaron Fox, Diaron Fox incorrect? Ex 1699 01:51:00,239 --> 01:51:04,720 John Ran had it more and ones. Alprin Shangun last year or Benedict Matherin 1700 01:51:04,840 --> 01:51:13,640 last year? Ooh, I'm going to say Alprin Shangun m over three, 1701 01:51:13,760 --> 01:51:17,359 Matherin had ten more. Jimmy Butler or Julius Randall more and one's last night. 1702 01:51:17,520 --> 01:51:26,399 Randall correctly smoked him by twenty. Luka Dancic or Janis ooh, Yannis 1703 01:51:26,720 --> 01:51:30,880 Yannis by a lot had ninety eight to Lucas seventy four. Okay, so 1704 01:51:30,960 --> 01:51:33,800 we'll continue all this on the next pod that will go up on Monday. 1705 01:51:34,119 --> 01:51:36,560 Lots more stat padding stuff to get to do you want to take us out 1706 01:51:36,560 --> 01:51:40,920 of here in the meantime, happy to thank you everyone that made it through 1707 01:51:41,039 --> 01:51:43,399 this episode with us. I hope you're looking forward to the next one as 1708 01:51:43,479 --> 01:51:46,399 much as we are. More stat padding, all that good stuff. As 1709 01:51:46,479 --> 01:51:49,399 Dan mentioned at the top, and as you should know by now, we 1710 01:51:49,399 --> 01:51:53,560 shouldn't have to keep doing this, but you know, it's like a ritual 1711 01:51:54,239 --> 01:51:57,760 rate review. Subscribe wherever you get your podcast, leave us you know, 1712 01:51:57,880 --> 01:52:01,159 positive reviews, five stars, Apple, Spotify, wherever you know. I 1713 01:52:01,199 --> 01:52:04,279 don't know what else is out there. However, you're listening to this or 1714 01:52:04,279 --> 01:52:08,760 if you're watching it on YouTube, make sure that you are in the loop 1715 01:52:08,760 --> 01:52:13,119 by subscribing by following on the socials as well at Hardwood Knocks on Twitter and 1716 01:52:13,199 --> 01:52:18,319 TikTok Hardwood Underscore Knocks on Instagram. If you're interested in merch or in how 1717 01:52:18,319 --> 01:52:23,159 to join our discord, the links for that are in the YouTube and podcast 1718 01:52:23,199 --> 01:52:27,159 descriptions. I think I have covered it other than telling you that you need 1719 01:52:27,199 --> 01:52:31,000 to remind your friends, remind your enemies to get on board to participate. 1720 01:52:31,560 --> 01:52:35,560 Clearly, we're using a lot of suggestions from listeners from discord so that's a 1721 01:52:35,560 --> 01:52:41,000 cool thing. You can get your questions or try to stump us as often 1722 01:52:41,039 --> 01:52:45,079 as you like. We've gone some good content that way, so as always, 1723 01:52:45,279 --> 01:52:46,880 thanks again. We close with the shout out to the one only Frank 1724 01:52:46,880 --> 01:52:49,319 Mila Kina and an apology to Jared out