WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.359 But our next guest joins us on a very consistent 2 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:04.559 basis with a lot to get to. On a Monday afternoon, 3 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:07.120 we welcome in Tom Haberstrow. Tommy, Happy Monday man. How 4 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:09.439 are we doing. I'm doing great man. 5 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:10.000 How are you? 6 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:11.119 I'm well? I'm well. 7 00:00:11.199 --> 00:00:15.199 So some unexpected news dropped in our market today is 8 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:17.760 the Utah Jazz and Will Hardy have agreed to a 9 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:21.960 multi year contract extension through twenty thirty one. Now, as 10 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.079 you know, when they signed Will in twenty twenty two, 11 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:27.879 it was a five year deal, three guaranteed years, then 12 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:30.359 two team options. They had already picked up both of 13 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:34.359 those options, so prior to today he was under contract through 14 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:38.320 twenty twenty five. Now he's under contract through twenty thirty one. Tommy, 15 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:40.840 he gets a nine year runway. This doesn't happen often. 16 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:42.280 What are your thoughts. 17 00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:46.280 I think it's a great indication of the trust between 18 00:00:46.280 --> 00:00:50.799 the front office and Hardy. Despite the record seventeen and 19 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:54.799 sixty five, you get a six year extension basically through 20 00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:58.439 twenty thirty one, after having the worst record in the NBA. 21 00:00:58.520 --> 00:01:01.600 This is very clear that everyone's on the same page 22 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:03.640 of what this is all about. Right, They all know 23 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:07.000 what time it is is that Hardy, given the personnel 24 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:10.480 and the objective, which is very clear, you don't extend 25 00:01:10.519 --> 00:01:12.799 the head coach for having the worst record in the 26 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:15.359 league unless that is the goal, or at least that 27 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:20.200 is part of the plan. And Hardy has had to 28 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:24.239 deal with a lot of in and out players, differing 29 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:27.920 incentive structures where you would think that a guy with 30 00:01:28.599 --> 00:01:32.680 not just this year, but last year going thirty one 31 00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:34.680 and fifty one, the year before that thirty seven to 32 00:01:34.760 --> 00:01:40.519 forty five. The Utah Jazz win count has gone down 33 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:43.200 in each of the three years that Will Hardy has coached. 34 00:01:43.959 --> 00:01:46.760 But that's kind of all part of the plan, and they, 35 00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:51.280 I think have the right process and they are sticking 36 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:53.719 by him in the same way that the Portland Trailblazers 37 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:56.480 did the same thing with Chauncey Billips this offseason, and 38 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:01.280 these organizations are I think, look looking after what Mark 39 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:06.040 Deagnel and Emo Udoka did with Houston and saying, you 40 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:09.680 know what, I think we should stick by our coach 41 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:14.080 if he is demonstrating that he's about all the right 42 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:17.759 things and getting the guys ready and all about development 43 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:21.080 long term. We're not just going to let this guy go. 44 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:23.639 Once things start getting good, we're going to stick by 45 00:02:23.639 --> 00:02:26.639 them and let them see through this. And I think 46 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:28.800 it's a new day in the NBA where you're seeing 47 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:32.199 guys get that opportunity. And on the other side, Will 48 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:38.360 Hardy is in a profession in which Michael Malone and 49 00:02:38.439 --> 00:02:42.360 Taylor Jenkins get fired days before the postseason. So it's 50 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:46.639 a very unusual coaching market right now, and I think 51 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:50.800 it's an indication, it's a testament to Will Hardy and 52 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:53.919 his professionalism that he was able to see this through 53 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:56.280 enough to get to the other side. And that's really 54 00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:58.199 exciting if you're Will Hardy, And I want. 55 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:02.080 To be very clear, in a profession where you are 56 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:05.879 essentially hired to be fired, when an ownership group in 57 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:08.919 a front office offers you this opportunity, you do not 58 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:12.680 turn it down. But Tom, I've been talking about this 59 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:15.960 throughout the course of the past month or so. You know, 60 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.080 when the playoffs roll around, you're always reminded about how 61 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:24.680 many cities and how many organizations have had sometimes decades 62 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:29.560 of futility and very long stretches in between competitive teams. 63 00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:31.599 We've never had that here. We just haven't. 64 00:03:31.639 --> 00:03:34.759 We've had two and three years of a Scott Layden 65 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:38.080 pivot or a Dennis Lindsay or a Kevin O'Connor pivot, 66 00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:41.400 and a Dennis lindsay pivot, and pretty quickly had been able. 67 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:43.280 To get back to respectability and competitiveness. 68 00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:46.919 And I do not think we are close here now 69 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:49.039 to seeing that happen anytime soon. 70 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:53.159 So is there a part of this where Will Hardy. 71 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:55.439 Is taking a little bit of a risk Because from 72 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:59.479 my prism, Will checks all the boxes. He's a great communicator, 73 00:03:59.560 --> 00:04:02.199 his players seem to like him. He has maximized every 74 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:05.360 piece of talent he's had here, and I badly want 75 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:08.439 to see what an NBA team with good players looks 76 00:04:08.520 --> 00:04:11.319 like coached by him. But there is a risk here 77 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:14.599 about committing to this organization long term where there's no 78 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:19.879 guarantees on the horizon of talent landing in our market 79 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:22.480 to allow the Jazz to get even close to where 80 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:24.519 some of these Western Conference teams are. If we are 81 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:27.680 honest and salient here Tom, there are three, four or 82 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:31.759 five pieces away from the Minnesotas in the Denvers and 83 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:34.160 the Oklahoma cities. Is there a bit of a risk 84 00:04:34.279 --> 00:04:38.399 that's taken on Will's behalf, even though, again with a 85 00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:42.279 profession full of so much volatility, if you have nine 86 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:44.240 years of runway, you take it no matter what. 87 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:46.319 But is there a bit of a risk on Will's 88 00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:46.759 part here? 89 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:52.120 Sure? I think this is a riskless or I guess 90 00:04:52.519 --> 00:04:56.879 a profession that there is no safe job. There is not. 91 00:04:57.079 --> 00:05:03.199 I mean, we just saw two teams that had basically 92 00:05:04.920 --> 00:05:06.759 been at the top or near the top of the 93 00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:10.839 Western Conference at one point this season, either the number 94 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:13.439 two or the number three seed for much of the season, 95 00:05:13.480 --> 00:05:15.800 and they get fired. So there really nothing's guaranteed in 96 00:05:15.800 --> 00:05:18.519 this league, especially when we're coming off the season in 97 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:22.680 which Taylor Jenkins and Michael Malone seemed like everything was 98 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:25.120 fine and they were going through a little rough patch. 99 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:30.240 But we're seeing Denver win fifty games with Michael Malone 100 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:33.519 and they let him go. There's no I mean, outside 101 00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:37.480 of Eric Spolstra, there really isn't. I think now we're 102 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:41.079 seeing Greg Popovich and the torch passed the torch over 103 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:44.920 to mis Johnson. You know, Eric Spolster in Miami is 104 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:48.240 the longest standard head coach in the NBA now, and 105 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:51.240 I remember covering him in twenty ten and he was 106 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:57.120 just a baby, you know this league. If you're able 107 00:05:57.160 --> 00:05:59.639 to get this kind of buy in from the front 108 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:04.160 off even if it's long term with some team options, 109 00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:07.600 what have you, I think that's as close as stability 110 00:06:07.639 --> 00:06:11.000 as you're going to get. So Will Hardy, I think 111 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:14.040 the grass is always greener in the NBA. You think 112 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:16.720 that it would be better to be in a winning 113 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:21.439 environment with the competitive juices flowing. Everyone wants to win. 114 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:24.360 The priority is to win every game, but that also 115 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:28.079 is very stressful and a lot of times you butt 116 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:32.000 heads with front offices. And it seems like Will Hardy's 117 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:33.839 happy where he is in Utah, and I can't blame 118 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:36.959 him for the security in a profession where there isn't 119 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:42.439 much security. I mean, the Phoenix Suns are they just let. 120 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:44.160 Go James Jones. 121 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:48.000 And hired someone who is a longtime coach under Tom 122 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:51.800 Izzo to be the GM. They fire Mike Bundholzer, they 123 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:55.120 fire Frank Vogel, they cycle through head coaches. So I 124 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:58.079 can understand why Will Hardy is opting for security rather 125 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:01.240 than necessarily chasing the next big job that comes up, 126 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:04.560 because certainly there's a lot of competition for those jobs, 127 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:09.560 and as someone who lives in Charlotte. Sometimes it's nice 128 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:12.319 to know, like where you're going to be for the 129 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:14.959 next several years, even if it isn't a New York 130 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:18.720 or in Miami or in LA so to speak. I 131 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:21.160 don't know what the NBA equivalent, Maybe it is those teams, 132 00:07:21.800 --> 00:07:24.279 but I think happiness as an NBA head coach, I 133 00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:29.680 remember standing Gundy talking recently about how on Levatage Stow 134 00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:35.360 he was talking about, you know, people were saying, hey, 135 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:38.680 at least in when you got let go in New 136 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:41.720 Orleans or let go in Detroit, you had multiple years 137 00:07:41.800 --> 00:07:44.920 of millions of dollars guaranteed to you, How mad could 138 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.279 you be? How upse could you be when you get fired? 139 00:07:47.959 --> 00:07:51.000 And he like really was hard on this and was like, 140 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:57.160 if you have any sort of pride, any organization that 141 00:07:57.240 --> 00:07:59.759 says we don't want you here anymore, we think we 142 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:02.040 can better than you going forward, and we are willing 143 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:04.360 to pay you millions of dollars to not have to 144 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:07.079 deal with you every day, that still hurts. And it 145 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:10.639 still hurts a lot. And so as much as we 146 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:14.199 want to say, like will Hardy might be able to 147 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:18.160 get a better job elsewhere, a better winning situation, I 148 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:23.000 understand the inclination to opt for security. Even though they 149 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:26.319 could fire him tomorrow, there is still the security of 150 00:08:26.519 --> 00:08:29.920 the front office that he's the only front office that 151 00:08:29.959 --> 00:08:33.360 he's had as a head coach, and it seems like 152 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:35.639 they're all aligned. I can see why there's a little 153 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:38.120 bit of risk, but every job in the NBA, in 154 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:41.120 this profession, I think there's risk involved for sure. 155 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.720 One more thing here, you agree with my premise that 156 00:08:43.799 --> 00:08:45.759 the Jazz are not close to being competitive? 157 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:46.600 Is that fair to say? 158 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:49.840 Yeah? Okay, you know, I was just thinking about this. 159 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:53.120 Who is their Shay Gills just Alexander? They don't have 160 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:58.000 one like who is their Devin Booker? Right, the guy that, yeah, 161 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:01.440 they're going to lose any games. But who's their guy 162 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:05.000 that they can they can build around and say, Okay, 163 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:08.120 that is that is a young piece that you can 164 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:14.480 envision a rebuild around. Evan Mobley, Shay Gilders, Alexander, Devin Booker. 165 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:18.360 These are types of guys that I think you can't 166 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:22.120 point to Larry Marketen and say that's their version of that, 167 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:25.919 because Larry is turning twenty eight years old this summer, 168 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:29.000 and those guys when they were coming up there twenty 169 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:31.840 three twenty four, and that's a huge difference. And so 170 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:34.480 I think Larry markten is more likely to get moved 171 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:38.759 in my opinion, than being the franchise cornerstone future star 172 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:41.120 in the same way that Shay goes as Alexander is 173 00:09:41.159 --> 00:09:42.240 for okay, see. 174 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:43.919 Oh well said, And I continue to say like, I 175 00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:46.960 cannot analyze the twenty twenty nine Utah Jazz. I do 176 00:09:47.080 --> 00:09:48.639 not know what that team will look like. I can 177 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:51.159 only analyze what's in front of me. So before we 178 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:52.960 move on, because we got a lot to do. Man, 179 00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:56.320 the playoffs have been so fun. Let's get the Tom 180 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:00.240 Haberstrow most optimistic approach on how long the this is 181 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:02.000 going to take for the Jazz to get back to 182 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:04.879 competition at a high level in the West, and what 183 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:06.480 are the boxes that have to be checked? 184 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:12.000 Well, Cooper Flag would help. I think in this draft 185 00:10:12.440 --> 00:10:17.039 that guy is probably year three before you start talking 186 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:21.120 to playoffs. I think in most situations about three year 187 00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:25.600 runway with Larry Mark and Will Hardy, I think you 188 00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:28.320 can look at year two as being a real playoff contender. 189 00:10:28.360 --> 00:10:31.279 That's how good Cooper Flag is in my opinion. He's 190 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:34.320 that polished and well rounded that if he's on the 191 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:36.840 floor playing thirty minutes a night for you, you're not 192 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:39.559 going to have that many weaknesses. That's how good he is. 193 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:44.039 And so whether they're going to be contending for a 194 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:47.720 playoff in the first year, I think not. No matter 195 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:49.519 how good you are as a rookie, it's very hard 196 00:10:49.559 --> 00:10:51.120 for you as an eighteen year old, which he's going 197 00:10:51.159 --> 00:10:55.039 to be eighteen nineteen year old as a rookie, no 198 00:10:55.080 --> 00:10:57.000 matter how good you are, it's very hard to be 199 00:10:57.039 --> 00:10:59.720 a playoff team right off the bat. I think year 200 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:03.360 two you can start talking playing and playoff potential for 201 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:07.480 the Utah Jazz with Walker Kestler, Larry Markinin and Cooper Flag. 202 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:10.360 But we'll see about the backcourt. That's gonna be key. 203 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:13.360 But for this team without Cooper Flag, it's gonna be 204 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:14.799 four years, five years. 205 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:19.519 Yeah, yeah, now we'll see. We'll have to see how 206 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:20.120 it plays out. 207 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:22.559 I mean, you know, every team needs that luck for 208 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:26.600 all the and look, I'm certainly on a daylight today. 209 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:30.240 We'll never speak illy you know, of Greg Popovich, but 210 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:32.399 he'll be the first one to tell you. Without Tim 211 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:35.720 Duncan or David Robinson or Jenoe Bleer, plink. You got 212 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:37.559 out players. You just have to have players. There's no 213 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:40.879 other way around it. On the organization walking line as 214 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:43.039 well as our cornerstone, he's our building block. 215 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:44.440 Well, he doesn't play, he coaches. 216 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:46.840 This is a players league, leading us to the teams 217 00:11:46.840 --> 00:11:49.919 that are now in the postseason. What impressed you most 218 00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:52.960 about the way the Warriors went into Houston in won 219 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:53.919 Game seven. 220 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:57.360 Buddy held man. I did not see that from Buddy Heeld. 221 00:11:57.879 --> 00:12:01.240 I could not believe that he was the guy who 222 00:12:01.320 --> 00:12:03.559 came up huge for the Golden State Warriors. Given the 223 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:07.519 pedigree on that roster and that experience on the roster. 224 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:13.320 What Buddy Heel did to punish the way that the 225 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:18.000 Houston Rockets were loading up on Steph Curry is one 226 00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:20.639 of the best Game seven performances I've seen a long time. 227 00:12:21.240 --> 00:12:23.360 It's not just that he scored thirty three points, it's 228 00:12:23.399 --> 00:12:26.399 the expectation level. Like Buddy Heal, has never been a 229 00:12:26.440 --> 00:12:30.639 playoff performer, and in fact, Buddy Healed coming into the 230 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:32.759 last season, I'm not so sure he has won a 231 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:37.519 playoff game ever. And so like Buddy Heald has never 232 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:40.360 been big in this moment because he's never really been 233 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:43.759 big on a good team before, and so when you 234 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:47.519 see what he did on Sunday Night, where he's coming 235 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:49.960 in there as a guy who's never won a playoff 236 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:53.360 game in his life heading into this series and then 237 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:58.000 coming up big in a two seven upset where he's 238 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:01.919 making everything and make the smart play, moving the ball 239 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:04.279 when he has to, taking advantage, and being aggressive when 240 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:07.240 he has to. Buddy Healed and the way that he 241 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:11.120 continued to make him so valuable on the floor was 242 00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:13.759 something that I needed to see before I believed it. 243 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:16.320 Like acquiring Buddy Heel to the regular seasons one thing, 244 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:19.440 but to see that Buddy Heal can go thirty seven 245 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:23.320 minutes in a playoff Game seven and be one of 246 00:13:23.320 --> 00:13:26.960 the best players on the floor and lead the game 247 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:31.200 in scoring is another level and a weapon on the 248 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:33.440 Golden State Warriors that they're gonna need in this next 249 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:36.279 years against Minnesota. I don't know about you, Spence, Like 250 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:40.159 I'm a Steph Curry believer, but I didn't realize that 251 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:43.000 this is gonna be the first series in which the 252 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:47.960 Golden State Warriors are the underdog in the last decade. 253 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:51.399 Like that's astounding to me that they've never been the 254 00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:56.000 underdog in a series until now in the last ten years, 255 00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:59.559 ten years, and part of that is the size advantage 256 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:04.840 that Minnesota has. But I still I still picked the Warriors. 257 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:08.000 I have Warriors in seven. They've won the last three 258 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:11.600 games against Minnesota. That was even before Jimmy Butler. Kevon 259 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:14.639 Looney was not a huge performer in the entirety of 260 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:16.399 this series against Houston, but I think he's gonna be 261 00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:20.240 big against Rudy Gobert. And I just if we saw 262 00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:22.679 that from Buddy held, I needed to see it in 263 00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:25.519 a game seven. Uh, that's a new dimension for the 264 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:28.519 Warriors that they're gonna have that release valve when they 265 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:31.279 load up on Steph Curry with that size and they 266 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:34.320 passed to Draymond Green, they cancredibly passed the Buddy Heald 267 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:39.120 and get get an open shot and have him hit that. 268 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:42.080 So that was man, that was a surprise. That was 269 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:44.600 like in a finale, a season finale where they reveal 270 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:48.399 the killer and you're like that that guy like I 271 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:51.039 did not I did not know he had it in him. 272 00:14:51.200 --> 00:14:53.759 And I was very impressed with Buddy Heald and they're 273 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:55.360 gonna need against Minnesota. 274 00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:58.320 All right, let's go back to Saturday, and you know 275 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:02.519 there are there are simply stretches. And this might say 276 00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:04.879 as much about the Clippers as it does about Denver, 277 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:08.759 but there's there was about a fourteen or fifteen minute 278 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:11.879 stretch between the second and the third quarter. When Denver 279 00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:14.039 plays like that, you just go there as good as 280 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:17.960 any team left, including Boston or okay see. And maybe 281 00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:21.120 it was lack of effort from the Clippers. It was 282 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:24.519 just a decent Kawhi game. And you wrote on this, 283 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:26.519 so I will stand in this microphone. It was yet 284 00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:29.399 another Game seven failure from James Harden, and you have 285 00:15:29.480 --> 00:15:31.720 doubted in the case. Maybe that's not the fairest narrative 286 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:34.039 in the world, but was Game seven and baller in 287 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:37.399 Was that more about who Denver can be when they 288 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:39.679 do what they did the clips over the second and 289 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:41.639 the third quarter? Or was that an indictment on the 290 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:42.919 clips or maybe a bit of both. 291 00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:52.519 Man. I think James Harden is really really difficult to 292 00:15:52.679 --> 00:15:55.240 rally around in the playoffs when it gets deep into 293 00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:59.679 a series. For this reason, he is a three shots 294 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:03.120 out the likes we have never seen in the NBA, 295 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:06.480 and in the regular season that works. He is unbelievably 296 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:09.799 good on the perimeter at hitting threes and being able 297 00:16:09.799 --> 00:16:12.360 to draw that three shots out, he gets his legs 298 00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:16.159 taken out from under him. He exaggerates contact. He gets 299 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:19.879 that call. But as these games get deeper into a 300 00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:23.279 series and the referees have seen James Harden and the 301 00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:27.039 way that Denver's playing him, He's not getting that call, 302 00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:32.159 and Denver made them pay. Look, James Harden is not 303 00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:35.840 the biggest choke artist in game sevens in NBA history. 304 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:39.039 I ran the numbers, I've looked at the tape. This 305 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:41.919 guy has had some duds, but he has shown up 306 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:45.399 in game sevens before, and his decline from his regular 307 00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:49.919 regular season performance, postseason performance to Game seven, his Game 308 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:53.679 seven drop off isn't nearly as seismic as some other 309 00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:57.720 players in the NBA. And it's crazy to say this 310 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:01.320 on the surface, but jokicch just has some duds in 311 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:04.960 Game seven, fallen off from his normal performances. I'm not 312 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:07.680 saying James Harden is better than Jokich. Certainly we saw 313 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:10.680 what happened in Game seven. But the issue with James 314 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:14.519 Harden is he can't shoot in these big moments. He 315 00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:17.400 was one of four from Downtown, two of eight for 316 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:21.359 the game, and he I think, lets the referees and 317 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:23.160 the whistle get in his head a little bit where 318 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:26.319 he's like, if I'm not getting these foul calls, I 319 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:30.359 have to turn into role player playmaker. And you saw 320 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:34.039 thirteen assists that just two turnovers. Wasn't looking for his shot. 321 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:39.079 Denver knew that he had another great first quarter coming out, 322 00:17:39.079 --> 00:17:42.559 and it just seems like he loses steam and the 323 00:17:43.400 --> 00:17:47.599 Clippers just aren't young enough to rely on Kawhi Leonard 324 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:50.000 and be like, all right, when James doesn't have it going, 325 00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:53.160 we can just go to Kawhi. As the season goes 326 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:55.799 on and the postseason goes on. I just think it's 327 00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:58.799 harder and harder to compensate for Harden in game six 328 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:02.960 or game seven, and when he shifts into playmaker mode 329 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:08.319 and pass first guy, he needs someone who's got that 330 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:11.000 Alpha in him. And right now at James Harden stage 331 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:13.839 of his career, look, James Harden is the all time 332 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:18.599 leading steals guy in a game seven. He's one of 333 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:23.039 the best shot blockers, is over a block per game 334 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:28.079 in game sevens. He's fourth all time in assists per 335 00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:32.920 game in game sevens. He's got a really good efficiency 336 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:36.359 metric in Game sevens. The problem is he just can't 337 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:37.960 hit threes, and a lot of that I think has 338 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:39.960 to do with the officiating and the fact that they 339 00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:42.119 were swallowing those whistles and saying, we're not going to 340 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:45.079 fall for it. We're not going to fall for the 341 00:18:45.160 --> 00:18:47.920 Oki dope. When you fall onto the ground, Denver is 342 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:49.599 gonna get that ball and they're going to go the 343 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:51.839 other direction. There's a possession in the second quarter highlight 344 00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:56.039 on a Tomdefinder dot com that signified the problems when 345 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:58.880 you build around James Harden. He's not getting those foul calls. 346 00:18:59.000 --> 00:19:01.519 He's just another guy, all right. 347 00:19:01.960 --> 00:19:04.400 Moving over now, if I told you that the Calves 348 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:06.960 are in trouble, would you? And I felt like this 349 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:11.440 before game one, I mean Indiana since January when Rick 350 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:14.400 Carlisle made some adjustments to the rotation and they got healthy, 351 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:16.799 they've just been kind of one of those teams that's 352 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:19.119 a total pain in the ass. And I always try 353 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:21.039 to be fairer because I hear a lot of you know, 354 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:25.200 Donovan Mitchell playoff narratives, and Donovan has had his fair 355 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:28.200 share of when the lights are at their brightest and 356 00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:31.559 when his teams have an opportunity to take that next 357 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:35.200 step he hasn't necessarily delivered. I've also watched him drop 358 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:38.000 half one hundred in playoff games a couple of times, 359 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:40.400 and I think he has five forty plus playoff games 360 00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:43.559 and two fifty plus playoff games, so it's not like 361 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:46.720 he's never getting it done in the postseason. But there 362 00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:49.759 is something about this matchup. And if I'm a Cavs fan, man, 363 00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:50.960 I'm a bit concerned. 364 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:52.200 Tell me your thoughts. 365 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:55.240 I'm not, I'm not. I think this is a macro 366 00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:59.160 miss league. And just like in Utah, when you have 367 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:03.559 a team that predicated on three point shooting, you got 368 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:05.039 to hit those shots. And you know what, that's true 369 00:20:05.079 --> 00:20:07.759 for every team in the league, like Indiana shut the 370 00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:11.319 heck out of the ball. Nineteen of thirty six made 371 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:14.559 over fifty three percent of their three balls in that game. 372 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:19.079 The Calves, led by Donovan Mitchell only at nine to 373 00:20:19.079 --> 00:20:22.519 thirty eight, one of the worst three point shooting performances 374 00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:27.039 in Calves history. That's not going to do it. You 375 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:30.119 lost thirty points in the three point calm. The team 376 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:33.200 the Caves that normally kill you from downtown, they had 377 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:36.720 a bad night and look, some of that is scheme, 378 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:39.559 but I think most of it is just the shots 379 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:43.400 weren't falling, and Donovan Mitchell scoring thirty three on thirty 380 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:47.559 shot attempts is not going to cut it. It's I 381 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:51.000 think this is one of those games where Kenny Atkinson 382 00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:54.880 just says, next game, let's try to get Darius Garland 383 00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:58.839 healthy and try to get those same looks, because on 384 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:02.960 the other side, I think Indiana hit some tough shots 385 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:07.039 and they were playing harder, and sometimes that stuff gets 386 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:11.000 rewarded by the three point shooting. But I'm looking at 387 00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:14.319 the three point calm and the fact that the Cavs 388 00:21:14.359 --> 00:21:17.359 out rebounded them, they took care of the ball, they 389 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:20.200 shot better than them on twues and the only thing 390 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:22.480 really that they got beat on was something that they 391 00:21:22.519 --> 00:21:25.920 got romped on is the three point calm. And it 392 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:28.519 was a close game until the very end. And if 393 00:21:28.599 --> 00:21:30.799 some of those shots go the other way. I know 394 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:33.920 it's not a very compelling answer, but in a make 395 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:36.240 ro miss league, when you lose by thirty points in 396 00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:40.960 the three point column, I just think you flush it 397 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:42.839 down the Troy and you go to game two. They 398 00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:45.319 might get Terius Garland one of the most dynamic backcourt 399 00:21:45.319 --> 00:21:48.400 players in the league. That will certainly help things. They 400 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:50.359 need him healthy in order to beat the Indiana Pacers, 401 00:21:50.359 --> 00:21:52.559