WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:03.480 What is up, fellas that goes I am dan Fa 2 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:06.679 Valley coming at you with the one, the only, the 3 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:10.640 certified refreshed. I can only imagine while he was on vacation, 4 00:00:11.320 --> 00:00:16.480 mister Grant Hughes. We're doing NBA Factor Fiction Dds. 5 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:17.160 Edition Dog Days of Summer. 6 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:19.160 Are going to go through a bunch of topics, some topical, 7 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:22.359 some big picture, some a little inflammatory because I like 8 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:25.440 to throw things at Grant and force him to deliver takes. 9 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:28.039 But we welcome back Grant. I'm so excited to have 10 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:31.280 you back. I apologize for doxing where you were headed 11 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:34.320 on vacation, but I am pleased report you didn't text me, 12 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:36.960 email me saying that paparazzi or anyone bothered you while 13 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:38.000 you were in Parts unknown. 14 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:38.719 Now we will call it. 15 00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:41.280 So thank you everyone for letting Grant and his family 16 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:43.759 just you know, thank you for respecting their privacy. It's 17 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:45.759 just when he goes out in public a lot people 18 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:47.479 recognize him from the show, so it's tough. And I 19 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:51.000 apologize to letting everyone know which state you were headed 20 00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:51.759 to for vacation. 21 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:54.079 It's hard. It's hard, you know, like you want to 22 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:58.240 live a normal life and just you know, look, nobody's 23 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:02.759 sympathetic to the world famous. I just wanted I'm really 24 00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:08.200 I thank you for for that. Just that that intro 25 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:11.120 was refreshing. I feel refreshed by that. I just wanted 26 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:13.879 to get first before we do anything else, your takes 27 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:16.599 on how Lebron's gonna look with the Warriors. Because I 28 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:18.760 was gone, so I didn't see any news. I just 29 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:21.239 I assume that's what happened. I just like, how do 30 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:23.239 you like? What are their championship pods? 31 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:26.120 I was actually curious how plugged in you were going 32 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:28.920 to be about the Lebron news while you were away, 33 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:31.879 because you do force yourself to unplug, which is smart. 34 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:34.519 But you were into discord like pretty soon as after 35 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:36.519 the news, which leads me to believe that you were 36 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:38.599 you were really hoping it was the Warriors, so that 37 00:01:38.680 --> 00:01:40.560 must have been I mean feeling okay. 38 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:43.599 I was hoping that. I was pretty clear to anybody 39 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:46.840 that listened at any point since that possibility kind of 40 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:50.359 over the past five years. Yeah, well, at any point 41 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:55.079 in history. But yeah, how plugged in was I I 42 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:57.319 don't know, Like I told you, I saw, I did 43 00:01:57.400 --> 00:01:59.959 not see a single snippet of anything on any social 44 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:03.280 media platform, which is, you know, not that hard for 45 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:06.040 me really, but uh but that was nice. 46 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:07.319 I don't know. 47 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:09.599 I got the ESPN app on my phone and I 48 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:12.319 read the headlines there and read articles that are of 49 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:14.360 interest to me and Lebron stuff. 50 00:02:14.840 --> 00:02:17.599 I said, ESPN, But you meant Bleacher Report, right, just 51 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:18.439 as a company man? 52 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:23.319 Yeah, right, that too, and I and so I just 53 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:26.639 I consumed it. I feel like the level at which 54 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:31.759 I consumed NBA news on vacation was that of like 55 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:37.199 a seventy five year old that only watches TV, you know, 56 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:42.280 like or maybe like reads a national newspaper, which don't 57 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:45.039 exist anymore, except if you're seventy five, and you still 58 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:46.360 get a physical newspaper. 59 00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:49.000 So still get a physical newspaper. 60 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:51.120 I wish, I wish. I used to love getting a 61 00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:53.639 newspaper right to the sports section. Remember that as a kid. 62 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:54.960 Did you get? As a kid? Did you get? 63 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:55.560 Do you remember? 64 00:02:55.719 --> 00:03:00.400 That's how we I followed, Like Kobe Bryant's free agency. 65 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:02.360 At one point when he was considered, the Knicks were 66 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:04.919 trying to sell him on signing for like four million 67 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:07.199 bucks because his Nike endorsement would go through the roof 68 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:10.080 or something. And looking back, I'm wondering, wouldn't that have 69 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:12.280 been salary caps or convention to prom with that pub 70 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:13.879 But you followed that like. 71 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:16.080 In the newspaper looking through every day. I was like 72 00:03:16.120 --> 00:03:17.599 seven years old or whatever it was. 73 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:20.319 I want to take that segue, but I'm not because 74 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:22.759 I want to relate to you my newspaper story from 75 00:03:22.759 --> 00:03:27.800 my youth. So this must have been like nineteen ninety 76 00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:32.960 two or three where I would watch every Warriors game obviously, 77 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:36.199 but those started at seven thirty and at that age, like, 78 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:39.039 I'm not making it to like ten pm or whatever, 79 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:40.319 so I wouldn't see the end of the game. 80 00:03:40.759 --> 00:03:43.000 Are I went to ten pm? Now? No? 81 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:45.080 Yeah, So I probably used to be able to stay 82 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:47.719 up later. But I would get the newspaper in the 83 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:50.319 morning and every day go right to the sports section, 84 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:52.800 check the box score to see how many points Latrell's 85 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:54.639 free well scored. And then I would check because they 86 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:57.400 would list like the top ten scorers, rebounders, and assist 87 00:03:57.400 --> 00:03:58.919 guys in the league, and I'd be like, he's up 88 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:02.360 to twenty one point two, that's top twelve because he 89 00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:04.479 had twenty six last night. And I would just I 90 00:04:04.520 --> 00:04:07.879 would just follow what Latrell Spreewell's points per game were 91 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:10.400 in the newspaper every day, and I was like, this, 92 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:13.479 what could be better that we've gone astray? It was 93 00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:15.719 a better time when that's how you like learn. 94 00:04:16.439 --> 00:04:18.120 I also wonder how much of it is like us 95 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:20.920 romanticizing our youth when we didn't really have like we 96 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:23.000 had time to sit. Are you would you have time 97 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:24.600 to sit through a newspaper right now? 98 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:27.800 I mean i'd make time. I really wish we still 99 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:30.439 got a physical newspaper. I guess I could, but it's like, 100 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:33.480 I don't know, it's you know what it is a youth. 101 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:36.199 Think we're romanticizing youth because it wouldn't feel the same. 102 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:39.040 It wouldn't feel as incredible to be like I have 103 00:04:39.079 --> 00:04:41.120 all this information that it just and it comes every 104 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:42.399 day incredible. 105 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:44.519 You would find out things. 106 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:46.720 Imagine if you only consume news that way now, though, 107 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:49.439 you would find out especially doing what you do, you'd 108 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:51.279 be like the last to know everything. 109 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:53.639 Oh yeah, I'm already kind of the last to know 110 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:55.920 most stuff though, so it wouldn't be that different for me. 111 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:58.959 It would just be like, hey, when it came to Lebron, 112 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:02.399 you were plugged. I mean, you were in the Discord. 113 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:06.279 We haven't really I was. I was surprised, right were you? 114 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:08.040 If you just had to say, like what was your 115 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:11.399 initial emotional up Like it was surprising because like the 116 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:13.920 Sixers didn't make I've now talked myself into like, you 117 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:15.759 know what, I guess it kind of like I think 118 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:17.959 I even said this on Discord, like I sort of 119 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:20.120 get it, like they need a guy at that position, 120 00:05:20.439 --> 00:05:24.199 and yeah, maybe they're gonna you know, they're better than 121 00:05:24.199 --> 00:05:27.199 the Warriors if everything breaks right, they're better than however, 122 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:29.879 many other teams you want, like of the of the 123 00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:32.240 Suitors that like it got narrowed down to I sort 124 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:34.399 of get it, but it was still like, huh, like 125 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:37.480 that's weird. There's like no because there's no like narrative 126 00:05:37.879 --> 00:05:40.040 explanation for it to me, And maybe that's what I 127 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:40.839 was focused on. 128 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:45.399 I thought the narrative explanation was they have a forty 129 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:47.920 three year title drought, and so if you end that 130 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:50.399 as part of it while winning a title, like your 131 00:05:50.439 --> 00:05:52.439 fourth title with a different team, I know people will 132 00:05:52.439 --> 00:05:55.160 say Jordan won all his titles with one team, or 133 00:05:55.160 --> 00:05:59.959 like switching teams made Lebron a mercenary, winning four titles 134 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:03.120 with four different teams, especially you know, the past two 135 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:05.519 coming in the age of parody, like the Lakers one 136 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:06.800 and then if he won one with Philly. 137 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:09.759 Now, yeah, I don't know. 138 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:12.160 If you read the Dave mcmahamon piece about the behind 139 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:15.600 the scenes stuff, the source saying their fan base and 140 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:17.680 like how thirsty they are for a title really factored in. 141 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:19.639 That was the moment I was convinced. I was already 142 00:06:19.639 --> 00:06:21.920 a little convinced because Rich Paul had said it. I 143 00:06:22.040 --> 00:06:23.959 was thinking, oh, he he was going to the Knicks 144 00:06:23.959 --> 00:06:25.079 if they didn't win the chance, he was going to 145 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:26.000 try to go to the Knicks if they do. 146 00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:27.519 I was just gonna ask you that if the Knicks 147 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:30.000 don't win the title, he goes there, right, Like, I think. 148 00:06:30.519 --> 00:06:34.160 I think that's and there are probably other changes made 149 00:06:34.199 --> 00:06:37.480 at that point by them. So but yeah, that it's 150 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:39.759 confirmed to me, especially because he's living in New York too. 151 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:43.920 Now that also confirmed to me that. Okay, so he's 152 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:44.839 doing the JJ Reddick. 153 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:46.839 He talked to the Sixers about it, but it was 154 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:49.120 surprising and they look, we have a factor fiction on 155 00:06:49.160 --> 00:06:49.639 the Sixers. 156 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:51.319 If you want to, we want to start there. 157 00:06:51.399 --> 00:06:52.439 Yeah, h where's that? 158 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:54.839 When I go factor fiction. 159 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:58.759 The Philadelphia seventy six ers will have a top fifteen defense. 160 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.560 So I had to look up what they were last year, 161 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:08.160 and it was seventeenth. And they have lost several guys 162 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:10.959 that if I'm a little skeptical of some of the 163 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:14.160 numbers because they just don't pass the smell test, but like, 164 00:07:14.600 --> 00:07:21.360 they've lost several players that were pretty significantly positive plus 165 00:07:21.399 --> 00:07:24.680 minus contributors as far as they're like on off defensive 166 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:28.319 efficiency numbers. They also lost Kelly Oubrey, who was like 167 00:07:28.360 --> 00:07:32.240 by far one of their worst on off defensive helpful pieces, 168 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:35.439 which is like, okay, it's kind of like that doesn't 169 00:07:35.480 --> 00:07:37.199 quite check out either. He's not great, but he's like 170 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:40.839 not terrible. Like Quentin Grimes is gone, I should have 171 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:42.879 I should have left it up. Paul George is gone. 172 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:45.519 He was a hugely positive defensive force. There's another guy 173 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:49.680 who I can't remember. They didn't have like crazy opponent 174 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:51.839 three point shooting luck one way or the other, if 175 00:07:51.879 --> 00:07:53.600 you want to say they were, they were a little 176 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:56.560 bit luckier than unlucky in terms of like how accurately 177 00:07:56.600 --> 00:08:00.439 opponents shot threes. So I guess, like my response is 178 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:04.480 answer the question with a question like what reason is 179 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:07.439 there for them to be better than they were last year, 180 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:09.480 which was seventeen. So I guess I would have to 181 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:12.160 just say fiction because I don't feel like Jalen Brown 182 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:15.399 plus maybe steps forward from VJ Edgecomb is enough to 183 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:18.920 make some massive difference, especially if you just I think 184 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:21.920 Don Barlow is he gonna play more because he was 185 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:24.720 a huge defensive piece for them last year just based 186 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:26.560 on the numbers, even though he didn't play a ton, 187 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:30.040 I just don't see the reason to be like, yes, absolutely, 188 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:32.679 they'll be above the midline defensively. 189 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:36.080 Well, I think it starts with the one question would 190 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:39.120 be does Joel Embiid just play in more games? And 191 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:41.519 if he does, do you think he is still capable 192 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:45.679 of elevating the defense because there were moments during the playoffs, 193 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:47.559 quite a few of them where I think you would 194 00:08:47.559 --> 00:08:48.759 come away feeling differently. 195 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:56.399 I mean, I I don't feel confident saying Joel Embiid 196 00:08:56.679 --> 00:09:00.960 will definitely be a helpful player full like, and you 197 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.799 just you can add whatever end of the sentence you 198 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:08.159 want on that, right, like how many you know is 199 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:10.480 he going to be a net positive offensive player? Does 200 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:12.960 he is he going to definitely fit? Is he going 201 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:15.000 to definitely be a good like I don't know. I 202 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:17.240 think if I had to guess, like, I think he's 203 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:20.279 probably not going to be a good defensive player like 204 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:22.639 and and you can get away with you can cheap 205 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:25.080 out and say because he's gonna miss half the games 206 00:09:25.159 --> 00:09:25.559 or whatever. 207 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:25.960 I don't know. 208 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:28.159 It's not like a totally fair way to analyze it. 209 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:34.840 But I don't imagine him being consistently more mobile or 210 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:38.399 have or to have greater stamina as he continues to age, right, Like, 211 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:41.039 I don't know anything possible, but I don't see him 212 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:45.840 being being likely to play more or play better than 213 00:09:45.879 --> 00:09:46.600 he did last. 214 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:49.039 Year, which I think is also fair. 215 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:52.120 I look at it as I do think at least 216 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:55.279 as a zero win or have to defend the top guy. 217 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:58.200 A top guy, Jalalen Brown is an upgrade over Paul 218 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:00.200 George defensively. 219 00:10:00.679 --> 00:10:03.080 Would you say that on well, you can make the 220 00:10:03.080 --> 00:10:06.879 same sort of hacky criticism of Paul George as I 221 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.440 did of h Beeb's, like, well, how good a defender 222 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:10.840 is he if he's on the bench for half the season, 223 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:14.399 But like, do you think Jalen Brown on balance is 224 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:18.120 a more impactful overall defensive piece than Paul George. 225 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:20.440 I'm gonna say yes, just because I think that there's 226 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:22.759 value in seid Like you're gonna go up against teams 227 00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:24.320 when you look at how many teams or the best 228 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:27.440 teams are trying to assemble like X number of ball handlers, 229 00:10:27.480 --> 00:10:29.360 I think it's valuable to who you're gonna trust to, 230 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:32.720 you know, defend at the point of attack or another 231 00:10:32.759 --> 00:10:35.080 advantage creator. Are you trusting Paul George or Jalen Brown? 232 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:37.639 I know NBA defense is way more complicated than that. Yeah, 233 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:40.120 if you have to defend a strong link not one 234 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:41.279 of the weak links. 235 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:45.200 I think you're probably right that. But that's even more 236 00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:46.799 of a playoff thing, right where it's like we have 237 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:49.320 to stop this guy and he's gonna be in space 238 00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:51.919 isolated a lot. Jalen Brown's better at that. If you're 239 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:55.200 talking regular season defense, I think the game's played thing 240 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:56.440 is just I don't know what to do with that, 241 00:10:56.679 --> 00:10:59.200 but I would say Paul George is a better overall 242 00:10:59.320 --> 00:11:02.360 defensive piece than Jalen Brown is over the course of 243 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:07.600 a season. Most of that's off ball, but like, yeah, 244 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:09.600 I don't know. I guess like here's the thing you're 245 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:12.240 asking can they be top factor fiction, will they be 246 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:15.320 a top fifteen defense. They're seventeen last year, and we're 247 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:17.559 sitting here making a case that, like, well they might 248 00:11:17.559 --> 00:11:20.200 not be that different, so like it's possible, but like that, 249 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:22.679 if that's an over underline, that's a really good line, 250 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:24.960 because I like, I don't think they're gonna be There's 251 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:27.399 no way their top ten. And I also don't think 252 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:30.159 they're worse than twentieth, So like you're just they're right 253 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:33.759 in that range. But I just to circle all the 254 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:39.120 way back, I don't see enough compelling evidence that the 255 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:43.879 collection of players they have now are meaningfully better defensively 256 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:46.159 than what they had last year. It might be a 257 00:11:46.200 --> 00:11:48.159 little bit, but it also might be a little bit worse. 258 00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:52.200 Well, I think they're backup center situations probably worse. But 259 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:55.879 Drummond wasn't a huge defensive like he hasn't been. This 260 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:58.320 makes me never really been an above average room protector, 261 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:01.399 even when he's had county stats. I think getting Dean 262 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:03.159 Wade probably helps there. 263 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:03.840 Sure. 264 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:07.399 Also Kentavia is called the Pope, have every have anything left? 265 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:10.960 I'm gonna say fact, they will be a top fifteen defense. 266 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:13.399 They feel so talented. I think you could. There's some 267 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:16.639 really fascinating and I trust VJ. Edgecombe defensively at least 268 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:20.919 relative to his position so well that I think that core. 269 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:22.159 And what do we say all. 270 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.360 The time too, They're gonna be a terrible rebounding team. 271 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:27.399 I'm definitely worried about that. But what do we say 272 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:29.759 all the time that if you can get your defense set, 273 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:32.039 So if your offense is good and you can get 274 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:34.720 your defense set, that's a big help under itself. And 275 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:38.240 just even like, can Joelle and Bed be like twenty 276 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:40.600 percent better than he was last year while playing in 277 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:44.240 the same thirty eight games or forty one games probably 278 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:45.080 goes a long way. 279 00:12:45.559 --> 00:12:49.720 Yeah, it's interesting. Like I guess even though I'm not 280 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:54.120 as bullish on their defensive potential as you are, I guess. 281 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:57.240 We're like if you told me top nighteen, I'm probably 282 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:59.320 like right, yeah, no, we agree. 283 00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:02.240 It's like we're in the range. Like midpack is is solid, 284 00:13:02.279 --> 00:13:05.240 I do think at its absolute best, and Dean Wade 285 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:07.120 is a good guy to bring up, although like, I mean, 286 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:08.639 how how many years are we going to be like 287 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:11.799 Dean Wade? You know, Advanced metric Superstar is like doesn't 288 00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:14.440 seem to matter all that much. In the end, I 289 00:13:14.440 --> 00:13:18.120 think the defense can be good enough at its best 290 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:22.440 to make this team on a lot of nights look 291 00:13:23.159 --> 00:13:25.240 elite because I think the offense is gonna be great. 292 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:29.000 Like I just I just I you know, shocker, Like 293 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:30.960 they have a lot of talent and they have like 294 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:33.720 Lebron isn't what he was, but he's going to make 295 00:13:33.720 --> 00:13:35.399 that offense better even if it's just like that dude 296 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:37.360 scores in transition all the time. Now, like that's a 297 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.200 fun thing to do in your forties all of a sudden, 298 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:43.360 but like there will be times where you're gonna look 299 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:46.519 at a sixers week or two week long stretch and say, like, 300 00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:49.240 is this the best team in the East. I think 301 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:51.919 for all the reasons we've kind of tiptoed around the health, 302 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:55.440 the the the up and down nature of some of 303 00:13:55.480 --> 00:14:00.639 their key guys, like they they won't sustain that level. 304 00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:03.759 But I think the defense will be good enough sometimes 305 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:06.559 to like pair with an offense that's gonna look great 306 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:08.679 a lot of the time. Right, Like I think there 307 00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:10.799 do you agree with that? Like this this team's like 308 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:15.039 top level is very very very high. It's just like, yeah, 309 00:14:15.159 --> 00:14:17.679 what percentage of the season. Can they reach that level. 310 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:19.759 And can they sustain it or can they be at 311 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:22.159 that level when it matters most because Embiid's kind of 312 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:24.679 a part of that too. And you could also ask 313 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.840 the question, this would have been a good factor fiction, 314 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:29.799 like will Lebron play center this year? 315 00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:32.480 Like factor fiction Lebron spends more than one hundred minutes 316 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:34.039 playing center this season. 317 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:35.799 I was like, I was thinking of it in terms 318 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:38.240 of like a percentage, so because that would be pretty 319 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:40.840 small if he plays I don't know who knows how 320 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:42.639 many minutes that guys, well, I think he will play 321 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:43.159 some center. 322 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:45.120 I was gonna say, let me look at his career 323 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:48.639 high where he's played at center at like the in 324 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:50.720 terms of the share of his minutes, and see, like, 325 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:52.840 so is he ever logged? 326 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:53.399 All right? 327 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:56.120 So I guess in twenty four to twenty five, fourteen 328 00:14:56.200 --> 00:14:59.720 percent this is Perkeley named Glass of his minutes came 329 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:02.159 at center. Although they're saying in twenty one twenty two 330 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:04.240 forty nine percent of his minutes came at center. 331 00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:09.799 The basketball reference is a little wonky. On is that Glass? 332 00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:10.200 Oh? 333 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:13.840 Interesting? I trust that a little more. This seems impossible 334 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:17.519 they played that much center fourteen and a half factor fiction. 335 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:20.679 Fifteen percent or more of Lebron's minutes will come as 336 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:23.759 the day Facto five with this team. And I think 337 00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:27.320 you look at it in that situation, you're going Dean Wade, 338 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:31.519 Jaalen Brown, Edgecombe, Maxi, Lebron right, which is the full lineups. 339 00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:36.679 By the way, still not enough shooting somehow when your right. 340 00:15:36.519 --> 00:15:38.039 When you go small, you don't quite I don't know. 341 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:40.919 I mean that's pretty you'd like a little more. But 342 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:45.399 if Edgecombe continues to shoot fifteen percent, I'm gonna go over. 343 00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:47.240 Why not? Like I think, I think there are gonna 344 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:48.559 be a lot of nights where it just makes sense. 345 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:50.799 It's almost like you spare him a little bit defensively 346 00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:52.399 if he just gets to hang out on the back 347 00:15:52.440 --> 00:15:55.080 line and relax, although you probably call him up into 348 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:56.080 pick and rolls in that. 349 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:58.559 Case, right, I think he should exclusively play center when 350 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:01.200 he's going up against Yo, Kic and wemb just like 351 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:02.080 all the top guys. 352 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:04.840 Don't spare him, don't spare him at all. Yeah, what 353 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:08.120 is up? Fellowsikos you're listening to this episode right now 354 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:10.080 thinking Wow, it would be so cool if there were 355 00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:10.919 no ads on it. 356 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:12.799 We have the power to make this the last ad 357 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:14.799 you ever hear. And that's not a threat, it's more 358 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:17.080 of a promise. The best way to support the podcast 359 00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:19.000 is to join our Patreon, which you can do at 360 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:21.960 patreon dot com. Slash Hardwoodknocks, NBA tons of perks there. 361 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:24.399 In addition to the promise of and not threat. Can't 362 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:26.919 emphasize that enough of no more ads, which is a 363 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:28.799 huge bonus. We're going to do a couple of Patreon 364 00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:32.639 subscriber only pods every month. You get access to our discord. 365 00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:34.759 You just get to be a bigger part of this community. 366 00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:37.799 You get our sincerest appreciation, which really can you put 367 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:39.559 a price on it? If you want to support the pod, 368 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:41.240 that is the best way to do it. Thank you 369 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:43.480 again as always for listening and for watching. 370 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:45.480 And now back to the show. Your pick. 371 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:49.799 All right, well let's i've let's get through this. There's 372 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:53.080 kind of two here. We can take them together. I 373 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:58.080 guess factor fiction the Clippers did that shit, so. 374 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:01.919 I by the way, I'll call fast and it's it's 375 00:17:01.960 --> 00:17:05.759 more so like I don't think the latest. A lot 376 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:09.319 of people were angry that Pablotry recorded his latest podcast 377 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:11.279 about the r I f C which I was not 378 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:13.440 lying in discord when they first asked, I don't know 379 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:15.079 if you listened to it. They asked, what do you 380 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:17.599 think r I f C stands for? At this point, 381 00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:20.079 I had no idea it was related to the Rhode 382 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:22.000 Island UH soccer Club. 383 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:25.960 Uh. I thought it was like rolling in fucking cash money. 384 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:27.039 It was just like I thought it was gonna be 385 00:17:27.079 --> 00:17:29.559 something like ridiculous, like this is what they found, Like 386 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:30.519 this is like this. 387 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:31.440 Is kind of the smoking gun. 388 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:35.839 Their bread somehow stood for circumvention, Like yeah, they're just 389 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:40.839 that brazen about it. Really, I fucking circumvented that would 390 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:43.039 be that would be your your acronym for that one. 391 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:46.279 I didn't have a pri you had said, and you 392 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:47.759 can relate it now that you just don't have the 393 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:50.200 brain space through any more of this stuff, which I 394 00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:53.640 think is fair. But the amount of people, a lot 395 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:56.039 of people who I respect, so not just random people 396 00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:58.920 on the internet, who were showing disdain for this follow 397 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:01.920 up reporting the tenth Stallman or whatever it was. I 398 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:04.000 appreciate it in the sense of I don't want to 399 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.200 be talking about this, but like this doesn't interest me, 400 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:09.160 But I do feel like the stakes are fairly high 401 00:18:09.559 --> 00:18:11.480