WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:05.400 This is the baseline discussing the hot button topics of 2 00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:21.920 the NBA. Welcome everybody, your tune to the baseline. Calie 3 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:25.640 Warnshaw discussing the hot button topics of the NBA, live 4 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:29.280 and direct from you and yours And as always, man, 5 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:33.719 just a really, really really active time now to go 6 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:37.960 on the other side of the twenty twenty four five 7 00:00:39.159 --> 00:00:43.079 NBA season. As far as the year goes, we're soon 8 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:46.719 and very quickly approaching NBA All Star Weekend. But if 9 00:00:46.759 --> 00:00:49.359 you really count the number of games that have been played, 10 00:00:49.479 --> 00:00:53.359 we arguably are at the halfway point of the NBA season, 11 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:56.479 and like quickly before, our eyes were already going to 12 00:00:56.560 --> 00:01:00.600 be talking about, you know, playing playoff seedings, and you 13 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:04.120 know who our perennial contenders are, and you know those 14 00:01:04.120 --> 00:01:06.400 are still jockeying for positions to try to get into 15 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:09.799 the playoff Isaure's just really really amazing how quickly this 16 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:14.040 time of the NBA season has flown by. But as always, man, 17 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:15.840 you always got to have a good co pilot to 18 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:19.319 roll with you while the NBA flies through. And there's 19 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:20.879 always when we roll out the red carpet to my 20 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:23.760 right hand man, Www. Dot shot Sports A net big Ahuna, 21 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:25.760 Pac my man, mister Warren Charlotte's good sir. 22 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:27.519 You know what it is, brother, You know it's MLK 23 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:29.760 Day as a recording, excited to be here the NBA 24 00:01:29.799 --> 00:01:31.439 and full of fact as you listen to the midway 25 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.319 point of the NBA season, it really did run up 26 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:34.879 on us. 27 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:37.120 You know, it's about to take the jewels. 28 00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:39.200 But you know there's a lot of great basketball left 29 00:01:39.239 --> 00:01:41.200 to be played here in a lot of great conversations 30 00:01:41.239 --> 00:01:43.560 as we head into All Star break, but even before that, 31 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:46.040 the trade deadline just the week before, so a great 32 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:47.920 time to be an NBA fan is always here rocking 33 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:48.680 with the baseline. 34 00:01:49.239 --> 00:01:51.120 So we got a great show on tap for you guys. 35 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:54.799 Hopefully you and yours have been enjoying the weekend especially 36 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:57.120 still has been a lot of exciting games over the weekend, 37 00:01:57.640 --> 00:02:02.519 also a great competitive matchups in games leading into Shaw's 38 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:05.400 favorite time of the week, NBA Rivals Week. 39 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:09.199 I find that even try that over here. 40 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:12.560 Uh well listen, I just find it funny, you know, 41 00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:16.319 Martin Luther King, you know tell it, uh instills upon 42 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:19.639 us peace and walk amongst you know what I'm saying. 43 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:22.960 The Shepherd and then the very next day, we're talking about, 44 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:26.199 you know what I'm saying, tearing each other apart. So 45 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:28.719 kudos to the NBA on that as well too. Right 46 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:32.120 like exactly, we got a great show on tap man 47 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:37.360 uh a little bit, Shaw and I are gonna keep Listen, 48 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:42.280 We've been very cognizant of some guys who clearly are 49 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:45.280 on a mission, and they've been keeping receipts. There's some 50 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:47.919 players right now who are on one, and they're gonna 51 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:50.319 make it be known that they've been keeping receipts on 52 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:53.080 those who have been casting them away, that this is 53 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:56.840 basically their swan song, and they literally probably won't find 54 00:02:57.000 --> 00:02:59.719 any NBA work come the end of this season. And 55 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:04.599 they obviously is that drastic, Okay, But I'm just saying 56 00:03:04.599 --> 00:03:08.080 they're keeping receipts. They've been written off, you put on 57 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:10.479 the as far as the notes go, written written off. 58 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:13.759 I'm just giving people a more you know, a cinematic 59 00:03:14.039 --> 00:03:16.159 visualization of what they might actually. 60 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:18.039 Look written on her and out of the league is 61 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:21.639 two different things, my god. 62 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:24.560 But they could they could probably resurrect themselves in the 63 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:25.080 G League. 64 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:25.560 You know what I'm saying. 65 00:03:25.560 --> 00:03:29.000 They could probably resurrect themselves through the g League. But anyway, 66 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:30.800 we got some guys we're gonna talk about that have 67 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:34.360 been keeping receipts and been putting not just our pundits, 68 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:37.080 maybe even ourselves. Maybe we spoke to it at some 69 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:40.800 point before the season began, but they are basically putting 70 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:43.199 the world and everyone unnoticed that they are still here 71 00:03:43.240 --> 00:03:46.520 and they are still thriving in the current NBA season. 72 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:47.800 And then a little bit later on. 73 00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:50.560 We always do this, We do our check in, got 74 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:53.280 our mid season reports. Uh, you know, got a weigh 75 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:55.360 in on some of the up you know, the the 76 00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:58.759 the annual season awards, and a couple of other little 77 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:00.639 nuggets we'd like to throw in there to kind of 78 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:03.000 spice it up a little bit to you know, as 79 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:06.400 our midway check in. As as we always say, before 80 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:07.960 you get them straight a's. You know what I'm saying, 81 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:10.479 The interiom report got to look pretty nice, you know 82 00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:12.759 what I'm saying. Gotta make you gotta make sure you 83 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:15.120 know what I'm saying. You You you butter up the 84 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:16.720 parents a little bit. If they're trying to get you 85 00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:20.800 that super an ees, you come in strong with those straight. 86 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:21.600 A interim report cards. 87 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:22.480 Right, people don't know what they. 88 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:27.959 Okay, absolutely all right. 89 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:30.399 As always, be sure to get my man Sports NBA 90 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:32.439 get at me again, face Lee. This shows Twitter handled 91 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:34.839 NBA Baseline available on all the major platforms. You can 92 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:39.040 catch us on www dot the Baseline NBA dot com 93 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:41.480 to check out and only this episode, but also the 94 00:04:41.560 --> 00:04:44.360 great episodes that we always like dropping for your listening pleasure. 95 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:46.120 And then if you see us on the YouTube channel, 96 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:46.680 like to say. 97 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:48.959 Hello to you and yours. And if you've seen the blue. 98 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:51.439 White logo on the YouTube channel, that means we're rocking 99 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:54.000 with the nineteen Media Group family. Nineteen Media Group you 100 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:55.959 run in these content streets, be sure to go to 101 00:04:56.120 --> 00:05:00.399 www dot Nineteenmediagroup dot com to not only check us, 102 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:04.839 but the plethora of great content creators that are putting 103 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:07.639 it on. 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Who knows, man, you might find yourself, 107 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:18.560 you know what I'm saying, like getting down with a 108 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:20.600 new show that you hadn't even realized was a part 109 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:21.879 of the nineteen Media Group family. 110 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:23.040 And that's what we're all about. 111 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:26.920 Building enterprise in and just basically putting it off for 112 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:29.360 you and yours, So go definitely check this out. 113 00:05:29.480 --> 00:05:29.800 All right. 114 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:32.680 Coming up, Sean and I are going to talk about 115 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:36.920 those guys out there that are going to be they've 116 00:05:36.920 --> 00:05:40.079 been having such a really surprisingly great year so far, 117 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:42.319 and they've been keeping they've been keeping receipts, and we've 118 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:45.680 been watching them keeping those receipts. 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Cali Warnshaw, don't 152 00:07:37.560 --> 00:08:00.560 go anywhere, all right, Cali Warrenshaw Baseline NBA podcast Time 153 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:04.639 for us to talk about players who at the beginning 154 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:10.000 of this season we were really really, really hesitant in 155 00:08:10.120 --> 00:08:13.439 determining and whether or not their season would be a 156 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:14.399 successful season. 157 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:17.519 Some of the moves. 158 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:19.800 That have taken in the off season really had us 159 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:22.879 questioning what role some of these guys are going to 160 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:24.879 be playing, whether it's on a new team or even 161 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:27.199 the same team that they have and even through the 162 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:30.720 course of the year, determining where their impact is going 163 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:33.559 to be and have on that team to just say, 164 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:36.720 you know, hey, they're really really, really an important piece. 165 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:39.320 So there are a couple of players Shaw and I 166 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:42.320 know sometimes we kind of miss on this because a 167 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:44.320 lot of it is more predicated or saying, is this 168 00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:47.559 more of like a hoops redemption situation? And it's not 169 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:49.879 so much about it being a hoops redemption as much 170 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:53.759 as it is recognition about what that player is and 171 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:57.440 the choice that some of the players make for not 172 00:08:57.480 --> 00:09:00.840 just the betterment of their career, but also how they 173 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:03.879 you know, acclimate themselves to the team that they're playing 174 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:06.840 on the situation that the team is currently in, what 175 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:09.679 the overall goal is going to be it's pretty interesting 176 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:12.559 that there's a couple of guys out there who arguably 177 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:15.559 we didn't see them having a really successful season, given 178 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:18.879 the circumstances that they were probably putting themselves under with 179 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:22.440 the teams that they play for. But alas they've said, no, no, no, 180 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:24.240 no no, we're going to figure out a way to 181 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:25.840 make this happen. We'll figure out a way to make 182 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:28.639 this work. Our numbers are going to speak for themselves, 183 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:30.879 and these dudes have been keeping receipts. 184 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:32.759 And to some degree, some of the guys we're going 185 00:09:32.840 --> 00:09:34.840 to talk about are like, all right, well, we know 186 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:36.840 who they are, we kind of know what they're about, 187 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:39.679 and we're not really expecting much from them. And I think, 188 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:43.799 as you so eloquently put, they've not necessarily a surprised 189 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:46.759 but some people have kind of resurrected themselves in terms 190 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:49.759 of the court of public perception. Some guys have boosted 191 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:52.399 their already low very or they're. 192 00:09:52.279 --> 00:09:53.519 Very very low trade value. 193 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:55.840 Now you should have got in early, because now the 194 00:09:56.120 --> 00:09:58.279 price of the brick has gone up, as they say. So, 195 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:01.639 I think it's just important to highlight some positivity even 196 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:03.120 with this, and that's not to say everybody on this 197 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:05.679 list is on this team that is as a title contender, 198 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:08.200 because that's certainly not the case for one guy for sure, 199 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:11.759 But I just like to see that, hey, you know what, 200 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:14.480 they didn't take last year or even the last couple 201 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:17.720 of years downside and the way that media and I 202 00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:20.200 think even the league itself was kind of portraying them 203 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:22.039 and say, Okay, well, you know what, I'm just going 204 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:25.720 to be this less than player. I can still contribute, 205 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:27.759 and I can contribute at a high level and whatever 206 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:30.120 the role that team needs me to needs me to 207 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:30.799 do at this point. 208 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:32.480 That's why I think these guys deserve some. 209 00:10:32.440 --> 00:10:37.480 Props, absolutely, so let's rifle through them. 210 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.919 I love that the first person you put at the 211 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:45.000 top of your list was Russell Westbrook. You look at 212 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:48.440 what Russell Westbrook has gone through over the last what 213 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:54.879 three four years, It's really remarkable because I don't think 214 00:10:54.919 --> 00:11:02.279 anyone ever has questioned the the the competitiveness, the drive, 215 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:08.480 the style and the energy that Russell Westbrook plays. One 216 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:10.799 thing that we can always say about Russell Westbrook he 217 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:13.919 will never cheat you or the game right. He will 218 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:18.559 always come in giving you everything he has, and especially 219 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:22.919 when healthy, he runs the well dry. He leaves it 220 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:25.240 all on the basketball court, and I just find it 221 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:28.840 amazing that over the last few years, some of these coaches, 222 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:32.399 some of these organizations that he's played for, have not 223 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:35.360 been able to figure out a way to utilize and 224 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:39.759 harness that where it's productive not just for the team, 225 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:43.600 but also for Russell Westbrook himself. And I think we 226 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:45.519 were talking about this at the beginning of the year, 227 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:49.440 Russell Westbrook electing to go to the Denver Nuggets. I 228 00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:51.879 was like, man, I think that this is a sneaky 229 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:55.000 good play for a team like the Denver Nuggets. And 230 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:57.080 I wasn't quite sure on how the Denver Nuggets were 231 00:11:57.080 --> 00:11:59.799 going to try to utilize him. I wasn't sure what 232 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:01.840 or not he would figure out a way for him 233 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:04.519 to be able to play with a Nicola Jokic and 234 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:08.159 if Jamal Murray is healthy and what that might mean 235 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:11.240 for Michael Porter junior. And obviously the beginning of the 236 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:13.879 season you saw a lot of the rough patches that 237 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:16.200 were exhibited from this team. Does that mean that they 238 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:19.039 have righted the ship by no means, but you can 239 00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:23.519 clearly see that Russell Westbrook's impact on this Denver Nuggets 240 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:29.720 team has far out it has how far I lived 241 00:12:29.720 --> 00:12:32.799 as expectations I think that people have had about whether 242 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:34.960 or not the Denver Nuggets can at least give themselves 243 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:37.360 a chance to be as competitive as they had been 244 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:40.519 even for last year, only to get ousted. Like if 245 00:12:40.519 --> 00:12:42.600 you need a guy to come off the bench, give 246 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:44.600 you energy, if you need a guy to even start 247 00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:47.480 and get things kind of in order. Russell Westbrook is 248 00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:49.879 figuring out a way and to do those things. And 249 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:53.720 you see the incremental improvements here and there with the 250 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:57.399 Denver Nuggets, and hopefully Mike mulhan will fully figure out 251 00:12:57.440 --> 00:12:59.879 a way to get this team clicking on all cylinders 252 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:03.120 so that you see the most competitive version of the 253 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:06.919 Denver Nuggets through and through something that they suffered last year, 254 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:09.159 not having anything left in the tank to see it through, 255 00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:11.480 for them to get themselves to, you know, eventually, the 256 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:12.600 NBA Finals. 257 00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:18.240 Russ has figured out a way to play work himself 258 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:19.080 into the starting lineup. 259 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:21.399 Some of it is because of Denver's injuries, right. 260 00:13:21.559 --> 00:13:23.919 You know, Murray has been banged up now seems to 261 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:26.000 be kind of hitting stride. Gordon has really been in 262 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:28.159 and out a lineup for good majority of the season, 263 00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:30.320 so some of it has just been out of kind 264 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:32.399 of necessity, as Mi cal Alona has tried to figure 265 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:35.600 out ways to make the lineup itself work. But in 266 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:37.720 the most recent stretch, Russ now is we're at the 267 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:40.000 halfway point and he's actually started half of the games 268 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:44.080 that he's been in and it seems to be working fabulously. 269 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:46.039 I think with he and and Joker together. 270 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:48.519 Part of it, too, is that it gives the Denver 271 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:51.200 Nuggets another playmaker on the floor at the same time, 272 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:53.960 as opposed to where Russ was mostly those second units, 273 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:56.559 and now it takes some pressure off of Jamal Murray, 274 00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:59.240 who's not again not a bad playmaker, but it's not 275 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:00.519 his first motive operation. 276 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:02.000 Let's just kind of put it that way. 277 00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:04.679 I like the fact that Russ has been able to 278 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:06.720 get there, and there's some out there, some other reporters 279 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:08.559 and pundits it's like, well, if he's gonna play with Drooker, 280 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:10.159 of course his plus minus is going to be better, 281 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:12.399 and Joker makes everybody better, and they just kind of 282 00:14:12.440 --> 00:14:15.840 want to always continue to detract from from what Westbrook does. 283 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:18.840 Listen for what it is. I'm not saying he's send 284 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:20.840 in the world on fire. He's always going to guy. 285 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:22.279 He's always going to be a guy who's going to 286 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:24.799 be able to score, you know, double figures and then 287 00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:26.159 get six or seven sists and. 288 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:27.200 Five or six rebounds. 289 00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:29.320 It's just kind of like you can pencil those in, 290 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:31.840 pend those in even to the day he's probably forty 291 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:33.799 years old, because there's a certain level of energy. 292 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:35.080 And hustle that he's always going to bring. 293 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:38.360 But his off ball cutting again and is obviously his 294 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:41.200 his secondary playmaking. With Joker being out there has been 295 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:43.799 something Nuggets have been able to figure out and utilize 296 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:46.279 to their advantage and now have them looking like a 297 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:48.600 very pretty forma team in the Western Conference when we 298 00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:50.759 were almost writing them off, especially in the first week 299 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:51.519 or two of the season. 300 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:55.159 Yeah, real quick to add to your point. 301 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:59.879 What I especially love about what Russell Westbrook is doing is, 302 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:04.799 especially to what you're saying regarding Jamal Murray, teams have 303 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:11.759 figured out how to defend the Murray Jokic, you know, 304 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:16.399 pick and pop, pick and roll situation where Jokic just 305 00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:18.559 sets up in the middle of the circle and distributes 306 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:21.720 and does others. So and I'm not saying that Mike 307 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:24.799 Malone has not done anything to change it. I'm sure 308 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:27.000 that he has attempted to do that, but it's very 309 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:31.679 difficult to adjust and to make those type of adjustments 310 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:33.399 when the rest of the other guys that are on 311 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:36.399 the floor clearly are not guys that move north and south. 312 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.639 Michael Porter Junity does not move north and south. Aaron 313 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:42.320 Gordon does not move north and south. All of your 314 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:46.360 players are like all around the three point line and 315 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:49.679 then kind of move in accordance to where Jokic, you know, 316 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:53.399 is dictating certain things. You need someone that just has 317 00:15:53.399 --> 00:15:56.240 an effet mentality and it goes north and south literally 318 00:15:56.279 --> 00:16:00.600 all the time. And yes, Westbrook doesn't shoot three ball 319 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:04.000 very well, but you know what, sometimes it's not what's required. 320 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:05.919 And one other thing that I think is important as 321 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:07.720 well too, show I want to bring up because you 322 00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:10.559 mentioned him, you usually can book him getting like five 323 00:16:10.679 --> 00:16:13.679 or six rebounds a game. Let's not remember, let's not 324 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:18.080 forget outside of Nikola Jokic and only on when there's 325 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:21.960 really solid nights from Aaron Gordon, this Denver Nuggets team 326 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:25.360 does not do a really good job of rebounding the basketball, right. 327 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:28.240 You don't expect that from Jamal Murray. You don't get 328 00:16:28.279 --> 00:16:30.559 that a lot from Christian Brawn, who's still kind of 329 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:34.120 coming into his own right. So a couple of years ago, 330 00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:36.600 that was something that they didn't have to worry about 331 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:39.240 because they had such a deep team, right the Jeff Greens, 332 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:43.320 the Bruce Browns, the Contavious Colwell Popes. Those guys would 333 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:45.720 get into the paint, they'd get into trenches and get 334 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.879 rebounds and salvage Jamal Murray from having to make those 335 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.600 kind of commitments. Right, they don't have that, they haven't 336 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:53.279 had it the last couple of years. And so now 337 00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:56.279 you got that back with a guy like Russell Westbrook. 338 00:16:56.559 --> 00:17:00.919 So those second chance opportunities, those opportunities that you typically 339 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:04.039 would need in order to get those transition baskets going. 340 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:06.240 So you can get Porter out to shoot those open 341 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:08.559 transition threes or fast break threes as well, wherever we 342 00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:10.640 want to call them, or Braun or any of those guys. 343 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:12.599 That doesn't happen unless you got a guy like Westbrook 344 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:15.599 on that court. And to see him still actively doing that, 345 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:18.319 you can see how that is so much helping this 346 00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:21.240 Denver Nuggets team because if not, it's always on the 347 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:23.880 shoulders of Nikola Jokic or on a good night when 348 00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:26.839 Aaron Gordon is not banged up and has actually committed 349 00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:28.160 himself down in the trenches. 350 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:31.039 Well, I'll back up your point and kind of close 351 00:17:31.079 --> 00:17:34.240 it with this. The Denver Nuggets are leading the league 352 00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:38.680 in fast break points. The Denver Nuggets with Nicola Jokic 353 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:41.559 as the best player in the league, leading the charge. 354 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:43.319 Right, But you wouldn't out there. 355 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:45.680 No one would say you know Jokic for you saying 356 00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:48.119 both out there on the basketball court. So the fact, 357 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.599 I think a lot of that is the Westbrook effect. 358 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:53.119 The fact that he is able to rebound and then 359 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:55.519 sprint up the court for anybody to kind of get 360 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:57.759 some open looks, even if it is you hit yoker 361 00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:00.200 joker kind of on that secondary break, you know, if 362 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:02.599 he's trailing to play, or he's getting it out there 363 00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:04.440 to a sprinting Christian. 364 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:07.559 Brawn or you know, maybe a Jamal Murray. I'm not 365 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:08.759 saying it's all Westbrook. 366 00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:10.519 You know, mikel ownA has had to figure out some 367 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:12.279 stuff to maybe make some tweaks in their offense in 368 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:14.160 that's sense to be able to do that, But him 369 00:18:14.200 --> 00:18:16.240 being in that lineup on a regular basis, and the 370 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:18.000 fact that he can rebound as well as he does 371 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:21.400 from the guard position and then initiate offense the Nuggets. 372 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:24.000 The Denver Nuggets are first and fast break points this season. 373 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:27.920 Crazy looking golden shout out to our girl, Jill Scott, 374 00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:29.920 got them, got them all on that R and B 375 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:32.880 track right now, got the neo soul and the digging 376 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:35.839 in the Denver Nuggets. You're tuned to the baseline. Callie 377 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:38.119 warren Shaw discussing the hot button topics of the NBA. 378 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:41.319 Talk about players that are keeping receipts. Let's go ahead 379 00:18:41.319 --> 00:18:44.079 and move on to the next one. Shaw, I really 380 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:46.680 like this one. You know what I'm saying, Your man, 381 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:50.480 Ziggity Zach Levine, you know what I'm saying, holding it 382 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:52.079 down for the Chicago Bulls. 383 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:54.920 You know what I'm saying, Like, what more can be said? 384 00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:57.920 We've I think a lot of people like to down 385 00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:02.200 downplay like his overall game, you know, partly because he 386 00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:04.359 never stays healthy enough to be on the basketball court 387 00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:06.119 for us to truly believe that he's going to have 388 00:19:06.119 --> 00:19:08.720 an impact with whatever team that he's playing for. You 389 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:11.880 look at this Chicago Bulls team. I'm sure that Billy 390 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:15.119 Donovan wants to hug him and then wants to to 391 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:18.000 you know what I'm saying, like like like bury him 392 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:20.079 in the locker in the back room and stuff like that. 393 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:22.880 So you just if the Bulls could just finally tank 394 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:27.720 because Zach Levine cannot help himself, would be just damn 395 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:29.079 good on the basketball court. 396 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:32.119 And he's keeping receipts on people who think otherwise. 397 00:19:32.440 --> 00:19:34.480 Yeah, Zach is. 398 00:19:36.839 --> 00:19:38.880 Twenty three and a half a game before, like oh, 399 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:40.680 that's you know, kind of like maybe not all that 400 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:41.960 sexy or whatever the case to be. 401 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:43.839