Hoops Tonight - TIMBERWOLVES-NUGGETS REACTION: Anthony Edwards & Julius Randle SMOKE Nikola Jokic & Jamal Murray

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a great week. On a jampackshow for you tonight. We're hitting both of the ESPN games as the Minnesota Timberwolves continue their dominance over the Denver Nuggets, winning their fifth consecutive game in this matchup, including their second consecutive game in Denver. In this matchup, We're gonna talk a little bit about the surging Wolves and the success that they're beginning to have on the offensive end of the floor.

I want to talk about Anthony Edwards's growth as a processor in the half court, the Julius Randall upside, which, as we've talked about the Wolves throughout this year, has probably gone a little bit under the radar in the sense that there's a lot of downsides with that deal, but there is an upside, and I want to talk a little bit about that and talk a little bit about Denver and how they can overcome the issues they're

having in this matchup. After that, we're gonna move on to the earlier game in this late as the Oklahoma City thunder go on the road in Boston without Jalen Williams and get a huge win against the Boston Celtics. A lot of their young talent had to step up with Jadave out, and they all did. Chet Holmer and goes for twenty three and fifteen a monster night from him.

We're gonna break both of those games down from the perspective of both teams, and then at the tail end of the show, like we always do every week for Microsoft, we have our course correction segment. This week, we're going to be covering Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. All right, let's talk some basketball. Actually, before we get started, subscribe to the YouTube channels. You don't miss any more videos. Follow me on Twitter at Underscore JSONLTC. You guys don't

miss announcement. So forget about a podcast feed. You revuture podcast owner Hoops tonight. It's also super helpful if you leave your rating and a review on that front. We also brand new social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook or releasing content throughout the year. Make sure you guys follow us there, and the last but not least, keep dropping mail bag questions in the YouTube comments so that we can hit them throughout the rest of the season.

All right, let's talk some basketball. So the Timberwolves had been playing a little bit of a light schedule, but they had won five games in a row coming into tonight. They had a one to twenty five offensive rating over that five game stretch. Anthony Edwards continuing to score at the level that he's been scoring all year long, doing

a nice job taking care of the basketball. Julius Randall was doing some really nice playmaking work in that stretch, averaging over seven minutes seven assists per game, getting lots of production out of Naz Reed, getting lots of production out of JD. McDaniels has really come alive as a jump shooter. They'd been coming alive offensively, as they had hung a one to twenty five offensive rating over those

previous five games. Denver has been playing bad defense all year, and they've been horrific on defense without Aaron Gordon, so tonight had the potential to get ugly. Then you add in the fact that this matchup has historically given the

Nuggets a lot of issues. Like I mentioned off the top, the Timberwolves have now beaten the Nuggets five consecutive times, including twice consecutively in Denver, and the reason why is they have the ability to attack one of Denver's biggest advantages, and the ability to attack Denver's I should say they have the ability to mitigate one of Denver's biggest advantages and they have the ability to attack one of Denver's biggest weaknesses. One of Denver's biggest advantages is that they're

bigger than most teams. Now, obviously it's a little different without Aaron Gordon. But this issue has persisted in this matchup even when Aaron Gordon is healthy. Typically it's like six' Ten Michael Porter, junior six, Nine Aaron, gordon seven Foot Nicole, jokic big and strong With gordon And, jokic and they just kind of overwhelmed teams with just a lot of, size, Right And jokic is also just the primary driving force behind, that.

Right but it's obviously going to be exacerbated With Aaron gordon. Out but that problem has consistently been an issue With. Minnesota minnesota because of Nasried Julius, Randall Orkarl Anthony towns last, Year Rudy, gobert Who jokic has fried at times in the. Past we saw last year was A game. FIVE i believe that he had like that unbelievable night where he.

stems from a couple of different. Issues Aaron gordon when he's, out he's a lot of the backup rim protection Behind, yoki which and then all of these guys that can come hard off of screens that have the pull up shooting ability to Dry yokitch out into, space but the driving ability to get past them and get to the

rim can cause some issues for The Denver. Nuggets and when you add in the growth Of Anthony edwards and some of the skip passes he was unleashing tonight against A nuggets team that constantly has to load up on ball, screens they can really struggle to guard in this matchup as.

Well and so that's the. Issue when your offense is specifically struggling Against minnesota's defense and your defense is specifically struggling Against minnesota's offense as a, matchup it can lead to extended dominance like we've seen.

April what matters is when you end up in a two week stretch against a particular, team how well do you guard that particular team and how well can that particular team guard you for two? Weeks and if you can't solve that, problem it doesn't. MATTER i talked a lot last year about HOW i would have Picked denver Against. Boston they didn't get a chance to Play. BOSTON i think they would have Beat. Dallas they didn't get a

chance to Play. Dallas why because part of The Western conference puzzle is you have to beat three teams to get out of that, conference and if you catch a team that's a bad, matchup Like minnesota was For, denver you can get knocked out. Early it's a super fascinating dynamic about the way the game of basketball is more complicated than any scientific. Ability we have to capture it.

Right one of the big things that stood out to me tonight was the growth Of Anthony edwards as a. Processor and this is Something i've been watching a lot over the course of this, season AND i think he's been dissuaded from a lot of growth in this area

over the years because of the supporting. CAST i talk a lot about believing in what you're, doing AND i talk about it in a macro sense for guys Like Stephen lebron who have been reinvigorated by, trades but it even works in the smaller and more refined sense when

you're talking about. Passing IF i passed to you in the corner a bunch of times and you miss and you, miss and you miss and you miss and you make, one and then you, miss and then you, miss and then you miss and you make, one then you miss four, MORE i might get to the point WHERE i no

longer believe that that pass is worth it for. Me and As jada McDaniels has started to make more shots and has started to trust him on that skip pass more and, MORE i thought it was fascinating when we got into the second half of this game And denver just comes out guns. Blazing they quickly go on a. Run they cut it down to what was it five or seven at some point a few minutes into the third quarter and Then Anthony edwards three consecutive, times and

ball screens Pulls yokic up to the. Level the low man comes over off Of jada McDaniels in the. Corner he skipped it to mc to, McDaniels three skips it to McDaniels, again three skips it To Mike, conley drives a close, out gets a layup in the.

what they're. Doing AND i think it's been really cool to watch. That he did a lot of damage. Too he missed a lot of, threes especially early in the, game BUT i thought his shot making coming off of those ball, screens even When jokic was, there hitting those contested pull up threes in his, face those are big time,

shots big time momentum killing. Shots you could even see some of the discouragement In denver's defense because there's not really anything you can do When ant the athlete that he is come flying off of a screen and just elevates over the top and knocks down that. Shot is big time night From Anthony. Edwards he goes for twenty

nine points and six assists in this. One and Then Julius, randall WHO i thought was, brilliant especially in the early portions of the, game just attacking matchups and getting to that, short little fadeaway jump shot that he likes right in the middle of the. Lane you, Know Julius randall to me is one of the better like matchup attacking forwards in the league when he's healthy and in. Rhythm and this has been the issue With Julius randall throughout his.

look really ugly at. Times he is a bullyball player who can start initiating a bunch of contact in the middle of the, floor and sometimes those possessions can get really. Ugly but, again this is a player who's made The ALL nba. Team this is a player, that when he's, healthy when he's in, rhythm is a very gifted matchup attacker in the half. Court and, like, Again i'm gonna be one hundred percent honest with you, GUYS i wish That minnesota would have just run it back With Carl Anthony.

i wish they would have run it. Back that, said if you guys remember WHAT i said back when the trade was, MADE i talked about an, upside an upside that existed within this mold involving the shot creation piece Of Julius. Randall Carl Anthony towns has been a better basketball player Than Julius randall this, season aside from When julius is at his absolute, ceiling which has been too

rare for us consider it. Consistent kat is an all around better basketball player Than Julius randall has shown that

throughout his. Career but there is a specific, thing one specific thing That Julius randall is much better, at in my, opinion Than Karl Anthony, towns and that's one on one basketball in the mid, post which is such a valuable tool when we get into these slow, down playoff environments where things grind to screeching halt and role players struggle to knock down, threes and it becomes about what stars

are better at creating. Shots julius is not only good at bullying players, there he is able to shoot over the, top so he can solve spacing related problems like oh go bears sitting under the basket and they're not guarding. Him his man is sitting under the, rim so he can't go all the way to the.

on strong and win some high profile. Matchups never underestimate the playoff whistle and the way that these big, ass, kicking physical teams can be a real problem in that. Setting and so you can imagine the, ingredients. Right it's that big physical defense that causes a bunch of problems for. Teams It's Anthony edwards's growth as a playmaker and as

a shot. Maker, again this was a guy who was what twenty eight points per game or twenty seven points per game on sixty percent tru shooting in the playoffs last. Year feels pretty good that he's going to be able to stay at that. Level he's been at that level all three of his playoff runs as a shot. Maker anthony edwards shot, making and then the third piece of it Is Julius randall as this like surgical half court matchup.

Attacker the pathway For minnesota is to make things. Ugly julius plays ugly, sometimes and, obviously as he's developing as a, playmaker can play off ugly, sometimes but you get the

they thrive in that ugliness with their size and. Strength look at the damage they did just with waves of athleticism at the rim in this, game and so AGAIN i would have preferred for them to run it back With kat just to see because it's a bummer when a team is in their growth trajectory and you throw a giant curveball like, that and who the hell knows what's going to happen as far as the future With julius and his contract and whether or not they can

maintain the use of that asset or. Not but in the short term there is an upside, here and it's a brutally Physical Minnesota timberwolves defense that can get in your jersey and rush you into making. Mistakes like Guys Michael Porter junior And Jamal murray didn't look comfortable at all tonight seven for twenty five from the field one for eight from. Three this is not the only time we've seen. This Michael Porter junior completely fell apart in

The timberwolve series last. Year Jamal murray was brutal in the losses in that. Series even In game seven when he had thirty five or whatever it was he, had he had those thirty five before the, run and then for the entirety of the run from the time The nuggets were up twenty or whatever to well into The timberwolves having the, Lead Jamal murray scored a big fat zero. Points and so when these things have gone south For denver in this, matchup it's usually. Not Yoki jokic has

some issues in this matchup surrounding. Turnovers he had a couple sloppy ones in the open court. Tonight he had seven turnovers in a game earlier this regular. Season he had some sloppy turnover games in that playoff. Series but, overall Like jokic went out there tonight was, Like i'm not losing to these. Guys i'm gonna find a way to kick their. Ass and he did all.

a lot of flawed teams with a lot of. Issues teams Like, milwaukee teams Like New, york teams Like minnesota for. Instance all of these teams it's like They minnesota could easily catch matchups where they fall, apart especially against teams that can really protect the, rim like we've talked, about, Right but this is that matchup, tier and it's all about catching favorable matchups and maybe things can go your.

Way you can see that pathway From minnesota centering around defense and the shot creation Of Anthony edwards And Julius. RANDALL i Thought Dante DiVincenzo brought incredible energy from the beginning in this, game a lot of extra efforts defensively getting up in the jersey of the. Guard he's defending THAT i had a couple of like really nice deflections

around the. Rim he brought a verve to the offensive end of the, floor stepped into some big above the break threes that were were big momentum shots in this. Game just really impressive night From Minnesota timberwolves on The nuggets. Front, again this this is a mental. Advantage this is a domination that extends beyond what you're seeing on the. Court Jamal murray And Michael Porter junior in, particular and a lot of the guys on this roster don't look confident

in this particular. Matchup and by the WAY i can, RELATE i remember seeing this firsthand with The Lebron James Anthony Davis lakers against The nuggets over the course of the last couple of, years where it's, like we can

hang with, you, Guys we're right. There but then whether it's a big third quarter run or a big fourth quarter, run it just inevitably slips, away and then the team becomes dejected and it just it is like like a very tangible confidence dynamic starts to shift Towards denver and it just feels like the exact same game just on repeat every single Time i'd watched that, matchup and this is starting to feel the same. Way sloppy, Turnovers denver's

offense falls, apart their role players don't look. Comfortable minnesota is just living at the rim all night. Long it's one of those things where in order to overcome, that there's a certain amount of like you almost need to win a game just to prove that you can win that, game and then from there things can loosen up a little. Bit but it looks bleak in this particular matchup right. Now and, Again Aaron gordon will, help but that's not the only that's not the only game that we've seen

between these two. Teams Aaron gordon's been, available and they've still had issues in this. MATCHUP i do think it's worth bringing. Up and, AGAIN i Know minnesota has been playing really good defense this, year but it continues to be a problem that they're consistently existing in. Rotation like even just like simple pocket passes To Rudy gobar rumbling down the, rim these skip passes that are always open

against their pick and roll. Coverage there's a consistent issue With denver where they're in, rotation and when you're in, rotation and you're also. Slow that's where you're gonna have some. Problems Jamal murray, Slow Michael Porter junior is, Slow Nicole jokich is. Slow and so when they end up in rotation and they have to cover all this, ground that roster weakness can rise to the. Surface and it has been an extended stretch here Where denver's really really struggled to get.

thunder players got into double figure. Tonight Chenn holmgrim was. Brilliant he had twenty three and. Fifteen he had three. THREES i really like just the overall aggression he was bringing off the, Catch like when defenders were closing out at, him he wasn't getting, hesitant he was just confidently rising up into that. SHOT i thought Kese On wallace was amazing in this. Game never forced, anything but he took

the opportunities that were in front of. Him he's really good at attacking bigs in space and around the, rim like finishing through rim. Protection he had a big drive by layup Against Al horford off the right wing on a. Switch he just is like a groundbound player that has a unique ability to get angles. Oversize it actually reminds me a lot Of Drew holliday watching Kese On wallace Play Lou dort put in. Thirteen one of the things That i've really enjoyed watching with Lou dort is his

close out attacking. Ability and everybody's got their kind of unique trait that you see attacking. Closeouts you see so many of those weak side scoring forwards THAT i talked about rely on wonderable pull, ups but they're almost always wonderable pull ups in the mid, range like you See DeAndre hunter rely on this shot a. Lot you See

Michale bridges rely on the shadow. Lot you see og And andobi rely on the shot a. Lot you See Rueya chimura rely on the shot a. Lot it's like pump, fake rip through sixteen foot off the bounce right and like one of the things that Lou dort does is he'll pump fake and he'll side step so that he can keep it as a three point. Shot it requires a lot of, lift it's tougher on the, legs But

lose a great. Athlete he's got a really strong base and his like pump, fake like radical side step where he covers like seven eight feet of space before he rises up into that. Shot it allows him to be a very dangerous close out. Attacker there's plenty of offensive. Support i've talked a lot about my concerns ABOUT okc centering around youth in. Inconsistency that's not the same thing as. Talent there's plenty of talent on this, team but young. Players you know how it goes like it's a different

vibe when you get into the. Postseason this is as close as you're gonna get in the regular, season a major nationally televised game on the road against a defending champion that you, know so obviously is looking for some big wins after they've taken some bad losses at home this. Year that's as close as you're gonna. Get but it's not the same as real playoff. Basketball and my concerns don't center around whether or Not chet can score twenty plus points in a big, game whether or Not loudor

can make. Shots jadubb can be a reliable secondary shot. Creator my concern is whether or not they will because we just have seen so many examples IN nba history of young players struggling in that sort of. SITUATION i was talking with this about this With Ethan strauss, yesterday but, like there's a reason why EVERY nba superstar seems to suck the first time they get to THE nba. Finals Jason tatum's FIRST Nba finals with The Boston, celtics he was.

Horrible jason Or Steph curry's FIRST Nba finals in twenty fifteen came on strong at the tail end of the. SERIES i, mean it was more of a playmaking type of series from, him but he was brutally bad at the beginning of that. Series was adjusting to that. Environment lebron was terrible in two STRAIGHT Nba finals to start his. Creates as you get to higher leverage, situations it just

becomes super. Intense you're always going against great veteran teams that are comfortable in that sort of, situation and you can see young players start to. Struggle but make no, mistake it's mostly the youth and inexperience that concerns, me

not the. Talent let's just put it very. Simply if these guys step into the conference finals and into THE Nba finals and they look this, confident they look this, comfortable and they make shots like, this they're going to win the whole thing because their defense is better than all these teams defense much better Than, cleveland better Than. Boston's if they shoot like, this if they score like, this they're going to win the whole. Thing and again like.

THIS i thought this was a great test for them as far as regular season basketball, goes and they pass it with flying. COLORS i Thought shay was a Amazing he had swarmed in the middle of the floor and had some ugly, turnovers BUT i thought he was surgical outside of. That in the half, court he had thirty four points and seven. Assists he was the primary scoring force behind the two big second half runs FOR. Okc in that third quarter, run he hits back to back

threes to push the lead up to. Twelve in the fourth quarter, run he had like a strip On tatum And. Iso he had a couple of mid range jump shots that he hit in a. Row he got to the foul line a couple of times all during the run as they were growing the. LEAD i thought he was really good on defense all night as. Well he looked like the best player on the floor in this. GAME i think like this three game stretch, here the Two denver.

Games in this, game they were resoundingly, strong probably a case closing put the final nail in The coffin type OF mvp case From Shake Gildas. Alexander he drops forty in a win on The, nuggets even in the game that The nuggets got back like they had seventy three in the first half as a, team and in the second half they, literally in a Really Jane key defensive,

construct just Doubled shay the second he crossed half. Court the rest of the game they just lost because the rest of the guys were just struggling to capitalize on those. Advantages and then. TONIGHT i thought he was the best player on the floor in a showdown with the defending champs In. Boston, Okay, see defense was, excellent their pressure was, great they were hilatious in their, rotations AND i thought they were really rushing The celtics and do a lot

of bad. Decisions we're going to talk about this With boston in a. MINUTE i Thought boston's overall execution in the second half was, terrible and most of IT i got to give credit To Oklahoma city because when you, pressure when you rotate with that sort of hilacious, energy it has a habit of rushing players and when they, rush they don't get into their. Process when they don't get into the, process they don't. Execute when they don't,

execute they don't get good. Shots and SO i just thought it was a nice statement win For Oklahoma, city another test along the way in their journey now, again like the playoffs are a different. Animal was talking about this earlier With denver as it pertains to their matchup With. Mina but you got to just do what you can to check the boxes along the, way and that challenge will come and they're going to have their opportunity to either prove me wrong or to learn a lesson at

least about how important that shift to playoff basketball. Is boston had some good, STRETCHES i thought in the second portion of the first, quarter After okayse took their early, lead they went up with like ten oh or whatever there was that time. Out they come, out they started to get the defense in rotation and the ball was popping. Around they got great. Shots they actually generated seventeen catch

and shoot jumpers in that first. Quarter that's always like the strong indicator for me of Where boston is in their offense is how many catch and shoot jumpers they actually, generate because, that to, me is the strength of their. Offense when they're actually getting the wide open catch and, shoots that to me is a better look for them

Than tatum And brown existing IN. Iso If tatum And brown are existing IN, iso that's a strong indicator that the defense doesn't feel obligated to send a second defender. Over and when they're pressuring the defense enough and they're getting higher quality, shots that's when the secondary defender comes. Over that's where they can get the defense and rotation

and start to pop the ball. Around even in the second, half there were some really good, sequences and they got some great shots where you just see the ball popping around you can you can see the play. DEVELOP i was talking about this in a mailbag THAT i recorded earlier today that's going to be coming out, tomorrow as it pertains to the difference between playing with play finishing versus playing with real dribble shoot pass, talent real dribble

shoot pass talent off the. Ball when you've got four or five guys that can all knock down a catch and shoot three at a high, rate read the, floor driving, closeouts and then finish plays either at the rim or in catch and shoot, situations you start to get these really pretty driving kick. Sequences and even in this game in the second, Half boston had several like beautiful driving kick, sequences BUT i thought they took way too many, rushed, contested off the off the move shots when there were

better opportunities. Available there were a bunch of them in that second. Half Jalen brown a really tough drop coverage pull up three Over Isaiah, Hartenstein Derek White Andrew halliday both took smothered corner, threes and Like Derek, white also made another smothered corner three that tied the game at eighty, eight and it's like sometimes the shot go, in they'll go,

in and, like your talent can be your worst. Enemy SOMETIMES i run into this issue WHEN i, play WHEN i play, pickup where it's Like i'm six six AND i can get to a pull up three WHENEVER i. Want so it's, like IF i get, LAZY i can just jack up pull up. Threes that doesn't mean it's the best shot THAT i can. Get and that like. That For, boston they have all these dudes who are like really gifted offensive, players and you have two options from. There you can either be less than the some of

your parts or more than the some of your. Parts and that's all gonna come down to. Process this is Something i've hammered on relentlessly With boston over the last few, years and the only Reason i'm really bringing it up tonight is because specifically with this, matchup specifically With Oklahoma, city if they're going to thrive against these, guys they're going to have to be more. Deliberate one thing we can, agree the margin for air isn't the same that it

was last. Year there are better teams that they're going to be playing against in both. Conferences That thunder team is way better than last Year's thunder. TEAM i think That lakers team With lebron And luca is probably better than any of the Other Western conference teams that we've seen over the last couple of. YEARS i think that That cavs team is better than Anybody boston has faced in last year's playoff. Field, right you still have the wild card of which one of The knicks or The

bucks are going to come to the. Surface it's a deeper. Field and there's another kind of like trend that's been going on all season That i've had my eye on that's a little. Concerning Jalen brown And Drew holliday were one for twelve from three. Tonight they're shooting thirty two percent and thirty four percent from, three. Respectively there is an outcome on the table here Where drew And jalen just don't, hit catch and shoot threes in the. Postseason

that could also further shrink their margin for. Air and by the, way before you tell me they're gonna be fine when they get in that, SITUATION i said all season last, Year, Yo kitch isn't shooting the ball as. Well Yo kitch isn't shooting the ball as. Well this is an. Issue Yo kitch isn't shooting the ball as. Well what if he gets in the postseason he doesn't make. Shots he shot like forty five percent from three in

the championship. Run what if he doesn't shoot the ball as, well and he got into the postseason and he didn't shoot the ball as, well and he went what like two for eight or two for ten from three In game seven Against, minnesota and it became a. Problem that was part of why they lost the. Series so, like there's a large trend, here which Is drew And jalen are not shooting the ball.

ended up winning his minutes by. Four tatum was mostly, great but again outside of, that especially in Those Jalen brown led groups and even in stretches With tatum on the, floor there was just too much of.

LIKE i perfectly fine with that. Shot if there's three seconds on the shot clock or two seconds on the shot, clock there's seven seconds on the shot, clock you've got time to driving kick once to try to make something. Happen but, again it's good to. Great if you're in the pursuit of good, shots you're gonna have a lot of streaky. Nights for sometimes they go in and sometimes they know they. Don't if you're in the pursuit of great. Shots that's where you can have consistent nights where you

shoot the ball. Well i'll even go a step. Further if you Want Drew holliday And Jalen brown to get their rhythm back and to start shooting threes, better you need to generate for them better quality. Threes and the only way you're gonna do that is through a team wide pursuit of turning good shots into great. Shots, AGAIN i think they can beat this. TEAM i would pick them to beat this team if they were to face in a. Series just can't be as sloppy as they were.

Tonight they were right. There they was shot for shot with him in that fourth. Quarter they tied it multiple, times and then they took a bunch of bad shots and got picked apart By shay and it was. OVER i also, thought like a lot of like the defensive basic principle surrounding switching was more sloppy For boston than it was For. Oka See, okay se was sharp with their. Switches they were staying, attached they were rotating. Well the

opportunities for driving kick situations were closing up. Quickly boston a lot of like basic ghost screens with like guard, Guard Drew, Holiday Derek. White why Is Isaiah joe slipping out of it wide? Open That's Derek white And Drew holliday switched that. Screen chet slipping out of ball screens at the top of the, key Like chet is too big of a target for you to let him slip down the lane completely. Unimpeded that needs to be a. Switch there are like basic things there that they can clean.

Up i'm just saying that against the, thunder they're not going to be able to operate with that same kind of loose execution that they were in some of the moments in their previous playoff. Room all, right before we get out of here, tonight welcome To Course, correction brought to you By. Microsoft just like star players and teams navigating performance, hurdles business decision makers today are.

Up this, week we're Discussing Steph curry and the resurgence of The Golden State. Warriors steph played on some really talented teams in the heart of his prime with The goal And State, warriors but it's been brutal over the last five. Years in the twenty twenty two title, run The warriors had a championship level, roster but there wasn't much margin for. Air those of you guys who listened to the show at the time will remember none of

their young players were in their. Rotation EVEN i was advocating For joe lacub And Bob myers to cash them, in to trade them to create more margin for error in that particular playoff. Run in the short, Term joe lacob And Bob myers were proven right because that team was good enough to win the. Championship but the story in the long run is more. Complicated it's become precarious because none of that young talent ended up being a,

foundational cornerstone type of. Talent James wiseman was a complete. Bust Jonathan kaminga proved to be super, raw and guess what, Now Jonathan kminga's do a massive. Payday and as soon as you start talking About Jonathan kaminga as a thirty plus million dollar, player it becomes a more complicated discussion for any basketball. Team AND i Like Moses. MOODY i think he's a useful young, player but he's a role.

Player and then things got compounded As Andrew wiggins failed to ever get back to the level he was at in twenty twenty. Two so the result was a Limited warriors roster that didn't really.

Randall It's Kevin durant And Devin. Booker It's Darren fox And demarto Ros and It's Kyrie irving And Luka. Donca Even James harden Had Norm, powell who was great While kawhi was. Out fred Van vliet with The Houston rockets Had Jalen green And opera And shangun And Steph curry Had Andrew wiggins And Buddy heel and, like, LOOK I Andrew wiggins got to a really high level in the

twenty twenty two. SEASON i thought he, was you, know he's never been back at that, level BUT i thought he was really really good in that in that playoff. Run but, like that's a lot to Ask Steph curry to. Overcome and like to make matters even, worse the roster limitations made them look. Bad as they looked, bad everyone decided they were. Bad as everyone decided they were, bad a lot of people just decided the trade wasn't worth.

It so they passed On ogan And, obi and they passed On Pascal, Siakta AND i mean they may not have been able to Afford Mikhail bridges with how expensive it, was but they just started passing on. Guys even in the early part of the, year When Jimmy butler And Zach lavine were, AVAILABLE i had been hearing that The warriors were not interested in those, two that they were holding out For Kevin duran Or Lebron james in a.

Trade they didn't want to have a flawed. Star why because they thought they were bad all because of a roster. Imbalance and part of the issue at that point is they had waited so long that their young players had lost some value relative to what it was in twenty twenty. Two Jonathan kminga in twenty twenty, two three years left on a rookie, deal young raw, prospect has a lot of. Intrigue trade For Jonathan comingia when you gotta pay, him

it's a completely different. Story it really looked, bleak and you could see it In steph's body language at. Times he's one of the great competitors in this, league and he was losing belief that he'd ever get a chance

to truly compete for a championship. Again there was even a press conference Where steph sounded so dejected and made comments surrounding the trade deadline that were so like bizarrely defeated sounding that he had to come out for his next press conference and remind everybody that he's a competitor

that wants to win a. Title but then opportunity. KNOCKED i don't know if it was The luca trade that kicked them into gear or something, else or just their urgency of the, moment but shortly after The luca trade it was announced that there's a lot of like intentionality Behind Golden state's pursuit of a star to bring next To.

Steph they ended up pulling the trigger On Jimmy, butler who had done his part by acting so crazy and playing so poorly that he had tanked his value down to where he became a very achievable target For Golden state without having to give up much more than some salary filler a. Pick one of the main reasons WHY i was such a big believer in A Jimmy butler trade was that The.

celtics two wins Against Oklahoma City. Thunder they had shown some real. Upside had way more role player talent than they actually need. It that had fifteen guys who can. Play they just needed someone to take on the responsibilities of a secondary, star And Jimmy butler did that. Immediately he fit the offense both With steph and Without. Steph they got even better, defensively and it shortened the. Rotation it cut down on the number of Options Steve kerh.

Had it gave guys more consistent. Roles crystallized roles for guys Like Moses moody And Brandon pizemsky have been great with the. Starters but most, importantly it awakened a sleeping.

Giant steph had been clearly holding something in reserve as the team was floundering in, mediocrity and the belief that his team could actually reach the, mountaintop unlocked his ceiling since The Jimmy butler trade in fourteen, games averaging thirty points per, game fifty forty two ninety two, splits sixty nine percent true, shooting, again thirty points on sixty nine percent trus shooting Since jimmy joined the. Team HIS mvp season was thirty points on sixty seven Percent troy shooting

like it's. Insane they're twelve to two in those. Games they look like a bona fide championship. Contender he was one of the game's greatest, players hiding in playing sight completely like written off due to one roster, weakness an imbalance between role player talent and shot creation, talent one that frankly was obvious to everyone in the world watching this team over the last couple of. Years but they

took care of. It and now we're going to get to see WHAT i wanted to see so badly out of A Jimmy butler, trade and That's Steph curry playing in meaningful basketball, games Which i'm very excited. For that's it for this week's course. Correction Remember MICROSOFT'S ai solutions empower you to take bold steps to make informed. Decisions sparking new ideas to help drive your business. Forward With microsoft as your trusted, partner you can navigate your journey with,

confidence finding innovative, solutions and reaching new. Possibilities Visit microsoft dot com slash challengers to learn. More all, right, Guys it's ALL i have for tonight is always sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting me and supporting the. Show we have our mail bag that's coming out, tomorrow and Then i'm reacting to The Thursday night slate On friday. Morning that's our schedule for the remainder of the. WEEK i will see you guys.