MVP Ladder: Luka's Defensive Issues, Jokic and Embiid Dominating with Michael C. Wright

that number two. Up from number five is Joel and Beat at three, Luca don Che drops a little bit down to the fourth spots, and Jana Sideta Kumpo is at five. UM. So, first though, Michael, I want to talk about Luca Luke and the MAVs. MAVs now have lost three in a row, five of their last six, the only win with that double overtime win at the

Los Angeles Lakers. UM big picture of you more so of what's happening with them defensively, because that's something Jason Kidd talks about quite at it after the last loss or fifth and offensive rating, but twenty fifth and defense, what do you see as some of the issues in particular in that area, Sarah is just plain effort. If you talk to Jason Kidd and and even the guys on the team. But you know, they've had a couple of guys out for while, Max and Cleber, and he's

actually been one of their defensive closers. Versatile dude, you know, can shoot the three, but like I said, you can play some defense, tou But they haven't had him for a while. Dorian Finney Smith and Josh Breen just returned to the lineup, and both those guys missed over ten games a piece, and so you know, with all these these you know, guys coming in and guys coming out, there's an adjustment period, and I think that's what we're

seeing with the Mavericks there. I think they're gonna get better defensively, but man, I mean, you can't get any worse than they are right now. I think their last three games they've given up an average of one thirty five point three. That's crazy, second worst defensive ratings since Christmas rolling to Dallas. And so it's a problem right now. And you know how it goes if you if you're in that m VP conversation and your team is losing that that diminished your chances. And I think that's sort

of what's happening with Luca Dodges right now. I mean, he's putting up just all the offensive numbers as usual, but it's just not there on the defensive end. And I think that's a problem for him right now. Yeah, not there on the defensive end currently, Dallas sitting in fifth place, and that's always kind of been something we've looked at with Luca. However, I think his sheer size and just the the ability to use that size and coverage um sometimes has overshadowed some of those issues, but

it's becoming glaring now. And and obviously he's carrying a ton of the load on the offensive side on his thirty four points per game, nine rebounds, not assists. But how big of an issue do you think in in the short term and just long term that maybe for don as a player and how he contributes to a

two true title contending team. Oh, you know, Sarah, I, I actually I just had to look it up for myself this morning, because you know, you look at what Luka Dont just doing, and you know, we talked about narrative when we are discussing, you know, the m v P conversation and last year Nicola Yoki, you know, he was missing his top two offensive players behind you know, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. You're missing both those guys, and Nicola Yokes carried them all the way to the

six seed by himself pretty much. Well, if we're going to use that narrative when we're talking about NICOLEA. Yoke, I think it's got to apply to Luca Dodgers too.

It's the same thing. And you know, I sort of want to check my old hypocrisy when I'm looking at this, and so, you know, I think that he's still a viable contender, and if he continues to put up the numbers he's he's putting up, and he carries the man up to the playoffs there in the fifth see right now rebounds forty seven minutes played and now sixty points for the first time in Neverick's history. To me, that's the same argument that we made last year from NICOLEA. Yoki.

So I think that he's just he's just got to keep doing what he's doing. But I will say it is I remember last year Jason Kidds saying that you know, all he wanted was for Luka Dodge just to participate on defense. Just participate, It's all we need from you. Well, with him doing that, the MAVs ended up somewhere like seventh last year in defensive rating, and so you know we need that participation from Luka Dodges at this point. I remember that press conference. I had a little chuckle

to myself. But but to your point to when you brought up earlier, I think Dorian Phinney, Smith, Josh Greendos, guys coming back, other defensive players, UM, different different individuals getting healthy UH may contribute to help. I'm glad you brought up NICOLEA. Yokich. The Denver Nuggets still holding on to that number one seed. Yoki still holding on to that one spot in your m v P Ladder seems to be the front runner. He is someone that it's fascinating how we view him and how we think of

him on the defensive side. Nuggets this season currently first an offensive rating eighteenth and defensive rating. But for Yokis, for as much as you put stock into these defensive metrics, UH tenth in the NBA in defensive wind shares nineteenth

and individual defensive rating. Has he improved on that end in ways that you think we may not give him credit for, or does things in the um in the context of how a team is structured defensively, that um maybe better than how we typically have have viewed him as a defensive player. I think, you know, we we send to look at his athleticism and think he's just this big, slow guy. And you know, first off, let me preface this by saying, I am not comparing Nicola

Yokis to Tim Duncan. But what I am saying is that Tim Duncan was sort of the center of everything the Spurs did defensively, and even when he started to lose the step, he sort of just knew where to be. He knew how the best help his teammates. And I think that's what we see with Nicola Yokich. I think is he's gotten older, he's gotten better at defense, but I think a lot of that is just his his

his basketball, like you, that's making him better. And so you know, we don't talk a lot about what he's doing defensively, and that's because of what he does offensively and what he does just overalls help the team win. I mean, think about this, his last five games, he shot the ball six better. So those are the things you pay attention and that's the things you pay attention to.

I mean, he had a triple double, thirty point triple double recently, and he shot something like from the floor when the triple for the fifth time in his last six games. So you can't help but look at those numbers. But like I said, defensively, he's a lot better than we give him credit for. For sure. Well what about just Denver in the in the thoughts of Okay playoffs winning a championship, I said, kind the middle of the pack here, just below middle of the pack, eighteenth in

defensive rating. But you think about the team, so maybe playing could be playing, whether it's a group like the Golden State Warriors. How much turns into half court defense in in the postseason, you got so much switching that takes place, all the pick and roll actions. What does

Denver do to try and best help him? I guess you could say, um, when it does get to the time that it's the postseason and he needs to be on the floor, uh, for for those closing minutes of games, I think what what I'm really liking about the Denver Nuggets this season is that Michael Mallowe knows like he's he said it that you know, we can't get to

where we need to get sitting where we are right now. Defensively, I think there's something like eighteen or something they're down, and so you know, those are the things you work on now. And the Nuggets have won something like with eight in a row something like that. At home, they're like unbeatable and three at home six sixty ten seconds ago. Gotta go Jamal Murder you catch, he'll catch backs up

the God. Yeah, it's ridiculous. And I think throughout the course of the season they're gonna get better and better and better defensively. But I think it's just more of just learning what you have to do. And we also have to look at this. Jamal Murray is just now starting to hit his stride, you know. I mean he's coming back from that knee injury and you know, like those are two year injuries essentially, and so I think this is just a matter of everybody collectively being together

on the floor more. And the Nuggets have figured out some some just great reserve guys, you know, Zeke Nazi, you got Bows Highland. Those guys are are you know, becoming like key rotation players and that that's gonna help them too. So I think they're gonna get better defensively.

I'm just not sure they'll be good enough when when when that time come, because they're gonna facing big guns in the West, I mean teams that can score the Mavericks, you know, uh, the Golden State, as you alluded to earlier. So they they've got their work cut out for him. Still, Yeah, it's gonna be really interesting, especially how wide open the West seems in particular towards the top and opportunities for others.

All Right, we're gonna take a quick break and the other side talk about another team that has been rolling to Philadelphia seventies Sixers have won four in a row and Joel Embiid obviously a big part of that. Don't go any market, Welcome back to NBA Pulse. Saracousta joined by Michael C. Wright and Uh Michael the seventies Sixers. They're tied for second in the East with the Milwaukee Bucks. Uh. They've been playing really well as of late. They've won

four in a row. And Joel embiid obviously a huge factor in that he jumped up from the number five spots in the number three spot in your m v P ladder. And obviously we can talk about a lot of things when it comes to him, but I think just what he does on both sides of the floor. Uh, the impact that he's made. What have you seen out of him when he's been able to consistently be on the floor and and be healthy and be available for the seventies sixers, What have you seen out of him

as of late? Um, that's that's impressed you in a different way potentially. Just it really is just two way dominds. I mean, when Joel Embi is healthy and he is the type he's a generational player, em beat the fly by the fuzz shoe well, embad bottom and you see that night in the night out. I mean, you know he does so much for them offensively and defensively. Herself. Drolling Bed could have easy just laid back in the

backcourt and not went after this. But when your leader does this on the defensive van he carries such a heavy load that you know that to me lends itself to the injuries. But I think that, like you know, with with James Harden's starting to play better and we talked about this last week. James Harden has been better and you know he's back to triple double James Harden, and I think that that chemistry between those two being on the floor together more. I think you're starting to

see it. I mean what I think in just this last month they had ten games and they want eight on them. They're rolling right now. Dr Riffer said. He said something like, uh, right now, I think we're good, but we can be really really good. And he's not lying, no, And I'm glad you mentioned that because with James Harden, I think that's been just an interesting watch of how they fit, how they're trying to find ways to complement one another. Um with the time and the consistency on

the floor together. When it comes to embiide, where do you think he can thrive best with how he plays with an off of James Harden, uh, in particular on that offensive side. So they so they both can be at their peak and optimum um for being impactful. Well that picking roll as a monster. Uh, and that's that's gonna be you know, part of the bread and butter for them. And you know, like what I like about Joel and Vitn is just that like people look at him as just this this big guy that that's just

you know, barreling over people in the pain. No dude can take you off the dribble. He can hit you with step back three. You know, he's got He's got a lot of a lot of offensive game that I don't think we get him credit for because we see how dominant he is inside. And so I think that versatility and what you you you pair that with what James Harden is doing, and you know, I think that's a just a couple of ingredients for greatness moving forward.

And you know, before we came on, you know, I was curious as to you know, where Philly ranges both offensively and defensively. And they've got the main two ingredients to go win championships. You know, you're in the top ten on both sides. That's that's what you need, you know. I mean we were just talking about the Denver Nuggets and how they're so low defensively, Well, Denver would love

to be in Phillies position right now. And you know, you can sort of see the Sixers just surging up the East standings, and you know, I know some of that is because Katie is out, but you know, they definitely moved up and they're what tide with Milwaukee right now for second and the East tied with Milwaukee for second in the East. And also, like you said, mean

fourth and defensive ratings seventh and offensive rating. Um. I think for all those reasons, it's been in present and Bead has been shooting the midrange really well too, and I think that's where playing off the heart and how you're finding space in on the floor. He's got some footwork, You're right, you watch him around the but he can be light on his feet, that big man. Everything, everything well,

he has been fun to watch. Philadelphia obviously has been and uh Michael has always We appreciate, appreciate your time and excited to check everything out on NBA dot com, in particular the m v P Ladder for this week, Join us again on Monday. NBA Pulse with Sarahkustack is a production of the NBA and I Heart Radio. Please rate, review, and subscribe on the I Heart Radio app or wherever you can get your podcasts.