Colin Cowherd Podcast - LeBron-less Lakers, Westbrook/Clippers Fit, Warriors Watch with Jason Timpf

about forty five fifty minutes. If you're on your morning commute, you're in your office, We're gonna talk hoops with Jason timp He has a very popular podcast called Hoops Tonight at the Volume, and so we chopped it up from forty five fifty minutes on a variety of topics. One of the ones we didn't get to but I do think is really fascinating is the Boston Celtics. We talked a lot of Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Denver Nuggets, some Milwaukee is at the end of the Warriors dynasty. That was

one of the topics. The Celtics are a fascinating team to me. And I was talking to somebody that covers the team and he said, Marcus Smart is actually the soul of the team. Jalen Brown's the best athlete on the team. Jason Tatum's the best player on the team, and there are nights because of his defensive abilities, Robert Williams can be the most valuable player late in games on the team. He's a complete utter rim protector. With Jannis in the Bucks, Janis is the most important player.

He's the soul of the team. He's the go to player on both ends in crisis. There's a lot of moving parts with the Celtics, where the soul of the team, the best athlete of the team, the most talented player, the rim protect They're all different pieces. When I watch the Celtics, I don't trust them in the half court set, in big spots, they get very stagnant. And I think Jason Tatum is a one as an athlete and a

two as a personality. I think there are times he gets a little passive, waits for the game to come to him. I like him. I think he's a top seven eight player in the league. But the Celtics and Boston's a very intense sports town, usually not very patient with its politics or its sports. We've been really, really patient with the Boston Celtics right and I think a lot of us kind of feel like last year. I thought they had a real chance early. I think Robert

Williams was a huge Warrior matchup issue. I thought after a couple of games, I thought they were the better team in the series. I don't think they're getting to the finals this year. I'm interested to see how patient Brad Stevens, the owners and people can be with the Celtics, because I just don't think they have as many guys that can get a bucket as Milwaukee between Ingles, Holiday, Janis,

Jay Crowder, Chris Middleton. I think the Celtics to me, are the most interesting team going forward the rest of the season. We know they're really good. How patient are we going to be the Jason Tatum Jaylen Brown relationship. One's a better player, one's a better athlete, one's more aggressive, one's less aggressive but more talented. I can't wait to watch how it plays out. Let's bring in Jason timp hoops tonight, chop it up with some NBA stuff, So Colin.

I this morning as I was driving around town, was listening to your opening segment on The Herd, as I've done many times over the course of the last ten years or so, and you were talking about Lebron James and you had some interesting thoughts about just where he fits into the Lakers long term plans with this latest injury.

So my question for you is if the Lakers end up let's just say they get into the play in and then they put up a good fight against Denver, but they lose in six games, in large part because Anthony Davis and Lebron are a little bit out of rhythm. But you have this excuse in the back of your head, which is they didn't have this full season with this group, you might be able to put together a more a softer workload for Lebron in a d next year, and

maybe it's better. Are you in a position where you would continue with the core of these two guys moving forward or would you look to move on at that point? Yeah, I'd look to move on. I you know, Lebron is such a unique player that you can argue there's only been a handful of players in league history. Magic Johnson's another one where they've made every single teammate in their career either better or in the Chris Bosh Kevin Love space. For Lebron, I don't know if he made them better.

He kind of asked them to sacrifice, but he won them titols and they would not have won titles. So every player he's played with is a better version of themselves or they've won titles. That's very rare. I would keep Lebron until he doesn't want to play, even an old Lebron will elevate others, teach others, coach others. I think he has just such redeemable value on so many levels. I don't feel that's the same for Anthony Davis. Anthony

Davis is simply talented. He doesn't have a tremendous work ethic. Although I don't think he's a bad teammate. I don't think he's a guy that's going to spend his offseason tutoring. He doesn't necessarily elevate others, although he does elevate your team. He's a very good defensive player and on his best nights, he's unstoppable's he's really a John Calipari won a title with him John Calipari this year lost to Saint Peter's. Okay, so he ran through the tournament with him, But I

would move him. I said this before the season, is that certain players, most players have limitations. Once that limitation is injuries. There's certainly an argument to be made if you look at Lebron in a d and I don't have the number with me. We talked about it this morning. How many games in a row since they arrived together in Los Angeles have Anthony Davis and Lebron James played consecutively. The number is shockingly low, like bizarrely low, and it's

getting worse because Lebron is simply getting older. So I would have moved off him. You know, he's a commodity. You can move him, cross your fingers. He remains healthy, they win a playoff series, they get in, he's viable. I mean, Russell Westbrook keeps getting teams like. You can move Anthony Davis absolutely, But I would move off him. I would continue to surround Lebron with bigs that run the floor. Jared Vanderbilt's been terrific. Shooters always benefit from Lebron.

But Kevin Durant coming to the West feels like he's changed the West, Like there were some obstacles for this Laker team. I the small right now, I feel the Suns will in the West. I really do. Yeah, Phoenix

changes the math for everybody at this point. And the weird thing is, and this is the unfortunate thing, And this is what I was complaining about so much early in the season, was that this kind of felt like the last great chance to do something in the Western Conference if you were a team that had that was close just because of some things like you know, the Luca Kyrie pairing. They're going to be able to address

their front court issues in the summertime. They are a complete disaster in the front court defensively and on the glass. You know, Phoenix, same sort of thing. They're going to have a lot of opportunity this summer to address some of their specific holes. You know, at like Golden State and the Lakers are kind of in this interesting position where they were close enough to make more of an

all in move. And I feel like specifically with the Lakers, they were even more aggressive at the trade deadline than I expected them to be, but they paid a price for waiting as long as they did and you know what's funny, Like som Sharania reported today that this specific foot injury for Lebron was one that he actually experienced in January and him and his team had a decision to make as to whether or not to shut him down or to continue and play on it, and he

opted to play on it. And this is where if I wanted to make the case for giving it one last goal around with these two guys, I would put it based on the workload and the potential next year to keep that lower. So I wanted to share a

couple of pieces of data with you. So first of all, these are this is Janis's minutes per game over the last two season two seasons thirty two point seven, Steph Curry over the last two seasons thirty four point five, Nikola Yokich over the last two seasons thirty three point five. Lebron James over the last two seasons thirty six point

seven minutes per game. And in addition to that, he's had multiple extended stretches over the last two years where Anthony Davis has been hurt and he's had to carry limited rosters by himself to float them in the standings. Which he did this year. By the way, the only reason they still have a chance to make the play in is because of the quality of basketball that Lebron played over the course of the end of December and January. Here in early February, he carried them to this point.

So I guess the case that I would make is I'm a huge believer in the Lebron Anthony Davis ceiling. You saw what it looked like again on Sunday when the two of those really hit the jets. They can win rock fights, and they can win with skill, which is such a unique capability of those two. That's why

they have the high ceiling that they have. So the way I'd look at it is if Anthony Davis can finish this season healthy and playing at an MVP level, which he's got a golden opportunity here over the course of the next few weeks without Lebron to demonstrate that.

If he demonstrates that, I look at it as next year, you might be able to limit their minutes, keep them both around thirty to thirty two minutes per night, sit them out back to backs, and do all the little things that keep the workload lower to where you don't need them to carry as much as they've done over the last two years, which I think has directly directly led to the injuries that they've been dealing with. So I would give it one last chance. If Anthony Davis

finishes the year healthy. But Anthony Davis could not finish last year healthy. The year before that, he was awesome against the Suns for two games and then he broke down again. If he breaks down again, I think then it enters a simple like risk reward proposition where it's foolish to plan your franchise around a star player in his twenties who literally cannot finish the season healthy. That when we presented that idea in our last show, a lot of people kind of framed it as we want

to trade Ad. No. No No, we believe in what Ad can do when he's healthy. He demonstrated that for us over the course the last few games. It's the it's the health, that's all it is. If he can't finish the season three years in a row in his late twenties, what makes you think that's going to get better in his thirties. That's just bad management at that point. It's bad planning. So I would give I would say, regardless of what happens down the stretch here, as long as

a D's healthy, I'd give it one more shot. But then you know, if they break down again at that point, then you have to start looking to move in a different direction. Well, it's also the NBA is in an interesting space where many of its best players that are the most dependable in the playoffs Steph kd Lebron ad MBID can be brittle like like many So those are

not dependable guys. But when they're good, they're great. And then we have these young players who just quite not right, quite ready to aunt John Morant, like Jamal Murray Izzy ready. So I've got these young players who are very, very talented. The brandon Ingrams were just waiting for them too, and it may never come right. So the old guys Chris Paul Durants, I mean, guys we know can win playoff series,

Steph Curry, Draymond catalyst for a Warrior's offense. The league's in an interesting space and about there's only about two or three teams that I think bridget really well. Milwaukee where Jannis is in his prime, Drew Holliday is in it or just out of it. And then the Ingalls Jay Crowder Middleton are out of it but shotmakers. That's why I think Milwaukee should be favored, and I think Boston similarly. Tatum's in his prime, Jalen Brown is. I

think Marcus Smart's out of it. Robert Williams probably in it, but he's hurt a lot. I don't think there's a lot of teams that bridget I mean, let's be honest about Phoenix. I love him, but if Chris Paul and both got hurt in the next two weeks, nobody'd be surprised. I think this is the last year for the Warriors dynasty. Draymond just got a nice scoped Steph coming off an injury.

Clace having a remarkable season. But you know Wiggins, You're not quite sure what you're kind of getting with Wiggins right now. He got the bag, he's got money. Is it the same guy? So it's an interesting time in the league where the teams I really really like, I'm not sure I trust their health, and the other teams like a Memphis, which I think is a Cleveland I think are both tremendous teams. I just don't think they're

ready yet, Like, who's the second star for Memphis. I don't think Mobley's quite ready to be great in a playoff series and dominate. So it's an interesting time. My best bets outside of Milwaukee, I think they're a clear favorite. I think the Warriors are completely in Tatum's head. I just I would take the Warriors ten out of ten

series getting lost. But I mean Milwaukee, to me feels like the safest bet, bridging youth, veterans, shot makers, defense, and then it's a It's a very interesting next two months. There's a lot I mean Memphis and the Clippers. I still love the Clippers, but I had somebody tell me something. Somebody incredibly well connected to the Clippers say that they've just come to the conclusion that you just Kawhi Leonard doesn't communicate. He's not a good teammate. He's just a

great player. He's a bad teammate. Nobody knows when he's gonna play. He's not verbal. You can't depend on him. I still think that team is Most of their good players are excellent defensively. I like Tylu. The Clippers sum up the league for me outside of Milwaukee, I just have to watch the playoffs, I could get multiple outcomes. I mean, if the Clippers came in, Kawai got dinged up, Paul George struggles in the postseason, they're out first round,

it could happen. So I just think it's March Madness this year. There's no great team. I do think in the NBA there are Knights. Milwaukee can be great when

Jannis is really on, but it's going to be wide open. Yeah, Milwaukee has separated themselves in a recent weeks, you know, like the Boston Celtics haven't looked consistently great over the course of the last few months, and almost in the Western Conference, it almost feels like who's gonna be playing best at the right time, because it's just constantly up and down. Who's got it going on any given week

or two stretch during the season. And you know, I'll put it this way, like when we get to the playoffs, in the play in in particular, you're probably going to see Dallas, Golden State, and the Lakers all end up in that seven, eight, nine, ten range. That's completely possible. Dallas is heading into an extremely tough stretch of their schedule over the course of the next few weeks and against some specific matchups where they're really going to struggle.

So you're gonna see even the two top teams in the Western Conference, if it ends up being Memphis or Sacramento, and then obviously Denver, they're gonna have a very difficult first round matchup that they're capable of losing. And so to keep it on the Lakers for a second, I first of all, even with Lebron James being out, the Lakers have the fifth easiest remaining schedule out of everybody in the league. This is not the same Lakers from the last year and a half. They have a lot

of talent after Lebron James. Jared Vanderbilt and Anthony Davis have played one hundred and eighty possessions together and are holding teams to ninety eight points per one hundre possessions, which is outstanding. They can defend. They have an identity outside of Lebron. Now they've got two really good ball handlers in D'Angel Russell and Dennis Schroder to run pick and roll with Anthony Davis. I think they have a

legitimate fighting chance still. And then Golden State, obviously is this big wrinkle there that could end up in that eighth seed. So let's go. Let's put it this way really quick. Do you think that all is lost for the Lakers this season or do you think they have a chance to potentially go on a run? So I think I think when they made the trade, it gave them more ways to win. To your point, it's a better pick and roll team, it's a better shooting team.

Vanderbilt was always a solid player. I think Laker fans that didn't want watch him are shocked, but it's like, you know, people knew in the league. I mean I texted text two different scouts in the NBA what to expect, and they're like, he's going to really help Anthony Davis out, good length, runs the floor, He's a good player. So I think there's more ways for them to win. I don't think there is Lebron dependent, but I do think Lebron is such a unique gifted player. The elevate, the

ability to elevate others is so magic, Johnson. I mean, many of our best players, Kobe and Michael jurk Nevitsky don't necessarily elevate. They just are great players. They're just fantastic individual scorers. I think Luca's got a lot of that where Jalen Brunson explodes when he leaves right like, you're like, Jalen Brunson's this good. Yeah, I mean it's a very James Harden thing where you're in awe of his offensive efficiency. But he does take shots away because

he has the ball all the time. So yeah, I think they can win. I think I think the Memphis games tough. I think it could be a little a little bit of a pit they could get, they could be in trouble, but I think there's a lot of ways they can win. I think they're a better defensive team on nights, they shoot well. Is D'Angelo Russell plan tonight. I don't think he's gonna play until Friday. That's the

word as of right now. Cornerica Ramona Shelburn, which is really unfortunate because like an ankle tweak like that, and he kept playing on it for like a minute after I that's the gosh. Leaker fans have to just be pounding their head against the wall just with the luck they've had with the injuries here down the stretch of the season. But it's kind of been the story over

the last two years. If the Lakers got to let's just call it to eight seed and they were healthy, would you pick them over the Denver Nuggets or would you pick Denver to win if they were healthy, I'd picked the Lakers. With the NFL season over all, eyes in the sporting world turned everything from the NBA to college hoops to the NHL. Plenty of games to watch are even better, plenty of games to get out of

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the code Collins col I n twenty bucks off. Download game Time today last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. You know, I was talking about this today, like I really like Miami and Close games. I think they're I think they lead the NBA in thirteen like one bucket wins. I don't love you know, Bam and Jimmy Butler are very good players, great coach, great defense, great crisis management, excellent situationally, they're kind of the opposite of the Sixers that are

docs not great situationally. They're sloppy. Last night they had like twenty turnovers. I don't trust Harden late in games, even though he's had a good season. There are these cultures of smart people. I think Miami is a less talented version of Golden State in a seven game series. They're just gonna win more possessions. They're going to be better late in the shot clock, Layton quarters, Layton sets. So if Golden State is one of those playing teams,

that's my pick. I don't buy into Denver. You know, Yokich is going to probably win a third MVP. It's weird. There are players that I can really like in the regular season, but I don't trust him in the postseason. And there have been in my lifetime watching players that I love as scores, but I don't love him as players. Zach Levine's won. He's obviously he's an explosive, dynamic player. I don't think he's a winning player. I don't think Sprooks a winning player. I never thought John Wall was

a winning player. I never thought Carmelo was a winning player. I just think they're great players. I don't I don't trust Denver in the West, and I don't trust Philly in the East. So I think if Lebron and Ad were healthy, I would have the two. I know Yokicho win the MVP, but I would have two players. I would have the best defensive player. I would have the best ball handler of those three is Lebron. The best physical presence is Lebron. The best defensive players Anthony Davis,

Yokicho win the MVP. So I think playoff basketball is about being great at stuff Miami, great situationally, great coaching, great defense. That stuff wins. It's not about depth. It's not about plaques, it's not about MVPs. The Lakers, when Adi and Lebron are healthy, they have things they're great at. Vanderbilt just made them a better, deeper, defensive team. So I would take the Lakers. Yeah. You know what's interesting

is Denver. Denver fans in particular are particularly sensitive about this, and I think it's the classic small market thing. They've been kicking everybody's ass all year. I understand why they want a certain amount of respect and so on and so forth. And to be clear, I think Nikola Yoki is a good playoff player on the offensive end of the floor. He has demonstrated that. But you said playoffs are about what you're great at, they're also about what

you're bad at. And specifically with Denver, they have a couple of entry points on the defensive end of the floor. With Michael Porter Junior, you can struggle a little bit defending on the perimeter. Nikola Yoki when he gets out onto the perimeter, can struggle a little bit. He's actually struggled a little bit with rim protection this year, which has been an issue that has risen as of late. So like the way I look at it, like I

believe Denver can win. They absolutely have a chance. But we're sitting here and we're looking at the bigger picture, and we're looking at Milwaukee, and we're looking at Boston, and we're looking at Golden State. We're looking at all these teams that we have as other options, and would you pick the team that has not won an NBA championship and has glaring entry points on the defensive end that we've seen time and time again in NBA history

get exploited. I just don't think they're as safe as a bet of a bet compared to some of the other teams that we have elsewhere on the league. I don't think that's an insult to Denver. They're a great team. I think they can win it. I just think that Phoenix is every bit as capable of winning it. I think Golden State is every bit as capable of winning it, and I still think the Lakers and Clippers have an outside chance. On that note, let's move on to the Clippers.

So we've had two games with Russell Westbrook in a Clippers jersey, and I actually think he's been pretty solid so far. Tyler did pay that I played Russ and Crunch time tax in the King's game when Russ lost Milik Monk on the game time shot and then spent the entire overtime period as the King's just double teamed off of him and just went at Kawai and Paul

George everywhere on the floor. So there have been some issues, but I do think you've seen an obvious basketball fit that wasn't there With the Clippers, specifically, he's pushing the pace, which is the thing that that team desperately needed to do.

And one of the things that's been kind of sneaky good is they run a switching defensive scheme, as opposed to the Lakers that ran a lot of drop coverage where they were asking Russ to chase guys over the top of screens, and so in switching schemes, he ends up on bigger players a lot. And Russ is actually one of the better switching guards that we have in

the league because he's so competitive. He takes that personally when you try to attack him, and he's so big and strong, and he's very good technically at fronting the post, which is something he does a great job of in those switches to prevent that post entry. And so he's been a good piece for them on the defensive end. And then one of the sneaky subplots here too is Kawai and Paul George actually prefer to operate off the ball.

They are like guys that are like, let me get to my spot, let me fight for position, then you throw it to me. I can go to work. So there's been kind of a natural offensive synergy there. The lineup date is a little skewed because Russ unfortunately that first shift against Denver, the Denver starters just beat the heck out of him for I think they went up twenty four to eight, which is kind of skewed the data.

But I think it's been pretty good so far. So my question for you is, what have you thought so far about Westbrook in a Clippers jersey. I well, I'm not a fan of Westbrook. I think if you can avoid using him in situational basketball late in a quarter, like a three minutes to go, I don't want him on the floor. But he's productive, He pushes the pace, he gives you great minutes, he gives you great energy. I mean, even with the Lakers, there were moments. Was

at that Celtics game. There was a big Laker game I was watching, and he had a tip in at the basket and he's just out of control, applies it, tips it in, and I'm like, that's Westbrook. In the regular season. Not everybody brings energy, Not everybody is equally rested. You saw it last night. The Celtics were completely flat against the Knicks. First quarter, Tatum's awful, browns out, They're done. You know, it felt like it felt like a first round of the playoffs for New York at Madison Square.

They just came out on fire. And so I think the Clippers because Kauai, I don't I don't like when Kauai the offense runs around him. I'm a believer. It's he's way better off ball, and so I think I think Westbrook fits better. Lebron is so great with the ball, Kauai is better off it, Paul's better off it. So I think he's a better fit. And again, twenty games left, you can get thirty minutes a night from him. Just get him out of spaces. Um. You know it's in football.

Some guys are great in the red zone. So you know what I mean. There are third down backs, right, They're not powerbacks. It's okay. Most athletes are, even the good ones are situational. There's Jason Tatum is usually ohways good. That's very unique. So I think when you keep out of those spaces, they've got a lot of depth. He's fine. But I think with I thought when he came to the Lakers. I remember saying at the time is. I think it can work. He can't play off ball, but

Lebron and Adi get hurt. He'll give him thirty four minutes a night, and he had games, he had moments, but because of Lebron's ability to control the tempo and pace, he got in the way. I think there's going to be moments. He's exactly what they need. Give him the ball, let him burn the tempo, get up the floor. I'm a total believer in what you said. I think both Paul and Kauai are terrific in the wing off the ball. Whenever the offense goes through Kawuhi, it can be effective. Esthetically,

it doesn't look good. It feels like a struggle, like right like because Kawhi is so great, it can be effective. It never looks good. It always looks stilted. So and I don't want to I don't want a guy that plays only three out of four nights, you know, doesn't play black to backs. I don't want him running my offense, right, I'd rather have him off ball. So I think Westbrook's okay for them. Just keep him out of a game with four and a half minutes left tied, and it matters,

and that's what Tyler did. They did not play him in crunch time against the Nuggets. Now, that game kind of swung ironically on Paul George, who's been one of their biggest issues in crunch time. He kind of co opted things in ot and made a couple of crucial mistakes early in the period, and then the game was

over just like that. I agree though, like Kawhile, Leonard's interesting when you get him to his spots, like it's like, Oh, navigate an off ball screen and get a switch and then dump it to him in the post against Jamal Murray, that's as high percentage of possession as you'll find around the league. Like, he's great in those situations. But when you start asking him to initiate offense from the perimeter with a live dribble, that's where things can get a

little bit messier. This is my big concern with the Clippers called this is a wild stat for you. Did you know that they've lost thirteen out of fifteen games against the Denver Nuggets dating back to the bubble. That specific matchup is so in their head. The Nuggets in particular are very very good at beating their switching scheme by getting the ball to kitch in their spots, and that it's there's a little bit of a mental advantage.

They're kind of like you've seen even with Boston and Golden State, like you've talked about, So that that's kind of where the thing that severely limits the Clippers chances of getting out of the Western Conferences. You'll probably have to go through Denver, and I just don't think they can win. Their best bet is that someone like the Lakers or the Warriors ends up getting that eight seed. It can knock knock the Nuggets out before they even have to see them. But that specific matchup is an

issue for them. They just gotta get They gotta get everything clicking at the same time. Like right now, Kawai's peaking. You know, they're they're integrating Russ and it's going well. But Paul George is having some struggles and Norman Powell starting to struggle a little bit. There's a bunch of like little pieces there that they just can't get aligned.

But they're one of those teams just like the Lakers, where it's like if they're healthy and you catch them in the in the right matchup, they're capable of beating anybody, and that's just the Western Conference right now. We tend to get impatient, but you know, the Clippers, it wasn't long ago that we were celebrating Paul George and Kawai playing together. And anytime anybody doubts them, my takeaway is, well,

where's Boston's ring? I mean, this Boston group's been together six years now and they got one Finals appearance and they kind of folded in this way, and nobody doubts the Celtics, So this is only the second year. Kauai is a very unique personality. I had somebody very close to Kauai and people around him. Kauai is hard. He's hard on coaches, he's hard on teammates. He's nonverbal. Nobody knows when he's gonna play. You don't know what kind

of performance you're getting. So it's easy to be impatient. But you know, Durant to the Warriors was different, superstar enters, winning culture with rings and momentum. I think the Clippers will be interesting. They struggled all last year with health they got I thought they were going to play their way in and be interesting and they didn't. They just didn't have enough chemistry. They felt a little bit last

year like Brooklyn. You like the parts, but they never aid together, you know, so you get into the playoffs and there's just no chemistry. I didn't think they had it last year. But I'm I'm a buyer on the Clippers. I think they are the only team that matches up really well, not just well, but really well against Golden State. Well. Yeah, that that perimeter size gap between them and in the Warriors, and how small they are at in the backcourt and

on the wing, that's a significant issue. One of the things that's really glared for Golden State this season is just their overall lack of athleticism and that it's just one of those things where they bet on that bench coming around for them, and it just didn't and became a problem for them, didn't. I have a feeling they're going to be pretty active in the next few weeks, going after someone like Stanley Johnson or New Orleans Noel to bolster that because Golden State's entering a little yeah.

Oh no, I mean I watched them m they played was at Minnesota. I watched them there night. When Looney goes to the bench, they're tiny and by the way Dante de vins Henzo, he's a really good fit for them. Peyton will be available in six weeks. They're getting very guardy. They're getting smaller, right and so, and even Wiggins, who has some length, is very rail thin. They're just they've got Minnesota was getting. He was naz Reid. They were getting a lot of cheap buckets they give. You know,

you're going to give up a lot now. Durant now his length against the Golden State with DeAndre Ayton, So it's like Golden State when Looney hits the bench. They're tiny, and so it's you know, listen. They like Kaminga, they don't trust him. And Steve Kurs liked this. I think he likes Pool. I think he begrudgingly trusts him. Pools immature. So they're a classic example great veteran culture, young guys. They're trying to bridge it. They gave up on Wiseman

coming and they like but don't trust. Moody's not playing enough. And I think Kur's offense is a reactionary. It's really a high functioning on you that offense. Yeah, I mean, by the way, nothing against Dangel Russell. They couldn't get him out of town family And why does I mean he was because he was a little immature. They didn't. But Wiggins considered a one talent, but a two or a three personality. Really cerebral player, very sensitive guy, cerebral player.

He picked it up immediately. Like that worked. So that's andre Iguadala. That worked. Durant high functioning, like a little bit of a basketball savant, worked instantly. So if you're asking why aren't these young players work for Golden State, it's eff and hard. That system is hard, and Comming is the great example. Six seven twitchy. They you can tell they like him watching situational basketball. He's not around like they just don't trust him, so they it's I

think we keep forgetting this is not the NFL. These kids come out of the draft or nineteen and you're asking them to function in a wild like a Miami Heat offense, like you're talking Battier, Wade, Haslem, Real and Lebron. Come on, that is like that is neck, that is that is like nuclear fusion. The class in high school or college none of us wanted to take. You're talking about a different galaxy. So I just think Golden state, they're a victim of their own success. They're they're they're

brilliance offensively, even defensively, they're really high end. It's hard for young guys. It's just hard. That's a fundamental difference between basketball and football. Two. Where football, especially in athleticism positions like on the defensive line or a linebacker, you can see a player come out of the draft and immediately become an impact player. Basketball is such an IQ sport and it's so skill heavy now, especially as it's

gone more perimeter oriented. It's just extremely difficult for a young player to play winning basketball at the highest levels. It's it's one of the biggest reasons why that that idea was flawed from the start, because you're banking on them, like, hey, maybe when they're twenty one, twenty two, they'll figure it out. But almost every time in NBA history, it's been more like twenty six twenty seven when they actually start to

figure it out. I mean, I like, when I was twenty two years old, I had no idea what the hell I was doing on a basketball court. You know, I was running and jumping and shooting and just be you know, hoping that I could find some way to impact the game. It's just extremely difficult to do. And and Steve Kirk can be a little bit of a doghouse coach too. Like he's one of those coaches when he pulls you, I'll be like, oh, you're out of the rotation for the next week until you figure this out. Like,

he's just he's one of those kinds of guys. And I think that's a big part of why, Like, and Bob Meyers straight up came out and said this, He's like, we have to be careful who we sign with that final roster spot because we have to make sure Steve Kerr will actually play that person, you know what I mean. And and so they're in kind of an interesting predicament. And every time I look at their Rotetian, I go, Okay, Jordan Poole, Dante DiVincenzo, Jonathan Cominga, Gary Payton, and Jamichael Greene.

That's kind of enough. They've got a bench. It's just it's really hard when they're not healthy to have a good eight or nine man rotation to lean on. And when you have Wiggins, Draymond, and Steph All out of the rotation at the same time that you're three best players. It's a miracle that they were able to win that game against Minnesota the other night, in large part because

Clay Thompson went off. But they're just they're in a situation where you trust the core so much, but you just haven't been able to get everyone available and there's no depth there to carry them through the other stretches of the season. I mean, thank god, Clay has had a great play, has really played well. He's had a

great year. His half court shot creation has been a revelation this year, carrying the Warriors through these stretches because he's always been such an off ball player, but he beat Minnesota the other night on the basketball making plays for his teammates. It's such a unique, like kind of late career shift from him as he's been able to just it's almost like your force of will, Like Klay.

Thompson's one of those guys that I think he's kind of a little bit of a funny guy, so then so there's there's less of a like a serious attitude around him, but that dude is a savage competitor. When you hit that last three coming off that handoff on the right wing, he just went over to Minnesota's bench and was just talking all that shit to them. You know, like you're not. Dude is a savage competitor looking to

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site credit that expires in fourteen days. Restrictions supply set terms at sportsbook dot fandel dot com Gambling problem one eight hundred, next step or text next step to five three three four two Arizona one eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org, slash chat Connecticut one hundred gambler or visit FanDuel dot com slash RG and Colorado, Indiana, Jersey, and Virginia one eight seven and seven seven seven zero Stop in Louisiana

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that's over. But you know he was really spotty last year in the playoffs. But Steph was great. Wiggins was a bit of a revelation. Jordan Pool. His minutes got reduced the farther they went but he had his moments. Draymond was hot and cold. I kind of feel like last year they stole one, they kind of stole the championsolutely, like like now Clay's better, Steph will be. You know, these injuries are funny. Steph's going to be completely rested

for the postseason. The scope that Draymond got is fine. Wiggins has taken plenty of time off. They're like this veteran baseball team that's arrested. A lot of their start starting pitching and here we go, we're gonna start moving into September baseball, and you're like everybody's everybody's ready to go. I've been saying this all year. They're not the same defensive team. Pool doesn't really want to engage in it most nights. Steph is limited, Clays not the same. I

think that's why they brought Peyton back. They know what they're not, but man situational half court basketball. A lot of those guys have played a lot of minutes together. Jason, They're gonna be a hard team to bet against. I think some of this stuff looks like a crisis, and I think a lot of it is. They're they're kind of resting they're kind of experimenting. I think if Peyton's ready to go in five six weeks, they're gonna be a handful because he's gonna be a great late game

defensive player. You know he is. But if I can put if I can put Peyton on the floor late, Wiggins on the floor late, Dramon on the floor late, it's a pretty good defensive team. They're actually my pick to get the sixth seed because Dallas is heading into a pretty tough stretch of their schedule. I think Steff is going to be coming back. They're they're clicking right. I think they're gonna end up getting the sixth seed. And then it's pretty simple like i'd picked them over

the Kings, you know, like I absolutely play Kings. And then from there you end up playing Memphis, which they've got a great match up with Memphis specifically, they're just the smarter, bigger brother type of team. And then you have the time to get ready and get playing at your highest level in time for Denver in the last round. Before we get out of here, I have one last question for you. I kind of hinted at this before we got started, but I'm really curious to hear your opinion.

So after Dame scored seventy one the other night, I did some digging into individual scoring in the NBA, and there are there were ten years ago eleven players in the NBA who averaged at least twenty points per game, and this year there are fifty one players in the NBA that are averaging at least twenty points per game. Now there's I've been a slight increase in pace. There's

about seven additional possessions per game per team. There's about fourteen additional three point shots per game, which is a little bit more shot value there. So there are a couple of different factors, but not enough to justify an eleven to fifty one type of change. So my question for you is do you have a theory as to why individuals scoring in the NBA is gone the way that it's gone. Two things. The game is more European

and those are more skilled players and better shooters. We've eliminated essentially the back to the basket center, so the game is more European, more good shooters. The court is spread out more. I think that's part of it. There are more shots a game. I think the pace of the game is much faster, and I also think, you know, years ago there was a sense that European players weren't tough and our young players weren't as skilled because their

players go to the academy. I think our domestic players are more skilled, and I think those players in Europe are tougher. I think they both sides have heard it. So I think our American players now six eight and over, guys shoot the rock better. I think the shooting is

the best it's ever been. The game's more international, you know, I remember in this let's say the analytic movement's been fifteen years, kind of the sweep into the analytic movement about five or six years ago, maybe six or seven, there was this you can't have two guys on the

floor at the same time that can't shoot. You're getting to a point now you can't have a You can have a guy on the floor that can't shoot, but like Cavon Looney, he better be a great Like you're getting to a point now where you can go back and talk about the Knicks teams that everybody loved with Starks and Anthony Mason. Their guards couldn't shoot. You can only have one non shooter on the floor and he has to be absolutely something has to be elite. Looney's

a great rebounder. It's like, okay, so he fits it. I think I just think we're seeing this in all sports. We're seeing it in football. Quarterbacks are faster, receivers are greater, the Moneys and wide receivers and quarterbacks. What a kids Kids always create culture. Kids are like, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna play safety. I'm not gonna play run back. I'm maybe be a quarterback or wide receiver. So all

the great athletes are going there. And I think what you're seeing now is this generation of biggs has been watching Dirt, Navitsky and Durant and there's no more. Mark Few told me he he can't take a big and ask him to go back to the basket. His dad's like, nope, I won't send him to Gonzaga. Like we're moving into all bigs now. They're not learning how to shoot. They come into the league by seventeen, they're ready to shoot. And I think it's great. I think the offense, you know,

the cliche zo as nobody plays defense. The defense any given night you watched the last couple of possessions last night of Miami in Philadelphia, intense defense and beat Harden went over three A Butler had to do some spectacular shot that maybe the best shot of the year, probably the best shot of the year in crisis. It was incredible. So I don't buy the defense isn't good. I think it's I think obviously when you get teams that are, you know, last game of a road trip, and veteran

players Biggs come into this league. Now they are ready to shoot. College guys come into this league. They're closer to being ready to shoot. I think the skill's gone up. I think it's just, you know, people talk in the NFL. We heard about how good the Eagles and Niners defense was. The Chiefs shredded both in the second half. It's not because those teams can't play defense. Andy Reid a million threats, Patrick Mahomes, smarter schemes. Just the money is greater, and

it's all on offense. All the best athletes are going to shooting an offense in basketball, they're going to passing and catching in football, and you just we've never seen anything like it. And there are teams in the NFL that have four legitimate receivers. I mean, I can remember growing up where you have your running back was your star. You didn't have a star receiver. It's like, I look at how these guys now six to eleven, six to this, this kid that's coming in this this um woman Yanna,

what's his victor women? Yama? Yeah, his skill levels insane. He'll get pushed around even Chet Holmgren. Come on, I mean he's like inside I watched this highlight when he was seventeen. I'm like, he's like a twenty seven year old fifteen twenty years ago. His skill level is so high. That's the new basketball. Yeah. Pull up shooting in particular is the main driver in my opinion, because like when

you get to your muscle memory. And I've leaned a lot on this stuff because I've gotten older, because I'm a taller player and I always could shoot, but now I can actually dribble on like I did when I was younger. And like when you when you get to your spot and you get into your rhythm and your muscle memory, the defense doesn't matter anymore. Like you can contest me all you want. As soon as I get

to my muscle memory. If I'm in rhythm. That thing's going in, you know what I'm and so like, I think almost we've reached the point now where good offense can get any defense. Like if the right shooter on the right night as his pull up jump shot going, you can do everything right and those things are just

going in. And I think that's a big part of why, Like I think skill level, particularly from guards and pull up shooters, is at such a ridiculously high level now that NBA defenses have not yet figured out how to deal with it. Now in NBA history, there's an EBB and flow there, and I'm so glad you pointed that out, because NBA defenses don't get nearly enough credit for how advanced they are, for how athletic they are, for how smart they are, for how schematically sound they are. They

do everything they can. They're just a step behind right now, but they will catch up at some point. And most importantly, I think it's great for the game. I think I find basketball to be very esthetically pleasing now. The rock fights are cool in their own way, but every game was a rock fight fifteen years ago, and that's not as fun as what we see now with the type of skill level that's on display around the court. By the way, Milwaukee, Milwaukee and Boston still play great defense.

Miami plays great defense. The Clippers played great defense. Memphis can be very good defensively. This idea we all know this. When everybody's equally rested and I get a face the same offense seven games in a row, watch the defense have. I mean, it's hard, Jason. You fly into town. You know, you fly into town. It's high altitude, it's Denver. Your guys are weary. Two guys are banged up. They dropped one thirty six, and You're like, yeah, they just got

they just there's too many guys. Now I get two nights rest. It's the fourth night of seeing Jamal Murray and Michael Porter. The defense. It did it last year. Cleveland, by the way, plays pretty good defense. You're gonna see defense win series. It'll be the Nixell potentially win a series. It'll be defense. They have limitations offensively, so everybody bails on defense. I watched the end of that Sixer's heat game,

and I'm like, that last four minut that was real defense. Well, and look at what the look at what the Lakers did to the Mavericks on Sunday, same type of deal. They just locked in at the end of the game and two outstanding offensive players couldn't make a shot down the stretch of that game. It's just it's just the way. It's just the way the league is gone. And I do think it's interesting though, because it's it's been a it's been an interesting shift the volume. Make sure to

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