KD & Rockets In Danger In West? Lakers Finding Something With LeBron

Do you really think about it? No, not at all. This story is like my Z-space. Do you think it's all right? Yes, exactly.

“This story is like the story of a couple who just understood it.”

A girl at the studio, a job, or a dream. Yes, it's true. I don't really think about it. The story is about it. The story is about it.

With this story. Hello and welcome to the hoop collective podcast. We talk about the NBA, which is doing on Tuesday afternoon, joining us from New York City. It's Tim Bontemps.

Hello, everybody. The joining us from Houston, Texas on St. Patrick's Day, the day in between the rocket slakers baseball series, where the Laker fans are happy and the rocket fans not as much as band McMahon.

Howdy partners and for the record. And just so Jackson is aware, since he's blind, I'm wearing a mint green hoodie here on St. Patrick's Day. So good Irishman would. Yes, you're a good Irishman.

I'm wearing a green tie. It's the most green I got. That's the best I can do. Even though when this podcast comes out in his on television, it won't be St. Patrick's Day.

That's okay. You hear St. Patrick's Day? Jalen Brown attended the Boston St. Patrick's Day

for the first time over the weekend and he saw that.

Much sure he walked away without some scars from that experience. He was a foul. He was a foul. He was a foul. He was a foul.

He drew 11 on Monday. Maybe more. I don't know. He took 21 free throws. All right.

But on Monday night, I left the spurs clippers game because I wanted to come see, come back to the hotel and see the rockets play the Lakers was a close game at half and McMahon. I feel like I might have been able to turn the game off

with five minutes left because if it gets to a five minute game, inside five minutes and the score is tight and you got the best clutch team in the league on one side and bottom five clutch team on the other. I don't think it's going to go well for the rockets.

It did not go well. And this has been the story of the season for them. They get in these late game situations and they're oftentimes there.

They're under, it's not like they've never done it,

but they're under 500 in clutch situations and their numbers on offense and those situations are dreadful. It was a dreadful performance by them offensively.

“I think they had more turnovers than baskets in the second half,”

large part because of their ineptitude down the stretch. And this is very much to find in the rocket season at this point and to find this game McMahon. Yeah. And the fourth quarter was just absolutely abysmal.

They turned it over nine times and had four buckets in the fourth quarter. This scored 12 points, Kevin Durant did not score in the second half until there was like 28 seconds left and the game had already been decided. And look, they didn't have outpair in Shengoon, but Katie said it himself without being on the four or not.

They've seen this style of defense time and time and time again and they have struggled to deal with it. It is it's Katie's hand on the ball up top. So two defenders at him and they're the rockets to pick it apart behind it and you know, give the Lakers credit.

You know, JJ did, he clarified, no, we weren't blitz and we blitzed in the first half.

We were firing in the second half. It's just about the timing of the double team. But regardless, they're throwing two bodies at KD, forcing the ball out of his hands. What is the difference between?

I've not heard that before, but we've been blitzing and firing.

“And I believe basically it means that a firing is you're waiting until Katie puts on a floor”

and starts to drive throw a second at Finder Adam. Okay, you're taking a little bit longer time to make a make a decision. Yeah, and you know, and you know, as Katie says, regardless of what they're doing, the rockets process is too slow.

Look, the rockets didn't make shots. You know, I think they were, ah, what was it? They were really good. The makers weren't making shots for a long time either.

The rockets could have entered a clutch time with more than a lead that they wouldn't have been in clutch time, but they were unable to build. The makers could not make a shot for like a, they went through like two points of like five or six minutes,

late third early fourth. Yeah, they're not able to build a lead. Neither team shot the ball well at all, but the rockets really, it was an absolute breakfast. But again, they committed nine turn numbers in the fourth quarter.

15 in the second half, 24 in the game. Like God, you, you're not going to beat anybody doing that. And Katie, like dude, he was very blunt and honest. You know, I'm just going to read a couple quotes.

That simple, of course we probably could make more threes, but it's on me. I mean, to be honest, I'm the offense. And the opposing team is going to use other resources and not let me get comfortable.

First half, I got comfortable and I so comfortable off of pin downs,

picking rolls and they decided not to let me get comfortable no more. So I got to be smarter, better with the ball. I got to maybe shoot over some of them double teams, but space out, be ready to catch and shoot, be ready to be a screen or just be in the dunkers spot.

Just being able to be there is a resource for my teammates to provide space. I didn't need to have the balls much as I did tonight. And Katie, basically saying, you know what? Well, who's going to have the ball then?

Well, it needs to be read shepard if it's not going to be Katie.

“Well, they didn't have read shepard on the floor and you know why?”

Well, yeah. And for example, they did have him on the floor on on one possession. And he's guard marked a smart and a corner. What's marked a smart deal? Of course he's going to, what do you think he's going to come up and set the screen

for Luca? They pre-switch it with a min Thompson, right? So a min jumps out. So he can be the guy switching out on the Luca. That forces, they're playing a small lineup.

That forces shepard to get down on on eight.

And you know, eight and got his first bucket of the night.

Yeah. Is that, is that given take? But you know, Katie's basically saying, dude, we clearly can't handle when teams double me at the top of the, you know, at the top of the offense, handling the ball. Like time and time again, the rockets have sputtered in those situations.

And Katie, he, he basically said, hey, maybe I just need to get in the corner, space it out and handle the ball. Well, he said a bunch of things that I got a screen. I got to get in the dunkers spot. I got in the corner, basically anything but initiate the offense.

Essentially what he said. Let's go back, let's go back to what you just said before McMahon, where Brian said, well, who's going to have the ball and you said, well, read shepard. We talked on this spot before the year about how Fred van Ville's injury set up. The men tops and to be the most improved player in the league potentially.

Maybe being all star really take a huge leap forward. He's up for a contract extension this summer. If he's not going to have the ball in his hands in that spot, how much can you really pay him? A and B.

Like, where is this rocket?

Like, this is a bigger broader question for a team that's got Fred van Ville hurt. But like, where is this rocket's team going?

“Like, I think you, if you, you have to be really harsh, I think,”

and looking at the top of the Western Conference in particular, going forward. And right now in I-10, you've got this, budding juggernaut in San Antonio. But what are they Brian 22 when they're last 22 games? Some like that.

Some like that. Some like that. Some look at their schedule coming in. They might not lose two more. So.

Right. So they're trying to chase down the thunder. Who, by the way, won almost 70 games last year, are going to win over 60, are the defending champs could win again and have a 20. They could get the thunder depending on how things go.

Could qualify for the playoffs tonight. Right. So, and they've got a super young team. All these draft picks going forward. They, you know, they could have multiple lottery picks this year.

Like, they've got a juggernaut going forward. So, if you're the rockets and you're in that division of the league, and that part of the country alone,

“you're going, how are we going to get to a championship level?”

Like, a men Thompson needs to take a huge step forward. He's got to be a guy that can generate shots and make plays in those kind of situations. And, you know, I can't look at a good game last night. I was just looking at a stats.

Obviously played 41 minutes. Yeah, 19, 12 and 5. Had a few turnovers. But, you know, played 41 minutes is a great defensive player. It's not like he's a bad player.

But, if, if he and all parents in Goon are your top young players going forward, where do you stack up? Like, it's hard to see the path to the right. It's really being on the level of those two teams right now, which is a harsh assessment.

But, I think there's going to be a lot of harsh assessments going forward. Because if you're trying to keep up with the spurs and the thunder, it's going to be like trying to keep up with the warriors in the middle of the last decade. Like, the bar for that is super, super high. And watching the end of that game, that was just why I was thinking.

It was like, it's just going to be hard for these guys to get to that level. Well, it, or read Shepherd asked it to, to make a major leap and, like, the front office here still believes the read Shepherd has star potential. He's going to be really good too to be clear.

He's, he's a good player. He's going to be really good, but again, it's like, okay, let's say read Shepherd becomes a really good player. It is read Shepherd. I'm, I'm in Thompson, I'll parent Shane Goon.

Good enough to go toe toe with the spurs guys. Good enough to go toe toe with the thunder guys. Well, they're going to like all those guys. Well, I'm just saying, like, it's, I think it's a real question to, to, to ask particularly again,

there's going to be a big decision this summer on how much to pay him in Thompson. And like, you're already paying, I mean, no parent Shane Goon. They've got a good deal with him. It's out of the max. But like, like, the rocks are getting expensive.

So, you know, it's, it's just, it's just an interesting spot to be in. And I think we're going to be having that conversation a lot when you're just measuring up to those other two teams that are on, on the way to being, monsters in the West for a very long time.

Rafael Stone and his staff has, has done some good negotiating. They got Shane Goon for less of the max. The contract that they signed jail and green to was innovative and allowed them to trade for Kevin Durant. The contract they signed, Jubari Smith to was a, you know, good deal.

I was a pretty good contract. They've been pretty creative with what they've done with Fred Vanvilly. That was the terrible with the knee injury. They've drafted well and they have a lot of assets. So I'm not, yeah, I agree with you that they're, they're not the

spurs and they, and they're, and the thunder.

“However, I think they're in good position.”

What I will say is they had four months to evaluate what the, this team needed a point card or not. And they evaluated that they didn't need one, even on a stop cap. And I think it's because they believe in reach.

Shepherd and they believe in their other ballhanders, whether it's on men or whether it's Durant. And that's not working right now. Now, I will say this. I will say this.

Well, first off, here's the numbers real quick,

because I just did this on MBA today. When the rockets are in their normal situation, non-clutch time, they are a top five or six team in the league in net rating. They're driven by their defense and offensive rebounding. Excellent defensive team, generate huge second chance points,

even with losing Steven Adams, one of the best offensive rebunners in the league. And that's a fact right, I think the rockets would tell you. Listen, you're evaluating, I don't mean you bought them, but you want to evaluate us, remember we lost two starters for the year. Not missing for 40 games,

and hope we get them back for the playoffs. Two starters for the year gone, surgeries.

I'm didn't start, but a critical player.

Critical player. Critical player. He could start with them. He could start with them. All right, such is one thing.

Now, when they are playing straight up, they're a normal game. They are in the top five or six in net rating.

“That's what per 100 possessions how they perform.”

When they get into clutch time within five points, in five minutes. Okay, Kahone's factor time. They turn into the jazz, no offense to the jazz, but they're net rating is about the same as the jazz as for the full season.

So they go from being a juggernaut to being a tanker in clutch time, and a lot of it revolves around that point cards spot. That's just what I'm statement. And a couple of things here. Their offensive numbers for the season are significantly inflated by a hot star when they were just absolutely mulling everybody with historically dominant offensive rebounding numbers.

Since January 1st, which is damn near half season, you know, two and a half months, they are the 20 second ranked offense in the league. They're 21 and 16 in that time. The positive net rating, but they are the 20 second ranked offense. Above, I'm seeing a bunch of tanking teams in the got off Milwaukee books.

Okay, so this team is a bad offensive team. Best, I don't tell them what they rank for the season. I'm telling you what we're watching right now. This is a bad offensive team, despite the fact that Kevin Durant remains one of the best individual scores in the league. Now, as far as the point guard issues, they made the determination that it was, like, look, they weren't.

It's not like they were going to get a healthy Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline. Or, you know, it wasn't like some, you know, massive upgrade who's going to be available to them at the trade deadline. They felt like, you know, realistically, they weren't going to be able to get a massive upgrade. And I made the decision that instead of getting a stop cap that probably wasn't going to move the needle. That it was in the franchise's best interest to live with and hopefully benefit long-term from the growing pains that a men Thompson and reach shepherd are going through now.

And we'll go through the rest of the season and however long they last in the playoffs, which I do believe will be a single digit number of games.

“Well, and listen, I want to be clear. I think the rockets have done a great job. Like, they've drafted really well.”

We've talked a lot. You mentioned it about the negotiations they've done on contracts. Like, they've done a fantastic job with that. They've built a really good team. Like, they've done a really, really good job. Like, the Kevin Durantra was a good trade. Like, they've, they've done, refelt stone in those guys have done, they got him a docket of coach's team. He's a very good coach. Like, they've done a really good job rebuilding this team. I don't think there's any question about that.

It's just that the reality is it's like it's like 10 years ago, but that's you're going to wear your steam like this to try to get to the level that it looks like the spurs are headed to.

And that the thunder who already won 68 games on a title and have a bunch of mid 20 year old stars. I mean, this year, Jalen Williams has either been ineffective or not available all season. And there are these 265 games. Like, to get to that level, a lot of things have to go right.

There are a top 10 team in the league. It might not be good enough. Like, that it's, I just think we're going to have that conversation a lot about a lot of teams. And it's going to make for some really hard decisions and interesting conversations about a lot of teams going forward. Because the, the pairier to clear to catch up is just it's really, really high.

“And used to, and I think watching that game last night, it's a prime example of it. And frankly, I don't want Kevin Durant to have the ball in those spots.”

I would much rather just have them have them in Thompson and read Shepherd have the ball and try to get Kevin the ball to see how it goes.

Because your point, McBan, if Kevin Durant's going to turn the ball over in those spots anyway, which has never really been a strength.

Yeah, just have the young guys do it to see how it goes. Like, it's going to be better off than just staying in their weight for the ball. Read Shepherd has had a much better season this year than last year. I mean, he definitely has improved. And they get friendly way back. But, you know, your point is like, you look at their competition. One thing I will say in the short term here, they're playing again Wednesday night. So on ESPN McBan, you'll be there. If they win that game and Shen Goon is not on the injury report, he missed Monday because of back issue. He's not on the injury report. So soon he'll be out there on Wednesday.

Um, they win that game. Number one, they lose nothing on the on the in the standing still lakers. They go one in one. They're right back. A half came back.

And they win the tie break for the season. There's only three meetings. It's one in one right now. So it's a double win. So listen, and by the way, like the lakers then have a brutal. We talked about this other day. A brutal back to back in Miami on Thursday night. Houston may end up ahead of the lakers by the end of the week. So while we can talk about this on a bigger issue, like there is. There is they can bounce right back. I'm sure when they have their film session and shoot around before this game, they will address the striking.

Not just the blitzing, but also the striking hiring and the firing. What does it say strike and the striking the firing.

“All the other seven. Now we say firing is worse than a strike. All the smoke and mirrors that the lakers threw out on the thing that they failed to figure out. And by the way, I'm also with McMahon and what I think the rockets would say 200%.”

I don't think it was worth throwing assets at some stopgap point card for the final two months of the season. I don't think it was worth throwing assets at some of that. I would say one of the grumbles of rockets fans is that readshepers not on the floor off to enough. Now, I will be fascinated to see what his playing time looks like in the playoffs because he may adok is a defensive minded coach. There's a trade off there, but it's a team that really needs his shooting and his playmaking. In the 51 games they've played this season, negative net rating of almost five and a 117 defensive rating, which again for an email doco who is a defensive first coach that is the thing he's obviously going to be focused on.

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Get in on the action at stream.espn.com/MLBTV. ESPN unlimited auto-news at 2999 per month after free trial unless cancel backouts and other terms of plan. Before we move on, I do want to point out, you know, the list is a lake or seven straight when we talked about it quite a bit recently and rightfully so. Some stats that were cooked up by ESPN research.

So LeBron did not dive on the court in this first game, at least that I saw, maybe did I didn't see.

“Did you see he tweeted out a photo of his damage on his leg from that?”

Yeah, he said there's actually a nastier, a nastier spot, I don't know what you want to call it. For one tip wound on his hip. Yeah, he said, well, nobody wanted to see that and he said, yeah, it wasn't going to post that one. But he said, actually, that the hip has an ugly or one. Well, he like, he didn't just dive.

All-time legend absolute lane is body on the line. It was like you know, it's it

“They didn't do anything is the lacres did him get the job ball. But they did smarker smart kind of steel”

But it it was definitely like okay. Hey if LeBron's doing that like this dude is all in so Disembleism more than the direct result is a great What people are you see is new golf commercial for beats? I don't watch golf I said was a commercial Tell us about it. You you

He's playing it's a funny commercial. It's a funny commercial. He's playing golf and He's not afraid to show at least part of his swing which is Listen, my jump shot is a lot worse than his golf swing. I'm just gonna play that But yeah, is it a jumper or a set shot Fair point the

The the

“The more concerned about the putting stroke that I saw if that was in you know, they don't show a full body”

That was indeed his putting stroke We I need to have his words, but anyway Good good as for beats Our ESPN research came up with this so he had 13 shots in this game scored 18 points

He has 15 or fewer fuel Google attempts now in seven straight games a longest streak of his career

He'd never done it more than four straight games and that was back in

2013 when He was with the heat and they were he wouldn't in fact they wanted to shoot more back then He was so focused on efficiency He was like trying to shoot 65% so sometimes he would pass sub shots That was a different story for a different day

But and and but in those seven games where he's taken 15 or less shots first off the Lakers have won all of them. No, they're 61 61 one that's right. Competitive loss to the nuggets is the one blemish. Okay. Thank you for correcting me shot 57% in those games 6.6 assists and

Listen 40% from three point range And it's not and look six point six assists 19 point four points per game. It's not like he's he isn't a major Contributor and you know I asked JJ Reddick last night like hey like what is the bronze ideal role in this team and he bases says look like

Roll players a bit much. It's not like you know he's asking the bronze to to turn into Doring finismith right. I mean he he bases it hey the bronze still going to be Relative to your average NBA player a high usage guy

He's just going to be the third highest usage guy

on this team and and the clear third in that pecking order obviously is Luca

“It's Austin Rees is the bronze James and the bronze has accepted that he is big of that out. I think the”

one the one thing that LeBron still does at an amazingly elite level especially for a 41-year-old He's leading the league in transition points and he is still an absolute locomotive with springs. He had three Spectacular Dunks last night in transition like this what this guy's able to do as a fast break weapon is I mean jaw drop in it's it's amazing for a 30-year-old much as the guy in his 40s

That's true so Still a tough road to ho for the Lakers on this trip. I will say this stomach man If the Lakers win one's day night in Houston and sweep this two games set Knock Houston two games back of them in the lost column or two games from the start of the week and get the tiebreaker I'm prepared to call the road trip a success

Because at least they they put themselves in position against Houston who was right on their heels Yeah, so I mean you know if they lose their next four maybe I'll re-evaluate but like that would be amazing so

They got the first one all right not as amazing is the update that came out of Minnesota

On Tuesday and Edward who was you know Rubin is knee at a game in San Francisco last weekend He was questionable then for Sunday's game in Oklahoma City so at a pretty good game Got an MRI and re-evaluated bond tips not out one to two weeks re-evaluated in one to two weeks which you know what that means The wolves are already in an absolute fight for positioning to stay out of the play in

The suns who are behind them and trying to get into the get out of the play and they have the hardest schedule left amongst these teams However, Minnesota's got a tough one too and now and is gonna miss some time

In their last 10 which they're nine and one in their ninth and the league in three point shooting which goes back to the other question about them

“It's both they're overall shooting in their defense like when they're hitting shots and they're playing like this like”

Yeah, but like it's why they've gone on this run and

You talk we talked in the first segment about Houston struggles

Obviously Denver has been very up and down injuries, you know Peyton Watson still out the you know Gordon's working his way back. They've they've been all over the place health wise all year and now Minnesota with Anthony Edwards Banged up like this is the scenario where the Lakers can get to the the the prime spot We've talked about being that 13 in the Western Conference standings and look is it gonna be easy for them to win around to beat the spurs No, obviously not but

If the choice is that path or play in the thunder in the second round like yeah, you're gonna take the path against the team That hasn't been in the place when you've got Mucodotchich and LeBron James so It's certainly been a good couple weeks for them and I agree with you if they can manage to get this win against the rock It's I would definitely think it's the success and as far as Minnesota goes I mean

I just all see's a long I've been just trying to figure out what this Minnesota team is and Every time we think they're finally starting to go into good direction They cough up a couple games they had this brutal week last week and two bad losses in LA They then play this game Sunday. I mean we talked about it on the pod a couple days ago They throw the ball all over the gym against the thunder committed million turnovers

You know actually shot the ball pretty well, but we're so far behind in the shot game that they didn't really have a chance to win and now

Like the one guy who's always there and is now out

Could not be eligible could be another guy not eligible for indices in awards he's at He's at 11 games miss because he played three minutes in one game. It's it's listed as 10 games But it's really 11 for a word purposes And if you miss is two weeks he's already an eligible so get at him to the list of guys who might not be able to be on all the 18s at the end of the year and More importantly like I said the other day

I don't think Phoenix with their injuries can really get Two six with the schedule they have in the injuries they have but if Minnesota's sitting there in six like we were thinking a week ago They might be able to get in position for themselves to get to third and You know, yeah, they beat the makers last year in a series, but as a six-seed as a six-seed But I felt better about Minnesota last year than I do this year

Well, they finished 17 and four and they were fifth and league and defense or something right they were fine in in this year They're not they're not flying in at least as of now With a you know three or four weeks to go on the regular season. I mean the the only potential silver line I can see is Wendy's last pod. You mentioned what a struggle. It's been For Julius Randall since the all star break and he you know

He got a goal for the first time in a while again, so okay. See obviously they're gonna need him

to have the ball in his hands and and you know to be their primary creator You know for this week or two and hopefully that's it that that and misses You know, maybe he can kind of rediscover his rhythm, but

“I have a hard time seeing the wolves finishing above six now at this point and I think that the”

Lakers would tell you there They're much better positioned to to see the wolves in the first round and you know especially with the the wait the Lakers have been defending lately You know and the fact that the Lakers want to gain that was that but ugly and they've had you know JJ made sure to

Point out like they've had big time defensive performance recently against the nicks against the wolves against the rock It's you know beating three playoff teams with you know kind of Defenses the driving force and those wins That that's a little bit different now the Lakers did have that stretch last year Where they put it together

For for a while defensively, you know, and the I think the question there is over the course of a series You know how how are your smoking mirrors and you're you're your schematical

“Defensive wins gonna hold up, you know, or is it team gonna be able to figure that out and pick it apart?”

Oh, you know when you and it'll be interesting to see even You know in the second game this baseball series against the rockets because the Lakers are They are playing well defensively now and you know luka mentioned effort and communications really at a at a high for them And then it's it's it's smoking mirrors. They're not they're not playing good defense because you know suddenly

They've morphed into a good defensive personality Well, and by the way just real quick on Minnesota If you remember back early in the season they had that crazy loss Sort of sums up their inconsistency all season where they were up seven with I believe 47 seconds ago Blue to lead and lost the Phoenix while they play Phoenix three times this year

You've already lost the first two games so therefore they've lost the season series

What the result of that game is but if Phoenix wins that game tonight two say night

“They're only a game back and forth everything I just said about I don't I think between the schedule and”

Their injuries I don't know if Phoenix is able to catch them if they're one back with the tiebreaker with Three weeks to go or four weeks to go and and is gonna miss Half the games maybe or more I mean again is getting re-evaluated in one to two weeks that does not necessarily mean he's back In one to two weeks. I that's a very fast sealer typically so Who knows he could be back in three days the way he has been in the past but

You know there is at least a scenario where the Phoenix gets this win to it I think it makes things awfully interesting and perhaps Minnesota is

Fighting not for a third or fourth but like you subject man to just stay in six

Well point out Devin Booker is getting hot he has 40 points and two of his last three games including at Boston on Monday night Yeah, they gave the Celtics a really good run in that game the Celtics beat the Suns as a high high contested game Both Booker and Jalen Brown when over 40 point out Jason Tatum. He's not shooting it great Okay, he's only shooting 41% so far Bonsams he shooting some one leg a chance. Remember when Victor was like about to come in the league and he was passing around with that one leg

“It like launch one leg a three like he abandoned it. I think smartly although what he made it was fascinating to see”

Tatum is doing that Yann is left leg and it looks like something he's been working on Brian Scalabrini said during the broadcast Tharman Drew Carter the other night that he's been watching Tatum practice it so He's not shooting a great however. He's only shooting 27% from three

Yeah, another 20 point game he's had 20 point games in four in a row There are four in one with him in the lineup and I was just pointing out the Pistons, I don't know if they're playing tonight, but the pistons have lost five out of eight So That's interesting stats in front of me. I'd like to ask you guys about. Oh, it's the back

So we're uh look at it our Our analytic stuff. Who do you think is favored to come out of the eastern conference right now by our internal The internal stuff another I know the draft King's folks have the Celtics I'm not talking about draft games. I'm talking about like projection wise So I'm never wrong

I'm guessing by your phone that it's not the Celtics it is not the Celtics would it be the pistons It is not the pistons the nicks it is not the well actually I take that back and it's statistical tie It is not the nicks it is the pistons in Cavs corner and the car is quite fresh off a double figure lost to the So let's pretend I'm taking Dallas man. I had a who he play for this guy came out of nowhere Was hitting threes on the cows another day. I did not know who he was John Policetus

It was his second all the games for John the points

I did not was not familiar with your game. Yeah, it was great There's two Yale guys who just got an league another one I forget his name been something or others on the Jax not with them actually jacks. That's jack So I can't so the pistons are at 26.9% chance of making the finals the calves are at a 26.8% chance of making the finals the nicks are at a 21.7% chance of making the finals and the Celtics are the four favorites

and 18.1% I Very interesting. Yeah, I like a nerds, but I wouldn't I Why know that I agree the numbers why do I like the nerds? No, no Why are they fourth?

That's I don't know. They're they're projected to finish with the second most wins

“I'm not sure why they're projected to finish fourth and I I've as I've said I think if Jason Tatum is playing”

I'm going to pick them to make the finals and I just found it. I went to look at see what the projections were as of today And I just found it very interesting that they're well tracking says that was the favorite and it's Pretty good. It's a pretty I think the conventional health team now the conventional wisdom is often wrong last year The conventional wisdom concluding certainly for me is that the nicks are going to get rolled by the Celtics on the second round and they gave up They came back from down 20 in the first two games. I went on to win the series comfortably. You know

The kill bridges, by the way, is a quick aside one of my favorite things to do is to Yes, the pod on the side I went back and watched a bunch of footage of games one into this week because you know McHale bridges is getting maligned. I just remember at least to be fair. He's playing terribly going into the nice game I'm not just I'm not just disputing that is he's since he also a break. He's been terrible But I went back because I just remember us being in blasted for games one and two bond terms and just you know

Both times being gobsmacked watching the the nicks take those games. Well, I was not in games I was not there for one and two because of the arrival of the cinder black, but I was watching on TV We were texting about it. I was there for three and four. Maybe that's why such good memories of it

British is probably the pretty gigantic role in those two games. He sure did he he had 14 points in the fourth quarter of game two

And in game one he will game with overtime and he had a couple of really big defensive plays including a steel that I used to Well, to your point pre and put like around that. He's the one bench. You know For wow listen pre and post you mentioned post all star breaks. So before the all star break McHale bridges after 15.9 points a game shooting 50% from the field Almost 39% from three obviously you very rarely guessed the line. How many minutes of game was he play 34 and a half

Okay, since the all star break 14 games going into Tuesday night scamming against Indiana That's the tank at pacers here at the garden by the way. Did you know that like I guess there and he's Metectically they said he had an ankle issue, but did you know that he sat the four we kind of called it the other day Yeah, we called it exactly he got 32 and then they and then he sat the whole fourth quarter He then he was disappeared to make sure that he had the ankle soreness or ankle injury management

“Fives the jazz. I'd be asking for more teams to get fine. That's what I would say”

Face staff here with a hundred grand. Well, yeah, and I And if you the jazz know you wouldn't because it finds being dulled out there still getting one So I mean that's fine, but other teams could catch up but post all star break McHale bridges averaging 10.6 points per game shooting 41% from the field

30% from three 29 minutes again. Yeah, I mean actions over words. He's pulled him out of the game. He played him 21 minutes the other day Yeah, he was he was brutal the other night. Taylor Brunson, I think he's not gonna play tonight though So we'll see he might need some more action from Brunson. Yeah, well, I think the next will be okay Then again, I thought the next would be okay against the the warriors with their entire team out

And it took right down to the last second. So we'll see when it comes to the east Let me just say that over the last 15 games the calves are 15 holy cow. I'm looking at the I don't I'm sorry I just I just pulled up the injured board to see who was in the paces. I think have 14 players on the injured report

“How is that possible? Well, that's what I'm doing the math right now. So Carl Isles is gonna play”

They have forward minutes. They have two players out to obviously Tyrese and then Johnny Furfeo Fortunately, Torres ACL second year forward and then they've got 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 players who work 11 players You're a question roll Pascal Siocca was doubtful. So I'm I'm guessing some of them will be blanks It's they want to have enough players to play otherwise. I got to dress a

Anyway, I've never seen any of your report with that many players on it

It's because it's that you're a president staple. The Grizzlies had 11 players out the other day They had they signed it up, you know what? The Memphis Grizzlies medical updates are coming fast and furious They always send them to 9 p.m Yeah, it was a it was a critical loss against the Mavericks. I believe they had 11 guys out Jaylin is doubtful and obviously the game would be played, but Jaylin was doubtful and Mr Robinson is questionable for that game for the next

How what were we talking about with the Celtics before? We got to the very beginning. We were talking about where the Celtics look and then I did I derailed it initially

“Look, I think as we said before yeah, look, Jason Tatum doesn't look quite prime Jason Tatum yet, but to me”

He's replacing the knife guy in the rotation and like obviously he's playing a bigger role in that person, but everybody slides down some and You know, I think he continues to look as good as you could hope for he still looks rusty. He's not moving quite the same But he's still an excellent Floor Razor for everybody around him. He's a great pastor great rebounder Really good help defender knows how to play teams are certainly going to be keyed in on him defensively

They're not just going to leave him alone. We're not pay attention to him. So I think he's been a big value ad even in the Initial games he's been back and you know, it just takes some of the pressure off of Jaylin Brown and Derek White and Pete Pritchard from the defense and I think it's all going very well and they've still got another month to get him up to speed and look

Anything is possible obviously, but

I think I'm going to feel pretty good about them winning their first round series if they're in the two spot against whoever's coming out

of the play in in the east. So That gives him your talking close to six weeks from now to get fully up to speed for when They're going to face one of these other top teams in the conference semi finals More who collected podcast after this What player had 24 points 15 rebounds 13 assists on Monday night. Oh, oh, I got a guess. I got a guess

Yes, Jaylin Johnson who you've yet got a guess with By the way, who had 41 points I'm Monday night Neil Guy Alexander Walker more Alexander the Walker in this one. Look at like his cousin Jay I love that signing last summer when the Hawks made that what was that contract three years signed it signed three years

And you know and they signed he was a very he became a very very good three and D with a little bit of

Creating ability type of role player for the wolves. He's basically doubled his scoring average with without dipping

In terms of efficiency If he was a free agent this summer man he would be looking a lot more than that Well, and the wolves have really missed them. I mean, we talked about at the time. I mean Nas reads a nice player paying Nas read twice as much of the catalogs in a walker. I just didn't get at the time and I you know I it it's he's been a great fit for them and look. It's like we talked about the other day

The Hawks have been at fairly disappointing team for most of the season. They were under 500 for a long time Then they get this whole run of games against tankers and then they get this win Dominated the magic blew him out on Monday night and now all of a sudden you look at the standings and they're a game and a half out of fifth Like they're all the way back and it looks again

“They be silly twice in this stretch and these 10 wins. They be silly actually. I think it's 11 out of 12. They be silly twice”

So that only did they be silly twice. They're now They get to get the tie break edge

And now they've caught Philly and so now they're finally going to keep doing the other way. Yeah. I probably agree

It's it's wild. It's wild how much it is How much it is flipped around and our current projection has them finishing eighth But only a win back of Miami, Toronto and Orlando who are all tied with 45 wins in our projection so yeah and listen the east is the east is a deeper conference than the west the east plan Is a much more competitive plan bracket than the west plan bracket. Well, I will still tell you this

I'm not saying I'm picking Atlanta or Charlotte or Miami in a series against those top teams But I'm not excited about playing that series. So apparently stop seeing some momentum. By the way, you know You guys know what the what the with the high mark for wins was Brian knows this because I talked about it

“Yesterday again, do you know what the high mark for wins in the trade on error was for the Hawks?”

Let's say 45 43 But currently on pace for 44 this year. Yeah, most of one since I believe 20 actually there there probably on pace for more than that because Well, and you know, you get back to the pace for the whole 68 games not for their pace. Right. That's true to get back to the Jalen Johnson thing

You know franchise player. I you know that that's a I'm not sure he's quite a franchise player or superstar

But he is absolutely a big time foundation piece who's a massive bargain on a $30 million

per year contract Man, you know, I mean he is he is blossomed And really it's been health that's kept him from blossoming the last couple years, but he is absolutely blossomed this year and two Really a fascinating blend of size athleticism and playmaking ability. I mean for me. He's he's he's on the short list the best passing forwards in the league

“Yeah remains fourth. I believe in league in the cyst for game. I'm really nice here”

But they do have to go on the road for the first time a week's on end By the way, yeah, like could he be in all NBA selection? I mean he certainly got to have these guys You know the way things are going guys all NBA guys are falling off the I mean he was an easy all star So he's one of the top 25 players automatically. You would say and there are several guys who are already Ineligible for all NBA so I mean he's certainly going to be right there in the mix that minimum by the way

I made a joke the other the other night last night. I went to the the Spurs Clippers game I saw I saw victory before the game there was a there was a quite a by the way It was quite a buzz and I came like the victor thing is getting real. There was quite a buzz

If you if you have that take it to go see victor To advance it is a show. It is a show no questions. It was a joke. It was a joke. I said to him I go hey I saw you declared you wanted to win MVP and defense the player of the year I go why don't you just toss in I go it tonight just say you want to win most improved and I just sort of said as a joke, but Amy's not a joke. Maybe. I'd number I would just just say a number one overall picko's his

hyped as any prospects since the brawn is ineligible for most improved. Sorry. All right. He is gotten better, but He's ineligible. I'm just I wasn't saying he was going to win it. I said he should just say he should Why don't he wants to win? I mean say he wants to win rookie the year too. All right, but in terms you pay attention to this college stuff. I don't even know he's in the tournament What it what should I be paying attention to going into this weekend? I mean for NBA fans

I would be watching the Kansas Cal Baptist game and then if they win potentially going up against either St. John's own bat just make man. He wants me to prioritize on okay if Kansas wins

I know there are five seed because everybody's angry about it. They are playing the northern Iowa

“Panthers who are fighting at nurses fighting neck nurses. I believe the last three times”

they made the tournament. They've won their first game so we'll see if they could beat St. John's.

Hey, when we went to see Kent State a couple years ago, didn't Northern Iowa play in front of us in front of Kent? I believe that is correct. Yes. I believe that is correct. I think they lost that game. I believe they did. But all that being said the Kansas Cal Baptist game is of interest because Darren Peterson, one of the top players in the NBA draft, has had a quicksatic path for the side of the season. I'm not sure they're going to win two games and it's the last time we'll

see him before the draft and it will be interesting to see how he looks because I would say coming out of the big 12 tournament, I certainly think there's some real question about whether he's going to be the number one pick anymore or even maybe the number two pick with the way Camp Booser's house. Wow. And that's a quicksatic quiz cardic statement. Wow, listen. He, Darren Peterson is an

incredible talent who's at a very strange season and this draft is loaded at the top. AGA

advances been awesome. Another window discovery. Camp Booser is having one of the best statistical season we've ever seen from a college player. Caleb Wilson had a great year at UNC. It's a loaded draft.

“But I think, you know, if Peterson has a huge tournament and they make the final four or something,”

that would lead things in one direction if they lose in the first or second round and he kind of is okay like he was in Kansas City last week. It probably will reinforce kind of where things sit now. Well, and there's risk involved. There are at least perceived risk because of, you know, there's apparently like these full body cramps and you know, people are as he load managing is there a medical issue like what's going on. Their teams are going up to a ton of

of homework there. Camp Booser seems to be about a safe of a draft prospect as you can find.

“Now, he doesn't have like the super spring upside, but if you want to call that a flaw,”

that's the only flaw with that case. Or somebody said to me for the story Brian and I did last Friday on draft guys said, I'll take it. I'll just take the ultra high level field guy and expect them to work it out like, you know, and and compare them to the guy in Denver who

might not be the greatest athlete either, but it's obviously pretty incredible player in

Nicole Yokech. So, and his, you know, probably is going to feel guys has ever been. Two things before we go. One, just in the last five seconds, there's been an Memphis Grizzly's medical update. It's okay. Scotty Pippin Jr. Head surgery on his foot, success. Oh, I hope you do it. Well, Scotty, good luck for next season. And two Wednesday night, you got a big one, boys. Ken State Illinois State in the NIT.

No. And, uh, good luck, Sandy. Uh, my man Rob Sender off going up against Ryan Peden, is the head coach at Illinois State who will used to be a graduate assistant back on the day. We can't state so. Wow. I told, I told Peden, I read four y'all season long, but not tonight. All right. Thank you very much to Jackson Devon and Mark our producers. Thank you to Abantams and McMahon. Thank you for listening and watching. Who collected? We'll catch you later this week.

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