บทถอดความฉบับเต็มของ Back to Back Kent Denver, Playoff Preview, West is Best

--> 00:02:19.919 Appreciate that. 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:22.080 Uh and it's very cool to see. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:25.120 I am stoked you guys won back to back. 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:30.479 Um, you know, we 95 points in the title game yesterday. 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:32.639 Uh that's three points a minute. 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:37.120 Most most points ever in a state final since 1975. 00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:38.159 All right, cool. 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:39.439 Well, I wasn't even alive then. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:44.159 And I I you either I was alive in 75. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:44.800 Barely. 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:45.360 Two. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:46.080 You were two. 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:46.719 It was two. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:47.520 Okay, all right. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:48.000 Well, yeah. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:49.680 Well, you didn't have cognitive memories. 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:51.759 All right, so 95 points. 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.960 I mean, there's there's not enough to say. 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:59.199 Um I'm assuming you have the player of the year. 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:02.159 I'd be stunned if has that been announced. 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:08.479 It won't be announced for a little while, and the uh like the all-state stuff comes here within the next week or two. 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:12.719 All of the postseason awards come, you know, within within two weeks. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:17.280 I'd be stunned if Caleb didn't get the three-time player of the year award. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:19.360 I I don't know who else, you know. 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:25.919 We played some really good teams, and there we had a couple other really good players who were gonna be probably first team all 4A. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:34.479 One of our, one of his teammates, one of our other players, Sam Glynn, has a really good chance of being, he was definitely tournament MVP for us, I think. 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:44.000 Um he led us most nights, and Caleb had an amazing final game, 32 points to seal it and to you know to lead us in scoring, to lead the whole gym in scoring, I think. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:58.400 I'm not sure anybody else scored that much in the entire day, all classes, but um I'd be stunned if there was yeah, I think if he doesn't get it, it would be somewhat political in terms of like maybe they had to give it to somebody else. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:00.319 I'd be blown away if he didn't get it. 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:20.399 So um for him to do what he's done in four years at Kent to be at 20, 200 plus points, to have uh two state championships, a state runner-up, which the first year I joined the the coaching staff, we were we got beat in the state final, and then they were the number one seed four years in a row. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:29.920 So we've been number one seed now three years, and then the year before I got here, they were number one seed as well, but got beat, I think, in the grade eight or the final

four, and I forget which which round that was. 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:34.560 So his career alone would warrant any award. 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:40.480 Uh, you know, even I think he's in the running for the the Gatorade player of the year in the entire state. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:46.560 Now I think that leans sometimes they give that to the 6A player who's the player of the year. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:49.519 That's sort of how that's worked in years past, most years. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:52.079 I'm not sure how many years they haven't given it to a 6A guy. 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:52.399 Yeah. 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:54.720 Or used to be 5A, now 6A. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.319 So I I wouldn't be stunned if he gets that. 00:04:58.480 --> 00:04:58.639 Yeah. 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:03.439 I mean, I guess I'd be like, oh wow, that's that's amazing that he they were he was recognized for that. 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:05.439 I do think he's first team all state. 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:05.680 Yeah, yeah. 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:10.399 Like if you took five of the best players in the state, I think he's one of those kids for sure. 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:13.759 Uh we have some really good players in the state, no shade on anybody. 00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:19.920 Um kids that are going to CSU and kids that are um have other places to play college basketball. 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:26.959 So um, no, it's uh, you know, I I appreciate what you said about you know being born to do this kind of thing. 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:41.439 And I've thought about this actually over the past I think about it all the time, but especially recently, like how it feels to be on the courts and and how it feels to coach and do things. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:51.600 Now, born or not, I made a commitment when I was like 13, I think the age was, when I bought my first pair of Jordans, and I bought them on my own. 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:58.399 They were they are Jordan 2, and I still have them, uh, and they're still in my closet within the same box. 00:05:58.480 --> 00:05:58.639 Yep. 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:08.000 And so once I decided to kind of, you know, pick my first true hero, which was Michael Jordan, and it took off for me from there. 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:11.360 So from that point on I became obsessed. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:18.560 And I have not paused on the obsession, on the on the uh just absorption of basketball. 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:35.839 And I'm at the point now where I've been coaching in basketball at some coaching or scouting since 1996, and you know, all the NBA teams and all the high school teams that I've been around and and been a part of, but I feel like I have a really good grasp on watching things. 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:46.399 Yeah, and it sometimes it gets in my way because I'll try to teach something, and I I think I'm good at interpreting it, but I'm almost like, don't you see that? 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:46.800 Yeah. 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:52.720 And I

take it for granted that maybe I don't, and I I this may probably sound arrogant, I don't give a fuck. 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:54.079 But I see it. 00:06:54.399 --> 00:07:10.000 Like I I'll, you know, and I think as as as coaches, we sit there, like you can see a play, and I'm I can visualize it right now, looking on our court, where a player's gonna be open, or if they just you know, you see the ball start to ping around the perimeter and you're like, uh-huh. 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:12.480 We get one more cut and we see it and it happens. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:25.120 And yeah, and so from that standpoint, it's I think that's a trained thing for uh for the most part, but um but being around like our staff, I think we have eight assistant coaches, maybe even nine. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:33.680 One of them was a um, we've got a couple like assistant coaches that are former players or students that came back or something like that, friends of the program that just help us out. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:46.399 And so we have a great, you know, bunch of different levels of experience from you know, Coach Shays being here 32 years, and you know, you know, Coach Zinn has been a former head coach, Coach Judd has been a former head coach. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:49.680 Um, you know, I've been in basketball for 30 years. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:08:03.680 It's the the idea share that we have is is incredible, and it's just a blast to sit in the room and you have all these differing opinions, and everybody's willing to be like, no, just tell me what you got, show me. 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:19.759 And so I think the willingness of our staff to to get out of their own way, our own way, and this championship and last year's championship, I think truly was one years ago when Coach Shays just started to decided to start to play faster. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:20.079 Yeah. 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:25.199 So back to your talk on speed, and this'll we'll peel into the NBA on this too. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:26.000 Yeah, yeah. 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:33.840 Um, but the the speed decision, I almost watch basketball now and I'm like, why would you want to do it any differently? 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:34.399 Totally. 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:34.639 Yeah. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:43.759 And and I I'm a firm believer, and I've been like this for years, and being with Kent now, so last year we were the number one scoring team in the country. 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:44.080 Yeah. 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:46.320 Uh 87 points per game or something like that. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:48.879 This year, we were top ten, I think, in the country. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:53.679 I'd never saw their ranking, but we were number one in the state at least, and at like 86 points a game. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:55.600 Last year was a pretty wide margin, too. 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:00.559 Uh there were two teams, it was us and um uh Southampton. 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:08.159 So in the I was like, I told jokingly,

I told Coach Chazen, like, let's go to the Hamptons, let's play a game again in Southampton and see who scores more points. 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:15.279 And uh and but the commitment to just take the you know, take your hands off of it. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:16.080 Yeah, totally. 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:32.639 And so one of the things that I'm working with other coaching buddies of mine is sort of this consultancy thing where we we take a look at teams and how they play, and if a coach is willing to let us talk about it, it you know, it we think we can help. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:32.879 Yeah. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:37.039 Now maybe that's arrogant, maybe that's like we think we know it, but we do know it. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:39.759 I here's the thing though, I don't think it's arrogant, you know. 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:55.679 Like I I started this episode purposefully this way without telling you how I was gonna start it, because I I've been fortunate enough to watch one of my really good friends do what he loves to do. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:57.039 And it's fun to see that. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:17.759 And so, you know, you talk about being able to see things, and you know, I when I watch taekwondo in the Olympics, I can see things as they're happening, and I can kind of like map it out, and I've you know, and I and I sit there and I'm like, oh yeah, this is why I'm not this is why I'm not good at coaching, because I would sit there and be like, why can't you why can't you see that coming? 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:28.559 Um that's a totally different demeanor, but outside uh but outside of that, like you I just watch you and there's moments where I'm like, Yep, yep. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:53.120 You know, your your semifinal game against Tidnith, there was a moment where the the there was a sequence of plays, um, and I'd uh I could pull it up on YouTube and show you, but there was a moment where I was I was typing emails and I was uh watching the game and I I looked and I saw something happen and I was like I was like, oh, yeah, this is about to happen right now. 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:55.679 Like something, okay, yeah, all right, cool. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:11:00.000 Um I had to use a hand signal, but I'm not telling anyone what that means. 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:04.960 But um I I was I was like, oh, there's gonna be a shift in in play here. 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:06.000 That's our play call. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:06.720 One of our play calls. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:20.240 Yeah, and and I was like, okay, like this is cool to watch you want to share what you know about this game and and share it with anybody who's gonna listen. 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:21.840 Right, that's a true story. 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:27.919 And so much so that like some of the things that you say and that we talk about rub off on me in certain ways. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:31.279 And um, you know, I I can't say enough. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:34.720 I'm super proud of you, the boys, thank you, the entire staff. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:49.759 Um you know, I'm not a particular fan of teams specifically, unless this was the 90s and I was in Chicago, but um, you know, it's it's been fun watching Caleb and grow up into the player he is, you know. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:56.720 So Caleb Fay, congrats on the incredible two seasons that you've uh Superman that that I've gotten to watch you play. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:56.960 Yeah. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:06.159 Um and yeah, so you you know it's it's uh I'm super proud of you and and the team, and it was really fun to watch it all culminate in another title. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:06.639 Yeah. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:14.639 Um it I think the again it just happened yesterday, so you know, as a staff, we went out and had some cocktails. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:17.759 March 14th, by the way, for where is that? 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:19.440 Um yeah, March 14th. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:29.279 Um so we went out and and I had I remember walking out of the bar last night, or you know, afternoon, because we we won around one o'clock, one fifteen, and we went to the bar, whatever. 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:37.919 And I literally walked out of the bar and I for the first time I just I had this really big like oh man. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:40.639 It was just the first time I had a chance to let it go. 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:43.440 And literally there's a guy walking into the bar and he goes, I hear you. 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:46.480 He goes, I'm familiar, he's sort of like, I get it. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:50.559 And I was like, Oh, that was that loud enough that some guy outside the bar heard me do that. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:55.440 And winning one is incredible. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:13:00.080 And I know what we went through to do that and how we even getting close to the year before. 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:06.159 So we got beat year one in the final, and then one year two, and that was like, oh my gosh, an exhale, like we're doing this right. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:13.200 But to do it this year, where you know, all throughout the season, friends, you know, you included, would ask, like, can you guys do it again? 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:14.159 And I'm like, I think we can. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:14.799 I think we're really good. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:15.840 Yeah, I think we can. 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:21.600 You know, the roster is this, and our the teams we play against are this, and I don't know who else in the state is going to be that good. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:24.960 Turns out there's a couple really good teams in the state that's some there's great teams. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:31.200 We we got past and and that couple maybe we didn't get a chance to play that and would have given us a test as well. 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:46.720 But to get through it, where it's almost like, all right, we won one, we're supposed kind of supposed to win the second one, and that's even more

difficult than the first, I think, just because you you your margin for error just goes just shrinks a little bit more. 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:49.679 And I was actually thinking about this in terms of the NBA. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:14:00.559 Even today, I was thinking about Oklahoma City and thinking about um even watching the Laker Nugget game last night where you know Lake, I was I kind of turned it off because Nuggets were up. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:01.679 No, Nuggets were down. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.080 They were down, they're down like 20 Clark Ruby. 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:04.559 Yeah. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:38.000 And then, you know, all of the plays that happened in the end of the OT and in the overtime by both teams, the big threes, the you know, Jokic's skip pass to Hardaway in the corner who made it, and then you know, even before that, where Reeves, which is an incredible play to pull off when you try to intentionally miss a free throw and you hit the rim and it comes off in a way that you can, and I'm I'm not sure he, I'm sure he meant to do it, but I'm sure the way it turned out was kind of you know fortunate to bounce his way. 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:43.679 Yeah, but he line drived it into the rim and it kind of went down to the left and he just ran over to the left, caught it, and scored. 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:44.000 Yeah. 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:49.440 And high IQ play, of course, there's a number of ways that people always talk about how do you miss a free throw intentionally? 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:52.480 Do you go high and long and make it bounce and give yourself a chance? 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:56.480 But he was like bang, quick, went to the left, caught it, shot it. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:08.240 But that is to say, all of those things, the margin for error of any one of those plays, somebody could say, Nuggets, you know, gotta look at them, claw back and win that game, and here they come. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:19.200 And you can say whatever you want, a hot take on, or the nuggets coming, or the nuggets, whatever, and then you could say the same thing about LA, and you're like, oh my God, you know, hot take on, you know, Lakers are ready to go, they're prepared. 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:21.120 Finally pulling it together, yada, yada. 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:23.360 None of it's true, all of it's true. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:23.759 Right? 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:34.480 Doesn't i the the great thing about all of this, and the the one thing I love about listening to these hot takes and TV shows, or you know, other pods and all this other bullshit is like everybody thinks they have the answer. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:40.399 Yeah, and maybe they do in the moment, but it could it the margin for error of it flipping is that small. 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:53.519 So that going back to like repeating for like Oklahoma City to do this again is is you know, can you set aside expectations and play like it doesn't matter? 00:15:53.679 --> 00:16:01.039 And I think NBA teams probably can because the roster is completely different, um or somewhat different, you know, new guys is pretty much the same. 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:09.679 Well, but Jared McCain now, what a stolen he was nearly rookie of the year until he got injured, and now he's on the best team in the league. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:11.519 Like, get the f I mean this is awesome. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:12.159 I love it for them. 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:12.720 But still, you know. 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:13.519 I love Jared McCain. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:18.159 It's it's funny because I was thinking about that as I was driving over here. 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:51.840 I was like, oh, like this is not too dissimilar, where like you're still, you know, one of the you're the top scoring team in this day, you know, you're kind of occasionally running away with games, you know, by the, you know, the at least some of the games I had the privilege of watching, you know, I I would sit there and watch high school students be gassed by the end of the second or or or like mid-third, and I'm like, yeah, you're all supposed to have way more energy than I do, but you know, and and and that's not a testament to these athletes and how they prepare. 00:16:51.919 --> 00:17:05.599 That's that's just a that's a uh it's a it's an extra gear that somehow you know you have been able to instill in in a lot of your players, and and you've even talked about it, you know, when we had Coach Carl on the podcast. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:14.079 Um you guys played with pace back then, and you were it was you were insane. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:16.559 But if by today's standards, it's slow. 00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:17.359 It's very slow. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:18.960 Which just means you're never out of it. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:27.119 And and I'm gonna get in the weeds a tiny bit here because I've been thinking about this a lot, and no one ever really talks about it, even though it's pretty obvious and it's pretty logical. 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:32.480 A point in the first quarter is not worth as much as a point in the fourth quarter. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:37.519 Possessions are worth more in the end than they are in the beginning of a game because time. 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:38.960 You're running out of time. 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:40.960 So the factor of time is changing. 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:47.759 So a point or a possession in the fourth quarter is far more valuable in relative value to the to the first possession. 00:17:48.559 --> 00:18:00.240 And so what playing fast allows you to do is make that margin, make that variable less important because you have more of them. 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:00.640 Yeah. 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.039 Right? 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:12.480 So if you have a, let's just say a hundred possession game and we want to play at a pace that's more like 120 a game, well, we've just now made those possessions less valuable over time.

00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:12.799 Right. 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:14.240 So because we can get another one. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:14.559 Yeah. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:18.400 And that's the I think that's the benefit of playing fast. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:23.279 Now the negative is it can absolutely kick you in your ass in the same way. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:29.200 Like if another team decides that they want to do it that same way and they just they catch a hot night and we get beat, right? 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:36.559 And in the NBA, I think in the NBA, teams are they're they're just as deep, so they are playing ten guys. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:40.880 Most NBA teams are gonna play ten guys, at least nine in their rotation. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:48.720 So you have fitness isn't quite as important as like with our team with Kent, we have ten guys that we play every night. 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:49.839 We play ten dudes. 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:50.160 Yeah. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:53.839 And, you know, I think seven of those guys could probably start. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:19:04.079 Three of those guys are more backup type players or role or minutes or you know, small, small role, or you know, not small, not um, just you know, less minutes than our starters for sure. 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:04.559 Yeah. 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:16.720 But, you know, if you don't have that on the other end, like when our high school games, we played against a bunch of teams that had three really good players, even Tin Myth and even uh university, three really good players. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:18.400 But then there was a drop-off. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:20.480 And they just didn't have it, right? 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:37.279 They, you know, it's so much fun to watch, and I don't know the equivalent of this in the NBA, but it's so fun to watch a team hang hang with us for a quarter, second quarter, maybe they're still there, but they're down a few points, and then third quarter they come out and they maybe start well in the third quarter, but by the end of the third, we're up 20. 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:37.759 Yeah. 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:41.200 And then in the end of the fourth, it's now a 30-point game and the shit's over. 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:51.680 Well, and and you know, one of the things that like I I noticed from watching games last year and this year is somehow you were able to keep the boys motivated. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:57.440 And when you're going for a back-to-back, sometimes that motivation slops off. 00:19:57.920 --> 00:20:04.000 Um and and that's why I was thinking about it, like, okay, okay, she's attempting to do the same thing. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:09.279 Now, it's not to say that they haven't gotten everybody's best during the regular season. 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:12.079 You know, you're the champ, everyone wants to give you their best. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:15.279 But there are some nights when the teams are like, oh no, we're not, we're not doing this. 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:17.200 Every 82 games, that's reasonable. 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:17.680 Yeah. 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.160 Yeah. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:22.240 And so now it's like, okay, well, the playoffs are about to start. 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:33.680 And in those games, especially if OKC draws San Antonio, at some point, you know, prior prior to the Western Conference finals, the Western Conference is such a nightmare. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:40.000 Like, I'm watching the standings do this every night because Well, you're watching only three through ten do that. 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:41.839 Yeah, which is one and two aren't moving. 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:42.960 One and two are lots. 00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:43.920 Which is so fun to watch. 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.559 Like these two, like, no, we're not, we're not doing anything different. 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:47.200 This is great. 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:56.559 But you know, San Antonio obviously all season had a chip on their shoulder when they were playing OKC, which was interesting to watch. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:06.640 But all of a sudden, the expectation and the motivation, I think, starts to change when a team is ready to give OKC everything for a full series. 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:29.200 What I see happening, and I had this, we had the exact conversation, Coach Carl and I, and another um a guy that was on the staff with Coach with Nuggets 10 years ago, whatever, who's now in the front office of the Nuggets, and I won't name him just to keep him anonymous, but um, a good buddy of mine in basketball, we were all kind of sitting around talking about how you know, why, why there's a difference. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:31.680 Like what do they have versus you know the other thing. 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:35.599 We were talking about fouls, we were talking about physicality, and we're talking about different things. 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:52.960 But then I have a couple points here to make, one on the competition part of it, but but just sort of a technical aspect of we talked about it on the other pod where Oklahoma City and Detroit and like New York and you know San Antonio for sure, yeah, they're just physical. 00:21:53.119 --> 00:21:59.759 Yeah, and they they start physical, they maintain physicality, and they foul a lot, and they they they're good at getting. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:00.960 Fouls. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:04.480 Um, you know, that the drawing foul is a skill. 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:05.839 We talked about that before as well. 00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:07.599 So they just play differently. 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:11.920 And they do have younger players, they have uh more energetic players. 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:14.640 Denver is a little bit older than the other teams. 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:27.839 San Antonio has a bunch of you know, first three or four year dudes other than Fox that are and um um the Carolina guy, um, I'm blanking on his name, uh Barnes.

00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:28.319 Oh, yeah. 00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:29.279 He's older, right? 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:34.079 But but everyone else, young and motivated and fast and athletic and and has the energy for it. 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:42.079 So that is to say, that's why they have separated themselves because they they do it in their own way, and the referees can't call it all. 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:43.519 We talked about that already, too. 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.079 Yeah. 00:22:44.319 --> 00:23:04.079 But you know, you'll find teams where they drop off, and if you go through these teams of like the average age of these teams, now some of these really bad teams are really young, so it's sort of like it's a it's uh it's an anomaly that age age is helps you win, but age can also make you lose. 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:06.799 No question. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.920 But San Antonio it's there. 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:09.359 Structure star, right? 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:10.480 Uh guys that buy in. 00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:12.160 Now their young players are elite. 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:12.319 Right. 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:16.640 You know, you look at San Antonio Sacramento, their young players are not elite, no offense, but they're good. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:17.920 Your guy's good. 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:19.119 Look, I love the guy. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:21.920 But that um but that team is in trouble. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:23.759 Like Sacramento doesn't have winning players. 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:28.000 Yeah, there's no direction for there's no franchise direction, right? 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:34.079 It is a team where every other player can mimic Neek's skill set, yeah, for example. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:36.000 You know, it's it's it's a bunch of guards. 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:40.319 Yeah, he he has the you know, he's he's good, but he's there's a bunch of guys like him. 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:46.240 But yeah, but the the teams that are bad just don't have good enough decision makers to make it happen, nor do they have stars. 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:55.839 So, but back to what like what we were talking about in terms of you know winning it again, their roster's a little different. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:56.079 Yeah. 00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:58.799 You know, Jared McCain is energy. 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:00.960 So they added him and he's a ball of it. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:06.400 You know, he's a high-energy guy, he makes big shots, takes big shots, isn't afraid of the moment, that kind of thing. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:14.400 Oklahoma City, what I was gonna say about this is you either are or you aren't competitive. 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:15.200 That's fun, yeah. 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:24.880 It's not like you if if you've won one and you want to take a gear off and maybe chill for the next season, you're not, that's not who you are. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:25.359 Right. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:30.559 You you you were you were maybe at one point, but now you've decided I that's not as important to me anymore. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:32.720 Maybe longevity in the career, or you know, whatever. 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:34.480 I don't know, think priorities change. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:40.079 But I do believe Oklahoma City is just competitive. 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:41.759 It's just you are or you aren't. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:44.319 And I think San Antonio just is. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:53.839 And the one of the reasons why one of my favorite moments this season, more like kind of like oh my gosh moments, was watching San Antonio play the Clippers a week ago. 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:55.759 And I don't know what led up to this. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:05.839 Um Wembanyama had a really good game, they beat Kawhi and the Clippers, and after the game, he's being interviewed and he's crying. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:11.119 And the the gal interviewing him was like, tell me what's going what's going on. 00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:13.039 And he was just like, This has just been a lot. 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:17.440 And it's you know, we we've fought through these things and it's been really difficult. 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:21.039 But what I saw in him was he loves this so much. 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:23.440 Yeah, like he wants this so bad. 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:29.920 And you watch him, you know, uh emote always on the floor and everything, that shit matters. 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:30.559 100%. 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:36.000 And and and it they j they have a joy in playing together, they they love their group. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:40.000 We've talked about the Oklahoma City group standing together for an interview. 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:42.079 That's fuck yes, do more of that. 00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:48.880 Yeah, you know what we we we chastise players all the time for being individuals and not being a team player, you know, in the media. 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:49.920 I guess people do that. 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:53.759 But we we also make fun of Oklahoma City because they do their press conference together. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:54.640 Fuck off. 00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:55.519 That's awesome. 00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:55.759 Yeah. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:57.279 Like that's that's how you want this to be. 00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:58.079 Well, you're a team. 00:25:58.240 --> 00:25:58.559 No question. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:00.640 So you're and you're either a team or you're not. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:02.079 And you're pulling in the same direction. 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:02.400 Yeah. 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:07.119 You know, not only are you guys together, but you guys are like championship because you're that good. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:10.960 And I think San Antonio is like championship because we're that good. 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:12.960 And all coaching props to Dagnold. 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.720 Dagnold's a mate, coach of the year. 00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:16.079 Should be the coach of the

year. 00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:19.359 Um, Johnson, or uh is it Mitch Mitch Johnson? 00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:20.720 Head coach of the Spurs, sorry. 00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:23.839 Oh forget his blanking on his name. 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:25.839 Uh there's a Johnson that plays for them too. 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:29.200 Um but um it's it's interesting because it's interesting. 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:30.079 Should be coach of the year. 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:30.400 You say that. 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:31.839 Yeah, Mitch Johnson, I got there, I was right. 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:40.559 Because you run into a situation where, you know, two, uh just at the beginning of the week, you know, Jamal was interviewed uh after a game. 00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:45.279 And you know, Denver had two really impressive wins. 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:53.359 You know, and last night against LA, yeah, like I was playing a gig, so I had to had to catch up the highlights. 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:57.039 Yeah, it was a little bit of a choke job, but Denver had it. 00:26:57.279 --> 00:27:07.119 They kind of choked it away, but it it didn't feel exactly like a choke uh that they have experienced recently in in in previous games. 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:11.519 Um, I'm borrowing some terminology from my buddies Chris and Nick here. 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:15.519 Uh Nick who was taking photos of the Kent run throughout the playoffs. 00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:19.119 Really tall guy was making fun of him on the 10 minutes broadcast. 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:22.400 I was like, how does it feel to cross your legs like that on court? 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:23.279 Does it hurt? 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:33.759 Sorry, Nick, but yeah, like they just ran into a situation where Luca just made a shot, and that was and that was it. 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:36.480 It didn't feel like a, oh my god, this guy is falling. 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:43.599 And Jamal previously in an interview recently, he said, you know, we've just been going through some we've just been going through some stuff. 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:44.640 Some internal stuff. 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:46.079 We're fine. 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:47.200 We're fine. 00:27:47.759 --> 00:27:50.640 And I think if you're a Nuggets fan, that gives you a sigh of relief. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:53.359 You're probably like, thank God. 00:27:54.079 --> 00:28:11.599 Um the team seems like they're on the same page now, which I I would say maybe I would say their biggest liability now moving forward in the playoffs, is their coach. 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:12.960 Dender? 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:13.920 Yes. 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:16.880 Um I I wouldn't I wouldn't go that far. 00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:18.000 I I like Adelman. 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:18.400 Really? 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:23.039 No, I I think well, I think that well This is my version of a hot take. 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:25.920 Well, and I don't have I don't have privy to the practices. 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:30.480 I don't have privy to and if just for the record, there are very few practices in the NBA. 00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:34.960 This is I think this is the problem, one of the problems we have in the NBA is there's not enough practice time. 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:38.799 And a lot of this the days off, they need days off, right? 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:40.079 Or they want to take days off. 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:42.480 They're working harder than they were in the 90s. 00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:43.200 What are you talking about? 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:44.559 That's there's no chance. 00:28:44.960 --> 00:29:00.960 Um those were those were our the you know the practice the the views on practice in general in basketball have gotten smaller and meaning like there's we know now that a three-hour practice is past the point of it's well past the point of diminishing returns. 00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:01.200 Yeah. 00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:01.519 Right? 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:07.359 And so a 45-minute practice or a 90-minute practice or an hour that max, and if it's a training session, it's 30 minutes. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:11.599 Don't don't do any more than that because you're if you're doing it right, you should be done at 30 minutes. 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:20.000 Anyway, that is to say, I don't know anything about their practices and how they run things, but what I would say is that I like Adelman. 00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:22.079 I think Jokic still likes Adelman. 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:39.599 I think they they do a pretty good job of holding it all together through all their injuries, and a lot of that is coaching, a lot of that is, you know, giving um Watson, you know, um space to play and be who he is and be, you know, now he's probably gonna get traded or he's gonna get, you know, he's valuable. 00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:40.079 Yeah. 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:47.279 What I see as the issue, and this is technical, not technical, but this is more of a player thing, is defensively they're just not very good. 00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:55.920 And and I what I mean by that is they they can guard, they will guard, their concepts I'm sure are solid, just like everybody else's concepts in the NBA. 00:29:56.079 --> 00:30:03.119 But there's a couple guys that are on the floor that have liabilities, especially at the rim. 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:12.000 And I, you know, give him the MVP if you want, because he does lead a lot of these categories, and Denver does score more points than it. 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:13.200 I'm looking at the points right now. 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:15.920 They're they're lead literally leading the league in scoring. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:23.200 But Jokic is not the greatest player defensively in a pick and roll or at the rim. 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:37.519 And then so you're not even like there the rotations, now this may be coaching, so they they oftentimes you'll watch if you want to isolate him where he would normally go rotate on a player,

they have somebody else do it. 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:38.319 Yeah. 00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:41.279 And that's a strategy, that's not an accident. 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:51.599 Well, there was uh their most recent game against OKC where OKC was missing uh Chet, IHart, and Williams, and someone else. 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:54.480 I mean OKC had no size in that game. 00:30:54.720 --> 00:31:00.160 And they still paddled Thunder pretty well, and I was watching Jokic get out rebounded by a bunch of guards. 00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:07.599 That and and and to your point here, you know, I have my own opinions on Denver Sports Radio personalities. 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:13.920 You know, I think a lot of them are pictures full of hot takes and hot air, and they just they the way they say certain things, I'm like, how why? 00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:15.920 Why I think a lot of us they don't watch the games. 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:20.160 Right, yeah, because Or they'll watch one game and make a make a oh, here we go. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:21.200 That's it for the week. 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:21.759 Yeah. 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:32.480 However, I will give credit where it's due because there is one personality that I find that has a lot of really good things to say sometimes. 00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:45.359 And um Cecil Lamy recently on ESPN radio, he made a comment that I think is very fair. 00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:53.839 So if you're gonna give Jokic to the accolades that you want to give him, give him MVP and say, like, you know, he's he's great, he's leaning all these categories. 00:31:55.119 --> 00:32:00.480 One way that the the way that Cecil painted it was he has been lazy on defense all year. 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:01.200 All year. 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:03.440 And and hear me out here, yeah. 00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:13.200 Because you can call it lazy, you can call it a concept, you can you can call it whatever, but some of the effort, like you just watch certain games and there's games where he's just not there defensively. 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:19.039 And that will permeate through a team. 00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:19.519 Yeah. 00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:24.799 I I don't the the word laziness may or may not, but I don't think it's that. 00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:31.279 I think it's um I think it's a limitation to his physical abilities. 00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:33.200 He's not an elite athlete, right? 00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:34.720 He's not fast, he can't jump. 00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:35.039 Right. 00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:38.880 He's he he covers ground because he's seven and change and he's big. 00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:50.160 So he is he's more of a years ago when when teams would play against Denver, even now, you'll always see at the fourth quarter or the end of the game, they want to put Jokic in the screen and roll defensively. 00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:50.480 Right. 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:56.400 And so what'll happen is they'll they'll pre-switch or they'll somehow get Gordon involved instead. 00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:56.720 Right. 00:32:56.880 --> 00:33:01.200 If instead of Jokic to kind of save him, and and it's sort of and it reminds me, and it's a problem. 00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:09.920 I mean, it it is a it is a problem, it is a liability, and it's one it reminds me of this quote or this it was just Kawhi Leonard's quote, and it was awesome. 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:11.920 Did he laugh after he said it or not? 00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:12.559 No, no, no. 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:13.279 It wasn't good. 00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:20.240 It was he was basically like some guy was on the court and they were supposed to switch everything. 00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:20.640 Yeah. 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:26.400 And the coach said to Kawhi or something like, Everybody except this guy, switch. 00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:28.640 And Kawhi's like, we're supposed to switch everything. 00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:32.160 And he's like, Yeah, but that can't that guy is not, we don't want him switching. 00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:32.319 Right. 00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:34.160 He goes, well then get him the fuck off the court. 00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:35.200 Right, absolutely. 00:33:35.440 --> 00:33:36.400 Like get him out of here then. 00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:37.039 Or something like that. 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:40.319 He was like, basically, if you can't do what it is you want us to do, then get the fuck out. 00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:41.279 And I get it. 00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:44.000 Look, I agree with that because however, you have to have him on the floor. 00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:44.319 Right. 00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:45.519 Jokic has to stay on the floor. 00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:46.480 Jokic has to stay on the floor. 00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:48.160 Can't take him off. 00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:51.920 But when I watch a game and watch Jokic get out rebounded by SGA. 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:54.319 So it here's one thing. 00:33:54.559 --> 00:33:56.079 It's an effort problem, no question. 00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:58.240 I here's the one thing about rebounding. 00:33:58.480 --> 00:34:01.279 It's, and people come at me, I love this. 00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:01.759 Please do. 00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:03.200 It's irrelevant until the fourth quarter. 00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:04.559 Yeah, this was in the fourth quarter. 00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:05.440 Completely irrelevant. 00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:10.960 So and it's really only I mean, it rebounding is not something you could work on rebounding all day long. 00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:15.119 You could find any rebounding team in the country and be like, oh, they're so good at rebounding. 00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:17.039 No, they're they're fortunate at rebounding. 00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:18.559 And I don't want to throw it up just to that. 00:34:18.639 --> 00:34:21.199 But it is, there is some effort that you have to go get a basketball. 00:34:21.599 --> 00:34:22.159 That's right there. 00:34:22.239 --> 00:34:22.639 Come on. 00:34:22.880 -->

00:34:23.679 You have to go get it. 00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:24.559 I get that part. 00:34:24.639 --> 00:34:31.760 And so a lot of that is, I I think, again, Jokic is so valuable and he does so much for Denver. 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:37.119 If again, you take Den you take Jokic off of Denver, I don't know if they make the playoffs. 00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:37.920 No, probably not. 00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:39.519 Right now they're, you know, they're injured. 00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:45.119 I this is a weird year for them, so it's not a normal year, but a year where they fully the year they won even. 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:46.559 You take him off, no chance. 00:34:46.880 --> 00:34:47.360 No, they're toast. 00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:48.480 They're they're fifth. 00:34:48.880 --> 00:35:07.440 I you know, one one thing that I've noticed, you know, and we can start venturing into the other topics we have planned for today, including you know kind of playoff pushes and whatnot, but one thing I've definitely noticed is Jokic may be their most most important play, but AG is their emotion. 00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:13.039 Like, yeah, he's he's he's carrying like they just have a different vibe when he's around. 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:13.760 For sure. 00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:18.639 He he is he's a he's a guy that that cleans up messes. 00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:26.000 Meaning uh metaphorical messes of he's big, athletic, can shoot, um, you don't have to worry about him. 00:35:26.079 --> 00:35:28.400 He's he's he's gonna give you full effort. 00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:31.760 He's not a guy that he fixes a lot of problems. 00:35:31.920 --> 00:35:32.239 Yeah. 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:36.480 And he is, once Denver is fully healthy again, no one's gonna want to play him. 00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:40.079 We were talking about with with coach and another guy the other day at dinner. 00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:41.920 You were scared of a few teams. 00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:42.159 Yeah. 00:35:42.320 --> 00:35:44.400 And a healthy Denver team, you're you're scared of. 00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:51.679 You are as a playoff team, you're like, unless you're San Antonio or Oklahoma City, where you're like, we're not scared of anybody, but you are you have to pay attention to Denver. 00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:57.119 You can't just like overlook Denver, you know, when once they're going, like they're not an easy out. 00:35:57.199 --> 00:36:01.440 They are going to be a very difficult seven-game out in the the way they're now. 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:06.800 Like the guys that are playing right now, I think they're a difficult seven-game out because Jokic will always be pretty good. 00:36:06.960 --> 00:36:10.320 And in the playoffs, there's more rest, there's more time to figure it out. 00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:11.360 It's just different. 00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:14.559 Just you know, I always talk about just get in the tournament. 00:36:14.639 --> 00:36:14.880 Yeah. 00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:17.039 You imagine Denver as

an eight seed? 00:36:17.599 --> 00:36:18.079 Amazing. 00:36:18.239 --> 00:36:22.239 Like it's like Oklahoma City, Denver, round one, fuck yes, let's go. 00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:22.880 Yeah, let's do it. 00:36:22.960 --> 00:36:23.679 How fun would that be? 00:36:23.840 --> 00:36:28.159 And and you couldn't say, oh, they're you know, Oklahoma City's favored. 00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:28.960 No, they're not. 00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:29.920 It's it's a pick'em. 00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:35.599 No, that's a that's a pick'em because you know, yeah, that's a seven-game series, too, no question. 00:36:35.760 --> 00:36:41.920 And um every time AG has a great game, I I always joke with my my friends. 00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:44.320 I'm like, time to get those sacks underwear on, boys. 00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:45.599 Like, you know, let's do it. 00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:52.800 Uh and this again, we I want to I don't want to make this a Denver Denver Nuggets podcast, but no, but they're good, so we we end up talking about it. 00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:54.960 Yeah, we'll we'll put have to put them in there. 00:36:55.440 --> 00:36:58.079 We gave San Antonio their flowers last year, so we did. 00:36:58.239 --> 00:37:00.719 Um and soon we gotta do Oklahoma City flowers. 00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:02.400 But it's yeah, but they're so ugly. 00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:05.280 Oh my wife thinks they're all ugly, man. 00:37:05.440 --> 00:37:06.480 I think they're beautiful. 00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:08.320 Well, not in the face. 00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:08.800 Okay. 00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:11.440 Well, but I I think the way that they play is beautiful. 00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:13.920 I think that they I I I I love how they play. 00:37:14.239 --> 00:37:14.639 That's great. 00:37:14.719 --> 00:37:28.400 Keep the wide view on them so that my wife doesn't have to see Chet's face because she's like, one of these days, one of these days we'll sit and watch as a as a team and I'll show you how good they are at finding so the one thing Oklahoma City We'll broadcast that. 00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:29.280 We'll we'll stream that. 00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:31.519 Oklahoma City doesn't take bad shots. 00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:32.239 No, they don't. 00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:35.199 They find it, they find the right play. 00:37:35.280 --> 00:37:40.800 So Coach Carl would always always used to say the basketball will find intelligent play. 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.199 Yep. 00:37:41.360 --> 00:37:41.599 Right? 00:37:41.760 --> 00:37:48.800 So, and Shay, for as good as he is, and he's a bad dude, he will make the right play when he can. 00:37:48.880 --> 00:37:55.360 Now, if it's end of the clock and there's a shot that has to go up, it's usually gonna he's not passing it and he and he gets it because he's the MVP. 00:37:55.599 --> 00:37:59.679 But he will, for the most part, he'll make the right play, and it's beautiful to watch. 00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:14.079 They they just don't take bad shots, which is why they score more than others and why they're why their differential is better, their defense is better, their you know their their personnel is better, like they just they just get it. 00:38:14.239 --> 00:38:22.960 They they're they're guys that come off the bench, like they're you know, um oh gosh, the um I'm blanking now on the former Lakers now, who's their guy with the headband? 00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:23.599 Caruso? 00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:24.880 I get love Caruso. 00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:26.239 I'm always blanking on names. 00:38:26.559 --> 00:38:34.400 But Caruso is so good at leading the second team or second unit and what they do, and he is he's their asshole. 00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:35.599 And they have a bunch of assholes. 00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:36.400 Totally, yeah. 00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:39.840 And we keep in mind there's a lot of assholes on that team, but he is definitely one of them. 00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:42.639 Oh, he's he is he's their asshole. 00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:45.840 Um got a little bit of a wind picking up. 00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:47.679 Uh maybe that's the HVAC. 00:38:47.840 --> 00:38:49.519 I thought there's I thought something was going on outside. 00:38:49.679 --> 00:38:50.719 No, I dang. 00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:57.599 You know, so as as we push into you know, playoff pushes, where you see things landing. 00:38:58.079 --> 00:39:02.639 Um how's the shakeout for you now? 00:39:03.280 --> 00:39:06.320 Well, uh I have thankfully I have it in front of me. 00:39:06.559 --> 00:39:14.880 So Oklahoma City and San Antonio are one and two, and seven games behind them is the Lakers. 00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:15.440 Yep. 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:18.719 And then Rockets, Timberwolves, Nuggets, Suns, Clippers. 00:39:18.800 --> 00:39:24.719 What I will do that I I don't know if I have an apology to, but I will walk back some of the things I said about Minnesota. 00:39:24.880 --> 00:39:27.280 They have been playing so much better as of late. 00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:27.599 Yeah. 00:39:27.920 --> 00:39:29.920 And uh I think they got beat today. 00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:32.880 I think they were playing Oklahoma City, and I want to say Oklahoma City pulled that out. 00:39:32.960 --> 00:39:35.440 I'm not sure of the the result on that one. 00:39:35.679 --> 00:39:40.079 But um Minnesota's another team where you're like, they're a wild card. 00:39:40.159 --> 00:39:49.599 They're really good, they're playing well, they've got a superstar, they've got a good coach, they have great backups, they have all the things you need, and they they defend pretty well. 00:39:49.840 --> 00:39:51.360 If they get it hot, they'll kill you too. 00:39:51.599 --> 00:39:52.000 No question. 00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:58.400 They're heavy jump shots, they're you know, you know, Ant Ant Anthony Edwards is one of the best catch-and-shoot jump shooters in the league. 00:39:58.480 --> 00:40:00.639 I think he is the best or was at one point. 00:40:01.199 --> 00:40:04.320 I'm worried about them, like

I'm worried about playing them. 00:40:04.719 --> 00:40:15.599 So the way it I don't know, I'm not looking at the records, but Portland right now is a play-in team, Golden State's a play-in team, Clippers are a play-in team, Suns are a play-in team. 00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:17.840 So six through ten, that's, or seven through ten. 00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:20.880 So Phoenix, Clippers, Warriors, Blazers in the West. 00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:23.360 I'm not worried about the Blazers. 00:40:23.599 --> 00:40:31.440 I do think the Clippers will end up being the seventh seed, and I think Phoenix and Golden State will play for the eighth seed, and I think it's Phoenix. 00:40:31.599 --> 00:40:32.159 Phoenix, yeah. 00:40:32.320 --> 00:40:36.639 Which bums me out because I love watching Golden State play, and I hate to see Steph Curry miss the playoffs. 00:40:36.880 --> 00:40:38.159 But he's been injured, not playing. 00:40:38.400 --> 00:40:39.519 It'll be a Lakers next year. 00:40:40.239 --> 00:40:41.360 I would hate that. 00:40:41.599 --> 00:40:43.599 Um that'd be the worst thing for them. 00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:47.920 On the eastern side, it's for me, it's literally a four-team. 00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:48.400 Okay. 00:40:48.719 --> 00:40:50.000 It's it's a four-team game. 00:40:50.079 --> 00:40:53.039 Uh, Detroit, New York, Boston, and Cleveland. 00:40:53.280 --> 00:40:54.400 Boston and Cleveland, yeah. 00:40:54.639 --> 00:40:59.119 And there's there's a drop-off after those four, the three-game drop-off on Orlando's next. 00:40:59.280 --> 00:41:03.440 And Orlando's had stretches where they've been really bad. 00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:08.480 There's rumors that you know their head coach will be the first one gone in the offseason. 00:41:08.719 --> 00:41:12.320 Like, I hate that because Jamal, I love Jamal. 00:41:12.480 --> 00:41:14.239 Former Nugget assistant, Jamal Mosley. 00:41:14.400 --> 00:41:14.800 Yeah, yeah. 00:41:14.960 --> 00:41:16.880 Um I think he's a great coach. 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:20.159 I think he's he does a good job of communicating, and they played the right way. 00:41:20.239 --> 00:41:24.639 When he first got there, they blew up and they were, you know, they were the talk of you know the Eastern Conference. 00:41:24.800 --> 00:41:30.960 But yeah, I I would love to go through each team and where I think they're gonna land and all that. 00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:36.639 But again, I think the East is two teams and four teams max, right? 00:41:36.719 --> 00:41:39.760 So I think the East is is Detroit and Boston. 00:41:39.920 --> 00:41:41.519 Sorry, Knicks fans. 00:41:41.599 --> 00:41:45.599 Uh, but I think Dude, you are breaking their hearts. 00:41:46.000 --> 00:41:47.440 I love they're not that good. 00:41:47.599 --> 00:41:48.159 They're good. 00:41:48.239 --> 00:41:49.599 They're they're they're not good enough. 00:41:49.679 --> 00:41:50.559 Uh they haven't been. 00:41:50.639 --> 00:41:53.519 I do think Boston is just getting good at the right time

and playing. 00:41:53.840 --> 00:41:54.880 I think we would punch you right now. 00:41:55.039 --> 00:41:55.760 I would love that. 00:41:55.840 --> 00:41:56.639 And so would Stephen A. 00:41:56.880 --> 00:41:57.199 Smith. 00:41:57.280 --> 00:41:59.039 Um, yeah, but we don't care about Stephen A. 00:41:59.199 --> 00:41:59.360 Smith. 00:41:59.760 --> 00:42:00.960 Cleveland's roster is really good. 00:42:01.039 --> 00:42:05.199 Donovan Mitchell is playing at it, and he's off the chart good right now. 00:42:05.280 --> 00:42:05.440 Yeah. 00:42:05.679 --> 00:42:06.800 And they are a wild card. 00:42:06.880 --> 00:42:10.320 So if I, you know, Coach Carl always used to talk about well, what's the wild card tonight? 00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:12.719 Who's gonna who's gonna do something we don't expect to do? 00:42:12.880 --> 00:42:21.519 I think Cleveland is the wild card, can catch fire in the playoffs or a right matchup or the right thing, and and and come out of there and push for that for the Eastern Conference final. 00:42:21.840 --> 00:42:24.800 But I do think it's it's a it's Detroit and it's Boston. 00:42:24.880 --> 00:42:28.320 Now I know that's chalk, but chalk is there for a reason. 00:42:28.639 --> 00:42:29.199 Yeah, it's there. 00:42:29.760 --> 00:42:30.719 Because they're they're winning. 00:42:30.800 --> 00:42:31.119 Yeah. 00:42:31.360 --> 00:42:34.000 Um yeah, I I I don't know. 00:42:34.079 --> 00:42:37.199 I I still think that the West is gonna win the championship. 00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:37.440 Yeah. 00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:41.760 I do think Well, there's more teams to pick from that could do it in the world. 00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:48.320 True, true, but I I do think San Antonio, I would not be stunned. 00:42:48.400 --> 00:42:53.519 This is not a prediction, but I I would not be stunned if San Antonio gets to the finals. 00:42:53.760 --> 00:42:54.719 Yeah, I can see that. 00:42:54.960 --> 00:42:55.440 The finals. 00:42:55.920 --> 00:43:20.000 And I made a special attempt to watch them more after our last episode because you know, we we talked about them, we give them their flowers, you know, we've we've talked about how fun they are to watch all year, but the more I kept coming back to it, the more I was like, yeah, I think they I think if OKC is gonna have a really hard time with anyone, it will be San Antonio. 00:43:20.079 --> 00:43:25.280 And San Antonio's made it a point to let them know we're not afraid of you, and we will come and take it from the game. 00:43:25.440 --> 00:43:28.079 I I forget what I said last time about Wembenyama. 00:43:28.559 --> 00:43:30.719 And maybe we did do this or didn't, I don't care. 00:43:31.360 --> 00:43:34.000 If I did it, um it needs to be said again. 00:43:34.960 --> 00:43:42.000 He is the most how do I word this, the largest differentiator in the game. 00:43:42.159 --> 00:43:42.400 Yes. 00:43:42.639 --> 00:43:42.960 Right now. 00:43:43.280 --> 00:43:47.599 There's no one else that impacts the the game the way he does. 00:43:47.679 --> 00:43:54.639 Now I don't know if it shows up statistically, but he affects in a positive way for San Antonio every single play. 00:43:55.039 --> 00:43:55.440 Everything. 00:43:55.599 --> 00:43:56.480 Uh we did talk about it. 00:43:56.559 --> 00:44:03.760 I remember him coming off talking about the curl play that he came off of, and he caught it off a off a you know angle in the corner and one dribble didn't not he didn't even dribble it. 00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:05.119 I think he got to the rim without a dribble. 00:44:05.440 --> 00:44:54.239 Yeah because you yeah I I remember you saying this because you were like well it maybe it could have been in trouble maybe um and we are going to talk about rules next week or next week it's not like Derek Queen uh against CSU in March Madness travel that was a traveling It's breaking my heart I know breaking my heart because um give me something but San Antonio with Wemby no one I no one can sit there on any TV show radio show any any influencer anybody with an opinion anywhere can say no no way on San Antonio because you you are again I'll just say you don't watch the games then you're just assuming San Antonio is not good enough because it's the first time they're gonna be this good and they have taken a giant list with OKC too like people are like oh yeah OKC they're just the best and it's like well I've watched San Antonio punch them in the mouth four times this year. 00:44:54.639 --> 00:44:59.360 And doing it doing it over seven games is is going to be even more fun to watch. 00:44:59.599 --> 00:45:03.599 Like you we get seven games of San Antonio Oklahoma City that's the best thing in the world. 00:45:03.920 --> 00:45:09.199 You're writing off everybody really early fans who tune in are going to be really upset. 00:45:09.840 --> 00:45:25.360 Wolves fans you just give them their flowers and now you're taking them away again it's like tell me you the point being is no one could say no way Oklahoma City does it again or no way San Antonio does it there's you can't you can't back that up with data. 00:45:25.679 --> 00:45:33.039 And you shouldn't feel good about San Antonio you can back up Lakers not doing it, Houston not doing it, Minnesota not doing it, Denver not doing it. 00:45:33.440 --> 00:45:42.400 You could back up that and go well injuries or you know when LeBron's on the floor with Luca and Austin Reeves, they're just not as good even though LeBron's had a couple good games lately. 00:45:42.559 --> 00:45:45.280 You know you you have there's holes in the other arguments. 00:45:45.760 --> 00:45:49.199 There are no holes in the arguments for San Antonio and for Oklahoma City. 00:45:49.280 --> 00:46:04.400 There are none there's holes in Detroit's argument there's holes in New York's there's holes in Boston's there's there's holes all over the place except for those two teams and the only there's no holes they might end up having to play each other to get that's it and

that's the only hole for that's too bad. 00:46:04.559 --> 00:46:15.360 And that's that's a shame it's a shame that you can't switch conferences in the finals and we will represent the East I think I think the conferences especially the like the divisions are worthless. 00:46:15.599 --> 00:46:25.199 Oh yeah we did this in the 70s because of airplanes yeah like now you know now we're talking about putting NBA Europe or putting a team in Mexico City or putting a team they used to talk about putting a team in London. 00:46:25.440 --> 00:46:39.760 Yeah at what point aren't aren't there teams playing in Germany next year for probably they've been they've been going abroad a lot which is great I love that but my point is I would love to see their once the playoffs are all in all 16 teams are in re-racket. 00:46:40.480 --> 00:46:41.679 I don't want to do East West. 00:46:41.920 --> 00:46:46.079 I love that just play one through one through 16 play tournament based on record based on record. 00:46:46.159 --> 00:46:48.480 Yep and you would get I think it'd be more fun. 00:46:48.719 --> 00:47:00.639 You get better ball yeah I think well I just it just it's ridiculous to me that you know we would have these now they'd have to change the regular season schedule because as it stands now Western conference teams play each other four times and then east twice. 00:47:01.039 --> 00:47:06.480 Play everybody the same amount of times what is it everybody maybe three games on everybody if that works out the math I have no idea. 00:47:06.639 --> 00:47:08.559 Well that's what give or take a few games here and there. 00:47:08.639 --> 00:47:14.639 But not that many sports should take a lesson from Major League Baseball but Major League Baseball made it so that you play your divisional teams less. 00:47:14.800 --> 00:47:21.440 And so like those games mean more now but you play everybody else a healthy a healthier amount of times. 00:47:21.760 --> 00:47:26.000 And so yeah that man that's fascinating I would love to see that. 00:47:26.159 --> 00:47:32.400 That's on our what if episode coming in the future where we revisit trades that should have happened and should not have happened. 00:47:32.639 --> 00:47:36.079 That's on the episode of if I were commissioner this is what I would do. 00:47:36.400 --> 00:47:48.239 You definitely would have not vetoed the Chris Paul trade I would know would love to see Chris Paul in LA you kidding me in 2006 whatever it was seven eight when Chris Paul was a bad motherfucker. 00:47:48.320 --> 00:47:50.079 Like he is the best point guard in the league. 00:47:50.719 --> 00:48:03.360 And now the point guards this is for the next episode too the point guard is going away yep we're losing the point guard been gone for a while sorry and I'm a that's me I I I'm I have a bias I have a point guard bias. 00:48:03.599 --> 00:48:15.119 But now I'm like no let the big guy let the big guy handle it I want some yeah well thanks for tuning in everyone catch you next time this episode is brought to you by Field Day Sporting Co. 00:48:15.519 --> 00:48:17.039 Have a field day