The Most Intriguing Players Heading Into The NBA Playoffs - Episode 930

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The Hoophead podcast is brought to you by Head Start Basketball ORG. Hey Hoopheads. I wanted to take a minute to shout out our partners and friends at Dr. Dish Basketball ORG.

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Hi, this is Peter Loningin. Basketball Australia's ORG Head of High Performance Coach Development, and you're listening to the Hoop Heads ORG podcast.

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Prepare like the pros with the all-new Fast Draw and Fast Scout PRODUCT. Fast Draw has been the number one play diagramming software for coaches for years. You'll quickly see why Fast Model Sports ORG has the most compelling and intuitive basketball software out there. For a limited time, Fast Model is offering Hoophead ORG's listeners 15% off Fast Draw and Fast Scout PRODUCT. Just use the code HHP 15 at checkout to grab your discount,and you'll be on your way to more efficient game prep and improve communication with your team. Fast Model also has new coaching content every week on its blog, plus play and drill diagrams on its play bank. Check out the links in the show notes for more. Fast Model Sports is the best in basketball. Hello and welcome to the Who Pets WORK_OF_ART podcast. It's Mike Cleansing here without my co-host, Jason Sunkle tonight, who is in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida GPE. I do not envy him at all, by the way.I don't know how you go on vacation to Disney World ORG. For those of you that enjoy going to Disney, I am not along with you, but Jason and his family love it. So that's where he is tonight. And we have in his stead another Jason, my former colleague and coach, Jason Pop PERSON. Pop PERSON, welcome back to the pod. Thanks for having me back again, Mike.I appreciate the invite. I'm glad I can step in. There we go. We are going to talk some NBA tonight. And we tried to think of what would be an interesting way to kind of jump around the league as we head here into the last week or two of the season. Teams are jockeying for playoff positioning and trying to figure out what the matchups are.And so what we thought we would do is talk about our five most intriguing players heading into the playoffs. I guess we kind of can define intriguing however we want to. And we just made two lists. So Jason made a list. I made a list. And we're going to see if we have any overlap.We'll kind of bounce back and forth between his list and my list. Talk about the player, talk about the team, talk about some of the potential matchups for that team and how that player may fit into it. And if we have overlap, then we have a couple extra guys on our list that will jump back in. So we'll probably plan to talk about somewhere between 8 to 10 guys, depending on how much overlap we have. And we'll see where that takes us in the conversation.So Pops for I'll let you start first with your, I don't know if you put them in order. Mine was just kind of a random list. I didn't put them in any particular order. So who do you start with?

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So let me say first.

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Five was tough for me.

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Okay. So I pulled up the standings and I started looking at, okay, what's, you know, who's important to their team, who's important to the playoff race, that type of thing. So no particular order. But I think we'll start with the guy who's kind of surprised tonight with Embed PERSON, who comes out, been out for, what, two months with knee, you know, surgery, and all of a sudden plays 30 minutes and 20-some points tonight.And, you know, didn't quite expect that, to be honest. I think he's, you know, he might be the biggest question mark going into the playoffs, especially in the Eastern Conference ORG.

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All right. So let me start here. So on the pod, I have been on record with Joelle Embed PERSON that he has clearly in his career underperformed in the playoffs. He has not reached a level in the playoffs that he has reached during the regular season, whether that be for his capacity to perform in the playoffs, whether that's mental, whether that's just he can't get himself to that level, or more often it's beenhe's been injured, he's been sick. In my opinion, he's been not in condition. When you look at the superstars across the league, come playoff time, those guys typically play 42 to 46 minutes of playoff games. And they play at a super high level. Embed PERSON has never demonstrated in his career that he's in that type of shape to be able to play at that level. So then the question becomes, with this injury, is that a good thing that he got to, quote, rest for two months and maybe he comes back fresher. I'm not sure what to make of it.So how did you look at his return tonight? Obviously unexpected that he's going to come out and play 30 minutes and score 24 points. And by all indications, I didn't see any of the game, but by all indications of what I've seen from the box score and kind of reading the recap, it looks like he was kind of almost picked up exactly where he left off. So where are you on Embed PERSON?

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So he's intriguing to me on two fronts, right? The first is, and let me say this, I kind of agree with you. He's underperformed, hasn't met expectations, and still think, best case scenario, there's still the third, possibly even the fourth best team in the East LOC. Like, even if he comes back and can 60%, 70%, 70% pick up where he left off,which was MVP-type numbers and that, you know. But he's intriguing because, one, you know, in the last six, seven games where everybody has left, can he get Philly GPE out of the playing? Like, can they turn things around and get them out of, and into the playoffs, for sure, into the top six into the playoffs.And whether he can or can't, then the intrigue, the second part of that intrigue is kind of what you said. He hasn't played. Are his legs fresh? Maybe will he be in a little, you know, once he gets his wind back, will he be in better shape since he hasn't been beat on for two months? And does that make a difference when it comes time to go against what I think we all consider the two, you know, best teams is Boston, Milwaukee ORG in the east?Does that give him? Because, you know, neither of those teams have a dominant center. Can he have his way, maybe? You know, because he's a little stronger than usual. If I had to put money down, I would say no. It'll be the same Philadelphia ORG and the same abeed.But it is intriguing to me on those two fronts. Can he get them out of the play in? Which is tough. I mean, I think there are two games, a game and a half back out of six, somewhere around there with six or seven to play. That's asking a lot, I think.But if he can, I think whoever that three seat is, which Cleveland now, you know, at this minute, you know, they got to be sort of wicking their job saying, hey, first round against the calves, they've got their centers or, you know, toothpicks. Like, we can, we can have our way with them. Yeah, we'll have to go through Milwaukee next and through Boston ORG both, but we know that going in. Like, we know that's going to happen.So I think they're, they kind of after tonight have a little smile on their face in the Philly GPE and think that maybe this could be their best shot.

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So I will agree with you 100% that I am not buying the Joelle M.B. I'm not buying any Joelle ORG and B playoff stock. I just, I've seen it too many times in this career where whether it's, again, injury, whether it's illness, I still think that when you look at Joelle and Bede PERSON's rookie basketball card and you look at his body and his build at that point, and I know dude's mature and their body fills out and whatever, but there's no way you can look at a rookie year, second year,Joelle Embed PERSON, and look at his body and look at his body today and say that he's in peak physical condition. And he just doesn't, at least in the playoffs, he doesn't do it in the fourth quarter, and he cannot do it for those 42, 44, 46 minutes. He just can't carry a team the way that other superstars have demonstratedthey can, and in many cases, they need to carry their team over the finish line when it comes to winning multiple seven-game series. And to think that Embed PERSON, coming off this knee surgery, coming off his history, for two months is going to put Philly GPE on his back and carry them to the NBA ORG finals. I just don't buy that. Now, on the other hand, if you're Boston or Milwaukee, you're looking at this 7-8 playing between Miami and Philadelphia ORG and you're going to yourself. I mean, there's not a much worse scenario. Now, look, it's the old Bill Parcell's PERSON thing, sort of right?

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You are what your record says you are.

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But at the same time, you look at Miami's run last year,

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and you look at how Jimmy Butler PERSON seemingly doesn't even care

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about the regular season in any way, shape, or form at this point in his career.

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And then you think about Philly, who basically has fallen off a cliff since Embed PERSON's been out and with him. And the way he was playing, which again was the best of his career, so maybe I'm doubting him where he started to turn a corner. I don't think so, but is it possible? Certainly. And you're certainly not excited about seeing the league's MVP last season coming out of the seven or eight hole if you're a one or two seed.So in a way, it's a worst case scenario for Milwaukee and Boston ORG. Now, maybe Milwaukee saw that and started saying, hey, maybe we need to tank our way into the third seat. Although Janus put up a triple double a night, but they lose to the Wizards ORG. So maybe there, I don't know, maybe the rest of the bucks were like, hey, Janice PERSON, man, tone it down. Let's lose this game to the Wizards and see if we can't get to that, see if we can't get to that sixth seed. I don't know.Everything's still bunched together, though.

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I mean, I know that like Philly's two games out of the sixth seed and Miami's only a game out.

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But it's really fluid.

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I think to be able to try to influence who you're going to play or where you're going to play,

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there's too many teams involved that trying to pull any shenanigans, I think is going to be really hard. So I just think if you're Milwaukee-

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It could backfire on your quick. Right, exactly. Or you might get somebody that you think you

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want to play and turns out that maybe they're more difficult. Like if you're Milwaukee ORG, you got sitting in the six-seat Indiana ORG who there one and four against this year. And Indiana was kind of playing around with them and taunting them and whatever after they're beating them.

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So now look, do I think Indiana is going to beat Milwaukee ORG?

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No.

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But clearly there's some precedent at least this season that they can be competitive and play them tough.

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And they're certainly not afraid of Milwaukee ORG at this point.

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So there's a lot of interesting matchups there that as things fall into place, that could be

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a good scenario for one team, a bad scenario for the other team. And then, like you said, I don't think being able to control where you think you're going to be could end up backfiring. You might end up getting a team that you don't want. To me, if I'm Boston and Philly, or I'm sorry, if I'm Boston and Milwaukee ORG, I'm still going to be could end up backfiring you might end up getting a team that you don't want to me if i'm boston in philly or i'm sorry if i'm boston in milwaukee i'm still i don't i would rather notsee the philadelphia 76ers or the miani heat i would much rather be able to find my way to the

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orlando magic or the indiana NORP pacer's to young teams that don't have any experience that don't have

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a superstar on the level of a beat or a guy who's a proven playoff performer the way Jimmy Butler PERSON is. Those are the matchups that you want to avoid it if you could, if you're Boston or you're Milwaukee ORG. But who knows, it may not turn out that way. It may turn out that those two first round series are seriesthat in the past would have been at least the conference semifinals,

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maybe even like in the case of Boston and Boston and Miami that was the conference finals last year right that that's like you said that's that's worst case scenario for Boston Milwaukee ORG I mean

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if this stays chalk the next week and a half and you know however it goes whoever's the

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seventh or whoever's the eighth out of Miami and Philly neither neither Boston or Milwaukee wants to fight through them in that first round.

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Nobody wants to see, you know, Miami GPE come with that hard-nosed, tough defense that just turns it on in the playoffs.

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You know, playoff Jimmy Butler PERSON, you know, it just rises, you know, bam, the whole, everything they've got going on. Even when they're injured, they're a team you don't want to see. And, you know, I think either Boston ORG, Milwaukee would beat Philly in a first round series, but do you really want to battle six games against it beat beating you up down low and, you know, you have to work way harder in that first round than you really should? So they're, I think they're hoping for wins on a Miami GPE and Philly and losses out of Indy. And I mean, I'll tell're hoping for wins on a Miami GPE and filling in losses outof Indy. And I mean, I'll tell you, Mike, I mean, Cleveland in the third seed, I mean, they lose a couple games. They can drop to six pretty quick. Maybe, you know, I don't think they're going to drop to the play in, but you drop to six pretty quick with, with the schedule they have. Like,

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it could, it could change pretty quick. So i'm going to go to my next most intriguing

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guy i did not have mbid on my list so we're so we're good so far we had no no crosser i did not

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have imbid so my next guy is donovan mitchell and the reason why i had donovan mitchell is

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when i look at donovan mitchell's career and i think about what he did in utah and obviously

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he had the series against Jamal Murray PERSON, where they're both putting up multiple 50-point games. So clearly, Donovan has a history of being able to perform well in the playoffs, and yet he had a couple other series in Utah GPE, where maybe he was not quite as good as you might have wanted him to be. And then last year against the Knicks ORG, he was objectively awful in that series.And I really felt like I remember before game five, I think we did a pod right before that particular game. And I remember just saying that, look, they might lose, but I just feel like Mitchell PERSON is going to come out. He's going to have a big game. Mitchell is going to put up 40 and at least give the chance, the cabs a chance to be able to win that series. Game 5 at home, superstar, ready to go, backs to the wall.

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He's going to get it done.

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And he was terrible in that game. And he was terrible the entire series. And so I look at it. Now he's coming off the nasal fracture, whatever's going on with his knee. He sat out tonight. And since he's come back the last couple of games, he's been below probably averaging like 12 or 13 points a game since he's come back. And the calves are obviously going nowhere if Donovan Mitchell is going to average 12 or 13 points a game.There's no chance that they're going to do anything.

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I mean, I think that if he's not close to 100%, to be honest, I don't really see how they even win a first round series against whoever it is they're going to play.

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And so the reason why I think Mitchell PERSON's intriguing is because, A, I don't really know what I'm getting in terms of his health. And then even more so, I don't know which version of Donovan Mitchell PERSON I'm getting. Am I getting the back and forth duel with Jamal Murray 50 points a game, Donovan Mitchell PERSON? Or am I getting New York Knicks 2023 playoffs, Donovan Mitchell PERSON? And so I think you said it best with the Cavs ORG. Where are they going to finish in the three through six? And look, they're only a game and a half. The reality is now they're only a game a half behind Milwaukee for the two. So I don't know. To be honest, I don't really know how I feel about sometimes they win and I'm like, oh, great, we're moving up the standing. Sometimes they lose and they're moving down.

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I'm like, oh, that's not so bad.

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That wouldn't be terrible.

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And you look at all the matchups that they potentially could have.

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And you're looking at pretty much anybody below them in the standings all the way to number eight or actually all the way to number 10 because I don't think the hawks or the bulls are going to advance past Miami or Philly GPE.

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But in a one game scenario, they certainly could.

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You would have two weeks ago or a month ago or three months ago, you would have said you definitely don't want to see New York GPE, right?

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Because they beat us up last year. Physically, you mentioned it before. Jared Allen and Evan Mowley PERSON are not the biggest, most rough and tumble guys. They're obviously very skilled and have had good seasons and are good players, but they don't necessarily have the bulk to deal with Embed or to deal with what New York GPE was throwing at us in the front line. But now you look at New York, and Mitchell Robinson came back for two games and I think re-injured his ankle.Ananobe PERSON, it seems like, came back with that elbow injury, went back out.

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There's really no timetable for his return. I got to believe Julius Randall's done for the season.

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And so now you look at it, you're like, well, New York GPE wouldn't be that bad.

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Orlando GPE has no experience.

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Indiana ORG has no experience. It's almost like you don't want to get to the two for sure. And I think at this point, you just want to, you want to be three or four, I think, is the reality, because you want

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to have home court in that first round. Right. No, I would agree with everything you said about Donovan Mitchell. And I would think beyond just how you stated it, the tension around the Cavs ORG facility, the stress has got to be off the charts at this point because you're worried about Donovan Mitchell PERSON and his resigning and all of that, but you can't have a repeat of what happened last year. You can't go out in the first round because you could tear the whole thing down at the end of this year. I mean, you just can't go through that again.And you really have to start doing some self-evaluation. Look in it like, is this core really a core? Is it not a core? You know, nobody seems to stand up and take the bull by the horns and take charge when Donovan isn't 100%. But they don't necessarily play. I mean, they played the best when Mitchell PERSON was running point.And they had one center. And they had, you know, three shooters, Mitchell PERSON had on the ball in a center. And I will give, they have played better a little bit lately but I think if you if you take Cleveland GPE out of it and you look atthat grouping like you you probably feel like anybody could beat Cleveland GPE like if you weren't from Cleveland GPE you'd look at those stands and go you know Indiana ORG if they get things going and run up and down they could they're, they'd be happy to see Cleveland in the first round.Same with New York, same with Orlando GPE. Like, I don't think anybody is nervous about seeing Cleveland GPE. And I think even with a healthy Donovan Mitchell PERSON, I'm not sure that changes much. So, and like you said, Donovan had some times in Utah, read score 50 points. And, you know, he didn't get him to a conference final. He didn't, like, he just seems to have this with him that he can play really well,but doesn't mean the team plays well. Like, he has a great individual effort, and you know, mentioned him and Murray PERSON going, you know, shot for shot and 50 plus points, but it didn't get the team to win. So it's, I'm with it. It's very intriguing for what he brings to that team. And can he get him over the top?And he's, I would think he's not going to be 100%. Whatever's going on with that knee, I think is, you know, whether it's something structural, whether it's just time needed to get better. He's not going to get either. I mean, the first round takes, you know, it feels like months to get through the first round of the playoffs to begin with, but it's really not when, you know, when you're hurting. You know, those two days go quick in between games. So I'm with you. I did not have Mitchell PERSON on my list,but I see the I'm with you. I did not have Mitchell PERSON on my list. But I see the intriguing part with him.

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And then I think to go along with that, Darius Garland PERSON has been, I'll just say bad. I mean, he's been bad. And he's like a human turnover. I feel like he hasn't shot the ball as well. In big spots, it always feels like in the last couple years that he would always get the calves a good shot, whether it was his own shot or setting somebody else up. And now I feel like in crunch time when the ball is in his hands,I'm scared to death. Like, what's he going to do with it? Is he going to kick it off his foot? Is he going to dribble it into traffic and lose it? Is he going to take a horrendous shot? I just feel like he's regressed. And I don't know if that just has to do with again. He's obviously missed some time with various injuries throughout the year. And maybe he just never caught his rhythm this year because clearly the last two, three years after his rookie year, his rookie year was a disaster.

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He couldn't make anything. He was, he was bad. I mean, I looked at that. Shooting was horrendous.

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I just looked at him that rookie year. And I was like, this guy, he just, I don't get it. Yes. He was bad. I mean, I looked at that. Shooting was horrendous. Yeah.

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I just looked at him that rookie year and I was like, this guy, he just, I don't get it.

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I don't get what people saw.

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And then he just steadily over the past, whatever, two or three seasons after that,

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just continued to get better and get better and get better.

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And this year, he just has gone a completely different direction. And so you could say, hey, the success they had with Mitchell when Garland PERSON was out, if

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Mitchell is compromised, maybe you can have the same success with Garland PERSON running as sort of the heliocentric guy in the middle of the whole offense.

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But the reality is he hasn't been, Garland PERSON has not been anywhere near what you would need

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him to be. And certainly he's been nowhere near the performance that Donovan Mitchell PERSON has put up there when he's been healthy. So I think you're 100% right when you talk about there is no team in the Eastern Conference that if the Cleveland Cavaliers ORG come up on that opposite side of the bracket, that they're going to be like, oh, man, that's a terrible draw for us. Anybody's going to think they could beat the Cavs ORG. Now, again, I'm not saying the cows are necessarily going to lose in the first round, but there'snobody that's afraid of playing the cabs, especially after their performance against the Knicks last year.

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Yeah, and just, you know, we'll finish this on Cleveland and Mitchell PERSON. I feel you brought Garland PERSON, it almost looks like when you watch him play that he's lost that confidence that he had a couple years ago when he was before Mitchell PERSON came and he was kind of running the show and he was theguy leading everything now there's just indecision it's i feel like he's just a step slow he's not sure he's doing the right thing and that just that confidence is just just gone and it you say he is the he's just a walking turnover. Like it just in crunch time. And listen, I don't watch every Cavs ORG game. They don't play the smartest basketball.Like they turnovers are terrible. They don't get good shot sometimes. But again, if they don't make it to the second round and look good in the second round, I don't think you have a choice but to sort of tear a little bit of this down. How much of it, who knows, it's all dependent on Mitchell PERSON. But you can't.I just think the stress level around Cleveland Cards courts these days isn't nobody's looking at anybody in the eye these days. Which I think mentally is going to play into that first round matchup, that extra stress. You're not going to go. Let me say they stay a third seed. They're not going to go in.I don't believe with that confidence of a third seed making it through the wars of 82 games. They're going to go in with, we can't lose this. We can't do what we did last year. And that's going to make it even worse i

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agree i think if you were listing the most intriguing off seasons i think the calves would have to be on that list because there's clearly unless they make a deep run and mitchell says i'm signing the extension then maybe things are status quo when you come back but if the if one or both of those things do not happen then you're looking at, you're looking at some changes. So all right, you are up, you are up with your next pick.

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All right. So I'm going to stay in the east. Because again, no particular order, but I had three guys out of the east and some of the guys at the end. I looked at Liverard out of Milwaukee ORG. Dame PERSON is,if Milwaukee is going to do anything, I mean, you said it tonight, right? Greek freak goes for a triple double and they lose to Washington ORG. Now, Dame didn't play tonight. I think he was out with an injury. So yes, I mean, that has a bearing, right? But Milwaukee ORG still should not be losing toWashington this late in the year, even with Dame PERSON out. And I've looked at his stats real quick, because I just feel like he's not the same guy he was in Portland ORG. And his stats still look decent. I mean, his shooting percentages are down a little bit. Points are, I don't know, 24, 23, 24 a game, something like that. Three point, I think, is not terrible for what his career is. He just doesn't seem to make a difference most games when I've seen Milwaukee ORG play. And if you're going to battle Boston ORG, who pretty strong,I mean, Boston is pretty strong across the board or the top eight or however we want to look at that. I mean, Dame PERSON has to be a guy who teams are scrambling to stop, whether it's pick and roll, whether it's just one-on-one and you're clearing out, whether he can spot up, you know, on that offside and get a pass after, you know, somebody's going to the basket. It just, to me, Dame is, if Milwaukee's going to do anything, it's, it's not Janus PERSON. It's, it's Dame and how, how can he catch fire for a month and a half and just be the, be the difference.So I, I think that's a big one because on paper, well, I don't know, Milwaukee ORG really hasn't lived up all year to what they are on paper, to what they should be. They go through these stretches where a guy plays good here or a guy plays good there. Yannis has been good, like stats all year. But it's like the old Milwaukee, like one guy can't do it. And they've gone out and they've torn out, you know, given everything away, basically, to have this team.And it, I just don't, I don't think they're in the same caliber as Boston ORG. I just, I just, I just don't. And which is, if you're Milwaukee ORG, you're going, like, we've done all this to get here. And we're really not in that same caliber. Like, that's a problem. And then I said, dames, dame's got to be, you know, that 28, 30 a game maybe in the playoffs, at least in a series.He's got to take over if it's not that second round series or he's going to have to take a series over and just be that guy who is shooting logo 3s, unconscious. And, you know, the minute you jump up on him, he goes past you and he creates a layup for somebody or a dunk and I just haven't seen that yet so I think I think he's intriguing as to can

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he turn it on for the playoffs so there's a couple things the difference I think between

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Lillard this year and Lillard in the past is he was one of the most consistent players from an offensive standpoint during his time in Portland ORG.

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And I feel like with Milwaukee ORG, he's had some huge games.

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And he has done what you described, which is win games for the Bucks ORG with his offense.

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But it feels like that happens one out of every three games where you get the good dame. And it feels like we've gotten the average offensive dame way more this season than we have in any seasons recently. And what makes that even more concerning is the fact that on the other end of the floor, he's a liability. There's no way he's a liability during the regular season, clearly on the other end of the floor, he's a liability. There's no way. He's a liability during the regular season, clearly on the defensive end. And in the playoffs, he becomes even more of a liability where teams, a game plan,where they start hunting guys in the pick and roll. And it becomes a lot harder to hide a guy who just doesn't guard the ball very well, which Dame PERSON doesn't do. So he has to be at an A-plus level on offense to make up for what you lose, having him on the floor defensively.

Speaker 41796.06s - 1798.92s

And so that's where I worry about Milwaukee ORG.

Speaker 31798.92s - 1858.72s

And then I guess the other point is, and this is interesting when it comes to the discussion about the East LOC. And Jason and I have been talking about this for the last couple weeks trying to figure out who's an actual contender in the Eastern Conference ORG. Who can you see legitimately winning three series and getting to the NBA ORG finals? And we basically said, I can't see anybody besides Boston or Milwaukee ORG. If it is any other team besides one of those two, it would be a monumental shock if it wasn't one of those two teams.And I just think what you said, that Dame PERSON has to be at his best. If he's not, I just don't think Milwaukee ORG can get there. And so then you're talking about we're just writing Boston in who obviously, that Dame has to be at his best. If he's not, I just don't think Milwaukee ORG can get there. And so then you're talking about we're just writing Boston in, who obviously, I mean, Boston has flaws and their crunch time offense. And I still think Tatum is a step below the night in, night out.

Speaker 41859s - 1861.12s

I know exactly what I'm getting from my superstar.

Speaker 31861.46s - 1871.6s

Tatum is he's capable of huge, huge nights and he's done it before. He did it to Milwaukee in game six in Milwaukee, what I was at two years ago and put up 51.

Speaker 01871.96s - 1872.94s

So he's capable.

Speaker 41872.94s - 1873.9s

He's capable.

Speaker 01873.9s - 1880.24s

But at the same time, he could also put up a game where he goes for 20 points and he shoots

Speaker 31880.24s - 1932.08s

eight for 25. And most superstars at the highest level, even when they have a bad game, it's a great game. It may not be one of the greatest performances in the history of the game,but they're still putting up really good numbers and they're still impacting winning. I feel like Tatum is a level below that. So it's just interesting when you start talking about Milwaukee that I think they're the only team besides Boston ORG that has a legitimate chance. And yet at the same time, if Dame PERSON is not at least A level Dame, I don't think they can get there. You know, Janus is a known commodity versus Dame PERSON at this point felt like a known commodity in the past.I don't feel like I know exactly what I'm getting from night in and night out so I agree with you I had Dame PERSON on my list too I think

Speaker 21932.08s - 2010s

and one thing I don't know how with general observers people of the NBA ORG watch whatever trades are difficultI think we're seeing that guys come in from different teams, superstars coming to different teams. It's difficult to get your footing to find out your place on that team, especially if it's a superstar you're coming to that's had their team. And that was. I mean, they won a championship. Janus PERSON has been an MVP. Game is probably on the backside of what you know, what he's done. And I think it's, it just shows that it's not easy for these all-star type players to change teams.You know, we talk about you're jumping here and jumping there. It's just you feel comfortable. And you hear that a lot. It's how they feel comfortable, like in the city they grew up in or they were drafted into. They were comfortable in that situation. Then they go. And it takes a while. And it's taken them all year. They've changed coaches. They've had a bunchof other things. But Dame PERSON hasn't looked comfortable. Like you said, he's had games or he's been the old Dame PERSON. But I think everybody expected him to be a little more consistent at this point of the season heading to the playoffs and he just hasn't.

Speaker 32010.2s - 2054.42s

Waukee ORG's going to have to be healthy. I mean, I think the bottom line is if they're four main guys, if Middleton PERSON can stay healthy and they can avoid getting nicked up, I think that they're a serious threat to beat Bostonjust because I think as good as Boston ORG's been and as big of a lead as they have, I still think that their flaws make them vulnerable threat to beat Boston ORG, just because I think as good as Boston's been and as big of a lead as they have, I still think that their flaws make them vulnerable in the playoffs. And Milwaukee, Janice, you know what you're going to get from him night to night, the effort that he's going to put out there.You know defensively that Lopez PERSON is going to be there. Middleton PERSON, can he stay healthy? Right. And Dame, can he come through offensively night after night after night like he's done in the past in Portland ORG? He hasn't shown that this year, but is that in there? Maybe.We'll see.

Speaker 42061.78s - 2061.9s

But I just don't see anybody else in the East really being able to be able to threaten Boston ORG if Boston's at their peak.

Speaker 32064.66s - 2072.16s

Now, Boston ORG might lose some stupid games in the course of a series, but to think that any of those teams are going to beat them four times out of seven seems unlikely,

Speaker 02072.58s - 2075.16s

comparative to last year, you had Porzingis and Drew Holiday PERSON.

Speaker 32075.94s - 2080.1s

I mean, they're like years ahead of where they were last season.

Speaker 22080.7s - 2088.78s

Well, I would say while we're here, and I'll throw the things we've already talked about it, I had Tatum is on my list.

Speaker 32090.16s - 2094.42s

Just basically what you said, and we won't waste a lot of time on it.

Speaker 22094.78s - 2153.94s

Like, he's got to prove he's a superstar. Like, if they're going to win it, he's got to take that next jump or else I could see the same thing happening. Like, I could see him losing to Denver ORG again if they make it to the fight. And I do think they're going to make it out of the east. Like they might hit some choppy waters. Like you said, I don't see any team beating them four times.They're going to get out of the east. But I could see them getting some bruises coming out of the east, taking some lawn series, especially if they have to play, have to play either Miami or Philly in that first round. It could be a lawn two months for them. And Tatum's really got to show that he's the superstar, that he's, you know, he can be an MVP of the league. He can be that type of player. So I did have him, had him on my lease. So I had the three kind of like teams in theEast with the Philly, Boston, Milwaukee ORG that they each have a player that is intriguing on different levels if they're going to actually get to where they want to get.

Speaker 32153.94s - 2188.46s

Yeah. And my personal thought is I just don't think Tatum is at that level. He hasn't shown it. And who knows? Maybe you'll get an opportunity or maybe Boston is just so good that they run rough shot over the east, and then you get to Denver and maybe you build confidence, and there you go. Or maybe Denver gets upset and you end up playing a team that's maybe not as formidable. Who knows? Obviously, Denver, they're pretty thin. They're starting five is, I think, the best starting five in basketball, but their bench is pretty thin. And so if you start talking about one of their main guys goes out for a long stretch,

Speaker 42189.08s - 2192.7s

then maybe there's an opportunity for somebody in the West LOC to beat them.

Speaker 32196.8s - 2245.86s

All right, coaches, listen up. It's time to kick this season up a notch and give your team the competitive edge they deserve with Game Changer PRODUCT. Game Changer PRODUCT is the ultimate tool for coaches, with features designed to help take your team to the next level. It's time to take this season to new heights.Download Game Changer for free on iOS PRODUCT or Android to start getting valuable stats and video your team can build on. Get the ultimate coaches tool today by downloading Game Changer PRODUCT. Game Changer, stream, score, connect. Learn more at G.C. build on. Get the ultimate coaches tool today by downloading game changer. Game changer. Stream, score, connect. Learn more at gc.com ORG slash hoopheads.That's gc.com ORG slash hoopheads. All right. I'm going to flip over to the Western Conference. The number one guy I had on my list,

Speaker 02245.94s - 2249.6s

I didn't really put him in order, but when I tossed this question out to you,

Speaker 32249.64s - 2282.68s

the first guy that I wanted to put on the list was Zion Williamson PERSON. And I think the reason why I've always been fascinated by Zion since he first came out. And my line before this year on the podcast has always been, when Zion Williamson PERSON has played in games, he's been historically great. Not just great, but historically great with the numbers that he's put up from a field goal percentage standpoint, from an efficiency standpoint, the guy just has been unguardable.Now, he hasn't been as good this year.

Speaker 02305.98s - 2308.02s

However, if you think back to the play in-season tournament and what that guy looked like during the in-season tournament, I mean, he was gigantic. I mean, literally gigantic. It was, his body was, it was ridiculous that a pro athlete looked the way he looked during that in-season tournament. And obviously in the last how long that's been, three

Speaker 22308.02s - 2310.12s

months, four months, he's completely

Speaker 32310.12s - 2311.82s

transformed. He's completely transformed. Yeah, I mean, he has

Speaker 02311.82s - 2313.82s

completely transformed his body. And

Speaker 32313.82s - 2336s

the most important part of Zion Williamson right now is that he's healthy. And I know New Orleans GPE has hit a little bit of a rough patch here in the last five days or so, and they've lost a couple games. And it looked like maybethey were going to start heading up to potentially get that four seed and host that four or five matchup and now they're back down trying to make sure they stay out of the playing but i just think

Speaker 42336s - 2342.5s

zion PERSON i'm just curious to see because there's no there's no book on him in the playoffs so he's a

Speaker 32342.5s - 2346.3s

completely blank slate in terms of I don't know what I'm

Speaker 42346.3s - 2351.1s

going to get. I don't know how Willie Green and the pelicans are going to deploy him. I have no

Speaker 32351.1s - 2424.54s

idea how he's going to look. But what I do know is, is that if a team, if they can game plan for a particular opponent and they figure out ways to get him matched up against defenders that are overmatched trying to guard him, which most defenders matched up against defenders that are overmatched trying to guard him, which most defenders are overmatched, trying to stay in front of him, trying to keep him away from the rim, trying to stop him from getting layups. I just think he's just such a unique player in what he does, his ability to put the ball on the floorand play at the point, play inside, get to the rim. He's such a good finisher. He's so strong. He's such a tough matchup. I'm just curious to see.I know what it looks like in the regular season. I'm really curious to see what that looks like in the playoffs. And I was kind of hoping that they'd stay in that four or five with the clippers and give him a chance to kind of hoping that they'd stay in that four or five with the clippers and give him a chance to kind of match up and go against kawai and Paul George PERSON and justkind of see how he stacks up in that I think it'll be interesting that West LOC is just is chockful of just great matchups I don't care what how this thing all plays out there's just there's nobody

Speaker 42424.54s - 2431.52s

other than I think Denver ORG. I could see any other first round series being a series where either team could win it,

Speaker 32431.64s - 2440.58s

and I wouldn't be stunned in any way. So Zion's just intriguing to me again because he hasn't played in the playoffs. So I don't know, your thoughts, Pelican, Zion.

Speaker 22442.12s - 2545.36s

I kind of look at New Orleans GPE, the way I look at Cleveland GPE in the east. Like I overlook them a little bit. I just, I look at all the other teams. So I look at Zion, like, I totally agree with what you said. But I just think they're kind of a step below all the other five in that top six.And that he could do well and they still wouldn't win. So yes, intriguing, but I kind of overlooked him just because I think that I don't give New Orleans GPE a huge shot to make it through. Just because I don't know if I trust everybody else besides him, you know? I mean, they are like, to me, the calves are the last. Like, you don't know who you can trust night in and night out. Nobody's been overly consistent.Some guys have had better numbers from, you know, this year than last year. You know, McCollum PERSON, good leader for general. Like, okay. So I agree with you. He's intriguing. I just, I didn't have my list because I kind of just overlooked New Orleans GPE when it comes to the playoffs.I look at him like, eh, they could win a couple games. They might sneak out a first round, but I don't see them getting past that. And I think that they would have to have help to get through that first round against, you know, if they stay in that six and, I mean, whatever happens between the thunder, the timbles, and the nuggets, they're all kind of battling out for first, second, and third.I mean, I think they're definitely worse than either of those. And literally could go and they could get swept, like depending on which team it is and which matchup it is. Well, they're not beating Denver ORG.

Speaker 32545.5s - 2574.88s

Let's put it that way. So if Denver somehow falls to three and they're six, that doesn't bode well. And yet at the same time, it's hard to, I don't know, I've got two more guys on my list here in the Western Conference that relate to potential New Orleans GPE matchups. The reason, again, why I put Zion on is because just since the guy's coming to the league, he's been like this tantalizing thing that it's hard to believe. I think he's in his fifth year now.Fourth or fifth.

Speaker 42575.12s - 2576.9s

He's been around for way longer.

Speaker 32577.54s - 2594.66s

And you think some guys who are in their fourth or fifth year have a huge long playoff track record. We know exactly what they are. You know this guy's on a superstar track. Whereas with Zion, it almost feels like he's a rookie every year because you just never see him play.

Speaker 42595.34s - 2603.22s

And so I feel like to your point that New Orleans GPE is a team that you look at the pieces

Speaker 32603.22s - 2613.12s

that they have and you're like, okay, you know, all right, they got Herb Jones PERSON on the defensive end. They've, you know, you've got Valenciunis PERSON in there. You got McCollum PERSON.

Speaker 02613.24s - 2614.58s

You got Brandon, Brandon Ingram PERSON.

Speaker 32615.3s - 2629.4s

So you got Trey Murphy, who it seems like when Trey Murphy and Herb Jones PERSON are on the floor and you take either Zion or Brandon Ingram PERSON off, that's when the numbers suggest that, man, this team really gets unlocked because now you have more shooting and more space and all this stuff.

Speaker 42629.4s - 2636.32s

But I just, to me, New Orleans comes down to, is Zion a legitimate, quote, superstar?

Speaker 02636.62s - 2640.98s

Is he a guy who can carry a team offensively in the playoffs?

Speaker 32641.12s - 2644.56s

And I look at him and say, is he capable of that?

Speaker 42647.14s - 2659.46s

I think he is if he's healthy physically. I think he's capable of being that kind of player on the offensive end of the floor just because of how difficult a matchup he is. And in the playoffs, if you design your

Speaker 32659.46s - 2674.18s

system right, you can attack with him in ways that you just wouldn't be able to put together. you can attack with him in ways that you just wouldn't be able to put together. You're not going to game plan to that level of specificity in the regular season. And so because he's an unknown, that's why I found him intriguing. So all right.

Speaker 22681.2s - 2694.9s

I would agree they might be the toughest matchup of that first round. If you draw the pelicans, you just can't roll the balls out and go, hey, we're going to play for the last 82, and that's going to be good enough. Like, you're going to have to plan for him.So he does bring entry to that first round.

Speaker 32695.84s - 2795.62s

Because you don't know what you're getting. Yeah, you don't know what you're getting. All right. So my next guy that I have is Kyrie Irving PERSON. And I have Kyrie Irving PERSON because,one, you could say for the last seven or eight years since 2016, that I have no idea what I'm getting from Kyrie Irving PERSON on or off the court. And yet since he's been in Dallas ORG, so we're looking at it's probably been about a year since he's gone to the Mavericks, that he's been about his model of a citizen as anyone in Dallas had any right to hope when they traded for him. And Dallas is 11 and 1 in their last 12. The only one they lost, Lucas PERSON sat out because he had a little tightness in his hamstring. So these guys are, and they've had some good wins in that stretch.It's not like they're just beating up on the Wizards and the Pistons ORG. They've beaten some good teams along the way. And it feels like the trades that they made by getting Gafford, by getting PJ Washington, who those guys in and of themselves. I don't know that they're great outstanding players that every team in the league was looking like, hey, we covet what these guys do, but they kind of fit specific roles that Dallas ORG needed.And we've seen it here in Cleveland that Kyrie Irving PERSON, at his best, is more than capable if he's your second best guy in a playoff series, that that's enough to beat really, really good teams and win a

Speaker 42795.62s - 2801.5s

championship. It's Kyrie's ideal role because he's a dude who can knock down, catch, and shoot threes.

Speaker 32801.94s - 2855.84s

He's a guy who's okay not having the ball for five minutes. And then all of a sudden, hey, Kyrie PERSON, we need you for three minutes to take over and hit four circus shots for us, even though you haven't touched the ball for the last five minutes. And he can do that. And right now, he's playing at a very high level,and you can make an argument that Luca is playing at a LeBron PERSON-like level, comparatively to when LeBron was here in his second iteration with the Cavs ORG. And so is the Dallas supporting cast that much worse than the Cavs supporting cast over the course of those four championship series against Golden State ORG, I'm not sure that it's significantly worse. It might not be quite as good, especially in maybe the first year or two when Kevin Love PERSON was playing at a little bit higher level.

Speaker 22856.36s - 2860.36s

I don't know that Dallas has anybody that's as good as Kevin Love was in 2016,

Speaker 32860.92s - 2915.26s

but it's not a significant difference. And so I just think that if Kyrie PERSON is playing at the level that he's capable of, that he's demonstrated in the past. Now, it's a long ago past because his more recent playoff performances haven't been anywhere near the level that he reached back in 2016. But this is probably the best stretch of basketball over the last calendar year that he's played. And there hasn't been any controversy surrounding him off the court. So if you're getting that Kyrie Irving heading into the playoffs and you're getting Luca Donchitz, who's almost averaging a 35, 10 and 10 triple double for the season.There's no team in the Western Conference that wants to play the Dallas Mavericks ORG. I'll just leave it there and then let you hear your thoughts.

Speaker 22915.96s - 3225.5s

No, I agree with that last comment. And you're right. They're probably not much different than some of those Cavs ORG teams were. You're right. They're probably not much different than some of those Cavs ORG teams were. They've progressed, I think, more than I thought they were going to personally. You know, what you saw last year with the me, you, you, me, back and forth between Luca and Kyrie PERSON,you know, I'm going to take over this five minutes and you take over the next five minutes and whatever happened behind the scenes, whether it was a conversation, whether it's more mental, more like whether it's just Jason Kidd PERSON becoming a really good coach again where, you know, there were some times there. Maybe he wasn't for some years and he was skating through, you know, on what he had done in the past. I don't know, but they definitely did something that that has made them potent in the West LOC. I don't know, but they definitely did something that has made them potent in the West. And you're right, nobody, either of them could go off for 45. Like literally, and they might both go off for 30. Like, you just, you just don't know. And you can't, you can't game plan for that.I mean, Kyrie PERSON with the ball in his hand is still, no matter what you think of the guy, like you said, on or off the court, I mean, kind of poetry in motion, if you just watch him with the ball, the things he can do, and for his size and can still get to the rim and make shots around the rim, it's, his off-court has influenced his on-court, and he's made some decisions, even on the court that weren't great basketball decisions. But his talent level is, Dallas ORG has made some good moves. Like, they put themselves in a position.I really like what they did at, you know, trade deadline. They sort of leaned into what they were and solidified what they were instead of going out and trying to, what the Cavs did some of those years and be somebody they weren't and do totally different team come to trade deadline. They sort of said, listen, we've already got one big, we're going to add another big to it. Like, we're going to get, you know, Washington and he's going to provide a little bit of punch from this, from the four spot.So I like that. I can agree with that. Kyrie PERSON is an enigma, to say the least, and you don't know. You don't know what's going to happen. And it could unravel for them. I mean, they could get in that first round.And I think they have the ability if it starts going downhill. It could go downhill quick, even though they've had a great year. You get into the playoffs, then, you know, Luca PERSON, I'm sure it's not the easiest guy to play with, you know, and if things start going, you know, they lose the game by double digits in that first round, and then they don't come out good in that second game. Like, that could unravel quick. But on the other hand, they could come out on fire. So I could see where that would be where he's intriguing to that.All right. Who else do you have in the West LOC? You have anybody else in the West LOC? You know, I do. And looking at my list compared to yours, I just seem to go with the big names. But to me, Durant PERSON's intriguing.Like you've got Phoenix who's got these three big names. And it's been this all year with Booker and Beal and Durant PERSON. And they haven't been healthy together, but small sample size, when they have been, they've had some good games. I mean, they beat Denver here a week ago or so, and I don't know, they just beat somebody like last night or the other night. Like, I forget who they play. Like, it was when they play, they play well.But Durant is just not the same guy he's disappeared in fourth quarters he's getting you know five shots up in an entire quarter um he's just not that dominant guy and maybe as he's letting booker take over because it's booker's team and he came there and he just wants the kumbaya and everybody to fit together and he just wants to win. I just don't think they can do it that way. Like Durant needs to be, maybe he can ever be old Durant where he's dropping 47 and going shot for shot with the All-Star on the other team. Maybe that's Booker now. But Durant PERSON definitely has to be something more thanwhat he has been. And to me, he's the pivotal one. Beal PERSON just keeps going in and out of the lineup. Booker PERSON seems to be the consistent one when he plays. He's getting you the points. And he's, you know, he's going to be there. Durant's the one that, I mean, I could see Phoenix ORG making a run in the playoffs. They get the, you know, they get the right draw. I mean, I could see Phoenix ORG making a run in the playoffs. They get the, you know, they get the right draw. I mean, they're in the playing now.Who knows what's going to happen, you know, in the next couple, next week or so. But I could see them making a run. I mean, I could see Booker getting hot and Durant PERSON kind of, you know, finding some of his old magic. And all of a sudden, you know, here's a 6-11 guy that is shooting again and his playmaking and, you know, guys were feeding off of that. And even NERCIC ORG's been better than than I think they expected. They just basically took them because they wanted to get, you know,the old team wasn't working, right? So they wanted to bring them in. We'll take whatever.

Speaker 33225.82s - 3227.06s

Get rid of Aiton PERSON.

Speaker 23227.14s - 3278.04s

We just want Aiton PERSON out the door. That was the biggest thing. They basically just put a boot in and said, listen, we'll take the trash can in, you know, whatever you want to throw in it. And we'll take it. So to me, Durant is, he's intriguing in that if he can find some of that old magic, I I think Phoenix ORG could cause some problems for some of the teams at the top, the one, two, or threes, depending where they sit at.But I could also see that they could kind of go out with a whimper in a first round and not put up much of a fight. But I think it's more Durant than Booker PERSON. I think Booker PERSON's going to come to play. I think Beale is Beal. He's going to give you a little bit. But to me, is Durant PERSON going to sort of be that matchup? He's never going to be the matchup nightmare that he was, but can be enough of a matchup issue that all

Speaker 33278.04s - 3500.24s

the sudden, it's a problem. The thing I can't shake the image that I have a trouble getting passed with Durant PERSON is that net series against the Celtics ORG, whatever that was two years ago when the Celtics went to the finals against Golden State. And Tatum and Brown just completely made Durant PERSON look silly. That was the worst I've ever seen Durant look. My vision of Durant during the era when he was at Golden State or when he was with the Thunder ORG is this dude just doesn't miss open shots. He's open. It's going in, like every single time.And it felt like in that series, Boston ORG was able to push him around, get him off his spots, make it difficult for him to do what he wanted to do. And I keep coming back to that. I know last year in the Denver series that he had a couple of great games and him and Booker combined for whatever, 70 points in the two games that they won. And so is that team capable offensively of doing that? 100%. I mean, if they're all healthy, you're looking at those three guys could easily have gameswhere they're putting up 80 points together or 90 points together, the three of them. The question becomes, what can they do on the other end of the floor? And can they summon that kind of offensive performance four times in a seven-game series? I mean, last year they summoned it twice, and it was enough to lose four to two. So you're talking about those were historical performances where those two guys were just unbelievable.But can you come up with four unbelievable offensive performances to beat a better all-around team that plays both ends of the floor? And that's what I wonder about with Phoenix ORG. Are they capable of doing that? Sure. I mean, Booker and Durant clearly are two of the better offensive players of the last 20 years.And Beale is a pretty capable offensive third wheel when he's been out on the floor. Hey, coaches. Today, let's talk about Integrity Insight PRODUCT, a mini course crafted for coaches focused on team conduct and values from our friends at Teams of Men ORG.Why Integrity Insight PRODUCT? This course is a journey into your team's climate and culture. You'll reflect on past incidents, assess your team's communication, and plan for a futurewhere integrity is at the core of decision-making, on and off the court. Integrity Insight PRODUCT comes with practical guides and digital tools for effective planning and collaboration. The goal? To empower you to lead a team where ethical conduct and character growth are paramount. This course is about transforming your team culture, embedding values and ethics in every aspect. Ready to dive transforming your team culture, embedding values and ethics in every aspect. Ready to dive deeper into team integrity, email us at Teams of Men ORG at gmail.com with the subjectIntegrity Deepdive to get started. I just think like I said, the West LOC to me is super interesting because you have such a variety of teams. I'm going to throw out, so I'm going to cheat and throw two guys. So this will complete my list. And it kind of goes back. It goes to this whole discussion of the Western Conference.So my next two guys are SGA and Anthony Edwards, because both of those guys are clearly they've elevated themselves and the way that they've played during this regular season has clearly put them in the conversation for they're both going to be all NBA SGA is going to be first teamall NBA

Speaker 03500.24s - 3501.78s

Anthony Edwards is probably

Speaker 33501.78s - 3540.92s

yeah Anthony Edwards is probably going to be second team I would say certainly I doubt probably going to be second team. I would say certainly, I doubt he falls to the third team. So you're talking about this season, they're two of the 10 best players in the NBA ORG. And yet, if I look up and down the standings in the Western Conference, if I'm talking about what player do I think can lead their team to a series win against another player,there might be guys on other teams that I would select before I would get to those two guys. Like, clearly I'm taking Yokic PERSON in that discussion.

Speaker 43541.72s - 3545.04s

I think I'm taking Luca PERSON in that discussion. I think if Kauai is healthy, I'm taking Kauai Leonard in that discussion. I think I'm taking, I think I'm taking Luca in that discussion.

Speaker 33545.76s - 3591.2s

I think if Kauai PERSON is healthy, I'm taking Kauai Leonard PERSON in that discussion. I think there's an argument to be made, maybe not with their current team, but I think there's an argument that Booker or Durant PERSON are more provenas playoff performers. Like LeBron's 39 years old, and if it's LeBron PERSON against Anthony Edwards in a playoff performers. LeBron's 39 years old, and if it's LeBron against Anthony Edwards in a playoff series, I'm not sure which direction I'm leaning. I would be hard-pressedwith the track record of LeBron versus where Anthony Edwards is in his career to say definitively that, boy, I'm going to take Anthony Edwards' PERSON ability to steer the Timberwolves to a series win versus LeBron take Anthony Edwards' PERSON ability to steer the Timberwolves to a series win versus LeBron. Now, again, I think the Timberwolves ORG are a better team than the

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Lakers ORG and whatever. But I guess you get what I'm saying is that both of those guys have been

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outstanding. And they're certainly, as regular season performers, they're top 10 players in the league this year. And they've both done things that I don't think anybody thought either one of them was capable of in terms of the performance of their team. Nobody expected Oklahoma City GPE to be as good as they are. SGA ORG's been the driver. He's been the driver behind that. I mean, there's no doubt that without him, they're nowhere near the first place in the Western Conference.And on the other side of it, Minnesota GPE, their teams built around what they do defensively. And yet a lot of people thought when towns went out that they were going to crater offensively, and Edwards PERSON said, ah, we're not going to be cratering. I'm going to start taking over and doing what it is that I do. And so I think that this is an opportunity because, again, both of those guys are going to be, clearly they're going to be a top three seed whether they finish one two or three they're going to bewell i don't even know this might be this might be a misstatement but theoretically they should be the favorite in their series but there may be depending on matchups series where that one or two or three seed maybe isn't a favorite i think if you're that one or two or three seed maybe isn't a favorite. I think if you're the one seat or the two seed, you're probably going to be a favorite

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against whoever comes out of the plan. But if you're the three seed, depending on who

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you get in that six spot, there's a chance that you might not be favored as the three against the six. And so I guess for me it comes down to not in the same way as Zion, who's a completeunknown as to what he's going to look like because Edwards and SGA ORG have both played in the playoffs before. But as far as guys who are top 10 players in the league and what I'm going to get from them in the playoffs, they both, I don't want to say they have a lot riding on it because they're both young and their teams are young. And there's a long runway for both of them in their careers.But this is sort of the first step in what am I going to be as a playoff performer because now I have a team that as a top three seed has expectations and what am I going to do. So I don't know if that makes sense.

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No, it's kind of like the polar opposite of what we talked about with Tatum earlier. Like this is the spot for one of those two to, if they could pull this playoffs out, they don't even have to win a championship. If one of those two is the dominant player on the court in the first couple rounds or rounds two and three or whatever it might be, I think they kind of automatically leapfrog up to like, hey, they can do it. It was single-handed. They did put the team on their back. They did do it, which is what the criticism of Tatum is,is that he hasn't done that yet. So they, I could see either one of them sort of leapfrogging Tatum in the pecking order a little bit, if they have a couple of series, which they're both capable of having one of these where they average 30 points and they make the plays. Like they're making their team better and they're unstoppable because they both can be unstoppable on the offensive end.Like Edwards PERSON going to the basket and his jumpers gotten better. And SGA is just, you know, his mid-range game is is really nice and he just creates and again his size helps it 6-6 or 6-7 whatever he is so I'm I'm with you I can see that the intriguing of both of those guys and they could really make a name for themselves in this playoff. Anybody else on your list? So my last one, I kind of cheated, and I went just the opposite of what you did. So I went down to the bottom of the bracket,and I split it between Curry and James, because one of them I think is going to get out, right? One of them is probably going to be that eighth seed, And that means they're going to place that one seed. L.A., probably more than Golden State, because of Davis and James together, that's not, I don't think you want to see that. Like you said before, you know, if it's Minnesota, like that might be the worst nightmare for Minnesota seeing L.A., the Lakers come in as that eighth seed. Because James has proven, like, he can turn it up still, I think, for a series. Now, they're not winning three or four series and they're not, but they could send somebody home early in the first round. And, you know, Golden State ORG, not as much.But, you know, if they're going to do anything, it's going to be because Curry PERSON just shoots the lights out, he's unstoppable. And, you know, the other guys do just enough to win. I don't think either of them have more than a series in them probably. I think they probably, you know, use everything they have in that first round series of whoever gets there. I just don't see them both getting there. But I could see the Lakers more so than the Warriors ORG.That would be scary. I don't think Denver would be worried, but Oklahoma City is a bad matchup or L.A. is a bad matchup for Oklahoma City because of the inside presence and just the size of the L.A. brings. And I think if you're Minnesota, like, you just don't, you don't want to see what Bron going up against Anthony Edwards and Davis come in to take up the middle with Gobert PERSON. And, you know, they can match you defensively when they want to. So I sort of had those. They're not quite as intriguing as some of the other guys we talked about, but I think in their own way, they could put their imprint on these playoffs and not get out of the first round. And really could be what everybody talks about in the first round is just whether they, I mean, they could take Minnesota's, you know, six games.And it could be, you know, one point games or you're playing hard every, you know, every two days, you're just like, again, like we talked about with Boston and Milwaukee, playing way too hard in a first round series when you know you've got two more series behind it that is going to be loaded with with talent.

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Does everybody in the, does everybody in the West want to play Sacramento ORG?

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It was like that last year too, right? Like Sacramento ORG was the team that you worried about the least. I mean, Sacramento ORG, again, getting overlooked. I mean, I have them now in the seventh spot and like, hanged on the Clippers tonight by 14.

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Clippers played without Kauai, but still, it's, and look, here's the thing, if you look up and down the Western Conference, the top 10 teams, like, every one of those teams has a dude that you're like, oh man, like we got a game plan for this guy.

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We got to figure out how to defend this guy.

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And even Sacramento, I would say probably Fox and Sabonis PERSON maybe are the lowest on that totem pole. But, I mean, Deer and Fox PERSON is like, that dude, I think he's underrated in terms of what he brings to the table from a speed standpoint and how much he's improved his shot. And Sabonis last year in the playoffs was hurt.

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And he's a physical dude. And yeah, he doesn't protect the rim. And he's not super athletic in a sense of he runs and he's up flying around the rim blocking shots and whatever. But that dude pounds you and pounds you and pounds you. Not so much even on the defensive end, but just offensively, just bearing his shoulder into your chest. And so I think that they're probably last on the superstar list in the Western Conference.

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But, man, you just look up and down the lineup of Seeds 1 through 10 in the West. And you're like, man, there is a guy on every single team that's a superstar or a superstar who's maybe slightly past his prime or a superstar who's a superstar in waiting, who maybe is about to get there,

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and maybe this is the season where they take that jump that we've talked about.

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And I just think that, again, other than Denver ORG, I think any matchup you throw out there, you would be able to make a pretty coherent case that Team X could beat Team Y, regardless as seating.

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In one series, I think you're right when you talk about the Lakers or Golden State ORG. Like, Lakers or Golden State ORG could catch lightning in a bottle and win a series. I don't think they're winning three series to get to the NBA ORG finals.

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But, man, in a one series, any of those teams can beat anybody.

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You know, if you look at that list, Clint's, you can almost make an argument for eight of those 10 teams in the West LOC.

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They have two guys.

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I mean, they have the one that you're really worried about. But a lot of those teams have that second guy, whether it's Gobert and Minnesota GPE who brings the defensive end, the Clippers argument, they have three. I know how you feel about Hardin PERSON, right?

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So, you know, but George, I mean, if George decides to play, that's two wings that play. We've already talked about Dallas. Sacramento has two. Phoenix has two and a half on any given night. Wakers have two. Like, it's almost too. I mean, of course, Denver has maybe two and a half, depending on how you feel about, you you know, if Murray PERSON's, you know, he's borderline superstar.

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I think he gets overshadowed because of the team he's on and what he does.

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But, I mean, you can make the argument that like every up and down, they have, those have two. I mean, the Warriors are probably not, you know, Clay's falling off and Draymont's not what he was and they're in a transition. Pelicans is probably more Zion and everybody else has sort of falls, you know, below that. But, you know, Chet for the Thunder and J. Dub. I mean, both of those guys, any given night can be a legitimate number two and score and control a game. They got two.

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That Western Conference has almost two on every.

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It'll be really fun to watch the Western Conference ORG playoffs.

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However that seating comes out, it's going to be fun to see the war of attrition and who makes it out.

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And you start looking at comparing contrast the West with the East LOC.

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Like there was a point last year early in the season where there was a lot of discussion of as the East kind of caught the West and these Eastern NORP teams, especially at the top when you had the Cavs were playing really well with Mitchell PERSON. And it felt like, okay, maybe the East LOC is starting to catch up. And now you just look up and down the board. First of all, you just look at the records.And then secondly, you look at just go through the superstars like we just did, and there's really no comparison. On the other hand, I think just like in the West LOC, as we talked about earlier, I think the potential matchups in the Eastern Conference ORG certainly are interesting. They're probably not as star-studded, but it's interesting how it could all play out, especially again, if you keep Atlanta and Chicago ORG out of the actual playoffs,which seems pretty likely. When you're talking about Embed and Jimmy Butler in the seven and eight spots, it's going to make for some interesting series. So I don't know, we will see what happens from here. I'm not, it's going to be interesting to watch these last, whatever,week and a half that we have in the season, the last seven games or so to see where people are going to finish up and then be able to get the playoff matchup. So this was fun, man. Yeah,

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I had fun. I have fun when I come on. So I value the invite.

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I appreciate it.

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Well, we're going to try to do.

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Maybe we'll get a three man going at some point in the playoffs.

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That's what we got to.

Speaker 34290.16s - 4372.5s

That'll be the next step because it was a lot of fun. So, all right, we'll leave it there. We're at an hour and eight minutes. It's currently 12, 39 a.m. So we're going to, I still got to bang this episode out and get it all edited and put together and release.So I'm looking at another hour, hour and a half or so. So my bedtime is, you know, fast approaching at 2 a.m. and that I'm to be up at 6. So it'll all work out. But anyway, thanks to you, Jason, for jumping out with us. Really appreciate it. And to everyone out there, thanks for listening. And we will catch you on our next episode. Thanks. Your first impression is everything when applying for a new coaching job. A professional coaching portfolio is the tool that highlights your coaching achievements and philosophies,and most of all helps separate you and your abilities from the other applicants. The coaching portfolio guide is an instructional membership-based website that helps you develop a personalized portfolio. Each section of the portfolio guide provides detailed instructions on how to organize your portfolio in a professional manner. The guide also provides sample documents for each section of your portfolio that you can copy, modify, and add to your personal portfolio. As a Hoopeads pod listener, you can get your coaching portfolio guide for just $25.Visit CoachingPortfolio Guide.com slash Hoopheads ORG to learn more.

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Thanks for listening to the Hoopheads podcast presented by Ed Start Basketball ORG. basketball.