Breaking Down Celtics vs. Nuggets (Finals Preview?) Plus Our Dream WCF Match-ups | OM3 Things

Breaking Down Celtics vs. Nuggets (Finals Preview?) Plus Our Dream WCF Match-ups | OM3 Things

Welcome to the old man of the three things with JJ reick and Tim legler legs always good to see you on a Monday I want to start today’s episode I want to dive right into it because Boston Denver on Friday night to me there’s been some great games that was the most playoff

Likee game that I’ve watched this season the adjustments within the game the the the the game plan from both teams in terms of matchups what we’re willing to to live with in terms of what we’re giving up defensively Gordon playing the backup five which we saw all last year during

The playoffs they didn’t do it last regular season they haven’t done this regular season that was a playoff game on Friday night in what could be a potential finals matchup your takeaways from from Friday night that Boston Denver games I know you just told me you’ve watched the game

Twice already yeah I watched the game twice start to finish and there’s not many games in the regular season I’m going to say that about because if if it’s a big one going into it JJ I usually you know I’ll take I’ll take my share of notes so I’m pretty much good

To go with that game I needed to see this one twice that’s how much I en enjoyed it and I think I’m gonna start with this you mentioned how it had a playoff field to it one of the reasons I think it did was because that to me is

The way most games that I watch I want to see officient at there was a lot of contact allowed in the post there was guys getting a little bit more handsy on the perimeter it and and it felt like because both teams are full strength by

The way too which was nice to see a marquee match up and everybody’s there everybody’s healthy nobody’s getting a load management night like everybody was there clearly from the very beginning of the game both teams were showing you that this meant a little bit more this

Was not a typical regular season game um you could tell by the energy in the building too and the the start that porzingis had and what that did to that home crowd but the amount of contact that was allowed and letting guys play through it I thought was tremendous me

They combined I believe both teams combined for 27 free throws in the game total 13 and 14 and they were letting these guys sort of decide it and what you saw were some absolutely incredible offensive individual performances and and if Jamal Murray plays like that with

Like that sort of mindset when he’s that aggressive and he understood that he needed to be because of the physicality of the defense in the game I mean those are the two guys he and joic they’re going to play through that and still be able to do their thing he had a

Different gear to him and a different look in his eyes I mean that was you we call him bubble Murray all the time I don’t know if that’s if he likes that necessarily but it kind of did remind me of that in terms of how hungry he was as

A scorer and just you know just both teams trade trading Haymakers and then letting it be decided in the last few minutes of the game I it was as entertaining as you can get in the regular season for an NBA game it’s a good point on the officiating and

Even uh you know I want to get into this in a second uh the the last two play calls uh for the Boston Celtics but even on the first play call uh where they ran a little Baseline screen to get Jaylen Brown ISO on the left wing for a quick

Two um when he ripped through I thought I thought Gordon fouled him like he definitely impeded his progress and they let it go um I want to get to that in a second you brought up Jamal Murray and I I think bubble Murray’s fine but let’s also say

Playoff Murray because I I think this was the version of Jamal Murray that we saw throughout last year’s playoff run where this Twan game it looks Unstoppable at times and Jamal Murray in particular that was a shot making Clinic he was 11 of 16 off the dribble and and

These weren’t like easy shots I mean he hit some tough contested shots over pton Pritchard but he also had he’s getting guarded by Derek white Drew holid at times Tatum Brown like these are great individual Defenders and he just put on a shot making Clinic he had 35 joic had

34 they scored or assisted on 89 of the 102 points for the Denver Nuggets uh joic 8 of 13 versus porzingis as the primary Defender five of seven versus Horford and this was the most post-ups in a game by any player this season what I want to talk about a little bit is

This idea around let’s let jic be a scorer and and we’re willing to live with that and the Lakers last year had some success in that series they also lost that series 40 so maybe it wasn’t maybe that that that whole like let’s let joic be a score now we saw it the

Other night in Philly where they started Tobias Harris on joic and let embiid be a RoR off of Aaron Gordon so this is clearly a strategy now with really good teams this is how we’re going to play joic we’re going to let him score my only issue with this we’re coming out of

The timeout to start the fourth quarter and Katie George is interviewing Joe Missoula and she asked him a question about this and he’s like yeah this is what we’re willing to live with you saw him in the Huddle and sounds of the game this is what we’re we’re okay that’s

Fine but he’s got 30 going into the fourth and it’s a one-point game he’s got 30 going into the fourth he’s shooting 75% from the field over his last 11 no player has done that since Wilt Chamberlain in 1967 maybe this is not the right strategy maybe it’s not I think you have

To mix it up and to me the Boston Celtics never mixed it up when he’s that efficient and it’s a clear mismatch like he was having his way with porzingis and Al Horford who’s had some success in the playoffs obviously against Giannis and embiid he had his way with Al Horford I

Don’t know that this is like the right strategy to beat the Denver Nuggets and I want to get your take on it completely completely agree and here is why joic is the one guy that if you decide to play single coverage on okay in in the post

He’s the one guy in the league and I mean I’m even including Joel embiid in this that is going to get the shot that he wants every every single time you aren’t gon to you aren’t going to speed him up he’s not going to take anything

Off balance he’s going to take the exact number of dribbles that he needs he’s going to spin to the proper shoulder he is going to get the ball up there uh I think he shoots the softest ball in the league by the way I’ve come to this

Conclusion and we’ve got a lot of great Shooters in this league more than we’ve ever had nobody shoots a softer ball than Nik yic and so he gets it up there softly even when he is getting you know some some some you know physical play into his back as he’s starting to spin

And a lot of guys would lose their balance a little bit and get something up there that’s not soft everything he shoots is soft so he is not it’s not like at any point he’s gonna get tired of shooting high percentage shots and just be like you know what I feel kind

Of self-conscious I’m shooting too much NOP he’s just going to continue to ABC you to death and get exactly what he wants every single time now I get what the thinking is well he’s such a great pass he’s going to elevate everybody around you but I think JJ certain nights you’ve

Got to look at what everybody else is doing okay this was basically two guys beating you you take a look at the shooting night that Aaron Gordon had he was 0 for six in the field he didn’t really get into any sort of Rhythm in

This game at all kcp two for six so no not high volume shots and and really never found a rhythm Payton Watson’s getting a lot of minutes off the bench right now he goes four for 11 so certain nights I get starting that way if that’s

How you want to try to feel the game and see what yic is doing that particular night at some point even with his passing ability you are going to have to send somebody even if you’ve got porzingis on him if you’ve got Al horor on him it doesn’t matter they weren’t

Able to do anything to really affect him and now let’s see if some of the guys that haven’t taken a lot of shots or in rhythm in the game are going to step in and make shots when they matter most so I I don’t mind doing it for some parts

Of the game to your point you have to mix it up on him you have to and particularly on a night when there’s not a lot of volume in terms of shots amongst The Supporting Cast see what they are willing to do can they step up

And hit one when they haven’t really had a lot of touches I don’t think that Boston really ever got into that mindset and jokic just continued to operate very comfortably with as many dribbles as he wanted getting to the spots that he wanted to on the floor

The three highest volume postup teams in the league which relative to past NBA standards this is not high volume you you typically would have multiple teams that would post up more than 10% of the time in their half court plays uh Denver’s number one at 88.1% Boston posts up the second most at

7.1% and then Philly at 6.8 um all three of those teams do it very efficiently and you you think about why well Denver has joic Philly has embiid Boston typically posts mismatches because they have Jaylen Brown porzingis and and Jason Tatum and all three of these teams

Are over 1.1 points per possession on post-ups now why is that important the number one halfcourt offense in the League this year is at 1.08 points per possession this is what to me makes all three of the these teams so dangerous in the playoffs we can post

Joic we can post embiid we can post a mismatch if we’re the Boston Celtics porzingis has been [ __ ] awesome every time he gets a smaller defender on him he just is mashing or getting to the free throw line that’s to me is such a good indicator of why these teams are

Real title threats because they can score in the half court with their best players now as it relates to Boston you know I I I I thought there could have been more of that at times in the fourth quarter you know matchup wise Aaron Gordon I think he was when he was

The primary defender on Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum they were one for nine the two of them were one for nine you know that that that to me is a is a tough matchup right so if you’re GNA if you’re going to try to go at Aaron Gordon

That’s not a great matchup but if you can get a Jamal Murray switched on to you right if you can get Michael Porter Jr switched on to you and post and they had some success in the first half doing that uh I like that for the Boston

Celtics the other the other thing I wanted to bring up as it relates to that sort of last second play Jaylen Brown on that first play where they didn’t get a shot off you know I mentioned I thought there was some contact there you like that there

Wasn’t a foul I’m fine with it whatever um and there was a lot of like uh uh noise and discourse around that play call in particular uh yeah I go back I called the game last March against the New York Knicks uh Manuel quickley game he was phenomenal it was a double OT

Game and Boston was down three uh needed a a they had I think 14 seconds or 11 seconds something like that Missoula opt he had the timeout he had you know he keeps his timeouts he always wants two when there’s under 30 seconds similar to Friday night and he

He ran that play for Jaylen Brown and he got a score and a bucket or and a foul tied the game with the free throw we go into overtime that’s a play they’ve had success obessed with I have no issue with that again the issue is in that

Scenario it was uh I believe Emanuel quickley or Quinton Grimes that was on him and this was Aaron Gordon so they didn’t force the switch and it’s a just a tough matchup Aaron Gordon is a big strong agile Defender it’s a tough matchup I don’t hate the play call

Though no no not at all they I think they and you’re right look I I when I was talking about in general the the the way that the game was played and and the amount of physicality defensively really liked it you’re right there could have

Been a foul called on that on the swing through there’s no doubt about it I think I like that particular play call better if you’re able to force the switch first it’s just more advantageous you’re talking about now going up a guy that’s basically the same size and he’s

Stronger and he’s a very good lateral very good laterally the way that he can slide that’s a that’s a little bit of a tougher go-to but they’ve had success with it in the past now the last play when they go to Tatum with for to direct

Out of bounds go directly to him he’s got an advantageous matchup there if you look at that Jason Tatum I’m sure has seen when he watched the film and he probably knowing him he probably watched it sitting at his locker right after the game he did not he was not patient

Enough on that right he he has the matchup he wants he’s got a size Advantage when he starts to go into his shooting motion there’s still three seconds left on the clock right so he did not I think he should have spun more quick spin the extra power dribble gone

Toward the Baseline and he could have gone to a step back on balance on the Baseline side with still probably more than a second left when he released the ball instead he starts to spin he feels some contact now I don’t know if he thought there was some contact as he

Started to spin it back down and he was going to get that call but he immediately goes into a fade away off one foot from 18 feet with three seconds left in the game game against the smaller Defender he’d like to have that one backed there’s no question in my

Mind I don’t have a problem either with the direct entry with a smaller guy on him right there that’s your best player that’s an all League player that’s an MVP caliber player with a good matchup get the ball directly to him with plenty of time by the way he’s got time to work

Him you know at least two more dribbles and he just didn’t do it he got impatient and he wanted to go quickly to the you know to sort of end it you know go to that home run shot immediately rather than maybe take his time a little

Bit more and try to get something on balance with another dribble or two so that’s what I think the only mistake they made in the last possession I like the matchup I just don’t like the execution by Tatum yeah and and I again Missoula takes a lot of heat for this uh

The the late game stuff it feels real it feels real that you know the last three four minutes of the game you you know things slow down yeah they they don’t generate good as good of looks as they’re getting throughout the game you I was thinking about there were multiple possessions in

That first half uh a little bit in that third quarter as well where it felt very spurs esque in terms of the ball movement hitting Cutters the quick swing out the Swing Swing wide open three some some of those possessions they didn’t they didn’t make him you know they were

14 for 44 from three um and they they left a number of Great Looks on the table but the last 4 minutes and 50 seconds the Celtics scored two points they shot one for nine you look over the course of the season when they’re in clutch games they’re 13-8 I mean I had

To look this up twice because I was like Jesus 13 and eight and they’ve got A plus 19 net rating in clutch games 124 offensive rating in the clutch and a 105 defensive rating so the metrics say it’s there but it all it always feels like

The last few minutes of the game for the Boston Cel in close games it just doesn’t feel like them what what are you observing what did You observe the other night you know not even just the last play but just the last few minutes of games for them where do you think they

Can be better I completely agree and and look I I think it’s still the one big test for moua right I think there was you it’s undeniable there were issues a year ago with some of their late game manager right and just some of some of

What they went to and there was an uneasiness that you had watching them late and figuring out how they were going to try to close it and some of that is still there even though this is the this is the deepest team at the top

Of the roster of any team in the league they’ve got more options and places that they can go problem is I think they do not force you to play defensively on those possessions right to their advantage because they have so many different guys that can hurt you they

Become a little bit isocentric they eat up too much at the clock early in possessions thinking that they’re going to end it with one of their two guys you know being great in that moment and it doesn’t really Force defenses to have to play them on multiple actions and that

Is that’s when they’re basically Unstoppable because they have four different guys really and if you count dere white five that they can initiate their Derek white yeah count and on any set they’ve got five different players that they can initiate their offense through in any given moment to draw

Multiples and then you get Now teams chasing the ball and and and and the way that they can move it the way that they can dribble Drive kick the way that they reverse it they’ll go dribble handoff they and then end up with an advantageous matchup at some point they

Don’t really do that in those moments they sort of eat up half the clock and then they pick a side of the floor J AJ and then it goes there and it stays there and now they’re going to try to figure out a way for that guy to go make

A great shot that’s a very tough way and I understand why it happens the game does slow down coaches trust fewer guys in those moments you know the more that the ball changes hands the more likely there’s a turnover or you don’t even get off a quality shot and I understand that

But I think there needs to be more trust with what you have right that wealth of offensive Talent needs to be taken advantage of even in those moments when the game has slowed down because that’s what makes you special that’s What Makes You Different the number of guys that

You have at your disposal to do that don’t fall into the Trap that most teams really have to because they’ve only got one or two guys that you really trust in those situations they have more than that and I don’t think that they forc teams to guard all of that in the bigger

Moments and I think you saw it again in that game yeah I think that’s fair and and it’s certainly what it it certainly is what it feels like to me uh I think if you have the optionality that the Boston Celtics have continue continuous ball movement player movement you’re eventually going to end

Up with a matchup you want sure uh in an advantageous spot uh but the the the part about initiating offense is interesting because I think I think a lot of teams do that and uh I I I brought this up on the Pod already but I just remember when we were interviewing

Missoula at the beginning of the season uh he had his Jiu-Jitsu coach in there and they were talking about this concept of you know working your way up from the ankles as a strategy to to win to win to beat your opponent right and the closer

You get to the neck and head the closer you are to Victory but that’s also you get closer to defeat it’s just the way that that that form of combat works and so the tendency is as you get closer to the neck and head you you get

Tight you start hanging on I want to win I want to win and I think that that is such a good analogy for the fourth quarter of NBA games actually all basketball the game what like why does the game slow down so much you were playing one way for 45 minutes and it

Worked and you’ve got a seven-point lead like why I I get the clock there is an element of course of clock management and all that but it is interesting to me how a team can play a certain way and then we get to the end and we’re like oh

We’re going to scrap it and we’re going to slow it down well I think I have the answer I think I have the answer to that I really do I think it’s I think it’s the mentality of number one there’s this expectations right that star players put

On themselves and then I think everybody sort of puts on them externally they’ve got it decide matters the the shot has to be taken by those guys because if it’s not and you lose the game that’s the first question that’s coming up well how does he not touch the ball in that

Situation right that’s and so the players know that they’re going to to get hit with that the coaches are going to get hit with that so what happens is you tend to fall into this mentality of well I can’t risk that player not getting the ball because they’re overplayed and they’re denied like

Whatever it may be and the ball ends up going a different direction and maybe you know your third best player fourth best player ends up having to take the shot and in most cases around the league yeah that’s that’s problematic if that’s what you’re having to answer after the

Game that’s not necessarily the case as much with Boston and I look I don’t have to I don’t have to be standing there in Joe moula shoes we always make this you know seem simple right we we make it sound so simple when we’re not the ones

That have to do it and that’s that’s part of the beauty of our job right I got to make something very complicated very simplistic but if I had that wealth of talent offensively and also by the way these guys are highly cerebral they make great decisions across the board

All of the guys we’re talking about I would I I would hope that I would trust my creativity and understanding what I have at my disposal that nobody else really has and not worrying as much about that but I think that’s what happens they want to make sure that the

That player whoever it may be is not denied the basketball somehow if they give it up or they don’t get it initially so now okay good we got the ball in their hands goodness okay now at least that guy’s going to shoot it whether it’s a quality shot or not we’re

Going to live with that and I think a lot of teams are for to because they don’t have that many options on that level at the top of the roster but Boston does and I don’t know if they’re ever going to get more comfortable with

That we’ll see but I you know I don’t necessarily love what they get typically late and it’s it’s something that we’re going to continue I think to bring up as they get in more and more close games as we get closer to the playoffs and throughout the postseason I don’t care

How much talent that a team has a a coach has to be good for that team to get to the Conference Finals to get to the finals whatever like in some ways you know Missoula this year because they’ve got this talented team like they’re they’re the number two Defense

Number three offense uh best net rating in the league and and best record in the league like he’s doing a very good job like there’s no question but I I I feel like in some ways like spoler does probably doesn’t get enough credit right spoler doesn’t get enough credit for the

Heat winning two championships like spoler had to figure some stuff out he had to make some in-game adjustments he had to he had to do things Steve CER had to do the same thing it’s it’s so Tim you know this it is so hard to win in

The NBA period and it’s so hard to win at the highest level in the NBA T Talent is not like you you need it for sure but you need all this other stuff too and it’s not just on the coaching you know you talk about the decision making okay

Tatum decision- making last play of the game probably could have got a better shot right Missoula put him in a good spot there’s just so much that has to happen for it to to to to work out and and get a win especially when you’re playing a team at the level of the

Denver Nuggets I I know we spent a ton of time on this game I I do I do want to talk about one last thing and this is just like an observation uh from the Philly Denver game and and the Boston Denver game and and that is uh like just

The cross matches and like the intentional cross matches we saw it earlier in the season uh Joe uh Missoula put Drew holiday on embiid for like 20 some half court possessions uh Tobias Harris started the game on joic the other night uh joic didn’t guard embiid a lot in that game they were

Crossmatched they had Aaron Gordon on him uh joic actually was guarding Drew holiday a bunch especially after that porzingis start where he was just picking and popping um there was some miscommunication on a verer back on one play where yic is literally pointing like verer back to porzingis verer back

And the guard kept coming to the free throw line never veered back porzingis gets an open three they just said [ __ ] it we’re g to put yic on Drew holiday and I was texting with some people and I’m like Drew you you brought up the four or five guys on on the Boston

Celtics that can initiate and do something drew in some ways doesn’t look like the best version of himself right now I think it’s natural when you have the talent he’s coming off an All-Star season you’re you’re you’re going to a team with six starters uh Five Guys really that that initiate offense with

With Dereck white being the other one porzingis of course uh another high usage guy so someone inevitably had to sacrifice but in terms of the playoff like cross matches I I I’m just curious if like in this second rewatch you saw saw anything there where Boston could have taken advantage of

That matchup where joic is off the ball on Drew holiday yeah and I think I did and I think I was noticing it as I was watching it and I think where what it comes down to is what you just said about Drew holiday Drew holiday wasn’t

In an aggressive mindset in this game he just wasn’t he you didn’t really notice him that much offensively at all um and and for them to be the best version of themselves he can’t get lost in who he is right because of the other options that they have the other talent that

They have we know Tatum and brown are going to be the high volume guys I think they took 43 shots in this game 15 for 43 wasn’t their best shooting night I credit Denver’s defense a lot for that the physicality of the game mattered and then they they missed some ones that

They normally make uh and we know that that’s going to be pretty much a typical night for them in terms of volume but then those other three guys you know white and porzingis and holiday those three guys it’s it’s probably not going to be all three of

Them on a given night like every night one of them is probably going to maybe get less usage because of the way they’re being defended I I felt like in this game it was Drew holiday and I felt like there was an acceptance on the part

Of Drew holiday that it just kind of wasn’t his night and he wasn’t gonna be be very active or have a big role in what they’re doing offensively and when you get matchups you can take advantage of Drew holiday has to stay in the mindset whenever that whenever that

Opportunity presents itself okay then this give me the ball give get give it back to me and now I can go and I don’t think he really did that in this game JJ I just it was it was about as quiet a game as you will get out of Drew holiday

When you watch him offensively and I think that contributed to to some of Denver’s success and what they were doing defensively is what he just wasn’t in that mode to attack when he got opportunities one of the first times that they they had that matchup I don’t

Know if you remember the play in the first half it was on the left wing on the Boston uh bench side and Drew had joic on a matchup and and I it was interesting he tried a few moves joic slid his feet did an outstanding job get

They got nothing out of it and then I just don’t even remember them even like really trying to exploit that anymore even with Drew as a screener they used it a couple times in the second half but it just it’s one of those things that I’m I’m I know Missoula watching the

Film is like all right H how do we take advantage of this next time right or you know if we get to if we get to the finals and they’re going to go to that matchup like what are the ways we can sort of exploit that fascinating stuff

Uh spent a lot of time on that I want to run through two more things real quick so the Cleveland Cavaliers the hottest team in the NBA right now best record over the last 15 12 and three uh they’ve done it all without Evan Mobley all without Darius Garland Donovan Mitchell

Has actually missed four games in this stretch uh they were three and one without Donovan Mitchell in this stretch they beat Utah who’s playing as well as anyone in basketball right now they beat the Bulls they beat Dallas uh Kyrie didn’t play in that game but Luca did in

This stretch the number six offense number two defense this was the version of the Cleveland Cavaliers that I think we all thought we would see to start the season when they were at full strength and they lose two of their best players to injury and then they go on this run

What are you seeing from the Cleveland Cavaliers that’s my first question and secondly CU I think there was a lot of people when this these injuries happened there sitting there at 13 and 12 where they’re like oh they should trade Donovan Mitchell now are the Cavs still in the conversation potentially as a

Legit Contender once they’re at full strength all right so a couple things um and I don’t want to I don’t want to you know poo poo on the love we’re going to give to Cleveland Cavaliers but but schedule and context do matter they do matter now they’re playing great and

They’re playing great on both ends and they’re shooting absolutely out of their mind right now from the three-point line in large part because of what they’re getting from you know Sam Merill uh George Nang Carris Levert what they’re getting off their bench has from an offensive uh supplement has been

Absolutely unbelievable Jared Allen you know the way he has played during this stretch JJ I don’t know how you really keep the guy off the All-Star team when he’s this impactful as a rebounder a rim protector but also as a scorer he’s having some big scoring nights as well

Donovan Mitchell on the nights they needed him too when they have struggled a little bit with some of these other guys he has just taken over the game so they’ve done it in so many different ways but you do have to take this schedule and like who they’re playing

Into context a little bit like during this stretch and they were basically 500 team before they went on this run during this stretch they they’ve got two wins against teams that are currently top six in either conference they they beat Dallas and they beat the bucks without Giannis so there’s even an asterisk

There I beat him by 40 I’m not going to take away for how clean they’re playing and the production they’re getting up and down their roster and how well each of those guys individually is playing and how great their bench has been I mean they had 75

Points off the bench in one of their wins so they’re they’re getting it in every way that you need to and now when they when they get a little bit more tested with who they’re playing and some of these top teams I think it’ll give you greater I think it’ll give both of

Us greater perspective on what does this really mean I think one thing we’ve seen is you can’t forget about them and I think we had for the most part up to this point to this stretch over the last month prior to that we had forgotten about the Cleveland Cavaliers I had

Barely talked about them I was kind of watching them they were dealing with so many injuries I was like well you know it’s really hard to really judge them when you don’t have Darius Garland playing you don’t have Moy playing it’s very difficult to do that well now

They’ve gotten our attention so now we are paying attention to them on a nightly basis and they’re they’re doing all the things I just mentioned well so give them credit because they’ve turned their entire season around over the last month despite the fact they’re still short-handed one of the things that is

Different you know they’re they’re smaller they’re playing smaller lineups with Jared Allen I mean that and that’s what it looks like they’re spacing the floor all over the place this was the thing that I was gonna bring up okay this was the thing no I keep going

Because I’m glad you brought this up it’s an important I think this is as important as the schedule is how they’re playing yeah I want you to it’s stylistically the way that they look and this is going back now you know couple of years the way that they look and the

Size they present that doesn’t look like the rest of the league and it certainly doesn’t look like what the rest of the league is doing to them on the other end of the floor and spacing out and look Evano is a long guy that’s very

Versatile and you know he he could do a lot of things defensively he’s very active but you still have big bodies that you’re trying to move around defensively to help and rotate and Chase the ball and get out to the three-point line and it is difficult and maybe in

Playoff basketball some of the things we’ve already talked about in this Boston Denver game when that starts to be implemented and it slows down and the game is more you know Lane Centric isocentric maybe some of those bigger lineups are going to really be advantageous but I think the smaller

Lineups and the spacing they’ve had offensively with the number of Shooters they have on the court the way that they’ve been able to move defensively and sort of flying around the court with one big on the floor most of the time it does look like it’s given them a little

Bit more of a modern look to like this is what it takes in the league now because their defensive numbers have been tremendous during this stretch absolutely tremendous and their shooting has gone off the charts with what they’re getting there so it’s interesting you know I’m not one of

These guys ever gonna say oh they’re better without ofm it’s stupid people will will jump on that in a short in a short sample size it’s not what I’m saying I’m just saying it does give them something to think about in terms of their minutes and how they stagger them

And what they’re going to do going forward when he comes back and these lineups they’ve had success with that look smaller I think it’s helped them spacing offensively I think it’s helped them with their defensive Ro rotations and coverages I said this earlier this season and I still believe this and I

Think this is a a a great stretch that exemplifies the point and the point was they’re going to be a good regular season team I I expected that this year for them to me to reach a higher ceiling in the playoffs Evan Mobley has to shoot

Threes like he has to be a threat from the three-point line especially in the playoffs and this stretch is a great example of this over the last 15 they are number two to the Celtics they’ve made 15.7 threo three-pointers a game they’re number one in the NBA in three-point

Attempts over this 15 game stretch like they’re playing a completely different way now what has this done it’s it’s given Jared Allen more space he’s actually and you’re like well the Denver Nuggets won last year and Aaron Gordon’s not a shooter yeah I get that but like Jared Allen’s not joic offensively right

He’s not he’s not making these behind the head tight passes to Aaron Gordon at at at the dunker spot like it’s a different thing that Denver Nuggets have figured out a way to maximize spacing around joic despite the fact that Aaron Gordon can’t shoot threes and is is

Become less and less willing to shoot threes at times it’s a different player it’s they’re different teams this version of the Cavs where they’re playing fast they’re shooting threes it’s you’re you’re 100% right it’s more modern so I I I think and again like Milwaukee’s another example

Well Brook Lopez shoots threes they play two bigs but Brook Lopez shoots threes and nobody on the Cleveland Cavaliers roster is Giannis and no one’s joic you’re talking about two of the best players in the world period two of the best players in the world arguably the two best players in the world

I I’m not making that argument right now I’m not making that argument I’m not I’m I’m just saying people would argue they’re the two best players in the world I’m not making any argument want to be clear on that so this version and how they’re playing I think lends itself

To more success particularly in the regular season and if they get Evan Moy back and maybe it’s not this year but in the future he’s now a three-point threat around Jared Allen like that’s a game changer for me the guy I want to shout out a lot of casual fans probably don’t

Even pay attention to this guy brought up the bench Dean Wade Dean Wade in the stretch 44% from three I saw this stat a couple days ago we have all these uh metrics these catchall you know singular stat metrics Darko was one player efficiency rating of course you know uh we go BL

Box plus minus one is actually called LeBron uh there was also a Carmelo Carmelo was one uh one is actually called LeBron it stands for something it’s an acronym the defense of LeBron is is another part of that catchall like subset right Dean Wade grades out as the

Number one on ball defender in the NBA this season so you have a guy who’s defending his off shooting 44% from three around Donovan Mitchell Carris Levert Jared Allen like I love it Ma by the way Max stru I think I think he’s played well very well for for largely most of the

Season yeah he still hasn’t had that eight 10 12 game stretch that we’ve seen him have in Miami where he shoots eight threes a game 39% 41% whatever it is um so I I think there’s you know it’s particularly with stru like there is even more I think that they can

Do the second part of my question you kind of answered um again I I I want to I want to see when these guys get back like their rotations how they stagger lineups it’s it it will be fascinating to see how the Cleveland Cavaliers finish this regular

Season very very he’s got a lot of tough decisions to make when when that happens because look at you know the way they’re playing now and you’re going to get back a guy and Darius Garin has been an All-Star you’re going to get back Evan Mobley um and and I agree with Evan

Mobley I was hoping he would have taken more of a leap to this point as a three-point shooter because I think he’s got the stroke to do it um but you know getting comfortable from out there is a totally different thing and and he just hasn’t really done that yet you now

Gonna add two guys like that back into the mix with all of the success that other guys have had getting extended playing time it’s going to be very interesting because there’s a lot of depth there and how do you push the right buttons on the right nights and and and still maintain

Rhythm for those guys because there are so many different guys now that are knocking down threes for this team and are in great Rhythm and comfort and it’s going to be a little bit different darus Garland has the basketball when Evan Mo’s out there um getting the basketball

In that 18 foot area of the floor and not space out to the three-point line when you’ve had this kind of success uh with with Nang Merill and Levert and and and Wade and all these guys that have been shooting threes for you now you add

Two guys that are that are high minutes guys back into the rotation when you’ve had that much success it is going to be you said fascinating I think that’s the perfect word for it because now we have to really watch what happens with their rotation when they get fully healthy

Second half the I also want to see when they play an extended stretch against your top tier teams that are healthy and they’ve got some of those coming up they’ Got Back to backs with the Bucks coming up they’ve got the Clippers coming up um then they get again some

More Bottom Feeders Detroit Memphis the Spurs a struggling Kings team the Wizards the Nets the Raptors I mean that’s a long stretch and so they don’t really and even after that Philly Chicago Orlando like they don’t have Murderers Row in terms of schedule maybe these games

Coming up three in a row but two against the Bucks one against the Clippers if they’re at full strength it gives you a better idea for what this actually really is going to look like when you play the top tier teams that are that are fully healthy all right last thing

Real quick uh we were uh texting last night and just we we we’ve talked about it I think we we did a thing last week about uh you know which Western Conference or two weeks ago rather which Western Conference team can move into sort of the tier one um that are that

Are on the outside looking in right now and I think that tier one is is Minnesota Oklahoma City Denver Clippers right and they’re the four best teams to me in the Western Conference the standing say so like I I think all the all four of these teams can have a lot

Of play playoff success obviously the Denver Nuggets have shown that um so we were saying if you could put up a dream scenario dream matchup in the western conference right now like for the playoffs what series would you most want to see and this could be a first round

Series it could be a second round series it could be uh Conference Finals I I don’t care but which two teams do you want to see in the playoffs against each other I’ll do it this way because this is and I’ll do quickly this is how I

Kind of envisioned how I would like to see the first round go and the reason I I want some of these matchups in the first round rather than say oh well this would be awesome if I could see him in the semi-finals or the Conference Finals because you don’t know if you’re going

To get there like that’s how much balance there is in the west I don’t know how the first round is GNA play out so to guarantee some of these matchups I need to see him in the first round so I went this way I’d like to see T wolves

Lakers I want to see those front lines go against each other I want to see a young guy in Anthony Edwards who we’re wondering where the void’s going to be filled when LeBron and Curry aren’t there anymore we’ve talked about Anthony Edwards Shay gilis Alexander guys like

That being the ones that take the take the torch so give me Anthony Edwards and LeBron give me Anthony Davis against that front line so mini La I want to see OKC in New Orleans I love like that that core unit at the top of the roster those

Those top three guys offensively let me see you know six seven games of that I want to see Denver Dallas because I want to see y and and I want to see Luca right two guys that control the game offensively to a higher extent than any two players

In the NBA and do it stylistically completely differently uh I want to see I want to see that in the first round and then finally that leaves me with clippers Suns yeah you give me you give me seven of that you know Durant going back up against Harden again the

Firepower of the Suns the two-way play of the Clippers how well they’re playing right now uh that would be the four matchups JJ that would love to see in a dream scenario in the Western Conference I like all of that um I looked at it a different way because I I

I could talk myself into a first like anybody versus Minnesota anybody versus OKC anybody versus Clippers anybody versus Denver um I would love to see uh the Clippers against the nuggets in a playoff series I would love to see that but in terms of first round where

We get a guaranteed matchup I love that Denver Dallas call I really do how Dallas would guard joic with Derek Lively rookie Center um do they take him off the ball and put Grant Williams on joic uh you know what’s their how do they stagger with Dwight Powell lineups um does Maxi

Kba does he guard joic and then the conundrum of Luca and the defensive coverage is there where jic doesn’t like to play Drop he likes to be up so yok so Luca creating four on- threes on the back side I think that series would be really fascinating

If we got that in the first round oh definitely and and I think you know those two guys first of all they they’ve got they’ve got a relationship great respect for each other but they love to compete against each other and to to watch those two guys that can beat

You as a score and facilitator at a higher level than really anybody else in the league the combination of both of those things in one body it’s those two guys are at the top of the list in the ways that they can beat you so that that

Would be one for me that I hope at some point we get look what’s interesting about this I listed eight teams you know and that means you know you’re leaving some outs I don’t even have Sacramento listed in there I certainly don’t have a team like Utah that’s red hot but you know

They don’t belong in this list GNA hate you after this one I gotta say I I I I I kings are fun to watch uh sabonis is having a [ __ ] monster season Fox had a insane stretch he’s cooled off a little bit but the these four matchups Denver Dallas OKC Nola Clippers Suns

T-wolves Lakers I don’t want to leave the Kings out I love the Kings um I mean I’ll take I’ll take any of those matchups they’re great that’s that’s what I hit you up about yesterday when I texted you I said it just it’s insane you could okay I have eight teams here

Write write their name on a piece of paper throw them into a hat pull out two different names and and let’s this Lakers in the first round Clippers Lakers the first round that’d be great any combination of these series no matter what you get uh it’s it’s it’s

Gonna be incredible I just really believe and I I don’t know if think I’ve ever said it or felt that maybe I’ve said it before I’ve never felt it um as deeply as I do this year I really genuin believe and hopefully all these teams go into the playoffs healthy with

Especially with their top guys I think this could be the single most compelling Western Conference playoffs we have had start to finish I think that all of these series think about the what I just laid out for a fir for first round matchups so you’re talking about potentially a one eight maybe with

Minnesota and the Lakers as a one eight now normally a one 18 you’re like okay let’s just get through this right and let’s hope this doesn’t drag out because you know who’s going to win ultimately I don’t necessarily know that if the Lakers get into the eight spot and and

Anthony Davis LeBron are healthy and you got Minnesota that hasn’t had a ton of playoff success collectively having to play that team in in the first round you don’t know what’s gonna happen OKC very little you know playoff success collectively together with that group as young as

They are you got to play a like a veteran group like New Orleans that’s got CJ McCollin Brandon inam with as much playoff experience as they have like that that’s you know a different feel for them Denver Dallas two of the top stars in the league single-handedly controlling the game and then Clippers

Suns with what that could represent I mean so there there’s no telling how any of this is going to go and I I certainly feel a lot differently about the East I feel very confident I think in three of those teams advancing to the second

Round I don’t know how I feel about any of these teams making it to the second round in the Western Conference besides probably I said at the beginning of last year’s playoffs you could talk me into seven teams being legit uh contenders to win the west and

You saw Golden State with six seed win their first round series uh Lakers with the seven seed make the Conference Finals Minnesota I know they lost 4-1 but all the Denver guys were like ah that was the toughest series we had and they did it without Nas Reed and Jaden

McDaniels so I think there’s parody I and I think it’s good I think we go into these playoff series now and it’s like what’s going to happen you saw that in the East last year right with Miami getting all the way to the NBA finals this is great this is great I

Love the fact that it’s not like oh we just write it down this team’s advancing yeah yeah there’s so many legitimately good teams now we have to parse through this throughout the season how many legitimately great teams there are is why we do this every Monday but there

Are legitimately so many good basketball teams right now and then there’s some really shitty ones there some there some really shitty ones too look and I said I said about the West I don’t know a couple weeks ago I said there was 12 interesting teams you know that’s extent

That was that was leaving out Portland Utah and San Antonio basically well you can’t say that about Utah anymore you can’t you can’t they’re fun they’re fun as hell to watch they’re awesome to watch and they’re winning and they’re this med New York rise they’re now a 500

Team and look where they were a month ago um I probably still feel that we have out Portland that’s probably the one team I’m not you know I’m not circling them on league pass to watch the Blazers play and even San Antonio look you know I guess it’s still worth

It to watch him just to watch Victor wanyama progression but I don’t necessarily like watching teams that aren’t in a competitive environment I don’t really feel that they are you can’t ever say that historically about the West I don’t care how good the West has been there hasn’t been this many

Teams that genuinely I sit down and I’m going to be entertained by what I’m about to watch and fascinated by how it’s going to play out so it’s and look we’re we we’re halfway through we’re halfway through and who knows what could potentially happen as we get near the

Trading deadline too you don’t know there’s going to be there’s going to be some some moves made then that are going to shuffle things around a little bit as well but this is great it’s great for us um it’s great for basketball fans because right now you can mix and match

Any pairing you want in the Western Conference and there’s no guarantee how that’s going to turn out y all fair uh Tim always fun to do this on a on a Monday appreciate you thank you catch up soon

For this Monday’s Old Man and the Three Things, JJ is joined by Tim Legler to breakdown last Friday’s fantastic matchup between Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics and Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, what’s behind the Cleveland Cavaliers recent winning streak, and what JJ and Tim’s dream matchup they’d want to see in the playoffs in the West.

0:00 Intro
0:12 Celtics vs Nuggets breakdown
28:35 The Cavs are the hottest team in the NBA right now
40:28 Dream Western Conference playoff matchups

Subscribe to The Old Man and The Three podcast w/ JJ Redick (ESPN / First Take) and Tommy Alter YouTube channel today for more NBA analysis, player interviews and highlights.