The Knicks’ Dominant Defense & Can the Rockets Catch the Lakers? | The Dunker Spot

The Knicks’ Dominant Defense & Can the Rockets Catch the Lakers? | The Dunker Spot

Hi hello and welcome to another episode of the dunker spot we are part of 3 42 Productions I am your host Nik Duncan and joining me as always is my co-host Steve Jones Jr Steve how are you doing sir aha feeling good feeling great happy

To be here excited to be here thank you dunkers for once again embracing your bounce uh dunker Nation let’s ride Nikas YouTube hi you can feel in the air and it’s you can feel the Mana you can feel things moving in the right direction we’re gonna pick it up nias

Because it’s time to hoop it up it is time to Hoop It Up very proud to announce that basketball discussion is cool again anyway very excited to talk some hoop with you today Steve gonna Bounce Around the league as we always do um we’ll start basic Steve who

Are some teams that have caught your eye as a late H before we get to some teams that have caught my eye of late you know what else has caught my eye March Madness and of course the brackets is going to come out tournament’s going to

Be great very excited to watch the uh women’s tournament just want to throw that out there going to be real Hoops uh but uh it is also just time for people to be mad at their teams or that or that one player or someone else’s team or go on fraud alert

It’s that time of year you can do you smell it Nikas do you smell it in the air like can smell the frustration coming from fan bases turn hey turn the heat up on those takes baby playoffs are right around the corner we’ve got teams with enough wins to be great and teams

With not enough wins who just can’t get there but then they win so it’s like hey maybe and then it’s like oh actually no they are bad and then because they ended up playing each other uh we’ve got weird results all over the place where Cleveland looks like one thing then they

Look like the other thing the next night hey you out there set the table for those I told you so go ahead and lay it out right now it’s going to Happ you know do we realize Nikas that teams are going to lose game they should win and win games they should

Lose the season do we take the totality of what a team has done during the regular season the parts that make them great the things they struggle with the Improvement they’ve made uh the other team that is you know their job to also try and win a game do do we put that

Into that or we go takes baby uh we here for the takes big dog okay all right well let’s take off and talk about the Boston Celtics huh it’s a new team we added to the PO discussion what what have they done uh five game winning streak so the Celtics just keep

On winning uh since last week’s episode dropped on YouTube by the way if you are watching on YouTube you should go ahead and click that like button go ahead and comment share with a friend I’m missing a thing but do that other thing I forgot

Uh Jason Tatum 14 of 30 from three over his last three games he is shooting 49.3% from three in the month of March on 8.3 attempts uh he is up to 39.1% on pull-up threes post Allstar break he was at 34 pre-all-star break uh he’s also shooting 46.3 on above the break threes

Post Allstar break any thoughts um it is very cool that the pullup is coming back as I just had a whole thing about his drives and what they’ve looked like as of late as the drives have been super good this season so it’s fun that we just cannot get both

Of those things happening at the same time for the extended stretch I I I fully enjoy the fact that we just get the uh Jason Tatum rant and he immediately comes Jason make and this is what the third year this has happened so you love to see that uh hat tip to

Jaylen Brown averaging 29.6 in March shooting 51% from the field that’s on 23 attempts nias 39 from three five rebounds 3.9 assists he’s doing good Al Horford the knees are throwing out wo Al Horford demon time in the playoffs is the thing but you watch that Phoenix

Game some those switches looked a little different so some some of the some of the coverage a little different some of those slips a little different it was like oh yeah it’s that time of year has he just officially taken the throne from Paul Milsap as far as like knee thawing

Out Hall of Fame probably yeah but this is you know this is why you bring in Kristof and you add extra reinforcements from there in the front Court let’s not play Al 31 minutes a game through the first three months of the Season let’s bring him alone slowly bring him off the

Bench and as we get closer to March and you know eventually get to April and get to the playoffs let’s ramp it up we’ll have some closing lineups is necessary if you want to give Kristof a break and let Al start now we can do that because

Al just fills all of the gaps for you offensively I I’m I’m very excited to see what he drew holiday and Derek white are going to do defensively in the playoffs that seems very fun uh the law firm of Horford and Horford doing things together or should I say uh Xavier

Tilman and Al Horford doing things together we got that we got the Anna Horford tweet I can’t tell which one is Swit up like oh no what she wrong though anyways and then salute to Sam Houser uh made 10 threes in 22 minutes and 49 seconds the lowest amount of time for an

NBA player to hit 10 or more threes and then unfortunately his ankle just decided to just stop working or else he’s he was gonna get that record probably that he was cooking as someone that was like watching that game I I I made it half and I was like okay okay

Let’s see what’s going on in Magic Raptors I I’ve committed to the bit let let me see what’s going on it was like 6637 midc I was like okay man like I figured Boston would win so I really want just check back in on the Wizards

Guys see who’s doing what all the good stuff but I was like okay that’s that’s enough of that shout out Sam how can I ask you a brief question what you got is March when you just really dive into like the sio portion of it to where like

You know we talk about these teams and these games you should win but you have have these teams that have guys who haven’t had some of these opportunities and they get a little bit clearer Runway and like you haven’t prepared for this team full of guys that are out playing

In certain roles you tend to enjoy those teams a lot more in March Am I Wrong uh no you’re not wrong like I like like I generally just like to check in on I want to watch everyone and so like I earnestly mean I want to watch everyone

But especially as we get to you know this portion of the Season everyone’s gearing up for the playoffs we are also gearing up for the play that’s crazy but we also G and go for the playoffs and I recognize that’s just where the overall conversation is gonna go and so before

Then let me salute some of these like post Allstar break breakouts and here’s an interesting rotation player who like those numbers might be like 85% real but they shown enough to where they can actually factor into the rotation next season like I’d want to try to be ahead

On stuff of those and so yeah like I I enjoy tapping into those except when it turns into getting 66 to 37 early on it’s like okay well that’s that’s fine if we if we had more time I would it’s explain the the cap there cuz I haven’t

Seen a non GG or Vince Williams Grizz comment in about three months but we’ll keep it moving okay we’ll keep it moving Nas you know who I want to talk about today who would you like to talk about I would like to Circle back to the New York

Knicks I I hear a very important forward is back for them ah OG is back wowzers uh it’s it’s interesting how quickly things can change last week we talked about the Knicks and that fun fun real hoop slugfest against the Sixers and you know one of my questions was trying to

Figure out how would they navigate this stretch and then hey here’s Oobi back in the lineup and hey here’s three straight wins uh which is important to kick off you know two of those to kick off a West Coast Swing uh so by the time you see this

They will have played the Golden State Warriors so uh woo or sorry that happened just yeah it’s fine uh cuz last time they played Golden State Steph had what 31 rebounds and eight three-pointers so anything can happen two things that stood out to me here Nick okay Jaylen Brunson is very very

Very good at basketball 45 points against Portland 42 against Sacramento he is the fourth Nick in franchise history to have 40 or more points in consecutive uh games can you name the other three Nik o for the interest of time I’m going to let you give the answer

Yes yes Bernard King Patrick y Carmelo Anthony Jaylen Brunson also tied with dearn Fox at Fourth for most 40 plus point games this season with seven quick side note I do find it extremely funny uh that Joel embiid is still second on that list with nine just yeah that’s salute to how that

Man was cooking uh the other part that I found interesting that the the Knicks had 32 assists in their 10679 victory over the Sixers in their two wins against Portland and Sacramento they had a combined 35 ah it is time to cook tale of two teams but part of that

Dives into where this is an important stretch and part of it makes my mind think about what they look like in a playoff context obviously Julius Randle changes the math even more for them but with OG back I think it’s safe to kind of look back and and and take a look at

Some things Nikas the Knicks are seventh in defensive rating for the year post Allstar break according to nba.com who does account for garbage time they’re first in defensive rating over the last five no no over the last five games they have held their opponent to under a

Hundred in each of them three straight games they held someone under 80 the Knicks are locking up now I F I I do find this a little funny because I can smell the praise you know it’s March you can feel it you can feel that energy

A lot of you know a lot of issues were had with the Knicks defense and it was too rigid or the scheme was outdated now now they have a few days to hold the banner up for a defense in a league where no defense is played I love

Seeing that clip every two to three business days it’s very fun or we’re done with the 90s or whatever y’all talking about here’s the thing about the Knicks defense activity rotations screen navigation effort when they are humming you see it when they have OG out there

With Dante Veno with Josh Hart they are all switchable and I point to that Kings game to where now you can think in a playoff context this could get really fun it’s not OG on Fox right away it’s Dante you handle the bulk of this matchup I will handle the size of

Harrison Barnes but also I will be on the weak side you put Jaylen Brunson on Kevin herder the Kings decide hey you know what we’d like to attack you Jaylen Brunson Nick there like fine we’ll switch and they want to make sure you know cuz the the game is not just to get

A switch to attack one-on-one we’ve seen more teams get these switches for these matchups and now they have their big screen you know we saw it all day in the Dallas Denver game with Jamal Murray and Luca but the thing is there’s two differences right here Isaiah

Hardenstein can be a little bit more active in pick and roll he can be a little bit closer to the level he can put two on the ball just for a heartbeat the other reason he can do that ogan noi is on the weak side helping in the

Paint and so when you have that kind of rotation and size and length it can help your defense it can bolster that scheme it can make it stronger so I think that’s been a big plus for them and when they’re able to get stops it’s going to give their offense

Wiggle room to figure things out it’s going to allow them to get out in transition it’s not going to be overpowering you know I don’t have a number to be like nope the Knicks are this in transition but I know those nights where the defense is is able to

Hang around and and be disruptive they are now able to get into a better flow offensively uh the the Jaylen Brunson two in the ball portion has been interesting because it’s felt like hey we need to figure this out so it’s felt like a lot more pick and roll which has

Been fine I’ve been okay with like them moving Jaylen Brunson around the court letting them come off staggers or screens or loops and now we get to pick and roll and we are able to play out of it ogan and noi’s actually done a really good job of driving Closeouts when teams

Are in rotation and that’s been fun to watch but I don’t know if the Knicks want to just Spam that all the time time how much is that going to help them in the playoffs especially because you know you’re just handing teams film of that in those actions so that’s a thought in

My head the other portion I wanted to mention to K I’m kind of I’m kind of into the Knicks depth right now and I think one thing about it they have more lineup combinations they have more versatility but with their roster how many of those guys you think really trust right

Now we got us moveth five six oh D I was going to go pretty much everyone but Alec Burks right now it maybe bogy he’s they got to figure out the b portion I say are we sure no like I don’t I don’t know if

He’s there yet I think he knows bogy can help but also like a Josh har go ahead and do the defense thing but being able to now flow into precious at the five I think is important being able to have you know bogey out there with Dante and McBride there’s just different

Combinations they have so I’m I’m intrigued by the Knicks going forward boy I’ll tell you one thing just looking at the standings right now they’re two games out of third they’re a half game up on Orlando for five a New York Orlando series would be either real Hoops or or the series

That people don’t want to talk about it will probably be more of the latter because as I find you know very anecdotal it’s why isn’t defense being played anymore insert player from the 80s or 90s with average 60 etc etc then you get the Knicks who defend like this

And the Orlando Magic which I’ll very quickly note if we do factor out garbage time would clean the glass uh the Orlando Magic barely have a better defensive rated than New York Knicks post Allstar break so I’ll sprinkle that in but you get these two Elite defenses

It’s like n this is ugly this is slow where are the buckets y want defense or not like what’s the what’s the bid I don’t understand I will once again Ask are are are you prepared for the New York Knicks to treat Orlando like they treated Cleveland last

Year because they did it after we recorded that PO yeah I guess I’m gonna have to get more ready I guess we’ll see um very quickly on the OG and a noi front then I had a question for you um so one OG’s been bad back for three games three Nick three

Wins for the Knicks they have won the OG minutes in those three games by 45 points that seems pretty darn good he seems pretty valuable and as you were talking about them being able to put hartenstein at the level and having OG on the back end there like there was a

Possession in that Kings game they slip a pass into Deon sabonis here’s OG and anobi and normally sabonis is just putting you underneath the basket didn’t quite do that to OG that possession that’s a very strong Wing so just having that value even if he isn’t going to get you the shot

Blocking numbers just having someone that can hold up your hold up the opposing Center and then either contest or just get out of there depending on where the center catches the ball very valuable they’re able to rotate well out of that so really impressive stuff for

The Knicks as you brought up the assist number in particular how much of that is do you think the Knicks having to kind of play out of two and then there maybe like a a secondary pass from there that kind of kills the assist opportunity but they’re

Still moving the ball well just I guess in general when they’ve gotten to how have you felt about the overall movement when they’ve gotten it uh what movement the spacing has been really good I mean there’s there’s been occasional movement between like Dante and Josh Hart to exchange to where

Dante’s one pass away I feel like they’ve tried to hammer that home recently uh but what what movement do you mean are you talking about cutting um cutting but I guess I mostly meant just general ball movement oh I mean I think they’ve done a good job of getting off of it early

And trying to swing and force teams to be in rotation I think the tricky part is balancing when to take a shot and when to drive at times and sometimes you have the okay rotate rotate contested three and then sometimes you have the Swing Drive oh there’s no one else to kick to

Type possessions or they just get late in the clock you know or they just don’t finish in the near the rim so it’s not necessarily something where I’m like I don’t think they can do it it’s more just like okay H how are they going to alternate because you also have the you

Know possessions going back to the Kings game where sabonis is at the level it’s two on the ball but then he goes to drop and now you’re anticipating to on the ball so now it’s really just Jaylen Brunson cooking which again he’s been cooking so it’s not the end of the world

But now you’re not necessarily toggled in the same way okay just want to see where you were on that now I guess is circling back to the trust Point imagine he trust Jaylen Dante Josh hardt OG hardenstein I think he precies and then once he get Julius Randle back that’s

Seven who do you think he trusts more right now uh I guess the answer is just dece m Pride at this point huh I was gonna say deuce or Buon or I guess deuce or either of the new additions once he played that man 46 and 47 minutes he became on that

List for me yeah so I guess it’s like full St it’s closer to eight I just kind of said six off Rip but you know factoring Julius coming back and stuff I I would like for them to find a little bit more for Buon but it’s getting later in the

Season so we we will just see I think this is a better context form him I’m I’m going to keep batting that uh drum home I know I’m going sound like a broken record but I think this is a better context form him with Julius is probably the best context form him in

All honesty um but this this this should be all right I think they’ll move in the right direction shouldn’t shouldn’t be a huge problem um if if you’re the Knicks do you want three seed are you okay with the four and Boston come see us in the second

Round um I I do still think you maximize the path by getting to three because Boston has just been so good I do feel like they match up well with Boston like I think that barring like somebody having absurd injury bad luck I think that series goes six or seven I would

Probably pick Boston to be transparent but like I think that series goes six or seven I do think they match up well um but easier path to the Conference Finals would still probably be getting a three or two and it kind of working that side

Of the bracket did you have any other uh any other Nick’s thoughts or any other shouts that you wanted to give uh no man let’s go ahead and Blast Off Bud okay um as you mentioned up top the Boston Celtics uh five game winning streak that is tied for the longest active win

Streak in the NBA as of recording we will see what happens with the Monday nights late of game so thank you or I’m sorry depending on how those games go also winners of five straight are your Houston Rockets and as we look at the standings real quick 32 and 35 as of

Recording they’re only three and a half back of the Lakers like I don’t I don’t know how much you want to believe on that front the Lakers have lost their last two the Lakers defense has fallen off of a cliff post Allstar break I it’s a it’s a small enough deficit to

Where you at least got to keep eyes on it I would just I’m just saying it’s three and a half and the rockets are winning games right now but winners are five straight uh if you want to narrow it down they’ve won their last Street since ALR shenon

Suffered his really bad injury uh the strength of opponent they were on the road against the Spurs they beat the Wizards and they beat the Cavs and R honestly ran the Cavs off the court on Saturday and like that was where I was like hey wait a minute like I’ve been

Having fun like either watching full games or just kind of catching segments of Rocket games like ah this looks pretty good they’re playing smaller Tempo feels better switching all over the Jo landelle looks like a functional rotation piece looks more closer to what I thought he was going to be this year

Over this recent stretch than what it’s been for most of the year because buddy it was it was bad it was bad he he he actually looks functional but watching that Cleveland game was where I was like oh they are really putting this together like the offense just feels better Jaya

Green running pick and roll with Jabari running it with a in Thompson Fred Van bleet running ball screens it just felt like everyone was making quicker decisions with the ball and also just shooting the leather off of it which helps and then defensively forcing all sorts of

Turnovers like I feel like a man had like three or four runouts in that first half alone it’s like oh they are really getting after it and if this is what this is what this unic can look like I am very much in on this but we will

Circle back quickly to Jaylen green like we just talked about him on the last pod so I don’t want to belver the point too much but I’ve just been so impressed with how quickly making decisions these days and how quickly he’s diagnosing the coverages in front of him yeah I wonder

Where we have heard this before but like it’s been funny to like think about the progression of Jaylen green throughout his career where it’s I’m gonna come off this ball screen I’m gonna snake it every time and we see what we got which not inherently a bad thing but the best

Ball handlers they’re snaking pick and rolls with a reason there there is a cat and mouse with the big if that guy creeps up I can now throw a lob or skip to the corner if that guy sinks down if he’s playing too far back I can get to a

Comfortable mid-range shot Etc and it felt like Jaylen was saking it to read but like wasn’t processing it as quickly as he could and ultimately it felt like him trying to slow down for the sake of slowing down you don’t necessarily want to do that when you’re also throwing

Some Tempo stuff and you know now conversation we had earlier this year Jaylen green just getting the defender on his back putting the defender in jail and kind of slow playing it there which again not inherently bad but if you’re slowing down for the sake of slowing

Down versus slowing down for the sake of reading and putting a defense in a bond what are you really doing and it’s felt like over this recent stretch there has been a much better balance of this is what I’m being presented with this is what I’m going to

Do if I run a high pick and roll and they’re trying to ice it and we got like Jared Allen at the level if I don’t have anything hey there’s Jabari Smith on the pop I’m gonna get it to him and I’m gonna let my teammates play out of that

But there was a possession early in the first quarter of that game where that situation happened on the right sideline gets to Jabari Jabari drives against Jared Allen Dylan Brooks eventually gets the ball drives gets Donovan Mitchell he knocks down like a turnaround jumper late in the clock it’s like okay it’s

Not a sexy play it’s not a highlight that is jayen recognizing I got two let me get it to him let’s play some Advantage Basketball and even if that didn’t end in a pure Advantage they got points out of it whereas Jaylen could have done too much could have tried a

More aggressive pass than necessary could have been a turnover just gets off of it and like honestly if you looked at the last three games in particular like two of my favorite plays from Jaylen green have been non- shooting fouls for him like there was a play against

Cleveland where they put trist late in the quarter Tristan Thompson’s in they try to put two on the ball against him he just recognizes okay I don’t really have a pass I can just beat this dude off the dribble drives to his left gets leverage on Tristan Thompson it’s a foul

Couldn’t get it and then there was a play against San Antonio in of the second quarter I want to say they’re going in the Spain pick and roll J landel set in the screen Victor wanyama creeping up he takes a bad angle to try to cut off Jaylen Jaylen goes between

His legs and and splits the pick and roll and draws a foul on women because he’s just reaching at that point I’m just like yo that’s that’s that’s all you need from Jaylen green see what’s in front of you make the right play get off of it necessary pick your spots in terms

Of your aggression it’s cool and then with more of the conservative stuff if it’s dropped I have a shot I can just do this if it’s a switch I can Boogie against you or if there’s a pocket against the switch I can just pull straight up like that’s all we’ve been

Waiting for with Jaylen green so to see that more consistently that’s been that’s been a bright spot for me in addition to he’s just making well over 40% of his threes as a blade so like that’s obviously helpful but the process feels better with him I think Fred Van

Vet what you got you see no no no Rock Rockets F clip this portion CLP CL clip that portion you can do your Jaylen grein thing no one said it before keep going I’m not saying no one said on the part with the guy that’s been talking

About don’t put me in that camp on jayen but zooming out like I think FR bed’s obviously been important on both ends like the drives have been they’ve been interesting I think he’s making good decisions as a passer the finishing remains kind of a question mark with him but he is getting downhill

And ultimately the defenses have felt more tilted against Houston with the smaller group anyway so like the decisions have been easier for him he’s also knocking down a bunch of shots from Deep so when they do play come off ball and Jaylen is handling or am man is

Handling or whoever else like he does provide that obvious value there also provides value as an on ball screener or a ghost screener so if any of those ball hander wants to run you can still half Fred in the action I remain impressed with what jabari’s been able to do this

Year like the shot is just here in addition to all the different matchups he’s had to take on defensively I am keeping an eye on Houston with this smaller group and I’ll get into some of the lineup numbers shortly but Jabari can switch against just about everyone

And you don’t feel awful about it which is a positive to him and a credit to how good he is defensively already when he does switch they are very small on the back end and while I love I’m in flying in for blocks whatever the case may

Be in terms of like pure Rim protection that gets a little bit dicey and so like that’s something to keep an eye on in terms of like how often they can actually run this unit especially once shenon comes back either later this year or more realistically next season I

Think eem’s probably taken this sample as something to look at like okay how often can we close with this group or just throughout the duration of a game how often can we get to it I think he’s getting some a very valuable sample with that but either way jabari’s been very

Good I’m in setting screens has been fun like similar conversation to what we had about assar and Detroit uh before this recent three- game stretch am man Thompson had set 63 on ball screens over his last three games he had set 21 he said a season High nine against

San Antonio which made sense because wiy got the in match up let him roam around all the good stuff but like just he’s not getting a whole bunch of lobs yet I do wish like some of the ball handers would hit him on those slips at least

Try it because like he is open on those so it hasn’t been like a high volume he’s catching three lobs a game beat yet with him as a roller but like just kind of watching the form with him as a screener like he seems to have the foot

Work down he’s slipping out there quickly giving yourself a catch you know so he’s doing that stuff and then with everything else really fun connector in the half court shooting remains a question mark but we knew that def Ely fist the on ball can make ridiculous plays off the ball I’m really enjoying

This I’m in stretch from him I’m just really enjoyed the Rockets as late ah interesting very interesting good stuff well done Nas I think to your Jaylen Greenpoint just quick decisions reading the defense making the right plays making the right reads uh obviously it does appear when he makes

Shots things do feel better but to respond in the month of March with 24 night five rebounds three ass 49% from the field 37 from three on volume that ain’t bad considering where he was and I think to your point to your credit when you talk about Fred Van bleet he can

Always still be Fred Van bleet and he can play Within Tempo so if they play a little bit quicker it’s not like you’re just ending things for Fred it feels like the Rockets are evolving and starting to find their way as far as what they want to continue to build

Towards which I think is important you know I think you you took a team you wanted to make sure you got X Y and Z down it was something I was concerned with the whole season like I understand why we’re kind of going this route being

A little bit more decisive a little bit more deliberate at times Tempo wise but I was worried as the league would catch on to okay we just need to defend that and now what are y’all gon to do and now you see them flowing into different options using their personnel in

Different ways Thompson’s a screener has been fun I think some of the elbow action whether it’s with Jabari or amen has been fun I I think it’s one of those things where we know what shingu can bring to the table we know we can do around him we also have this type of

Lineup and if we add more pieces we can go into this for certain stretches or in the quarter with this start a quarter with this close a game with that if we need to I think that would be a positive overall you know you want to have more

Duality as a team I think to your Jabari defense point it’s been interesting to watch not just the switching and the activity on those but also when he’s guarding a big off a switch and the timing on you know his contests at The Rim that’s been positive to see um nice

To see Dylan Brooks getting back to making shots I I just think I think that’s been fun and then the off ball stuff from Jaylen green too has popped a little bit as far as his timing relocating it’s been fun that’s been fun uh did you know during this five-game

Win strength uh alen Thompson 14 points seven rebounds shooting 72% from the field that’s pretty darn good yeah yeah also crushing the offensive glass as well so again you cannot you can’t stash small guards on him like I think it has shifted especially with this lineup so I

Think that is driving it more than anything but you got to stat bigs on him if you’re gonna stash anyone on him like you just I just think he’s already made stash a guard that we don’t want to defend actions on am in Thompson is a viable strategy moving forward he’s too

Willing of a screener and again like on the technical side he’s already a good screener in my opinion but beyond that he will just Crush you and generate a bunch of extra possessions if you put a small guy on him um just very quickly on the lineup

Front uh the Fred Van bleet Jaylen green I’m in Thompson Dylan Brooks Jabari Smith Jr lineup has played 42 minutes this year 39 of those have come since shon’s been down uh but in those minutes 89 possessions per clean the glass A 136 offensive rating a 121.1mi and they don’t allow offensive

Rebounds that often either with this group so that is interesting again it’s more it’s less the rebounding and more if team gets shot at The Rim What’s Happening Here with this group and if they are sing in extra help in the paint then those sprays out you know those

Sprays to the corner or out to the perimeter in general like you’re getting some uncontested looks there so there are still some things to sort out defensively with that group but uh the early returns with Houston have been pretty darn good so I just wanted to

Give them the quick salute so they can the play in push we’ll see the play and push that you got them over the Lakers I don’t but again it’s close enough to where you have to keep eyes on it that’s that’s all I’m saying if you’re burying the lead the Rockets have

Also won what four straight road games yeah which is very very important considering theyve won nine total for the year they took they picked the right time to have this kind of run so just wanted to quickly salute the Houston Rockets okay who who’s got you thinking

Bud well uh Loosely related to the Houston Rockets I guess the team that is making me think the most would be the Brooklyn Nets right now as you know as I kind of tease the Rockets are close enough in the playin race to you know you got to keep eyes on

Them to see if they can make a run the Brooklyn Nets starting to fade they really had an opportunity to make a run especially directly after like Trey young went down I have some Atlanta stuff a little bit later but had an opportunity to close some ground

As did Toronto Raptors but thus Scotty Barnes went out the Raptors I think have lost like seven straight as a recording the Nets have lost their last three they are now four and a half games behind Atlanta for the 10 seed as of recording 26 and 42

Overall I am in a really weird place with Mel Bridges in particular and for me it’s been trying to balance what the context is for him off offensively what defenses are doing to him more recently and how his team has been able to or not been able to

Capitalize on that and just general Mel Bridges is missing the mark in this particular area like if you just look at his post All-Star rate numbers 16.3 points per game post Allstar break 45% on twos 34% from three on high volume only getting to the line three and a

Half times not ideal more pressing 31% on mid-range jumpers post All-Star break and we know how good Mel generally is on those looks whether just pure pull-ups around the elbow or those fading jumpers to his left he’s very comfortable knocking down those shots the fact that those haven’t fallen at

All it’s du analysis here it stins that he’s not making shots but just kind of looking at what he’s been able to do inside the arc it just feels like he’s not comfortable inside the arc or has it been post allar break and that’s probably the most

Concerning part for me with him like just looking at him coming off a ball screen getting to getting inside The Arc in general if you are to Envision a high pick role with Mel he’s getting drop coverage he has let’s say four dribbles available to him before this drop turns

Into a late switch which teams like to do that to Mel it just feels like he’s taking two dribbles and then getting offl of it versus taking that third dribble and either really putting strain on that big or flowing into a more comfortable pull-up jumper for him and

So like little process stuff like that has kind of caught my eye and like watching the Spurs game in particular he’s really being bothered as a ball handler like one I think Tre Jones just deserves the salute like despite his size like he is a really pesky on ball Defender but like watching

Him kind of dictate where Mel gets to go and Mel either because of the handle or because like you know a lot of possessions Victor Wim yama’s in front of him and you just don’t know how much space you actually have against wimy like that also factors in

But he just felt unbalanced and unsure and like that’s what I don’t want to see from him I want him to I want to feel like I know what Mel is trying to get to if he misses a shot he misses a shot but I at least want to know what he’s trying

To get to but it feels like he’s been leaving a little bit off the table against drop in particular it popped in that Spurs game but it’s popped in others as well but then I go to the other side of the equation he’s been seeing a lot more to

On the ball as of late and some of that is just the opponent like when you are facing Orlando and they put Mo vogner at the level when he’s on the floor or when window’s in there when you’re facing Charlotte we’ve talked a lot about the Hornets on this podcast and Steve

Clifford’s belief in being more aggressive defensively generally so like some of that is just the team we face is aggressive in pick and roll but I decided to look it up on second Spectrum earlier today um before the allstar break roughly 1% of Mel Bridges pick and rols

Were blitzed whole lot of drop whole lot of switches whole lot of late switches since the All-Star break there have been I believe 82 players that have run at least 100 picking rolls only two of them have seen a higher percentage of blitzes than Mel Bridges that is a stark difference in

What he’s seeing and so I’ve been trying to hold Grace for he’s not used to seeing it to this volume this level of volume but I’ve also felt like he has handled those pretty well like as I went through the clips of all of those in particular it feels like he’s getting

Off the ball when he needs to and there are many of possessions where getss two to the ball slips the pass into Nick Nick Claxton Claxton kicks it out to the corner shot is missed that goes down as a zero in terms of the tracking data and it brings the

Overall number down but in terms of process Mel did what he was supposed to like I think overall he’s found the nice balance of ic2 I’m getting off of it either to the relief pass at the wing or hitting the slipping big if there’s anything I want to criticize with Mel

There is just when he is making the pass to the big in particular pass placement past velocity in particular it’s where it’s like H you probably put a little bit more juice on some of these because there have been possessions where he’s flipping into Nick CL it’s a super high soft pass Nick

Catches it but by the time he catches it defender’s gotten back to him because the ball’s just too high too soft defense has time to recover so like there’s room for betterment there but overall like Mel’s seeing more aggression than he’s ever seen I think he’s handling that okay and so I’ve been

Trying to balance the again like that being a positive and overall if you do believe in Mel as a primary option moving forward if you’re in Brooklyn you want to see him handle pressure well on the flip side he also kind of needs to do the things that brought him to the dance

He has to be a better finisher he has to be a mid mid-range score and so that’s where I’m just like how am I like taking all of this in with Mel you just watch the progression of a young player instead of this thing we do with young play players will be churn

Through them with extra quick speed and now we’re talking about Jaylen green a certain light in year x k Cunningham a certain light Anthony Edwards poo Mel Bridges now we compare them to this player and oh now they’re not this player that they weren’t actually because we didn’t give them the

Chance to grow into this Player No actually they’re not very good think about where we are at with maau Bridges and what a year span Nikas yeah cuz we want to do discourse we want to have fun with discourse wo this oo look at this player on the rise

Look oh I think he’s good look look how good he is oh he’s not good anymore I have no numbers to support that he’s good anymore so I will be quiet until the numbers come back these things take time context is important team structure is important growth is important the funniest part is

As you were mentioning the first part of what you were saying in my head I was thinking this is sometimes what happens as a player you get to a certain level and you think to get to the next level I need to work on X Y and Z I need to work

On this mid-range pull-up or I need to shoot these pull-up threes and that shot doesn’t fall so now you’re trying to figure out how to get to the same shots that you had already done but you can’t always assume success when you think about it the

First thing into my mind when you talked about Macau and picking roll and being bothered think about the fact that now Brooklyn will come up the floor just throw it to maau early in the clock and he has the wait for a picking like a big

To come set a screen for him how much did we see that last year didn’t feel like very often as the starting point now if he was cooking off movement or in transition then yeah all of a sudden yeah it’s different but now it’s like no you’re good go ahead and

Make make these plays this is part of the growth for a player for a young player to where it’s not just we think you’re a primary option when the people with the shirts on with the logos and the polos sit down they say we want to

Take you away we dive into ways to take you away and we work to make you uncomfortable and we try and take away the things you like to do that’s part of it you have to Now search and find it when you have more attention from a

Defense when you have more of a focus from a defense when the driving lines aren’t as clear think about what we saw growth-wise from the cow Bridges it wasn’t just the shooting and the scoring it’s also cutting and screening being used in different ways take a look at

The difference in usage from Macau Bridges from Phoenix to Brooklyn last year to Brooklyn this year how much does that change a good bit is he involved in the same way offensively not to say you have to do that to be able to unlock all of

What maau does we saw that in the playoff series when he cooks he cooks but have they stayed away from the entire package because Oh no you’re doing this now we need you to do this oh I was just going to say very quickly as

I looked it up uh 236 on ball screen set for uh set by Mel Bridges this year that was at 428 last year so just off of like the early drag stuff he was doing in Phoenix volume is just way down on that front he’s naturally taking on more on

Ball usage but but continue it’s it’s different play it’s different context and now you got to figure out have we overcorrected or have we over pushed into this territory not the primary option territory but this is your specific role for our team have we taken things off the table for you that can

Happen to where yes you have you have reached a level where we want you to do X Y and Z but we’re not letting you do it in the same way and I’m glad you mentioned the shooting like the scoring’s down from from Brooklyn because last year Brooklyn I mean come on

26 47 from the field 37 from three 89 from the free throw line it’s pretty good numbers he’s at 20 now for the whole season down to 43% thre are at 36 same volume so I mean that’s still there the assists are up got a career high and

Assists we don’t really talk about that portion of it do we it’s not really a thing we do we should like even during this stretch 3.9 assists only 1.6 turnovers yeah there’s there’s legitimate good stuff happening with the playmaking portion I think it’s important grow for him but it does feel

Like the the lack of scoring and again some of the Interior him not being as comfortable inside the arc like I think that’s popping louder like understandably so if he if he is supposed to be your top scorer or number two when cam Thompson cam Thomas is there like I understand

Being frustrated why is this guy only averaging 16 points like I don’t want to completely discount that portion but yeah like he’s also doing other good things no I mean the the I mean last year the restricted area finishing was at 67% this year it’s at 62 I think what

You mentioned about the mid-range post Allstar break was important because you have to remember last year he was shooting 45.3% from mid-range this year for the whole year he’s at 39 and so you now have the difference of volume when it comes to those shots is he taking more mid-range shots

Now and missing more how does that bleed into what shot do I go into and then the other thing for me was a whole lot of ab above the break threes and he’s shooting 35% but it’s on 300 306 attempts right now which is changing the shot diet a

Little bit to a degree so if we’re looking at a scenario where you’ve now taken your mid-range shots from 20% to like 15% of your attempts and you’re above the bre three is over 25% of your attempts and you’re not making those at a high enough clip it looks different it

Feels different so how much of this is does the context change how much of this is do we use him differently how much is if it is does he just more decisive with the shots that he wants to take and does he clean up the shot

Selection and get back to some of that how many Cuts do we see from maal honestly does it feel like a lot because like who is he cutting off of to that point like it’s just it’s a tough context for him and it’s like also choosing when to

Be aggressive like you mentioned the Spurs game he’s got an opportunity he drives against wmy he pulls it back out he stays on it and drives again it’s like well did we you could have maybe this is time to swing it to the other side since you have

Wimy but that that’s one of those snares where I just I would like people to see the value in what they’re doing and see where they can grow as opposed to well you’re just not this so off to Jeremy Grantland you go yeah I think it’s fair to say there’s

A’s a little bit more than who wants to be had there and then I just think like very quickly on the broader scale with how this season has gone with how Mel has looked post All-Star break and then in light of you know the reporting that the Rockets offered like Jaylen green

And Brooklyn’s pcks backs or whatever to get Mel and Brooklyn’s like nah actually we’re good which honestly I can understand where Brooklyn’s like well no actually we’re okay like one we think Mel is better than Jaylen two based on the trades we made with Phoenix and stuff like we should still

Have enough future picks and we have good players on the to where if we still believe in Mel as a foundational piece in theory we could trade for somebody else without having to give up Mel and we’re fine and then you factor in the contract portion Mel’s already locked in

On a pretty good deal for himself you would have to pay jayen almost immediately like he’d be heading into restri free agency next offseason I believe and that dollar Mount could end up coming in at a higher number than Mel just by virtue of the cap goes up all

That good stuff so I can see why you say no there but I I do wonder if in the building they’re like hm maybe we could have gotten jayen all those picks and maybe he’s just getting these reps and we got more picks to play with

All that good stuff I wonder if that’s just like a thought in the room not even a full-blown regret but at least the H we could have thought like five more minutes about this before saying no I I’m not touching that I’m gonna let you cook I’m let Nets fans cook with that

I’m G let Rockets fans cook with that y’all have a blast tell me how it tastes for me I would just like to see more of a flow for Brooklyn so I can know okay Mel’s just not playing at a certain level because there’s just so many possessions where it’s Dennis shoter

Pick and roll m’s on the weak side they’re not even thinking about it cam Town’s pick and roll M they’re not even thinking about so it’s like how many secondary type Drive kick plays skip pass plays is he getting not to throw bail because the numbers are the numbers

The performance isn’t at a certain level but I don’t know if that def finds him as a player yeah I mean because you look at a player like Brandon Ingram and the growth that he showcased with his shot Di and being able to maintain that shot diet while

Also adding to his game these things can happen you look at demard Rosen how he’s grown and how he could still play at a high level these things can happen Zack LaVine to where he was as a scorer and to a playmaker and the drives are hitting things evolve let them evolve

People let evolve hey hey hey Steve what do you what do you think about Brandon Ingram as a passer gee I don’t know I wish someone would talk about Brandon Ingram in his playmaking I think that would be a smart thing to discuss his drives and the

Impact that they have and his ability to play and pick and role and make skip passes sadly we’re not going to do that here um next team that I want but no it all seriousness uh I want to quickly salute the Orlando Magic for being very good uh but also I want to

Salute the Orlando Magic broadcast team because I’m very much about to just steal the uh is this anything section I want to ask you about three teams and some numbers that I found interesting if that is cool with you you you got to do the pose though if we going to take is

This anything there we go thank you there it is there it is so I mentioned a little bit earlier that I had some stuff on Atlanta uh since February 24th which you know we say since Trey Young’s been out the Atlanta Hawks are six and five they’re 14th in

Offense I clear dip there they are eighth in defense per cleaning the glass they have the third best pick and roll defense if you look at the all-encompassing any possession that features a pick and roll defended by Atlanta if you look at the direct number pick and roll is ran ball handler shoots

Or pass the roller who shoots or pass the shooter who shoots they are first and points per possession allowed since since February 24th they are switching more often switching about 24% of pick and rolls that’s down you know that’s up from 18.7% before Trey went

Down what are we taking from the uh the N the the trailer stretch here from Atlanta is that anything not that that wasn’t what I was thinking from this stretch what you what what you mean now hold on hold on hold on a minute play how many games did you

Say uh there six and five so 11 games I’m going do some quick math uh opponent that stretch Orlando Utah Brooklyn twice the Knicks Cleveland Memphis New Orleans Portland Utah the Clippers that version of the Clippers it’s something I don’t know if it’s that thing but it’s something like that’s

Good it’s good that the activity is working in the def I I don’t it’s good that they’re being decisive but I don’t know if it’s I’m I’m not do you try how many teams you trust how many teams you want Clint capella switching against be

Honest not a lot I mean here’s the thing with where Atlanta is if they only have to switch against Chicago and then they might have to switch against whoever in the the whoever the 78 loser is you might be able to get away with it for two

Games but then they’d have to face Boston in which that’s not going to go the way that you want to go so but yeah I just wanted to point out Atlanta they switching more defense seems better overall again the offense is obviously dipped so it’s not like the

Hawks are just a much better team without Trey all that good stuff so I’m not going that far but I just want to see like hey where you at on the defense in particular because it makes sense without Trey in the lineup that they’re able to switch more because they just

Have bigger bodies in they’ve gotten good stuff but again you P up the schedule all the good stuff so want to see where you were uh s wait a minute no Jaylen Brunson even play that next game nah I’m changing my vote no bro said it means nothing

It doesn’t matter what your PPP is gosh started that is that is a shot and a half okay let’s move on gonna talk about the Denver Nuggets very quickly 11-2 post All-Star break uh basic technically a half game behind OKC but with the tiebreaker they’re basically a full game

Back OKC has a tiebreaker right now but since the All-Star break second best pick and roll in defense in the League 0.89 points per possession they had the fifth best overall defense we’ve been talking about Denver’s defense throughout podcast this season so nothing different there the more interesting thing for me with Denver’s

Defense they have the second highest switch rate in the league post Allstar break they’re switching over 38% of pick and roles post Allstar break number one you you can guess it is Brooklyn switching nearly half but 46% or whatever is this a virtue of some of the

Teams they face do you feel like this is just let’s te let’s get some more reps in right now in a specific stretch just so we can sprinkle it in throughout the postseason has that even registered for you that Denver is switching more uh it feels like playoff

Prep more of like hey eventually Aaron Gordon at the five will arrive just so just so you’re aware hey Zeke can you do some of that just in case we don’t want to automatically go to that we could switch both of y’all that’d be fantastic

Hey joic let’s try it a couple times big dog why not let’s just’s see what a couple of these late switches hit for so it feels more like experimentation plus let’s let’s keep this in our back pocket for the playoff run because eventually that’s what they got to last year as far

As Aaron Gordon Jeff Green you will solve the Y the yic off the court minutes by switching so it feels like a a recreation point for me okay got positive though it’s positive okay got you got you last one I have for you uh want to go back to the weekend with the

Pelicans getting a crucial win over the Los Angeles Clippers they Clos that game with Brandon Ingram on the floor Trey Murphy the third on the floor herb Jones on the floor Zion on the floor Larry n Jr on the floor no CJ which I found interesting oh no yeah you g sound like

The Pelicans fans that was at me this weekend brought that to the podcast that’s what you want to do to me no I’m just I’m just you want to do to me and I just note that that particular lineup peran glass has only 17 possessions this year MH so my question

Is going to be I have another lineup stat too I get to but just on that front was that a oneof Larry nass is playing well CJ hasn’t shot well in this one let’s just close with this group or could you see them tapping into that lineup or just those four Brandon Ingram

Trey Murphy herb Zion without CJ do you see them tapping into that more as the season in SL gets to the postseason I mean I’ll take it off just purely CJ I think it’s optionality for the Pelicans m in the sense that we have different groups that we feel comfortable closing

With depending on the matchup depending on the scenario do we need size we can now size up a little bit do we need to be more switchable or have someone who can do some of the switchy things so it’s not just Zion or do we need someone

Who can be active and help if teams are trying to attack Zion those kind of things I feel like is a positive for the Pelicans to have optionality in case okay JV is not working at a certain level we need to go in this direction or

See doesn’t have it going we can still do in this direction so I mean I wouldn’t lock it in as CJ’s just not going to close yeah but I I think it’s more of a and also you know if you have a scenario where Trey Murphy is

Playing well he may earn the opportunity if he’s on one of those heaters if you have a scenario where herb Jones plus insert Defender here is playing well they make it themselves in a scenario where oh you you sprinkle enough makes we need the havoc on the other end so I

I think that more speaks to the Pelicans having options than just it’s just not going to be CJ yeah makes sense and then just quickly just guess put a bow on like the the CJ portion in particular because I do agree with you overall like I think it’s more about the optionality

Than let’s pick on CJ like CJ’s the the easy one in this case just because huh this is interesting there’s no CJ here and also just looking at the roster like he’s the smallest player of that group so if you do want to size up then

Naturally he’s going to be the guy um but on the year 109 possessions with Ingram Murphy Jones Zion on the floor without CJ a plus 20.1 net rating in those possessions offense below average honestly a 13.8 offensive rating though they have not shot well from three uh in

Those lineups only 3 30.8% from three in that group but a 93.7 defensive rating which really intrigues me on that front so again just wanted to toss it to you to see where where you were on that I got a question for you what’s up is that closing lineup better than if

You ever were go CJ Trey Brandon Ingram herb Jones and Zion I mean if if Zion’s gonna defend this hard like that you might be able to get away with Zion at the five you know obviously gonna depend on who you’re facing but you may be able to get away with that

And that’s a lot of offensive Firepower in particular keep keeping Zion at the five in my back pocket that’s one of those things where I I can’t stand that I caught that game I feel like it was like a Washington game they did it for like four minutes and I was like they’re

Doing the thing and then I’m like hey they’re gonna do the thing and everyone’s like no no they’re not I’m like okay well that’s not fun and then very quickly before we before I hand the mic over to you just want to see how often they’ve even

Played that lineup ah per pppp stats CJ Brandon igram Zion herb Jones Trey Murphy on the floor together 34 minutes together on the year uh the net rating is not kind but it’s a 34 Minute sample so I want to see what the actual total is uh a minus 13

And 34 minutes uh the net rating is like a minus 23 or something but again it’s 34 minutes so oh this man they have lost those minutes so far that man tape that for data all right did you have any other anything golly no I’m G cap it

There I’m G cap it there who are some teams that are making you think Steve well honestly I I brought up a team that I thought was making you think uh do you have thoughts about the Los Angeles Clippers do you have thoughts about the Los Angeles Clippers losing to that

Version of the Atlanta Hawks at home do you want to talk about it do you want to talk about it Nas or or you know you know what we should do we should just point to all those games with they blue leads um and then just cap it there

Dealer’s Choice which one do you want to do I see what I see what you’re doing I think with the Clippers I wonder how much of it is just weird February March and them kind of having the prove it stretch earlyer on that got them into

Like the top three spots and just like okay let’s just make sure we’re healthy now which I would understand if that’s how they if that’s what they got to but it’s also a bit of an indictment like didn’t y’all make a whole thing about caring about the regular season and now

Y’all have this really really positive stretch and it’s like ah now we good we’ll just tap into it when we need to like if that’s the thing it kind of goes both ways for me um in terms of like what I’m actually noticing with the group like I just I remain very

Frustrated by their transition defense and like that’s just something that that that has to be cleaned up it doesn’t matter who’s play if you have Harden out if you have Kawai out or whatever like that just has to be cleaned up like in most cases I mean zoo is the

Biggest guy in your rotation I can understand him he’s gonna be in the paint he can try to crash or whatever like send another guy at maximum if you want to crash if you have a favorable lineup small guy on insert big Wing here you want to crash off in the glass like

Just get back I feel like that solves so many of their issues defensively you look like the overall defensive rating post Allstar break and all that good stuff literally get back on defense and I think they’ be okay like that part bothers me and I guess to the

Offensive side before I let you go I’m sorry I feel like I’m talking a lot but to the offensive side like just keeping an eye on just keeping an eye on James Harden in general I don’t want we’re back we’re so back don’t do me like this man what you

Mean you it’s not my fault that every time we go you hit the James Harden button what you want me to do all I can do is point it out James Harden has been very good for this season like I’ve made cases here and also like when we did the

Episode JJ like hey we should probably at least keep an eye on Harden for like an All-Star spot he ultim he didn’t make it all that good stuff but like James Harden has been very good on balance I do not want to take that away from him I

Will say like I’ve felt more and more games recently with the Clippers where he’s not getting into the pick and roll as quickly as he was it’s feeling a little bit more pound heavy for him and then there is just the general if we are actually going to press the nayas

Button how many shots is he taking at The Rim how often is he touching the pain if we are going to if we’re GNA tap into that portion like I do think it’s at least wor at least worth acknowledging that part hasn’t super been there as of

Late and if the floater isn’t going to go down to the same degree then the midies aren’t hitting like that either I think again obviously still really good the organization that he brings to the offense is still very valuable him having the ball in general gets Paul George kawhai off of it you

Can set up different things from there so like I’m not arguing he’s a net negative or anything to the sort but if he is going to have the ball like they do need to get into their actions earlier like we’ve literally seen it so he can do it get into the actions

Earlier and then as a scorer he’s going to have to put pressure on defenses especially as we move into the postseason he’s going to have to do damage inside the arc too whether that’s just the pure pullup or the step back midi but that’s the floater getting all

The way to the rim and drawing fouls like he is going to need for that portion to per back up so those would be my Clipper thoughts as of late okay well would you like to go down the rabbit hole that Steve went down uh too early

In the morning uh because hash my mind was restless and I saw a tweet that made me upset ah sure which brief also s side quest side note uh y’all are doing way too much nit discourse it’s like more nit discourse than the prep for the

Actual nit uh which I realized has been like 16 years since I played in that I’m old anyways so the clippers for the season fifth in offensive rating 14th in defensive rating post All-Star break 10th in offensive rating 25th in defensive rating so your offense has

Taking a hit and your defense is taking a dive and that can’t be the formula but I tie it back to the Clippers overall context in which this stretch would usually be most of the season for the Clippers yeah in which we’re waiting for them to hit it

We’ve we’ve already seen the high notes so there’s that in the back of your brain mixed with this and how much of this is March weird February injuries in and out or hey the Clippers have an issue or if they don’t hit these notes they can’t win I think that’s a real

Portion of the game and evaluating it to where yes these teams are good but they are good for a reason you have to evaluate a team when they can’t hit those marks and how do they react you know what I mean yeah if a team is great defensively and they

The defense isn’t the same and they can’t survive well put that in the bank well they can’t get stops they’re they’re in trouble which seems like dumb analysis DH scoring is important but you know what I mean yeah I get what you’re think for the season and and I noticed

This real quick right 18th in points in the paint post all Ser rate they’re 21st in points in the paint for the season they’re 10th in points off turnovers post Aller rate their 26 in points off turnovers for the season they’re 13th and opponent points in the P post Aller rate they’re

19th for the season 11th and opponent points off turnovers 23rd post All-Star break that’s a that’s a problem so there is a dip here there’s a dip here as far as some of the things we’re not getting easy ones we’re giving up easier ones that tilts the context that tilts the

Formula their losses that they have post All-Star break OKC Sacramento the Lakers the Bucks twice Minnesota the Pelicans and the Hawks now I’ll throw a little bit of a caveat out there some of that could have been expected if we paid attention uh because like I think

There’s only three times this year they swept back Tob backs they’ve had four back Tob backs post Allstar break so when you I was about to say like I think they’ve if I remember the Tweet correctly I hate I can’t remember who tweeted out but I think have played six

Games in the last nine days so like some of that is just we are tired and this is an older Group which is why I don’t suggest anyone should just press the big red button for this stretch there’s a there’s enough conceptual here like let’s keep an eye on this at the very

Least I think the biggest thing is the question mark is like I went from hey the Clippers have more teams they have to worry about in the west than Denver to hey what’s going on with the Clippers I think one thing that stands out to me

Is you can just feel you mentioned that the offense has hasn’t had some of that same movement and some of that same tempo they’ve had the same Concepts but they’re back into that slower grind start with 15 one screen maybe we get to a second screen now it’s cook time which

We saw can have success at times but if that’s your base that could be an issue the defense you’re seeing them work for the rotations but you’re seeing some of these breakdowns are we switching are we not switching which coverage is our big in oh yeah we have

Three bigs which bigs are we playing we’re rotating out of it because we have the Personnel but those rotations a little slower we’re in we’re in rotation a little bit more than we want to be we don’t have the same juice and I will say even winding out past Clippers this is

Part of the program like you you learn who you are as a team you you B you try to get to the best version of your team it’s not always linear like sometimes the mind is there the bodies aren’t you have to figure out how to navigate those

Parts of the season but that’s where having a base is important and that’s where it’s like okay we know what the Clippers can get to it’s on them to get back to it because ultimately you know what your good is you know what your bad is you know what your flaws are you’re

Trying to work through them you’re trying to disguise while a whole other team is trying to hit those same notes it’s tough I think if they get back to playing get out of starting sets later in the clock get back to moving when they get two on the ball and making

Teams pay I think they’ll be fine uh another thing that stood out to me real quick or two they’re third in the league in three-point percentage right Nik MH they at 38.6 for the year post all Ser rate they’re shooting 35.7% from three not gonna get it done especially

When you don’t get to the rim that often you’re taking a dip there uh the last two games we mentioned Atlanta 28 made field goals 17 assists for the Clippers at New Orleans 37 made field goals 18 assists for the Clippers they are averaging 24.3 assists per game post

All-Star break that’s a lot closer to the 23.2 they average in losses for the season so I just think it’s balancing things and getting back to your profile is probably to be the most important thing for them and then just getting their lineups back in order because ending the quarter with Kawai zubach

Teren man Amir coffee and Bones feels a little different starting the quarter with James hard and PJ Tucker Amir coffee bones and Danel tit feels a little different so I think it’s a lot of what we talked about before for the Clippers now creeping back up at a not

Ideal time yeah I had to say very quickly it’s not his fault just because of the injuries and stuff like that these Daniel TI plus PJ front Court minutes are hey man it’s it’s not fair to insert star hero that’s in with those two you you just don’t have

Room it’s just two very obvious help points while there and again like it’s not some of this we just kind of have to find minutes because a lot of guys are out but if we’re just talking about what’s contributed to some of this wonkiness for them offensively and stuff

Like that during this reason stretch like that’s part of it that’s all I got uh can I ask a question real quick sure quick free throw what you got uh Marcus Morris or PJ Tucker I don’t know if you’re gonna like my answer I ain’t gonna hold you that

Uh we’ll see I I think the clip would probably rather have Marcus Morris at the four than PJ all right all right I’m just all right moving right along hey Nikas what did you think of Kade Cunningham’s late game shot against the Miami Heat I don’t know what he was

Doing I told he told you what he was doing but go ahead no I just when you don’t have a shot clock in the game is tied you need to win that game or you need to be prepared to play five more minutes and for him to take

That shot with that much time on the clock in a tie basketball game that bothered me and you know as I am Mr the process guy even if he hit that shot I would have been like hey that’s cool why on Earth did you take this with this

Much time on the clock so I just I don’t mind Kate taking I don’t mind the shot that Kate took I don’t mind Kate as a concept saying I am ending this when you don’t have a shot clock you can’t you can’t take that with that much time with

Clock especially since it was that shot it’ be one thing just like beat Caleb Martin off the bound and got to the rim and missed I still wouldn’t want to go that early but at least okay you took a shot there and missed the type of shot

It was he literally could have just got that whenever he wanted to I feel like you you gotta you have to end the game or go to overtime there now here’s the thing right number one when these conversations come up we get ourselves into like a lot of

Hypothetical land which I don’t love it’s not my favorite thing to do I do think Monty Williams told the truth and y’all didn’t like some of it you you specifically you would have been on the process no matter what but there’s a lot of folks if K Cunningham

Had hit that shot to put the Pistons up and they end up winning that game they would be like K cooking ham or something I don’t know whatever the kids say these days they they would have let that fly and then once I kind of heard what Kade

Said and this is not me saying I agree with shot but you got to live with some of these shots they take hey man I got to be better but I thought they was going to double and I go back earlier I think the Pistons were down two kade’s like okay

It’s time to Boogie Baby and Bam out of Bio is literally just lurking staring at this man to the point where I’m like oh my God he’s about to hit at any point he didn’t ultimately K was able to turn the corner and got a layup but you factor

That in yeah to your point like Miami had been trapping a lot of K picking roles like on that game and in the game that they played on what Friday so like that that has just been part of calculus with the Heat against Kate in particular so like that there is some Credence

There not that he needs me to verify what he said but you get me no you’re good you’re good now this this ties into a whole bunch of things depending on where you land and how you feel it could change a thing Monty let them play he

Could have called timeout right let him play let him cook trusted the players now if he had not trusted the players and called timeout they ran a set Miami get set and they get a stop how do you feel who are you pointing at if Kade didn’t you know if he did

Hold it but he still ends up with the same look how would you feel how much of it is based on the result I guess is is the thing for me yeah and I think you know honestly we should probably instead of yelling about this kind of stuff give Martin a hat tip

For his stunt and the timing of that stunt K was in Rhythm and then Martin was like Hey bid dog just so you know I’m here he about to in case you want to do another through the legs and go this way I’m here and Kade opted to just go for

The shot now was it early absolutely I’m not gonna I’m not I’m not g to be that guy and be like no it was but that’s the price when guys are going to take those type of shots they’re gonna take him and he’ll learn from this moment we’ve seen it before I

Mean hell I’m old enough I’m old enough to remember when they call Magic Johnson tragic Johnson for like a year plus this is after you won titles right unforgiving cow tell you what and it’s just like you know it just I get it I get it I get it very

Early on the clock but I I I get it yeah it’s He he’ll be all right which you know sickle of me but like I I really enjoyed the heat uh Pistons two game series over the weekend that was some good stuff bam and Jaylen Duren going after it

Like it was now the funniest thing is if Kate goes off against Boston I mean then Detroit already almost beat him though I guess wait that was without Kade though wasn’t it wasn’t that while he was out and that was the whole hey the Pistons look like this while kade’s out

Etc there’s been so much discourse on the Pistons this year 14 that low understandings all due respect there’s been a lot of conversation about how we’re supposed to think about this team this just yeah that’s I suppose that that that is that uh do you have any other teams uh nah

Nah nah do you have any players you want to shout out uh yeah very quickly uh funny enough let let me start the bidding with bam maio who had the five game point against ok and like again someone that watch thread of that whole game and stuff like bam was he just

Could not hit shots it was just a very weird bam game which news flash it is as frustrating as it is I don’t want to take frustration away from people literally every player in the NBA has a bad game like literally yesterday I tweeted out this feels like one of the

Worst yic games of the season I was talking about this in the watch party but I’ll bring it here too when Shay played the Pacers like a week or so ago that felt like one of the worst defensive performances for him in the year like it that just just a bad sha

Game like these things happen he did not have it against OKC but since then he’s averaging 19 and 14 still in a half 1.3 blocks in that stretch over his last three games 17 and 13 against Denver really good defense against joic which but you know Trend continued in which Miami defended Denver

Well SL Denver couldn’t hit shots but it didn’t matter because the heat just couldn’t score to save their lives so that’s a whole another thing but 22-9 couple of assists two steals three blocks against Detroit on Friday if you have league pass and if you like bam out bio or if you’re on

Defense about bam out bio or you kind of look at people that talk about his like his ceiling and be like wait what are you talking about watch the second quarter of that game if you want to just fast forward to the BAM portion he checks back in at 10:06 after J iy

Knocks down a free throw watch from 10:06 to the end of the second quarter in that stretch we get a tip slam off of a Patty Mills Miss three he hits a trail three hits a turnaround hook over Jaylen durren he traps Kade Cunningham on a

Pick and roll gets back out it’s a switch where I think Jaylen Dury tries to post up Jimmy Jimmy posts the ball away Bam gets it bam goes coast to coast and gets an and one they they originally called offensive foul they rightfully changed it because it wasn’t an

Offensive foul let the dude get a bucket so he has that another defensive possession where ha is trying to Blitz he’s out of position or rather Detroit tries to run like Flex action he gets caught on the screen so him is out of position bam cleans that up it’s an ISO for cam

For Cade versus Bam Bam shuts him down forces a Miss on the other end Kate is matched up with him so he seals him off gets a dunk and transition that happens just in that four minute stretch the heat go from down 3332 to up 48 to

40 just in that four minutes and then later in the quarter like he puts Jaylen Duren underneath the basket there’s like another put back like B was just incredible that stretch so I really had fun with that one and then naturally on Sunday 20 and 17 he hits the game

Winning three cashed it clean which three of three from three over his last three games that’s a lot of Threes but yeah Bam’s just taking a b to break threes down so that’s that’s neat we’ll see if that continues so one to give the salute to Bam bouncing back

After honestly just a weird stretch from him offensively but he seems to be gaining Rhythm like I guess you can put the salt in with him facing the Pistons but stylistically a matchup that you know gives him trouble like Jay a pretty athletic big all that good stuff Detroit

Likes to switch quite a bit so conceptually you can see where it could get dice for Miami’s offense but bam did the thing there um who else do I want to shout out Jamal Murray talk a little bit about Denver’s defense I want to just give a quick salute to Jamal Murray’s

Defense defense when he is engaged and locked in like that is he is a technically a small guard but like he’s he is a bigger guard though um so still smallest guy on the court but you can’t just bully him like go back to the Celtics game which is a very fun one

Watching him matched up against Jason Tatum drawing an offensive foul getting another stop there getting christops on some post UPS poking the ball away forcing a Miss like he battles and then there was a play in the Dallas game on Sunday where they were trapping um Luca doners in pick and

Rolls to slip pass to Daniel Gafford Jamal Murray just meets him at the rim and forces a jump ball and it’s like hey man that’s all right that is all right so he he’s been getting after and then went looked up some numbers post Allstar break on any possession featuring an

Isolation defend by Jamal Murray opponents are generating 0.79 points per possession that’s around the same range as B bio at 0.77 and Dereck white at 0.79 um when attacking Jamal muray on the post up 0.895 points per possession which is the literal exact number is Chad hren post All-Star break which is

Fun same amount of possessions and everything and then if you want to give a quick hat tip to the offense uh 73 points in the fourth quarter post Allstar break 50% of his twos he’s shooting 60% from three like good luck and then you get get into the usage of

Him on and off the ball like it’s just a lot of fun um a quick salute to ruy hachimura as a cutter and as an off ball screener uh he has 76 points on Cuts this year per centergy he had 89 all of

Last year we got a lot of games to go so I would imagine he’s just going to set the career high there but I appreciate like you seeing growth with him in terms of off ball field and I have been kind of trying to figure out how much of this

Is him just getting better versus I am playing alongside LeBron James incredible passer D’Angelo Russell incredible passer if I cut anywhere like there are some passes a to me that just wouldn’t be available elsewhere so like I’m trying to figure like how much of it

Is his grow but he has gotten better so I wanted to give the quick salute there and then finally Delano Banton in Portland former Raptor former Celtic all that good stuff last 10 games which includes seven starts 18 points per game five boards nearly four assists he’s

Shooting 41% from three on over six attempts I’m glad that the jumper is starting to come around for him because like that felt like the biggest question mark like as a genuine bigger guard like he feels more like Just Wing that can handle versus like true point guard but

Either way 68 with legit ball Handley chops you try to figure out what is the burst and handle like but ultimately what is the jumper going to be if he’s not going to be a primary as he’s knocking down shots like he’s been better and more valuable off the ball

Being able to attack close out if the defense is tilted he can beat you there so I just want to give a quick salute there like he’s been playing well matis knocking down threes and flying around defensively DeAndre Aon has come back like a man on a mission so I do want to

Give him a quick hat tip as well just keeping eyes on Portland in general Tani kamaro continues to defend well we will cap it there did you have players you want to shout out uh just a couple uh Mike Conley uh prior to uh Monday’s game at Utah Mike Conley back-to-back 20

Point games for Mike connley backto back games with five or more made threes his first 20 plus point game of the season first time scoring 20 in consecutive games as a Minnesota Timberwolf the wolves are 19 and4 this season when Mike Conley hits three or more threes and

Again game just wanted to point that out uh CJ McCollum did have a big game against Portland 38 assists 12 of 20 from the field 6 of 12 from three against the Blazers over the weekend this season okay this season nayas the New Orleans Pelicans are 20-2 when CJ

McCullum scores 20 or more points the New Orleans Pelicans are 18-4 when CJ McCullum has five and more assists uh the New Orleans Pelicans are 12-0 when CJ McCullum has 20 plus points and five plus assists seems like an important barometer CJ McCullum remains important I throw that

Out there for you uh and then IO dumu just want to salute him he’s continued to step up and grow offensively for this Bulls team so 34-9 against Washington very very positive stuff hey Nik what’s up guess what buddy what up I got a couple free throws okay then we can get

Out of here okay so today you tweeted uh every game I’m getting closer to pressing the if Denver is only going to get one all defense defense rep if that it should go to Aaron Gordon button what happened to Kcp I said I’m getting closer kcp remains very very good okay it’s just it’s just it’s it’s kind of it’s going to like kyp I feel like has been Denver’s best defender overall but it’s like Aaron Gordon’s inching closer to that and then like as I was looking up

Stuff for like the Jamal Murray section and stuff I was like wait a minute man Aaron Gordon’s popping up higher on a lot of these and just that you know add like the numbers to like what I’ve been seeing so that’s why I was like huh it might just

End up swing the Gordon by the end of the year okay is is this like that one year you made the All-Star push for Darius Garland and fredb bleet in like the same business week they were both worthy of Allstar consideration what you mean uh is Jaylen Williams the top 20 player oh

Man I can’t get there I I respect I I respect the thought okay I do think like as I was like reading through those and stuff like I do feel like some people just kind of just undersold jayen completely I don’t think that portion is fair like as I started

Listening out players don’t like okay he’s probably like closer to like like 31 32 somewhere in there versus like pure 20 but it’s also a testament to how well jaylen’s played that he’s even in this conversation I know the person that gave that opinion in particular watches

A bunch of basketball so like I don’t you know I don’t put him into the let me throw something out here for nonsense category so I I I respectfully disagree uh why did Grady and Anthony do that because they’re actually they’re actually young okay and they can they

Can get away with that actually I’ll end it here so for the people that are like in my age range and older I’m starting to get a little uncomfortable with how often these jokes are being made like I get the first time or even the second time if it’s going to

Be a thing literally every time Grady does something on the basketball court like at a certain point like we we are past like we we got to be for real like you’re just not getting I’ll lean to the point you’re not getting a 100% hit rate on

This we like at a certain point like let the dude play basketball well since you went on a rant how’ you feel about that Kenny picket trade there we go that’s what I was looking for thanks for watching the Pod I’m the K he leave um subscribe to the

Channel I’m just kidding uh thank you for listening to or watching this episode of the dunker spot if you haven’t already please subscribe to us we are on Apple Spotify Google Stitch or podbean wherever you get your podcast audio wise you can find us naturally we are on JJ reddit’s YouTube channel every

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We will catch y’all later in the week hey good show Nas hey Nik what you think of a Richard Jefferson We

Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones Jr. are back with another episode of The Dunker Spot!

The fellas bounce around the league with more observations — and more questions for some playoff hopefuls.

If you have NBA or WNBA questions for us, email them to dunkerspot@yahoo.com.

If you’d like to join our Dunker Spot online watch parties — they’re free, and easy to sign up for — you can do so here: https://www.playback.tv/thedunkerspot

0:00 Intro
0:50 A disclaimer for March basketball
2:20 Teams That Impressed, starting with the Boston Celtics
7:20 New York Knicks
19:20 Houston Rockets
32:05 What’s up with Mikal Bridges & the Nets?
47:50 “Is This Anything?” (ATL, DEN, NO)
57:20 Should we be concerned about the Clippers?
1:08:05 Cade Cunningham’s late shot against Miami
1:13:00 Player shoutouts featuring Bam Adebayo, Jamal Murray, and others
1:21:00 — Free Throws

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.