Zach Edey’s potential, Celtics still title favorites, Anthony Davis, Warriors Big 3 over? | THE HERD

Zach Edey’s potential, Celtics still title favorites, Anthony Davis, Warriors Big 3 over? | THE HERD

He’s been covering the NBA for 14 15 years Mark Medina NBA writer is joining us now as he is prone to do we invite him on often so I want to start uh the college basketball’s had I don’t know if it’s a Renaissance Women’s basketball’s going through an incredible grow spurt

Led by Caitlyn Clark and JuJu Watkins and some big stars but uh you Zack Edy so I was under the impression I’d watched Zack Ed play and I was like he doesn’t move very well and my take was who’s he going to guard in the NBA and

Then I thought a lot about Anthony Davis now Anthony’s an elite Defender probably the best defender in the league big guy but Anthony the Lakers for the first few years in La they tried to push him outside and he wasn’t a very good shooter and in the end he moved back in

This year and he’s been dominant and I know we want all these bigs to shoot but there’s not a lot of yices Giannis doesn’t shoot ad doesn’t shoot embiid’s not great I mean let’s be honest yic is one of one historically sabonis who I covered could shoot a three but I I look

At Z and I think small ball was largely the Warriors a lot of people tried Phoenix Houston Brooklyn it was the Warriors it was Stephen Clay this is a big man’s game Luc is the biggest guard magic was the biggest guard LeBron’s the biggest three big beats small and I look

At Zack Edy and I’m like can he get 14 minutes a night nobody else is stopping yanis embi and joic they’re what he can’t 74 I mean what do you hear around the League you have your sources you’re you talk about it what do they say yeah

Not clear where Zach Ed would be selected in the NBA draft presuming that he’s going to declare himself eligible but I think there’s a sense that he’s NBA ready and I think the one one of the things that we have to keep in mind when you’re talking about small ball I

Remember covering Mike Danton and he would always push back at that whole idea of small ball he would say it’s skill ball so I think the only thing that is different in today’s NBA than in the past as it pertains to bigs is the post you know the postup game is more

Inefficient than it is but if you’re a dominant big that can get to the rim off of pick and rolls and fast breaks those are easy baskets that’s what the modern NBA calls for it’s not just about threes it’s about can you get to the basket and

Can you get free throws and I think Zack Edy can provide those two things yeah he’s also been a great free throw shooter and a lot of bigs Duncan sha were not great free throw shooters so what he can he can finish and he can get

To the line and hit those shots so I was I was asking uh this question it’s kind of the unanswered question I don’t know if it’s because California has four teams in the NBA uh or we have better winter weather but since Jordan retired you’ve had twice as many championships

Out west you’ve had a Spurs Dynasty a Laker Dynasty a warrior Dynasty and Denver may be the next you had no Eastern dynasties LeBron had to move around to get them Cleveland Miami Steph didn’t have to move Duncan didn’t have to move joic won’t have to move and I

Look at it and I think most things in sports you can explain College men’s basketball has eroded the the the ratings for years well it’s the one and done it’s just a it’s a Turn Style people like they like these women stars who were there every year what do you

What explains the Western dominance we were showing this the other day the Warriors and the Lakers these are good teams I mean Lakers went to Boston without ad and LeBron and beat the Celtics they’ve beaten Milwaukee there the bottom of it is Warriors Lakers Suns kings are fighting for their playing

Spot these are really good teams why is the West so much better so I think there’s four reasons that don’t have much to do with geography but with circumstances one you have the Lakers they’ve always been a franchise that gets the star players to San Antonio they were the model franchise of

Continuity efficiency building around a generational Talent like Tim Duncan the Golden State Warriors they became a d starting with Steph Curry and then when you’re looking at the Eastern Conference landscape when LeBron James was there in the East with Cleveland Miami and then Cleveland again he was always the the

The roadblock for all these other teams that couldn’t rise above it so I think those are the main factors that explain the disparity between the west and the East historically as opposed to just the geographic differences because we are going through a bit of a Renaissance for the Knicks they’re patient they’re kind

Of methodical con no I mean my whole life it feels like the last 20 years they’ve just been a clown show and like now the Knicks are methodical and patient and developing players and making smart moves not just big let’s get Amari STM big swings from the Suns they’re like grown-ups they’re like

Adults so I think there there is a lot to that um you know I went and watched the Celtics uh when I was in I’m going to go watch the Nicks Bulls this Friday in Chicago but I watched the Celtics um a couple weeks ago and nobody played but

Tatum and they won um and it is interesting I was I was talking to somebody in the NBA who does not want me to mention him in this conversation because he has to deal with Tatum and bigwigs in the NBA and he said he goes I

Like Tatum a lot I don’t think he’s terribly intuitive I um I think sometimes he’s almost gives you a robotic 26 there are certain things that he’s just not he’s not willing to be selfish and most great players are willing at times do just say

It’s my ball game get out of here and that’s okay Caitlyn Clark last night’s like give me the ball I’m gonna score or get you that’s okay with great scores nobody’s ever stopped great scores but I do think there is something Boston there’s a lot of urgency this year Jaylen Brown just

Signed a Max Jason Tatum’s gonna sign a Max you’re not keeping Derek white then in the future who may be the best number five starter in the league you’re not going to have the bench you can’t go get a porzingis I do feel like this is a

Really I know they’re young feels like there’s a lot of pressure on Boston yeah I mean they’ve gone through the playoff uh rights of Passage moments of not gain being close to get of the finals then gain to the finals and falling to a Golden State Warriors team I think to

The your point about Jason Tatum I think whatever shortcomings he’s had in the past playoffs have been more about either injuries or just going through the learning adjustments that any star player has I don’t think that there’s been any kind of fundamental character deficiency to his game or anything I

Think it’s just more about how do you package all the skills together we’ve seen that he’s a great scorer but how can he be more efficient I think that he’s shown that he can be more efficient this season his assist numbers are up his shots are down that’s a real uh I

Think Testament to wanting to adjust with Jaylen brown but also the fact that you have Kristof porzingis on the floor who’s a great floor space or another perimeter threat so I am a Jason Tatum fan I know there’s all those analytics about you know his crunch time numbers

And the stats are what they are but I think the positive vastly outweighs the good and while I do have Denver right now as the favorite to win the title because they’re defending champs Nicole yage is really great they have continuity Boston’s really close to them because of their own continuity and

Their depth one of the things that’s really difficult um is the end of a dynasty Spurs haven’t been viable for years New England crashed landed it’s really hard um the dynasty ends uh and you just have to make tough choices I mean the Bulls were terrible six years after you know

Michael left for the final time they were six years bad and I look at the Warriors and they’re viable but the hardest part about the ending the enduring Dynasty is you’re going to have to let go of popular stars and that’s really hard fans don’t want to do it

That’s why the late Jerry Krauss is like this is the last year we’re not going to be path now they ended up being bad but I the Warriors are fascinating to me because like Steph you can’t move off of and there is clear data that illustrates they’re not as good without Draymond if

He plays well they win like all the time um outside of that is it reasonable to say everybody’s on the trade block I think it’s reasonable to say but let I’m as you’re talking me through this I was thinking about a conversation I had with Warriors majority owner Joe

Lake up in 2017 this is the context of they’re in the middle of their Dynasty run and I was going through the angle of can they become this generation San Antonio Spurs where they have the continuity they always have a chance to contend for titles I remember that point

In time he was saying that they’re committed toward you know their All-Star players with Steph clay and Draymond but you know that can easily change if they don’t continue to win and so as it pertains to now I think everything is on the table but hear me out Colin if I had

To make a prediction I think it’s about keeping Clay on a discount deal when he’s a free agent and then try to use that money available to round out the rest of the roster I think when you look at the Warriors they’ve always looked at things through a practical and pragmatic

Lens meaning if they’re going to keep you know their whole band of all stars with with Steph you know most notably but with clay and Draymond it’s not going to be for nostalgic purposes it’s going to be for practical purposes and this is the best options available and I

Think even though there’s all these moving Parts I think getting Clay on a discounted deal using that money to round up the rest of the roster probably the best decision than blowing everything up entirely in hopes that those pieces can give Steph another title run so one of the things that’s

Great about you know you’re going to these NBA games every night you’re going to locker rooms so I’ve always said if I get new information I have new opinions I didn’t know if Ryan poles was a good GM for the Bears I didn’t like some of

His early moves his last year he’s been Sensational you know former offensive lineman built the o line draft Capital all the other stuff so Anthony Davis I had heard that people in the league because remember he was going to go to the Lakers but other people would get a

Shot people that I trusted said he soft he he has a dad bod he’s naturally gifted but he’s just he’s hurt a lot and so he comes to LA and he’s gifted but he’s HT a lot and then after the bubble title LeBron wanted to hand in the Baton

Like bro I want to take about eight minutes left and he was out of shape came into camp out of shape so I was like let’s just move him this isn’t going to work something happened about a year and a half ago and he has been Sensational he plays every night he

Plays hard he doesn’t hit the floor as much as he used to maybe it’s Darvin ham maybe that relationship works but you’re there on a regular BAS I look at him now as the most consistent great player on the Lakers and the best defensive player flat out in the league

I have new information is it training nutrition LeBron and iser Darin ham because I’m telling you two years ago you couldn’t get six straight games out of it yeah he would he would just disappear offensively what happened well the big the biggest thing and you’ve alluded to it is he’s more available on

A consistent basis and when he’s available he can’t be that dominant player that everyone envisioned he would be now what’s interesting Colin is when you talk to Anthony Davis and people around him their perspective is much different than what people with the Lakers have said with Anthony Davis they

He’s always said hey I’ve done the same offseason regimen injuries to some degree are uncontrollable but I thought it was really notable that before the season started when Rob pinka and Darin ham were talking about the extension that Anthony Davis signed to last summer they observed that they felt like he was

Has taken his offseason regiment to a bigger level to be able to maximize his chances to be more available and whether there shades of Truth on both sides or one is more T tilting to the Lakers or Davis regardless he’s been more available this season the data shows

That that he’s been able to not only play more games but there Haven there haven’t been injury scares either there hasn’t been those inconsistent performances and that’s been a game Cher because the Lakers they’ve had inconsistency this season has had nothing to do with LeBron and nothing to

Do with Anthony Davis it’s been with the role players and I think that even though there’s a lot of question marks about the Lakers and their steiling there’s added comfort that it’s about those role players than about their main stars Jared Vanderbilt who’s long brings in some size he’s getting healthy DLo

Since being benched has been very very effective finally I said if I said to you okay there’s going to be there’s going to be an upset we’re going to the first round upset now we don’t know all the matchups yet but we have a basic feel Mark Med give me something in the

First round because we generally don’t have a ton cuz the series are long but I mean we’ve seen Miami do this to teams before Miami is the team you always kind of watch is there something where you’re saying I don’t like what I see with a

Favorite I like what I see with an underdog well the NBA it’s unlike the NCAA tournament because it’s seven game series but I I could see if the Sixers avoid the playing tournament that you know Joel embiid is back and ready to go that they you know they knock whoever

The third seat is off and then I could see if the Lakers can draw a first round matchup with Oklahoma City that that draws in their favor they’ve had regular season success city is no older than North Carolina college I’m serious they both average 22 and a half years old and

To be clear with Oklahoma City and with Minnesota I don’t think that they’re going to be overwhelmed with the fact that they haven’t been on the playoff stage yet but I think for a tactical adjustment uh standpoint in the seven game series that can make a difference

As it pertains to the Lakers we’ve seen the regular season they match up well against them if if LeBron and Anthony Davis are healthy and dominant that’s going to be a tough out for them yeah okay see it’s not a knock on them at all Sam pry they’re really good that’s not a

Knock 22-year-old teams outside of the bubble young teams don’t good do well in the playoffs and the bubble was circumstantial where the married guys stunk in the bubble they missed their they and it was the year like all these young Miami was great in the bubble with

A bunch of kids and I think a lot of that was just I mean you’re asking these guys hey leave your kids and your family for 6 weeks and live at a confin well the young guys who were sitting playing video games in basketball they love the

Bubble this is great I get food in my room I don’t have to worry about this but uh generally young teams can struggle in the post they don’t get the whistle they get frustrated Stars manipulate refs so my guess is I think I think OKC Lakers is a good call Mark

Medina as always great seeing you great seeing you as always too hi everybody it’s me Uncle Colin subscribe here to get the latest from the herd including exclusive behind the scenes videos and more wherever you may be however you may be watching thanks again for making us part of your day

NBA writer Mark Medina joins Colin Cowherd to discuss Zach Edey’s potential in the league and whether the Boston Celtics remain NBA Finals favorites. He then breaks down why the Western Conference is historically stronger than the Eastern Conference, including this season and why the Los Angeles Lakers have a shot for a playoff run. Medina also explains what the Golden State Warriors should do with Klay Thompson’s contract and other issues to address next season.

#TheHerd #NBA #Celtics

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Zach Edey’s potential, Celtics still title favorites, Anthony Davis, Warriors Big 3 over? | THE HERD

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