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- [00:00]
Mariah Rose
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:02]
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- [00:34]
Jason Timmerman
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- [01:05]
Mariah Rose
This one's for all my TV lovers. My entertainment from DirecTV gets you 60 channels and Disney, Hulu and HBO Max all in one pack. But here's the with so much great TV and my entertainment, you're going to want to talk about everything you've been watching. Just remember that your friends might not be as well watched as you. Don't be a spoiler and encourage them to get my Entertainment for just $34.99 a month, go to directtv.com genrepacks and sign up today. New customers only. Service renews monthly unless canceled. Credit card required conditions apply to apps. HBO Max Basic with ads begins after DirecTV five day trial. Learn more@directtv.com restrictions apply.
- [01:35]
Simon Hunter
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- [02:02]
Jason Timmerman
Let's create smarter business.
- [02:04]
Chad Millman
IBM welcome to Sharper Square presented by Hard Rock bet. We are part of the Voluum Podcast Network. This is the show that makes the squares sharper, makes the wise guys pay attention. I am Chad Millman. I am joined as always by my co host, my bff, my companion, my compadre professional Better Simon Hunter. Hello Simon, Chad, how we doing dude? We got some NBA playoffs coming up. You know I love the NBA. I want to bring Our guests on because I have a lot of thoughts about what's been going on with the NBA. Tip off Saturday officially play in tournament starts tonight. We will talk all things betting in the NBA with a very special returning guest. Listen. He is a man who does not do load management tank. He is the host of Hoops Tonight right here on the Volume Podcast network. One of the biggest basketball fanatics working anywhere. He does 300 shows a year. Welcome back. Jason Timf.
- [03:20]
Jason Timmerman
This is the time of year, this is the time of year where I have some second thoughts about that concept. But I do, I do, I will say I do love the NBA and I do love the NBA playoffs. I'm sure one of the things that you'd like to talk about is how the NBA regular season has become a little bit, I don't know, lacking urgency, lacking that extra bit of care factor that I think is, is necessary. I think that's all valid criticism. I had, I had a conversation with Brian Windhorse earlier today and he made a really fascinating point about how like all this money is flowing into the NBA which is convincing them that everything's fine. But that money comes more from like the media landscape and just how the industry has shifted rather than necessarily quality basketball. And I actually do think that the NBA when it's at its best, meaning when you got two good teams that are playing in a game against each other, that matters, that they both care about, that the product is actually better than ever in that specific environment. It's just we don't get there really very often in the regular season at all. But now we're there at least. So like this part is the fun part. But I do think there are some valid things to bring up in Terms of the NBA's Long Term Health regarding how infrequently they kind of capture that essence over the course of the previous six months.
- [04:31]
Simon Hunter
Jason, I can tell you what, what's missing if you, if you really want to know from a true fan's point of view is we basically just went through the greatest era ever of LeBron and Steph Curry and we're on the backside of it and they're just the Shane Gillicks. Alexander, move the needle for you. Like, I love Luca, but he doesn't. Does Luca really the one out there talking shit? Moving the needle is like again, Steph Curry was a silent assassin. His play did the talking. He did it in the playoffs, right. He had these big moments. That's what's lacking, right? We don't have superstars having Superstar moments in the playoffs that make us really, really go hard into the sport. And again, I still love it. But that high, that LeBron Steph Curry run, dude, it's gonna be hard to get back to that. Like I remember after the, obviously the Michael Jordan era, it took a while to get the Kobe era, get, get it going right. Like that's what I think we're in between right now. We're waiting for that, that next guy. So I don't know where you stand on that point of view. But like me, that to me is what's missing is there. You know, there are some nights where it's like, okay, this is must see TVC Wemby that's come around a little bit where I've literally been out and I'm like, I can't go out. I need to watch Wemby right now. Like I need to see what's going to happen this fourth quarter. That to me is what the NBA needs. They need to have that guy that makes you stop and watch. I don't know if you agree with that.
- [05:48]
Jason Timmerman
I do. I. So Shay Gildas, Alexander, Luka Doncic and Nicole Jokic, all three of them lack vertical pop, crazy highlight reel type of material. I think they're all very aesthetically pleasing to like hoop heads. Like people that have like there's a footwork ball handling thing with Shay that is. I would add Luca to this too and a shot making thing that is super impressive to anybody. That's like a real die hard hoop head. Jokic I think plays the, the prettiest brand of basketball in terms of like ball and player movement and just it looking like pretty offense that I think again hoop heads will really appreciate. But in terms of resonating with the casual fans, you do need a certain amount of like that flair that is kind of missing there. But I do think Wemby has it just in terms of it being just so alien, like unbelievable kind of like appeal. I think Anthony Edwards has it. I think the upcoming generation like keep an eye on guys like AJ DeBonsa is going to be one of those guys that is, is going to be must see television when he gets into the NBA. I think Cooper Flag is kind of trending in that direction. So like I do think that the NBA will be fine on that front. We are experiencing a little bit of a lull to your point where it's like post LeBron Steph, where we've got this group of stars that are all really good. Like I think Jokic is the best offensive player ever. Shai is having one of the best two guard seasons in the history of the league. So like Luka reached a level in March that was historic. So like I don't want to sit undercut their impact as basketball players, but I do admit that beyond the real hoop heads, it's hard for that trio to resonate with casual fans. I just think overall, between the overall talent, the overall level of play in the upcoming generation of young players, within a couple years, I think they'll be fine. I think the bigger issue is just how many games. You guys remember that crazy Jokic Wemby game from a couple Saturdays ago, that was like an all timer. We just don't get that enough. That's, that's the thing. Like that needs to happen three times more often in the regular season at minimum. And that is the big picture problem that I think the league needs to address. And honestly, I don't think it's something that you can incentivize with like a rule. I think it's a culture thing. Somewhere along the way there was a dynamic that shifted where basketball players wanted to play basketball and won that debate with their leaders to where they were like, hey, I know I'm sore, but I want to play tonight. And somewhere along the way the decision makers convinced them, no, it's okay, this game doesn't matter. Sit out, rest that sore rib cage of yours, Wemby. And, and, and we'll, we'll figure this out when we get to the postseason. Where I had Nick Wright on the show the other day and the way he referenced it, which I thought was really smart, is he said it phrase at the edges of the NBA. It like it starts to eat away at like the long term sustainability of how much the game resonates with fans when you clearly demonstrate that they don't care. And the example he used was a game 82 back in I think 1998 or 1997, where final game of the season, both the Knicks and the Bulls had the, their standings locked up. They were the 1 and 2. It was all locked up and finished. And both Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing played big minutes and played in a game 82. Why? Because there was no decision maker that was like, hey, you guys should sit. And those dudes love basketball and they want to compete and they want to play. And so I think there's a cultural thing within the league that I think the league needs to do a better job trickling down to owners, to front offices, to players that like, hey, this is bigger than just strategy for saving your legs for the postseason. We're trying to build a product here that resonates culturally so that we have sustained success. And I think that's the, like, the next step to kind of fixing the regular season.
- [09:22]
Simon Hunter
It's all your fault, Greg Popovich.
- [09:25]
Chad Millman
Well, look, there's like, there's a get off my lawn component to this, which
- [09:32]
Jason Timmerman
is,
- [09:35]
Chad Millman
could Jerry Krause or Phil Jackson have ever gone to Michael Jordan? Could they have ever gone there and said, listen, you're sitting tonight for load management. Like, the idea of load management being a thing for Michael Jordan or Larry Bird or Magic Johnson or Isaiah Thomas, like, I know I'm aging myself, but it just feels like that that wouldn't fly the way it does today. And I don't know if, like LeBron, I have nothing against LeBron. LeBron, to me, obviously could have competed in that era brilliantly. I don't know if he accepts load management. Jason, you should. You can speak to this better than I can in a way that is different than, say, Wembanyama might think about it right now as someone who's coming off of an injury that caught him out of a lot last season and is still early in his career and is figuring out who he is as a personality and how to use his leverage.
- [10:34]
Jason Timmerman
Yeah, the. I think the big difference is like, the idea of I'm not advocating for guys to play hurt. What I am advocating for is for guys to play when they're sore. Like, I've told this story a couple times over the course of the last week, but like, I saw this Instagram reel that I thought was hilarious and it was a woman, middle aged woman, who's holding her phone at her husband as he's walking down the hallway and, and towards the front door of their house and he's preparing to go play pickup basketball. And he's like 45ish, you know, somewhere in his mid, late 40s. And he's kind of like limping towards the front door as he's like, getting ready to go play. And like. And she's just talking shit. She's just like. She's like, you can't be playing basketball. You're too old for this. You could barely walk out the front door. And he's just like, I've go to play. I want to go play hoops. Like, this is what I'm doing, you know? And like, that really is the core that I'm getting back at, is like, basketball players want to play basketball and they understand that when you play basketball regularly, you're sore. And that generally speaking, it's very rare for a basketball player to like, go play and be like, I'm 100% today. And just again, somewhere along the way. And by the way, there's no evidence out there that like, resting when you're sore leads to decreased injuries. I would argue it's just become a bigger problem over the course of recent years as this has taken place. Everyone talks about the Lakers wearing down from the Luca injury. Like they. Luca took three consecutive days off. Just before that, he took three days off because he got suspended for technical. Then he played a game, then he took a day off and then he got hurt against okc. Like, it's hard for me to just say, oh, Luca wore down. Like, there's some injuries just happen. They just do. It's just part of playing. And again, like, somewhere along the way, our decision makers convinced the players that it was okay and strategically smart to not play when you're sore. And again, there is no incentive. You can't. I don't care if it's the 65 game rule. I don't care if it's some sort of tanking thing. Like, there's no incentive that you can provide to the players to play. They have to culturally, from the top down, accept that them playing is in the best interest of the NBA long term.
- [12:36]
Chad Millman
Sunday morning I was in Manhattan, went for a run along the East River. Don't run that often. Wanted to get my exercise in. My quads were a little sore this morning. I woke up still sore. I got on the bike. I did 45 minutes on the peloton because you got to play through the soreness. Everybody knows that. I empathize with that dude trying to go play pickup hoops but who can barely walk out the door.
- [13:02]
Jason Timmerman
Listen, I'm younger than him and I limp to the front door to go play basketball. I just love it. You can't. Like, my wife talks to me about it all the time. I just love playing basketball, man. You're not going to talk me into sitting now.
- [13:14]
Chad Millman
Well, listen, we get to see some basketball Hornets in the heat. Loser gets eliminated in the east con Knipple who has been just incredible. And if not for the last week of heroics by Cooper Flag probably wins rookie of the year. When you look at this matchup, specifically as you think about, let's say, all of a play in. So we got Heat and Hornets, we got Blazers and Suns. We got magic and Sixers. You without Joel Embiid. What A tragedy. Simon, I'm sure you got something to say about that. And somehow we got warriors and Clippers. Give me your breakdown of the play ins right now.
- [13:54]
Jason Timmerman
So it. It's tricky because I actually Miami, famously, if you guys remember a few years ago, they're actually the only team that's ever won the two play in games from the road to actually get in and. And go. And there's a certain game planning advantage that I think game planning can only carry you so far when talent is a. Is a huge problem. And I think Charlotte deserves to be favored. But like to me, I like the Miami side of that line simply because there's kind of a game plan that has materialized over the last few weeks with how to cause problems for Charlotte, which is when you allow Lamelo to pick you apart as a passer like Brandon Miller and Con Knipple and Moussa Diabate and all these guys, they beast off of those advantages scoring off the ball. But if you can force Lamelo to be a scorer and specifically if you can pressure the ball, well, which what we saw from Detroit and from Boston in some of their recent matchups, you can kind of play them into a brand of basketball where Lamelo might get it going here or there, but the team can't really get it going. And physically they can be a little bit slight at several positions. Moose is a little thin, Lamelo is a little thin, and Brandon Miller's a little thin. So like, I think what we're gonna see from. I think what we're gonna see from. From Eric Spolsher in this matchup is Davion Mitchell is going to get up in Lamello balls jersey. They're going to run a deep drop coverage that primarily forces Lamelo to be a scorer. That. That kind of keeps some of their other shooters out of rhythm. And I think a really strong game plan could go a long way. So I think. I think Miami has a good chance to upset Charlotte. I'm a big believer in Charlotte in the big picture and like what they're going to accomplish over the coming years. But. But they're a young, flawed team that has kind of exposed their flaws a little bit in recent games. So that's the big one. That's the big one that I'm on here early. Golden State, it's just. It's. The Clippers are just a better team than them and they're going to have their key players, their veterans on minutes restrictions. I do think Phoenix will be Portland. Phoenix is a much better and more well Coached defensive team and Devin Booker is just going to be the best player on the floor in that matchup. The Philly, Orlando one's interesting because Orlando is a team that I hate. Like I just, I hate the way they play offense. I think Paolo Bunchero is, has become one of the more frustrating young players in the league with his lack of development. They haven't been able to build any sort of rhythm with Franz Wagner. And the Philly thing with them beat out, it's just such a huge question mark that it makes it really difficult to predict. So like of all the playing games, my favorite like betting game to look at is Miami over Charlotte.
- [16:29]
Chad Millman
Going back to Simon's point earlier, you know the warriors in the play in before Steph, the Warriors were one of those teams that nobody paid attention to. They got that sort of weird name, Golden State. So it's hard to be tied to any specific city. Right. They're trying to be regional about representing California and I wonder like then Steph comes along and they're the most popular team in the NBA. Charlotte. To me it's one of those teams like nobody cares about it right outside of Charlotte, no one gives a fuck about the Charlotte Hornets. Is there a team, could be okc, could be San Antonio that you think has the Golden State potential to rise above and because of the caliber of players, caliber of organization, quality, star quality of the players that they have that are young, could become a, for lack of a better term, a public team in the NBA.
- [17:31]
Jason Timmerman
So I wouldn't write off Charlotte. I think one of the things with Charlotte is they, they play like a very fun brand of basketball with a lot of ball movement, a lot of really high level shot making. Lamelo, he's not my favorite player personally, but he is very, very good. I don't underrate who he is as a basketball player. When he's healthy, he's just, just look at the on off numbers. The Hornets can't score when he's off the floor. That's my big rookie of the year case for Cooper Flag is the con canipple stuff is kind of contingent on him playing off of Lamelo and the advantages that he creates when Khan's on the floor. Without Lamelo, they haven't been very good. But Lamelo brings like a certain energy and I just think they could win enough games over the coming years that they kind of capture a resonance. But I think San Antonio is the big one and there's a couple reasons why. One, WEMBY brings the must see television element that OKC does not. Two. WEMBY's more of a talker and he's a little bit more into like the, playing, the, playing the media game. Whereas, like, OKC is just kind of a interesting mix of personalities that, that like, I don't dislike any of their guys, but like, none of them are like, exceptionally interesting. Like, even when I was watching that Starting five documentary and I'm learning about, and I'm learning about Shea, I'm like, it's super impressive. And his routine and like, how repetitive he is. And Nikhil Alexander Walker had an interview the other day where he talked about like, he just always kept an even keel when he was playing well or when he was playing poorly, when he was having good workouts, when he was having bad workouts. And it's like, that is very Tim Duncan esque. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's dominant, but it's not interesting. You know what I mean? It's not like, exciting. And so there's like a lot more between the Victor Weyama piece and his shit talking. And like, I think Steph Castle is going to be a better player than some of the other guys that have come up on the perimeter through okc, like, even like a guy like Jalen Williams, I think in the long run, Steph's going to be a better player. So, like, I think San Antonio has a chance to capture more of like the likable juggernaut rather than the juggernaut that everyone finds boring and uninteresting.
- [19:39]
Chad Millman
Simon, I want to get your take on the Sixers. But before I do feel like, as a podcast, because we are a Carolina Panthers podcast, should we, should we adopt the Charlotte Hornets as our, as our other NBA team outside of the Sixers and the Bulls?
- [19:57]
Simon Hunter
I can't get that. I, I don't like Lamelo either. And I, I want to like him because he's. I, I always think it's incredible guys who have so much pressure on them in high school that they can actually work out. Like, this kid had his cameras following around since he was a little kid. And yeah, is he dumb as hell and weird as hell? Yeah. But is he a baller? He is art on the basketball court. The stuff he can do, it is incredible to watch. I just, I, I unfortunately can't move past his personality chat, so I, I can't join you on that Charlotte bandwagon.
- [20:29]
Jason Timmerman
Listen, I'm driving like an downtown thing is like super unlikable, right? Like, that's like a, that's like if you found out anybody was doing that, you'd be like, oh really man? Like, what the hell's your problem?
- [20:41]
Chad Millman
Look, he just doesn't know any better. Look how he grew up. He didn't really choose to have the cameras. His dad chose to have the cameras. God, I remember, you know, when I was running the magazine and ESPN Digital, the amount of conversations, the air, the oxygen that the ball family took up, the amount of coverage we committed to them, where we tried to be with them when they had cameras and we wanted to have cameras following them is exhausting. And the fact that it's Lamelo who's the only one who's really become anything of. No, a lot of pressure on him. He's going to drive like an asshole. Probably because he was raised like an asshole.
- [21:25]
Jason Timmerman
This is the kid who was cherry picking in high school games and taking pull up half court shots and stuff like now. Again, he has matured a lot as a basketball player since then, but there are just remnants of that and there's a general unseriousness that is like difficult for me to deal with. I just think that it's important for us to acknowledge that as a basketball player he's literally become one of the most valuable in the league when he's healthy and in rhythm. As frustrating as he can be as
- [21:51]
Chad Millman
a personality, it is acknowledged
- [21:55]
Simon Hunter
we'll never ever see a basketball player's dad. Most likely never see a basketball player's dad on first take, debating Stephen A. Smith. That was just such a unique, weird time in television, saying he could beat
- [22:06]
Jason Timmerman
Michael Jordan in one on one. Remember,
- [22:10]
Chad Millman
media is so dumb. It is so fucking dumb. Let's take a quick break. We'll come back and be even dumber. Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock bet. Florida's sportsbook. Spring is in the air. And that can only mean one thing. Baseball is back in full swing. Hard Rock Bet makes it easy to bet on America's pass time in just a few easy taps. And it's not just picking winners. Bet on home runs, strikeouts, and so much more. And if you miss the first pitch, no problem. You can live bet every inning, every at bat, all the way to the final out. But maybe you're more into the NBA. The hardwood is heating up as the playoff push is on. And with Hard Rock Bet, every night is a shot to build the same game parlay and score a major bucket. However you draw it up, Hard Rock Bet gives you tons of ways to stack your picks into an epic same game parlay. Sign up today and double your winnings on your first 10 bets. Maximum $50. That's right, double your winnings on your first 10 bets. So if you would have won a hundred bucks on your bet, now it's 200. Download the hard Rock Bet app today. Get party started. Offered by the seminal Tribe of Florida in Florida Offered by Seminole hard Rock Digital LLC and all other states must be 21 or over and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia. To play terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida? Call 1-833-Playwise in Indiana, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1809 with it. In Ohio, call 1-800- My reset gambling problem, call 1-800- Gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee and Virginia
- [24:02]
Jason Timmerman
Amazon Health AI presents painful thoughts I I can't stop scratching my downtown. Mm, yeah, but I'm not itching to
- [24:12]
Chad Millman
go downtown and tell a receptionist I'm
- [24:14]
Jason Timmerman
here to talk about my downtown. Some things you'd rather type than say out loud. There's no question too embarrassing for Amazon Health AI, chat your symptoms and get virtual care 24. 7 Healthcare just got less painful.
- [24:32]
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- [25:35]
Mariah Rose
in session and this summer prime has everything you want. Step Steamy romances, irresistible love stories and the book to screen favorites. You've already read twice off campus.
- [25:45]
Jason Timmerman
This is the part where I tell
- [25:47]
Chad Millman
you all the things I want to do to you.
- [25:50]
Mariah Rose
Elle, can you think of anything more fun and fearless every year after the Love Hypothesis Sterling Point and more slow burns second chances chemistry you can feel through the screen. Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on Prime Are you really
- [26:09]
Jason Timmerman
buying a car online on Autotrader right now?
- [26:11]
Mariah Rose
Really? I can get super specific with dealer listings and see cars based on my budget.
- [26:15]
Jason Timmerman
You can really have it delivered or pick it up. Mommy's I think kid is walking up the slide.
- [26:20]
Mariah Rose
Really? Autotrader, Buy your car online? Really?
- [26:23]
Chad Millman
All right, first round matchups. The only thing I really care about. Jason, I want you to find a way to get me to a Knicks lose in the first round upset scenario. Tell me how it can happen.
- [26:38]
Jason Timmerman
So this is one of the more one of the easier prep series previews that I've done to this point just simply because of the fact that these two teams played in a like both teams are kind of healthy and playing as hard as they can type of matchup. Not even, I think it was like a week and a half ago. It just, just recently happened and it was this super exciting back and forth game. Jalen Brunson ends up hitting a game winner over CJ McCollum right around the right elbow and that ends up icing the game and, and New York gets out of there with the win. A lot of these games like, like Cleveland, Toronto, they haven't played literally since late November. Darius Garland played in zero games. Jared Allen played in one game. It's difficult to tell. Like the Nuggets Wolves games. Obviously the Nuggets have had injuries all season. It's hard to like evaluate some of these other matchups. With this one, what gets fascinating is it turns into a matchup attacking kind of game on both ends of the floor. So in that game on the one end of the floor, Atlanta is just relentlessly trying to get Jalen Brunson switched on to Nikhil Alexander Walker and then they're putting Carl Anthony Towns in screens and they were having success. And by the way, Carl Anthony Towns, as he's known to do, as he makes critical defensive errors at the end of games and he made two big ones in that game. He had a backside defense possession where he was just space. Casey not paying attention and Dyson Daniels slipped under the basket for an easy layup on a back cut. And then he had another one where he was guarding CJ McCollum in a ball screen. He kind of like lumbered way out to the level on the right side of the screen and CJ just went the other way and there was nobody on the other side and he had the easiest floater in the world. And so there's a certain amount of like you talk yourself into. On the other end of the floor, the knicks were attacking CJ McCollum relentlessly, including on the game winner. So what you talk yourself into is what if Atlanta takes CJ off the floor and goes, we don't have a weak link for you to attack. And on the other end of the floor they're relentless about attacking Brunson and Cat. Cat makes some pivotal mistakes in big games and it ends up tilting towards Atlanta. Here's where I have a hard time there. And this is why I would say that they're not a real upset threat. You're asking Nikhil Alexander Walker, who's had a great season to out execute Jalen Brunson in the half court of all these big games. And there also were some big rebounding mismatches on the other end of the floor underneath the basket. Like Josh Hart caused massive problems for Jalen Johnson. Jalen Johnson has generally been an inattentive off ball defender, but Josh Hart kind of kicked his ass on the offensive glass and then Carl Anthony Towns buried in Yeka Kongwu a few times for some easy ones. So between the easy buckets that I think the Knicks will get on the offensive glass in key moments and the simple fact that your two decisions are I can put CJ out there and make him a target or I can pull him. And now I'm asking Nikhil Alexander Walker to out execute Brunson. It's one of those ones that I think it's going to be exciting. It's going to be fun. The Hawks will win a home game or two. The games will be relatively close. But I just, I have a hard time believing the Hawks can beat him four times just because of that. Because Brunson advantage over their ball handlers.
- [29:45]
Chad Millman
Do you find anything likable about this Knicks team? And I ask, this is what makes, this is, this is what makes the NBA so fun. It's sort of what, it's why it becomes one of those fetishistic leagues where the fans can go so inside and you can do 300 shows a year because it has all of the high school drama components to it. And I have hated the Knicks for so long, but I love Jalen Brunson and I love Josh Hart and I love their dynamic and I think Their show Roommates is fun, but I can't stand Karl Anthony Townes as a player. I think he makes so many stupid mistakes. If I have to watch one more playoff game where he makes a stupid foul out on the perimeter and then puts his arms up like pterodactyl arms, and then puts his head in his hands like, oh, my God, I can't believe you called that one. Of course they called it because it was a stupid, ticky, tacky, reaching foul. I want to like this team, but I can never like this team. But I feel like there are people who can find them more likable.
- [30:49]
Jason Timmerman
Well, it falls into that same conversation we were having earlier. Jalen Brunson is in the Luka Doncic shakers, Alexander Nicole Jokic class of like, his impact far supersedes how aesthetically appealing he is. There's a lot of grifting. There's a lot of, like, footwork, nifty shot making in the mid to short range. It's. It's not a super aesthetically appealing brand of basketball. And that extends down the roster like. Like, there's not a guy on that team that's like, must see television in terms of exciting basketball. That in, like, they can just. They have been. One of the things that I think has caused them to be less likable in recent years is before all the trades when it was just, you know, Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, OG Anunoby, it was. They were kind of this hard nose. We win by physically playing harder than you. Here's Isaiah Hartenstein as part of this mix as well. That turned into a team that had a lot of talent. Like, you make Mikhail Bridges and Carl Anthony Towns trades, and suddenly it's like they're this very talented team who all year, last year was just underwhelming. Like, they were underwhelming all regular season. They lost every time they played one of the top seeds. Literally. They were.08 against the main contenders last year, which are Boston, Denver and okc. Then in the first round, they look mediocre against Detroit. They suddenly, lightning in a bottle, beat Boston and you're like, oh, my God. But then they immediately look underwhelming against. So they kind of have this like, they lost their appeal of like the lunch pail, hardworking team to kind of like a little bit of an underachieving relative to their talent kind of team. And again, like, when you watch Boston, like, Jaylen Brown might drive down the lane and dunk on all your dudes and that just. That Element of like flair from their stars just doesn't really exist either for them.
- [32:34]
Chad Millman
I used to play this really fun game with my kid. Well, we thought it was fun. You're playing in a YMCA game in St. Louis, right? Like a school that has a town that has no NBA team. So you wouldn't expect an NBA team to be there. Right. And Denzel Valentine, who was an all American at Michigan State, play for the Bulls, but had essentially a workman lunch pail. Very, very, very, very, very, very, very poor man's Jalen Brunson in style, right? All ymca. You know, the guys you're playing pick up hoops, it's like the guys we always play with who they're so fucking crafty, they're not fast, they're not big yet, they always find their way to an open layup or like an easy pull up in the middle of the lane. Jaylen Brunson is the hero of that team. Who to you, Jason, are four other players who match that description?
- [33:48]
Jason Timmerman
Oh man, that is such a good question. Okay, so I avoiding the stars that we already can't be.
- [33:55]
Chad Millman
It's not Luca Shay, you know Jokic? Yeah, those guys are too good.
- [34:00]
Jason Timmerman
I would go, I, I, I really think Alper and Shangoon kind of fits that mold of like there's nothing really exceptional about him athletically. Like he's big, but not really big for a center. He's fast, but not like, you know, some sort of bam out of bio level athlete. He there is some shot making, but it's not like he's Nicola Jokic out there just raining down the Sombor shuffle on your head. It is just brute force and bits of footwork, a little bit of playmaking and some touch over either shoulder where like he actually last year in particular was the guy that I most frequently would be like having a film session and be like, oh my God, he's kicking that guy's ass kind of, kind of dude. And he had a rough up and down season, but he's been playing much better as of late and I'm actually really excited to watch him in this year's postseason run. Power forward, I'm going to go Aaron Gordon. Aaron Gordon, to me is one of the most impactful players literally in the entire NBA. And he's just kind of a relative unknown in, not an unknown, but a relatively underappreciated kind of guy at his position. He just has this, first of all, he's become a knockdown three point shooter which has fundamentally changed the way that Denver can play on offense. He's this awesome vertical spacer. He's one of their meaning, like he can catch lobs underneath the basket. He's added the ability to score out of the post. He's one of their most impactful defensive players in his ability to switch. In that game we talked about earlier, he was the guy who was switching on to Victor Wembanyama and getting all those big stops late in the game. Massive clutch player. Had two game winners in last year's postseason run. He had the game winning dunk and the other game winning three over on the left wing against OKC in game one. Aaron Gordon at the four, at the two. I think it's Derek White. The, the thing with Derek White that's been fascinating is he's had a brutal shooting season, but overall he's still been one of the most impactful like metrics guys in the league. And, and the Celtics fall apart when he's off the floor just because of how many little things he does well on both ends of the floor. Whether it's his ability to run action and generate open threes, his ability to be like a connective playmaker. Like he's already open but he drives a closeout, makes the next pass that leads to an open 3. On defense, he literally had the best defensive season of his career in terms of blocks and steals. The Celtics defense was 10 and a half points better this season when he was on the floor versus offensive. So I'd go with Derek White, small forward. This one's tough, man. Just for the sake of time, I'll go with Jaden McDaniels. He's improved to the point where he's become a very good three point shooter. He shot in the mid-40s this year, but he's added a considerable amount of off the dribble ability to score, like driving closeouts with little bank shots. He's running more ball screens this year and scoring more effectively. He's one of the top tier perimeter defenders in the NBA. He's just one of those guys that like, if you, if, if he got hurt, like if Julius Randall got hurt, you'd still think that the Wolves have a chance because Nazri could slot in. If Dante DiVincenzo got hurt, you'd be like, yeah, whatever, there's IO Dasunmu. Like if Rudy Gobert got hurt, you'd be like, they'll just play with their two bigs, not with Rudy, but like if Jaden McDaniels got hurt, you'd be like, it's over. Like the wolves have no shot. So yeah, there you go. I'll go, I'll go. Jaden, Derrick White, Aaron Gordon, and Alper and Shangun.
- [37:12]
Chad Millman
So interesting about Aaron Gordon because his, you know, career started as such a highlight reel, you know.
- [37:18]
Jason Timmerman
Yeah.
- [37:18]
Chad Millman
So fascinating.
- [37:19]
Jason Timmerman
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Jason Timmerman
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- [39:42]
Chad Millman
One of the guys who to me has popped this year traded from Philadelphia to okc. And there's a reason I want to ask this Jared McCain who seems to be enjoying life so much playing in Oklahoma City. Daryl Morey got a ton of for trading them for the what he got back for him, especially since he's been playing as well as he has. Oklahoma City now is just even more loaded than it was any team that you think in terms of futures odds that can compete with Oklahoma City as a good value for buying for NBA Finals before the playoffs start.
- [40:18]
Jason Timmerman
This is so tough because what happened on Sunday, I'm not sure if you guys have been keyed in on this, but on Sunday the Spurs made a critical mistake. They sat out Victor Wembanyama and Luke Cornett their entire starting center rotation in what was the most important regular season game for them in their title odds. If you look at the way these teams match up with each other, Denver's kind of drawn dead against OKC in their last seven games that they've all played their guys. OKC is 6 and 1 and it's been a problem on both ends of the floor. Most importantly, OKC has been able to strangle Denver's offense, which like really no team in the league has been able to do except for maybe Minnesota for stretches. And so that has become a a problem like Denver has a real OKC problem. Then you look at the San Antonio Denver matchup, and I think Denver has San Antonio's number. I think Denver can score on Wemby relatively easily. They've lit Wemby up when Jokic has been on the floor this season. But then San Antonio has OKC's number because they beat him four times in five tries this year. They can keep Wemby close to the rim, which is a major advantage for them. So it's kind of like this weird rock, paper, scissors, transitive property thing where San Antonio is OKC's number. OKC has Denver's number. Denver has San Antonio's number. Had San Antonio won on Sunday, they would have literally kicked Denver to the other side of the bracket and forced OKC and Denver to play each other. Where OKC again has Denver's number, which could have solved that problem for San Antonio so that San Antonio could advance to the conference finals where then they in turn have OKC's number. And so in a weird way, like had San Antonio won that game and again they sat their entire starting center rotation and without those guys on the floor this season, they got rolled in like 1300 possessions. They were minus 7 points per 100 possessions. So this was a critical error from the decision makers for San Antonio. Wemby was healthy. He played on Friday and dropped 40. Literally one of the stupidest things I've ever seen an NBA team do. So if that had been the case, I think OKC would be like substantial. I think that line would look more like +250, +2,220. Like it. That line completely shifted because OKC is now lined up perfectly. They're going to play the winner of Rockets Lakers, which I don't care if it's. It's not going to be the Lakers.
- [42:33]
Chad Millman
But.
- [42:34]
Jason Timmerman
But even if it was, the OKC's got the Lakers number. Houston doesn't have the ball handling to handle OKC's pressure. So OKC is going to walk to the conference finals. Now Denver, like as I talked about, they're going to have us trouble with Minnesota. Actually, we didn't talk about this, but Minnesota is my favorite upset pick in the first round of the series that we know right now. The 36 and the 4 5. Denver, I think right now I think Minnesota is a plus 260. Yeah, you have it on the screen. Plus 260. That's my favorite upset in the first round. Those two teams have routinely kicked the crap out of each other. They alternate beating each other's ass. And like, yes, Minnesota went 1 and 3 this year, but they went 4 and oh last year. And in their last 19 matchups, they're 11 and 8. So they've dominated this matchup for long stretches. So like, to me, that series feels like more of a coin flip. I lean very slightly Denver, which means Minnesota is a great little, a great little betting opportunity there. But if Denver advances and and beats Minnesota and faces San Antonio in round two, I think they're going to beat San Antonio. If they beat San Antonio, then they'll go on to face OKC in the conference finals. And I think OKC is like 75, 25 going to beat Denver, which then puts OKC in the finals, where they're going to be at least a little bit of a favorite versus Boston and probably a massive favorite if they end up against a team like New York or Cleveland. So like, I think that what happened on Sunday took what was could have been a pretty wide open field and turned because I think San Antonio, I pick over OKC because they have a wemby problem. These matchups really do matter and so all of a sudden, San Antonio blowing that that game on Sunday just kind of opened the gates for this to be not like an easy repeat for okc, but a far more likely repeat. And I think that's reflected in the odds. Like the only shot, I think, really, because I think Denver's drawing dead in that matchup is for either Minnesota upset Denver, which would put Minnesota against San Antonio, which I think San Antonio would beat Minnesota, which would then allow San Antonio to make it to the conference finals, or for San Antonio to flip the script on Denver and to beat Denver in advance to the conference finals and upset okc. At that point, I mean, even Boston or New York would have a shot versus San Antonio. San Antonio has shown some vulnerability against those Eastern Conference teams this year. So it, it's, it's, it's a lot less likely that we see an upset after what happened on Sunday.
- [44:56]
Chad Millman
Jason Timf does not know the meaning of load management and pickup basketball. And in podcasting we're gonna let you go because I know you got to record about eight other Hoops Tonight episodes over the next 48 hours. So thanks for coming on. Dropping your NBA knowledge and your pickup basketball as NBA player knowledge. I like your lineup. This has been Sharper Square, part of the Volume Podcast network where you can also listen to hoops Tonight. Watch or listen on YouTube at Sharper Square like this video. Subscribe to the channel Download us from Spotify, Apple Pods wherever you get your pods. Rate Review Subscribe, Give us five stars. Say whatever you want. Feedback is a gift. Until next time. Love you
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Mariah Rose
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Mariah Rose
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