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Brian
As.
Chris
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Brian
Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily. Coming up. Welcome to the second round but also we had some game sevens over the weekend. Warriors get a big win. We look ahead to OKC and the Nuggets and take a look at how the Pacers beat the Cavs. Good morning, everybody. Good morning. S. We are in the second round.
Frank
I am excited. Man, what a, what a great time for playoff basketball. My goodness.
Brian
Yeah, we, we. We managed to get a couple of game sevens. I would say the two most compelling series I hey wound up going seven. Yeah. Nuggets get. Get the big win over the Clippers were James Harden, man, tough perfect hard performance or.
Frank
Or lack there bad weekend for Rockets fans in general. You know, between the James Harden dud and this game, the game seven that we're going to talk to. Yeah, but.
Brian
Yeah, well, we're going to have Xena after the break because you know, she was in studio for Warriors Rockets. So we're going to go deep on that with her. But before we go there, early game on Sunday was game one of round two between the Cavs and the Pacers. And look, if, if you've been listening to this show all year, you know, like we were high on the Cavs. I mean they had multiple double digit win streaks. I mean this was the best team in the east, but they had a few flaws. And I like us, I felt like the Pacers kind of matched up very well. They're big, they're athletic, they can score. And, and in game one, look, they pick up the win 121, 112. And it was kind of all the things that we talked about. Now, a little bit of this. The Cavaliers didn't have Darius Garland and it showed, especially early on.
Frank
Yeah, they absolutely showed. I mean the, the shot creation from Darius Garland, the playmaking ability, just the ability to get out in transition. That's an aspect that he brings in very quickly. And I know Ty Jerome did a valiant job of like trying to get similar things going, but he's obviously not Darius Garland. Right. He's more of a bench guard who can kind of do things off the bench against second units for you. Garland is a guy who we've talked about on the podcast, incredible fourth quarter performer. Probably should have been in the clutch player of the year conversation. The way that he's able to elevate them offensively as a guy who, all right, Mitchell is getting downhill. He's driving the ball. They're getting the defensive rotation and now Garland has a Wide open shot or a wide open lane that he can attack. So that's why they were missing Darius Garland. And look.
Brian
Yeah, the cast. Merrill. Sam Merrill in the starting lineup for Darius Garland. In my opinion, I think that was a little bit of mistake. I. I think you want to go playmaker. I would have maybe just gone tiger. I know it messes up the rest of your rotations, but you're adding shooting, but it's not someone that they're worried about making a play. Right.
Frank
Yeah.
Brian
And I think for Cleveland, like, it was missing for them. And on the other end for the Pacers, they. They just had a lot of guys out there making plays, whether it was Halliburton Nemhardt hitting big shot after big shot the entire game, and Pascal Siakam, like, they just right off the bat had more guys who could stir the drink. Yeah.
Frank
We got to start talking about Andrew Nemhardt as, like, one of the best playoff risers in the NBA.
Brian
Absolutely.
Frank
From last season, the way that he uplifted the Pacers defensively and the shot making to get them to the Eastern Conference finals. And now he's doing it again. And I thought he was masterful at, like, bailing out the Pacers offense when they weren't able to get a good look. It was like, all right, cool, Nemar, go ahead, get us a shot. And he hit five threes, two of which were in that fourth quarter, and they were massive shots. Cavs were fighting back, and he answered. And. And also the other aspect to this is his defense, the pickup points. He's pressuring the ball. The Pacers did an incredible job of, like, forcing Cleveland to start their possessions with, like, 16 seconds on the clock or 15 or 14 seconds on the clock. And.
Brian
Right.
Frank
Nemhardt is a big, big part of that. I will say. The Cavs also shot, like, 25 from three. That's not gonna happen all the time. Right?
Brian
Yeah.
Frank
So this was a. This was a game that Indiana, like, had to win just because of the offensive performance that Cleveland was kind of giving up today, too.
Brian
Yeah. And when you glance at the box score after you watch the game, because sometimes I'll watch a game with the box score, sometimes I'll wait. The one that jumps out to me is Aaron neesmith only played 25 minutes, but I swear, every second he was in the game, but I felt him every second, whether he was grabbing a rebound, making a defensive play. He had one series where he shot, I mean, an awful brick from the corner, and then he stays with the play, chases Down Don Mitchell at the other end. Right, like. And winds up with a rebound. I mean, it just that sort of effort and the size that they're. That. That the Pacers are able to throw at, like Donovan Mitchell and I would say Darius Garland, but we haven't seen it yet. But yeah, to. To throw at the smaller guards for Cleveland, I think it bothered him a little bit and it made him a little bit slow going. You know, they couldn't really get fired.
Frank
Yeah, I agree with you. Like, Neesmith and Nemart both are those guys. For them, it's like we're going to. We're going to be just feisty as heck on the point of attack. And I want to shout out Halliburton's defense in that fourth quarter. The Cavs said, all right, we need to start a run. Let's start hunting Tyrese Halliburton. Three possessions in a row. Halliburton got a stop. He actually got a couple of blocks in this game too. And he was able to. It was just awesome.
Brian
He can do it. He just does it.
Frank
I know, man.
Brian
This is why he can be such. Right?
Frank
He's big. He can do that.
Brian
Yeah, he saves it for the other end. And the thing is, like, when you watch a game like this and you look at him on the offensive end, you say, oh, well, by all means, save it. I mean, 22 points, had 13 assists. You know, on the broadcast, they were talking about how he reminded him of John Stockton because he has a ri. You know, he understands rhythm to the game. It is true, though. Like, he does get guys in rhythm. And you can. You can almost see where he's like, hey, you haven't had a touch in a while. Again, Nismith makes a good defensive play. Halliburton probably has a bucket if he can. Continues to drive. He finds Naismith for the wing three. And even that kind of stuff, like this is the sort of next level thing for point guards is, okay, I need to keep these guys engaged. And part of that is when they make a big defensive play, you try to find them on the other end. Now, usually the basketball gods take care of that. Right? Like, the ball will find a guy. But Halliburton, I mean, I thought he was excellent in the game as just the guy who kept everyone involved at all times.
Frank
Yeah, your era had John Stockton, my era had Steve Nash. But the difference between Halliburton and both those guys is Halliburton is 5 inches taller than both of them.
Brian
Right.
Frank
So he can see over top of the defense, he's able to make plays in transition because of the fact that he's 6, 7 and that makes it. I mean, look, he had one turnover tonight. He's one of the least turnover prone players in the NBA. And to get you 13 assists by just turning the ball over one single time, that's absurd. Especially against the Cavs defense. So if he has this type of series, it's looking like Indy. And especially we'll see what happens with Darius Garland. Right. The toe thing. The broadcast even reported it that it's a serious concern for the Cavs and.
Brian
If, I mean, this was the regular season round, right?
Frank
Yeah. If this was the regular season, he would have missed weeks apparently. So, yeah, obviously a concern. We'll see what happens. But if, if Halliburton is giving them this looks like favor. Indiana.
Brian
Yeah, yeah. By the way, more of a Mark Price guy than a Johnson.
Frank
Okay, fair.
Brian
Let's just, you know. But more into splitting the pick and roll than passing it off. Let's talk a little bit. You know, look, Nuggets, Clippers. There's not a lot to say about that game, to be honest with you, because the Clippers just came out and it was a dud for them. The Nuggets get a big win. But also, you know, a couple of games ago, we were all preparing our obituaries for the Nuggets and now they've just bounced back in a way like they looked like the better team by the end of the series with the Clippers. Let's look ahead. Our bet, MGM pick of the day. We're going to look ahead to tomorrow's game one. Oklahoma City against the Denver Nuggets is in Oklahoma. We're going to have Andrew select on the show tomorrow, of course, after the game to talk about it. Look, how do you feel about this? Look, seven games for the, for the Nuggets. They looked tired at times in the series. You know, like late third, early fourth. They're not a deep team.
Frank
Yep.
Brian
And Oklahoma City's been sitting at home. I mean, I don't know what these guys did. They have a Madden tournament all week. Like, how are they staying engaged?
Frank
You know, they've been throwing birthday parties. That's actually something that they've been doing. They've been throwing birthday parties because they have so much time on their hands. I think I saw a stat where OKC starting lineup has played in six games in April, you know, including the four playoff games. That's just absurd to think about. You know, that is a great, great Job to be able to play six times in an entire month. Right. Look, you're right about the depth. That's a huge piece to this. On any given night, the Nuggets have five and a half, maybe six players that they can rely on. Right. Russell Westbrook was huge in that game seven against the Clippers. He was huge in game one. They will need him to be that for every single game. That's just the type of player. And obviously Russ versus okc, the storyline.
Brian
We're on the Rust revenge tour. I mean, what if this just goes all the way, you know, and we get maybe warriors and Nuggets in the next series. I just. The Russ revenge tour. But they're not going to guard Russ. I mean, it's going to be very similar to the way the Clippers approached it, you know, and. But the thing about Russ and Russ being a little bit more self aware version of himself in the interviews I think is very funny. Like he is going to make plays and I think like he, he won games for the Nuggets already in the playoff.
Frank
Absolutely.
Brian
It's not going to shock me if he wins a game against the Thunder. I mean, again, this is a veteran guy who also just somehow like is involved in every key play. Yeah, yeah. Good or bad. Right.
Frank
He relishes in these type of moments and I think like, especially against okc, he's going to have a little bit of extra juice to be like that. So yeah, I mean, Russ is going to be big.
Brian
But let me ask you a couple questions. Let me ask you a couple questions. Who's going to be the best player in the series?
Frank
Best player in the series. You can toss it up between SGA and Jokic. The one thing I will say though, I think the Thunder have many, many more options to guarding Nicola Jokic than the Nuggets do for guarding sga. There's just, I mean, Christian Brown did a great job on James Harden. James Harden is not Shea Gilders. Alexander, you know, he's 10 years younger and in MVP form. So I think it's just tough to think, all right, what is Aaron Gordon going to go on sga? Is Peyton Watson going to be the primary assignment on sga? Because they don't have as many options as the, as the Thunder do when it comes to. All right, Hartenstein is the primary on Jokic. You got Chet as the helper. You can throw tons of size. Caruso is going to be in there active with his hands. You got Kayson Wallace coming off the bench, also active with his Hands. It's just more options for OKC to stop Jokic or at least contain Jokic.
Brian
Right.
Frank
Then there is for. For sj. How do you feel about that?
Brian
I mean, I, like, I just think Oklahoma City's defense, even if they don't stop Jokic, right. If he. If he averages 40 points, how's he going to get 12 assists?
Frank
Right?
Brian
That's. That's the thing. Where's he going to get the 12 assists from? You know, we know the guys that they aren't going to guard, and they're going to make them prove it. Can Christian Brown have another series like he just had? I mean, I. We're watching him kind of if we're like, most improved for the playoffs. Like, he's probably high up the list for me as far as, like, my expectations and where he's been. I'll shoot.
Frank
I'll shoot another question at you. Okay.
Brian
Okay.
Frank
So best player, if we're going based on that, like, who do you think is the X factor for this series? Who's that guy that might swing it from. You know, if you're.
Brian
Yeah, you know, I agree. Just like in the last one, right? The last series, Clippers and Nuggets, that was Jamal Murray versus James Harden. We know what we're getting from Jokic and Kawhi. The. The question marks are, you know, what is Jamal. What's James Harden? I think in this series, it's. It's a little bit Jamal Murray and a little bit Jalen Williams. You know, what does Jalen Williams look like when. When they send two to Shay? What does it look like when Jalen Williams is the guy that has to score down the stretch? I mean, this has been the question mark since last season, but I think Jamal Murray is. I mean, that's the biggest question mark in the entire series. Which Jamal are you going to get? Yep.
Frank
I completely agree.
Brian
Yeah.
Frank
I mean, look. I think you look at Jamal and the series he had versus Minnesota last year, the struggles that he had against their point of attack defense. Now you're facing the Thunder team that might be even better at the point of attack with their defense. So this is a huge series for him. I will say I'm kind of interested to see if the Nuggets throw out a zone against okc, because we've seen this a lot in the playoffs, especially against teams that you might say have some sort of questionable shooters, like funneling shots to Lou Dortmund. Even though Dort can knock down those looks, it's like you can live with that versus SGA going one on one against everybody. Force Shade to be a passer. Force Shade to be a guy who gets off the ball quickly and to your point. You're forcing J Dub, you're forcing Chet to be more active offensively. So wonder if we see a foul.
Brian
Keeps your guys out of foul trouble. You don't foul as much in the zone. And if you've only got five guys, I mean, it's going to be a big deal. They cannot afford a scenario where Aaron Gordon has three fouls in the second quarter. Right. It just, it's not a thing for them. Yeah, guys, stick around after the break. Xena's here to talk about the Warriors Big Game 7 win over the Rockets.
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Brian
The warriors pick up a win over the Houston Rockets in Game seven. Zena Keda, you were in studio for the game, totally locked in. Let me tell you, buddy, Healed was an experience at home on tv. How was it in studio watching him cook?
Zena
It was unreal. You know, it's so funny you say experience. We always talk about the Russell Westbrook experience, and I feel like an underrated experience is the Buddy healed experience because we know him over the course of his career to be a streaky shooter, but we also know him to be similar to Russell Westbrook, someone that puts the work in. And so there is this consistent trust that regardless of what program he ends up in, coaches consistently find opportunities for him to shine. And tonight, starting Buddy Heald after he went 00 points in Game 6, went 2 of 6 from the field in Game 5. That was some serious trust that Steve Kirp had for him to start tonight, and it paid off.
Frank
Buddy, it was awesome. I love the fact that obviously maybe Gary Payton not playing in this game might have actually helped because Buddy was massive.
Zena
That's a good point.
Frank
And this, this was like, you got Buddy for the first half, you got Steph and Jimmy for the second half. It kind of allowed them to get their rhythm in this game just because Steph and Jimmy were able to dominate. What'd you think about the warriors zone against Houston in this series?
Zena
I thought it was hilariously tactful that the thing that had disrupted the warriors all series long, that they could not figure out how to penetrate and blow up. They finally blow it up with Buddy Hill's three point shot, and then Houston doesn't know what it is. They're like, wait, we run this, but we don't know how to break this ourselves? How do we penetrate the zone? How do we pass into the pipe, like the post? Like they don't know what to do. So, yeah, it was fascinating. It was really cool to see just how well the veterans on on the warriors were able to rotate in this zone because that was really what the key was. The last few games, you kept seeing the warriors look old, look tired, not hustling to the 50, 50 balls, et cetera. And then tonight, they put on a masterclass of we know how to move efficiently. You saw crazy backline rotations of Draymond Green disrupting interior post passing because he was rotating in right master class.
Frank
Draymond Green, right.
Zena
It was a masterclass of Draymond being able to rotate. You saw the amazing communication, people switching off on the perimeter again in the half court, conserving the energy of these vets that played 40 plus minute games and that zone. Houston didn't know what to do with it.
Brian
Yeah, there was no reason the warriors could have run the zone the entire time, you know, the entire series, especially in Game 7. The Rockets didn't want to shoot. There was exactly one player for the Rockets that just showed no fear, and it was Amend Thompson. And he kind of just would start these runs on his own. I do want to talk about the way that they guarded Steph, I mean, in the series overall. I mean, I think that they, they did a pretty good job of just making it work. But in game seven, you want to talk about a master class, it was a Steph Curry master class, you know, and he only scored what, eight points or something through like the first three quarters and then it kind of goes off and you know, he's being faceguarded by every single player. You know, for the Rockets, it felt like. And he was hitting some ridiculous stuff. He got this layup that just felt like he was forcing. He's like, I just need to see the ball go through the basket on nights like that. Right? Like, and, and then you couple that with Jimmy Butler coming up. I mean, it's 6, 0 run personal 6, 0 run in the fourth quarter to really seal the deal. Thinking ahead. Okay, we're, we're already, we're moving on past the Rockets. Good night. Sayonara. We're looking at the Minnesota Timberwolves and the warriors now. I mean, what do you think that, that the Timberwolves are going to throw out against Steph in the playoffs?
Zena
It's funny that you said we're moving past the Rockets because it's the same sort of familial series that's about to happen where these, these storylines are running through. For a decade, the warriors have terrorized Houston and now this is an opportunity for them to go to Minnesota that hasn't been directly terrorized in the same way, but feel the same like vicious need to take them down. You're thinking about Rudy Gober, you're thinking about Aunt Edwards wanting to be the King slayer, but in regards to what they're going to throw at them, you're going to see very similar things like Houston through at them. You're, you're going to see a dominant school defender like an Ahmed Thompson and Jada McDaniels. I, I anticipate Jada McDaniels being the forward person on Steph Curry. If not and Edwards because both of them are, they want that assignment, they want that ability to shut down a big time scorer like Steph Curry and also to be the person that is dismantling everything the warriors want to do offensively, which we know starts with Steph Curry, but anticipate the same level of throwing two at them. The thing about the Minnesota Timberwolves, that will be just a little bit different than Houston Rockets that also threw two at Steph is that they have veterans on those rotations, right? So when you throw two, if you throw a Jaden and an ant or a Jaden and a kill, Alexander Walker, you've got a Julius Randle on the backside, you've got a Nas Reed on the backside, you've got a Dante DiVincenzo on the backside, right? You've got some really smart defenders that can pick off those passes and things of that sort. So I really feel as if it's going to be a very similar look. The execution is where it's going to be a little bit different.
Brian
Let me ask you, s. You worried that the warriors are too small? Again, like we saw in moments, right? Stephen Adams had a dominant series. Albert Shangoon had a pretty good game seven. I mean, if you just. If you don't look at the shot selection or the defense. Or the defense. Yeah, but, you know, Gobert had had a massive, obviously, closing game against. Against the Lakers and a better series than. Than maybe the numbers let on, because defensively, I do think he was super important. Like, are you worried the warriors are too small?
Frank
I think the size will be an issue. How big of an issue it is is probably going to be dependent on how big of a series Rudy Gobert is going to have. Also, the Julius Randle equation. To this all, Randall was awesome against the Lakers. Is he going to be awesome against the Warriors? Are they going to throw Draymond at him? Like, that's the guy, I would imagine is. Is what you're throwing at him, but generally it's like, all right, you'd rather have Draymond be against Rudy so he can camp around and roam around and do what he usually does. So that's the question with the size. I will say the difference between Rockets and Wolves, to me is the fact that you have someone as a number one scoring option in Minnesota. That was something that Houston was desperately trying to find throughout this series. They didn't have that guy. Minnesota has that guy in Anthony Edwards. You can't throw out a zone against Minnesota. They're one of the best three point shooting teams in the league, even though they didn't show it in their Lakers series. And. And I think that's the conundrum, right, For. For Gold State. It's all right. How are you going to survive offensively and lock down these guys?
Brian
Right? Zena, who's guarding Anthony Edwards?
Gina
Oof.
Brian
Are they gonna start Moses Moody again?
Zena
It might be Moses. I. I would say it's probably going to be Moses, mainly because you just don't want to tire out a Jimmy.
Brian
Well, yeah, or.
Zena
You know what I mean? Like, you want to make sure you have somebody young on him, especially, and then also someone that relishes that opportunity. And Moses has been doing that all through the regular season and into the playoffs. As you bring up a really great point in that there wasn't a guy in Houston in the way that Houston. I mean, in the way that the Timberwolves have it. And I'll say this, the guy is Aunt Edwards, but particularly against the warriors, the guy is Nas Reed. He's a problem for the Warriors. You know, in that Lakers series, I think he was 56% from the floor, 50% from three. That's insane. Like, you're thinking about if Draymond has to guard someone like a Nas Reed that pulls out your main rim protector, and then that's where you're going to have to see the likes of a quit post come in. And I like that, because if Quentin Post is hitting his outside shots, that means Rudy Gobert is pulled away from the basket. But then I have to think on the defensive end, like, how well is Quentin Post going to be against the Rudy Gobert or anyone like an ant driving to the basket? This is going to be a spicy series, and it's going to be a really great X's and O's battle between these two teams.
Brian
I think Jimmy Butler is the key. Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green are the key to guarding Julius Randle and Nas Reed. And it isn't that. That, like, dream. I don't think Draymond's gonna even get the assignment on those guys most of the time. I think Draymond will be just mostly on Rudy and kind of helping. But Jimmy Butler's ability to hold up against, you know, if Randall wants to go bully ball, I think. I think, you know, Jimmy Butler can hold up enough that he's not just going to get knocked over. And I think he can just straight up guard Nas Reed.
Zena
Now, remember, the Timberwolves are capable of the going small ball, right, with nas at the 5. And that's where I'm thinking about Draymond on him. But with Rudy, they're gonna have to find a way to get him. I mean, I don't think it's going to be Find a way. Draymond's going to find a way to get him off.
Brian
They got to play him off the court, though, I think, on the other end. Right. They got to make it.
Frank
Yeah.
Brian
I think the warriors can score enough and this is. Look, it could be another big buddy healed series. Right. If the warriors can score enough.
Zena
Yeah.
Brian
That the Timberwolves have to go small. They have to say, hey, we need more shooting, because we're just not scoring enough. And we know sometimes that offense can stall out. Right. Like, if they're not making shots, things get tight for the Timberwolves. Okay, look, before we get out of here, guys, let's make a prediction. Zena, we'll put you on the spot. We're going to just pick Warriors, Wolves. We won't pick anything else. How many games? Who's going to win?
Zena
Dang.
Brian
We haven't picked any other series. I'm just putting you guys on the spot.
Frank
Oh, man.
Zena
Okay. Wow.
Frank
It's a tough pick. It's.
Zena
Honestly, it is a tough pick.
Frank
Yeah.
Zena
Only because the warriors just went through this incredible battle with the Rockets, but they also pulled it out. I'm gonna go Wolves and six.
Brian
Wolves and six.
Frank
Okay. All right.
Brian
Okay.
Zena
I just agree. I don't know.
Brian
Yeah.
Zena
I feel like after seeing Game 5 and Game 6 with the Warriors, I was like, whoa, what's going on here?
Frank
Yeah, there are shifts to it. Yeah.
Zena
But Draymond said he wanted to play better, and he did play better. 16 points against the Rockets in game seven. So I think that will extend things a little bit. But eventually, the athleticism and the youth of Minnesota, I feel like may win out.
Brian
I'm one.
Frank
Draymond is one flagrant foul away from being suspended for one game. This is going to happen this series. Right.
Chris
For sure.
Zena
Oh, I didn't know that. Okay. Okay. Yeah.
Brian
Yeah. So that's.
Frank
That's another.
Brian
It's a lot of people that. That get under. Under Draymond skin in the series. You know, to me, I think that we may see a redux of what we just saw with Minnesota and the Lakers. Right. A little too big. Little too athletic, Little. Little deeper. You know, just have guys that can do stuff. But.
Frank
So you go Wolves and five.
Brian
No, it's. It's impossible for me to bet against Steph Curry and the Warriors. I'm going warriors in seven.
Frank
Wow. Okay. No, I'm. I'm sticking Xena. Stay strong. I'm sticking with Wolves. I got the.
Zena
I know. It's really hard for me to bet against Steph, too. That's why I felt like I was pulling out my hair saying that.
Brian
But we'll see. Let us know if you're watching on YouTube. Let us know in the comments who's gonna win the series. If you're listening to this podcast, wherever you listen to it. Go leave us a five star review. We're working hard and it's fun. That's gonna do it for the show, folks. For Xena Keda. Thanks for hanging out late, esperaheny. I'm Dave DeFore and this has been the NBA Daily. Thanks for waking up with us.
Summary of "Can the Warriors Beat the Wolves?" Episode of The Athletic NBA Daily
Release Date: May 5, 2025
In this episode of The Athletic NBA Daily, hosts Dave DuFour, Zena Keita, and Esfandiar Baraheni, along with regular contributors Andrew Schlecht and Alex Spears, delve into the intricacies of the NBA playoffs. The discussion centers around recent pivotal games, outstanding player performances, and anticipates upcoming matchups, notably the Warriors facing the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Game 7 Showdowns and Significant Wins
The hosts begin by highlighting the intensity of the second-round playoffs, emphasizing the dramatic conclusion of multiple series with Game 7s. Brian introduces the segment by stating, "We managed to get a couple of game sevens. I would say the two most compelling series I hey wound up going seven." This sets the stage for an in-depth analysis of the Warriors' significant victory.
Warriors vs. Rockets: A Detailed Breakdown
Zena Keita provides an insider perspective on the Warriors' Game 7 win over the Houston Rockets. He remarks, "It was unreal. ... Starting Buddy Heald after he went 0-0 points in Game 6, went 2 of 6 from the field in Game 5. That was some serious trust that Steve Kerr had for him to start tonight, and it paid off." This strategic move proved pivotal, showcasing Buddy Heeld's critical role in breaking the Rockets' defensive strategies.
Frank adds, "Buddy, it was awesome. ... You got Buddy for the first half, you got Steph and Jimmy for the second half. It kind of allowed them to get their rhythm in this game just because Steph and Jimmy were able to dominate." The coordinated effort between veterans like Draymond Green and emerging talents ensured the Warriors' triumph.
Cavaliers' Struggles Without Darius Garland
Brian discusses the Cavaliers' early exit in Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers, highlighting the absence of Darius Garland: "The Cavaliers didn't have Darius Garland and it showed, especially early on." Garland's playmaking and offensive prowess were sorely missed, leading the Pacers to a decisive 121-112 victory.
Pacers' Strategic Prowess and Key Players
Frank emphasizes Andrew Nemhardt's exceptional performance: "Nemhardt is a big, big part of that. I will say. The Cavs also shot, like, 25% from three. That's not gonna happen all the time." Nemhardt's ability to score critical three-pointers and his defensive tenacity were instrumental in the Pacers' success.
Aaron Neesmith's contributions are also lauded: "Aaron Neesmith only played 25 minutes, but I swear, every second he was in the game, I felt him." His relentless defense and rebounds despite limited playing time underscored his value to the Pacers.
Impact of Halliburton's Defense
Tyrese Halliburton's defensive efforts were pivotal: "Halliburton got a stop. He actually got a couple of blocks in this game too. And he was able to." His ability to pressure the ball and disrupt the Cavaliers' offensive flow significantly contributed to the Pacers maintaining control of the game tempo.
Nuggets' Resilience and Westbrook's Influence
Brian previews the upcoming Game 1 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets, noting the Nuggets' fatigue from a grueling seven-game series: "They looked tired at times in the series. You know, like late third, early fourth. They're not a deep team." However, Russell Westbrook's pivotal role remains a focal point: "Russell Westbrook was huge in that game seven against the Clippers. He was huge in game one. They will need him to be that for every single game."
Frank concurs, emphasizing Westbrook's clutch performance: "He relishes in these type of moments and I think like, especially against OKC, he's going to have a little bit of extra juice to be like that." The hosts discuss Westbrook's ability to influence games decisively, making him a critical asset for the Nuggets.
Strategic Matchups and Defensive Tactics
The conversation shifts to defensive strategies, with Brian questioning, "How are you going to survive offensively and lock down these guys?" Frank responds by analyzing the Thunder's defensive options against key Nuggets players, particularly Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. The discussion underscores the strategic depth required to counter the Nuggets' versatile offense.
Warriors' Defensive Strategies Against Anthony Edwards
Zena Keita anticipates the Warriors' defensive approach against the Timberwolves' star, Anthony Edwards: "You're going to see very similar things like Houston through at them. ... Especially against the Warrior, the guy is Aunt Edwards ... Nas Reed is a problem for the Warriors." The focus is on how the Warriors will manage offensive threats while containing Edwards' scoring ability.
Size Concerns and Defensive Matchups
Frank raises concerns about the Warriors' size in defending the Timberwolves: "I think the size will be an issue. ... the difference between Rockets and Wolves, to me is the fact that you have someone as a number one scoring option in Minnesota. That's something Houston was desperately trying to find throughout this series. They didn't have that guy. Minnesota has that guy in Anthony Edwards." This highlights the potential mismatch in size and scoring prowess that the Warriors will need to navigate.
Key Defensive Players and Their Impact
Jimmy Butler's defensive capabilities come under scrutiny as the hosts discuss his role: "Jimmy Butler can hold up enough that he's not just going to get knocked over. And I think he can just straight up guard Nas Reed." His ability to contain opposing scorers like Nas Reed is seen as crucial for the Warriors' defensive success.
Predictions and Final Thoughts
As the episode progresses to predictions, Zena Keita opts for the Timberwolves with a six-game series win: "I'm gonna go Wolves and six." However, Frank and Brian express differing opinions, with Brian rooting for the Warriors to extend their series to seven games: "I'm going warriors in seven." The varied predictions encapsulate the uncertainty and excitement surrounding the matchup.
The episode wraps up with the hosts encouraging listener engagement and sharing their enthusiasm for the ongoing playoffs. The comprehensive analysis provided offers insights into team strategies, player performances, and potential outcomes, making it a valuable resource for NBA enthusiasts seeking a deeper understanding of the playoff dynamics.
Notable Quotes:
Brian [04:51]: "The Cavaliers didn't have Darius Garland and it showed, especially early on."
Frank [05:32]: "We got to start talking about Andrew Nemhardt as, like, one of the best playoff risers in the NBA."
Zena [19:04]: "I thought it was hilariously tactful that the thing that had disrupted the Warriors all series long, that they could not figure out how to penetrate and blow up. They finally blow it up with Buddy Hill's three-point shot."
Frank [23:42]: "The difference between Rockets and Wolves, to me, is the fact that you have someone as a number one scoring option in Minnesota."
Zena [27:35]: "I'm sticking with Wolves. I got the Wolves and six."
This episode effectively dissects the current state of the NBA playoffs, providing listeners with a thorough analysis of past performances and future possibilities. The blend of statistical breakdowns, player evaluations, and strategic insights ensures that both casual fans and dedicated followers gain a comprehensive understanding of the unfolding basketball narratives.