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- [00:01]
Host 1
As you've probably heard by now, we've teamed up with BetMGM this season we'll be using BetMGM lines to make all of our picks and we'll have special offers for our listeners each week. If you haven't signed up for BetMGM yet, use bonus code TheAthletic and you'll get a one year subscription to the Athletic plus up to a fifteen hundred dollar first bet offer on your first wager with BetMGM. Here's how it works. Download the BetMGM app and sign up using bonus code TheAthletic. Make your first deposit of at least ten dollars. Place bet on any game and claim your voucher for a one year subscription to the Athletic.
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- [01:01]
Host 1
Don't forget, if you haven't signed up for BetMGM yet, use bonus code TheAthletic and you'll get a one year subscription to the Athletic plus up to a fifteen hundred dollar first bet offer on your first wager.
- [01:14]
Host 2
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- [01:40]
Dave Dufour
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- [01:42]
Lonzo Ball
What's up?
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Agent
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Lonzo Ball
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Agent
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Guest 1
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Lonzo Ball
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Guest 2
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Guest 1
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- [02:06]
Anthony Slater
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- [02:16]
Dave Dufour
Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily. Coming up, the warriors got stomped in game five, so we're going to get game six in the bay. We got Anthony Slater here to. And the Lakers, they're going on vacation. Good morning, everybody. Good morning, guys. Heck of a game that you had to travel to Houston for, Anthony. Not the best.
- [02:42]
Host 2
Yeah.
- [02:42]
Anthony Slater
Not the worst. Wasn't as bad as Memphis Game 5, 2022. It actually Marcus made this point to me on our post game podcast. It was actually a reminiscent of game four of the west finals that year against Dallas. They were up 30 and they got blown out. Went to the bench and the bench, including Moses Moody at the time, like Namanya Ba played so well that there was a moment in the fourth, it was like, should you go back to the starters?
- [03:08]
Dave Dufour
Right?
- [03:09]
Anthony Slater
And that's what did happen tonight. There was Steph Curry at one point, well, pretty soon after they pulled the plug with 18 minutes left. Took his thumb wrap off, like unwrapped it. Took his ankle braces off. And those things are contraptions, I don't know if you've seen them. Yeah. And like gave him to the trainers and then whatever. And then it was right around when Kevin knox hit a three to cut it to like 15 in the corner. And Ime Udoka goes back to his starters, by the way, which I was like. Right. I guess he kind of had to. But then Steph called the ankle braces down and put his ankle braces back on. Like Steve Kerr said he was never thinking to go back to him, but it got like mildly interesting for a second and we had a skirmish mop up time.
- [03:48]
Dave Dufour
Right? Yeah.
- [03:50]
Guest 1
Cam Spencer, as the broadcast said, you know, they mistakenly called him Spencer.
- [03:55]
Anthony Slater
Yeah, yeah, Headbutt. He got ejected.
- [03:58]
Dave Dufour
He got ejected. Hey, listen, I. Look, there's a strong argument to make that that bench unit did their job by bringing. Getting the starters back in the game. Right. I mean, it's not so much about game five, it's about game six. So if you're thinking ahead, right, Which I, I bet Steve Kerr has this in mind. He's out there saying, hey, we want to push the pace. We want to get these. Get under their skin. I mean, imagine a. It's not Pat Spencer throwing the headbutt, but it's Alper and Shangon and they're.
- [04:25]
Anthony Slater
Spending like, is Sengun gonna be suspended?
- [04:29]
Dave Dufour
I know. I mean, so to a certain degree.
- [04:32]
Anthony Slater
Spencer gonna be suspended? No, I'm not sure.
- [04:35]
Dave Dufour
I mean, who would have thought Pat Spencer was playing in game five of. Of a playoff series, but not me. What. What do you think? Aside from just shooting better, which the Rockets absolutely did, they shot the lights out. Aside from that, what do you think they did so well against the warriors to you know, to really end this game in the middle of the third?
- [04:55]
Anthony Slater
Yeah, I mean, look, they came out aggressive and desperate, and the warriors fouled them five times in the first four minutes. They were in the bonus. Then they shot free throws better.
- [05:04]
Dave Dufour
Right.
- [05:05]
Anthony Slater
That's been a story of this series. They were 13 of 13 from the line at the end of the first quarter, so, you know, just got the free points that they were handed to them, which mattered. You mentioned the shooting. You know, I think at half they were like 69, 62, 85 shooting splits. Steve Kerr said at halftime they looked and they had a effective field goal percentage, like 95 or something like that. So, I mean, it was like an outlier offensive performance.
- [05:30]
Dave Dufour
Right.
- [05:31]
Anthony Slater
Def. Defensively, they really pressed all the way to half court. Amen. Thompson had his best game of the series, I'd say. I think he had five steals. And you could tell that their game plan was to just like, really get in Steph, even really get in Jimmy. And then the warriors just didn't come to play. I mean, that was a no show by their starters to the point that, like, it almost looked like they were wanting to pull the plug. Including at halftime, Steve Kerr and Draymond Green discussed like, hey, should. What should we do in the second half? And they were like, give us five minutes to see if there's a mini run. And after five minutes, you could tell they were all like, hey, let's like, we're good here. And there was clearly playing the second quarter. Yeah, I mean, there was clearly like the third stringers, like, made it a game. So it wasn't like it was. Yeah, I mean, look, 29 in the modern NBA, like, obviously you, you know, need a great comeback, but it's not impossible. But clearly that's just the mindset the warriors brought to this game five. And if they go home and clinch it in game six, we'll probably never talk about this game much again. But they put themselves at risk.
- [06:33]
Guest 1
I mean, the pressure is on them now because they got to finish it out or they gotta, you know, head back to Houston for Game 7. Slater, you hit us with some trivia last time. I'm gonna hit you with some trivia, okay? You Ready? All right. So last time that Curry has had back to back playoff games with less than 20 points, when was it?
- [06:56]
Anthony Slater
I would, I mean, it's going to be a while ago just for, for the fact that a little bit ago I was going to say because like I would almost think Maybe that Nuggets first round series of 22 because he came off the bench while Jordan Pool was like really going and he was just fresh off an injury. But clearly he didn't go two straight games without 20 points in that series.
- [07:15]
Guest 1
So that was not the one yet.
- [07:17]
Dave Dufour
2018.
- [07:21]
Guest 1
I should have let you guess more. No, 2018 versus the Rockets actually. Game one and game two, he ended up dropping 14 and 15. I mean like you talk. You asked him about his thumb post game. I know there's that picture going around of his thumb looking a little, you know, mangled or whatnot. But. But how much of that is sort of the concern here with what he's.
- [07:41]
Anthony Slater
Dealing with privately and clearly publicly. He is not using it as an excuse. And honestly, I don't really think it's impacting him. That. Yeah, I think it, I think it hurts at times and I think it's like uncomfortable. But he's shooting like he's had huge game. He had the huge game three with it. Yeah, he's really been dealing with it all year. I mean, he sprained it. He resprained it in Portland on the second to last game of the season. That's the one he's dealing with now. But I would say this was like probably a December, January thing. He's, he's been off and on having to wear that like splint. So I don't think it's the thumb. I think, you know, it's, it's a little bit of the age where he's not going to have five straight, you know, high octane playoff games. He, he's had his two big ones in the series. Game one, he was great. Game three without Jimmy, I think he really emptied the gas tank a little bit there. And I think both him and Jimmy, Jimmy in particular, who I thought was, was tame tonight in a lot of ways. Shot three threes in the opening minutes, missed all three. And like that to me is a sign of Jimmy's like, you know, not trying to throttle up. Like they need to deliver one more game in this series. And it clearly everyone decided tonight wasn't going to be the night. And if you don't come to the arena like amped against the Rockets, that is what will happen. Because of how.
- [08:58]
Dave Dufour
Yeah, yeah, because they're looking for a fight, right? Like, I mean, these guys want to be physical and, and it's hard to be. I think it's hard to match that physicality if you're just not into it, which they weren't. This is. My God, Steph takes 12 shots, right? Like, I mean, now look, he only plays two and a half quarters, but it's only 23 minutes.
- [09:18]
Anthony Slater
That's the best stat for them tonight. 25 Jimmy Butler 23 step minutes. 18 Draymond Green minutes.
- [09:24]
Dave Dufour
Yeah, right. I guess, look, we'll, we'll throw this game out a little bit, right? We'll say shooting outlier for the Rockets. Warriors weren't into it. But looking ahead to Game 6, like, is there any. And I want to think about it from the Rockets perspective, right? Like they won the game. Like what carries over for them? Like, what do you see that works, that, that they can repeat in game six.
- [09:44]
Anthony Slater
Yeah, look, the double Big has worked for them better than probably people would have predicted in this particular series. They're even now more willing to use it with Steph on the court. They've zoned, done this, a kind of triangular zone type thing.
- [09:56]
Dave Dufour
Started out in his own right.
- [09:58]
Anthony Slater
Yeah. Early on, you know, tonight they got a, they got a really good offensive game without needing a Jalen Green explosion. So, you know, that came from a lot of ways. Sengun was playmaking a ton. He had eight first half assists. There's some stuff like Houston's dangerous. Like Houston was in both games in San Francisco. They like, you know, you could argue they. Yeah, probably should have. You know, we Talked after game 4 like they easily could have won that game. You needed a Jimmy Butler rebound rate late, some free throws, all that. So I expect them to be in Game 6. And it's going to be very difficult for the Warriors. And not only have they put themselves in a scenario where if they lose that game, they have to go play probably a Sunday afternoon game seven in Houston, which will be dangerous. But Minnesota closed tonight. I'm sure you guys are going to talk about the Lakers. Yeah, Minnesota is now resting. Minnesota, you know, is that going to be a game one Sunday if the warriors do close Friday, that's a quick turnaround. And you know that, that it, that part of it might remind me a little of 23 playoffs for the wars. There's always something in the warriors like diamonds. The era that compares to they had a game six at home against the Kings and, and lost it. Like Malik Monk. I remember Was great that night and pushed it to the legendary game seven where Steph has the 50 points, you know, lights the beam, does all that. But they, two nights later have to play game one against the Lakers and lose. And honestly, that's how they lost that series. They just, they were fatigued and they punted away game one against the Lakers and lost in six. So I say that to say maybe they still beat the Rockets, but maybe tonight, you know, they, they're not going to get the requisite rest that they probably need.
- [11:44]
Guest 1
How do you feel about a mat? I mean, obviously count your chickens before they hatch type of thing, but how do you feel about a Warriors Wolves series if that's how it goes down?
- [11:54]
Anthony Slater
Yeah, you know, they played them well this year. They're 3 and 1. They had the tiebreaker and the games were like the bad version of the warriors played them well. And this year, like, Dennis Schroeder went in there in his second game with like the Dennis Schroeder Warriors. What a stint. And beat him. I remember there was another game in Minnesota again while the warriors are in like this nose dive down the standings they went into. Minnesota had no Draymond, no Kaminga, no Kyle Anderson who was on the team at the time. So they had no front court. Quinton Post was in the G League at the time. And with that they started GI Santos at power forward, I believe, and beat the Wolves who had like their, like had Randall and Gobert and Nazri, like, Warriors went out to like a 211 lead and, and hung on. So it's, it's a lot of like they seem to in the matchups I've seen this year, like, do all their like off ball stuff and Minnesota gets scattered and it's worked and they just, they defend well. They exploited Go Bear. But yeah, again, that's regular season basketball is different times.
- [12:59]
Guest 1
Tough to compare. Yeah.
- [13:00]
Anthony Slater
Yeah.
- [13:00]
Dave Dufour
I mean, I mean, I don't know if you're aware Rudy Gobert had. Was like 27 points, 24 rebounds. I mean, he absolutely looked like prime Shaq against the Lakers.
- [13:10]
Anthony Slater
So yeah, in a series, huh.
- [13:14]
Dave Dufour
Is something like, look, I don't want to get ahead, but man, that I've got that pinned on the board because that's going to be something. I mean, the defensive battle, honestly, between.
- [13:25]
Guest 1
Yeah, that'll be a lot.
- [13:26]
Dave Dufour
Those two guys, like two of the guys that are the best of this era, I really do want to look forward to that. Outside of, you know, what is Draymond going to potentially do to Rudy Yeah.
- [13:37]
Anthony Slater
I mean, there's a lot of like denser history between the two teams too, including, you know, obviously you go back to Steph, right. Minnesota passing on Steph twice. Jimmy Butler's Minnesota tenure. Right. You have the Andrew Wiggins trade, which came with the draft pick that became Comminger. That, you know, also if you, you know, kind of keep spinning it forward, it gets them Jimmy Butler because of Andrew Wiggins contract, which was DM's contract.
- [14:06]
Dave Dufour
And they didn't draft really like Anthony Edwards.
- [14:10]
Anthony Slater
So that was what I was going to get to where they, they could have. They were at two at Wiseman and they could have moved up to one with the next year Minnesota lottery pick if they had added that into the deal, which would become Kaminga. But instead they didn't go up to one. Now people will say you didn't go up to one to get Anthony Edwards. The truth is, even if they went up to one, they were going to go get James Wiseman. That's who they liked. Right. But yes, dense history all across the board. But that series is not set in stone at this point.
- [14:38]
Dave Dufour
Yeah, that's right. Yeah, you're right.
- [14:39]
Guest 1
Yeah.
- [14:40]
Dave Dufour
You want to make a prediction? Is it over in six or are we going seven? Now?
- [14:44]
Anthony Slater
I would. I think I came on this podcast the other night and was warning y'all what was going to go down.
- [14:50]
Dave Dufour
Exactly.
- [14:51]
Guest 1
Yeah.
- [14:52]
Anthony Slater
Yeah, I would think they'll squeak it out at 6. It's. I'm just playing the history. I've covered this team so long that I told somebody pre game tonight, I said, Rockets by 27. And then they were up 27 at halftime. And they looked at me in the media room. They're like, we're gonna spend half. But this is remind, you know, again, they. They've done this before now. I, I think they're. I think it's gonna be a good game. And you know, it might come down to a late call here, a late foul, whatever. Yeah. So again, dangerous game, but if I had to predict, I would pick them. I'm sure Vegas will favor them.
- [15:26]
Dave Dufour
We're gonna have you and Law Murray do predictions all next year because you guys like, you've nailed the playoffs so far.
- [15:33]
Anthony Slater
Yeah, I don't know.
- [15:36]
Dave Dufour
I know you don't. That's why I put you on the spot. Go and read Anthony over at the Athletic. I mean, obviously he's the best at covering the Warriors. He does it for us. Guys, stick around after the break. S and I are going to talk about Rudy Gobert dominating the Lakers.
- [15:55]
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- [16:24]
Host 2
As we head into the playoffs, it's safe to assume there will be a few calls made by the refs that will be hard to accept. But you know what isn't hard to accept? Discover. Believe it or not, Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. You heard that right, 99%. So make a good call for your wallet and get Discover.
- [16:44]
BetMGM Announcer
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- [16:50]
Guest 2
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- [17:28]
Dave Dufour
The Late Game the Wolves Sent the Lakers Packing I'm just going to start this out S by reading you a little stat. This is courtesy of Aaron Gleaming on Blue Sky. Rudy Gobert is the first player with 25 plus points, 20 plus rebounds while shooting 75 plus percent in the playoffs. Shaquille O'Neal in game four of the 2004 finals. S how close to prime shack is Rudy Gobert?
- [17:58]
Guest 1
Wow. I mean this game, if we replicate that through an entire career, he's right there. He is right there in comparison. You know if Rudy Gobert just had like, I don't know, average hands like.
- [18:11]
Dave Dufour
Clint Capella level instead of frying pants.
- [18:14]
Guest 1
Yeah. He would be an all time. I mean he already is an all time great defender, but you know, like pantheon levels of great basketball player.
- [18:22]
Dave Dufour
Yeah. I mean if he had any touch whatsoever, it would just be game over.
- [18:28]
Guest 1
I love how we're having this conversation after the incredible game that he.
- [18:32]
Dave Dufour
He really did have an amazing game. The Wolves win the game last night. 103. 96. Yeah, if they had made any shots whatsoever. S this game is not close, but Instead they were 36 of 89 overall from the field, 7 of 47. And for good measure, by the way, they missed nine free throws just. Just to throw in how poor of a shooting night they had. Anthony Edwards was oh of 11 from 3, 5 of 19 from the field. And Rudy Gobert had nine offensive rebounds by himself. This was absurd performance by Rudy Gobert.
- [19:13]
Guest 1
Yeah, look, everybody has tweeted it, but this was the worst three point shooting game in NBA history. In NBA playoff history, especially at this magnitude. Right. Taking 47 threes and missing 40 of them.
- [19:28]
Dave Dufour
That's disgusting to watch by the way.
- [19:30]
Guest 1
It was disgusting to watch, but it was just also like these were good quality looks. The Wolves weren't forcing these shots. They got often. They got really, really good looks because the Lakers were trapping and blitzing Anthony Edwards because they didn't want Luka Doncic guarding. And we'll get to that in a little bit. But that's what opened up the Wolves to so many opportunities and they missed all of them. They just bricked constantly their best offense.
- [19:57]
Dave Dufour
All night when they set the trap to when the Lakers would trap Anthony Edwards. Rudy Gobert did an excellent job, number one of screening off the ball, setting pin down screens, but also then slipping to the basket. And it was just wide open for him. I mean he was slipping when on the initial double he was slipping again off pin downs. And then the offensive rebounding effort from Rudy. I mean Rudy won them this game. Like hands down. They don't win this game without Rudy Gobert.
- [20:24]
Guest 1
I will say I want to, I want to shout out Julius Randall a little bit too because he was awesome in the fourth quarter. Oh, okay, great.
- [20:31]
Dave Dufour
Julius Randall is the other guy. Right. Like he stepped up when they couldn't hit shots. Julius Randall stepped up and he started getting into the paint. I mean s. Like there's a real thing that we're going to have a conversation about with the Wolves and we've, we've talked about this during the regular season. They settle too often for jumpers. It and it. And it almost ended their. I mean ended their night a little bit on, on the negative note instead of a win because the, the jumper wasn't there but the, the paint was wide open for them. The Lakers had no interior defense and the only reason this game was anywhere as close as it was was because they were just settling for jump shots.
- [21:11]
Guest 1
Yeah. And I actually think that's the change up that Julius Randle can provide them. Now. Randall is like a good three point shooter. He can knock down shots. He was one of six tonight, which is just kind of a sy of everybody missing their threes. But generally he's a guy who's a bit of a change up to their offense. So everybody wants to shoot threes on the Timberwolves. Randall wants to muck things up. He wants to be abusing mismatches in the post. He wants to hunt out guys. The Lakers are notorious for getting unnecessary switches. There was one time in the fourth quarter where Randle just basically got Austin Reeves and he was like, okay, I'm taking this one on one and I'm going every single time. And so he's that type of player who can take advantage of those opportunities in isolation. And that's what that, that's the kind of change up that he can provide for the Timberwolves offensively. And to your point about Edwards and the playmaking, what they were trying to do with the three point shot, I thought their shot quality overall is good. Like they, they got what they wanted tonight.
- [22:08]
Dave Dufour
If, if hockey watch it. It is.
- [22:12]
Guest 1
I agree. Yeah, if hockey assists were attract, I think Anthony Edwards would have like 10 hockey assists in this game. He had eight overall. So like they were getting. It was the right process. It's just they weren't hitting their shots.
- [22:27]
Dave Dufour
Yeah, you need to see the ball go in the basket sometimes. And like again, they, they went 18 consecutive threes without a make.
- [22:34]
Anthony Slater
Yeah.
- [22:35]
Dave Dufour
And I just think that, you know, we probably know enough at this point like about the three. Like you just, you got to find other ways to score. And again, Rudy Gobert just, he was rebound. Right.
- [22:47]
Guest 1
He was amazing. And by the way, to put it into perspective, everybody remembers the Houston Rockets missing 27 straight threes. Right. They shot a better three point percentage than the Timberwolves did tonight on that night. That's how bad tonight.
- [23:02]
Dave Dufour
It's one of the coldest shooting nights I've ever seen. And then on the other side for the Lakers, you know, after all the criticism about playing five guys the whole second half in the previous game, I mean they broke out Maxi Cleba for five minutes. Who. And it's the first time he's played, I don't know since, I mean definitely since January, but it was like January was the last time he played. But somehow Jackson Hayes doesn't, doesn't even get off the bench. Even in the non Rudy Gobert minutes, which I think he could have been useful. But when, when Luca tweaked his back, you know, he was driving to the basket. There was a hard foul by Dante Divincenzo. It seemed like things were just going to go downhill there for the Lakers, but somehow, like, the second half felt like Luca was pretty effective despite being limited. I mean, you know, I'm not going to. Not going to say that he was at his best, but, I mean, he still was able to make things happen.
- [23:59]
Guest 1
Yeah, you could see he was doing things at half speed, but he still ended up with 28 points and nine assists. Like, that's the type of player Luka Doncic is offensively, and I think that goes to show you, like, what he can do on his own for this Lakers team now. I will. I think there's still so much left on the bone for them to do with him and LeBron and especially getting Reeves involved, that's like bad series for Reeves, right? It was a really bad series for Reeves. And I think that's, that's like on J.J. redick and the coaching staff to look and be like, hey, in the off season, we got to get an offensive package to make these guys work together more seamlessly offensively. Because there is, there is oftentimes when you're looking at this lakers team and LeBron is kind of sitting in the corner on possessions or Reeves is sitting in the corner on possessions, and there's just way more that you can do with.
- [24:47]
Dave Dufour
I would.
- [24:48]
Guest 1
Right.
- [24:48]
Dave Dufour
I would dip into some of that Cleveland tyloo stuff. I'd have LeBron operating at the elbow. I mean, I think that they're. They've got some roster construction issues that they for sure need to contend with. I mean, the biggest thing that comes to mind for me, if we're, if we're going to go ahead and do the Lakers sort of the unpack their, Their loss here. Right. Like, do the eulogy. Obviously they're too small. And I don't think if the Mark Williams trade works out, I don't think he's playing either, by the way.
- [25:17]
Anthony Slater
Right.
- [25:17]
Dave Dufour
You know, the, the Timberwolves bigs were just too dominant, and the, the zig to that zag would. Would be what they did. Go smaller.
- [25:26]
Guest 1
Go smaller.
- [25:27]
Dave Dufour
And Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent both gave great minutes off the bench, you know, positive minutes off the bench. So, you know, again, like, if we're going to re. Litigate the last. Maybe those guys could have given them enough of a boost to hang on, and maybe they're not in the, in this position where, where they're now out in five games. But, you know, looking ahead to their summer, obviously they've got to get a big. I, I think they've got to get a rim runner for sure. And maybe two. Right. Like, if you think of, yeah, the success that Luca had last season with the, with the Mavericks, it wasn't just because he had lively. It was lively and Gafford, it was absolutely full 48 minutes of I have a rim running big option, but also on the defensive end having a guy.
- [26:10]
Guest 1
Who protect me behind me. Yeah, man, like I, I will say, I think the last two games we saw from Luca and yeah, injuries are a part of it and whatnot, but like he was getting blown by very consistently and I, I think defense wins.
- [26:24]
Dave Dufour
Championships.
- [26:28]
Guest 1
As they say, defense wins championships. But like, you need to insulate that, right? If you are the Lakers, you need to get him rim protection, you need to get him length around the perimeter. Now I think they actually are pretty good in that department with LeBron, RUI, DFS, Vando, like, that's, that's a lot of length on the wings, but you just need that rim protector in the middle to be able to clean things up. And that's, that's exactly what the Lakers need to do this offseason. It's like, what's the, what's the worst center that they could get this summer that would make them a much better team?
- [27:02]
Dave Dufour
Like, oh my gosh, Capella.
- [27:03]
Guest 1
Honestly, back Capella, you know, I'm just saying. But hey, I want to mention this about the Timberwolves who are now headed into the second round. We'll see if they end up playing the warriors or Rockets. We've talked about Anthony Edwards playmaking leap. That's a huge part of it. Randall Gobert, the massive nights that they had. Both of these guys exercising playoff demons tonight against guys who they've had competition against. You think about Rudy, he can't handle the switches. Beats Luka in a playoff series, right? Julius Randle beats the team that he played against or the team that he got drafted by. Right. That's a huge thing. And then the whole idea of the Wolves, the most confounding, most confusing team, at least that I've watched in the regular season, now heading into the second round of the playoffs after a five game win. Five series. Five. Five games. That's just impressive to me. I think, like, I did not see that coming. I just, I did not see that coming. I had the Lakers winning this series, you know.
- [28:06]
Dave Dufour
Oh, you did? Oh, it seemed to me like this was like, yeah, like it would be more of a struggle because it's what we've seen from the Timberwolves, right? Like, yeah, it does Feel like they've let a lot of things go, you know, this season, they let a lot of leads go. This one felt like one they were gonna let go, but somehow Rudy Gobert just became prime Shaq, you know, and it was. It was no problem for them.
- [28:30]
Guest 1
They do a great job of, like, getting up to the moment, though. If this was.
- [28:34]
Dave Dufour
If they played, I think that's Anthony Edwards. And look, we can. We can look at his shooting splits, and we say, wow, he did not shoot the ball well. But if you go and watch this game, like you said, the shots that went up, he wasn't forcing anything. They were open looks. The plays that he made were the right plays just about every single time. And I think that that's. That's the next level for him. Right. It's to always make the right play. And what I've seen out of him, I would say this. Most of this season and definitely during this playoff series, guys making the right pass, he's making the right read, he's giving the ball up. I mean, playing about as unselfish as you can play in the modern NBA as a number one guy, because you need to take X number of shots, look like this.
- [29:15]
Guest 1
That's the evolution that a lot of the players in his position have made. You think about Jason Tatum on the Boston Celtics for the last few years, it's been, you know, hey, can he make that step to being a playmaker who can manipulate multiple levels of the defense? And now he's doing it at a championship level.
- [29:31]
Dave Dufour
Right.
- [29:32]
Guest 1
Giannis, that was a huge conversation for him. Devin Booker, the list goes on and on. It's just like a natural progression Ant had to make. He's doing it now, right?
- [29:40]
Dave Dufour
Yeah. And also, if you start looking at the names that Anthony Edwards has beaten in a playoff series and you pretty impressive. You had LUCA Doncic and LeBron James to that. And now in the next round, he may have a chance to get Steph Curry or, you know, Jalen Green.
- [29:58]
Anthony Slater
Right.
- [30:00]
Dave Dufour
I don't know who's the worst matchup for. For the Wolves. Is it warriors or is the Rockets?
- [30:06]
Guest 1
Man, I think it's the Rockets because I. If I'm Anthony Edwards, I have, like, this Lakers perimeter defense is a walk in the park compared to the Rockets perimeter defense. And so Ant is going to have a lot more trouble against Houston than.
- [30:23]
Dave Dufour
Amen Thompson guarding Anthony Edwards.
- [30:26]
Guest 1
Yeah. Although Golden State's gonna throw some stuff at them, too. I know that's going to be a. A big, big match. I'm excited for that it's gonna be a good series.
- [30:34]
Dave Dufour
We'll see. We'll see who it's gonna be this weekend that's gonna do it for the show, guys. Thanks to Anthony Slater for hanging out. Thanks to esperahenny, as always. I'm Dave dufour. This has been the NBA daily. Thanks for waking up with us, sa.