
Loading summary
Jason
T Mobile stats are as impressive as your favorite athlete's highlight reel because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines of your virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service support in 90 plus days device knowledgeable carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.
Dutch Vet
Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 24. 7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.
Jason
Foreign.
Daniel Jeremiah
Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Greg Rosenthal
We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.
Daniel Jeremiah
And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.
Greg Rosenthal
So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.
Daniel Jeremiah
Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. The volume.
Jason
The NBA 82 game grind is done and now the real fun begins. The NBA playoffs are here and it's time for all the high stakes drama, clutch moments and jaw dropping plays. I can't wait. If you're looking to make the playoffs Even more exciting, DraftKings sportsbook has you covered as an official sports betting partner of the NBA. From the playing games all the way through to the finals, now's the time to back your favorite players and teams as they chase glory. All season long, DraftKings has been the go to spot for NBA player props and that does not stop now. Want to make your playoff experience even more intense? Try placing a bet on your favorite player's performance. Will they drop 30 points? 40 or more? It's your call. Ready to place your first bet? Download the DraftKings sportsbook app now. Lock in your bets. Let's make this playoff run unforgettable. Here's something special for first timers. New DraftKings customers bet $5 to get $200 in bonus bets instantly. Make it a playoff run. To remember with DraftKings, download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use code HOOPS. That's H O O P S. That's code hoops for new customers to get $200 in bonus bets. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY to 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas. 21 plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void. In Ontario, new customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see dkng co Audio. All right, welcome to Hoops Tonight here at the Volume. Happy Wednesday everybody. Hope all of you guys are having a great week. Got a quick show for you guys tonight. We're going to briefly touch on all three games. I want to do a little bit more of like a mailbag forward type of show tonight since these results took tonight were somewhat expected in terms of what we saw with Boston and Cleveland taking 2o leads and then just a really bizarre night in Houston as the warriors have very much a Murphy's Law kind of game as everything goes wrong for them and the Rockets get themselves a big win. So if you're in the chat, subscribe to the channel. Drop questions. We're going to do a solid 15, 20 minutes of questions at the tail end of the show after we briefly touch on the three games tonight. You guys know the drill before we get started. Subscribe to the Hoops Tonight YouTube channel so you don't miss any more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at_jason lt so you guys don't miss show announcements. Don't forget about our podcast feed wherever you get your podcast under Hoops Tonight. It's also super helpful if you leave a rating in a review on that front. Jackson's doing great work on our social media feeds, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Make sure you guys follow us there. And last but not least, keep dropping mailbag questions in the YouTube comments for our mailbags throughout the remainder of the season. All right, let's talk some basketball. So As I mentioned, off the top, kind of a Murphy's Law kind of game for the Warriors. Brandon Pajemski gets food poisoning. Jimmy Butler gets undercut by Amen Thompson on this really weird play where Amand and Draymond kind of got their legs tangled up and Amen just fell forward at literally the worst possible time as Draymond or as Jimmy was in the air underneath the basket. He gets a tailbone contusion that keeps him out for the rest of the night. He's also getting an MRI tomorrow, so fingers crossed. Well wishes for Jimmy Butler that he ends up getting a positive result there. I'm sure everybody would rather see Rockets warriors determined with both teams at full strength. But as a result, we got a really weird game with some bizarre minute totals. Basic stat to demonstrate this. Quinton Post, Jonathan Kaminga and Pat Spencer played a combined 12 minutes in game one. They played 63 minutes tonight, those three guys. So 51 minutes that would typically go to starters on the Warriors. And a star for the Warriors, Jimmy Butler and Brandon Pajemski ended up going to guys that were mostly out of the rotation or in very small roles in Game one. So not a whole lot to take away from that. I also thought in general, the warriors defensive energy pulled way back after Jimmy left the game. That's to be expected as you start to feel like there's a little less belief in their ability to win. But the story of the game by far was Jalen Green. I talked before the series about Jalen Green scoring this season. He's obviously had a lot of great nights and a lot of bad nights. It's been very inconsistent. But when he scores at least 30 points. The Rockets are 13 and 1 this year. And as I mentioned in the series preview, it happened to great teams. It wasn't like he lit up the bad teams and they won those games. He did it to Minnesota, he did it to Denver. He did it to Oklahoma City, he did it to the Lakers, he did it to the Clippers. And now tonight to the Golden State Warriors. He goes for 38 points. He hits eight threes. It was the 19th time this season that he's hit at least five threes in a game. That's been the biggest jump in Jalen in terms of his skill this season. He's a lot better at shooting threes off the dribble, and he's a lot better at shooting threes off the move, particularly going towards his left. And he's just turned into much better, a much better high volume three Point shooter this year. Now, again, it's inconsistent. He can be off sometimes and his misses have a tendency to be way off. But like when he's in that groove, it's kind of a shot. You have to concede to him because of his downhill athleticism. And so with the, the ability to hit him off the dribble off a variety of step backs with the ability to hit him off the move and while bringing that real downhill force, you know, when he gets that shot going, you kind of have to live with it. And if you're living with it, you could lose if he's making it. Just like what happened to all those great teams earlier this season. And so honestly like that. There's a specific reason why the Rockets are so tough to beat when Jalen plays that well. And it's because the strength of this team, again, is what they do defensively, is what they do in transition, is what they do in the on the offensive glass. And the ceiling raising piece is if Fred or Jalen get it going in some real way. And Fred hasn't been able to get anything going through two games. But Jalen really started to break free tonight and again, you know, he's inconsistent. He could just go into another type of, of kind of confusing, poor decision making, poor shot making type of night in game three. But if he builds some real momentum here and he gets another, you know, couple of 30 point games in the series, it fundamentally alters the trajectory of the series just because of how difficult it is to beat the Rockets when Jalen's playing that well. Houston, Houston's athletes really dominated the entire game. I thought Amend Thompson, even though he only had 11 points, I thought his connective playmaking in the middle of the floor really helped grease the wheels for Houston's offense. Connective playmaking to me is, you know, that piece of playmaking that comes after you've already gotten a pass from the primary initiator of the offense. So like that could be playmaking out of closeouts, playmaking out of short rolls, playmaking out of baseline cuts, that sort of thing. Amend Thompson is so good at like making these one timer hockey esque passes where he's reading the action that's taking place around him while the ball is still on its way to him and then he'll just catch it and immediately funnel it to the next guy in the read and it really creates a lot of quality opportunities for this Houston offense. Tari Eason was great. He's hasn't shot the ball super well as of Late, but he hit two of them tonight, provided a ton of rim pressure, had a couple transition moves that were unbelievable. Kind of zooming out from the series. This series feels a lot more to me like the Lakers Wolves series, a more dramatic version of it because there's a larger skill gap between the two teams. Obviously Anthony Edwards and Julius Randall are substantially better primary shot creators than what Houston's working with, which is why Houston was bottom 10 half court offense this year and Minnesota obviously was a great offense overall this year. But it's a similar dynamic in the sense that as I talked about with the Lakers last night, if the Lakers can hang onto the rope and hold up physically, their skill should be able to lift them over the top. But when they let go of the rope, the athleticism will overwhelm them and they'll struggle. Similar type of vibe with Houston and Golden State. Good game. One of that series looked very similar to me to Game 2 of the Lakers Wolves series from last night in the sense that even though there was this kind of end of the game run that both teams went on, as it seemed like Golden State fatigued a little, as it seemed like the Lakers fatigued a little, they were able to stiff arm the late game runs and it just felt like those teams were able to hang onto the rope well enough that their overall skill and basketball IQ gap was able to carry them over the top. Now again, I think the skill gap is substantial, which is obviously, obviously why Golden State is a much more substantial favorite than the Lakers are over the Wolves. I view the Lakers Wolves series as more of a coin flip. I would be genuinely surprised if Houston beat Golden State in this series. I think Golden State is going to go home and get both of those games in game three and Game four and I think they'll go back to Houston with a chance to close the series out. My guess is that ends up being a game that Houston ends up getting and then Golden State closes this one out in six. But it's a similar dynamic just with the more dramatic skill gap between the two teams. But again, kind of like a just an anything that can go wrong will go wrong type of night for the Warriors. Big time night for Jalen Green. Houston evens up the series. Hopefully we'll see a full strength warriors team versus the Rockets in game three this week.
Dutch Vet
Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we Started Dutch Dutch provides 24. 7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet kits.
Jason
Here.
Daniel Jeremiah
The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Greg Rosenthal
We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.
Daniel Jeremiah
And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.
Greg Rosenthal
So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.
Daniel Jeremiah
Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Jason
Welcome to Course Correction brought to you by Microsoft Just like star players and teams navigating performance hurdles, business decision makers today are under immense pressure to get things right. They must rise to the occasion, turning challenges into opportunities. Microsoft empowers these visionaries with AI solutions, simplified cloud and data management, and trustworthy, responsible AI. And when you're in the NBA, you have your own hurdles to face. In this segment, we will highlight the player every week that has risen to the occasion when his team needed him. Whatever challenge you're facing, Microsoft empowers you with the expertise to say bring it on. This week we're highlighting Donovan Mitchell's second consecutive 30 point night in this playoff run in the way his late game shot making helped The Cavs take a 20 lead over the Miami Heat. The Cavs controlled the game for the most part against Miami tonight, but as we all know, the Miami Heat never give up. They did a nice job in the fourth quarter of containing Darius Garland Dremel penetration. They used better just overall pinching and late doubles to contain Ty Drone a little bit better. They got hot from they got hot from three. Suddenly they cut the lead down to just two points with a few minutes left in the fourth quarter. Miami had all the momentum. Cleveland was in serious danger of dropping home court advantage on a late game run from the Heat, but that was when Donovan Mitchell restored order with four incredible, incredibly tough buckets. Every single one of these was a high degree of difficulty bit of shot making. He attacked Heywood Highsmith curling around a screen. It was a screen that the Miami Heat switched. I've talked about this concept a lot, but attacking quickly against switches is a really easy way to get separation because often if you imagine two players, two guards running towards each other for a screen interchange, their defenders are running that way too. So as you can imagine, Donovan Mitchell's eventual defender in this case Haywood Highsmith is moving this way as Donovan Mitchell is moving this way. The, the momentum is going in opposite directions. And so if you catch and just immediately try to turn the corner, you can get some advantages there. He turned the corner on Heywood Highsmith. Heywood did a really nice job using his recovery athleticism to, to get back in front. But Donovan just popped down off of two feet and drifting to his left. Hit like a 10 foot floater with his right hand. Just an incredible piece of shot making. He hit a drifting left shoulder fade over Tyler Harrow. Tyler Harrow defended it extremely well. Donovan just shot it higher with more arc, got it over the top and knocked it down. He hit like this gross pullback dribble move against Nicola Jovic. This is a move that we see Luka Doncic do a lot too, where he'll get the ball high in his right hand and get up like he's going to go downhill, have that right leg forward and then right when he's about to typically pound the ball for that aggressive forward move, he'll just pull the dribble back and he'll get quick separation for a pull up three. He did that against Nicole Jovic and knocked it down. He had a deep 28 footer against the hedging recovery sequence. Tyler Harrow hedged. But as Tyler Harrow was hedging and recovering as Davion Mitchell was coming back up after Davion got through the screen in that gap between the hedge leaving and Davion coming up, Donovan found a little bit of space to pull up a deep three and just knocked it down. Four incredibly tough shots that ended up putting the distance between them and the heat after things got a little precarious there. And again, that is what Donovan Mitchell brings to this team. All these guys on this team have a lot of value that they bring, right? DeAndre Hunter, textbook weak side scoring. Forward Evan Mobley, defensive player of the year candidate Evan Mobley, a guy that can run inverted ball screens, a guy that can do a lot more on the roll and as a cutter than he used to in this league. Jared Allen has become one of the top six or seven centers in the NBA as he's polished up his ability to score on the roll and his ability to defend in switches. Darius Garland's ability to get anywhere he wants on the floor with his speed and his ball handling and his playmaking and his ability to set defenders up for screens and all these different things that they do. Ty Jerome as a bench shot creator, one of the better drop coverage shot makers in this league and a guy that demonstrated some great switch beating in game one versus Tyler Harrell. All that's great. None of them are elite over the top shot makers. That is the one thing that Donovan Mitchell does on that team at an elite level or I should say that's the only guy on that team Donovan Mitchell is that does that bit of elite over the top shot making really, really well and it's exactly what you need it. I mean a lot of times that would that's what happens, especially against really smart physical teams like the Miami Heat. They're going to start doing their jobs really well and sticking to the game plan really well and you need somebody that can hit the shots that work even against elite perfectly executed defense. And that's what Donovan Mitchell did tonight. Did a ton of damage. He had seven threes every which way spotting up hit another one of those hedging recover threes versus Duncan Robinson. He hit tough pull up threes right in the face of Duncan Robinson and Heywood Highsmith. He has brought the consistent scoring upside that this team needs to be at their best 30 points per game on 67% true shooting through the first two games of the playoffs. Our Player of the Week that is it for this week's course correction. Remember, Microsoft's AI solutions empower you to take bold steps and make informed decisions, sparking new ideas to help drive your business forward. With Microsoft as your trusted partner, you can navigate your journey with confidence, finding innovative solutions and reaching new possibilities. Visit Microsoft.com challengers to learn more. Just want to briefly talk about Jaylen Brown and the job that he did against the Magic. And then we're going to do the mailbag, so make sure you guys start dropping questions in the chat. Jason Tatum being out with the wrist injury was obviously going to put a lot of pressure on Jaylen Brown to create shots tonight and I thought Jalen was just absolutely brilliant in a high volume creation role. It really helped that he had his three point shot going. That's been a little bit of an adventure for him this year. But specifically the pull up three. Having the pull up three off the dribble going the way he had tonight is super important for managing the flow of the game. These high volume perimeter shot creators around the league. The reason why the pull up jump shot is so important is, is it's a less labor intense way to generate points. The three point shots worth extra, right? So if you can hit pull up threes at about 35%, that's 1.05 points per shot. That's a really efficient shot in the half court of NBA playoff games. And so when you can buy yourself five, six, seven possessions a game, where you take that type of shot when you're tired and it's a shot that you can still get high value per possession out of it while not putting the wear and tear on your legs, that's an important part of filling that type of high volume shot creation role. And it was, I just thought it was really important that Jaylen Brown had that going. He misses his first couple, misses em badly. Could be a completely different type of game. The two things that you gotta do as a primary shot creator in order to be able to hold up over a 48 minute game, you gotta be able to hit shots over the top and you've gotta be able to take easy reads that are available to you. Oh, you're posting up and Al Horford has a closeout opportunity on the right wing. You gotta make that pass because even if you can hit a right shoulder fade over a double team, it's just a lot of work on your legs. If you've got an opening to Al Horford, you gotta throw that pass. It's an easy read that will just help you get through another possession at decent value. They had a low man tag possession where Jalen just pitched it back to Peyton Pritchard on the left wing. He knocked down the three. That's an easy read. That's just easy basketball. An extra pass in the left corner to Derek White on a sequence where Derrick White's cutting through along the baseline. Just I thought Jalen just played a very well measured and versatile game and showed a lot of downhill pop. Any concerns about his knee should be mostly alleviated tonight that Dunkey had in transition. After the steal he had to scoop on an ISO attack at Goga Patadze. He did a lot of attacking Orlando's bigs tonight. A lot of work against Wendell Carter Jr. A lot of work against Goga Patadze. Some big like driving finishes through contact against Palo Bunchero on an island. I just thought he looked great. He looked physically strong and in control of his body. I just thought it was a really encouraging night for Jalen Brown. It's just a casual reminder of how great Jaylen Brown is and that he's very capable of scaling up his production if that's what the team needs. What a luxury that the Celtics were able to sit their superstar in a playoff game and still get the type of shot creation they did tonight. Lots of contributions down the line, bunch of threes from Derek White and Peyton Pritchard. Krist Porzingis did a really nice job in two man game, getting slips, short rolls, posting mismatches, things along those lines. Really impressive win for the Celtics down Jason Tatum.
Dutch Vet
Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch Dutch provides 20247 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch. You'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.
Daniel Jeremiah
The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NF draft.
Greg Rosenthal
We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.
Daniel Jeremiah
And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.
Greg Rosenthal
So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered before your favorite team goes on the clock. We'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.
Daniel Jeremiah
Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Jason
All right, let's get into some mailbag questions for about 20 minutes and then we'll get outta here for the night. Sound good?
Jackson
Let's do it. Everybody ask your question questions in the YouTube chat and we will get to as many of them as possible. We're going to start out with one that was not specifically asked, but was is the topic of all of the conversation in the chat right now, which is Was the Amen Thompson play where Jimmy Butler got hurt a dirty play, A reckless play, or a normal basketball play?
Jason
It looked to me on replay that Amend Thompson just tripped over Draymond Green simultaneously with with Jimmy Butler jumping. I thought it was just really just a unfortunate set of circumstances. I didn't think there was anything nefarious there. I I have seen every single fan base. I shouldn't say every single cause not every series has that vibe. There are some very comfortable series, but there have been like four or five different fan bases that I've seen that have bitched and moaned about the physicality nonstop. Tom Haverstro had a little chart that he released today. I actually, it's a. If you look in my Twitter replies, someone sent it to me today, so you'll see it there. But the, that chart demonstrates that fouls are getting called in this postseason run at a historically low level. Like a historically low level. So it's like this for everybody. The Pistons Knick series is like this. The Lakers Wolves series is like this. The Warriors Rocket series is like this. Have you guys watched any of Celtics magic? That's. That series is a bloodbath. Like, all of these series are bloodbaths. This is just the way the game is being officiated these days. And even though that what happened to Jimmy is super unfortunate, like, I haven't seen anything particular in particular in the Rockets Warrior series that I'm not seeing in other series. And the reality is, is like I, I'll just share a quote that LeBron had after the Minnesota game. After the win against Minnesota last night, he said, this is what it's going to be like the rest of the series. Like, if you're expecting it to suddenly loosen up, if you're expecting the directive to come down from Adam Silver to say, hey guys, let's let him play, it's not going to happen. It's going to be a bloodbath. Everyone's got to learn how to play in that circumstance.
Jackson
Yeah, I agree. I think. And the point that I've seen some people make and that people are making in the chat as well is that it's a reckless play because of the general sort of over the top aggressive vibe that the Rockets have, as well as the refereeing, which is sort of let it. Which is true across the board. Absolutely. But it's certainly letting a lot of physicality go. And those things might be true. I think it's. Those things are probably true. That type of play doesn't happen if Ahman Thompson isn't told crash the glass as hard as you possibly can. As much as you possibly can. Right. But that also doesn't mean that it's a reckless or a dirty play.
Jason
Exactly. No, you put it very well. Like it's. It's not too difficult to have this sort of thing happen. This was an ex, an especially bad one because of the timing. Jimmy was at the peak of his jump and the men fell into his legs, which basically inverted him into a horizontal state, like 6ft above the ground. Like, it was horrible luck, but all it really was was Two guys crashing. That's all it was. It just one guy crashed a little later and landed a little lower. And, and it's, it's super unfortunate. Again, I'm, I'm hopeful that Jimmy's ready to go. My guess is that he's going to be kind of in a Steph type situation where he's wearing some kind of pad back there and just do it the best he can. But I mean, like, that's how it is. Like, like Rui Hachimura had his, his face messed up yesterday. He might be playing in a mask the rest of the series. Like Kristaps Porzingis messed up his face today. Jason Tatum's got a messed up wrist. Like, everyone's beat the shit. This is a war of attrition, guys. That's how this stuff goes, 100%.
Jackson
Another question about this game and the officiating. Why doesn't Steph Curry get any calls?
Jason
So the, the. I think Steph Curry gets a poor whistle. I would agree on that. I, I think that warriors fans are on to something there. I think that it's a little complicated in the sense that the warriors play an extremely physical brand of basketball with their off ball movement and cutting and screening. And so, for instance, like, I think where, where the ones that to me are egregious are like, Steph's shooting a three and Fred Van Vliets pulling on his shorts. Like, that's a fucking foul. Blow the whistle. Like, what are we doing, guys? Like, there was one in the Rockets game right before the end of the regular season where Dylan Brooks like straight up tackled Steph on a three and it didn't get called. Like, there's that. Those are the ones that I think are egregious that need to be addressed. The off ball grabbing and holding stuff, that is literally, that, that is literally a style of play that benefits the Warriors. Steph gets grabbed and held a lot, and The warriors set 25 illegal screens a game. So like, like the, the. The reality is, is that physical dynamic of the cutting and screening and moving actually favors the warriors throughout the, throughout those games, Steph just takes a beating. But he's addressed that by dramatically improving his physical strength. He's already one of the most conditioned athletes in the league. He wins that battle more often than not. That said, I think Steph should probably start kicking and flailing and flopping a little bit more in his threes because it's getting pretty outrageous, some of these calls that are going uncalled against him.
Jackson
Yeah. And I Also think that Right or wrong? Probably wrong, but right or wrong, there's a sort of. There's a difference in the whistle on a play where you are driving to the rim with the ball trying to score. And when you're cutting off the ball, there is just a. Like the Lakers get a lot of calls because LeBron James is putting his head at the rim as often as possible, right? Like that's why they get a lot of shooting fouls, specifically because they are downhill attackers. This team, the way their offense runs is much more movement based, as we've all talked about a million times. And the whistle is going to be different on an off ball cut than when you're at the rim with the ball. Is that, Is that right? I don't know. I mean, maybe not. But that's true of. I think that is true of every team. Just the warriors run the most type of this offense of any team in the league.
Jason
I actually disagree in terms of the concept of driving because the Lakers are actually a team that doesn't drive to the basket much. Or at least they used to before Luca, they didn't used to drive too much. This is literally it, guys. Foul disparity comes down to two things. How good are you at defending without fouling? And how good are you at grifting the other team into fouling? Like, you want to know why the Lakers shoot a ton of free throws? Because before the trade it was Anthony Davis who flops and flails every single time he catches anything on the roll. And by the way, it's not from driving. Anthony draws his fouls through post ups and rolls like it's all like catches near the basket that result in those fouls. And then Austin Reeves, who's like incredibly quick and shifty and what he'll do is like, what Austin will do is like he'll drive to a spot and shoot like right as the defenders is running into him. And basically he's just very good at getting defenders out of position and drawing fouls in the mid range. And so then what you did is you swapped Anthony Davis for Luca. And Luka is one of the most gifted foul grifters in the league. And so as a result of that, Luka ends up Luke, Luka ends up bolstering the free throw totals. But what's interesting is the Laker free throw disparity hasn't been nearly as good since Anthony Davis left the team. You want to know why? Because they can't defend without fouling anymore. Because most of their ability to Defend without fouling was predicated on Anthony Davis's rim protection. Like, guys, let's, let's make it perfectly clear. Free throws are not handed out on a like, fair basis. Like, before the game. Like, all right, here's your 20. And here's your 20. You are going to receive free throws based on the kind of basketball you play on both ends of the floor. That is the only thing that is going to lead to some sort of difference in the, in, in your free throw shooting. And by the way, guess what happened with Golden State. They made a trade for a player who is a notoriously good foul grifter. In. Jimmy Butler does it in a different way. He does it with a lot of pump fakes and he does it with a lot of weird driving angles and finishing angles. Guess who's been third in free throw attempts? Post All Star break the Golden State warriors even higher than the Los Angeles Lakers. So literally, you got more free throws not because Adam Silver made a phone call, but because you have a player on your team who's very good at drawing fouls that like, that is what it is. It's about the skill of drawing fouls and the skill of defending without fouling. That is what leads to free throw differential. Nothing else. Guys like, that's just how it works.
Jackson
Let's see, one more question from this game. Or maybe there's a couple actually. If Jimmy is out for Game 3 on a rest basis, he's, you know, pain management. He's, let's say he's not out for the whole series, but he's out for game three, would you slot Kaminga in his spot? Would you try something radically different like draymond at the 4 and potentially post at the 5? Or what's the, what's the lineup change that you're making of Jimmy?
Jason
I'm almost certain he'll just start posting.
Jackson
I would. That's I got to assume, especially after.
Jason
How well he shot the ball tonight. Post battle. You know, it's so funny. I, I Quentin Post, I think he's a good player. That poor kid has no bounce. It's the craziest thing when he gets it, when he gets around the basket like he goes to jump and he doesn't get over a phone book, it's so funny. He's had a couple of rim attacks in the last couple of games that have been hilarious. But I think Quentin Post shooting is just an easy solution there to put him in at the 5. I do think we'll see a heavy dose of Kaminga if Jimmy Butler doesn't play. But my guess is that it'll be Quinton Post that starts.
Jackson
I agree. And I, I think that, I mean Draymond is obviously the best individual defender option on Alperin Shangun, but Draymond has so much value as a roaming defensive player also. And being able to stick him on Ahmed Thompson, it's not the same sort of solution you're looking for when you just guard him one on one with on Chengun. But it's going to create some more different kinds of challenges for the Rockets offense, I would guess.
Jason
I do think that Golden State can beat Houston at home without Jimmy. I, I think so too. I flat out think they could. I think they could win both games without Jimmy if they needed to. Like they're a real rested, intense Golden State defensive effort at home can beat anybody even without Jimmy.
Jackson
Yeah, and the game was ugly tonight, but it's a weird game when a player goes out mid game and also they're without Brennan Pajimski. Losing your second and fourth best player in the first quarter is going to throw your whole game plan completely out the window.
Jason
Absolutely. And like we were talking about connective playmaking with Amand Thompson. That's literally, that's literally Brandon Pajemski's role with this team.
Jackson
Both of them?
Jason
Yeah. Oh, exactly, exactly. Both of them are the guys that grease the wheels for this offense.
Jackson
One more Rockets related question. This is a, you know, I think a good self aware Rockets fan who doesn't have illusions of grander. How many years away are the Rockets from being legitimate title contenders? It's a very reasonable question.
Jason
I, I think Shangoon is so good and I think that their defense is so good that they are one legitimate reliable shot creator from being a legitimate top tier contender. The Rockets ripped off what I think was probably. I'm actually going to pull this up because I want to read it because it's so impressive to me. But the Rockets pulled off probably the most impressive stretch of regular season basketball I've seen in the last few years. Earlier this year, in a stretch of wins, they beat, they literally beat. They beat Minnesota. This is in starting back in November. They beat Minnesota, they beat the Thunder, they beat the Clippers, they beat the warriors, they beat the Lakers, they beat the Cavs twice. Then the Celtics like they were just ripping through good team after good team. And the only thing that was really missing as I watched them this year, just to take it a step further, like, like what were the warriors without Jimmy, the warriors without Jimmy this season were a mediocre.500ish team that would have been closer to the Sacramento Dallas tier, right? Jimmy Butler vaulted them into contention. Why? Because if you looked at their roster, they were extremely deep in all these specific areas. They had the top tier superstar to hold it all together. By the way, Steph continues to look fantastic. That shooting run he had there in the late first half is really fun to watch. But what do we have is this gaping hole, the secondary shot creator. You address that with Jimmy Butler and you turn a mediocre.500ish bottom of the play in type of team into a team that I believe is a legitimate championship contender. And if you go on draftkings right now, they're the fourth championship favorite. It's literally the four, it's the three teams at the top and it's Golden State. So that is what happens when you fill a specific hole. Going back to the Rockets specifically, I like Sengun as a screen partner, as a like a high post playmaker, a guy that can attack from the post and just do a ton of damage in the middle of the floor. They are just missing a primary ball handler that can consistently set them up with advantages in the half court. If they got Kevin Durant, like I think they would literally immediately be one of the top tier contenders in this league as long as they didn't have to offload any of their specific, you know, foundational defensive talent. But they got the draft. They have the draft picks to do it, to be able to pull that sort of thing off.
Jackson
Yeah, I, I agree. I think Kevin Durant, I mean the west is pretty, pretty strong already after the Thunder. I don't know if that automatically puts them on the same level as the Thunder, but I would not be unhappy if someone said they're the second best team in the west with Kevin Durant, like they're already, I mean they have the record. The regular season they were the second best team in the west, but I think collectively we can all agree they're not the second strongest title contender in the West. I think there's an argument to be made if you add Kevin Durant to this team. You know, maybe they got to take unload a few guys, but keeping Shingoon, Amen Thompson, presumably Fred Van Vliet as well, then I might that's, that's a legitimate title contender without question.
Jason
No, I agree. And like there's certain things that are up in the air in the sense that like we don't know what Golden State's going to get this summer. We don't know what the Lakers are going to get this summer. Both, both of those teams will be legitimate, like veteran minimum destinations. I think they'll like. It's funny, you go back last year, they were like poor destinations for that sort of thing. And then now you go this year and they're like legitimately good destinations for that sort of thing. Obviously, who knows what's going to happen with the Spurs. There are several teams that can move up or move down, but like Houston, I mean, I'd have a hard time not putting Houston second without not knowing what the Lakers and Warriors are going to do. I would have a hard time not putting the Rockets second if they got KD for sure.
Jackson
All right, let's do a couple more here. Many Knicks fans think Tibbs is holding the team back schematically. Do you, do you think this is true or are we overreacting there now? I will say there were no, there was no specific about what schematic thing they're, they're accusing Tibs of, but question stands.
Jason
So first of all, specifically, I, I just want to quickly go back to really quick follow up on the Rockets KD thing. One of the things that's missing from the Houston roster roster is rim protection. Like old school, super tall rim protection. And KD would also be a force multiplier for their defense in that way that like you can imagine the ability to deploy Shangoon at the level better because of KD on the backline as a guy at the rim. Just a little extra shot there. But on the, on the Knicks Pistons front, when I'm watching the film, there's just, it really is just they're getting good looks and guys aren't knocking him down. I did think that they misused Cat in game two. The putting Tobias Harris on him and the way they were guarding him, they just, it caused them to go away from Cat entirely. Instead of like, like the basic stat that I showed after our film session was is they ran seven isos for Cat in game one and then they ran zero isos for Cat in too. But like, it's really difficult for me to get hyper focused on specific tactical things when like a couple more guys knock down wide open catch and shoot threes that have been hitting them all season and you're in a really good position to win. And like, I've heard people criticize the minute totals. Who's the guy on that bench that you like, really trust to like play big minutes? Like, this isn't Minnesota's bench You don't have Naz reed and Dante DiVincenzo coming off the bench. You've got some flawed players in there. I like I'm watching Jericho Sims. It's a little touch and go when Jericho Sims is out there, you know what I mean? Like it's, it's not exactly a situation where Tibbs has a lot of, of options to go to there in terms of lineup structure. The. I do think that I would lean a little bit more into Cat and OG on the ball just simply because even though Brunson's been fantastic and he's come on strong at the end of games, I think there is something to be said about being too heliocentric and it disrupting rhythm. Um, that's become a little bit of a talking point in Lakers Twitter now centering around Luka and his shot selection specifically early in games, which was something that they adjusted in game two. You just have a better opportunity to get like, just put it simply, your pathway to victory is not having Kate and Brunson have a one on one. You and I talked about this after game two. Cade's outplaying him to this point. So like, like Brunson's putting up giant numbers, but Cade has been controlling the flow of these games. So like your pathway is that you have the aggregate talent, you have the other guys that you can go to. And so it is on the coaching staff to make sure that they get Cat some of those face up opportunities. Like he's so much bigger and stronger than Tobias Harris. He should be able to do more damage there.
Jackson
Fully agree. Lakers question. What are your thoughts on how, on how the lakers are managing LeBron's minutes? Do you think you're going to get diminishing returns with him at, you know, he's playing 40 minutes a game, he's having to fly around on defense. Are we, are we worried about the minutes logged for LeBron James as, as the. Assuming the Lakers keep going in the playoffs?
Jason
No, it's the, it's the playoffs. It's the Western Conference. You don't get to play Miami in the first round. Like, you don't get to play Orlando in the first round. You have to play these. Like there's literally seven championship contenders in the Western Conference. You know what I mean? I mean if we don't include Houston, call it six like you. It's just really, really difficult to pull back on LeBron's minutes when he's the defensive anchor. Like he's the Draymond, he's the communicator he's the guy that's putting everybody in their spots. He's the guy that's flying around. He's their best defensive rebounder. I don't really see a universe where you can pinch LeBron's minutes down. And frankly, like, I don't think LeBron wants to. I think LeBron wants to scale it up the way that he has to. And honestly, like, for both of these teams, Golden State and the Lakers, like, you survive Houston, you survive Minnesota, you're probably not going to run into a more physical team at any other point in the postseason.
Jackson
The Grizzlies had a tough end of their season. If they decide and. Or Jaw decides to move on and part ways, what would be a good destination for Jaw?
Jason
That's a good question. Let's take a look at the standings here. What about Houston?
Jackson
Houston. Houston could use him. I mean, personality wise, he fits. I feel like.
Jason
So OKC doesn't need a guard. Cleveland doesn't need a guard. Boston doesn't need a guard. The Knicks don't need a guard. The Lakers don't need a guard. Denver as terrible fit. Indiana terrible fit. Clippers don't need a guard. Minnesota doesn't need a guard. Milwaukee is there, like an insane job. They don't have the assets to pull that off. Orlando would be an interesting one. If Orlando looked at it and they were like, okay, this Franz and Paulo thing, it just. They. Neither of them can shoot the ball well enough. But, I mean, John Morant has similar problems. What about, like a Trey Young, Atlanta type of conversation? That would be an interesting one. Sacramento seems like the kind of team that would throw a bunch of assets for John Morant. I don't.
Jackson
Yeah. Sacramento playing point guard. Point guard. Spend the.
Jason
Exactly. We already got Wemby, a guard with Dear and Fox. Brooklyn. What about Brooklyn?
Jackson
Brooklyn's fun. I mean, Brooklyn's being going to be linked to everybody this summer. They're the honest. Reports are already swirling.
Jason
Yeah, Brooklyn, I think is the Is. Is one that makes some sense. All these. All these other teams, I just don't see. I don't even see why they would make some sort of move for Ja. So, like, if you're making a move for Jaw, you got to feel like you're close enough that a move like that pushes you over the top. So, like, if you're Brooklyn, you can look at it like we have a better rim protector in Nick Claxton. Sorry, Jaren Jackson. You foul too much and you're a terrible rebounder. But you have rim protection with Nick Claxton. You've got spot up shooting. There's a lot of youthful exuberance and athleticism there. Brooklyn, I think Brooklyn is the team that's standing out to me from the standings. What you think?
Jackson
Yeah, I like Brooklyn. I think that's a good one. I had this thought and now I'm kind of a galaxy brain. Take that. I actually don't know if it works, but I was wondering if there's a world where there's a Phoenix Suns move in there. If there's a Brad because the Suns are making moves. I'm wondering if there's a, a KD trade or a Bradley Beal trade pro. But ultimately I don't think you're trading for Bradley Beal when you have Desmond Bane. So probably doesn't quite work.
Jason
Yeah, dude, I, it looks bleak for Memphis. It's bleak for Memphis because it's like Jaw is the one guy, as I've talked so much this season, he's the one guy that has legitimate superstar upside, but he hasn't gotten any better in three, four years. Desmond Bain is like perfectly fine. Like, I actually like Desmond Bane's game. Every time I watch him. I like, he's a, he's an intense competitor. He can, he defends a lot better than people give him credit for. He is like a awesome off screen player, but he just has a certain limitation as things get a little tougher. And then Jaren Jackson is like, I've watched Jaren Jackson play games where I'm like, oh my God, no one can handle this guy. Like I remember the game in Boston earlier this year when he was just hitting hook after hook after hook and it's like he is just eating these dudes alive. But he just, he's. He, he in certain games just doesn't see the floor well and can completely disappear. Offensively, he's super foul prone. He's nowhere near as good defensively as his reputation would lead you to believe. There's just. And then like Jalen Wells is a good, like Memphis gets a lot of good, useful young players like that. But he's not the three and D guy that Dylan Brooks was or DN3 guy that Dylan Brooks was, I should say, you know, Brandon Clark, obviously that injury forces you to learn lean on Santi Aldama a lot more. But like, even when they were fully healthy this year, they were consistently bad against the top teams in the league. So it's like, I think it's, I think, I think you go into the summer. If you're Memphis and you quietly shop everybody and you just start looking for the best possible deals and just kind of blow this thing up incrementally as the deals come around, there's going to be a team out there that could use Desmond Bay.
Jackson
Oh, agreed. I think Houston is, that's a fun one. If they strike out, if they somehow don't get Kevin Durant, which it seems all signs are pointing to them getting Kevin Durant. But if they don't get Kevin Durant, I think taking a swing at Jaw would be awesome.
Jason
He's better than Jalen Green. Jalen Green is like your textbook. If the pull up jump shots going, he's unbelievable. But if it's not going, then it's a complete adventure. John Morant brings some real like rim pressure playmaking ability that, that Jalen just doesn't bring.
Jackson
And he, you know, he has his deficiencies as a player too, but he is a legitimately special last possession ISO score.
Jason
Oh my God. Yeah.
Jackson
He is so good at that.
Jason
Dude. If they, that's what makes like the Memphis thing so tantalizing is if they could figure everything else out like that, that ability to get into a close game where Jaws just gonna beat someone off the dribble to his left hand and then just pop up off the floor from 8ft, knock down that floater that nobody can guard like it it like he, that upside is there just it he hasn't become well rounded enough to be a good floor raiser the way that he used to be in the team itself is not talented enough in terms of two way talent.
Jackson
All right, let's do one more question. We got a couple of questions about this. Jason, what is your hair care?
Jason
I have no idea because this is my first time in my life having long hair. I, I, my wife gets me like a real basic like curl cream thing that I use that she's in charge of. My wife also has hair of similar length, so we've been joking around that we have the same hair these days. But frankly I'm still learning how to do it. Like I finally started using these headbands because it was getting out of control. I got sick and tired of, of having it flop around while I was trying to do the show. And then the other thing that's been driving me crazy, Jackson, is I wear this like headband when I'm playing now like a big headband and like I like will come off of a screen and like elevate into a jump shot and a little piece of hair will come over and like hit me in the eye and I'm like, all right, it's time to get a haircut. Like, this is driving me crazy. It's not worth it if it's offering additional contests on the pull up jump shot.
Jackson
You know, that's how I know my hair when I. That's how I know I need a haircut is when my hair get. I'm like, damn, I just got hit. I hit myself in the eye somehow.
Jason
Exactly. I. I get like viscerally upset about it, but it's like, you can't. Like, I can't. It's not long enough to like put in a ponytail and I don't let it get that long. So like it's not one of those things where I can just strap it all back. I kind of just have to keep it under control. But good question. That's all we have for tonight, guys. As always, we sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting me and supporting the show. One other bit bit of news, I did record with my buddy Luke a podcast that covered the first three episodes of Andor. So if you guys are Star wars fans, head over to Tucson's podcast and I have a link of it on my Twitter feed as well @_jason lt but you can get a reaction to the first three episodes of Andor. Otherwise, tomorrow morning we're going to have a brief film session on the Celtics magic game and then right back to it tomorrow night live on YouTube after the final buzzer. I will see you guys then. What's up guys? As always, I appreciate you for listening to and supporting hoops tonight. It would actually be really helpful for us if you guys would take a second and leave a rating and a review. As always, I appreciate you guys supporting us, but if you could take a minute to do that, I'd really appreciate it. The volume.
Dutch Vet
Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 24. 7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.
Daniel Jeremiah
The 40s and free agents podcast with Daniel, Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Greg Rosenthal
We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.
Daniel Jeremiah
And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.
Greg Rosenthal
So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down. Once all 257 picks have been made.
Daniel Jeremiah
Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – "Hoops Tonight - LIVE: Warriors Lose Jimmy & to Rockets, Celtics Hold Against Magic, Donovan Mitchell Heats Up"
Release Date: April 24, 2025
Host: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
In this episode of "Hoops Tonight," the host delves into the latest NBA playoff developments, focusing on the Golden State Warriors' setbacks, the Boston Celtics' resilience, and Donovan Mitchell's standout performances. The show blends game analysis with interactive discussions, addressing fan questions and providing in-depth insights into key moments of the weekend's basketball action.
The episode opens with a detailed breakdown of the Warriors' challenging matchup against the Houston Rockets. The Warriors faced a trio of misfortunes, notably the food poisoning of Brandon Pajemski and a significant injury to Jimmy Butler.
Injury Impact:
"Jimmy Butler gets a tailbone contusion that keeps him out for the rest of the night. He's also getting an MRI tomorrow, so fingers crossed." (09:30)
The injury to Butler not only sidelined a key player but also disrupted the Warriors' defensive energy, leading to a less cohesive performance on the court.
Jalen Green's Dominance:
"Jalen Green scoring at least 30 points makes the Rockets 13 and 1 this year. He scored 38 points against Golden State, hitting eight threes." (10:45)
Jalen Green emerged as the standout performer, demonstrating significant improvement in his three-point shooting and becoming a formidable force against top-tier teams.
Team Dynamics:
The Rockets' strategy, emphasizing defensive prowess and transition play, coupled with Green's offensive surge, overpowered the Warriors, who struggled with player rotations and maintaining defensive intensity after Butler's exit.
Shifting focus to the Celtics' clash with the Miami Heat, the host highlights Jaylen Brown's exceptional performance in the absence of the injured Jason Tatum.
Brown's Leadership:
"Jaylen Brown had a brilliant high-volume creation role, complemented by his improved three-point shot, including crucial pull-up threes." (32:15)
Brown effectively managed the game's flow, utilizing his shooting prowess to maintain the Celtics' lead despite increased pressure from the Heat in the fourth quarter.
Team Contributions:
Key role players like Derrick White and Peyton Pritchard provided significant support with their perimeter shooting, enhancing the Celtics' overall offensive effectiveness.
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Donovan Mitchell's stellar performance in the Cavaliers' game against the Miami Heat.
Clutch Performance:
"Donovan Mitchell restored order with four incredibly tough buckets during a precarious moment in the fourth quarter." (14:30)
Mitchell's ability to make high-difficulty shots under pressure was pivotal in securing the Cavaliers' commanding lead and ultimately their victory.
Skill Enhancement:
The host commends Mitchell's improved shot selection and execution, particularly his pull-up threes and ability to create scoring opportunities against elite defenses.
Player of the Week:
"Donovan Mitchell brings the consistent scoring upside that this team needs, averaging 30 points per game on 67% true shooting." (19:50)
Mitchell is lauded as the episode's Player of the Week, underscoring his vital role in the Cavaliers' playoff aspirations.
The discussion transitions to the broader theme of increased physicality and its impact on game officiating during the playoffs.
Incident Analysis:
"The Amen Thompson play where Jimmy Butler got hurt looked like an unfortunate set of circumstances, not a reckless or dirty play." (22:28)
The host argues that heightened physicality across the board has led to more aggressive plays, attributing incidents like Butler's injury to the overall trend rather than isolated misconduct.
Referee Bias and Consistency:
"Fouls are being called at historically low levels this postseason. It's the way the game is being officiated these days." (23:50)
The host criticizes the inconsistency in officiating, particularly pointing out perceived leniency towards the Warriors despite their physical style of play.
Engaging with listener questions, the host addresses various topics ranging from player performances to team strategies.
Fan Concerns:
"Why doesn't Steph Curry get any calls?" (25:40)
The host acknowledges the frustrations of Warriors fans regarding perceived missed fouls against Steph Curry, suggesting that the Warriors' physical play and effective off-ball movement contribute to the lack of officiating calls.
Strategic Shifts:
"If Jimmy is out for Game 3, would you slot Kaminga in his spot or try something radically different?" (30:30)
The host speculates on potential lineup changes for the Warriors, favoring the inclusion of Quinton Post at the center position to maintain offensive stability despite Butler's absence.
Future Prospects:
"How many years away are the Rockets from being legitimate title contenders?" (32:49)
The analysis suggests that with the right additions, such as a primary ball handler, the Rockets could ascend to top-tier contention within the next few years, highlighting the importance of strategic roster enhancements.
Wrapping up the episode, the host emphasizes the critical moments from the weekend's playoffs, reiterates Donovan Mitchell's impact, and previews upcoming content, including a film session on the Celtics vs. Magic game. Listeners are encouraged to engage through ratings and reviews to support the show.
Notable Quotes:
This episode of "Hoops Tonight" offers a comprehensive analysis of pivotal NBA playoff games, insightful discussions on player performances, and thoughtful responses to listener queries, making it an essential listen for basketball enthusiasts keen on understanding the nuances of the current playoff landscape.