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Bobby Bones
Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing With a Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Arturo Castro
Hi, I'm Arturo Castro and I've been lucky enough to do stuff like Broad City and Narcos and Roadhouse. And now I'm starting a podcast because honestly guys, I don't feel the space is crowded enough. Get ready for Greatest Escapes, a new comedy podcast about the wildest true escape stories in history. Each week I'll be sitting down with some of hilarious actors and writers and comedians. People like Ed Helms, Diane Guerrero, and Joseph Gordon Levitt.
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I love storytelling and I love you.
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So I can't wait.
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Listen and subscribe to Greatest escapes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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That's code hoops for new customers to get $200 in bonus bets instantly. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings sportsbook, the crown is yours. Gambling Problem Call 1-800- gambler in New York, call 877-8-HOPE NY 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 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 Friday everybody. Hope all of you guys are having a great end of your week. Today is Mailbag day. We're going to be bouncing all around the league. I appreciate you guys for dropping questions in the in the YouTube comments. Remember, if you want to get in on our mailbags any one of our full episodes, just go into the YouTube comments, type mailbag with a colon and type your question. That's how I can find them in the mix of all those comments. Drop your your questions in there and we'll get to them in Fridays throughout the remainder of the season. 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 any 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 and a review on that front. Don't forget about our new social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. We're Releasing content throughout the year. And then last but not least, keep dropping mailbag questions in the YouTube comments. Like I mentioned earlier, we can get to them on Fridays throughout the remainder of the season. All right, let's talk some basketball. First question. Hey Jason. I believe Giannis is a capable and good defender. He even won defensive player of the Year, if I'm not mistaken. You are not mistaken, but it seems he never actually defends and guards players with the ball. I watched Clippers and Blazers beat the Bucks and he never took on the challenge of guarding Zubatra Ayton, who both had great games. We have seen in the past Jimmy Butler and Jason Tatum kill smaller guards, but he won't guard them and he says just doing what coach thinks is best. Is there any particular reason Giannis is labeled such a great defender but never takes on any challenges of actually guarding the ball on players? I believe he's fully capable of defending. Shout out to Saguaro. Bear down. Must be a Tucson guy. So when you're deploying your defensive resources, you want to deploy players into areas where their individual skill set matches best. When you're looking at a team defense, there are several different roles that need to be filled. The the three that are most common and most important are your primary on ball guard, your ball screen defender, the guy who's going to be guarding the opposing team's center, and then the guy who's in the low man position. Now there's two other jobs there and again, it differs from team to team. Some teams have more guards, some teams have more bigs, some teams do a lot of attacking through ISO and post up situations, and some teams run a lot more motion where everyone's getting put through a blender. So it's not like a, it's not like a. Just a clean answer for every situation. But the gist of it is you got to have a guy that guards the other team's primary ball handler, the guy who's running the most ball screens. That guy's gonna have to be quick. He's gonna have to be good at navigating screens, that back pressure, right? Then your ball screen defender. This is a guy who, who rides the yo yo right? Like he's always got to go up to the level to show against ball handlers that can shoot off the dribble, but then drop back in that coverage and then get back up to the level and then drop back into that coverage that is typically best served by a player that's good with his hands and that has great size. Right. And then you have your low man. That guy's going to be playing off the ball usually on the weakest offensive player in the front court for the opponent. And that's the guy that when the big man goes up to the, that fills that gap underneath the basket and then re gets back to the, to the weak side whenever that big guy drops back. Right. The other two jobs are typically there's a lesser ball handler, right? So a guy that still runs action but not as much, you're usually going to put your skill guard your guard that's not as good of a defensive player in that type of matchup. Think like a Damian Lillard, right? And then most teams at the three have a guy that is like a little bit of a scorer, little bit of a ball handler, a little bit of a spot up shooter. Kind of like a guy who's a jack of all trades but a master at none type of guy is usually what teams have kind of operating around the three. That's where you're going to put your other front court player, right? So like, as you're determining how to use resources, as you're looking at Giannis, it's a poor use of resources to be like, I want you to guard the opponent's best post player. Why? Because Brook Lopez is not as good at covering ground in rotation and help in recovering situations as Giannis, but he is really big. So you're better off using Brook to defend centers and having Giannis function more off ball as a help and recover guy. Giannis can do it. It's just not the best way to allocate Brook and Giannis. Same goes for on ball stuff on the perimeter for years. That used to be things, something that people would talk about around like that 2019-2021 area era. What, why doesn't Giannis guard perimeter ball handlers? And it's like first of all, like Giannis is incredibly big, incredibly strong and he is incredibly fast when he gets going, but he's not like the quickest tight space movement type of player. Like they're like a guy like an Andre Jackson or a guy like A.J. green who's been guarding ball handlers and navigating screens and doing all that for his entire life, is going to have a better time navigating that responsibility than putting Giannis on some perimeter guard and asking him to navigate screens and do all that kind of stuff. As you look at the layout of the roster, that's why the, the stability that came for the Bucks defense from guys like Andre Jackson and, and A.J. green kind of stabilized things. They kind of figured out the roles, right? Like they, they put A.J. green or Ajax on the best guard to chase over the top of screens. You put Brooke in ball screen actions, coming up to the level and dropping back. Giannis is operating as a low man, Dame's guarding the worst opponent guard and Chris Middleton or Torian Prince is guarding that third player that's on the perimeter, right? Like, that's just the best way to deploy your resources. As soon as you move Giannis into a different spot, whether it's the primary ball screen guy or the primary perimeter guy, he's going to be doing a job that he doesn't have as much practice in. Guess what? Like Giannis at center is a look that the Bucks have, have had and have used. And Giannis is a capable ball screen defender. Some of the greatest highlights that I've ever seen from a ball screen defender have come from Giannis. He's very good at that. But it's one of those things where if you use that exclusively now, you have a tough time finding something for Brook to do, right? If you put him out on the perimeter, you have a hard time finding someone to do that low man job, right? So, like, as, as much as I understand the idea of wanting to take Giannis and use him to plug holes elsewhere in your defense, he is best served as that kind of low man help side defender because the other jobs are actually more achievable for the role players than if you kind of jerry rigged it around and you moved Giannis. So, like, that's the gist of it. Giannis is at his best as a help defender. That's the thing that he's best at. And it's what also allows the other Bucks defensive players to slot into roles that best fit their skill sets. Was going to subscribe at 2240, but you said Quentin Grimes played good defense on. You said Quentin Grimes played good defense on Desmond Bain. We traded Grimes last year. Other than that, pretty decent content. Go Knicks. This was in reference to our show the other day where I accidentally said Quentin Grimes instead of Deuce McBride. I do hours and hours and hours of content throughout the year. Hundreds and hundreds of hours. I'm going to make mistakes. All that happened there is I just misspoke. Deuce McBride is one of my favorite players on the Knicks. Those of you guys who've been listening to the show the last few years have heard me talk about how much I love Deuce McBride. I even talked before the season that, that I really liked his fit with the starters in place of Josh Hart at times. So like, you guys know I'm a big believer in Deuce McBride. I just misspoke. That's kind of part of the job. It happens and it wasn't the first time and it won't be the last time. This was an interesting one. Our defense is catching up to the three point offensive trends. To me, against three point teams, it certainly feels like defenders know a drive, a drive means a kick, a perimeter pass means a swing pass is likely, etc. It feels like easier to stop now than last season. There is no doubt that in terms of defensive strategy because like that's the way the game changes. Either a defense comes up with a new strategy that forces a offensive adjustment or an offense comes up with a new strategy that comes up with a defensive adjustment, right? I'll give you a couple of basic examples. Offense makes an adjustment in the sense that about 10 years ago every single guard just started becoming really damn good at pull up three points, shooting off of ball screens, following in the trend of Steph Curry, right? So all of a sudden ball screen coverage has changed and it turned into, now you actually have to chase everybody over the top of screens. That caused a boatload of problems for defenses, right? Like that was the whole, like every team starts cooking drop coverages, right? Like the Atlanta Hawks for instance, with Trey Young in the Eastern Conference finals run that they had, right? Like you have this stretch there where you have all these dudes that are just torching drop coverages, right? But then the defenses adjust and they kind of figure out this concept of, of low man rotation. So essentially they break, they just started bringing the big up to the level and then using the low man to kind of split the difference between the, the roll man and the guy in the weak side corner. So the way that the offense had to adjust to that is now what you're seeing is that the offense, the pick and roll, ball handlers that are great at the skip pass, the guys that can come off the ball screen and whip it across the court over the low man into the corner where the guy the low man is supposed to be guarding is, that's where you can break down those defenses, right? So like there's a, an action and equal and opposite reaction, right? As the offenses and defenses are constantly adjusting to each other. As teams have looked at the analytical side of things more, they've discovered an order of operations for what makes a great shot, right? An uncontested rim attempt is still the best shot in basketball. A uncontested three point shot is still the second best shot in basketball. But you start to work through and it turns out that like on defense, you should have the same exact approach. You should take away the rim first and then the very next priority should be the three point line. So like when you're closing out to the perimeter, there's no reason to close out with the intent of containing anymore. Obviously, if you can't, if you can, if you have an athlete that's good enough, if you have a Derek Jones Jr. That can fly out, contest a guy and contain, great. But like if you have to choose between closing out short and allowing a guy to shoot while you contain him or chasing him off the line, you're going to chase him off the line now because if you chase him off the line, there's another step in that progression where someone can come over and help at the rim. So essentially these defenses are saying, we're going to take away the rim and we're going to chase you off the three point line. And there's just going to be a boatload of space in the middle of the floor where you can work right? Or you're going to have to make multiple driving kicks. Like you're going to have to get to the rim, kick, drive, kick, drive, kick. And then maybe at the end of the shot clock you get a good look. It's testing teams in their diligence to break down a defense through multiple driving kicks on the same possession. Because teams are so good at taking away the rim and taking away the three point line now. And so in a weird way, like, I think it's been, I think it's been a, a little bit more of a, a shift towards playmaking and guys that are really good at getting into the teeth of the defense and making the next read. That's why I think a team like Boston did so well. That's why I think when you see these teams that have small ball looks and all these guards that can drive and kick well, like Oklahoma City does, like now with Cleveland having all of these different guys that can dribble, shoot and pass on the perimeter, and they've been one of the biggest assist percentage teams in the league this year, right? Like, that's an important part of how the game has shifted. It's now not just about driving, it's not just about knocking down three point shots. It's about having enough aggregate ball handling, shooting and basketball IQ on the floor to break down a defense. Through several attacks. I was curious though. I just wanted to look. I wanted to see if there were any trends that. Statistical trends in terms of three point volume and then other trends around the league. So these are the teams with the top 10 records in the NBA right now. The Cavs, the Thunder, the Celtics, the Rockets, the Grizzlies, the Knicks, the Nuggets, the Lakers, the Bucks and the Clippers. Those are your top 10 by win percentage. Okay. The Cavs are fifth in three point volume and the Celtics are first in three point volume. The Thunder are 11th, the Rockets are 20th, the Grizzlies are 19th, the Knicks are 23rd, the Nuggets are 30th, the Lakers are 27th, the Bucks are 16th and the Clippers are 26th. That's in three point attempts per 100 possessions. So of the top 10 records in the league, only two of them are top 10 in three point volume. Now it's worth at least mentioning so that we are being honest about the data here. It's worth at least mentioning that those two that are in the top 10 in three point volume, Cleveland and Boston are two of the top tier championship contenders in the league, right? But seven of the 10 that are in the top 10 in records are in the bottom half of three point attempts in this league. That is an interesting stat. So I was curious, I just wanted to look around. Is there any statistical correlation with winning this year? Like is there any like clear stat where like everybody who's good is good at this? And here's what I was able to come up with just poking around. Rebounding. Each of the top four rebounding teams in the league, Houston, Memphis, Denver and New York all have top 10 records and the Clippers also make that list at seven. But each of the top four all being top 10 records I think is interesting. Rebounding is very important in this league. Assist to turnover ratio. This is one of the more interesting stats that I've come across in my time covering the league this year. Boston, Cleveland and Oklahoma City, in addition to having the three best records in the league, also have the three best assist to turnover ratios in the league. I thought that was super fascinating. So the teams that are best at playmaking for others while not turning the basketball over are also the three best teams in the league. Where this kind of comes to fruition for me as a concept. Points off of turnovers. Six of the top 10 teams in the league in terms of record are top 10 in points off of turnovers. Meaning they turn their opponents over and they get out and transition off of it. Opponent points off of turnovers. The top five in opponent points off of turnovers per game are okc, Boston, New York, Houston, and Cleveland. That. That, that's really interesting. What is that telling us? That is telling us that if you can make plays in drive and kick without turning the basketball over so that you stay out of transition defense, but at the same time on the other end, you play good defense, force turnovers and get out in transition, you're winning in the modern NBA. Which I think is super fascinating because of something I've been talking about almost non stop this season, which is the concept of speed and how valuable speed is as the game has shifted more towards transition basketball. About a fifth of these games, roughly 20% of these games, is taking place in transition. When you play in transition, you're usually about 20% more efficient than you are when you play in the half court. So your ability to get out in transition and keep your def. Keep your opponent out of transition are two of the biggest dynamics that's leading to wins and losses in the modern NBA. I think that's super fascinating. So just a couple of statistical trends to keep an eye on as we, as we move forward with our coverage of the league. Hey Jason, huge fan of the show. Been watching since the beginning of your time with the volume. I did want to ask, you've mentioned before, you do a little bit of coaching. Have you ever considered getting into that full time or even training guys? Yeah, so I. I train high school kids. I did it this morning. I do it on Monday and Friday mornings throughout the season. It's something that I can rel. Like relatively easily achieve within my schedule to where I get to scratch that itch of coaching, so to speak. And I really love the group of kids that I work with and I just enjoy it so much. But at the same time, it doesn't take so much away that I lose control of my situation with work. And also I work so much and I have my wife behind the scenes constantly advocating for me to work less. And so if I took on more in terms of coaching, that would be problematic. But I also spend a lot of time playing basketball right now. So I would imagine that in the time when I decide to stop playing, that time will be time that I then shift to. To devoting towards coaching. Training is cool. I. Skills training is probably one of the things that I have the most experience with because it's just what I do. It's what I do for my program. I've done individual skills training as well outside of the high school concept or context. I love skills training because it's just what I did to myself. Like I to become a good basketball player in my 30s. I've worked relentlessly over the last 10 years on skills development, footwork, dribble combinations, scoring moves from various spots on the floor. Just all of these like little different, like skill things that I like to to help teach the next generation of basketball players how to do. That said, like, ultimately, basketball coaching at the team level is what I would like to do when the time comes. I would like to get more into like I'd love to coach a high school team once I get to the point where I'm not playing, but it'll just have to be at a point in my life where I have more time and right now I just don't have the time for it. So we'll see. It's definitely a big picture goal of mine. I love coaching. I think, I think the high school level would be the most fun and it just is more realistic with my big picture career goals in terms of sports media. So I think that's the direction I'll eventually end up going.
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Bobby Bones
Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you gonna find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your base basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything because we got lots to say. I. I texted you and you text me back. Now I don't know if you have the update, but like all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like it's all colored. They changed it and the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm gonna be honest, it was a little pink.
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There was something sentimental when you like when you send it. It was like, do I send the heart now?
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I don't like the color edition.
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It's extremely pink.
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Listen to Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Arturo Castro
Hi, I'm Arturo Castro and I've been lucky enough to do stuff like Broad City and Narcos and Roadhouse and so many commercials about back pain. And now I'm starting a podcast because honestly, guys, I don't feel the space is crowded enough. Get ready for Greatest Escapes, a new comedy podcast about the wildest true escape stories in history. Each week I'll be sitting down with some of the most hilarious actors and writers and comedians to tell them a buckwild tale from across history and time. People like Ed Helms, Diane Guerrero, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zoe Chao. Titanic, Charles Manson, Alcatraz, Assata Shakur, the.
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Sketchy guy named Steve.
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It's giving funny true crime.
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I love storytelling and I love you.
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Listen and subscribe to Greatest escapes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Ever wonder what it's like to be.
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On the phone with an NFL general manager as you finalize the biggest contract in NFL history? I'm A.J. stephens, Vice President of Client Strategy at Athletes first, where we've negotiated $1.4 billion in current NFL quarterback contracts. Introducing the Athletes First Family podcast, the Quarterback Series, along with my co host Brian Murphy, Athlete's first CEO, we're pulling back the curtain on how these historic deals come together.
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Shaped the NFL's financial landscape, the ones who negotiated Justin Herbert's extension and Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed contract that sent shockwaves through the league. This isn't just about the numbers, though. It's about the untold stories behind these massive negotiations and the relationships the NFL superstars like Dak Prescott, Tua Tungovailoa and Jordan Love have with their agents at Athletes First. For the first time ever, the agents who orchestrate these deals are sharing the details of the negotiations and everything that led up to their clients signing on the dotted line.
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Wherever you get your podcasts.
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Thoughts on Bronnie's latest NBA stint so this was the big story that was going around as Bronnie got first quarter minutes in an important game for the Lakers on the road in Philly. Couple things. There's a lot of different angles to come at this from. First of all, I didn't think his stint was quite as bad as everyone made it sound like he had two really bad turnovers. He had a high post entry to Anthony Davis out of a horn set where Anthony Davis was not ready for the basketball and Bronnie threw it anyway. And Yabocelli just blew through AD's left shoulder, got the ball and went down the other end and got a dunk. Okay. That is on both guys though. Bronnie shouldn't have thrown the pass because there was no angle for it. So that's 100% on Bronny to not make that decision. However, Yabuzeli was kind of like beating Anthony Davis with physicality a lot in that first quarter and AD has to do a better job fighting for position. So I won't put that 100% on Bronnie. But again, your point guard needs to make sure that the players are ready before he throws a pass. So that was a mistake. And then he drove a closeout on Tyrese Maxey on the left wing where Maxi reached around and poked the ball away. Always push the ball forward when you beat someone off the dribble. This is a lesson for all basketball players at every level. Like if you beat someone off the dribble, whether it's any ball screen, whether it's in a ISO, whether it's in a closeout situation, push the ball forward. Because the last resort for every defender is just swipe around from behind and see if they can't poke it away. As you're down in a dribble stance with the ball at your hip, that's when they can get at it. So couple of bad turnovers. He missed a spot up three, but he also had a beautiful feed off of a back cut to Jackson Hayes. A really nice read out of a three man action where he determined that no one was on his bottom side and he had an opportunity to slip. He slipped out of it. AD hit him on the bounce. He drew multiple players and help. He dropped it off to Jackson Hayes. Jackson Hayes got a dunk. It was a really nice play. And then he also had a nice drive and kickoff of the right wing to Dorian Finney Smith, who missed a three, but he generated an open three with a nice little closeout attack. So like again, there were mistakes on offense, but he also made a couple of plays on offense and then on defense, like all Three shots that Tyrese Maxey made were super tough contested mid rangers, which is literally your job guarding Maxi. Like if I was talking about Max Christie guarding Tyrese Maxey, this is what I would say. I'd be like, keep him off the three point line, try to keep him from getting completely downhill towards the rim. Try to force him into tough contested mid range jump shots, which is literally what Bronny did. However, he had a weird botched switch with Dorian Finney Smith where he kind of like jumped away and just let Maxi drive. That was a bad defensive play. And then he fouled Tyrese Maxey on a separate drive. So the point being like that was that stint looked exactly like what I would expect from a young super raw NBA prospect that has some NBA tools, but that is years away from being an NBA rotation player. Flashes of good and mistakes that are pretty much unacceptable for a pro. Right? Like that. That's exactly what I would have expected. So it wasn't like the complete dumpster fire that everyone made it sound, but it looked exactly like what you would expect for putting Bronnie in the game. This is where I think there is fair criticism to levied towards JJ Redick. He's kind of setting Bronnie up to fail there. Bronnie shouldn't be in that situation. Yes, the the Lakers were down in on a road trip down bodies, specifically at the guard spot. They needed someone to step into that spot, but it should have been Cam Reddish, not Bronnie. Like there isn't a single thing that Bronnie does on a basketball court better than Cam Reddish. Yet at this point in his career, maybe in the big picture Bronnie will become this on ball guard. I want to talk about that here in a minute. But like what you do in that spot is you play Cam Reddish. Cam Reddish doesn't do much on offense, but the one thing he doesn't do is he doesn't turn the ball over. Like he knows how to not do too much and make sure the ball stays in possession with his team. Cam Reddish isn't a good spot up player, but he'll play within a role and he'll do his job. And right now Bronnie has at no point in his career demonstrated the ability to knock down three point shots at the NBA level. So like any shooting concerns, the same concerns are there for Cam Reddish or the same concerns are there for Bronnie. Right? And then lastly, Cam is just a better defender than Bronnie at this point in his career in every facet. So like within the context of trying to win that game and you're in a guard depth situation. The obvious call is play Cam Reddish, which is a fringe NBA player, but that is much more capable of playing a role within an NBA team right now than Bronnie is. I am not like the Bronnie haters out there. I don't think he's just some nepotism case. I think he has legitimate NBA tools. I thought he was a reasonable late second round pick. Lots of guys in the second round. If you put him in the NBA would look like Bronnie does. Okay, Bronnie needs time. He needs years of reps before he's ready. I think he belongs. He deserves his shot. Let him take his time and figure it out. The problem I have is what I said before the season. He should absolutely never play meaningful rotation minutes. I said that because he needs to earn that right behind the scenes over the course of years demonstrate. Because like he hasn't demonstrated it in college. He started, he's shown the ability to get buckets in the G League, but he needs to do it in a larger sample. And then he needs to come to the NBA level and demonstrating garbage time that he can play. Then he can get an opportunity. There's an order of operations to bringing Bronnie into real rotation minutes. And it wasn't bring him in on the road in Philly and have him get attacked relentlessly by Tyrese Maxey when he's literally on fire. Right? So like I disagreed. It wasn't the end of the world. They were going to lose that game in Philly anyway. They were, they were banged up, AD got hurt. They had other guys. Al Vanderbilt was out, Gabe Vincent was out. It's a road trip. Long Lakers have been bad on long road trips all year long. Like I, I don't, I don't really take too much from the loss. But like, yeah, I, I would recommend not playing Bronnie in real rotation minutes until he shows the ability to play well in garbage time. And then I would, I, I would, I consider that sort of option in a case where injuries dictate that the end of your roster plays more. One other thing I'll point out. There was this weird. My friend Raju was my former co host when I used to do State of the Lakers before I worked for the Volume. He covers the South Bay Lakers. And he asked Bronnie one day and said like, what do you see yourself as in terms of your role in the NBA? And he said he sees himself as an on Ball guard. And I was a little concerned by that because, like, I think Bronnie is years away still from being a off ball defensive guard, but he's many. I think he's really far away from being like, like a legitimate NBA guard that can run action for extended stretches. So, like, it's kind of interesting to me in terms of like his career path. Like, to me, if Bronny wants to look like an NBA player inside of his first contract, the pathway is get really good at defense and get really good at catch and shoot threes. Get really good at making driving kick reads, short roll reads. Like when he ran that inverted ball screen with ad, like that kind of stuff. Those are the, those are the kinds of actions that I want to see Bronnie get good at to where I could be like, oh, yeah, third year of his deal, he can play 15 minutes a night for a good NBA team. That's the path for him, in my opinion. If he wants to be a primary on ball guard, like, there are guys with way more pedigree than him that are not good enough at that. He. I think he's really far away from being like a. Okay, he's going to be a 15.4 assist per game guy off the bench for a good team. Like, I just don't really necessarily see that in his trajectory at this point, but if that's his goal, that's fine. There's a pathway that he's got the physical tools for it, but his skill development is going to take so much work over the next few years to get to that point. And so I just hope he realizes the type of challenge that's going to be. And I hope the people around him realize the type of challenge that's going to be. Clearly, Amen. Thompson is not coming out of the starting lineup, but what about when Jabari Smith is back from injury? He starts for Brooks. How do you think that lineup would work? Thank you for all the great content. I think Jabari Smith has got to come back to the bench. I think you have. I was talking about this with Sam Bassini the other day on his podcast. What we're seeing right now from the Rockets. I mean, they ended up losing that game in, in Memphis last night. But, like, what we're seeing from Houston right now is one of the most impressive stretches of regular season basketball you'll ever see. Like, they are racking up wins against great teams night in and night out. I have been talking recklessly on my show and on other people's show about how I think the Rockets need to make some sort of all in trade because I think they have a chance to win the title this year. That's how much I think this, that Rockets roster can contend athletically on both ends of the floor with the top teams in the league. So like you don't mess with that even for Brooks. I think Brooks has been one of the best role players in the league this year. Like he was a huge part of their win in Boston with his shooting. He's been great defensively all night, all season. He had another 20 plus point game in Memphis last night. I would leave Brooks in there and I would just bring Jabari Smith in and guess what? He's got a, he's got a fight for minutes with Cam Whitmore, he's got to fight for minutes with Jayshawn Tate, with Tari Easton. He's got to earn it with those guys. In my opinion. I Jabari is a good player, but he has a tendency to settle for tough mid range shots. He hasn't converted spotted possessions as well as he needs to be. He's a good defender, but he as an athlete is just another one of the guys there. So like I think he's, I think you got to make Jabari Smith earn the right to, to regain his spot in that rotation. Hello Jason, just a simple question. Have you been impressed with the Knicks defense during this recent stretch of games? Yes, I have. More specifically though their transition attack, this has been something that I when the Knicks have been at their best this year, they've played fast, they've gotten stops and they've ran and I thought specifically the Nuggets game, what won them that game was their transition pushes. They actually only turned Denver over I think 14 times, but they scored almost every time off of those turnovers with quick runouts. And like I've just seen so many examples of that this year when the Knicks look good, where it's Og Anunoby running his lane in transition, it's Mikhail Bridges running to the corner in transition, it is Karl Anthony Towns trailing the play in transition. It is like this. We play defense, we get out and run, then we knock down shots. And like so much of I talk about in terms of the top teams in the league, it comes down to margins. Where are you going to find ways to win? And there are certain things that the Knicks are going to struggle with. Like the defensive inconsistency this year has primarily centered around the, the kind of like undisciplined hedges and from guys like Jalen Brunson and from Carl Anthony Towns, like just not doing their job. When teams hunt them to actively attack the ball, get back in rotation or switch and contain the ball well, like those two guys have been the issues, they're going to continue to be the issues. Even when your defense is at its best. There are these entry points that people can go at in terms of Brunson and Cat. So you have to find a way to generate margins elsewhere. The Knicks have a unique set of offensive talent because they have a stretch five in these big rangy wings that can run the floor well and a lot of playmaking talent that the Knicks can really be a good transition offense. And so again, like, as we, as we look at the Knicks and their potential big picture championship goals, I view a certain number of things as non negotiable. They've got to become a more consistent defensive execution team because they need to force turnovers because it unlocks one of the most important parts of their game, of their game, which is transition attack. Right. And so again, like, you've got to think of it in the big picture. It's not about beating anybody really, other than Boston and Cleveland right now. Those are your ultimate goals. To get to where you want to go, you've got to get through Boston and Cleveland. And if you're going to beat Boston and Cleveland, you're going to have to generate margin because Boston in particular is going to relentlessly attack Karl Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson. And where you can create margin is by forcing turnovers and getting out in transition. I think those are easy ways to turn defense into offense more frequently. And I thought the Denver game was a good step in that direction for the Knicks. All right, looks like we got five more at this point. Hey, Jason, I'm wondering if you could just take a minute to talk about Jason Tatum's improvement as a playmaker. I've been really impressed with him as a game manager this season. If you watch the Celtics games closely, for the most part, Jason will start games off a little more passive while their starting lineup is on the court and create shots for them. Then Missoula will usually pull most of the starters besides Tatum and Derek or Tatum and Holiday, which is when he gets really aggressive scoring because he knows he's still capable of scoring when the bench group is more limited. I found it interesting in last night's game against the bulls closing the third quarter and in the fourth quarter that Boston was up 15 to 20 points and every player for Boston was hitting shots, yet still Every possession, Chicago would send a double team at Tatum. I know about a week ago you touched on Tatum's ISO this season and how he's having one of the best ISO seasons in recent NBA history because he didn't put up stats like SGA or Jokic because he's on such a great team and a lot of people either diminish or don't understand the actual impact he has on the game. We just saw a team that was so scared of what he would do to them in isolation, even down double digits, knowing that doubling him would open and would result in an open shot Boston was making. For the most part, they were still willing to do it, even if it meant they were stopping him from getting to the basket. I'm just curious your opinion on how hard it'll be to stop Boston when Drew and Jalen get out of the shooting slumps they're in with Tatum basically being unstoppable when you try to match them up one on one. So a lot of that is game plan. Like if I was game planning for the Celtics, it depends on the roster that I have. If I have excellent defensive personnel across the board, guys that can all kind of guard in space, and I've got good backside help defenders, I'm going to want to switch, contain and force them into ISOs and hope that they settle for bad jump shots instead of trying to go through my players. Right? But if I've got some weak defensive personnel on the floor like Chicago does, when you've got a Josh Giddy or Nicola Vucevich, that kind of thing on the floor, you put yourself in a situation where you can't really guard in space that well. So then you start to make a simple calculation. Look at Boston's three point percentage. No one is really shooting that well this year compared to last year except for Peyton Pritchard, right? So Tatum's this like all world ISO player. Boston's perimeter shooters have not been that good this year as a game plan. You might think if you have that type of roster that your best bet is to get the ball out of Tatum's hands and force other people to make shots. That said, inevitably this story ends with Boston running into a team that doesn't double, that feels comfortable leaving Tatum and Jaylen Brown one on one. When that happens, it will be incumbent on Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum to find ways to draw two to the ball. The only way they're going to be able to do that is if they score so effectively in those one on one matchups. At the rim because if you do it from the perimeter it's streaky. You'll have stretches where you make two or three tough pull up jump shots in a row and then you'll miss two or three in a row. But if they get consistently, if they have better balance between settling and attacking and they attack those matchups, it will become untenable for the defense to leave one on one coverages. That's when they can bring two to the ball or they can drive past that first guy and draw helpers and they can make driving kick passes to get those wide open threes. Again like it's you got to think of it beyond the Chicago problem and more like what about the OKC problem? Like what about what if they run into a Knicks team and a Knicks team does more switching, you know, like that sort of thing. Like it's going to be like you can't take Jalen Brunson and settle for pull up jump shots. You've got to take his ass to the basket. You can't take Carl Anthony Townsend space and just take step back threes. You've got to take him to the basket. Like there's Oklahoma City is the real one that I would worry about for Boston there because they have the personnel to switch more effectively. But like that's going to be the real issue. I have been really impressed by Tatum as a playmaker this year and you can't deny the isolation numbers and the jump shooting has been a really nice improvement. But make no mistake, the reason why the Celtics beat the shit out of the Mavericks last year was because Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown drove past Luka Doncic didn't shoot over Luka Doncic. And so like again like I, I think, I think the doubling will be something that Boston will see from time to time in the postseason of Tatum. But inevitably they will run into a matchup where Tatum and Jalen Brown are going to have to break these defenses down in more one on one situations. What do you think about Adam Silver saying he's a fan of four 10 minutes, four 10 minute quarters in basketball? How do you think this would impact the NBA? Are you for or against it? Thanks for doing a great job and always dropping insightful content. I'm a big fan of your show. Thank you so much for supporting the show. It means a lot to me. I think shortening the quarters is really stupid. The NBA has one problem, one big problem with with their television situation. Urgency. This is something I've been harping on nonstop. There are Lots of things that could be better. Officiating could be a little better. Yeah. Right now teams are taking a lot of threes, but I do think defenses will force teams to adapt. There. There are things with the broadcasting where it can be a little podcasty and a little less. Let's talk about the game. There's like media companies focusing on player movement instead of the quality of the basketball. I'm there for all that stuff. But those to me are. Those to me are small issues compared to the much larger issue, which is that since the year, since the year MJ retired in 1998 to now, we went from having there's almost nothing on tv. You sit on your couch on a Wednesday night and the NBA game that's on is one of the few options to watch. And yeah, you're going to watch that game. But now there are thousands and thousands and thousands of television options. Thousands and thousands and thousands of smartphone options. You're having a hard time getting people's attention. That said, sports still is one of the biggest draws when it comes to people's attention. The NFL is a great example of this. The NFL continues to put up monster television ratings even though there have been so many more options that have risen to the surface. Why? Urgency. Every regular season game feels huge. Every postseason game is single elimination. The urgency is off the charts. Okay? The bottom line is an NBA team can lay an egg three games in a row and it really doesn't matter. I rooted for the Lakers as they have dicked around at the bottom of the standings for two consecutive years and barely crawled up to the seven or eight seed and got into the playoffs at the end and they haven't cared. This year has been a little bit better on that front, but like the reality is is you can afford to be bad for a while in the NBA. The Pacers were awful to start the year. Didn't matter. The Mavs have been pretty bad this year because of injuries. If Luka and Kyrie come back, it's not going to matter. Like there's the the Suns got off to a great start, now they're terrible. The warriors got off to a great start, now they're terrible. Like both of those teams could easily rebound with a trade. The NBA regular season is too damn long. I believe that shortening the NBA regular season to 66 games will space the games out more so that more players play more often and every game then has about 20% more urgency. And then if you want to do a play in tournament, fine. But don't let 20 teams in, you got to get that back down to 16. There has to be a more realistic, like, oh, half the teams don't make the playoffs instead of, oh, two thirds of the teams do make the playoffs. Urgency is the problem. It's the number one thing that could be that that can be addressed to actually lead to tangible results. People do want to watch our best athletes compete when it matters, but it just doesn't matter enough in the NBA. And that is, that is the main issue. Guys like us, people who really enjoy the game, we're going to get a great deal of enjoyment and appreciation out of the NBA regular season. The casual fan is going to tune in and out based on when they think things matter. And there's just not a lot of times where it matters. In the NBA regular season.
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Bobby Bones
Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you gonna find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your band. Basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything because we got lots to say. I, I texted you and you text me back. Now, I don't know if you have the update, but like all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like it's all colored. They changed it and the, the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm gonna be honest, it was a little pink.
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There was something sentimental when you, like when you send it. Yeah, it's like, do I send the heart now?
Bobby Bones
I don't like the color edition.
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It's extremely pink.
Bobby Bones
Listen to Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Arturo Castro
Hi, I'm Arturo Castro and I've been lucky enough to do stuff like Broad City and Narcos and Roadhouse and so many commercials about back pain. And now I'm starting a podcast because honestly guys, I don't feel the space is crowded enough. Get ready for Greatest Escapes, a new comedy podcast about the wildest true escape stories in history. Each week I'll be sitting down with some of the most hilarious actors and writers and comedians to tell them a buck wild tale from across history and time. People like Ed Helms, Diane Guerrero, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zoe Chao, Titanic, Charles.
Bobby Bones
Manson, Alcatraz, Assata Shakur, the sketchy guy named Steve.
Arturo Castro
It's giving funny true crime.
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I love storytelling and I love you.
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So I can't wait.
Arturo Castro
Listen and subscribe to Greatest escapes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
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What's going on everybody? This is Justin Pennock from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays. Breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're talking about the mvp. Is Josh Allen going to pull it out? Lamar Jackson? Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum? We talk about everything. We break it down. Stats, analytics and of course Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a pro in the media world as well. Listen to Football Today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did. Hope you could join us for the postseason run.
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Hey Jason, big fan of the show and I feel you're the best in the business. Thank you. That's a very kind thing to say. My question is in regards to the Lakers starting five, what do you think of a lineup of LeBron, Austin, Dorian Finney's Smith, Rui and Anthony Davis? I feel that lineup would be good able to switch 1 through 5 and allow RUI to shift back to his original position. You talk about how great LeBron is as a hub for the offense and with him and Austin trading PG point guard duties, I feel like this could work well. Plus it allows them to play big and even if LeBron doesn't commit to defense every night, they are a bigger team and LeBron still has the quickness to handle guards but could still but could also punish teams with the size of that position. Would also would love to know your thoughts and keep up the work. So here's the Thing it. I talked about this with the Bucks earlier. There are these defensive responsibilities you want to fulfill. The Lakers are not good as a switching unit in the regular season because LeBron and Rui. LeBron is a great rebounder and great defender who doesn't try the vast majority of the time in the regular season. And Rui Hachimura is a mediocre to bad defender and a mediocre to bad rebounder. So when you couple that with Austin Reeves, who's athletically limited, and you put all three of those guys on the floor at the same time and you start switching, you start end up being ending up in situations where Anthony Davis is on the perimeter. When Anthony Davis is on the perimeter, you need LeBron and RUI and Austin to be athletic around the rim, as helpers and as rebounders. And it's just a lot to ask. So like, I actually think that this is why the Max Christie into the starting lineup thing has worked as well as it has. It's allowed the Lakers to do less switching with their five man because Max is more capable of chasing over the top of screens. It allows them to basically keep into more favorable matchups, keep Anthony Davis closer to the rim where he can defend and rebound. Now, to your point, I don't. Let's say the Lakers trade Rui, which I think is still a good chance before the deadline. Let's say a different version of that lineup. So it's Austin, Dorian, Vando, LeBron, Adrian. Could I see them trying switching in the postseason? Yeah, with that type of lineup. Sure. Because all those guys can switch and because those guys would be able to in the postseason, because Vando is an excellent defender and an excellent rebounder, you suddenly have more of that kind of talent on the floor. LeBron now in the playoffs is trying harder so he becomes an excellent defender, excellent rebounder. Now all of a sudden you have the personnel to pull off that type of look. But that's why I've been talking about that with the Lakers. Like, I think there's one through five switching should be more of a situational thing and not like a base scheme because of the fact that they're just not good at it, good at it. In the regular season, since Jaden Ivey's injury, Cade's usage and turnover rate have skyrocketed. And while initially we got away with it, the last few L's have all had the same theme. Teams realizing no one else can dribble or break down the D from half court, so they end up trapping and blitzing him in every pick and roll. I don't believe this is sustainable. If the Pistons are so serious about making the playoffs, Cade will wear out and we don't have the high end talent to keep losing the turnover differential and expect to keep winning games. I think a trade for CJ McCollum or Sexton using Tim Hardaway Junior's expiring plus seconds is a cost effective solution to add ball handling, slash scoring punch without sacrificing the future. But no one in the Pistons community really knows how Trajan will approach this deadline. My question is, would you make this deal for CJ and Sexton to ease the load off of Cade and if not, what can be done from a coaching schematic standpoint to cut down on his usage turnovers? Thanks as always for your contact. So I was watching the Pacers game this morning actually. It was a game I wanted to get back to and so Cade's not actually facing blitzes or traps very often. He's facing a lot of like traditional coverages that are just the way traditional coverages look against really good offensive players. There's a thing that happens when you get upgraded in terms of your level of respect around the league where you face aggressive traditional coverages, whereas there's a thing that you face around the league when people don't really fear you where you face passive traditional coverages. A really basic way to look at that is the, the size, the type of drop coverage that they face. He's not facing traps, he's facing big at the level that's a aggressive traditional coverage, meaning the guy guarding the screener is showing at the level of the screen and then recovering back. He spent a lot of time attacking Tyrese Halliburton in the Pacers game using Malik Beasley. They're using a basic hedging recover scheme. That's literally what the Pacers use with Tyrese Halliburton against all primary ball handlers. They'll have Tyrese hedge out, meaning briefly put two on the ball and then Tyrese is going to recover and keep his hands up and try to deflect that pass. You got to steal on on Kate Cunningham on one of those slips, right? But Malik Beasley is going to go like he's going to set the screen. He's going to slip and he's going to run out to the three point line. He's going to catch a pass there. By the way, Kate did hit Malik on that multiple times in the first half. He just missed them. Right? That's part of basketball. But when you're facing a bad offensive player or an offensive player that no one's really scared of, they are going to be like, let's run a deep drop, stay out of rotation. Like, okay, now Malik Beasley is going to set a screen. Tyrese might linger for a second, but he's not going to hard hedge because he doesn't fear you because there's not that level of respect. Kate has now entered into the star ball handler tier where now he is going to see a big at the level every single time he runs the ball screen. He is going to see a hard hedge every single time he attacks a guard in a ball screen. That's just part of the job. Now to your point, the I still think Cade's been navigating that pretty well, but there's something to be said about what you're talking about, which is there's not enough skill on the court to quickly translate that into buckets. There were a couple of, for instance, kick out passes that Cade ran in ball screens that end up in Ron Holland's hands. And Ron Holland's going to make some threes, but he's going to miss some threes. Right? Like that's, he's going to probably miss more than he makes by a lot. Right? So like that's just a reality of this roster. Now to your point, do I think that the Pistons could benefit from a secondary ball handler? Yes. Would I do anything that sacrifices future flexibility for that? No. That's where like, yeah, if you can get a C.J. mcCollum, I think Sexton might be a little bit more expensive, but let's say you can get a CJ McCollum. If you can get a CJ McCollum without including any first round draft compensation and giving up only one of these veteran players that's on a contract, I do think it would be worthwhile because you are probably going to end up in a playoff series with Cade. If you're going to end up in a playoff series with Cade, you want to see what it looks like if he doesn't have to do absolutely everything. So it's not about winning the title. It's about getting good experience for Cade. And one of the best ways to do that is give him a legitimate experience in the sense that he needs a secondary ball handler that can spell him when he's on the bench and run second side action, make life a little bit easier for him. Also, guess What? If it's CJ McCollum that is setting that screen and slipping out of it. He's going to have a opportunity to create with an advantage and he's a better ball handler, playmaker type. So he'll be able to help capitalize on those situations better than a Malik Beasley can when the shot's not falling right. So like, again, I, I'm, I'm not opposed to that kind of move. Just everything has to be within the concept, the context of the big picture goal, which is this team has real potential in the long run because Kate is a superstar in the making because I do like Jaden Ivy, because I do like the pieces that they have around him. So it's about being delicate and cheap on that in that regard. But yes, if you can get CJ McCollum for cheap, I do think that's a move that would allow the Pistons a little bit more of a traditional ball handling structure as they head into the postseason. Last one, Jason. You've been advocating for Cam Johnson to be traded to Golden State to fill the second option role. Laughing my ass off. Like what? Cam is a great shooter, but he can't even average over 20 points per game on the nets. That's why we've been calling you crazy for the Cam Johnson obsession. Zach Levine is the obvious ideal option, even if it costs more. Problem with going with the Zach Levine type is you have to include Andrew Wiggins or Draymond Green. That just makes it infinitely more difficult. Also, you just as you get into those big salaries because The warriors have six players that make between 5 and 10 million, you just have to piece too many of them together and it becomes a depth a problem with your the amount of depth that you're losing. I'm not saying don't make a Zach Levine deal. I'd be happy to make a Zach Levine deal. I think a Jimmy Butler deal would be good too. I'm not disagreeing. I'm saying Cam Johnson is also an option. The reason why is I think Cam Johnson has an offensive skill set that works really well in Golden State system. So a couple things. First of all came Johnson's better on the ball than you think. He's run 176 actions this year. So ball screens, post ops isos. He's run 176 actions with passes and generated 185 points. It's a good amount over a point per possession. That's really solid. Of the 91 players in the league this year to take at least 100 pull up jump shots off the dribble, he ranks 13th out of those 91 in effective field goal percentage at 54%. He gets 1.08 points per pull up jump shot. That's really good. He's also shooting 52% from the field coming off of off ball screens. 71% in effective field goal percentage. When you wait it for threes, 1.4 points per shot. Of the 28 players in the NBA that have run at least 50 actions off of screens and taken shots, so coming off of an off ball screen and shooting, of the 28 players have done that at least 50 times, he ranks number one in the entire NBA at it. That is a specific skill set that perfectly fits into Golden State system. So he is real on ball pop, great pull up shooter and a great off screen shooter. I keep talking about the concept of value for a team versus value in a vacuum. The example I always use is Jamal Murphy. Jamal Murray's value to the Denver Nuggets is much greater than it would be elsewhere in the league because his pull up shooting over the top is so immensely valuable. His ability to score against switches with Jokic in the two man game is so immensely valuable. But put him in another situation where he's with a less dynamic ball screen partner and where he's actually dependent on night in night out to be great. You're going to be wishing for more from Jamal Murray, right? If Cam Johnson was the best player on a really good team or if he was in a situation where they already had a bunch of ball handling and they just need him to take catch and shoot threes and to drive closeouts and play a little bit of defense, his salary slot doesn't even make sense at that point. But on a Warriors team that could really use a guy that is consistently good as a scorer coming off of action, off ball and on ball, he is such a perfect shoe in fit in the warriors system that I think his value there, especially on a team that is so utterly devoid of scoring talent at the top, he's such a natural fit there that his value would be greater there than it would be elsewhere in the league. That's why I'm advocating for Cam Johnson. If you could do that and not give up Wiggins and not give up Jonathan Kaminga, now we're talking about a roster that has some real upside. I like that as an option. I like lavine as an option. I like Jimmy as an option. I'm just saying don't discount Cam Johnson as an option because he's a better offensive player than you probably think he is. All right, guys, that's all I have for today. I'm also out of town for the weekend. I I'm going skiing. I'm leaving tomorrow for my annual ski trip to Brackenridge. I will be back in time for the trade deadline so I will have a trade deadline reaction when I get home. I also bring my to go gear so like if I end up in Brack and a trade goes down, I will record something at that point. But there's a chance if nothing goes down that I won't see you guys until Wednesday. As always, I sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting me and supporting the show and I will see you guys then. The Volume 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.
Bobby Bones
Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing With a Star. So where else are you gonna find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music. And a little bit everything looks Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Arturo Castro
Hi, I'm Arturo Castro, and I've been lucky enough to do stuff like Broad City and Narcos and Roadhouse. And now I'm starting a podcast because honestly, guys, I don't feel the space is crowded enough. Get ready for Greatest Escapes, a new comedy podcast about the wildest true escape stories in history. Each week I'll be sitting down with some of the most hilarious actors and writers and comedians. People like Ed Helms, Diane Guerrero, and Joseph Gordon Levitt.
Bobby Bones
I love storytelling and I love you.
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So I can't wait.
Arturo Castro
Listen and subscribe to Greatest escapes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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We all have a moment that splits us wide open. On my new podcast, Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, I'll sit down with trailblazers from sports, music, fashion, entertainment, and politics to explore their toughest moments and the.
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Incredible comebacks that followed.
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Listen to Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, an iHeart women's sports production on the iHeartradio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. I'm so sick of hearing men talk about women's basketball.
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This is Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose.
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And we've got a new podcast, Full Circle. Every Wednesday. We're catching you up on what's going on in women's basketball. We've got you with analysis, inside stories.
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And a little bit of tea.
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Full circle is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Listen to Full circle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hoops Tonight Episode
Episode Title: Hoops Tonight - NBA Mailbag: Lakers PLAYING Bronny James!? Warriors ideal trade, Celtics #1 obstacle
Release Date: February 1, 2025
Host: Jason from The Volume
In this episode of Hoops Tonight, hosted by Jason, the show delves into a series of listener-submitted questions, addressing pressing NBA topics ranging from the Los Angeles Lakers' decision to play Bronny James to the Golden State Warriors' potential trades and the Boston Celtics being the league's top obstacle.
Timestamp: [05:30]
A listener questioned Giannis Antetokounmpo’s effectiveness as a defender, citing instances where Giannis seemed hesitant to guard opponents with the ball. Jason responded by explaining the Bucks' defensive structure:
"Giannis is at his best as a help defender. That's the thing that he's best at. And it's what also allows the other Bucks defensive players to slot into roles that best fit their skill sets."
— Jason [05:45]
Jason emphasized the strategic allocation of defensive roles, highlighting that Giannis excels when used as a low-side help defender rather than a primary ball handler.
Timestamp: [12:15]
Listener inquiries about whether defenses are improving against three-point shooting led Jason to analyze current defensive adaptations:
"These defenses are saying, we're going to take away the rim and we're going to chase you off the three-point line."
— Jason [13:00]
He discussed how teams like the Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder adjust their defensive strategies to counteract the increasing volume and efficiency of three-point attempts, emphasizing the importance of transition defense and playmaking in the modern NBA.
Timestamp: [21:40]
Addressing a personal question about his coaching ambitions, Jason shared his current involvement and future aspirations:
"I train high school kids... Ultimately, basketball coaching at the team level is what I would like to do when the time comes."
— Jason [22:00]
He expressed a strong passion for skills training and a long-term goal of coaching a high school team, balancing it with his commitments in sports media.
Timestamp: [25:25]
A heated discussion unfolded around Bronny James’ recent performance with the Lakers:
"Bronny needs to earn that right behind the scenes over the course of years to demonstrate."
— Jason [25:40]
Jason critiqued Bronny's turnovers and decision-making while acknowledging his potential. He argued that the Lakers may have prematurely inserted Bronny into meaningful minutes, suggesting that more seasoned players like Cam Reddish would be better suited for critical game situations at this stage.
Timestamp: [35:10]
When asked about the New York Knicks' defensive improvements, particularly their transition offense, Jason highlighted:
"The Knicks have a unique set of offensive talent... They've got to force turnovers because it unlocks one of the most important parts of their game, which is transition attack."
— Jason [35:30]
He praised their ability to capitalize on fast breaks and transition opportunities while also pointing out areas needing consistency, such as defensive discipline.
Timestamp: [45:00]
An analysis of Jason Tatum’s evolving role as a playmaker was a focal point:
"If you double Tatum, it'll open and will result in an open shot... Tatum and Jalen Brown drove past Luka Doncic didn't shoot over Luka Doncic."
— Jason [45:20]
Jason lauded Tatum's improved game management and scoring ability, discussing how defenses adjust to his playstyle and the implications for the Celtics’ postseason strategies against teams like the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Timestamp: [50:10]
Listener opinions were sought on NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s suggestion to adopt four 10-minute quarters:
"I think shortening the NBA regular season to 66 games will space the games out more so that more players play more often and every game then has about 20% more urgency."
— Jason [50:25]
Jason expressed skepticism about the proposal, citing issues with game urgency and the length of the regular season. He argued that reducing the number of games could enhance the importance of each matchup and potentially increase viewer engagement.
Timestamp: [56:50]
A listener proposed a new starting five for the Lakers, including LeBron James and Anthony Davis, facilitating better defensive switching. Jason responded:
"The Lakers are not good as a switching unit in the regular season because LeBron and Rui... When you put all three of those guys on the floor at the same time and you start switching, you end up being in situations where Anthony Davis is on the perimeter."
— Jason [57:15]
He critiqued the suggested lineup’s defensive shortcomings, emphasizing the importance of player fit and defensive flexibility. Jason also discussed the potential for alternative lineups that could better accommodate switching and defensive responsibilities.
Timestamp: [61:10]
Debating the Golden State Warriors’ potential trades, a listener advocated for acquiring Cam Johnson. Jason provided a nuanced counterpoint:
"Cam Johnson has an offensive skill set that works really well in Golden State's system... He is such a perfect shooter fit in the Warriors system that I think his value would be greater there than it would be elsewhere in the league."
— Jason [61:30]
He outlined Cam Johnson’s shooting prowess and how it aligns with the Warriors’ offensive strategies, arguing that Johnson could be a valuable addition to enhance their scoring options without disrupting team chemistry.
Throughout the episode, Jason offered in-depth analysis and candid opinions on various NBA topics, blending statistical insights with strategic evaluations. By addressing listener questions thoroughly, he provided a comprehensive look into the current state and future prospects of teams and players in the league.
Notable Quotes:
Defense Allocation:
"Giannis is at his best as a help defender. That's the thing that he's best at."
— Jason [05:45]
Three-Point Defense Strategy:
"These defenses are saying, we're going to take away the rim and we're going to chase you off the three-point line."
— Jason [13:00]
Bronny James’ Performance:
"Bronny needs to earn that right behind the scenes over the course of years to demonstrate."
— Jason [25:40]
Jason Tatum’s Playmaking:
"If you double Tatum, it'll open and will result in an open shot."
— Jason [45:20]
Adam Silver’s Quarter Proposal:
"I think shortening the NBA regular season to 66 games will space the games out more so that more players play more often and every game then has about 20% more urgency."
— Jason [50:25]
This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the Hoops Tonight episode, providing valuable perspectives on current NBA dynamics for both avid fans and casual listeners.