← The Zach Lowe Show
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- [00:00]
Zach Lowe
This episode is brought to you by State Farm. One minute the crowd's cheering, the next the scoreboard flips. Sports are full of surprises and life isn't much different. That's where State Farm comes in with their easy to use digital tools and over 19,000 local agents who can help you call the right play. Because when you know someone's ready to assist, you have the confidence to take on the unpredictable. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there with the assist. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Price and eligibility vary by state. Coming up on the Zach Lowe's show, the NBA regular season is coming to an end and Big was our old friend. Let's go. Mets is here to help us run through the late season storylines. We have a little fun draft, the draft of lineups and player combinations we are most interested to see. We're watching most keenly toward the end of the season. We're looking at good teams, teams that haven't had these lineups available to them for a lot of the season or these combinations available to them, teams who are struggling at one thing and maybe this lineup could help them get better at it. We've got Denver stuff, Philadelphia stuff, Boston stuff, New York stuff, Clipper stuff. And we lead off with the Cavs. Both of us had the Cavs. We didn't, we didn't cooperate on this as number one on our most interesting lineups. Combinations draft centered around Jared Allen. Centered around. He's back now. He didn't play last night, but he's back now. And the big four of Mitchell, Harden, Mobley Allen, what does that look like? Who's the fifth guy? It's finals or bust for the Cavs. They're out of the spotlight right now for whatever reason. But it's finals or bust for the Cavs. Then we pick our favorite of the remaining playoff races. Is it number one seed in the West? Is it East 5 to 10, which is a complete mess? Is it just the east play in? Is it the middle of the West? We do that and then what Awards are locked up and what's still open. Woz and I go through our ballots, both the ones that are set almost in stone, the ones that are not all NBA. It's getting toward go time. We get into that. And just a reminder, people, anyone who lives in or around Denver or wants to come to Denver, the Zach Lowe show is coming to Denver live on April 13th at the Fillmore Auditorium. All tickets are still on sale. We're opening up a new block of tickets and and just go to theringer.com events for all the details on that, we'll have some fun. We'll talk nuggets. We'll have some good guests. Denver Zach Lowe Show Live April 13th Fillmore Auditorium and with that, let's bring in Big Waz. The Zach Lowe show is brought to you by FanDuel. Things are really heating up on the court and FanDuel is the best place to bet on all the epic matchups during the NBA season. Build the same game parlay for a shot at a bigger payout or try live betting and jump into the action after tip off. And don't forget, with FanDuel you get paid instantly when you win. Download the FanDuel Sportsbook app now and play your game 21 over in President of Select States 18 or over in DC, Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org chatinc. Welcome to the Zach Lowe Show. Look who it is. Big Wood.
- [03:18]
Big Woz
The Mets hat on.
- [03:19]
Zach Lowe
We're three and one. The sun is out. Everything's going well. How you doing, buddy?
- [03:23]
Big Woz
I'm good, man. And I'm completely certain that things are going to stay this way. We're going to win 75% of our games and it's going to be a magical season.
- [03:33]
Zach Lowe
Zach Lowe, 158 games left to go. Koda Senga's annual meltdown has not occurred yet. So all things are good. We got about, you know, 10, 10, 12 days left in the NBA regular season. Six to eight to nine games for every team. We're coming to the stretch run. We're going to say goodbye to a lot of the tankers pretty soon. Farewell. Have a nice off season. And so we're going to do a few things today. It's always hard like these last games. You're focused on the big head to head matchups that are going to decide tiebreakers. We saw a thrilling Philly Miami game last night where Tyler Hero went bananas and Miami got that tiebreaker to kind of stay alive in, you know, the 7, 8, 9, 10 race for the, for the better spots there. But I like to like what, what am I actually zeroing in on? I want to see like as teams gear up for the playoffs, there are lineups. I want to see combinations. I want to see stuff that we haven't seen a lot of but I think is going to be important if these teams are actually going to become who we think they are. So this is what we're going to do. We're going to draft like lineups or player combinations that we're just interested in seeing last two weeks of the season. Good entertainment value. Could be a whole five man lineup. I said it could be two, three players, whatever you want. So I'm going to give you first pick in the exciting lineups.
- [04:47]
Big Woz
Draft was, I just want to give just a precursor. All of my picks are injury based because to be honest, at this point in the season, I've watched so many, especially of the playoff teams, I've watched so many of these games, it's hard for me to be like, oh, I wonder what I'm going to discover, you know, from Murray and Jokic, you know what I mean? Like, that stuff is so well trodden. And so all of my picks are definitely based on guys coming back from injury. And that's why my first pick is Jared Allen and James Harden. And it's because in February when Harden first gets to the team, Jared Allen has the best month of his entire career ever. Like, and I don't think that's coincidental. You know what I mean? I don't think people are saying like, oh, just because it happened at the same time doesn't mean Harden caused it. I was like, no, there's some causation here. If you watch the actual Cavs play, Harden is just on another level of pick and roll, passer and creator than Donovan Mitchell is or of course, or even what Darius Garland was, who Garland, I think is a, you know, he's a capable pick and roll operator, but he's not on James Harden's level in terms of dissecting defenses, making the play quickly. Harden is such a quick processor and I think he was very instrumental in Jared Allen having that incredible February where he's averaging like 21, 22 points or something crazy like that. And so as Jared Allen comes back and we're getting closer and closer to the playoffs, I'm definitely going to be paying attention to what those two guys are doing on the court together to see if they could bring back a lot of that magic that we saw back in the month of February.
- [06:33]
Zach Lowe
My first pick was Cleveland's big four of Mitchell, Harden, Mobley Allen, specifically that four man combo. So we had the same basic pick. I almost, I'm so excited to. They've only played those four have played 48 minutes together in four. In four games, they're plus 39. The Cavs are in those 48 minutes. I'm so interested in this four man combination that I almost and intended to watch the Utah Jazz play another basketball game last night because they were playing Cleveland. And then I saw that Allen was out because there's a very exciting Cleveland Lakers game tonight, Tuesday night, that I assume they're saving him for. So I ditched that game and then watched another game because I've seen enough of the Jazz lately to. To go the other way. But yeah, it's. It's like. And now Harden and Mobley are kind of have kind of gotten in a good pick and roll rhythm with Allen out. But like, look, the other thing is I do feel like Cleveland's getting a little lost in the shuffle in the east because Detroit fans are just adamant, like, what about us? Wire to wire, number one team, and they've got this cade injury. Boston has been the story of the last, really, of the whole season almost, but specifically the last month with Tatum coming back. The Knicks are the Knicks. It's just always loud around the Knicks. The Cavs, like, they need to get back in the spotlight. We need to put them back in the spotlight because when you trade up 10 years in age from Garland to Harden, you trade up for a guy who has a checkered track record in the playoffs for durability purposes. You are sending a signal like, this is an urgent season. We need to make this work right now. And just to me, their highest ceiling is still with the two big guys on the floor for at least a huge portion of every game. It could be somewhat matchup dependent. And that's why Allen coming back is important, because there may be matchups where Kenny Atkinson says this is more of a small stagger, the bigs kind of matchup or one where we need them both. You know, they had a game against the Knicks and it's also wise, like, who's the fifth guy with those four guys? Streuss is back. Merrill's played that role a lot. They get a lot smaller. They have Keone Ellis, Dennis Schroeder. The coaches and the front office love Dean Wade in that spot. I just feel like he's always got some liner injury that takes him out of the lineup. And I've seen him get played out of playoff series. But there was one the, the game where it finally felt like the Cavs got a feel for the Knicks. They started Wade and they put him on Brunson and then they started the two bigs and they put one of them on Josh Hart. Jared Allen on Josh Hart and Mobley on Cat and that. And they could switch the Brunson Cat pick and Roll because Wade's big enough to guard Cat and Mobley's mobile enough to guard Brunson. And it was the first time the Knicks were like, well, this is a lot of. It's a lot of size and speed and we're not sure quite how to attack this. And the Thunder did the same thing to the Knicks with the combination of J Dub on Cat, Hartenstein and Holmgren. It's just something I'm looking for. So we had the same, we had the same first pick. This is like everyone says, Finals are bust for the Knicks. James Dolan basically said finals are bust for the Knicks. The Pistons are the number one seed. I think it's, it's like minimum conference finals are bust for the Cavs and they can maybe. Finals are bust.
- [09:43]
Big Woz
That would seem to be the case, especially when, you know, Garland, as injured as he was, he was once considered like a future pillar, cornerstone of the franchise. So to move on from him, like, you don't make that decision lightly, right? Especially when you're moving on. Like you said, for a guy like James Harden, it's like, oh, we're chasing postseason success. And this guy has one of the most checkered postseason histories of any superstar of any era that I could remember, probably any sport, honestly, save for Aaron Judge.
- [10:18]
Zach Lowe
Oh, I like that. Stephen A. Was done with Aaron Judge after opening day. He was like, opening day, all eyes are on Netflix. He stunk again. Just kidding, baby.
- [10:31]
Big Woz
I kid the Yankee fans. To be honest with the Knicks. I'm a lot less worried about the Knicks than other people are. I think they're just a playoff driven team and I like their talent for the playoffs. I like the combinations that they can play in like they, they can. They're multiple in the looks that they could give teams and I think that's going to serve them in the playoffs. Honestly. They got a closer, you know, they have the multiple wing defenders, like, they have all the things you want. They, they're going to be able to rebound, they're going to be able to play big or play small. I'm not as worried about the Knicks as I am of, say, Detroit, to be honest with you. And so I get the Knicks skepticism. There's points in the regular season where they play defense that isn't worthy of a CYO league. But I think when the chips are down and they understand what the task is at hand, I think the defense is going to mostly show up.
- [11:34]
Zach Lowe
I generally agree with you. I talked about. So a couple honorable mentions on my lineup draft are worth mentioning. Here, number one, the Knicks starting five is in my lineup draft because they've been just kind of in like they're plus 2 per 100 possessions, plus 16 total points for the entire season and almost 500 minutes. That's not good enough in that lineup. You know, it's been like sometimes it soars and sometimes it's a little clunky and you have this agitation from some fans who are like, should deuce start for Josh Hart to get all shooters out there? Oh, yeah, should shame it start for Josh Hart to get all shooters out there? Oh, wait a second, wait a second. We're all mad about the Mikhail Bridges trade all the time because he just went through a stretch where he basically didn't crack double figures for a bunch of games. Should they start those guys over McHale bridges and there's all this lineup turmoil. They're not going to change the lineup. They shouldn't change the lineup. I do just wish we could go a week without some Bridges related panic and media like Josh Hart versus Stephen A. Smith about Mikhail Bridges or just like even, what was it, Oklahoma City, the game where Kat had like three field goal attempts in the first 28 minutes of the game and everyone was like, where's Kat? It just feels like we can't go a week without some mini Knicks existential crisis about the makeup of the team. But look, they're like third in offense and sixth in defense, so. And the other honorable mention just they're too far down the standings. Clippers new starting five of Garland, Kawhi, Derrick Jones Jr. John Collins, Brook Lopez plus 26 already in 77 minutes. Garland 21 and 7 on 50% shooting, 50% on threes for the Clippers. Just, you know, Cats have to be looking over there like, oh, hey, we liked that guy. We liked that guy when he played.
- [13:25]
Big Woz
Yeah, that's the classic. People break up and then one of the people in the relationship goes on a strict diet and starts posting stuff from the gym on Instagram. And that's that classic right there for Garland. And I think that's the other part of the Harden deal because let's be real, Garland did not show that form at all this season. No, not at any point of his season with the Cavs did he show some of the form that he's shown with the Clippers Looking closer to the guy that could have challenged Jalen Brunson as All Star starter. Just last year, like this was just a year ago. This guy was incredible for the Cavs. And so, you know, I understand that risk. I think the Clippers, I just love what Garland and Matheran are doing. Kawhi is consistent in like it's kind of just rock solid and I don't know why it feels like he's become even more confident in his jump shooting somehow where like back in the days it felt like he was reticent to take threes, especially like pull up threes or you know, that classic on the break, like just pull up from three on a fast break kind of thing. It feels like now he's just in effort mode and is willing to shoot it anytime, anywhere. Whereas like when he first got to the Clippers, he was just like, no, I'm going to work my mid range because I'm basically automatic from there. When the three's there, I'll take it and I'm really good at it. But really what I want to do is work my mid range. Whereas now it just seems like he's just fearless from three as well, which is just an interesting wrinkle in the, you know, the sort of journey of Kawhi's career. But yeah, I watch the Clippers every night that they play now. They're definitely appointment viewing for me especially. I've been a Matheran kind of truther since his rookie year and it felt like nobody could stop him from getting downhill and he was kind of generating free throws at a crazy rate when he first started. That's kind of calmed down. I think that's kind of what stunted his growth in Indiana. He didn't become that hyper efficient scorer, but I don't know, he seems rejuvenated in la.
- [15:41]
Zach Lowe
Yeah. And he's playing great. He's probably not going to play enough games to. I mean he's going to. You don't need to play 65 to win 6 Man of the year.
- [15:50]
Big Woz
He's.
- [15:50]
Zach Lowe
But I don't think he's played enough to like get on the. In the top three for six man of the year. But like the Clippers version, if that were the full season, he would. He would be like the favorite for six man of the year. Okay, done with the Cavs. We both had the same first pick, so do you can make the second pick in the lineup?
- [16:05]
Big Woz
Combinations draft again, I hate to be basic, but it's Tatum and Brown. Okay.
- [16:11]
Zach Lowe
I didn't have them so I. Well, I kind of had them, but go.
- [16:14]
Big Woz
And again, Tatum is coming back from injury and you know on our show when it was first introduced that Tatum would definitely be coming back this year. Paul Pierce said Look, he needs, like, 20 to 25 games to ramp up for the playoffs because everybody kind of understands playoff intensity is way different than regular season. And for his body, not just his body, but just where he slots in to what's been so obviously successful for Boston. This season is going to take time to develop, and lo and behold, he comes back with, like 22 games or whatever it is to go in the season, and we're seeing it inch up slowly but surely where it's like, he comes back, everybody's like, whoa, I didn't expect him to look this good this early. Then he has a little low. Was like, ah, he kind of doesn't look the same. Then the other night, he, you know, he kind of exposed for 32 points in a game that Jaylen Brown is not playing. Right. And so.
- [17:11]
Zach Lowe
And Derrick White, too.
- [17:12]
Big Woz
And Derrick White, exactly. And so to me, it's just Tatum, not. I'm confident he's going to be a huge contributor to the success that Boston ultimately ends up having this season. To me, it's just, how does he figure out when and where to pick his spots and what to deploy? You know, when is he using his size to dictate how he attacks a given matchup? Which is something I always want to see Tatum do just because he's so big and so strong. I feel like it's just one of the most underutilized parts of his game. I get it's not as pretty as the step backs and some of the, you know, some of the other stuff, but to me, it's how he uses what he has, not whether or not he's going to contribute. And that's what I'll be looking for. And again, you know, the step back's going to be there, the long twos are going to be there in the mid range. Like, we know that. For me, I'm just like, all right, when is Tatum going to be like, all right, this is my moment to be head down, get to the basket, not let us fall into the trap that we did against the Knicks and falling in love with the form of our pretty jump shots, and he's already flashing incredible playmaking again, which I think has always been another one of the most underappreciated parts of Tatum. I thought against Dallas in the Finals, that was his best trait besides the defense. And the rebounding was like when Dallas committed extra defenders. He got off the ball quickly and that thing was spraying around. And so to me, it's more so than Brown, because I think Brown's Kind of just gone out and showing people like I am a $300 million player. I'm one of the best guys in the league. I should be in the MVP conversation. I'm a bona fide superstar. I'm even better than I was when I won finals mvp. I think Brown is kind of it's done. But Tatum, it's just about how and why is he going to help the Celtics, you know, move forward for the rest of the year.
- [19:08]
Zach Lowe
I think it's been an A return so far in pretty much every sense. Minimal. Your turn, my turn. Stagnancy. There's always going to be some of that, but it' it's it when it's happened, it's always been aimed at the right matchups at the right places and with the intent of I'm not just having tunnel vision to be a scorer. Like I'm, I'm aware of everything going else going on elsewhere on the floor. The Celtics were in my honorable mention, specifically their, their best lineup and they, they sometimes get to it a lot and sometimes a little, which is Pritchard, White, Brown, Tatum. Kata. Kata has a thumbsprain right now by the way. Only 32 minutes so far. Obviously limited. You know, guys have been in and out of the lineup. Tatum just came back plus 39 in 32 minutes. And like what White and particularly Pritchard just leveling up as a one on one scorer. What they've done without Tatum, I think that's a pretty scary foursome of two way players. Honestly like all four of those guys are plus defensive players and they can score in all kinds of different ways. They can all shoot threes. It's a really scary four man foundation. And Missoula obviously staggers the minutes, keeps two of them on the floor all the time. When they put all four on the floor, or at least three of them, they're just really, really hard to deal with. And right now, 75 games in, I think the Celtics highest level has been the highest of all the teams in the east. And we mentioned Cleveland. Just going back to that. The offense has been unbelievable with Harden and Mitchell on the floor. They split up. Half court is kind of like Harden's domain. Everything else is kind of Mitchell's domain. The defense has been shaky. The Celtics I think have flashed the highest two way ceiling of these four teams at the top of these. All right, I'm going to do my second pick now. I have the Nuggets and specifically the four man. Well you could, you could do it either way. I have their starting five, which has been rock solid the entire year, plus 10 per hundred possessions. But defensively, the Nuggets are bottom eight right now in the league and just loafed. And now they've gone through a really tough part of their schedule. Just a bunch of three and fours, a bunch of bad travel things where they lose an hour and then they go to altitude, et cetera, et cetera. I mean, they play at altitude, so whatever. But their defense is just like I was aghast at how bad they were at Utah the other day. I think Utah had 84 points in the paint, like in the some at some point in the fourth quarter. Like, is that a typo? That's a real stat. Just miscommunications everywhere. Guys shrugging their shoulders like, wait, I thought you were going to do that. I thought that was the plan. Their zone has not worked all season. It's 1.2 points per possessions allowed. That has not been the fail safe I thought it could be for them and that David Adelman hoped it could be so. But here's the combination I want to zero in on now that Gordon is back. The starting five is rock solid with Gordon and Brown. I'm interested in how much do we see. Murray and Jokic, we know they're going to be on the floor at all big moments with Watson and Gordon, those two guys with their size and the different ways they deploy their size. Defensively, Gordon is just a cinder block. You can't move him. Watson is more length and quickness. They can guard different kinds of players. Brown's defense, Christian Brown's defense has just been okay this year. I think he's been a little bit overmatched in some of the matchups they have to give to him. Those four have only played 60 minutes together in six games. The Nuggets are plus 45 into those 60 minutes. And you wonder, like, I. I do think we're going to see a little bit more of the Watson, Gordon combo. And. And then you. Who's the fifth guy? Is it Christian Brown? They have not wanted to play Brown, Gordon and Watson together because I just think lack of shooting, lack of shooting. Is it Tim Hardaway Jr. Is it Bruce Brown?
- [22:49]
Big Woz
Who?
- [22:49]
Zach Lowe
Who Is it Cam Johnson? You put like three kind of tweener forwards out all at once. I think there's still some levers to pull for the Nuggets and I don't know where you are on them, no matter how much they suck defensively right now. And I do think they're in a little Bit of like tough schedule, guys coming back from tough track, like games compressed part of their schedule. Guys coming back from injury wake us up in the playoffs, we can't get the one or two seed. We're kind of, we're probably locked into the four or five bracket almost no matter how much their defense sucks and how awesome the Thunder and the spurs are, I will never write the Nuggets off as a threat to win the West.
- [23:26]
Big Woz
I'm kind of man, I'm one of the biggest Nuggets homers I know.
- [23:30]
Zach Lowe
That's why I'm curious to hear what you're going to say.
- [23:33]
Big Woz
The defense since Jokic has come back specifically, it's beyond concerning, man. Like every team in the NBA can expect to put up 125 points on the Nuggets. It's kind of insane. And when you watch it, it is Jokic like it just straight up is like teams are targeting him because before the injury. I want people to understand this because this is going to come up in my awards locks as well. Before the injury, Nikola Jokic was the MVP of the NBA. He was having the greatest offensive season in the history of the NBA.
- [24:14]
Zach Lowe
And I'm talking about remember the Christmas game where he had like 50 and 20. I don't even remember what it was. That was the game where I set up for the game. He is now past Shay is he's now the MVP of the league at the Christmas point.
- [24:25]
Big Woz
Dude, he was the MVP before his leg got crashed into. And since he's come back, watching him on defense, honestly, Zach, I don't know if you see that meme of the security guard at the baseball game where he's just basically barely waving the wand on the guy like he's not performing his security task. That's what Jokic is doing on defense right now. He's just straight up not trying. And pre injury, you know, I remember the Nuggets started to see, I think it was like the first 10 games of the season.
- [24:58]
Zach Lowe
They looked great on both ends of the game.
- [25:00]
Big Woz
They were like top three in defensive efficiency. I was like, look, it's not going to be this. They're having a lot of shooting luck in terms of opponent 3 point percentage. But what I'm seeing is the best defense of the Jokic and Murray era. And that should be scary for teams in the NBA if they end up at like 12, 11. That's crazy considering what we know they're going to do on offense. But since the injury it's just been horrific and maybe we could say he's saving himself. And I think he could probably get a level two in between what they were pre injury and this nadir that they've been in an extended period. Zach post injury, they're probably in the bottom three in the NBA and defense, that is unacceptable.
- [25:48]
Zach Lowe
So. So after a bunch of their recent games, I've just texted or called coaches in front of people on the teams that face them and I was like, what's the vibe? Like, what did you hear from your buddies on the Nugget staff? Like, what's what? What did you see when you watched the game? And they're all like, alarmed. Like, this is I like, like they're alarmed at the team's collective play and they're alarmed specifically at Jokic. Like. Like I've gotten many texts that are basically, if I had summarized them, like, I hope he's not trying because if he's trying, they are dead on arrival against the Thunder and the Spurs. Yeah, certainly. Like before the season I had. The Thunder is clearly the biggest. The Nuggets is clearly the biggest threat to the Thunder easily. And that's not the case anymore because if the defense is just irreparable, they're not going to beat those two teams in a playoff series. I just can't write them off based on the. Maybe they're saving themselves. Plus now they've got a couple of their best defensive players back from injury. Let's see how they reintegrated because look as bad as the defensive Ben in these games and they have. They've played a lot of bad teams, too, but the offense is like fish in a barrel right now. I mean, it's just so easy for them to score that it's. It's kind of crazy. Particularly when they face a bad team. I mean, they're just sleepwalking through these offensive possessions.
- [27:01]
Big Woz
But here's another thing, though, that I think is related. I'm pretty sure it was that Utah game. And I text our boy Adam. Matt is. And I'm like, no tanker, no tanking team should be turning Jokic over into double digits.
- [27:17]
Zach Lowe
Well, that's the thing.
- [27:18]
Big Woz
That's insane.
- [27:20]
Zach Lowe
The other. I'm glad you brought that up because he came back from injury and his turnover spiked and they were like crazy uncharacteristic turnovers, like turnovers, where this is a guy who has made a career out of being three steps ahead of the defense and all of a sudden he's like, he's making bad reads or the defense is a step ahead of him. They had one recent game where he was bringing the ball up. I can't remember who it was against. And he, he got to like mid court, almost mid court. And he jumped in the air and you think, okay, well, he's, there's probably somebody open under the basket and he just didn't have a plan. And he threw it backwards, like towards the Nugget defensive basket, and nobody was there. And I, I can't remember if it went out of bounds or somebody saw. I was like, what, what just happened? And if you look at their numbers, if there's a team in the league who is not built to defend live ball turnovers, it's the Nuggets with Jokic at center. And I looked it up the other day, off of steals, they're like 29th or 30th in points allowed. Like, they just can't, they could not afford. When you get to really nutcrunching time against, against the spurs and the Thunder, they cannot afford like four extra live ball turnovers a game because that's going to be 10 points for the other team. Yeah. So we'll see. Give me your. Give me your third pick.
- [28:34]
Big Woz
My third. I think even though this is an injury, but it counts. Is this Philadelphia 76ers?
- [28:41]
Zach Lowe
Yes. We have the same third pick, too. What do you got?
- [28:45]
Big Woz
I mean, again, it's Paul George related. Just seeing how he's come back and the answers. He's come back phenomenally. He looks incredible in terms of like, the shot looks great. He's moving incredibly well. And I think that's important on a defensive end specifically. I don't think Paul George has kind of been a bad driver for like four years. Three. Four years now, where like he gets downhill and just throws stuff up. That's just not going to be part of his game. Getting to the free throw line is not going to be part of his game. That's just going to have to be a maxian embiid job in terms of propping up the Sixers offense for efficiency. But him just being the ultimate glue guy, like playing the Iguodala role from Golden State on this team, he's obviously way overqualified and extremely overpaid to be doing that role, but he's incredible at it. Right. And so just watching what Paul George can add in the margins for the Sixers because it's not going to be on ball dominance, like he'll be able to manage some pick and roll possessions and be like a great point guard, quite frankly, when he's called upon to do that, to be the guy that sets people up, make sure everybody's in the right spot, make the right defensive reads and all of that. Like he's going to do that at a great clip and his shooting is just going to be an incredibly additive thing to what Max, Ian and Beat are doing in pick and roll. And yeah, then the other part of it is Joel, and specifically Joel on defense. I think offensively, the guy, he walks out of bed, crawls out of bed, yawns into 25 points. Like it's just. There's just nothing teams could do. Most matchups could do against Joel. But defensively is what I got my eye on because he's still moving weirdly. In that Charlotte game this past weekend, which was an incredible game, of course, he had a huge block on the baseline. I think Brandon Miller was shooting to either tie the game or go up by 1 a corner 3. Joel Embiid does an incredible closeout, blocks it. But if you go back and watch how he lands, he is so careful about his left leg. He makes an incredible play. But I'm like, damn, how long can this actually last? And how much can he actually expend himself on that end? Because they. Obviously your center has to be a key part of anybody's defense. And I think about the potential first round matchup against say, the Celtics, who are just going to five out this freaking dude to death. You know, you wonder what he can do against certain matchups. So the Sixers, I'm just watching Joel on. On defense and Paul like where he chooses to insert himself in Philly's offense.
- [31:42]
Zach Lowe
If the Sixers had won that game in Miami last night and it looked like they were on their way to rallying and winning it before they kind of let go. Like the heat just went crazy in the last two minutes of the game. Hero, specifically, there would. The talking point around the NBA today would be, oh, is this the scariest team to play in the first round because Maxi's back. Embiid played a pretty good game last night. Sep I think he was 7 of 20. So not great from the floor, but he had a couple. What I look for for him is not only the mobility on defense, which you know is going to. It's going to come and go. Right?
- [32:12]
Big Woz
That's just it.
- [32:13]
Zach Lowe
Like, but when he exerts his power on offense, that's one of his tells to me that he's actually feeling pretty good. I'm not just going to shoot 20 foot jumpers, even though I can score 40 just shooting. And he had a couple last night where he, bam. Must have pissed him off or something because he was just like, I'm gonna. How about I just put your ass in the basket and lay the ball and I don't dunk anymore, but I'm gonna lay the ball in. And he did. So my Philly thing specific. But they lost the game and so we'll see where they fall. We're going to talk about playoff races later. I do, I do wonder if they're almost like, I, I think you and I are in agreement. Like, I don't have any faith that this team can stay healthy. And then if he can stay healthy specifically for like multiple playoff rounds. I do wonder if they're at their peak, scariest in the first round. Just because the first round has so many two days off between games before you get into every other game and every other game playing 30 the 40 minutes. I just don't have any faith that Joel is going to be able to stand up to that load for me. The Sixers, I had specifically the lineup of Maxi Edgecomb, Ubre, George Embiid or slot Grimes into the Uber A spot if you want to go a little smaller.
- [33:19]
Big Woz
I'm a Grimes guy.
- [33:20]
Zach Lowe
He's had a great year. They don't, I mean they, they don't go to those lineups that often because they're pretty small and they throw Barlow out there for a lot of time and they, they've had Watford and, and Walker play the four and other guys like that. But I just, I'm keeping my eye on those lineups.
- [33:35]
Big Woz
We didn't have this on the rundown, Zach, but I'm fascinated by the Grimes situation because to me it relates to Kaminga, Ivy Grimes, whatever. These young guys who, coming off in the new NBA, coming off of their rookie deals, haven't proven themselves to be all stars, but have proven themselves to be kind of capable. You know, Cam Thomas, another one of these guys. Kaminga ends up not betting on himself, which I think was a mistake, but maybe it wasn't. We'll see. Grimes said effort. Cam Thomas said effort. I'm going to bet, bet on myself. I think Grimes was asking for something like 30 mil per and the Sixers were offering probably like 15, 16. I don't think he's earned 30 mil per this year, but he's gotta have upped what the offer was from the Sixers last summer. What do you think about that?
- [34:35]
Zach Lowe
Well, the mid level is going to be what, like 13, 14 at this point. And like depending on how many teams have cap room and how they spend it, that would figure to be his floor because he's, he's had a really nice.
- [34:44]
Big Woz
Oh yeah, that's definitely the floor.
- [34:45]
Zach Lowe
Yeah, he's had a really nice year for them. I think he's in the back end of the sixth man of the year conversation. Maybe the front end for some people. Yeah, I think it's, it's a good point. It is a fascinating situation that they kind of punted on long term control of him for various reasons and then trade to Jared McCain. I'm just going to run through a couple honorable mentions and then we'll take a break. Other honorable mention lineup combinations Houston's new starting five, which is actually a slight minus so far with Reed Shepard finally in the starting five for Tar Eason Phoenix. Just who do they start with? Dylan Brooks coming back this week. You know, you figure Booker Brooks and Iguidaro slash Mark Williams are, are made men as starters. Then you have Jalen Green, Colin Gillespie, Royce o'. Neal. Do you go small and put Green and Gillespie. They've both kind of. I mean Jalen Green you've invested a lot in. Gillespie is an awesome. That's, that's one Thunder lineup. They just have so many options that I didn't know where to go. But one that I just, I'm. I'm struck by this one and I'm just going to throw it out into the world. Sga Caruso Mitchell, J. Dub Holmgren. I feel like who knows how often we're gonna see that because that's no Dort, no Wallace, no Hartenstein, etc. But I feel like that's a pretty dangerous one. And then Minnesota. I just, I always been so unbelievable for them. Injecting like it's just hitting the tur. It's like smashing the turbo button every second that he's on the floor. Pickup I've always been interested in. They, they don't. They're not built to do this because they have three heavy minute rotation big men. And now Jada McDaniels. This, this what did they said? He's week to week with a knee thing. I mean that is a massive X factor in the playoffs for the first round. But if he ever got healthy again this season and they're hoping he will. I like the idea of IO and DiVincenzo McDaniels. Go bear. Like put McDaniels at the four. Try that out. This is just, just try it out. But get well. Jada McDaniels because they've been my stealth contender all year, and without him, there's just a big. There's just a big hole in the lineup. They either play giant lineups or lineups that are probably too small, or they have to play ant 48 minutes. All right, let's take a quick break and then we'll switch gears. This episode is brought to you by ebay. On ebay, behind every car, in part, is a story waiting to be shared. I read about this guy brought a nearly scrapped 2020 Porsche Cayman. Okay? He rebuilt the whole thing, all with parts he found on ebay. I couldn't do that. Maybe you can. And now that Cayman is out tearing up the track from Toyota's to Aston Martin's, ebay has thousands of cars and the largest online selection of vehicle parts and accessories. Ebay, things people love. All right, it's time for a little interlude. Zach's random thoughts about the NBA. I watch a lot of games. I talk to a lot of people. I have a lot of meetings. I have a lot of thoughts, random observations that don't necessarily fit into the bulk of the podcast. We're going to dump a few here for a few minutes and have some fun. Tom Dundon is taking over the Blazers. The ownership transition was approved yesterday. According to various reports in an NBA press release, he's now in control of the Blazers, which has everyone around the league wondering, what's he going to do with the Blazers? Thiago Splitter, the front office? What's going to happen? What's the plan? Anytime there's ownership change, there's stress. And I do think apropos of that and some other stuff around the league, I think we're going to enter a pretty frothy cycle of coaching changes in the next couple of months. Would not shock me if we see one Taylor Jenkins slash Michael Malone style at the end of the season here in the last couple of weeks from a team that decides, you know, what we know we're going to do, we know we want to make a change. Let's do it now. Let's try to get ahead of the game for some of the hottest candidates that are available. And that's Taylor Jenkins, who I think would have his pick of several jobs were they to open. And maybe a team acts fast to try to get in the front of the Taylor Jenkins line. There's a lot of buzz about that. So let's just go through, like, there are 10, there are 10 jobs. These are in no order at all that I could see opening in the next month, two weeks, three weeks, two months, whatever. Portland New ownership I think Splitters done. Tiago Splitters done a nice job. I don't know what is going to happen there. My educated guess would be they open it up and say, hey, he can be a candidate for the permanent job, but we're opening it up. We'll see. Maybe they go the other way and say, you know what? You've done such a nice job. We're fin 500, a little over 500. Whatever we are, despite injuries, we'll keep you. New Orleans Obviously, James Borrego has been the interim there since Willie Green got fired. I think he's done a really good job. They've been competitive. They're up to 25 wins. It did not look like they were going to sniff that earlier in the season. He's. He's made a strong case to keep the job permanently for a roster that's probably going to be in flux in the next offseason or two. A roster that's a little a little strange, a little strangely constructed with Zion and Queen and that that being not an awesome fit, the two of them together on either end of the floor, really, we'll see what they do with that. But I think Bos staked it. Staked a claim to, if not the job, then being the favorite to get it if they open it up. Philadelphia, what happens if this season ends in disaster for them? They're in the play in right now. What happens if they don't make it to six? What happens if they don't make it to six and they don't make it out of the play in? What happens if they lose in the first round, whether it's in the 36 matchup or 27 or 18 and it's not close. I don't know. I don't know the answer to that. It feels like this season, this season, if you had told everyone before the season, Embiid would play whatever he's played half the season. Paul Georgia gets suspended for 25 games. Kelly Ubered, be out for a while, et cetera. Like to be where they are seven, eight games over.500. Like objectively a success. If I'm Nick Nurse, if I'm Daryl Morey, I'm going to ownership and being like that's it's a pretty good season. Does ownership see it that way? Does ownership see the Paul George deal as. As an abysmal failure despite the fact that he's now finally back and playing well? I don't know. We'll see Orlando Woof 310 run against them in Toronto. I didn't even know that was possible. It was ugly. It was as ugly as you would think. Now, on the one hand, they are at a severe talent shortage right now. Anthony Black's been out for a while. Suggs is always in and out of the lineup. Franz Wagner has been out for a while. When one or Bain, one of Bain or Banchero is off the floor and they stagger them because they need one of them to run a functional offense at all times. You look around at some of the names, you're like, man, this is not. This is kind of not a viable NBA 5, at least at a high level right now. So you want to be forgiving in that sense. And what would all the problems that we see, particularly offensively, where they're middle of the pack, which for Orlando is great in the last 10, 15 years, how much would those be ameliorated if they were actually healthy? The other tell though is defensively. They've just fallen off a cliff. They're down to 16th in defense. This should not be the 16th best defense. Their DNA is not to be the 16th best defense. And despite injuries, despite all that transition defense is abysmal. They're stuck in mud. They're not communicating. They're making very simple mistakes. That's kind of the tell still time to save their season and I think best case saving their season if Franz can't come back or Franz is back and just not Franz is, we sneak into the top six and we lose in the first round. I think that's best case. I don't know that that changes the long term outlook there. That's one to monitor. Sacramento. Yeah, I'd look at that one. Milwaukee. Doc Rivers has money coming to him. I don't think he's walking away from the money. So, you know, the Bucks obviously have another large issue to resolve that may be linked to the coaching issue. But like if Giannis gets traded, what happens with Doc? That's one to watch. Chicago. I think Billy Donovan's a really good coach. I think the Bulls are a complete mess. I don't think they have any coherent direction right now. They've extended him a couple of times over the years. I think he's a really good coach and to me this would be like, does he just sit, decide enough is enough, I want to go take a college job or something like that and walk out of it? I don't know. But something to monitor the Wizards, you know, I think Brian Keefe probably deserves to be in the camp of like you kind of owe it to him to give him a shot with a real team. And like they have Anthony Davis and Trey Young. This could be a pretty quick turnaround to a decent team next year. I don't love the way they've played this year. I don't love the sort of. I mentioned this with Bill last week. I think they've kind of. It's been a. They're tanking. We know they're tanking. Like they can't even play. Alex Sar. Alex Sars too good to play down the stretch of the season. Bilal Koulibaly's got to sit out one every three games because he's too good. I just. They, they have they watching them and then watching the Jazz. The Jazz are playing more real basketball than the Wizards. And I'm a little bit worried that the Wizards are developing some bad habits there young guys. But you got to give the guy like Brian Keefe a chance to see a real team. And other Tank teams would fall into that category like Jordy Fernandez. Good coach. Let him see this through. Golden State. Until Steve Kerr signs an extension or a new contract. His contract's up this year. I'm just looking at it. Miserable year for the Warriors. Miserable. Just so, eh. And right as they appeared ready to sort of turn the corner. December, January. Their schedule at the beginning of the season was horrific. Just the number of the volume of games, the travel. They were gearing up for a second half run. Jimmy Butler gets hurt. Steph's hurt. It's like, do we even bring them back for the play in? What's the point of this? Steve's been there a long time. Long time. He's seen a lot of. Done a lot, negotiated a lot of contracts with Joe Lacob. You know, obviously the writing's on the wall. The post. Steph here is coming sooner rather than later. They do have the trade assets to try to salvage the end of the stuff here. And I expect them to be incredibly aggressive in the off season to do that. I think. You know, I don't even know what I would bet on this one. Steve Kerr and Steph Curry are tied at the hip. They've both talked about that. You know, I don't. So does that mean Steve Kerr is there permanently as long as Steph is there? I mean, that's what it would mean on the surface. Those things are never as absolute as they seem.
- [45:12]
Big Woz
Wouldn't.
- [45:13]
Zach Lowe
Wouldn't shock me if there's a new coach there and just like Dallas is it just. Do they want a fresh start across the board? And would that extend beyond the front office into Jason Kidd? What does Jason Kidd want? Does he want a front office role eventually? Is that there for him in Dallas at some point? Does he want to go to a new place to get it?
- [45:30]
Big Woz
I just.
- [45:31]
Zach Lowe
I would just not take my eye off of Dallas completely. And then there's always, like, surprise Team X after the playoffs disappointment. Oh, my God, they fired that guy. That's incredible there. So that's 10 plus surprise. Team X11 to monitor. Some other random observations. I've watched a lot of the Jazz lately. I know it's a problem, it's unhealthy, but they've been playing a lot of teams that. A lot of good teams and teams that I've been interested in digging deeper into. And so the Jazz have just been a big part of my life for the last three weeks, bigger than any reasonable person should have them outside the state of Utah. And just color me is very excited for the Jazz next season when Keonte George is back, Markkanen is back, Jaren Jackson Jr. Is back, Walker Kessler's back. Because I like a lot of what I'm seeing from some of their young guys. I think Cody Williams, who looked like just an epic bust of a top 10 pick, he's now, he's getting to shoot as much as he wants on offense. And I'm not sure exactly what he's going to be offensively, but he has shown enough in the last couple of months that he can. I think there's a world in which he's like a functional 8th to 10th guy on a good Utah Jazz team. His defense has really improved. He's. He's a solid defender. Like, he'll. He knows how to close out on guys short. He knows how to run guys off the arc. He's extremely well balanced. He can sprint out and come to a stop and keep drivers in front of him. He's big, he's long, he's rangy. Offensively, it's a little hit or miss. Ace Bailey. I might actually crack and move Ace Bailey to first team. All rookie alongside the big four, all rookie guys. I had Reynaud tentatively in that fifth spot. I just. I've loved Ace Bailey's rookie season. It was. It's the complete opposite of what I expected it to be. I thought he would come in based on all the intel. Did he even want to be in Utah? Was it Washington or bust? Is he going to report all this? I thought he was going to come in and be like, oh, I'm just going to shoot a bunch of horrible shots. Watch me. I want to score. All I want to do is score. And he has played the exact opposite way. He cuts hard, he defends hard. Like, watch his chase down blocks. He's engaged in the game as a screener. He'll screen roll and make a pass out of the short roll. And lately as the Jazz have gone full tank mode, they've let him spread his wings offensively and it has not come at the expense, to a large degree anyway, of his efficiency. He's shooting threes pretty well and he's got glimpses of, oh, you, I got a smaller guy switched onto me. Let me take you down to the block. And I'm not overpowering. Not overpowering, but I'm big. I'm much bigger than you. Let me shoot this little 15 foot turnaround over you. And it looks nice. It looks nice. A plus. Ace Bailey, rookie season. Kyle Filipowski. Defensively, he's going to be challenged at the four or the five. That's fine. He's a starting center right now. He's not going to be a starting center when the games matter. He's a legit good backup big man in the NBA. Very skilled offensively, the three comes and goes, but he's got a little bit more of like a face up, bully, spin, spin, shoulder block, layup, hook kind of game to him. He's a very good passer. He's a rotation big man for next year's that Jazz team. Bryce Sensiba, one of my white whales of the NBA. Just a guy that I'm endlessly fascinated by. Wait, he had 35 tonight. What happened When Bryce Sensal looks good like you. If you were a space alien and you watched a good Bryce Sensal game, you'd be like, well, that Guy's a top 10 player in the NBA. He looks so smooth. He's making fadeaways, he's making turnarounds, a spin move, all that. And then it's like, do the coaches hate him? He didn't play for two straight weeks. That we know. Defensively, it's a little bit of a struggle. Offensively he's been a little over dribbly, a little tunnel vision last couple months. He's, he's more decisive. Offensively, there's a lot less dancing, there's a lot less like messing around. Prelude, all that stuff. Just catch one, dribble, cross up, go, drive. Keep the machine moving. That Bryce sensible He can be a rotation player on a good team. Not a starter, I don't think, but a rotation player on a good team. And oh, by the way, they have a 99.6%. I'm sorry, 99.4% chance of keeping their first round pick, which they owe to Oklahoma City if it falls after eighth. If they stay in the fifth spot of the lottery, they're going to get another 99.4% chance they're going to get another interesting building block. The Jazz could win 50 games next year. Random Other thoughts Jacoby Walter is having a nice couple of weeks. Great sign for the Toronto Raptors. Keep an eye on him. Josh Giddey, not, not exactly finishing this season the way you'd want if you were the Bulls. And you're like, this is kind of the only other than Matas, good thing we've had going for us. And he's just kind of like turning it over a lot, not scoring as much the shots. Shot efficiency is a little bit down. Okay. You know who can't miss a shot right now? Gary Payton the second. Hats off to the mitten. Can't miss a shot. Plus plus off the bench for the warriors every game. Maxine Renault, can you dunk please? Just, just try it. When you get close to the rim. Just try the thing where you jump and you put the ball into the basket and you grab the rim and you scream. Just try it, man. Like it works. Boston I I'm endlessly I mentioned with was that Missoula is my coach of the year. He's been my coach of the year for a while now. I've mentioned before the way that they game end of quarter possessions in different ways, fouling guys on purpose, rushing teams to shoot early. I've watched a couple of their recent games. The two for one is old hat. We all know the two for one. Every commentator is like, oh, it's two for one. I'm pretty sure the Celtics are like doing three for two and maybe even four for three. Cause they'll get the ball with like a minute and 10 seconds left in a quarter and someone will just dribble it for 18 seconds and nothing will be going on and everything. The coaches will just be like watching what's, what's happening. I think they're killing time. I think they've figured out some 3 for 2 or 4 for 3 kind of math that they're on. And the last thing on my random observations, every fourth game I'll watch and a team will have it will make a challenge. They'll win the challenge and the commentators will be like, I don't understand why. Why can't we just have infinite challenges? We lose, we win our second challenge and we don't have any more challenges. That's not fair.
- [51:58]
Big Woz
Blah blah blah blah blah.
- [51:59]
Zach Lowe
Horrible. Take two challenges is enough. Extend that logic as far as you want it to go. If you don't lose your second, if you have infinite challenges, then you have infinite. When does the challenge end? If you keep your challenge because your second one is successful, you get a third one. Do you get a fourth one? Do you get a fifth one? Like, where does this end? The games are too long. Two challenges is enough. No extra challenges. Stop saying there should be extra challenges. You should lose your challenge. If the challenge in basketball took as long as these new baseball challenges, which are absolutely glorious to do, just taps his head and there's a challenge and 10 seconds later we know if you won or you lost. Sure, give me four challenges the way they are now. Two challenges is enough. All right, that's it for Zach's random thoughts. Let's get back to Big one. This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra. When you pull off a superior play, like blocking a winning shot to push the game into overtime, it feels good. It even gives you shivers sometimes. All the best in ones are served ice cold like that. Just like Michelob Ultra, the official beer partner of the NBA, Ultra is a superior light beer with only 95 calories and a crisp, refreshing taste. And you know what makes it even more superior? Michelob Ultra is giving fans like you the chance to win some incredible prizes, including courtside seat tickets. Michelob Ultra Superior is worth playing for. Enter now at michelobaltra.com courtside Michelob Ultra Courtside 25 to 26 no purchase necessary. Open US Residence 21 or over. Begins on October 1, 2025 and ends on June 30, 2026. Multiple entry periods. See official rules@michelobultra.com courtside for free entry, entry deadlines, prizes and details. This episode is brought to you by Lincoln Whether you're watching highlights while parked or heading out for a Drive, the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid keeps you connected with smart tech that helps tie your on screen and off screen worlds together. So help turn every drive into an opportunity for discovery with a 2026 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid. Learn more at lincoln.com available connectivity, features and functionality vary by model. Package pricing, trials and term lengths vary by model. Video streaming and games are only available While parked. This episode is brought to you by TaxAct. TaxAct is your offensive coordinator for tax season, guiding you step by step with your maximum refund guaranteed. Get tips along the way. Add Expert Assist to talk to tax experts or let our experts do your taxes for you. With Expert Assist Full Service TaxAct helps you find the deductions and credits you deserve so you can get them over with. Visit taxact.com to learn more. Conditions apply. See taxact.com for details. I forgot two other honorable mention lineup combinations. I'm just monitoring Kaminga and Jaylen Johnson together. Does that work? Is it workable? How does it work? Atlanta just keeps winning and the heat, you know, like hero Powell, are we going to do this or not? Like we can do it or not. And injuries have sort of allowed them to get off the hook and making
- [54:46]
Big Woz
a permanent decision on that, but defensively, that's, that's tough.
- [54:51]
Zach Lowe
Okay, topic two, assignment two for was the playoff race. As we get down to the end of the season that you are most excited or curious about. And there's a few different races that you could look at. What did you go with as your most exciting playoff race?
- [55:08]
Big Woz
So to me, this is not quite a race. It's kind of just the luck of the draw and it's who draws the Houston Rockets? Because to me, they are the obvious lemon in that three to six range. And whoever draws Houston should be high fiving, clapping it up. Extremely happy because Houston ain't it. Zach, I'm sorry.
- [55:36]
Zach Lowe
The one Caveat is if McDaniels can't go in the first round, I think that's such a significant blow to Minnesota. But yes, you're dead on about your Houston pessimism. They have earned it. So continue.
- [55:49]
Big Woz
It's look, and I'm going to just say this right now, I haven't talked to anybody in Houston, haven't reached out to any of my guys over there, people on the ground, people around the team, like with players and stuff. I haven't talked to anybody about this. This is, this is just Woz doing guesswork from tea leaves, whether that be press conference answers from the coach and certain players just watching this team, the lack of cohesion, the lack of like, does it feel like this? This isn't just five guys out there just kind of rolling the balls out there. It just feels like the coach doesn't like the players and the players don't like him back. That's. And that does not feel like a winning combination. And you know, again, it's specifically the Offense for me. And I know everybody's talked about it like they're down the stretch offense, which has been obviously bad. Their clutch offense is bad.
- [56:53]
Zach Lowe
Whatever. Cool.
- [56:54]
Big Woz
Put that to the side. We were talking. I was talking to Modak Hill, our guy, and he was like, man, the thing that is the most frustrating about Houston is they will run a great play three times in a row, get three straight buckets. The fourth bucket, KD gets an open look. The fourth time they run a KD gets an open look. Misses it, but a great look. Great process. Didn't get the results you wanted, but did great process. And then we'll just straight up not run that play the rest of the game. And it's just like, what is going on with this team? So that's the race that I'm watching. Who gets to play Houston in the first round.
- [57:36]
Zach Lowe
So there were four. There's four candidates to me for this race of the most exciting race award. The race for the west number one seed between the spurs and the Thunder, which could impact the MVP race, maybe depending on your taste. The east from 5 to 10. I mean, just forget it. It could go. It could go in a million different directions. You know, Philly had a big loss last night. Miami had a big win. Orlando is trending down. Charlotte has been trending up, but they're at a tiebreaker disadvantage in a lot of these ones. And so. And they have a very tough schedule. They. They may be stuck in the 9, 10 bracket, maybe not. They're only a game behind Orlando. And then five, six, seven between Toronto, Atlanta, Philly. I mean, just who the hell knows? I that. And then east, 2, 3, 4, same thing. New York boss, our Boston, New York, Cleveland. But this is. This is the one. Four to six in the West, Lakers are very likely going to be three. The Nuggets, despite an absolutely brutal schedule, are like, if you look at the projection systems, like 80 to 85% in the four or five bracket could go to fourth, could be fourth, could be fifth. And the reason is they have tiebreakers over both Minnesota and Houston. And their last two games, which are brutal are Thunder, spurs, which like some chance those one or both. Better. Yeah. So. So their schedule manager. So if Denver's in the four or five, then who is fifth and six becomes critical to them, to the Lakers, to the second round teams. Because I'm. Surely the Lakers would prefer it to be Houston. Surely Denver is like, man, we got to play the Minnesota Timberwolves again in the playoffs. Like, this isn't any fun. And and so, and by the way, the Rockets and the Wolves, they only play three times this year. It's 1:1. Maybe the biggest game left in the season is April 10th in Houston. The third game of that three game series between those two teams will decide to tiebreak. But yeah, that's, that's a very important pivot point for like every team in the Western Conference in terms of like how the playoff journey is going to work. And maybe Houston figures some stuff about itself out, maybe this starting five clicks into place, you know, they're going to be a great defensive team or at least a competitive defensive team offensively. They've just been a bottom 10 offense for three months now and disorganized, slow. We run one thing and then we don't seem to have anything else sort of in the can in case that thing doesn't work. Okay, Alpi, just dribble from 20, 20ft out and create a hook shot or KD, do your thing. It's, it's just they have the tools, particularly with Shepherd, Durant and Chengun all on the floor to be a much more dynamic offense, a much faster offense. An offense that can go from one pick and roll combination, swing it and go into another one, use shepherd as a screener instead of a ball hand like, and they do a little bit of that and then it just sinks into this, into this funk. So we agree on the playoff race, I think. All right, last topic. I said Bill and I were going
- [60:38]
Big Woz
to do this Sunday one more thing on the playoff race in the East.
- [60:41]
Zach Lowe
Yes.
- [60:42]
Big Woz
I think hopefully Detroit draws either Charlotte or Philly and that's going to be a whale of a series. I really believe that. I don't think Detroit's just going to blow either one of those teams who I hope comes out of the play in situation. I think Charlotte's going to ultimately end up being that eighth seed and I think they're going to give Detroit some problems. So that's what I would say. Yeah.
- [61:13]
Zach Lowe
If you're ranking entertainment value of the four play in teams, it's definitely Philadelphia and Charlotte over Orlando and Miami. The question is, you know, Toronto and Atlanta are like one losing streak away from being in the play in. I don't, I mean, I don't find the Raptors particularly enthralling to watch, but, but they've been qualitatively better than all these teams. Charlotte, Charlotte's a real like Philly, full strength and Charlotte. I don't think it's just a, I don't think it's I don't think it's just Detroit. I think particularly Charlotte, the track records that like they're giving all of these teams a playoff series. Like none of those four teams walks in as. Like I'm just penning in. No Cleveland in five New York and five Boston and five. Like those are going to be. That's a brutal. It would not surprise. Would that surprise me if Charlotte actually won any of those playoff series? I'm not sure I'm gonna. I'm picking all chalk in the first round for these because that's just like, if you can't. If you four teams who have so much equity stakes into this year or have accomplished so much in this year can't win in the first round, forget it.
- [62:18]
Big Woz
Yeah, exactly.
- [62:20]
Zach Lowe
I was going to do this with Bill on Sunday. It was his idea to credit him, but we didn't get time for it. Awards that you think are locked up right now, for the most part or totally. So let's just go down the list. Mvp, is it locked up for you?
- [62:32]
Big Woz
It's locked. Shay Gilders Alexander. I understand that a lot of money has come into the betting markets behind this Wemby push to, you know, this, this campaign that he's on. You know, he's in Iowa eating corn dogs and all of that for his mvp, shaking hands.
- [62:55]
Zach Lowe
Give some babies.
- [62:57]
Big Woz
But like, you are not the MVP of the this NBA season, sir. It's Shay Gilgis Alexander. And I would argue he's kind of not even number two because of how dominant Jokic was pre injury. I think the breadth of Jokic's season is still better, in my opinion. I understand the Wemby arguments in terms of his defensive impact is so high. Like it's beyond what a, you know, a Mutombo was doing or even a Ben Wallace or something like that, a Ron Artest like these, these previous defensive player of the years, like his, it's kind of outsized. And I was looking up some of the like kind of all in one defensive stats. I think his all in one defensive stats are messed up by the fact that his backup is an amazing defensive center. And so it's kind of discounting Wemby's defensive impact in the stats or whatever. And I understand that. I take all of that into account. Shay on offense is just on another planet from Wembanyama. They're not comparable in terms of their offensive impact.
- [64:05]
Zach Lowe
Well, the same is true on defense though, right? Just to play devil's advocate.
- [64:08]
Big Woz
Yeah, but we know defense isn't as important as offense
- [64:13]
Zach Lowe
Is Wemby not the exception to that rule as sort of like the one superstar maybe ever who actually is impacting every single moment of every single defensive possession? Like, he's not like Kawhi back in the day. You would see teams treat him like Revis Island. Like, you're just. We're just not. We're not letting you impact the game other than we're just not going to where you are. Wemby, you can't. You can't do that with. It just doesn't matter what play you run or where you run it on the floor. He's in your head for sure.
- [64:42]
Big Woz
I understand that. That argument, but I also think, like, the guy is playing with defensively talented castmates as well. Like, he's not playing with a bunch of bums on defense. These guys are working in concert with one another. I think, like the spurs wings on defense can be aggressive in a way that they probably wouldn't because Wemby's back there, right? And like, I think they're working in concert. I think Wemby is like, his defense is a cut above everybody else and I think he deserves considerate. Like, I think he's in the MVP hunt. I agree with all of that. It's just to me, like, Shay, what he's doing on a team that's had guys and important guys in and out of the lineup all year long. And it's just been Shay, like, this guy, like, at the end of games, this dude is so insanely deadly lethal, completely unstoppable, where it's like, if he gets a shot off, that's it. Your defense is cooked. You have to pray that this man doesn't shoot the ball at all. I'm sorry, man. And Shea is not a lemon on defense either. It's not like.
- [65:59]
Zach Lowe
No, he's a very. He's a very good defensive player.
- [66:01]
Big Woz
A yokish stick. Obviously his defensive impact can't be compared to Wemby. We know that. And I agree that Wemby's offense is way more closer to the level in terms of impact to Shay than Shay's defense is to him. I just think offense is way more important. And I think, like, who gets paid? Who ends up winning? The sort of interchangeability of certain defensive kind of players. And oh, he's a great player and how easy it is to come in and replace their defensive production. I don't think anybody would argue that offenses isn't just clearly definitely more important. And Shay's just been. He's been a beast on that end,
- [66:44]
Zach Lowe
to me, look, you, the stands of all four of these guys will not want to hear this. You can make a reasonable argument for all four of the leading candidates. Like, that's not a hot take. That's a cold take. That's a boring take. You can make reasonable arguments for all four of them. I think Shay is the mvp. I really don't even care if the spurs pass the Thunder. I think overweighing that is sort of similar to firing your coach because, you know, you. You. You finished ninth instead of eighth by one game. Like, okay, so if you finish eighth, he was a great coach. And if you finish ninth, he's a fucking bum. I think Shay, first of all, again, boring. He's played 400 more minutes than Wembanyama. Almost like, that's a lot of minutes. And. And he's doing that without playing fourth quarters in like 20 games because they're ahead by so many now. They both have. They both elevate their teams to like, Wemby's on off is from neutral to incredible. Shay's on off is from pretty good to incredible. And the incredible part matters to me more than where the off court number is. It's like, are you elevating your team to like, holy shit, this is a machine. That's Shay. Clutch numbers are outrageous. And this is. This is Jordan, but modern era. I mean, that's how good he is offensively. And I just think you put all that together. He. He's. He's the mvp. For me, I would have Wemby second, Jokic third, Luka fourth. The Luca stands are going to go crazy. I get it. You can make a reasonable argument, whatever. But again, it's the breadth of this. This six weeks. Outrageous.
- [68:19]
Big Woz
Y' all say to the Luca stand, Zach, three and a half weeks of great basketball does not an MVP case make. Well, he is. After the season happened, y', all, he's.
- [68:30]
Zach Lowe
He is averaging 33 points a game.
- [68:32]
Big Woz
Yeah, no, I get that. I get that. But, like, it's been a difference in kind in terms of what he's been doing recently.
- [68:41]
Zach Lowe
And defensively. Defensively, too.
- [68:43]
Big Woz
Exactly. Do it for the whole season, gang.
- [68:48]
Zach Lowe
Okay. Defensive player of the year, I assume we think is the second.
- [68:50]
Big Woz
Lock. Lock. That's a lock.
- [68:53]
Zach Lowe
I think if I had a ballot, you got to go three deep on the ballot. I think right now my ballot would be Wembanyama Holmgren and an Obi. Maybe a Sar Thompson third, maybe Derek White third. But I feel good about my ballot. Rookie of the year Lock or not lock.
- [69:10]
Big Woz
I'm locked in on con. Caniple. I'm super. I've been con. I've been convinced
- [69:19]
Zach Lowe
my. You know what? My daughter would. That's a joke I would make to my daughter. And she would just. She just says, no, dad, no. Cringe. Cringe. Reached a cringe point in our relationship where I'm cringy. That's fine.
- [69:33]
Big Woz
I told her it comes for us all, Zach.
- [69:35]
Zach Lowe
But I told her it's only going to get worse. And if you think you. If you think you calling me cringe is going to make me dial it back, you know what it's like? It's like the agents calling me to lobby for their players for various awards. First of all, I don't have a ballot. Second of all, this annoying is going to make me less likely to kick. You're annoying me like I know the numbers. You don't do. If you sort basketball reference. I got it, like I got it.
- [70:06]
Big Woz
Crazy that they would call you instead of sending you a gift basket. That's why I don't want.
- [70:10]
Zach Lowe
I don't want a gift basket either. I'm not going to name the team. I'm not going to name the team. I got a big package yesterday. I'm not a voter. Can you just look up who the voters are? I got a big package yesterday. A box as big as my 36 inch computer monitor or whatever. However many inches this is over here. And in the box, in the box was an item the size of a deck of cards. Why is the box so fucking big? Now I got to add it to my recycling pile. I'm not going to name the team. But you're not helping. Guys.
- [70:44]
Big Woz
Good gifts and small packages for Zach Lowe. All right. And he'll do state sponsored radio for you guys.
- [70:50]
Zach Lowe
You know, the Wizards a couple years ago sent a nice looking cheese board. Okay, I'll keep the cheese boards. It's an actual useful item. God only knows what actual what candidate they had for anything. What was the. What was the occasion for a Wizards thing? I don't know.
- [71:09]
Big Woz
I bet it was.
- [71:12]
Zach Lowe
I bet you anyway, Khan, I'm with you. And I just think the shooting efficiency is crazy. Outweighs everything else. And a slight minutes advantage and just like. Yeah, like he's played 10 more games on a team that the games actually matter. I think Flag would you agree with this? Flag will be a better NBA player?
- [71:32]
Big Woz
Yes. Yes.
- [71:33]
Zach Lowe
Yeah, he will be.
- [71:35]
Big Woz
But for me, it's another thing. You know, I have some homies in Charlotte and what they're explaining it's not just that this guy is, you know, incredible player, team, first guy, they're like, yo, his intensity has permeated the team. He's a freaking rookie. Zach.
- [71:53]
Zach Lowe
The word killer is used frequently by Charlotte people to describe how serious he is and how that seriousness, as you said, permeates the entire, their entire approach.
- [72:05]
Big Woz
Like, man, I can't say enough. I love him and his game. And you know, it's not just that he's a great spot up shooter. The diversity of ways that he finds to get his three point shots off is incredible. Again, this is his first year. He's only going to get better at this shit. And so, yeah, he's my rookie of the year and he's doing it on a team that matters. He's not doing it on a tanker.
- [72:30]
Zach Lowe
I would have Khan flag VJ as the order. Harper, I think per minute, I maybe has been better than Vijay, but it's a thousand minutes difference and so I just can't, I can't get there for him. They're all first team, all rookie. Yeah, the Hornets, they are just really hard to guard. Like, they play so fast, both in transition and the way they run their stuff in the half court, it's all full speed. It's, it's unpredictable. They mix up how they screen, how they cut, how they screen and flare out. Like, if you're not dialed in, they're going to put up 125 against.
- [73:05]
Big Woz
That Knicks game was a prime example of that. Zach. Yeah, like the Knicks have a tendency to be like, okay, today we're going to be intense on defense. We see that against the Okcs and like when they play some big teams, they'll ratchet up their intensity level. I think they went into Charlotte thinking like, you know, this is always a de facto home game. There's such a huge New York City expat community in the Charlotte area. This will be fine. It was not fine. They got their asses ran off the court by the Charlotte Hornets because the Hornets were just beating them to the punch every single possession. And so, yeah, I echo your sentiments on that, bro.
- [73:42]
Zach Lowe
Coach of the year for me is locked up. Is it locked up for you?
- [73:45]
Big Woz
Oh, yeah, it's been locked up for a minute for me, honestly. And it's Joe Missoula and I don't care that he gave his little speech where, oh, they should ban the award. They should. It's all about the players and the staff. The staff who you manage and hire and whatever is an extension of you whatever. I don't care what Joe Mazzulla has to say. He's the coach of the year. Just look at the dudes that they are trotting out there on a night to night basis. I promise you, half these guys y' all never heard of before this season, okay? And they are poised to be the number two seed in the East. They're looking like the favorites. And it's because the Celtics operate within a structure and a system that is so. They're so disciplined in on both ends of the floor. Like their offense is disciplined, their defense, their rotations, they're basically matchup dependent coverages. And what do I mean by that? It's like, all right. When Brunson and Kat run a pick and roll, we guard it like this. When Brunson and OG run a pick and roll, we guard it like this. When OG and Kat do something, they are so locked in. And like to me, you can't take that away from Joe Madison. Another thing I'll say, Brad Stevens don't get enough credit. He's the executive of the year, okay? To be finding these scrap heap guys. And people say, well, they got Tatum and Brown. Well, they have Tatum for three quarters of the season, okay? And to be finding these dudes getting rid of legit, like, bro, Luke Cornett is a good ass player. Al Horford might be finished, that's cool. But Jrue Holiday was extremely important for these guys. Like, they're getting rid of really good NBA players and they're still the favorites to come out of the east for whatever reason. Brad Stevens doesn't do what these other GMs do and have people in our profession calling him a genius and kissing his ass all day, every day off. If I never hear about how great of a negotiator Danny Ainge is ever again, my Lord will I be happy. Okay? Brad Stevens don't got these people in the media doing this shit for him, but he's one of the best executives in the NBA. Year in and year out, he proves this shit. He's incredible. And so GM of the year, Coach of the year, the Celtics brass, bro,
- [76:21]
Zach Lowe
it's really incredible that he's done such a good job as gm. And it's not. It's been a minute now. It's not like he just got to. It's been three, four or five years, whatever it's been. And yet still, like, this is now his career. He's the president of basketball operations of an NBA team. This is his job. This is what he does. He's scouts, he makes big decisions, he knows the cap or he gets what all that. And yet still when North Carolina opens up, you hear the buzz, like, is Brad Stevens going to go to North Carolina? He has to actually come out. Or the media, the Celtics come out and there's sources say he's not interested. Like, he's still that revered as a college coach that like one of the most prestigious jobs opens up. And he's mentioned for it. Yeah, I have Joe Missoula, coach of the year. The Celtics are a reflection of him. They, they are strategically on point in every way, as you mentioned. All of that is intentional. Like you're not exaggerating when you say different plans for different pick and roll combinations, different situations. And if you mess it up, you come out of the game and it doesn't matter if you're Brown or Tatum. Like the standard is the standard. He's, he's, he's gamed the possession math for them. They play an extremely low turnover, high ISO, high mid range, high three got a game that fits their style. They're just a machine of good decisions that are really well calculated and stem from the coaching staff. In a lot of cases, I would probably go Missoula, Bickerstaff Ott. But Reddick has a case now Mitch Johnson has a case now.
- [77:46]
Big Woz
Johnson has a big case for sure.
- [77:49]
Zach Lowe
Darko Rajkovic has done a nice job. Charles Lee, all those guys, all those
- [77:54]
Big Woz
guys have done incredible jobs. I would say Mitch Johnson with the Spurs. What I love about them is to have a team who pretty much every single player, you can still smell a Similac on their breath that plays the way that they do on offense, like one. Convincing young guys to sell out on defense is a big deal, but offensively, you got a bunch of guys that haven't gotten paid yet, for real, aside from Fox. And these guys play so unselfishly, they don't really care who gets off on a given night. And of course, we know that puts a defense in a bind. You can't be sure exactly how they're trying to attack you because everybody's a threat to try to score and to give it up and make the right play. So getting young guys, man, to understand the virtues of selfless offensive basketball, to me is an insanely grand feat. And so I tip my cap to Mitch Johnson. Man, the spurs, how they stumble from 50 years of Popovich to this Mitch Johnson guy. Not to mention Robinson, Duncan Kawhi, just freaking Wemby. It's insanity, honestly. And Castle And Hartford, who's another killer.
- [79:24]
Zach Lowe
If I were, if they were allowed to, I would, If I were the GM of the spurs and it were legal, I would just max out Castle now. I would actually break the rules and be like, we're offering him the max now. Whatever it is here, whatever the percentage of the cap is, this is what we can offer him.
- [79:36]
Big Woz
So you know, you know, I work with Danny Green and it was like a week into the season. Obviously he's super connected to the spurs, still like plugged in with them and he's like, he's a max player. I'm like, bro, come on man, I get it. He's had a nice like three, three games in a row. He's obviously improved upon it. He's like, bro, I'm telling you, he's a max player. Bro, he's a bonafide star. And that's just borne out this entire season. And if you remember the way people used to talk about Amend Thompson, that's how they talking about Castle now.
- [80:14]
Zach Lowe
Yeah. And by the way, I, I put like, I, I don't understand. So are you in like Bill and Goldsberry had this conversation about how Amen Thompson. Were you on that pod too? About Amen Thompson being a disappoint, being a disappointment this year. Hard disagree from me. I, I don't know if the expectations for him just got too high. He's pretty on track for what I want him to be. He's averaging 18 a game, five assists, something like that. All those numbers are up. Shooting efficiency a little down. I understand the point guard thing like pseudo didn't work. He, I don't think he was ever going to be like a quality NBA like number one ball handling point guard at this stage of his career. For what he is. He's like, I'm fine with amendtops. I'm not disappointed.
- [80:56]
Big Woz
I think there were moments last year when you watched him that you could dream that he would one day become a possessions eater. He's 23, you know, so do you still think that's in his future?
- [81:07]
Zach Lowe
I think he's 23. He's averaging 18 points a game on a team that has no offensive structure at all.
- [81:12]
Big Woz
I don't think he's had a bad season. I don't think he's been like disappointing. I just think the ceiling for him has lowered for me. Not that he's not going to be an incredible player going forward, but I don't see him as, yo, give this guy the ball in the clutch, run possession after possession. Through him or with him involved and amazing things are going to happen.
- [81:35]
Zach Lowe
I guess I don't ever, I don't think. I never thought he was going to be that kind of player like a Luca or a Shea or with like that sort of usage. But I think he can become an all NBA player his way being that way sometimes when the matchups are right or whatever and like and in two years it's like 23, 8 and 8 or 238 and 6 and like all defense and like that's an all NBA player. That's all. Speaking of all NBA, six man of the year and. And most improved. We can skip, we can skip those.
- [82:07]
Big Woz
Yeah, most improved.
- [82:08]
Zach Lowe
I still got research to do. 6 Man of the year.
- [82:11]
Big Woz
I don't even know who to like. Most improved is something I just will never like actually understand what the award is trying to do. But yeah, I'll be happy to Skip that.
- [82:22]
Zach Lowe
And six man. I'd probably lean Keldon Johnson but Jaime Hawkes Jr. Nas Reed, I justum knew Tim Hardaway Jr.
- [82:30]
Big Woz
I mean man, great story for him to be bouncing back because boy was that year too brutal and he has completely put that in the past.
- [82:38]
Zach Lowe
Oh he's been. He's just a relentless engine of pace and just gets gets where he wants to go. Spins, shoulder bumps and all of a sudden he's making an eight foot hook on your face. Either, either any of those guys. I still haven't decided. I just want to do all NBA quickly because Kate is still out. Ant is back. If he plays every game, he's going to get to 66 games. Kawhi remains healthy. If he plays every game he's going to get to 66 games. Maxi is back. He's going to surpass 66 games. So we're getting some certainty on like who's going to be eligible. Let's leave Kate out of it because it doesn't seem like he's going to come back in time to get to 65 at this point. Like he's at 61 right now and there's no murmuring like he's going to be back in a week. But who knows? I'm getting close. So there are 15 spots. I'm not going to do the teams right now because I think that's still in flux. There are 15 spots. I'm getting pretty close to having 14 of the 15 in Penn and I'm going to. Can I name them? And you just obviously the four guys who are locks for first team are Luka, Wemby, Jokic SGA. So that's four guys. Here are the next 11. Who. One of them would get a first team spot again if Cade's not. If Cade's not eligible. And then five second team and then, you know, whatever the leftovers are for third team. Jalen Brown is a lock. Yeah.
- [83:58]
Big Woz
He'd probably get my last spot, honestly.
- [84:01]
Zach Lowe
He's. He might be the favorite right now for first team.
- [84:03]
Big Woz
Yeah.
- [84:04]
Zach Lowe
Yeah. Anthony Edwards is a lock. That's six. Donovan Mitchell is a lock. That's seven. Yeah. You agree so far? Kawhi I think is a lock.
- [84:13]
Big Woz
Oh, big lock.
- [84:14]
Zach Lowe
That's eight. I think Maxi has to be on an all NBA team. Yeah. Given them. That's nine. I think Jalen Duran has ascended into lock status for me, into Penn status for me. So that's. I'm not going in any order. I just. With what he's done with Al Kade, like He's putting up 25:30.
- [84:33]
Big Woz
I'm a line there.
- [84:34]
Zach Lowe
I think Jamal Murray has ascended into all NBA lock territory.
- [84:38]
Big Woz
Super lock. Yeah.
- [84:39]
Zach Lowe
11. Jalen Brunson kind of never left. Maybe, maybe not like in the first like top two of the second team conversation there. He's in there. That's 12. I think Jalen Johnson is now is pretty close to a lock for me given the Hawks surge to end the season. Agree. Disagree.
- [85:01]
Big Woz
I'm not mad at that. No, I'm there. I'm there.
- [85:04]
Zach Lowe
And then the 14th would be Durant, I think is. Despite all the Houston angst.
- [85:09]
Big Woz
He's in. He's in pen for me. Yeah.
- [85:11]
Zach Lowe
Yes. So that's like. Like 14 in Penn. And you don't seem to eject really. You like a little shakier on Duran and Jalen Johnson, but.
- [85:19]
Big Woz
Yeah, just a little. A little bit. But especially out East. Like, are you really gonna tell me Mobley has been way better than Jalen Duran?
- [85:31]
Zach Lowe
No. Yeah. I mean he had. There's no. There's no statistical case for that.
- [85:36]
Big Woz
There's.
- [85:37]
Zach Lowe
He hasn't been.
- [85:38]
Big Woz
That's just in the past. He's been. And you would think that he still has the ability to access how good he's been in the past, but I think you'd be crazy to say that. I think where people are going to complain with you, Zach, is somebody from Toronto is deserving of an all NBA team.
- [85:57]
Zach Lowe
I still have a spot left. I still have one. One spot.
- [86:00]
Big Woz
That's what I think. That's what people are going to be clamoring for.
- [86:03]
Zach Lowe
Well, look, first of all, the Toronto fans are always complaining about something the American media ignores us, blah blah blah.
- [86:10]
Big Woz
Can I just say this? I'm on the Zach Lowe's show, one of the biggest shows in in sports media. All you Raptors fans that yelled at me two or three years ago when I was like Scotty Barnes is not the next Kawhi Leonard. Can y' all at least admit that we were all right to say that he wasn't. Oh but he's got better rookie stats than Kawhi.
- [86:30]
Zach Lowe
I'm like guys, sorry sorry about that one. Was sorry sorry about it. So that but I do have one spot left and Scotty Barnes is on my list for that spot. I don't think I would give it to him here. The the names are Devin Booker, Chad Holmgren. Denny Abdia is going to get to 66 games. Not a not a great finishing kick for him. Shen Goon Cat Bill would throw Castle in there. I I probably I think premature Mobley I think I think Canipple and Lamello ball. You'd have to at least look at Bam Entertain. Yeah I think Bam. I think I would probably lean to Booker for the last spot but and maybe something will change with my 14 guys in Penn and obviously I have to would have to pick who's second team, who's third team but that's where I am currently.
- [87:24]
Big Woz
Yeah, I'd probably be Booker a check to be honest. And I think I don't know it feels like people are kind of down on Chet because he hasn't turned into anybody's idea of an offensive engine kind of player. And that's if you were dreaming of the best, most ideal scenario for Chad. He'd just be more dangerous with the ball in his hands and that just kind of hasn't borne itself out. But I think his defensive impact is just understated. Like people don't realize how incredible this guy is on defense. And again some. There's some nights where you watch Chet still get pushed around a little bit on defense because he's still like trying to find his grown man strength. But on a night to night basis this guy is a menace on defense. And I think offensively he's been good even though he's overqualified in terms of his stature on the team as a pressure release valve for a Thunder offense that can sometimes feel like this is kind of creaky when Lou Dort and Caruso and those guys aren't making their wide open threes. And I think Chet has gotten way better at destroying smaller matchups which is always going to Kind of be the make or break indicator for Biggs. If teams can just switch a wing or God forbid, a damn point guard onto you and you can't punish them with free throw attempts or just shooting efficient shots directly over those guys, you know, you're not going to reach your full potential as an offensive player. And I think he's made so many strides in that regard in terms of being able to beat up smaller switches. You know, I think in the past we've seen this with like guys like Porzingis, where in Dallas, like you could put Pat Beverly on this freaking guy on a switch that's unpleasant and nobody cared. And, you know, by the time he got to Boston, he had so vastly improved his ability. And a lot of it wasn't, you know, posting guys up and putting them under, burying them underneath the basket. It was like, no, dude, I can get to a 10 footer or 11 footer where I'm automatic and you can't contest it. And I think Chet has gotten closer to being good at that stuff, you know. And so to me, I probably, if it's not Booker, for me, it's Chet.
- [89:50]
Zach Lowe
I like. Yeah, you look at Chet's numbers. Sixteen and a half a game as a rookie, 15 last year, 17 this year. Like, oh, okay. Minutes are the same. He's capped out at 29 minutes. They don't seem to want to play him more than that until the playoffs. Fine. Like defensively unimpeachable, incredible. And like wembanyama beyond a rim protector. The arms are everywhere, he's everywhere. He guards all sorts of different players. I do. The one thing I think to your point that the numbers miss a little bit. Well, he is shooting 64% on twos, which is a career high. Is the one shot that I feel super confident in him now and particularly when he has a smaller guy on him is, yeah, I'm not. He's not going to back him down and power through and put the guy in the basket. Stanchion, but face up from like 20ft out. Hard dribble, couple hard dribbles, spin move, rise up for a 12 foot jumper, 13 foot jumper. Like that feels borderline automatic to me now. And like, I'm fine if year three. That's where we are, where the defense is, where it is, where he only played 32 games last year, missed his entire rookie season due to injury. Like, I'm fine with where Chad is offensively and like, maybe there's more there. I do think there is more there. It's also hard, like, it's hard to find the more when the MVP of the league is on your team and like AJ Mitchell's like, wait a second, I can average 15 a game. I'm in the sixth man of the year conversation, too. All right, big was. No fouls given.
- [91:14]
Big Woz
Yes, sir. Paul Pierce. Find us on YouTube wherever you get your podcast. You know, it's player driven stuff. These guys always kind of like, surprise me with, like just the way that they view the league as opposed to you or Isaac. Like, it's just, it's just way different. And yeah, man, I have a great time with those dudes. So, yeah, check us out on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast.
- [91:39]
Zach Lowe
And let's go Mets. Big wise, it's great to see you. I'll see you probably in the playoffs somewhere, I assume, you know, we'll see, we'll see wherever life takes us. Thanks for your time, buddy.
- [91:48]
Big Woz
Later, bro.
- [91:51]
Zach Lowe
All right, that's it for the Zach Lowe show today. We'll be back on Thursday as usual, thanks to the incomparable Big Woz. No fouls given. Let's go Mets. Thanks to Mike, Billy and Jonathan on production and thanks to all of you for listening to and or watching the Zach Lowe show. We'll see you Thursday. 21 are over and President. Select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star, Star Casino or 18 and over in President D.C. kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY RESET. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org chatincut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org and Maryland Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinema.org or call 800-327-5050 for 24. 7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-1877-8-Hopeny or text Hopeny in New York. For Louisiana, call 1-877-770-767 Two good and coffee creamers are made with farm fresh cream, real milk and contain 3 grams of sugar per serving. That's 40% less than the 5 grams per serving in leading traditional coffee creamers for a rich, delicious experience. Whether you enjoy your coffee hot, cold, bold or frothy, two good coffee creamers
- [93:07]
Big Woz
make every sip a good one.
- [93:09]
Zach Lowe
Two good coffee creamers. Real goodness in every sip. Find them at your local Kroger in the creamer aisle.