The volume. No, Oh my god, how could he do that?

The volume. No, Oh my god, how could he do that?

What Charles Darwin? The nerves is where it's at. Welcome everybody back into Nerd Sash as always, I'm Carson Breborn. Alongside me is Logan Camden, and we've got a very special Tuesday episode for you all today because I'm going out of town today and also more importantly, Logan, because there is pressing news around the NBA that just can't wait. Lebron James has fallen off, washed formerly just a kid from Akron is done. He's cooked. It's over. This is what everybody's saying in the NBA sphere. Logan, what do you make of Lebron's recent struggles? How concerned really are you?

What Charles Darwin? The nerves is where it's at. Welcome everybody back into Nerd Sash as always, I'm Carson Breborn. Alongside me is Logan Camden, and we've got a very special Tuesday episode for you all today because I'm going out of town today and also more importantly, Logan, because there is pressing news around the NBA that just can't wait. Lebron James has fallen off, washed formerly just a kid from Akron is done. He's cooked. It's over. This is what everybody's saying in the NBA sphere. Logan, what do you make of Lebron's recent struggles? How concerned really are you?

I mean, I guess it's kind of the only logical conclusion to come to. I mean, we're seeing stuff from Lebron that we've never seen before. On the regular season as a whole, he's twenty two eight to nine on fifty seven percent true shooting with four turnovers a game. On the year, he's finishing inside five feet at a clip of sixty five point seven percent.

I mean, I guess it's kind of the only logical conclusion to come to. I mean, we're seeing stuff from Lebron that we've never seen before. On the regular season as a whole, he's twenty two eight to nine on fifty seven percent true shooting with four turnovers a game. On the year, he's finishing inside five feet at a clip of sixty five point seven percent.

That's the worst mark since his rookie year.

That's the worst mark since his rookie year.

And the big streak that everybody has pointed to over the last few games, he's oh of nineteen from three over his last four games, and he's missed twenty four straight threes. Unfortunately, Carson, he is two threes away from setting the NBA record for most consecutive missed threes if he gets to oh my six.

And the big streak that everybody has pointed to over the last few games, he's oh of nineteen from three over his last four games, and he's missed twenty four straight threes. Unfortunately, Carson, he is two threes away from setting the NBA record for most consecutive missed threes if he gets to oh my six.

Do you know who holds the record right now?

Do you know who holds the record right now?

Please tell me it's Jerry Stackhouse.

Please tell me it's Jerry Stackhouse.

I'm very pleased to announce it's Grant Williams.

I'm very pleased to announce it's Grant Williams.

Oh, oh wow, famously of Grant at Williams Pole.

Oh, oh wow, famously of Grant at Williams Pole.

I don't know if you've heard about that.

I don't know if you've heard about that.

Yes, but Batman, Yeah, and Ky the Kyle Kuzma bus just crashed into the Grant Williams Pole.

Yes, but Batman, Yeah, and Ky the Kyle Kuzma bus just crashed into the Grant Williams Pole.

I don't know if I did see that. Well, that was a horrible accident. I don't think that's something we should be joking about.

I don't know if I did see that. Well, that was a horrible accident. I don't think that's something we should be joking about.

Yeah, and then after that, D'Angelo Russell was found of the accident.

Yeah, and then after that, D'Angelo Russell was found of the accident.

Anybody who hasn't seen that is going to have no idea what the fuck we're talking about.

Anybody who hasn't seen that is going to have no idea what the fuck we're talking about.

But this last stretch is really concerning specifically the last ten games. Lebron's at nineteen points, eight boards and nine assists on forty four percent from the field, twenty two percent from deep under fifty true shooting, with five turnovers a game. He has been the least efficient fifteen point per game scorer in the NBA over the last ten games. And specifically, like the Minnesota game, Yeah, dude, he looked like he was really doubting him himself, Like Lebron looked not confident.

But this last stretch is really concerning specifically the last ten games. Lebron's at nineteen points, eight boards and nine assists on forty four percent from the field, twenty two percent from deep under fifty true shooting, with five turnovers a game. He has been the least efficient fifteen point per game scorer in the NBA over the last ten games. And specifically, like the Minnesota game, Yeah, dude, he looked like he was really doubting him himself, Like Lebron looked not confident.

He goes four of sixteen, he has six turnovers.

He goes four of sixteen, he has six turnovers.

He's got a missed point blank layup off of his own miss, like that's a rec league layup that he bricked. He's got a really bad miss three early in this game. He air bawls a three. The only saving grace I can give Lebron, and the only slack I can cut him, is the fact that they have played five games in seven days.

He's got a missed point blank layup off of his own miss, like that's a rec league layup that he bricked. He's got a really bad miss three early in this game. He air bawls a three. The only saving grace I can give Lebron, and the only slack I can cut him, is the fact that they have played five games in seven days.

And I would like to attribute hopefully.

And I would like to attribute hopefully.

That this is just him naturally being fatigued at age thirty nine, struggling with the workload of the NBA season. And I think that's been a focus point of Lebron's I think he wants to be out there for every game. I think he wants to give as much as he can, but it's just not feasible at this point in his career and if that means sacrificing his eligibility for awards or anything like this, I think it's worth it, you know, And I don't anybody can fault him. He's the all time leading scorer in the NBA. He's the greatest player of all time.

That this is just him naturally being fatigued at age thirty nine, struggling with the workload of the NBA season. And I think that's been a focus point of Lebron's I think he wants to be out there for every game. I think he wants to give as much as he can, but it's just not feasible at this point in his career and if that means sacrificing his eligibility for awards or anything like this, I think it's worth it, you know, And I don't anybody can fault him. He's the all time leading scorer in the NBA. He's the greatest player of all time.

And I think that the West is tough.

And I think that the West is tough.

That's where it's tough, because you can't sacrifice too much in the regular season without running the risk of maybe missing the playoffs entirely. But I just think you got to give him some breaks through at the season and make sure that he can hold up.

That's where it's tough, because you can't sacrifice too much in the regular season without running the risk of maybe missing the playoffs entirely. But I just think you got to give him some breaks through at the season and make sure that he can hold up.

Some analytic numbers though that are not kind to Lebron.

Some analytic numbers though that are not kind to Lebron.

Right now, they're twenty three points worse with Lebron on the floor, They're sixteen points worse offensively, and they're seven points worse defensively. When Lebron is on the floor. The Lakers are playing like a twenty three win team. One thing that I think you can concretely say is this is the least impactful in his career that Lebron has ever been on both sides of the floor.

Right now, they're twenty three points worse with Lebron on the floor, They're sixteen points worse offensively, and they're seven points worse defensively. When Lebron is on the floor. The Lakers are playing like a twenty three win team. One thing that I think you can concretely say is this is the least impactful in his career that Lebron has ever been on both sides of the floor.

Where do you stand, Carson, do you think Lebron is cooked? Is hel washed?

Where do you stand, Carson, do you think Lebron is cooked? Is hel washed?

I definitely think that this is a concerning stretch of basketball. There's a lot of bad stuff that we've seen out there, and you touched on a lot of it. But his last five games, he's eighteen points per game on forty three percent true shooting, with almost five turnovers a game, And you mentioned just the brutal slump from three. I do think is a significant part of why the numbers have looked so bad. But the Minnesota game was definitely the ugliest to me because it was beyond the three point struggles. He just looked like he couldn't punish mismatches in that game and he was trying to. But versus a Nakila, Alexander Walker or Jade McDaniels, these slighter, small wings, he was still settling. He was still forcing the issue more from the mid range than he was successfully playing bullyball. And then you have the same thing where he couldn't attack mismatches versus Rudy Gobert, and he couldn't get a step on him, and he was settling when he tried to isolate him as well. So that was concerning to me because this is the greatest mismatch attacker we've seen in the history of this sport. And especially in recent years, that has been his bread and butter, right finding the weak point defensively and just relentlessly going at that player. And he does that primarily through his strength. But when he is against the slower footed player, he's still been able to get by those guys with his quickness. But he wasn't doing that against Minnesota. And the jump shot stuff, I do think is largely just a really bad slump. I mean, he just had his career best three point shooting season, so I don't see reason to think that Lebron's jump shot has like really fallen off. I will say it doesn't always look like he's getting the same lift on his jumper to me, though, which I do think is worth noting at the very least. But the trend that we've seen throughout the year, which you also mentioned, is that his ability to pressure and finish at the rim hasn't been the same. The frequency of his shots at the rim is down. Thirty five percent of his shots came inside three feet last year. That's down to just twenty eight percent this year, and inside six feet he's shooting six percent worse than he did last year than he did the year before that. Just way below the baseline that he set for alf as a finisher. And you mention the on off numbers, I mean, just to emphasize how crazy that is. You have to keep in mind sample size, even though we're twenty plus games in, like on off won't really be fully balanced out until the year is over. And honestly, it's most useful as a career stat because it's just something that you really want to have a large sample size with. But for the first time in his career, Lebron's team has been statistically worse with him on the floor. And they haven't just been worse, they've been worse by a lot, and in fact, when Anthony Davis has been out on the court without Lebron this year, again, small sample size, but the Lakers have been an elite offense, they've been an elite defense, and they have a plus eleven net ratings. So there's all of these red flags with Lebron's performance that we certainly can't ignore. But Lebron is somebody who I am not going to overreact to small sample sizes with and this isn't a tiny sample size, and we are seeing troubling stuff beyond just a shooting star right, And I do think that he's taken a step back. I also think he absolutely needs to rest. I think it's insane that he's played in every game this year, and that he played in five games in seven days. There's no need for that. There's no reason for that. Your team is better off getting a superior, more energized version of you for sixty eight games than they are getting a Lebron for eighty two games, who is clearly feeling the physical tax of being out there on the floor that much at almost forty years old. But the reason I say that I don't want to overreact to a small sample size is look at what we saw from Lebron even last year, right. I mean, there were stretches of last year where I watched Lebron and I thought that guy's not a top fifteen player. There were stretches of the year before that where Lebron wasn't playing at a superstar level. Pre All Star Game last year, Lebron was under twenty five seven to eight on sixty one percent through shooting. Now, that is certainly better than what we've gotten from him this year. But then after the All Star break last year, he was almost twenty eight eight and ten on sixty seven percent true shooting. He was one of the best players on the planet for the home stretch of the regular season, and he was pretty amazing in that playoff series against Denver as well. So do I think he has taken a step back from last year? Yes, I do, And I think that that's a problem for the Lakers, because the Lakers formula to winning a playoff series, which I think we all could agree was probably their ceiling coming into this year requires superstar ad and superstar Lebron, and you're not getting that version of Lebron. And I don't think you can expect to get a Lebron who looked like he did down the home stretch of last year. I think that we have seen a little bit of regression athletically, definitely, but also I expect him to play better than he is right now, and you can't ignore just how ridiculously bad he's been shooting the basketball, which isn't going to remain the case. And I do think there will be a stretch later in the year or maybe he is a little more rested, he is a little fresher, He does find his shot again, and he looks really really good and people start wanting to say, oh, Lebron is top five. I think he's going to have a moment like that in this year, and I think he's going to look better than he does right now. But is there any debate over who is this team's best player? Of course not. And I'm not just talking regular season right because last year I thought that there was a strong debate to be had about who's their best player. In a postseason environment, that's all gone, right. Eighty is going to have to carry this team and Lebron is going to pick his spots. And I don't think that he can get to that sort of top five level that we've seen him, at least reach the fringes of in the playoffs. I'm not sure if he can play like a top ten player in a postseason. But do I think he can play like a top fifteen player. Yeah, I do, And I think that this is just a really bad stretch of basketball that he's having right now.

I definitely think that this is a concerning stretch of basketball. There's a lot of bad stuff that we've seen out there, and you touched on a lot of it. But his last five games, he's eighteen points per game on forty three percent true shooting, with almost five turnovers a game, And you mentioned just the brutal slump from three. I do think is a significant part of why the numbers have looked so bad. But the Minnesota game was definitely the ugliest to me because it was beyond the three point struggles. He just looked like he couldn't punish mismatches in that game and he was trying to. But versus a Nakila, Alexander Walker or Jade McDaniels, these slighter, small wings, he was still settling. He was still forcing the issue more from the mid range than he was successfully playing bullyball. And then you have the same thing where he couldn't attack mismatches versus Rudy Gobert, and he couldn't get a step on him, and he was settling when he tried to isolate him as well. So that was concerning to me because this is the greatest mismatch attacker we've seen in the history of this sport. And especially in recent years, that has been his bread and butter, right finding the weak point defensively and just relentlessly going at that player. And he does that primarily through his strength. But when he is against the slower footed player, he's still been able to get by those guys with his quickness. But he wasn't doing that against Minnesota. And the jump shot stuff, I do think is largely just a really bad slump. I mean, he just had his career best three point shooting season, so I don't see reason to think that Lebron's jump shot has like really fallen off. I will say it doesn't always look like he's getting the same lift on his jumper to me, though, which I do think is worth noting at the very least. But the trend that we've seen throughout the year, which you also mentioned, is that his ability to pressure and finish at the rim hasn't been the same. The frequency of his shots at the rim is down. Thirty five percent of his shots came inside three feet last year. That's down to just twenty eight percent this year, and inside six feet he's shooting six percent worse than he did last year than he did the year before that. Just way below the baseline that he set for alf as a finisher. And you mention the on off numbers, I mean, just to emphasize how crazy that is. You have to keep in mind sample size, even though we're twenty plus games in, like on off won't really be fully balanced out until the year is over. And honestly, it's most useful as a career stat because it's just something that you really want to have a large sample size with. But for the first time in his career, Lebron's team has been statistically worse with him on the floor. And they haven't just been worse, they've been worse by a lot, and in fact, when Anthony Davis has been out on the court without Lebron this year, again, small sample size, but the Lakers have been an elite offense, they've been an elite defense, and they have a plus eleven net ratings. So there's all of these red flags with Lebron's performance that we certainly can't ignore. But Lebron is somebody who I am not going to overreact to small sample sizes with and this isn't a tiny sample size, and we are seeing troubling stuff beyond just a shooting star right, And I do think that he's taken a step back. I also think he absolutely needs to rest. I think it's insane that he's played in every game this year, and that he played in five games in seven days. There's no need for that. There's no reason for that. Your team is better off getting a superior, more energized version of you for sixty eight games than they are getting a Lebron for eighty two games, who is clearly feeling the physical tax of being out there on the floor that much at almost forty years old. But the reason I say that I don't want to overreact to a small sample size is look at what we saw from Lebron even last year, right. I mean, there were stretches of last year where I watched Lebron and I thought that guy's not a top fifteen player. There were stretches of the year before that where Lebron wasn't playing at a superstar level. Pre All Star Game last year, Lebron was under twenty five seven to eight on sixty one percent through shooting. Now, that is certainly better than what we've gotten from him this year. But then after the All Star break last year, he was almost twenty eight eight and ten on sixty seven percent true shooting. He was one of the best players on the planet for the home stretch of the regular season, and he was pretty amazing in that playoff series against Denver as well. So do I think he has taken a step back from last year? Yes, I do, And I think that that's a problem for the Lakers, because the Lakers formula to winning a playoff series, which I think we all could agree was probably their ceiling coming into this year requires superstar ad and superstar Lebron, and you're not getting that version of Lebron. And I don't think you can expect to get a Lebron who looked like he did down the home stretch of last year. I think that we have seen a little bit of regression athletically, definitely, but also I expect him to play better than he is right now, and you can't ignore just how ridiculously bad he's been shooting the basketball, which isn't going to remain the case. And I do think there will be a stretch later in the year or maybe he is a little more rested, he is a little fresher, He does find his shot again, and he looks really really good and people start wanting to say, oh, Lebron is top five. I think he's going to have a moment like that in this year, and I think he's going to look better than he does right now. But is there any debate over who is this team's best player? Of course not. And I'm not just talking regular season right because last year I thought that there was a strong debate to be had about who's their best player. In a postseason environment, that's all gone, right. Eighty is going to have to carry this team and Lebron is going to pick his spots. And I don't think that he can get to that sort of top five level that we've seen him, at least reach the fringes of in the playoffs. I'm not sure if he can play like a top ten player in a postseason. But do I think he can play like a top fifteen player. Yeah, I do, And I think that this is just a really bad stretch of basketball that he's having right now.

And who knows.

And who knows.

I mean, maybe that could be enough for the Lakers to win a playoff series. You know, I don't want to completely just discredit that. I wouldn't bet on it, but I don't think that it's out of the question.

I mean, maybe that could be enough for the Lakers to win a playoff series. You know, I don't want to completely just discredit that. I wouldn't bet on it, but I don't think that it's out of the question.

It'd be tough. I think without Lebron really being pretty phenomenal with the defensive major issues this team has.

It'd be tough. I think without Lebron really being pretty phenomenal with the defensive major issues this team has.

I really think Lebron's tired. Like I don't want to write all of this off. Is Lebron's gassed. But I mean, it's not that long ago.

I really think Lebron's tired. Like I don't want to write all of this off. Is Lebron's gassed. But I mean, it's not that long ago.

It's a you know, I guess it's half a year at this point, But I mean Lebron was dominating in the Olympics not that long ago, right.

It's a you know, I guess it's half a year at this point, But I mean Lebron was dominating in the Olympics not that long ago, right.

I just think that.

I just think that.

I totally agree.

I totally agree.

I just only gets fully out of the question that Lebron picking his spots. I still believe in that version of Lebron where he's rested again, We're never going to see that again. We are never going to see one hundred percent Lebron full board end to end, wire to wire in a game, fully exerting himself the way he could five years ago, the way he could ten years ago.

I just only gets fully out of the question that Lebron picking his spots. I still believe in that version of Lebron where he's rested again, We're never going to see that again. We are never going to see one hundred percent Lebron full board end to end, wire to wire in a game, fully exerting himself the way he could five years ago, the way he could ten years ago.

That's gone, right, But Lebron.

That's gone, right, But Lebron.

Sixty to seventy five percent picking his spots in a game, I still feel like can take over and dictate and swing games. And I think this is a really bad stretch. I think Lebron is tired, and I.

Sixty to seventy five percent picking his spots in a game, I still feel like can take over and dictate and swing games. And I think this is a really bad stretch. I think Lebron is tired, and I.

Mean, damn, there's thirty nine, Bro.

Mean, damn, there's thirty nine, Bro.

I mean, he's played over two decades in the league.

I mean, he's played over two decades in the league.

Like, I'm gonna give Lebron.

Like, I'm gonna give Lebron.

Some grace here, And I totally agree.

Some grace here, And I totally agree.

I just think this is probably and I hope that this is the low point for Lebron this season. And I agree with you though, I think we're gonna see a rubber banding effect. I think we're gonna see a bounce back in a big way for Lebron at some point. And I still wouldn't want to run into the Lakers in the playoffs. That being said, you talked about Minnesota. I think Minnesota specifically is a really hard matchup for Los Angeles as well, because of all the defensive personnel they have, and because they have a guy like Gobert and the paint right that even when Lebron wants to get downhill, or even when Lebron has a mismatch right, a mismatch on Gobart, that's still hard for him. And Minnesota has a ton of big personnel. Right if it isn't a Dub, if it's McDaniels, if it's nas Reed, Fitz Gobeer, I think they match up really well with the Lakers too, And so I think that in.

I just think this is probably and I hope that this is the low point for Lebron this season. And I agree with you though, I think we're gonna see a rubber banding effect. I think we're gonna see a bounce back in a big way for Lebron at some point. And I still wouldn't want to run into the Lakers in the playoffs. That being said, you talked about Minnesota. I think Minnesota specifically is a really hard matchup for Los Angeles as well, because of all the defensive personnel they have, and because they have a guy like Gobert and the paint right that even when Lebron wants to get downhill, or even when Lebron has a mismatch right, a mismatch on Gobart, that's still hard for him. And Minnesota has a ton of big personnel. Right if it isn't a Dub, if it's McDaniels, if it's nas Reed, Fitz Gobeer, I think they match up really well with the Lakers too, And so I think that in.

That scenario, like if the Lakers, I don't.

That scenario, like if the Lakers, I don't.

Think that could happen with seating, but if it did, right, I think that's a bad matchup for LA.

Think that could happen with seating, but if it did, right, I think that's a bad matchup for LA.

But I'm not ready to write Lebron off right now.

But I'm not ready to write Lebron off right now.

No, No, I agree, dude. And I mean historically, when people have written Lebron off to any extent, right, if it's after twenty nineteen, tons of people were saying he wasn't the best player in the world anymore, and then look at what he goes out there and does in twenty twenty, and again look at how he has responded to some of his slumps over the last couple of years. I thought he was legitimately playing at an unbelievable level down the stretch of last year, as good as we'd seen him probably since twenty twenty. And you mentioned the Olympics, right, that was literally five months ago. So I'm with you. I don't think you can again overreact to small sample size with Lebron. I also do think this is not the same player quite as last year, right. I think it is all also the case that he had his worst game of the year against Minnesota and a lot of people were watching, and that was sort of the swelling point of a slump that had been building. But then that was a big game where it just looked at its absolute worst, and then all of a sudden, you're seeing Lebron eulogies across the timeline. Fly high, goat will miss you, Like. I don't think we need to be doing all that. Like I said, I still think he's an all NBA level player. I think he's a top fifteen guy when you need him to be. But it's not surprising to see a little bit of a drop off from last year. I mean, the dude has been immortal. He's completely rewritten our standard for what's possible for a near forty year old basketball player, and he's still doing what we've never seen at this age. And I absolutely think he's going to look better later in the year. Do you think the Lakers are cooked the logan? I mean you said that you're not necessarily at that point, but I think a lot of people have been kind of freaking out as they've dropped for their last six and Lebron has been struggling. What's your big picture outlook for them?

No, No, I agree, dude. And I mean historically, when people have written Lebron off to any extent, right, if it's after twenty nineteen, tons of people were saying he wasn't the best player in the world anymore, and then look at what he goes out there and does in twenty twenty, and again look at how he has responded to some of his slumps over the last couple of years. I thought he was legitimately playing at an unbelievable level down the stretch of last year, as good as we'd seen him probably since twenty twenty. And you mentioned the Olympics, right, that was literally five months ago. So I'm with you. I don't think you can again overreact to small sample size with Lebron. I also do think this is not the same player quite as last year, right. I think it is all also the case that he had his worst game of the year against Minnesota and a lot of people were watching, and that was sort of the swelling point of a slump that had been building. But then that was a big game where it just looked at its absolute worst, and then all of a sudden, you're seeing Lebron eulogies across the timeline. Fly high, goat will miss you, Like. I don't think we need to be doing all that. Like I said, I still think he's an all NBA level player. I think he's a top fifteen guy when you need him to be. But it's not surprising to see a little bit of a drop off from last year. I mean, the dude has been immortal. He's completely rewritten our standard for what's possible for a near forty year old basketball player, and he's still doing what we've never seen at this age. And I absolutely think he's going to look better later in the year. Do you think the Lakers are cooked the logan? I mean you said that you're not necessarily at that point, but I think a lot of people have been kind of freaking out as they've dropped for their last six and Lebron has been struggling. What's your big picture outlook for them?

I don't think there's anything drastically different than it's been for the past three years. It's like it's ad, it's Lebron, and it's a cast that has holes in it, right, And I think a lot of their struggles can be chalked up to Lebron having a bad stretch.

I don't think there's anything drastically different than it's been for the past three years. It's like it's ad, it's Lebron, and it's a cast that has holes in it, right, And I think a lot of their struggles can be chalked up to Lebron having a bad stretch.

He just needs to be better.

He just needs to be better.

I also just think the Lakers are inherently kind of inconsistent, and JJ Reddicks talked about that a lot this year and how he wants them to be more consistent.

I also just think the Lakers are inherently kind of inconsistent, and JJ Reddicks talked about that a lot this year and how he wants them to be more consistent.

On both sides of the ball.

On both sides of the ball.

My expectations aren't that any different. Like you said at the start of the year, my expectation was their ceiling is they'd be a tough out in the first round or they get bounced in the second round. I don't really look at them any differently, like, you're not winning a championship.

My expectations aren't that any different. Like you said at the start of the year, my expectation was their ceiling is they'd be a tough out in the first round or they get bounced in the second round. I don't really look at them any differently, like, you're not winning a championship.

If that's where you're at, you're delusional.

If that's where you're at, you're delusional.

But to me, if those were your expectations, you were always going to be setting yourself up for disappointment later on, right. So I think we've always kind of known this about the Lakers, and this slump doesn't really change anything about my big picture expectations. The Lakers should be planning for a world post Lebron like it's imminent. It's going to happen very very soon. And I would just continue trying to put the best roster and most competitive roster around Lebron and ad that you can, and continuing to do that without sacrificing any of your assets for the future because you don't have a championship window right now.

But to me, if those were your expectations, you were always going to be setting yourself up for disappointment later on, right. So I think we've always kind of known this about the Lakers, and this slump doesn't really change anything about my big picture expectations. The Lakers should be planning for a world post Lebron like it's imminent. It's going to happen very very soon. And I would just continue trying to put the best roster and most competitive roster around Lebron and ad that you can, and continuing to do that without sacrificing any of your assets for the future because you don't have a championship window right now.

Yeah, I'm underwhelmed by the Lakers. I thought coming into the year they could be maybe like the fifth best team in the West, And I do think the biggest difference in this recent skid has just been Lebron struggling so much, right, I mean, when Lebron is playing at this level that you've gotten over the last five six games, you don't have a prayer of winning a playoffs years. You need him to be significantly better. You need your best punch, your biggest strength to be Hey, we have the best duo on the floor. We have two of the three best players on the floor at least in a first round series, and they don't have that with this Lebron. Outside of that, like, there are some little things. Reeves hasn't been great in this recent stretch, but I do think he's a solid third option offensively, and I do think he's improved this year. And there are certain things like you say, that have been bad for the Lakers, and they've done nothing to improve, so it's non a surprise they haven't gotten better. The defense, here's what it is. It's a bad defense. They're twenty fourth in defensive rating. I thought coming into the year that they were going to be a mediocre defense. I didn't know that it'd be quite this bad, but it has been consistently throughout the year, so that hasn't changed. The depth is not good. It's been really disappointing outside of Dalton connect and the great rookie year that he's had. So they haven't done anything going to change their lack of perimeter athleticism, they haven't improved their depth. So those are the same things that have always been major limiting factors for this team and will remain the case unless they do make a move, which I don't know. I'm not necessarily expecting at this point because they didn't do it last year and I think a lot of these same issues were playing to see last year. The one dude who I will defend is Anthony Davis because I think people are very quick to write off his success, and people are very quick to say that his start to the year was fake, and he hasn't been as good in this recent five game stretcher, So he's had a couple of clunkers. He's still averaging twenty eight to twelve on sixty two percent true shooting, and he has been far and away this team's best player on both sides of the ball. I do think he's the best that he's ever been offensively. So to me, when you consider how bad Lebron has been recently, how bad the defense around eighty has been, and it's truly been terrible, people trying to blame him or like lump him in with Lebron. That's crazy to me if you want to say, hey, I thought that eighty would be able to anchor us to at least be an average defense. Okay, I understand putting some of that on him, because we've talked about some of his motor issues, some of his issues in transition, and he hasn't maybe played up to his ability defensively. But he is the dude carrying you on both sides of the ball this year, and I don't want to really see him catching a lot of flak. And I also don't want to see JJ Reddick catching flak, which like unsurprisingly Lakers fans have immediately turned to some Lakers fans least. And that was my biggest concern with jj man as a higher I said at the time, like, this is a super smart dude, but I think it's incredibly difficult for any Lakers head coach to succeed when they have Lebron and eighty and the fan base has these unrealistic expectations and the second anything goes wrong, it's point the finger at the coach, especially for an inexperienced type coach. And I think he's done a great job as a leader, and I think he's done a great job with the x's and o's. It's just a toxic environment for a coach.

Yeah, I'm underwhelmed by the Lakers. I thought coming into the year they could be maybe like the fifth best team in the West, And I do think the biggest difference in this recent skid has just been Lebron struggling so much, right, I mean, when Lebron is playing at this level that you've gotten over the last five six games, you don't have a prayer of winning a playoffs years. You need him to be significantly better. You need your best punch, your biggest strength to be Hey, we have the best duo on the floor. We have two of the three best players on the floor at least in a first round series, and they don't have that with this Lebron. Outside of that, like, there are some little things. Reeves hasn't been great in this recent stretch, but I do think he's a solid third option offensively, and I do think he's improved this year. And there are certain things like you say, that have been bad for the Lakers, and they've done nothing to improve, so it's non a surprise they haven't gotten better. The defense, here's what it is. It's a bad defense. They're twenty fourth in defensive rating. I thought coming into the year that they were going to be a mediocre defense. I didn't know that it'd be quite this bad, but it has been consistently throughout the year, so that hasn't changed. The depth is not good. It's been really disappointing outside of Dalton connect and the great rookie year that he's had. So they haven't done anything going to change their lack of perimeter athleticism, they haven't improved their depth. So those are the same things that have always been major limiting factors for this team and will remain the case unless they do make a move, which I don't know. I'm not necessarily expecting at this point because they didn't do it last year and I think a lot of these same issues were playing to see last year. The one dude who I will defend is Anthony Davis because I think people are very quick to write off his success, and people are very quick to say that his start to the year was fake, and he hasn't been as good in this recent five game stretcher, So he's had a couple of clunkers. He's still averaging twenty eight to twelve on sixty two percent true shooting, and he has been far and away this team's best player on both sides of the ball. I do think he's the best that he's ever been offensively. So to me, when you consider how bad Lebron has been recently, how bad the defense around eighty has been, and it's truly been terrible, people trying to blame him or like lump him in with Lebron. That's crazy to me if you want to say, hey, I thought that eighty would be able to anchor us to at least be an average defense. Okay, I understand putting some of that on him, because we've talked about some of his motor issues, some of his issues in transition, and he hasn't maybe played up to his ability defensively. But he is the dude carrying you on both sides of the ball this year, and I don't want to really see him catching a lot of flak. And I also don't want to see JJ Reddick catching flak, which like unsurprisingly Lakers fans have immediately turned to some Lakers fans least. And that was my biggest concern with jj man as a higher I said at the time, like, this is a super smart dude, but I think it's incredibly difficult for any Lakers head coach to succeed when they have Lebron and eighty and the fan base has these unrealistic expectations and the second anything goes wrong, it's point the finger at the coach, especially for an inexperienced type coach. And I think he's done a great job as a leader, and I think he's done a great job with the x's and o's. It's just a toxic environment for a coach.

I agree. I love his passion for the game.

I agree. I love his passion for the game.

I love when Reddick comes to the presser and he's pissed the fuck off, Like that's what I want to see out of my coach. I want to see a guy that wears his heart on his sleeve, that cares, that wants to win. Most importantly, Darvin Ham look apathetic at times, you know, salute like he looked like he could. He didn't care what the outcome was. Reddick does, and that makes all the difference to me. Wrap this up my final question, do you think that is Lebron firmly outside of the top ten now?

I love when Reddick comes to the presser and he's pissed the fuck off, Like that's what I want to see out of my coach. I want to see a guy that wears his heart on his sleeve, that cares, that wants to win. Most importantly, Darvin Ham look apathetic at times, you know, salute like he looked like he could. He didn't care what the outcome was. Reddick does, and that makes all the difference to me. Wrap this up my final question, do you think that is Lebron firmly outside of the top ten now?

I would yeh probably have him outside of the top ten right now, Yeah, because I think that you have to have Katie above him, And Katie was a guy who I gave him the nod over after last season. I just think Katie has been so much better this year. I don't know what the hell you do with the Joel embiid man. I don't know. He's a super weird guy to rank. Maybe if we just ignore his existence, Lebron could get into the top ten, But then I think you still have Aunt competing. I mean, I think he's right in the mix. But whereas maybe I would have had him at eight, I think at the end of last year, now I think you're looking more at him in that sort of twelve range, and that's being optimistic. He's obviously not playing at that level right now. That's the level I think he gets to. That's the level I think if you're talking about a playoff series, where I do expect him to go more full throttle. That's Lebron that I think you'll be looking at at that point regular season. He's probably not a top fifteen player just because there are dudes who can give it there all more night after night. But with this team as flawed as they are, if you get a version of Lebron close to last year's playoffs and you'd draw the right matchup, maybe they could win a playoff series. But I definitely think that they have first round exit kind of written all over them because there's a lot of flaws with this team. Again, that great version of eighty and a superstar version of Lebron. It's very scary, but boy, they'd have to cover up a lot, and I do think you have more questions about Lebron getting to that level than ever before. Let's flip the tone here, Logan. Instead of talking about a team that's been underwhelming, let's talk about a team that has been really impressive, and that is the Memphis Grizzlies, who, despite the fact that they haven't had Jaw for half their games and they haven't had Desmond Bane for a number of their games, they're sitting here as a top three seed in the Western Conference. Who deserves the most credit for their success? Logan and do you view them as a real playoff threat?

I would yeh probably have him outside of the top ten right now, Yeah, because I think that you have to have Katie above him, And Katie was a guy who I gave him the nod over after last season. I just think Katie has been so much better this year. I don't know what the hell you do with the Joel embiid man. I don't know. He's a super weird guy to rank. Maybe if we just ignore his existence, Lebron could get into the top ten, But then I think you still have Aunt competing. I mean, I think he's right in the mix. But whereas maybe I would have had him at eight, I think at the end of last year, now I think you're looking more at him in that sort of twelve range, and that's being optimistic. He's obviously not playing at that level right now. That's the level I think he gets to. That's the level I think if you're talking about a playoff series, where I do expect him to go more full throttle. That's Lebron that I think you'll be looking at at that point regular season. He's probably not a top fifteen player just because there are dudes who can give it there all more night after night. But with this team as flawed as they are, if you get a version of Lebron close to last year's playoffs and you'd draw the right matchup, maybe they could win a playoff series. But I definitely think that they have first round exit kind of written all over them because there's a lot of flaws with this team. Again, that great version of eighty and a superstar version of Lebron. It's very scary, but boy, they'd have to cover up a lot, and I do think you have more questions about Lebron getting to that level than ever before. Let's flip the tone here, Logan. Instead of talking about a team that's been underwhelming, let's talk about a team that has been really impressive, and that is the Memphis Grizzlies, who, despite the fact that they haven't had Jaw for half their games and they haven't had Desmond Bane for a number of their games, they're sitting here as a top three seed in the Western Conference. Who deserves the most credit for their success? Logan and do you view them as a real playoff threat?

A depth deserves the most credit honestly for their success, and that's kind of been the backbone.

A depth deserves the most credit honestly for their success, and that's kind of been the backbone.

Of this team for a while. The first guy I want to shout out.

Of this team for a while. The first guy I want to shout out.

You talk about job being out, I want to give a shout out to Scottie Pippen Junior for what he's been doing in the absence of job.

You talk about job being out, I want to give a shout out to Scottie Pippen Junior for what he's been doing in the absence of job.

Wenja's on the floor.

Wenja's on the floor.

He's just a really solid rotation piece, as are Oldama, Jalen Wells, Brandon Clark. I shout over Jake, I should all over Jake la Ravia constantly, but he's actually looked I you know.

He's just a really solid rotation piece, as are Oldama, Jalen Wells, Brandon Clark. I shout over Jake, I should all over Jake la Ravia constantly, but he's actually looked I you know.

Ah, dude, I like Laavia. I don't know why you hate him so much.

Ah, dude, I like Laavia. I don't know why you hate him so much.

He's slow and white, that's why.

He's slow and white, that's why.

And you know, shoutout tech Edie too. I think Edie's been a little underwhelming, but he's effective. The backbone of this team is still what it always has been. To me, it's defense and it's rebounding. They're six in defensive rating right now, and I know they're tied for fourth and offensive rating, but to me. It's defense and rebounding the fact that this top team has so much size and can rebound the ball so well defensively and offensively creating extra possessions. This team leads the NBA in contested shots per game. Like they try really hard, you know, this is the recipe for a really good regular season basketball team. That being said, I do want to give credit to John Moran. I think Jaw has been really really good this year, and I don't think the raw volume numbers really reflect how good he's been. He's given you twenty one points per game and nine a sisper game in twenty seven minutes to night. He's given you a career high in a sisper game, and true shooting percentage and free throw rate. And again, the numbers may not like pop out at you, but I think that I don't think Jaw's control of the game has ever been better. And I also think he's just been fundamentally more unselfish. I think Jaw has just been looking to pass the ball more, if it's early, you know, creating advantages, or if just setting the offense up.

And you know, shoutout tech Edie too. I think Edie's been a little underwhelming, but he's effective. The backbone of this team is still what it always has been. To me, it's defense and it's rebounding. They're six in defensive rating right now, and I know they're tied for fourth and offensive rating, but to me. It's defense and rebounding the fact that this top team has so much size and can rebound the ball so well defensively and offensively creating extra possessions. This team leads the NBA in contested shots per game. Like they try really hard, you know, this is the recipe for a really good regular season basketball team. That being said, I do want to give credit to John Moran. I think Jaw has been really really good this year, and I don't think the raw volume numbers really reflect how good he's been. He's given you twenty one points per game and nine a sisper game in twenty seven minutes to night. He's given you a career high in a sisper game, and true shooting percentage and free throw rate. And again, the numbers may not like pop out at you, but I think that I don't think Jaw's control of the game has ever been better. And I also think he's just been fundamentally more unselfish. I think Jaw has just been looking to pass the ball more, if it's early, you know, creating advantages, or if just setting the offense up.

I don't think Jaw is.

I don't think Jaw is.

Imposing him as much, and I think it's actually been to the benefit of the offense. And he's been really really efficient this year Triple J. I thought it's been having a really good year offensively. He's ever been twenty two points per game on fifty two percent from the field. Big component of that, Right, you're getting the volume of last year when guys were hurt, but you're getting it on career efficiency, and I would attribute that to him not having to self create offense as much. And as you mentioned, Desmond Bain not only has not been available for some gays, he's been slumping while he's been out there.

Imposing him as much, and I think it's actually been to the benefit of the offense. And he's been really really efficient this year Triple J. I thought it's been having a really good year offensively. He's ever been twenty two points per game on fifty two percent from the field. Big component of that, Right, you're getting the volume of last year when guys were hurt, but you're getting it on career efficiency, and I would attribute that to him not having to self create offense as much. And as you mentioned, Desmond Bain not only has not been available for some gays, he's been slumping while he's been out there.

So I think it's really impressive.

So I think it's really impressive.

I don't feel differently about Memphis though, in a playoff setting, and the reason why is the West is gonna come down to matchups and I think Memphis is going to be a tough out. But like right now, if Memphis drew Phoenix, I would take Phoenix. I still don't think their half court offense is really taking that big of a leap. And if Desmond Bain mounts his back, that may move me. That may really move me with how good him jaw in Triple J could be. So I'll hold out hope, but I think it's gonna be matchup dependent, and I'm still scared for Memphis.

I don't feel differently about Memphis though, in a playoff setting, and the reason why is the West is gonna come down to matchups and I think Memphis is going to be a tough out. But like right now, if Memphis drew Phoenix, I would take Phoenix. I still don't think their half court offense is really taking that big of a leap. And if Desmond Bain mounts his back, that may move me. That may really move me with how good him jaw in Triple J could be. So I'll hold out hope, but I think it's gonna be matchup dependent, and I'm still scared for Memphis.

Against a quick team that I think could kill them in the mid range, like Phoenix.

Against a quick team that I think could kill them in the mid range, like Phoenix.

That being said, though Phoenix still has holes too, right Like, I think Memphis clearly has a defense and rebounding advantage there, but I don't. I still feel like Memphis could be exploitable. I like them more than I like them in preseason a lot more. I wasn't really high on Memphis in the preseason.

That being said, though Phoenix still has holes too, right Like, I think Memphis clearly has a defense and rebounding advantage there, but I don't. I still feel like Memphis could be exploitable. I like them more than I like them in preseason a lot more. I wasn't really high on Memphis in the preseason.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't feel really differently a ton right now about their playoff prospects.

I don't feel really differently a ton right now about their playoff prospects.

Do you interesting? This is easily the most I've ever liked a Memphis team. I mean, it's not even close. And I am not somebody who was ever high on Memphis in the playoffs in their earlier iterations in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two to twenty twenty three, because they just didn't have the half court offenses that you need to succeed in the playoffs. But I think that the most impressive aspect of their season has been what you're getting from Darren Jackson junior. And I'm actually going to totally disagree on the point about his efficiency being a product of not having to self create as much offense because he is still doing that and it's been without Jaw for half the year. He actually has a career low percentage of his field goals that have been assisted. This season. It's his most self created offense that we've seen as a percentage of his total offense. And he's been really efficient when he is in these situations where he's asked to create for himself. He's been a sixty seventh percentile isolation player, he's been an eightieth percentile post up player, and overall, now he's giving you twenty two plus a night on sixty three percent tre shooting. And I think that I've underrated triplej He's always been one of the most frustrating players in basketball to me, because the dude so clearly has had all the ability in the world, and you've had these stretches where the jumper is falling, and you've had these stretches where he's aggressive as a driver downhill, and then you have these stretches where he just disappears offensive and he's clunky and he's committing offensive fouls and he's passive and he's missing all his threes. This is the most consistently he's ever put it together offensively, And obviously he's also been phenomenal defensively. He's holding players seventeen percent below their average field goal percentage at the rim and is anchoring a top five defense in basketball right now. But it is that offensive improvement that stands out. And his touch has also been phenomenally He's fifty three percent in the paint outside the restricted area. Maybe that's like a little bit fluky that he's been that good from that range, because he was just forty three percent last year. But I do think his touch looks really really good right now, and he just looks more comfortable than ever handling. He looks more comfortable with the physicality of low post play and of finishing around the rim than ever before. So the dude's been the best player on both ends for a team that is top five on both ends. Obviously, Jaw's been their best offensive player when he's been on the floor, But Jaw hasn't been on the floor all that much, man, So you look at Triple J Memphis has a plus twelve net rating when he's on the court, a plus eight on off rating. I've been super impressed by him, and he's doing it at both the four and the five. And I think that that's something I really like about Memphis front court this year, is just how many combinations they can go with. Right, they can go Clark and Triple J. They can go all Dama in Triple J. They can go Triple J in Edy playing Triple J at the four alongside a really massive center, which we talked about wanting them to add to this roster. When those two share the floor Triple J and Edie, Memphis has a ninety four defensive rating and a plus nineteen net rating. But Triple J is really succeeding with all these different combinations, and that, to me is the single biggest thing for this team ceiling. It is going to hinge on what Triple J looks like offensively in a playoff series, because, as I said, in all their previous iterations, they haven't had enough shooting, they haven't had enough creation alongside Jaw. And Jaw, although he is this great playmaker and he's this great downhill guard, isn't consistently the most efficient player. Isn't somebody who can just guide a team offense on his own. Two good results in the half court in transition, he's awesome, but they've needed more half court shot making and skill alongside him, and now Triple J is bringing that. Jalen Wells is bringing that, and I think they have to keep starting him over Marcus Smart because the shooting gap is just so big and the shooting is so important to this offense. Jalen Wells is forty percent from deep. He is an incredibly willing volume three point shooter, and he's a really good perimeter defender. So you get Memphis to be an average three point shooting team, which they've been this year even with a slumping Bane, and you get them to be an average half court offense, which they've been forty seventh percentile. These are big steps up now. I still think that they're a better regular season team than a playoff team because the things that they excel at right transition offense, their depth, defensive effort night after night. These are things that tend to fare better in the regular season, are more important to racking up regular season wins than they are in the playoffs. You have to be a really good half court offense if you want to contend, but again, previously they've been bad half court offenses, and now they're solid and I like the skill around John more than I ever have, and Triple J is the biggest part of that. So if he sustains this level, then Memphis really might be the fourth best team in the West Man and I had them as my five seed before the year, but I did view them as a significantly stronger regular season team than playoff team. I haven't brought them up in those playoff conversations, but after Okase in Denver and Dallas, who I don't think I'm getting moved off of as my top three unless something major happens. I think Memphis has to be very much in that mix with the teams we've talked about with Golden State, with Phoenix, I like them more than a Minnesota right now. Honestly, I think they have a much clearer identity, and I think their depth is better as much as you would have liked Minnesota's depth coming into the year. I like Memphis. This is easily the most I've ever been moved by them.

Do you interesting? This is easily the most I've ever liked a Memphis team. I mean, it's not even close. And I am not somebody who was ever high on Memphis in the playoffs in their earlier iterations in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two to twenty twenty three, because they just didn't have the half court offenses that you need to succeed in the playoffs. But I think that the most impressive aspect of their season has been what you're getting from Darren Jackson junior. And I'm actually going to totally disagree on the point about his efficiency being a product of not having to self create as much offense because he is still doing that and it's been without Jaw for half the year. He actually has a career low percentage of his field goals that have been assisted. This season. It's his most self created offense that we've seen as a percentage of his total offense. And he's been really efficient when he is in these situations where he's asked to create for himself. He's been a sixty seventh percentile isolation player, he's been an eightieth percentile post up player, and overall, now he's giving you twenty two plus a night on sixty three percent tre shooting. And I think that I've underrated triplej He's always been one of the most frustrating players in basketball to me, because the dude so clearly has had all the ability in the world, and you've had these stretches where the jumper is falling, and you've had these stretches where he's aggressive as a driver downhill, and then you have these stretches where he just disappears offensive and he's clunky and he's committing offensive fouls and he's passive and he's missing all his threes. This is the most consistently he's ever put it together offensively, And obviously he's also been phenomenal defensively. He's holding players seventeen percent below their average field goal percentage at the rim and is anchoring a top five defense in basketball right now. But it is that offensive improvement that stands out. And his touch has also been phenomenally He's fifty three percent in the paint outside the restricted area. Maybe that's like a little bit fluky that he's been that good from that range, because he was just forty three percent last year. But I do think his touch looks really really good right now, and he just looks more comfortable than ever handling. He looks more comfortable with the physicality of low post play and of finishing around the rim than ever before. So the dude's been the best player on both ends for a team that is top five on both ends. Obviously, Jaw's been their best offensive player when he's been on the floor, But Jaw hasn't been on the floor all that much, man, So you look at Triple J Memphis has a plus twelve net rating when he's on the court, a plus eight on off rating. I've been super impressed by him, and he's doing it at both the four and the five. And I think that that's something I really like about Memphis front court this year, is just how many combinations they can go with. Right, they can go Clark and Triple J. They can go all Dama in Triple J. They can go Triple J in Edy playing Triple J at the four alongside a really massive center, which we talked about wanting them to add to this roster. When those two share the floor Triple J and Edie, Memphis has a ninety four defensive rating and a plus nineteen net rating. But Triple J is really succeeding with all these different combinations, and that, to me is the single biggest thing for this team ceiling. It is going to hinge on what Triple J looks like offensively in a playoff series, because, as I said, in all their previous iterations, they haven't had enough shooting, they haven't had enough creation alongside Jaw. And Jaw, although he is this great playmaker and he's this great downhill guard, isn't consistently the most efficient player. Isn't somebody who can just guide a team offense on his own. Two good results in the half court in transition, he's awesome, but they've needed more half court shot making and skill alongside him, and now Triple J is bringing that. Jalen Wells is bringing that, and I think they have to keep starting him over Marcus Smart because the shooting gap is just so big and the shooting is so important to this offense. Jalen Wells is forty percent from deep. He is an incredibly willing volume three point shooter, and he's a really good perimeter defender. So you get Memphis to be an average three point shooting team, which they've been this year even with a slumping Bane, and you get them to be an average half court offense, which they've been forty seventh percentile. These are big steps up now. I still think that they're a better regular season team than a playoff team because the things that they excel at right transition offense, their depth, defensive effort night after night. These are things that tend to fare better in the regular season, are more important to racking up regular season wins than they are in the playoffs. You have to be a really good half court offense if you want to contend, but again, previously they've been bad half court offenses, and now they're solid and I like the skill around John more than I ever have, and Triple J is the biggest part of that. So if he sustains this level, then Memphis really might be the fourth best team in the West Man and I had them as my five seed before the year, but I did view them as a significantly stronger regular season team than playoff team. I haven't brought them up in those playoff conversations, but after Okase in Denver and Dallas, who I don't think I'm getting moved off of as my top three unless something major happens. I think Memphis has to be very much in that mix with the teams we've talked about with Golden State, with Phoenix, I like them more than a Minnesota right now. Honestly, I think they have a much clearer identity, and I think their depth is better as much as you would have liked Minnesota's depth coming into the year. I like Memphis. This is easily the most I've ever been moved by them.

I just don't trust Triple J. Yet.

I just don't trust Triple J. Yet.

That's a big if you emphasize with if he can keep this up, I'm just gonna have to see it it's really impressive, but I don't know.

That's a big if you emphasize with if he can keep this up, I'm just gonna have to see it it's really impressive, but I don't know.

I just don't trust Triple J.

I just don't trust Triple J.

That's fair, I get it, and that's how I've felt with him for a long time. So I'm not pushing all my chips in with the Grizzlies. I'm just saying we have to start bringing them up in these conversations. I think because this is twenty games of Triple J playing at this level and last year, I.

That's fair, I get it, and that's how I've felt with him for a long time. So I'm not pushing all my chips in with the Grizzlies. I'm just saying we have to start bringing them up in these conversations. I think because this is twenty games of Triple J playing at this level and last year, I.

Just want to sorry, not to cut you up.

Just want to sorry, not to cut you up.

I just want to emphasize too, it's solely offensively, because I think Triple J's always been impactful defense yally like it's it's only to do with the offensive side of the floor.

I just want to emphasize too, it's solely offensively, because I think Triple J's always been impactful defense yally like it's it's only to do with the offensive side of the floor.

No, I totally get that. I mean, look at how he's fared in their previous postseason appearances, right, And to me, I'll always think about the series against the Lakers where you get like a game of oh my god, Triple J is doing it all, he's putting it all together, and then he's basically a disaster for the rest of that series. His playoff career, he's under sixteen a night, he's under forty percent from the field. So I understand, right, we have seen him really, really struggle with consistency. But this was the benefit of last season for him, which I think I may be undersold, is he wasn't efficient last year because he was tasked with so much more offensive responsibility with all the injuries that Grizzlies had around him, but just developing him as a self creator, asking him to do more with the ball in his hands and out of the post, I think long term was very beneficial. And I think that you're seeing that now right where even if you have questions about his consistency, which I understand, there's no question this is a significantly better offensive player than the dude we saw two years ago, the last time that Memphis was in the playoffs with hopes of doing anything. And the depth. I get it, it's not as much of a needle mover in the playoffs, but there's just so many combinations. They're so deep at every position. Group the guards with Wells and Smart and Scottie Pippen Junior and Canard and Vince Williams right, Vince Williams and Gig Jackson, who were like the newfound starf of last year for this team. They haven't even played this year. Basically, Vince played three games and then in the front court, you have Edie and you have Huff, and you have Clark, and you have La Ravia and you have Aldama and his development has been so impressive. And I think the dude who gets the most credit for all this is Taylor Jenkins, who was actually my pick for Coach of the Year before the season. There is no franchise in basketball that has just sprouted up quality basketball players more consistently over the last half decade than the Memphis Grizzlies. Their depth has consistently been excellent. Their ability to find young players and develop them into quality basketball players has been unmatched. And that's what they did last year and now this year they're really reaping the benefits of that. And they're doing it this year too, right, They're doing it with new guys who weren't on the roster last year. I just want to give them credit. Man. I think it's impressive what they're doing this season. And again, that ceiling is going to be determined by what does TRIPLEJ look like offensively. And although I've been very encouraged this year, again I'm not all the way sold. But I will say one of the great regrets of my life was when we ranked our top ten power forwards and I had Julius Randall above Mobley and Triple J, and I corrected that before the season even started. I said that it was one of the great regrets of my life. But I would just like to reiterate that and apologize to Triple J and also to of course my beloved Evan Mobley versus my loathsome Julius Randall. I don't know what the hell got into me, but just know that that is not the side I am on.

No, I totally get that. I mean, look at how he's fared in their previous postseason appearances, right, And to me, I'll always think about the series against the Lakers where you get like a game of oh my god, Triple J is doing it all, he's putting it all together, and then he's basically a disaster for the rest of that series. His playoff career, he's under sixteen a night, he's under forty percent from the field. So I understand, right, we have seen him really, really struggle with consistency. But this was the benefit of last season for him, which I think I may be undersold, is he wasn't efficient last year because he was tasked with so much more offensive responsibility with all the injuries that Grizzlies had around him, but just developing him as a self creator, asking him to do more with the ball in his hands and out of the post, I think long term was very beneficial. And I think that you're seeing that now right where even if you have questions about his consistency, which I understand, there's no question this is a significantly better offensive player than the dude we saw two years ago, the last time that Memphis was in the playoffs with hopes of doing anything. And the depth. I get it, it's not as much of a needle mover in the playoffs, but there's just so many combinations. They're so deep at every position. Group the guards with Wells and Smart and Scottie Pippen Junior and Canard and Vince Williams right, Vince Williams and Gig Jackson, who were like the newfound starf of last year for this team. They haven't even played this year. Basically, Vince played three games and then in the front court, you have Edie and you have Huff, and you have Clark, and you have La Ravia and you have Aldama and his development has been so impressive. And I think the dude who gets the most credit for all this is Taylor Jenkins, who was actually my pick for Coach of the Year before the season. There is no franchise in basketball that has just sprouted up quality basketball players more consistently over the last half decade than the Memphis Grizzlies. Their depth has consistently been excellent. Their ability to find young players and develop them into quality basketball players has been unmatched. And that's what they did last year and now this year they're really reaping the benefits of that. And they're doing it this year too, right, They're doing it with new guys who weren't on the roster last year. I just want to give them credit. Man. I think it's impressive what they're doing this season. And again, that ceiling is going to be determined by what does TRIPLEJ look like offensively. And although I've been very encouraged this year, again I'm not all the way sold. But I will say one of the great regrets of my life was when we ranked our top ten power forwards and I had Julius Randall above Mobley and Triple J, and I corrected that before the season even started. I said that it was one of the great regrets of my life. But I would just like to reiterate that and apologize to Triple J and also to of course my beloved Evan Mobley versus my loathsome Julius Randall. I don't know what the hell got into me, but just know that that is not the side I am on.

Yeah, I don't know what you.

Yeah, I don't know what you.

I think I maybe had ingested something.

I think I maybe had ingested something.

I couldn't believe that at the time.

I couldn't believe that at the time.

Man, last question, who do you think memphis fourth best player is?

Man, last question, who do you think memphis fourth best player is?

Ooh, that's a good question. I mean I think it's all dama I think so too. Yeah, I think Al Damas really like. I think he's very solid. He's a very complete basketball player, right, he rebounds well, he's engaged defensively, he is a good passer within the flow of the offense. It's capable shooter. Yeah, he smart basketball player, very complete dude. But there's a lot of quality basketball players on this team, and that is what makes them a really good regular season team. At the very least speaking, a really good regular season teams. Logan, Let's give a shout to a couple more teams who have overachieved this season. That is the Orlando Magic, who have won six straight games, who are sitting at fifteen and seven despite having only had Paolo on the floor for five games all year, and the Houston Rockets, who are fifteen and six and are now the second seed in the Western Conference. I want to talk about these two teams together because they do have so many similarities. They're young teams, they're overachieving teams. They're defensive minded teams that had really really rough stretches before they turn things around and got some really high draft picks who have become some of their pivotal players. Whose future do you like more, Logan? Do you like Orlando's or do you like Houston's.

Ooh, that's a good question. I mean I think it's all dama I think so too. Yeah, I think Al Damas really like. I think he's very solid. He's a very complete basketball player, right, he rebounds well, he's engaged defensively, he is a good passer within the flow of the offense. It's capable shooter. Yeah, he smart basketball player, very complete dude. But there's a lot of quality basketball players on this team, and that is what makes them a really good regular season team. At the very least speaking, a really good regular season teams. Logan, Let's give a shout to a couple more teams who have overachieved this season. That is the Orlando Magic, who have won six straight games, who are sitting at fifteen and seven despite having only had Paolo on the floor for five games all year, and the Houston Rockets, who are fifteen and six and are now the second seed in the Western Conference. I want to talk about these two teams together because they do have so many similarities. They're young teams, they're overachieving teams. They're defensive minded teams that had really really rough stretches before they turn things around and got some really high draft picks who have become some of their pivotal players. Whose future do you like more, Logan? Do you like Orlando's or do you like Houston's.

I like both of these teams futures, obviously from where they started, and I mean the quick turnaround, right considering that Orlando was drafting Polo number one not that long ago in the same draft, Houston took Jabari Smith Junior with the third pick, and now they're here.

I like both of these teams futures, obviously from where they started, and I mean the quick turnaround, right considering that Orlando was drafting Polo number one not that long ago in the same draft, Houston took Jabari Smith Junior with the third pick, and now they're here.

I would like to toot my own horn. I did predict these teams.

I would like to toot my own horn. I did predict these teams.

They were my sleeper teams to be really good in the regular season. I had Orlando as my two seed. I had Houston very high up. I don't know if it's going to translate to the playoffs this year for either of these teams, but it's very, very encouraging moving forward.

They were my sleeper teams to be really good in the regular season. I had Orlando as my two seed. I had Houston very high up. I don't know if it's going to translate to the playoffs this year for either of these teams, but it's very, very encouraging moving forward.

And I said to Orlando, and the only reason why is I like their.

And I said to Orlando, and the only reason why is I like their.

Offensive top two more than I like Houston's offensive top two. And Sengoon has been really good this year too, not just offensively but defensively. I think we've seen him take real steps there. But Jayalen Green has been really, really disappointing. He continues to be really disappointing. And I just trust Paolo and Franz more as my guys. Polo, I hope, I'm prayed that he comes back fully healthy, because this is the type of injury that could potentially derail a guy, you know, not just for this season, you know, maybe into the playoffs, or you just don't want to see that type of injury.

Offensive top two more than I like Houston's offensive top two. And Sengoon has been really good this year too, not just offensively but defensively. I think we've seen him take real steps there. But Jayalen Green has been really, really disappointing. He continues to be really disappointing. And I just trust Paolo and Franz more as my guys. Polo, I hope, I'm prayed that he comes back fully healthy, because this is the type of injury that could potentially derail a guy, you know, not just for this season, you know, maybe into the playoffs, or you just don't want to see that type of injury.

Sure, hope not.

Sure, hope not.

Yeah, there's just a potential there.

Yeah, there's just a potential there.

But with the level that Paolo is at when he was healthy, I mean, he's one of the building block guys that you want in the league with how he was weaponizing his physicality in getting downhill and getting to the line and playmaking like Paulo's just one.

But with the level that Paolo is at when he was healthy, I mean, he's one of the building block guys that you want in the league with how he was weaponizing his physicality in getting downhill and getting to the line and playmaking like Paulo's just one.

Of those guys, and I think Franz isn't on that level.

Of those guys, and I think Franz isn't on that level.

But I think Franz is a really really well rounded basketball player with no holes in his game. He's got great touch, right. I always saw Franz was a good shooter. I think he's a great shooter. I thought he was a good shooter last year. He has that hillatious slump that lasts into the Olympics, and that is corrected and he can just do a little bit of everything offensively, and that's why I really like him. Like I think he can compliment Polo off ball. I think he's better on ball than this role that we're seeing him in. And then both of these defenses are really solid. Houston and Orlando's both. The only thing that I think makes this interesting Carson is a Men Thompson and how great he could be. Because if you really like a Men Thompson, which I know you do, maybe that's the needle mover for you where you look in your crystal ball and you see the future, and you go, okay, well, Dylan Brooks is probably gonna get phased out, right, Fred van.