1-on-1 with Dean Wade and a Bucks Preview with Ti Windisch

Published Dec 20, 2024, 4:06 PM

Cavaliers forward Dean Wade joins Carter Rodriguez to discuss the team's culture, their hot start, and life under Kenny Atkinson before Ti Windisch joins the pod to preview Friday's tilt against the Milwaukee Bucks!

This crowd rises to uspeing what Carl slamming it?

Oh car left wing free ball perfectly the havel a block the shot at the rim, how with the left hand.

And a fowl.

Hello and welcome to the Chase Down Podcast. The Chase Doown is presented by Fubo, the official streaming partner of the Calves. Watch over three hundred and fifty channels of live sports and TV, including FanDuel Sports Network without cable. There's no cost, there's no commitment. Try for free at FuboTV dot com slash Calves Gang. The long wait is finally over. After after you know, quite a few days off, the Calves are back to a relatively normal schedule, playing tomorrow night against the Milwaukee Bucks. And we got a little bit of a special episode for you today. My dear friend Justin Rowan remains injured. He he ain't heard he's injured and he unfortunately it's not going to be here for this episode today. But I didn't come alone. I am so geeked to be able to tell you that coming up. Just as soon as I wrap up this infro, we had Dean Wade Cavaliers Forward joined the pod for twenty minutes to talk about, you know, the way the team's changed culturally, playing with Kenny Atkinson and really really excited to share that interview with you. And then after we're done with Dean, that party doesn't stop. We've got Ty Windish from the Eurostep podcast network to come on to help preview the Bucks game. Obviously the Buck's just coming off an in where it's NBA Cup win and really really excited for everything, So cannot wait and okaps Hello, I am joined by Cavaliers forward Dean Wade. Thank you so much for your time. Dean.

How you doing today? I'm good, I'm good. Thanks for having me.

So, you know, I think we got to start with the hard hitting stuff. You know, we saw that the Cavs social has been posting all of your extracurricular activities in practice as of late, you've been playing football, you've been playing soccer. Who's the best pure athlete on the team, who's shining in these innermural sessions.

That's a tough one.

That's a tough We got a lot of good athletes on our team, you know. First come to mind is Isaac Don and Sam those.

Two through a tight spiral in one of those videos. I feel like he reads as a guy who could have a cannon.

Yeah.

I think he was like an all state football player in high school. Really yeah, or he's been lying to us, so I can't tell. Well, you know, one of the two things has to be true. I got to ask you just you know, obviously it's a long season, especially the you know, it can be a grind. How valuable are you know, not not not real practices, but practices like that where you guys take that kind of time and you just do something silly and fun just just for the fun.

Of it, you know.

I mean, we played so many games and have so many days that are you know, all serious, like you know, mentally just locked in the whole time, that it's nice to have, you know, some time to kind of online, you know, relax a little bit, just you know, be ourselves, laugh, joke around. So having those you know, playing football or kickball or whatever we're doing that day, I think is super valuable for the team and you know kind of keeps everyone's spirit up for the most part.

Have you enjoyed having some off time? Obviously, start the year going seventeen of twenty eight days and it's just a sprint. It's just game after game after game. You're on the road a time, you're not getting multiple days at home at really any point. Then you go into this complete inverse stretch where it's like, man, we have a lot of time off. We're only playing two games eleven days. How did How have you guys kind of handled that? Have you enjoyed the break? Is it weird to is it hard to find a rhythm? How are you handling that?

I'd say, like the first couple of days, it was just different.

You know, we've been going so so hard for so long and not really getting too much time off that when we came back and had a couple of days off, we were just I mean, my body felt like I was missing something.

But you know, I think I think it's it's good.

You know, our bodies, let you know, let our bodies heal mentally, just kind of you know, re refeel ourselves. And those couple of days, you know, I think did us good. And I think we can get out of people can get out of rhythm when you have too long stretches. But I think we do a good job of coming in every day and you know, we don't work for too long on those those days, especially after games, but it's very intentional. We come in and get our work done and I think that's what keeps us alving rhythm. But I think the break has been good for us.

Have you found that the coaching staff like has gotten to actually like make their first adjustments in this stretch because you know, as as you mentioned, like, there's not really time to practice when you're in a sprint like that, so you have camp, you install all your stuff and you kind of you know, they set the tone, but then you kind of have the sprint. Have you felt like the coaching staff has actually gotten in to make their first like strategic changes or is it much of the status quo and you're just kind of reinforcing things.

Yeah, I think we haven't. You know, what we've done has been pretty successful so far, and I'm not sure having we're not trying to change it too drastic, but you know, when we came back and had those few days, you know, really put in new plays, put in some counters to some things that teams were taken away, and then defensively just kind of you know, certain players depending on you know, certain schemes you know, we've put in different kind of rotations and things like that on the on the defensive, INSI our strategy has been just small changes to what we are we already been doing, and so I think, you know, it's what we've been doing, like I said, has been very successful so far, and so we didn't need to change our basics. But you know, we've been making small adjustments and timing things, and I think that's really kind of put us over the top as well.

I got to ask you about the fifteen and oh start. Obviously, I mean, best start in franchise history, one of the best starts in NBA history. You know, I would say folks on this podcast were in the camp that the team was going to be very, very good and better than consensus. But I can't imagine you had fifteen and O on your bingo card. What was that like in the moment? Can you just talk about that experience?

It was awesome, it was I'm not sure what everyone else thought. I just thought, you know, we're a really good team. We're gonna be a hard team to beat. And obviously it was that we are a hard team to beat. But I'm not sure if anybody had that on their on their Bingo card either. But you know, we just came into every game. We weren't too worried about, you know, anything else outside noise or anything.

You know, we just came out and played.

And you know, I think, you know, especially when you add new coaching staff like that, you know, you expect some you know, rough patches, especially at the beginning. And to see how smooth the transition was and how well we were playing under it is under the whole new coaching staff was was great to see. And it was, man, it was a fun fifteen games. You know, winning you know cures all, is what they say, and so even your mistakes are covered up. And so the first fifteen games were you know, it was they went by so fast, you know, where there was every other day or back to back and stuff like that.

It was a but it was so fun, man, it was. It was a great stretch.

Is there a little bit of like validation that comes with star like that because you have a new staff, they're they're they're installing their you know, their their principles during that training camp during your off season. Is there a little bit of like nice nice to know that it works, that it started off that well where you know, now you kind of if you do hit a little bit of a goalie later in the year. Obviously you're not going to it's just gonna be like this the whole way through. But if you were to hit a goalie, does it kind of help to know, like, hey, we have an immediate proof of concept of like what coaches saying is gonna work, it does work.

Yeah, I think so, you know, I think it also, you know, it gives us that confidencey like you said, you know, you go through rough patches in the season, you know you kind of start to question.

Some things, maybe as a team.

But I think, you know, seeing how smooth and how how successful we were early and you know the new schemes and all that stuff, I mean it was, you know, how flawless and the smooth.

The transition was.

I think it should give everyone, you know, confidence that we're capable team to beat anybody. You know, we're we're a very good team. But I think, you know, if we go through rough stretches, which I think every team does, and the season that long, you know, they can get down on themselves maybe questions some things. I think, you know, we've seen what we can do. I don't think there's any reason to question or even you know, not have the confidence in ourselves at the time. So I think going through that stretch, especially you know, right out the gate, get us off to a hot start, you know, shows you know, especially ourselves, that we you know, we're a good team and it works.

You just got to buy in.

So anyone who listens to our podcast has heard me kind of spam this, this kind of efforism, the saying which is that you know, culture isn't really tested when things are going well. You know, a lot of times you'll see those nice pieces written about a team's culture when they've rattled off ten in a row or fifteen in a row in your case. But I always say that culture is tested when things aren't going well, you know. And this is a team that had an unprecedent amount of runback game every single rotation player came back year over year. And how much does that kind of continuity and like just the amount of reps that this group of ten twelve guys has together insulate against those kind of uh, you know, downturns.

I think it does, you know, it does a lot more than people think. You know, we did our training camp in Florida, and you know, it just forced us all to be together. And you know, we've been the same team obviously for a couple of years now, so we know everyone's very close and this is probably the closest team I've been a part of, just like friends wise, you know, conversations, there's no I mean, everyone likes everyone, which is a tough thing to get in professional sports. And you know, keeping the same team for this long and having you know, I mean DG and Don Evan j all those guys that have all those reps together. I mean, it's it's a that's that's tough to see in the NBA, Like you don't see very many teams that have that, and to see our continuity, you know, and just picking up on things that you know, you've been playing together for three four years. You kind of know what what another player is looking for, what he's gonna do and in certain situations. So just building that, you know, that that chemistry and you know, the belief in each other. I mean, it's I feel like we could go out there play a game and nobody could say anything. We'd still be you know, moving the ball, making the right plays every time. So I think, you know, having that that chemistry, it's just it's taken us along ways.

You know, it brought us through some rough times. But uh no, it's been great for us, I think.

And obviously, you know, you get more reps so the experience goes up, and get a little more confidence in each other.

Everyone gets a little better every year.

That helps too, But just being around each other, having the same the same crew as as big and it really does drag you through so the you know, the dark days of the season.

Yeah, you know, you you have that continuity obviously, and it's it's super valuable. But like you are playing appreciably different basketball year over year. You know, there's a lot of talk about pace, there's a lot of talk about different ways that the ball is being initiated. What would you kind of say is the biggest adjustment that you feel like the team's made year over year that's kind of helped you go up another notch on on the on the chain.

I definitely think it was our pace. You know, have faster we're playing, getting down and transition. You know, we got so much so many weapons that you know, an open floor are hard to stop. You know, Don d G, Carris, Isaac, you know, all those guys. I mean that's like, you know, that's like a free point for us. You know, when we get out in transition, people are so explosive and hard teams stop and transition. So I think definitely our pace. And then obviously, you know, just the year, a year more of experience under our belt, people are stronger, faster, I have more confidence in themselves. You know, obviously see what Evan's done this year. Just having that, you know, that extra strength, that extra year under his belt to really grow into the player that everyone knows he can be and is going to be. And I think that's really kind of you know, make him take that big step. Is just another year of growth, and so I would just say definitely our pace strategy wise, but I think, you know, it's hard to you know, hard not to say that, you know, another year of experience and lifting and another off season it hasn't helped us a bunch.

Yeah, internal development never is going to win you the press battle, but like it is really important for a team this young, with players mostly locked up, you know, on contracts with term and I do, I do totally. You know that was something that you know, a reason we were high on this team is continuity and the fact that everyone should be getting ten to fifteen percent better every year. Every year. Every year you mentioned the pace and everyone I talked to Kenny about this before the year, but every year everyone talks about how their pace needs to be better. How did you guys actually literally do it? Was it just a commitment thing? Was it a way you practice?

Like?

How did you do it?

I think it was definitely a commitment thing. But we always practice every day, you know, we're practicing getting out transition no matter who has a ball, especially every rebounds like DG Donn, they just fly up the court, give him as much space to work with. And just having your you know, your leaders, your your real scores being able to you know, get off the ball and just make place for other people. You know, when they run, it opens up space for everyone. And so have those two guys commit to it and really do it. I think it's really bumped our pace up. And also I think people have realized how easy it is once we do get out in transition push a pace that how much we can score and how much you know it tires the other team out and makes our lives easier on defense as well. But I think once they you know, they've seen the results the first couple of games, and you know that we're pushing the pace, We're scoring you know, thirty every night. I mean, it's it's tough not to believe in that. And I think, you know, seeing that and then practicing every day, it's kind of become a habit at this point.

Yeah, And how much of that was Kenny and how he messaged things to you and how, you know, because sometimes it's not necessarily the message is the messenger, Like how has Kenny kind of messaged that stuff in his first year at the Helm?

Here day one, Day one, He's like, we're going to push the pace.

We're going to get out any open shots, a good shot, no matter what time in the shot clock.

We're just going to get out, push the pace, and no team can stop.

You know.

Are we have such dynamic guards, you know, it doesn't make any sense to slow it up and have a half court, you know, set defense. You know, he said, get out, get easy ones, early shots, you know, and we're going to be successful and we have been and everyone's eating off of you know, when those guys get out and push the pace. You know, when Don goes he's drawing two three defenders every time, so it gives you know, everyone else, you.

Know, open shots or layups.

And you know, I think those guys just flying up the court has opened up so much for us offensively.

Yeah, I mean, and it's definitely shown. I mean, this is a team that has not scored less than one hundred all year, and it's been really really fun to watch, and it's not been without you know, some bumps and bruises. Obviously you haven't been as beat up as you were last year, which you know, knocking on wood as I say that, but you know you still you know, Maxtrews hasn't played in the game yet this year. Can you talk about the depth guys like you and Isaac being able to kind of step into that starting lineup and succeed and just kind of the depth that this team has been able to display over the course of this year.

Yeah, I think, you know, our depth is something we really lean on. You know, we've seen it, you know out the season already that you know, somebody goes down, somebody else steps up, you know, especially you know Isaac the way ISAC's been playing has been unbelievable. But I mean, I think you can go through our roster one through you know, all of them, all of us. You know, everyone can come out and make a play, and I think that's you know, we really lean on that, especially like later and you know, back to back stuff like that, our bench comes out. I truly do believe that we have one of the best benches in the league, and you know, they come out, they outscore the other teams benches, and when you do.

That, it's I mean, it's it's hard to come back from.

And so our depth is something that you know, kind of push us over the top of other teams, and I think we really rely on it and I think it's very successful for us.

How much do you think that is of just the fact that you know, at the top of the roster you've got four, you know, a tier level players that you know a lot of these teams, you know, you look at teams like Denver, you look at teams like Dallas where they have this kind of omega star at the very top of the of the pecking order, and then the team kind of has to play differently depending on you know, whether they're on the floor or not. How much is it is the fact that the depth is able to shine the fact that you can kind of have two all star level players on the floor for forty eight minutes.

Yeah, I think, you know, the way our team's built, you know, like carosel Vert would be starting on most most teams, you know what I mean. I think he's he's an unbelievable player, and he's.

Having an unbelievable season by the way.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah he is.

But you know, just having him come off the bench, I mean, he's a you can't stop him. He's so dynamic, he's he's you know, he can get you thirty points a night, any night, you know what I mean. It's our bench is so deep, and it's our I kind of think that's why our team's built around just having depth and and that that bench that comes in and really pushes. You know, maybe our starts don't have a great start to a game or something, but our bench comes in and.

And they push the pace.

We get you know, easy shots, we might you know, break ten point lead, and then you know, it gives the starters time to you know, catch a breath, come back in and push the pace again, and I think think, you know, it's tough. We're a tough team to play just because we're always pushing the pace. Our second unit comes in and you know, nothing changes. We pick up on defense, we're taking open shots, we're getting in the paint.

I think, you know, our depth is is so big for us.

And you know, you see that with other teams. You know, they got great starting five and then their their depth maybe not as as as much, and that it kind of it'll it'll end up biting them some games. And I think before us, you know, we have unbelievable starting five and then our bench is also an unbelievable bench. And uh so when you know when other teams, you know, star players get tired, you know they kind of just keep coming in waves. Babe, our bench comes in. Man, we just were flying making play stuff like that. So it's it's been very, very, very beneficial for us.

You mentioned it a couple of times during this interview, the idea that you know, we take the first open shot we get. Do you feel like in the past this team maybe had a bit of an issue with like letting up perfect shot be the enemy of a good shot and like, do you feel like you had a significant see change in terms of how you approach that this year.

Yeah, I think so.

I think, you know, a lot of it has to just do with the confidence of the you know, the player and stuff. Having the belief that you know, even if it's early in the shot clock and open shots are you know, our best shot. So I think in the past, maybe we passed that up trying to get a great shot, like you said, and it's it's kind of ended up biting us, you know, maybe turned it over taking bad shots after that, you know, into shot clock. But you know, now you know, preaching just oh, any open shot, man, anytime in the shot clock, if you're open shoot it, like, have confidence.

Everyone has confidence in you.

And I think it's it's really fun to play that way and it's it's been great for us.

Awesome man. Uh you know, what if what are your kind of goals as you get through the rest of the year. Obviously we've talked a lot about you know, team wide stuff, but you know, kind of where do you see your season shaking out as it's at its best. You know, obviously you've you've played a lot at the three so far this year with Max out. Is that where you want to keep you know, honing your skills or is it just you know, the classic role player answer. I'm going to help wherever i I'm needed.

Yeah, I mean classic role player kind of thing. I'll help wherever I'm needed. But I feel comfortable enough to play the two through the five. You know, this year, I played three, four and five all year, you know, in different games, played all three of them in the same games.

So I'm very comfortable.

You know.

It doesn't change our offense too much for me, you know, which is everything is so interchangeable, and it's so easy to play any position when you got you know, people getting in the paint, you know, making plays. All I gotta do is just stand there and hopefully you know, make my shot when I shoot it. But now my I mean me personally, I just you know, go out there.

And whatever they wherever they need me to be, I'm gonna. I'm gonna do it. It was the best of my ability.

But I think, you know the main thing for me is just focus.

On the defensive end.

Offense will follow, but defensively is where I think I can make the biggest impact. You know that, And rebounding, you know, just trying to help people, you know, cover people. Uh maybe a few mistakes here and there, cover them, but you know, just be trying to be the loudest person out there on defense, try to you know, communicate as much as I can on Devens then and offensively, man, just ket those dynamic scores that we've got space and let those guys, you know, let everyone else eat off those guys.

Really awesome, man, Well, thank you so much for popping on. We uh, you know, we've we've been appreciators of your game from AFAR for some time. So it's really nice to get to meet you and and talk to you a little bit and thank you so much and can continue to have an unbelievable season. I hope that. I hope the good times keep rolling.

Thank you, Thanks for having me, all.

Right, appreciated, Dean, Thank you all righty, thank you so much, Dean Wade. A lot of good stuff there. But as I mentioned, the party does not stop. We've got Ty Wendish of the Eurostep podcast. Now we're coming on to help preview that Bucks game. But before we do, we got to shout out our friends at Zoom. Only you can do your best work. Zoom Ai Companion can help you do the rest, like automatically taking notes, answering meeting questions, and helping you respond to your coworkers. Available at no additional call with eligible paid plans. Work happy with zoom Ai Companion. Now, Guy Windish, all right, I am joined by Ty Wendish of the euro Step podcast Network.

Ty.

How you doing? You're an NBA Cup champion.

Mary Cups Ms Carter. I'm doing incredible. I've been saying that for weeks now. Honestly, I don't think the Bucks we're gonna make it through the season whole without the fervor of the NBA Cup and watching them win it the way they did against Okase was tremendous. I'm still riding the high. I'm actually a little worried there's going to be an NBA Cup hangover next time they take the floor for a back to back this weekend.

We'll see.

But in all seriousness, really enjoying the holiday season and the NBA Cup season.

And thank you for having me on the show.

Yeah, I've said to a few friends, I think the NBA Cup I think is actually netted out in a really good place, as like a diehard NBA fan because it's one of those things where if your team makes it, it's so exciting. I feel like you probably had a lot of fun with this run and is you get some validation. But if your team doesn't make it, you can kind of just shrug and enjoy the basketball. You know, it's like all the fun if it's going well, with none of the pain. If it really doesn't go that well, yeah, you.

Get the built in cope of like I didn't want it anyway, we get eight.

Straight days off. That's the real year Cup champion.

That's going to matter so much in May that it's going to make a huge difference.

Yeah.

I've heard that from some Celtics people as well, and yeah, I think you're right. It's a win win and you get good basketball. That's the thing the NBA. You know, there's all this ast about like some of the teams playing on Christmas, who is and who isn't, And sometimes the national games just when you schedule ahead of time, you don't know what.

They're going to be.

What I really like about the Cup is you get a week of basketball with teams who are just playing well to start the season.

Right, it's going to be the good teams.

It's going to be the teams who deserve to be there getting more time in that spotlight, which I think is really cool.

Yeah, I am generally a supporter. I know it's a controversial topic, but I do think it like is landed in a pretty nice space. And I guess I'll probably, you know, before we dive too much further into the Bucks, do got to do a little bit of housekeeping. Cavs just announced today that Isicle Korro is going to be out two weeks due to a shoulder strain an ac sprain I believe it was, and two weeks and then he'll be reevaluated. So important to note basketball fans and podcast listeners, reevaluated does not mean cleared to play. It's the number one mistake. Everyone goes, oh, he's out two weeks, and then if he's not back in two weeks, everyone throws a fit. So we'll be reevaluated in two weeks. We'll see how long he's out. Obviously, he's having yet another career year the three pointer. He's forty nine from three on a career high three point volume. And to pivot it back to the Bucks, we also just lost our Dame stopper.

Oh yeah, yeah, he did well against Milwaukee in those two matchups.

When do these teams play again? Is it soon?

Oh gosh, wait a while.

I shouldn't have done that already.

So justin is the scheduled psycho of they don't play until March ninth.

That's what I did.

The division schedules are horrible this year, by the way, really weird. The Bucks are done playing Boston, so all three of those games happened already. But yeah, I think a Coros defense on Dame was a huge deal in those games where listen to one game that Dame did play, but I think he him coming along is just such a huge deal.

But this is why I don't like that.

Kind of a lot of the team matchups are bunched this year. I think that's the worst part about the Cup is the other ripples it's had on the schedule. It's been kind of a weird scheduled season thus far for the NBA. Is you know, we're not going to see a Bucks Cavs game with Max Shrews until March, and then who knows who's going to be available in that game.

We don't know if he's playing Friday. We don't know. It's not a report one way or the other unless unless you saw something. I didn't see.

No, I didn't, I did.

I just know he's coming back to right and so, you know, it would be nice if all these games were just more spread out, because you know, you get a version of the Bucks that's not really in a role yet. I think those games against the Calves funny enough the other perspective, you know, I'm sure Kavs fans were just like, oh, we just beat the Bucks twice.

This is great for the Bucks.

It was kind of like, all right, we hung in there against the team that is incredible to start the year. It came down to the final minute in both games. Those were actually, I would say, pretty encouraging losses, given some of the really rough games the Bucks had to start their season. But I know Milwaukee's March for example, it's like from March sixth to like early April, they don't have two straight days.

Off at all in that span.

So I don't know who's going to be available for the Bucks the next time these two teams play.

Of course, we don't know, you.

Know, the Calves availability by then you hope everyone will be back by then. But it would be great if just these games were a little more spread out to see the real versions of the teams, not like, oh, you caught us in a bad week, so you're going to run off two wins or three wins or whatever it may be.

Well, I think you are spot on and say that I did not leave those two games against Milwaukee, and yeah, you gave us a good punch in both those games, and there were some things that like, you know, aj Green went like ballistic in one of the games, and Dame went ballistic in the other, so so like, but there are games that you play against teams that are not doing well and they might have a star player go nuts, but you're like, but they don't got it, they don't got the juice. I didn't leave those Milwaukee games thinking Milwaukee is going to heavy lost season. It doesn't feel like they because they'd have found their foot.

One and four going in, and then the Cavs were, you know, obviously have not been they have if you guys lost four games all season.

Yet we have lost four exactly twenty.

Three exactly four, so twenty three and four versus one and four going into those games and one and six coming out of them, but losing them by three total points. And it's just crazy to look back and see how much has changed for the Bucks this season. It was Jannis who missed one of these. Yah has missed one of these. So you got Bobby Portis and Gary Trent Junior starting, like Gary trut Junior has not started after suffering an injury and kind of coming back from them. And I think Andre Jackson Junior being in the starting lineup has kind of helped change the Bucks season. Aj Green coming on more has done that. When the Bucks are relatively healthy, like Pat connonon doesn't play anymore.

So that's what I mean.

It's like these teams evolved so much over the course of the season, and it's it changes everything about him. I mean the Cavs obviously, you're continuing to grow throughout the season as well.

I think I misspoke and said Dame didn't play, yet.

I didn't want to correct.

You know, I'm still I'm still Cup hungover. You know that the Cup euphoria, it's hard to think way back to the dark times when the Bucks were one and six.

Yeah, I mean, I do think that the Bucks are kind of the counterfactual because every time a team is struggling, what you see in the uh the online discourse is that these guys who are playing stink. These bench guys who aren't playing deserve to get the minutes, And nine times out of ten those guys get minutes, and you realize why the coach wasn't playing him in the first place. It does feel like it actually has worked for Milwaukee, right, I mean, guys who just simply weren't performing, like Connaton. Trent is playing better, for sure, but he's coming off the bench, Guys like aj Green who weren't getting to play, Guys who like Andre Jackson, who were you know, maybe a ten to twelve minute game guy was getting Daylon Wright was getting a lot of minutes, Like yeah, do you think this was just a matter of like Doc just needed to move the chess pieces around till he found something that worked.

I think it's a little bit that I think that's oversimplifying it slightly. I really do think there was the play better button to a certain extent, and not just like part of it is your shots weren't going in in their start. They were frigid to start the season. Like almost everyone on the roster and since then Torrian Prince, I think it's still leading the NBA in three point percentage. Green I believe is leading the NBA and like true shooting percentage or he's right up there with like, you know, someone who only dunks, because almost all he does ever is the rees and they go in at a very high clip. So that has helped, and Trent has found his stroke. He was frigid to start the year, and I think they've just learned kind of the scheme better they you know, Doc was brought in halfway through last year, Rex Kalamian was leaving the defense. Then friend of the Cavs Greg Buckner now over the offseason was brought in to kind of now head up the defense. Kalamian is still there, and I think they did change their approach a bit defensively and just how they're using these guys. The base of like let's keep Brooke around the rim and the honest as much as possible is still there, but kind of what they're doing around that, I would say is a little different. I think it took an adjustment period. But also ajax Andre Jackson junior starting is just huge. Even though He is not a perfect offensive player, to.

Say the least.

They just need his defensive savvy and his athleticism to help them fill in the gaps around Dame and Johannison Brook.

They say about Ajax real quick is he feels like this is may maybe not a nice thing to say, but when I watched the Bucks, I feel like he's the only one who looks like his shoes are light. You know, a lot of heavy steppers on the floor. Otherwise you know, he's he kind of floats as he as he jumps and runs and like he's just got a he's he's light footed, he moves quick and like he's got burst And like, yeah, I think you're right. He's a very imperfct. He threw one of the worst thread the needle passes I've ever seen in that Cup final that Caruso picked up and I'm like, what are you doing? Brother? But with that, but with that said, he does just add a verve to what they do.

Yeah, they need him, that's for sure.

And it's it's kind of wild watching them now because he starts every game and I think he's going to start when Middleton comes back to Middleton's played four games, but when he comes back to the starting lineup, they bring him off the bench at first because when you don't play a full minutes load, otherwise the staggering gets messed up or whatever it may be. So I think Middleton's going to start for Torrian Prints and Ajax is going to be the starter, kind of locked in for the rest of the season. I think if anyone else supplanted him, it would probably be aj Green because he might be their second best kind of perimeter defender, not counting honest what he does is a little different in how they use him, but in terms of.

Like a two guard option, it's those two.

I think Jackson Junior is better and just so much more athletic that he makes a lot of sense next to Dame. But you know, he starts, he plays a lot in the first half. Sometimes you'll barely see him in the second half, like Doc will have a quick hook if he's turning.

The ball over. If he's not shooting when he's open.

They get on him about because he's actually i think still at thirty seven percent and he had a bad shooting game. But the Cup final doesn't count towards the numbers. The percentage is good. You know, it's only when he's wide open. The shot doesn't look pretty by any means, but you just with a team with an offense that's good. You just can't not be in the flow of the offense. Like if you don't take the shot, if you have that record scratch moment, you're kind of just wasting the possession.

So he's got alert.

He's don't even not turn over the ball as much, not fouled as much, which that used to be last season. He would just follow all the time. I thought it was so impressive he played all those minutes against shay Yo. Just Alexander and shay got to the line for four free throw attempts total.

In the game.

I thought that was kind of the stat that defined how well the Bucks defense did to me in that game. But I think and they're winning with defense again. It's not all Ajax, but a lot of it I think starts with him in the energy he brings, and I know that's how Giannis wants to play. So it's been so interesting watching them kind of get back to that place, even though they made like the ultimate defense for offense trade a year and a half ago. But They're still kind of relying on that defense more, which I think has made the team feel better even though the record is worse than this time last year.

Well yeah, I mean sometimes the vibes matter, you know, Like yeah, like I felt like the Cavs had a bad vibes here last year, and obviously their vibes and their record are pretty well aligned. But like, you know, I do think the vibes matter. I do think what you're actually watching matters. It does feel like Yannis in the last couple of weeks. I think Zach Loow noted this recently, Like it feels like Giannis has really taken the defensive challenge back on. He kind of is the lynch pin.

You know.

Obviously Brooke is going to do Brook things, but Giannis does kind of feel like the skeleton key that makes him be a you know, that raises the ceiling of what they're doing on that end of the floor, right Yeah.

And I think that's that is part of the Doc impact on this team too. And if people aren't aware, I mean, we joked a lot, we hated the Doc hire at first. We still joke Doc's just a content machine. I mean, sure, other coach in the association is going my throat guy called me out of context it and we hope all is well with Doc in his throat, But just a crazy thing to just throw out there, excuse were in the middle of in the middle of a press conference. But he's done a really good job and he's really won us over on the show. And I think a lot of it is he just has that gravitas with players with how long he's been in the league, and I think he is getting to them in a way that Adrian Griffin just didn't and there's more buy in and like on the defensive note, Mark Jones noted, that's it, Doc is gossipy. You're going to hear about this stuff. Mark Jones noted that Doc put the onus on the honest. I need that DP wide level defense from you again, Like that's what we need out of you to make this team work. And I just think we're seeing more buy in from you, honest and everyone else on that end. But to your question, one hundred percent, they need the Honest to not every play. Obviously he's leaving the league in scoring. You can't do it every play and when you're you know, thirty now, like you used to when you were twenty six. But just these right moments, right picking the spots and make the rotation and block or get a steal, or wrap around and get out and transition, and he has filled those gaps more and it's made the Bucks a pretty solid defense. And with moments they're really good. I think they're second in clutch defensive net rating, which is probably noisy. But when they're locked in, I think they're good. I think the problem is just maintaining that level.

Yeah, absolutely, it's it's been fun kind of seeing them rejoin that group of contenders. And to your point about the gravitas, you know, sometimes it isn't the message, it is the messenger. You know, like a lot of people are talking about how the Calves are playing with pace this year and how they're getting to their that's a lot better and like something that Justin and I have both like been pretty eager to note a lot of times, Like it's not like the coaching staff wasn't telling them not to start possessions with thirteen seconds left on the shot clock with their first you know action in the set. I don't think that's true. You know, we saw JB. Bickerstaff clapping at the guards to go, go, go, get into the set. Like you know, sometimes it is like it and it's not always fair, it's not always it's not science. It's there's an alchemy to it of like what it takes for people to kind of hear the message and why they hear it from one person versus another. It's is inexact, but it does matter in the end. You mentioned Chris Middleton, He obviously, you know, the whole kind of premise of the Bucks for a long time has been we have this triumvirate. We've got Giannis who's the the all world player, We've got Dame as the as the lead initiator guard and Chris is our is our is the guy who carries it on the wing and is our is our you know, our big shot creator. Obviously, he's been riddled with injuries for the past couple of years, didn't play in the first two matchups at the beginning of the year. How does he look? Does he look like a guy? Does he look as an approximation of his old self?

I think physically actually he does. You know.

That's the thing about Chris is the bar is pretty low in terms of like burst letticism. Yeah, like you know, it's like another man if you will one hundred percent.

But that's the thing.

He's heavy feet but big and strong, and that's what the Bucks have leaned into defensively under Doc. And that's actually why I was maybe one of the only people optimistic about the Cup game because they played Okay see really well late last year under Docs. They were just like, we're gonna put hands on you around every screen, and you know, Brooke and Giannis are going to own the paint, and we don't trust your shooters like great percentages of lou Dort. That's fine, let's see it happen in a big game when Shay is kind of in jail by Andrew Jackson Junior and it played out. But I think Chris looked well. His shot percentages are horrible. They looked to me like Chris shotts. I think that's where it might just be ross. He came back immediately hit a four point play three on Boston that was like his first shot back. But overall has not shot the ball well. I've thought his shot selection looks good. It hasn't looked very forced to me. A lot of the dribble into twos that he loves a lot of the open threes. I think he was sick for the Cup game, and he had his worst game of the season before that. But it wasn't his shooting to me, it was he was trying to force too much ball handling with Dame on the court. And that's always been kind of his weakness. I mean, we've talked about that. We've talked about that for years of like, just if you want to give it to him in a late game set, just get someone else to dribble the ball up and then you know, get it to him in his spot. Don't make him get to the spot. That's probably his biggest weakness. But I actually thought defensively he looked very promising. He's just such a smart player on both ends because so many things that help them, and he's just big.

Yeah, he looks bigger as well.

Now I think as he's aging, he's probably going to be more of a kind of four type player.

But overall, I'm optimistic. I want to see him play more games.

I'm sure we won't both in this upcoming back to back, but I just I'm not worried about the shot falling. I think Chris is going to figure it out and be knocking down shots again. He's not a guy who needs to be open.

Yeah, And something that you've talked about, I think you talked about when you did your Dunker Spot appearance when things weren't going so well, is like he also adds a little bit of playmaking, right, Like you saw so many box scores early in the year where it's you know, Dame nine assists, Yiannis seven assists and no one else with more than one. He does add just like that little bit of connective juice right that they didn't have otherwise.

Yeah, I mean he at least in a few of the games and maybe total when he was back, even though he's only playing like low twenty minutes per game he was. If not, they're leading a sister, one of them, just because he he still even though dam and the Nis have come a long way, and I think you can see it now when you watch them, their actions are a lot more cohesive. I think they've learned like not just where each other will be when they pick and roll or dho off.

Each other, but where they want to be and kind.

Of realizing, oh, if I get you the ball here instead of there, you're going to be in a much better position.

But Chris still is.

The one where you'll see him literally organize the players like he's like a like a peewee basketball coach, like Bobby, you go stand over there, Giannis is gonna come right here. Aj you get out of the way, you come in here, and it's like always a great look for you, honest, Like he always knows, okay, if we do that. We ran this play in twenty seventeen, and it's spring him loose and it's going to work.

That's the thing.

So he'll you know, he's organized some just wide open dunks for you, honest in the three games or four games since he's been back where.

You're just like that shouldn't be that easy, right.

He just sees the floor a certain way as not even like a play maker. He's a playmaker, but almost like a like he could coach man, he could be an offensive coach. He sees the floor balance really well and knows how to take advantage of it.

Yeah, just someone who and he says good passing angles too, because he's big. Yeah, you know, there's just a lot of good things playing for him. I got it, so obviously going into the year. I think we asked you to kind of, you know, tear out the East. You know, you kind of had Boston the top tier. Then you had you know, I want to say it was, you know, Milwaukee in the second tier with a bunch of people and right up there near the top. Is that kind of through through the downs of the beginning to where they are now? Are you kind of back to status quo in terms of where you expected. Has the Calves start changed that alchemy for you at all?

Yeah?

Kind of how are you seeing the East shaking out at this point?

Yeah?

I would say playoff equity, it's still got to be Boston. Then I would say next tier Calves, Bucks, and then maybe Nicks.

In that order, And then I woulds uh uh, I trust the Bucks a little bit more still even with the great start for the Calves in a playoff setting, cause I just think like the.

Way they've opened up looks even against the great defenses like okay, see with Damani, honest rolling is just ridiculous.

I think they can get just enough stops.

So I'll say, if if we're ordering the tiers, I'll say Bucks and then for sure Calves and then Nicks. Maybe even a half tier below. I'm just I don't believe in teams that don't defend well. I know their numbers are up and down. I don't believe in Brunson cat as a one to five playoff team, and then probably Orlando right up there with the Knicks, and then I don't really care after that.

Yeah, you caught some iron in our discord after saying that you'd like to play the Calves in the second round if you could.

Oh, I still was, And of course, of course.

I'm not gonna I'm not going to take that as slater. I will. I do think the Calves right now belong above the Bucks right now. I mean, they got a plus ten net rating through a third of the season. But with that said, I totally agree with you that I honestly might put those two teams Orlando kind of in limbo right now, just because we just don't know what they are. They've been super impressive despite you know, some of the worst luck that you'll ever see, so maybe that maybe they belong up there. It's just I'm gonna kind of give them an incomplete But honestly, I would put just the Calves in the Bucks alone in a tier. I would put the Calves above the Bucks because I just I would like to see it a little bit longer from Milwaukee. You know.

Yeah, that's fair.

Just a plus one point four differential in the season right now. Yeah, but like, yeah, I do think like the East, they have gotten themselves back into the conversation, you know, and that that's not nothing.

And to clarify that point, it's not that I am looking at the Calves and it's like, oh, I want to play that team, like I think they're an easy out.

It's not that. It's literally just I.

Think if you're drinking a poison, as.

Yeah, you got to pick one, and I'm gonna pick the team that I'm gonna pick the team that didn't bring back their unfair top six, that steam rolled the whole playoff race without one of the six for almost the whole time.

Like it, I'm going to pick the team that's not that team. That's it.

And I think even if you included the West, there's not many teams that I would put above Cleveland in terms of oh, I think they're a better playoff team if any like at most two at absolute most too. And I'm not even saying I would. It's not again, I'm not. I'm going to make clear I'm not disrespecting the Cavs. It's just better you got to pick one. Don't want to No, good man.

I didn't perceive any disrespect. I thought it was a pretty fair point. But I know I always have to the discord is always looking for for injustices as they show.

You know, that's the right thing to do.

That's what you're supposed to do as a fan. All right, to thank you so much for coming on. I really really appreciate having you, and you know you're one of one of our favorite guests. To come on. Go ahead, plug anything you gott just.

The pods man wherever your listeners watch this fine podcast type in Eurostat podcast Network g y R O like you honest of course, to find our Bucks coverage all season long. We just had a very fun NBA Cup episode, so check that out and then everything we do and maybe take a break around next BUCKSCZ games. Because I feel like I'm just gonna keep trash talking Cleveland. I guess that's what I do on Twitter. Yeah, that's my brand now, even though I've been to the city twice. I think it's a wonderful place.

Yeah, we love you, Ty, Thank you so much for coming on, man and good luck on Friday.

Thank you.

All right, Thank you so much to Tie Wendish for coming on. Thank you so much, Sean Wade for coming on. Thank you the listeners. If you'd like to go ahead and support this podcast, please like and subscribe on YouTube, get a step thumbs up, engage in the chat. Anything you can do will help. If you listen on audio, follow us on Spotify, on Apple, subscribe on subscribe to subscribe, help cook those books. Thank you so much for listening, and as always, go cavs

The Chase Down: A Cleveland Cavaliers Pod presented by Fubo

The Chase Down Podcast, presented by Fubo features Justin Rowan and Carter Rodriguez as they discuss 
Social links
Follow podcast
Recent clips
Browse 608 clip(s)