Lakers face Pelicans in Play-In & Mavs, Thunder threaten Nuggets out West | NBA | FIRST THINGS FIRST

First Things First
15 Apr 202421:50

Summary

TLDRThe transcript appears to be a discussion about the NBA playoffs, focusing on the Los Angeles Lakers' chances and strategies. The conversation covers various aspects such as the importance of playing against the Denver Nuggets early in the playoffs, the Lakers' performance with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the potential impact of injuries on the outcome. The participants debate whether the Lakers should aim for the longest time in the playoffs or the best chance at winning the championship. They also touch upon the performance of other teams like the New Orleans Pelicans and the Boston Celtics, and discuss the significance of matchups, the athleticism of teams, and the potential for upsets in the playoffs. The summary suggests that despite the Lakers' recent struggles, there is optimism about their chances if they can secure a win against the Pelicans and subsequently face Denver.

Takeaways

  • 🏀 The Lakers' path to the NBA championship involves getting out of the 9-10 play-in game and facing Denver as early as possible, according to the speaker.
  • đŸ€” There's a debate on whether the Lakers fans should be happy with their current playoff scenario, with different opinions on whether facing Denver is advantageous.
  • 🚀 LeBron James has been playing exceptionally well, which is seen as a key factor for the Lakers' potential success in the playoffs.
  • 🎯 The importance of rest and health for LeBron is highlighted, as his performance tends to drop in the fourth quarter when fatigued.
  • 🏆 There's a discussion about the Lakers' goals in the playoffs, whether it's to prolong their stay or to aim for the championship.
  • đŸ€·â€â™‚ïž There's skepticism about the Lakers' chances against Denver, given their recent losing streak against the Nuggets.
  • 🧐 The potential weakness of the Denver Nuggets is discussed, particularly the reliance on Jamal Murray's performance and his history of injuries.
  • 📊 Statistics are mentioned to support arguments, such as LeBron's three-point shooting percentages and the Lakers' performance against Denver.
  • 🌟 Jamal Murray's performance in the playoffs is recognized, but there's a suggestion that his outstanding performance last year may not be repeated.
  • đŸ”„ LeBron is attacking the rim more and reducing three-point attempts, which is seen as a strategic move against a team like Denver that doesn't shoot many threes.
  • ⛰ The impact of Denver's high-altitude home court advantage is considered, with speculation on how it might affect player endurance.

Q & A

  • What is the current situation of the Lakers in the play-in tournament?

    -The Lakers are locked into the play-in line and need to get out of the 9-10 disaster zone area to have a path to compete for a championship.

  • Why is it important for the Lakers to play against Denver as early as possible?

    -The belief is that if the Lakers are to make the NBA Finals, they will have to go through the Denver Nuggets, and their best chance is to face them earlier when LeBron James is rested and healthy.

  • What is the debate regarding the Lakers' goal in the playoffs?

    -There is a debate whether the Lakers' goal should be to prolong their time in the playoffs or to maximize their chances of winning the championship, as these two goals may not be aligned.

  • How has LeBron James been performing in the recent games?

    -LeBron James has been playing exceptionally well, with the only loss being when Anthony Davis couldn't play due to a concussion.

  • What is the general sentiment towards Zion Williamson after his full season performance?

    -People are happy that Zion Williamson played a full season and are optimistic about his future, although he was outplayed by LeBron in their last game.

  • What is the discussion about the potential matchup between the Lakers and the Nuggets?

    -There is a disagreement on whether the Lakers have a realistic chance of beating the Nuggets. Some believe that injuries to key players like Jamal Murray could shift the outcome.

  • What is the record of the Dallas Mavericks against the Denver Nuggets?

    -The Dallas Mavericks have a strong record against the Denver Nuggets, being 15-2 in their last 17 games, excluding the last two games of the year.

  • Why is there a belief that the Lakers could become the league favorite if they beat Denver?

    -The belief stems from the Lakers' strong performance when LeBron and AD are healthy, suggesting that overcoming the Nuggets could position them as a formidable contender in the league.

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  • What is the general consensus on the importance of Jamal Murray's health for the Nuggets' success?

    -The general consensus is that Jamal Murray's health is critical for the Nuggets' success, as he significantly improves in the playoffs and the team has struggled without him.

  • How has LeBron James' three-point shooting performance evolved this season?

    -LeBron James has improved his three-point shooting this season, making it his best three-point shooting year, which is a significant change from his previous season's performance.

  • What is the strategy suggested for LeBron James against the Nuggets?

    -The suggested strategy for LeBron James is to attack the rim relentlessly, as he has been doing, and reduce his reliance on three-pointers, especially considering Denver's defensive strength inside.

Outlines

00:00

🏀 Lakers' Playoff Strategy and Denver Matchup

The first paragraph discusses the Los Angeles Lakers' playoff mode and their fans' mixed feelings. The speaker believes the Lakers' best chance to compete for an NBA championship is to face the Denver Nuggets early, despite it being a controversial opinion. The importance of LeBron James' performance and health is highlighted, with the argument that a well-rested LeBron could be a game-changer. The paragraph also debates whether the Lakers' goal should be a long playoff run or the championship itself, suggesting that the two objectives might not align.

05:01

🌟 Zion Williamson's Progress and LeBron's Impact

The second paragraph focuses on Zion Williamson's performance and his potential to play a significant role against the Lakers. It acknowledges that while Zion has shown promise, he has not yet reached the level of playing a winning playoff game. The discussion also touches on the New Orleans Pelicans' season, the importance of Brandon Ingram's performance, and the team's chances against the Lakers. Additionally, there's a debate on whether the Lakers can overcome their losing streak against Denver, with a focus on LeBron James' current form and the Nuggets' strength.

10:02

📊 Analyzing Denver's Performance and LeBron's Shooting

The third paragraph delves into Denver's performance over the past months and their standing in the league. There's a debate about whether Denver's loss to the Spurs was a setback or a wake-up call. The paragraph also discusses LeBron James' three-point shooting performance, his potential fatigue in the fourth quarter, and how it affected the Lakers' games last season. The potential for a rematch against Denver is considered, with speculation on how LeBron's current form and health could influence the outcome.

15:04

đŸš« LeBron's Adaptation and Denver's Style of Play

The fourth paragraph examines LeBron James' adjustment in his playing style, focusing on his relentless rim attacks and reduction in three-point attempts. It contrasts the Lakers' and Denver's three-point shooting strategies and suggests that LeBron's adaptation suits the matchup. The discussion also explores the potential impact of playing in Denver's high-altitude environment on LeBron's performance and the overall series dynamics. The paragraph concludes with speculation on the Lakers' chances against Denver and the odds of different teams winning the Western Conference.

20:06

🏆 MVP Candidates and Teams' Success Against Denver

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Lakers

The Lakers refer to the Los Angeles Lakers, a professional basketball team in the NBA. In the context of the video, they are discussed in relation to their performance, potential playoff scenarios, and their chances against other teams. The conversation revolves around the team's strategy, key players like LeBron James, and their path to competing for a championship.

💡Playoffs

The playoffs in basketball refer to the elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the league champion. It is a critical phase of the season where teams compete in a series of games to progress through the brackets. In the video, the discussion focuses on various teams' chances and strategies in the upcoming playoffs, including potential match-ups and the importance of securing favorable positions in the playoff bracket.

💡LeBron James

LeBron James is a professional basketball player and one of the key players for the Los Angeles Lakers. Known for his exceptional skills and leadership on the court, LeBron's performance is often pivotal to his team's success. In the video, his recent form, health, and potential impact in the playoffs are discussed, highlighting his importance to the Lakers' championship aspirations.

💡Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team in the NBA, and they are discussed as a potential opponent for the Lakers in the playoffs. The conversation revolves around the Nuggets' performance, their key players like Jamal Murray, and their match-up against the Lakers, highlighting the strategic considerations and potential outcomes of such a series.

💡Jamal Murray

Jamal Murray is a professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets, known for his scoring ability and impact in the playoffs. In the context of the video, his potential health and performance are discussed as crucial factors for the Nuggets' success in the playoffs, especially in a potential match-up against the Lakers.

💡Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson is a professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans and is known for his physical prowess and scoring ability. In the video, his development and performance over the season are discussed, with a focus on his health and the expectations for his team's performance in the playoffs.

💡Match-ups

In basketball, match-ups refer to the strategic pairing of players against each other during games, with the aim of gaining an advantage. In the video, various match-ups are discussed in the context of the playoffs, highlighting how certain players or team styles might fare against each other and influence the outcome of games or series.

💡Bracket

The bracket in the context of basketball playoffs is a diagram or chart that shows the structure of the tournament, including the teams, their seeding, and the path they must follow to reach the championship. It is a crucial element as it determines the order of games and potential opponents. The video discusses the importance of the bracket and how teams' positions on it can affect their playoff journey.

💡Three-Point Shooting

Three-point shooting in basketball refers to the act of shooting the ball from beyond the three-point line, which is a designated area on the court that, if a successful shot is made from, awards the shooting team three points instead of the usual two. In the video, the importance of three-point shooting, especially in relation to LeBron James' performance and strategy against Denver, is discussed.

💡Altitude

Altitude in the context of the video refers to the effect of playing basketball in high-altitude locations, such as Denver, which can impact a team's performance due to reduced oxygen levels. The discussion suggests that playing in such conditions might have affected the Lakers' performance in previous games against the Nuggets and could be a factor to consider in future match-ups.

Highlights

Discussion about the Lakers' path to competing for a championship and the importance of their current situation.

The necessity of getting out of the 9-10 disaster zone and the controversial opinion of getting Denver as early as possible.

LeBron James' exceptional performance and the impact of a rested and healthy LeBron on the Lakers' chances.

The debate on whether the Lakers' goal should be the longest possible time in the playoffs or the best chance of winning the championship.

The potential benefits for the Lakers of having a playoff schedule with multiple days between games.

The importance of Zion Williamson playing a full season and public reaction to his performance.

The strategy of intentionally losing to get a more favorable seed in the playoffs and the risks involved.

The potential matchup between the Lakers and the Nuggets, and the Lakers' chances of winning.

Jamal Murray's significance to the Denver Nuggets' success in the playoffs.

LeBron James' adaptation of his game by attacking the rim more and the impact on the Lakers' performance.

The discussion on which team poses the most significant threat to the Denver Nuggets.

The analysis of the Denver Nuggets' performance by month and their recent form.

The potential impact of LeBron James' improved three-point shooting on the Lakers' playoff performance.

The importance of the Lakers' health and LeBron's foot injury in the previous playoffs.

The potential for the Los Angeles Lakers to become the league favorites if they beat the Denver Nuggets.

The discussion on the Dallas Mavericks' impressive record against Denver and their potential in a playoff series.

The closing thoughts on the show, including apologies for any unintentional disrespect to certain teams.

Transcripts

00:01

mad at me much now now you've over I I

00:04

wasn't here Friday I'm back you spend a

00:07

great weekend together true playoff mode

00:10

is here I know let's go Wilds actually

00:12

talked to us away from the was czy

00:16

grandparents who they are not happy

00:18

about sorry I was a big hit I told you

00:21

but the most important people there are

00:22

good first things first today no Wilds

00:27

they shouldn't be happy oh here we go I

00:29

mean they should be

00:31

ecstatic

00:33

euphoric

00:34

elated over the

00:37

moon how however was well done right bro

00:41

I won't do it again I just felt like I

00:43

needed it for that moment listen here's

00:45

the reality however thin and it is very

00:48

thin admittedly the Lakers path to

00:52

competing for a championship okay is it

00:56

had to start here well I mean once we

01:00

knew they were locked into the playin

01:02

line that in my opinion the two things

01:06

that needed to happen was were get out

01:09

of the 910 disaster Zone area yeah check

01:14

and and I know this is controversial to

01:16

believe but I adamantly believe it get

01:20

Denver as early as

01:22

possible and that is not because Denver

01:26

is a better matchup than other teams

01:28

would be it's not because the Lakers are

01:30

better than Denver but if it is because

01:32

we are to assume in order to make the

01:35

NBA Finals they're going to have to go

01:37

through the Denver Nuggets the only

01:40

chance they have is now it's a

01:43

reasonable rested healthy LeBron if we

01:46

can show you rolling LeBron's the last

01:49

seven he's been playing out of his mind

01:52

the the only game they lost was when ad

01:55

couldn't play because of the I think it

01:56

was a concussion I don't know if they

01:58

called it that but concussion simp and

02:00

the Warriors had the greatest shooting

02:01

night in NBA history and so I've not it

02:06

really to me Brew is about if you're a

02:09

Lakers fan are you happy is about what

02:13

your goal is is your goal the longest

02:17

possible time in the playoffs or is your

02:20

goal the best chance of winning the

02:23

championship cuz right now I don't think

02:25

those two things are aligned if your

02:28

goal is the longest possible time in the

02:29

playoffs then you want to be on the

02:31

other side of the bracket as Denver and

02:33

just like last year maybe see him in the

02:35

Conference Finals when you're exhausted

02:37

and old and get swept if your goal is

02:40

you know what what if we could win it

02:43

with four days but between the play in

02:45

in game one or five days and then

02:46

multiple days between every early game

02:49

which is only the case in in round one I

02:51

think this perfect I think this is

02:52

exactly what the Lakers fans should have

02:54

hoped for and they got it if they win

02:56

tomorrow night I'm going I'm going to

02:58

address that I know we got a next tou

03:01

we're gonna talk about the Denver Lakers

03:02

matchup so I'll address what you said

03:04

then as far as answering the question

03:07

it's all about your perspective I mean

03:09

because when you look at the fact that

03:10

just a few days ago they were the 10th

03:13

seed yeah and looking at playing Golden

03:16

State and then maybe Phoenix Road just

03:20

to get to the on the road both times

03:23

then yeah this makes you feel good

03:24

because they've owned New Orleans right

03:28

three I think they're three in one

03:31

obviously they you know played well

03:33

against yesterday and you mention LeBron

03:36

how well he's playing one thing I like

03:38

too at times he was Garden Zion so even

03:41

just taking on like big game we need

03:45

this win give me Zion and he did a good

03:48

job on him and so yeah you're excited if

03:50

you're the Lakers um considering all the

03:53

other options to be in this scenario a

03:57

lot of people Nick are talking about

03:59

they should lose and try to get to the

04:02

eighth seed obviously they've owned

04:04

Oklahoma City beating them three

04:06

straight times three out of four this

04:07

year the problem I no I am totally

04:10

against that because you can't play

04:11

around like that cuz then you get

04:13

probably Golden State or

04:16

Sacramento against you yeah in a in a

04:18

one and done you know you definitely

04:21

don't want that so I think this is a

04:23

good case SC there I don't agree and I

04:26

think we're going to get to that I don't

04:27

agree though with your take about them

04:29

playing Denver now but so just just stay

04:31

on the if they lose if they you know I

04:35

everyone at this table agrees that they

04:37

should of course do everything they can

04:39

to win tomorrow night even though it

04:41

means playing Denver whether you think

04:44

what so we all agree on that but this

04:47

can also be true because of how the

04:50

bracket fell a loss last or tomorrow

04:53

night won't feel devastating to most it

04:56

might to me because I think you want to

04:58

get Denver early but to the rest of you

05:00

know people rooting for the Lakers or

05:02

rooting for LeBron or whomever it will

05:04

be like okay the season will come down

05:05

to a game which is terrifying but then

05:08

after that then you would be on the

05:10

opposite side of Denver and exactly and

05:13

you get OKC but then it opens up the

05:15

door to your season being over in 72

05:18

hours quickly brw just on the Pelicans

05:20

Zion we're in year five never been to

05:23

the playoffs played 70 games this year

05:26

got cooked up by LeBron last game but I

05:28

think there's a little bit of like all

05:30

right ingrams missed 12 games he was

05:32

held to Ingram had 13 Zion had 12 do you

05:35

think this is sort of a moment for Zion

05:39

against the Lakers no no no I mean that

05:42

we've look honestly we were happy and I

05:45

think I speak for a lot of people we're

05:47

happy he played a full season oh my God

05:50

yeah no that's where the bar is on the

05:52

number one pick in the yes Kaitlyn Clark

05:55

it was Zion it's

05:57

like that's over I'm serious so happy

06:00

that he played he's always he baby steps

06:03

baby steps has been 5 years but he

06:05

hasn't been healthy well now he is and

06:07

look he played well and he's a nice he

06:10

handles the ball you know get into the

06:11

hole it will I mean he played well but

06:14

no 70 game next year we'll talk about

06:17

winning a series get in the playoffs he

06:20

can't play a playoff game he just lost

06:22

they could have gone to the six just

06:24

lost make the playoffs make the playoffs

06:26

beat LeBron I mean I I but if they

06:29

they're not going to beat the Lakers and

06:31

I don't think you think they're going to

06:33

beat the lers I think they're going to

06:33

win tomorrow I think they're going to

06:35

win I mean they haven't I think it's a

06:37

tough match up they working in Ingram

06:40

that's the thing I think that's what

06:41

they and the I mean yesterday they could

06:43

have been the six if they win which

06:46

would be super them being New Orleans

06:47

super useful for them and that was not I

06:50

understand it was Master Sunday there's

06:51

a lot going on maybe people were there

06:52

lot 30 G or 30 teams playing yesterday

06:54

that game was an Annihilation from day

06:56

from opening tip uh but don't you think

06:59

an Ingam thing no I listen I think that

07:01

if you're New Orleans or Minnesota this

07:03

whole incorporating your second best

07:05

player right before the postseason could

07:07

be a problem but I do want to say real

07:09

quick before we move on

07:10

Brew I will never again underestimate

07:13

the power of the bud list I put Wilds on

07:15

the bud list demanding he let the tiger

07:17

out more often I mean the first segment

07:20

of Monday show you guys

07:23

are there is a game G four go back to LA

07:30

you know what I want

07:31

bro 15 points okay well listen he he'll

07:35

give you 15 points tomorrow here Tatum

07:38

he's going to lose to LeBron James and

07:40

you're gonna kill him for that he LeBron

07:42

James was old as me yeah I'm going to

07:45

Paul George had his moment against

07:47

LeBron Tatum young Tatum had his moment

07:50

against LeBron in losses well have a

07:52

moment and win and some people have

07:55

George and the Goat conversation not

07:57

players in the league I mean all right

07:59

if the lake show do get by the frisky

08:01

pels which is no guarantee they'll head

08:04

to Denver in a scenario that Nick once

08:05

proclaimed was their best case scenario

08:08

now they've lost eight games in a row

08:09

against Denver and six in a row since

08:12

Darvin ham inferred he had seen

08:14

something in the fourth quarter of game

08:17

one of the Western Conference finals and

08:19

told the world we'll be okay trust me

08:22

six six losses since then uh Brew what

08:25

chances do the Lakers have to take out

08:27

Denver I mean no chance other than never

08:31

say never anything is possible no there

08:35

there's no I mean look the greatness of

08:37

LeBron and AD I'm doing my all NBA teams

08:40

they're both on the top three you know a

08:42

third second and third Team all NBA I'll

08:45

share I'll keep it a secret which one's

08:47

second which one's third but there there

08:50

are great players obviously but there's

08:53

really not much other than if you just

08:55

say you know LeBron this his maybe last

08:58

harah like last best chance to win a

09:01

championship or get there he's going to

09:03

take it over but he played well last

09:06

year and they got swept and he had a

09:08

Lebron game and they couldn't it

09:12

still and it wasn't enough and so

09:14

there's really no realistic logical

09:17

basketball reason to pick them here's

09:19

why I disagree with your theory Nick

09:21

yeah cuz there I get what you're saying

09:23

but I think the uh nuggets have one

09:26

weakness and I'm not it's not their

09:28

depth to me or lack of depth it's the

09:31

possibility of Jamal of Jamal Murray

09:33

getting hurt okay that's true no because

09:36

he has they cannot win the championship

09:39

they cannot win the West without Jamal

09:42

muray I mean as great as joic is Jamal

09:45

Murray is critical he always plays

09:46

better in the playoffs significantly

09:49

better and they must have it and my

09:51

thing is this Nick he's back and he's

09:54

been hot 24 points a game and like 25

09:57

minutes a game since he came back from

09:59

last five or six games I think it's five

10:02

games he's he's shooting it like 47%

10:05

from three well over 50 overall and and

10:09

obviously we don't want to see anybody

10:11

get hurt but I think the chances on the

10:14

cuz he's not been able to make it

10:15

through all the postseasons and so if he

10:17

were to get hurt it's probably later in

10:20

the playoffs versus right away and

10:22

that's why I I don't agree with that no

10:25

so that by the way that is a that is

10:28

almost assuredly correct I am operating

10:31

from the unrealistic place but the place

10:34

that I think we almost always do these

10:36

predictions of everyone's as healthy as

10:38

they are right now you know and so

10:40

that's he stays healthy so you said

10:43

there's no basketball reasons well he

10:45

said it no and you and then you was an

10:48

amen from the choir so so I would like

10:51

to

10:52

just posit a few questions sure to Mr

10:56

Denver Nugget you know for you know bro

10:59

no but you've been Mr Denver Nugget all

11:02

year yeah on your lightly followed

11:04

Twitter account you've written dozens of

11:06

times no one's beating Denver and a

11:07

seven game series wild you've been I

11:10

know you've been staying up late

11:12

watching these games because you send

11:13

that tweet the moment the game ends and

11:14

then I think you pass out immediately

11:16

after a bit of a burden yeah exactly he

11:18

just wants to send the

11:20

Tweet if you were to rank Denver by how

11:22

they've been playing by month where do

11:23

you think this last month of basketball

11:25

well they had the one they won four

11:28

their last five the one seed on the line

11:31

against a Spurs team that was not even

11:33

playing two of its five best players

11:35

they don't have a lot of great players

11:36

they're up 17 in the fourth quarter yeah

11:39

and they lost that game in a game with

11:42

real implications where the nuggets are

11:43

playing everyone slight slight hm

11:48

concern I Canad counter point yeah I

11:52

liked it why you know what I didn't like

11:54

it I loved it now we're why tell it's

12:00

wake up call a little wake up call okay

12:02

maybe Mike Malone was like guess what we

12:04

have to play defense and we have to

12:05

rebound I think they gave up eight

12:07

offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter

12:09

like guess what any team can beat you a

12:12

team with a star can come down and take

12:14

over and they took the foot off their

12:16

gas like ah you know it's the Spurs and

12:19

that so that they lost it I I was kind

12:22

of good and also Nick depending on how

12:24

far you want to go back last month last

12:26

two month they have the best record in

12:28

the league since the allstar them and

12:30

Boston 21-6 and the games Murray's

12:33

played they're 16 and3 that's a higher

12:35

win percentage than even Boston which

12:37

been running through the league so

12:39

they've been actually playing great

12:40

basball I agree with that they and the

12:43

losses you can be like that one was an

12:44

overtime to

12:46

Phoenix but this was a bad one because

12:49

they what was on the line which was the

12:51

on two which I think matter to them but

12:52

the other I'm going to give you one

12:54

other basketball reason and this is why

12:56

I think it is critical that if the

12:58

Lakers have any chance of beating Denver

13:01

that it has to happen now Brew what did

13:05

you call this Series last year a close

13:08

sweep a close sweep and it was and it

13:10

okay so I don't I've heard others call

13:11

it a gentleman sweep even gentleman

13:13

sweep is fine no I know they said

13:15

because it was so close here I'm just

13:17

like they want to give me my PR what and

13:18

you and you I think correctly ident if

13:22

I'm remembering right identified when we

13:24

were talking about the games last year

13:26

that it appeared at the end of these

13:28

games LeBron was out of gas and the

13:31

numbers support that if we can show you

13:33

LeBron last year he's rolling all

13:37

systems go quarters 1 through three and

13:40

was spent quarters in fourth quarter

13:43

okay what's the other story of LeBron

13:44

last season his worst three-point

13:47

shooting year in the regular season in

13:49

15 years and in the playoffs second

13:52

worst of his career if you remember you

13:53

were Wilds was saying give him the Ben

13:56

Simmons treatment one for

13:59

right I'm not saying he's going to keep

14:01

it up necessarily but what's the story

14:03

of LeBron this year his best three-point

14:05

shooting year and I'm going to add one

14:07

other point Jamal Murray is a great

14:09

postseason performer we all know that

14:12

what he did in those Conference Finals

14:13

and we can show it to you is aberant

14:16

even by his standards every other series

14:18

of his career he's awesome 24 five and

14:21

six on those splits last year he had the

14:25

best series of his career so the point

14:27

I'm making is this LeBron what they were

14:31

close good games until the Lakers best

14:33

player wore down in the fourth quarter I

14:35

don't think he's as likely to wear down

14:37

when it's not every other day like it is

14:39

in the Conference Finals and it's not

14:40

after two rounds of playoffs and he's

14:42

not nursing a bad foot bad foot whatever

14:44

it was he couldn't hit a three and Jamal

14:47

Murray played the series of his life now

14:49

the Counterpoint obviously is yeah and

14:51

so maybe if that's right it'll be 4-1

14:53

this time or 42 this time I get that but

14:56

I I think there are a lot of factors

14:58

that if if this ends up being the

15:01

matchup you could see it go very

15:04

similarly as last year but if LeBron is

15:07

a just a touch fresher and Jamal Murray

15:09

is just a touch less

15:11

incandescent those games turn Murray

15:14

though has had a lot of great series his

15:16

numbers are down both regular season and

15:18

playoffs cuz of early in his career the

15:20

numbers weren't as prolific I'll give

15:22

you this though as a support for what

15:24

you said about LeBron cuz he's been cold

15:26

this month from three I think he's like

15:28

30 1% something like that lession don't

15:31

41% for the season right but what you

15:34

see is and I think this is why he

15:36

shooting such a high percentage and I

15:38

think it's wise of LeBron he is

15:41

attacking the rim relentlessly he's

15:44

shooting like three three-pointers this

15:46

month a game that's low and it was four

15:48

and a half the last month in in May in

15:51

March so he's dialing down the

15:54

three-pointers and attacking the rim

15:56

more which is what I think he should do

15:59

and Denver doesn't shoot a lot of Threes

16:01

they're actually last in the league in

16:02

three-point attempts the Lakers are SEC

16:04

third to last so the fact that if

16:06

LeBron's not draining a ton of Threes

16:09

that's okay because Denver is not going

16:11

to be draining a ton of Threes either

16:13

and you he should keep attacking the rim

16:15

Josh you know what I'd like to do take

16:17

Nick's graphic and let's look at the

16:19

Denver La splits and I wonder if it's

16:22

less uh just LeBron wearing down and

16:24

more of the altitude

16:26

o once you're in that thin m it was it

16:29

was and but the other Denver and he has

16:31

to he had to play so well and hard to

16:34

just stay keep them near the nug great

16:37

four and the hit the one thing and I'm

16:40

not the there injuries it's part of

16:42

sports I get it but the one place where

16:44

LeBron's foot injury last playoffs

16:46

really showed up is it seemed like he

16:49

only had three or four hard drives to

16:52

the basket in him a game until that game

16:55

four against Denver when he just you

16:57

know emptied the clip probably last game

16:59

of the year the last month man he is

17:02

relentlessly it feels like it's the

17:04

healthiest he has been going into a

17:06

postseason since the championship year

17:09

that's all I'm saying even though I

17:10

think the Pelicans are going to win you

17:11

convince me the Lakers can get a

17:13

game okay got it I I I I don't think

17:16

it'll be a sweep this year yeah there we

17:18

go might even get two wow oh if you can

17:21

get two you get three if you can get

17:23

three it comes down to a game seven

17:25

anything can happen you're getting there

17:26

bro here the odds to win the West Denver

17:28

at one then it's the uh Thunder and the

17:31

Clippers tied at two MAV Suns wolves

17:34

Lake Show Pelicans Warriors and then

17:36

sack toown way far down there uh who's

17:39

the most dangerous threat to the Champs

17:41

Bro Look it's all about the matchups I I

17:44

mean obviously Denver is a team you feel

17:46

like can work through any of these M

17:48

challenge matchup challenges

17:51

but my team we know I picked the

17:53

Clippers to get to the Conference Finals

17:55

and we're going to talk about them a

17:57

little later but if they're healthy I

17:58

like like the Clippers if they're

18:00

healthy all right but we'll talk about

18:02

that all right but I'm going to say and

18:04

I think the Lakers look if the Lakers

18:06

somehow were to beat Denver they

18:08

immediately become I don't think just

18:11

the Western Conference favorite I think

18:13

the league favorite because I think they

18:15

would beat Boston wow Boston B I'm I'm

18:18

not look I pick Boston great if they if

18:21

they get I don't think they're getting

18:23

beating Denver but if they do you don't

18:26

think people going to be saying they're

18:27

going to win it they beat tell you this

18:30

much I will be if they beat Denver and I

18:33

just think I think they would handle

18:34

ball I really do I I I like Boston in

18:36

the East what are they one in one

18:38

against Boston this year but LeBron ad I

18:41

think but the best I'm going to go with

18:43

Minnesota because I think they and and

18:45

they gonna have their hands full with

18:47

Phoenix so I'm just saying though a

18:49

one-on-one matchup in a series I think

18:52

Minnesota with their size and you know

18:55

not just Carl Anthony towns and and

18:57

Gober now Reed is played great when

19:00

gobear was out you got that one

19:03

incredible individual superstar that can

19:05

just take over series and Anthony

19:07

Edwards and then you've got some vets

19:09

like well coach and they're a great

19:11

defensive team so in a one-on-one series

19:14

I would say Minnesota is my toughest do

19:17

you have an answer I I'm I'm a little

19:19

bit worried about the

19:21

Suns a little there is some recency a

19:24

part of that and the Superstar Factor

19:26

here's the graphic of teams that have

19:27

done well against Denver the frisky

19:30

magic I was on them you know Rockets

19:32

somehow 2 and0 uh Thunder play well

19:35

Rockets shenon of course going up

19:37

against you know there's a common

19:39

denominator in four of the five can you

19:42

pick it out tall people well what is it

19:45

young oh young and athletic young and

19:47

fast I mean that yeah the Denver's not

19:49

like incredibly athletic so this graphic

19:52

make and the fact that you're using this

19:54

graphic to support Phoenix does mean

19:56

listen good people of Oak City I

19:59

apologize that this show unintentionally

20:01

keeps really disrespecting your team

20:04

like by the way CU they're not my answer

20:05

they're not my answer either we we had a

20:08

whole MVP conversation last week and we

20:11

because brew and I agree on this that it

20:12

was a Luca yic conversation didn't even

20:15

include SGA the Oklahoma City is three-

20:17

one against Denver and is the only team

20:19

that would have home court advantage

20:20

against them in the conference and none

20:22

of us are going to say them cuz Brew

20:24

went Minnesota no I get it Brew went

20:26

Minnesota you went Phoenix and I'm going

20:29

with the right answer which is Dallas

20:31

Dallas is 15- two and it's last 17 if we

20:35

throw out the last two games of the year

20:36

they satad everybody like they the games

20:38

that mattered they were that and if

20:41

there is any player in the league that

20:44

for a series can match Nica yic it's

20:47

Luca that and we can show the their

20:50

career playoff numbers like you know

20:52

it's kind of horse of a different color

20:54

I don't think that's what the phrase is

20:56

at all but the point is um they both

20:59

have historic levels of impact in the

21:02

postseason they are both already in my

21:05

opinion great postseason players I know

21:07

Luca doesn't have the hardware to show

21:08

that yet but only Jordan has ever

21:10

averaged more points per game in a

21:12

postseason and so if you have L if Luca

21:15

could play joic to a draw you know Kyrie

21:18

could play Murray to a draw and now all

21:20

of a sudden you know it's like we've got

21:23

you know we've got Derek Lively and a

21:24

pod versus a podcaster you've got a lot

21:26

of things going on like I what I'm what

21:29

listen man put yourself out there hey

21:31

they they got to face the Clippers in

21:33

the first place the problem that's what

21:35

we're going to talk I do like Dallas

21:37

wanted to say Dallas but he has losing

21:40

in

21:41

around thanks for watching subscribe

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