Basketball Evolution | LeBron James and JJ Redick | Mind the Game

Mind the Game: Full Episodes
3 Apr 202459:48

Summary

TLDRIn this insightful episode of 'Mind the Game,' LeBron James and JJ Redick delve into the evolution of spacing in the NBA, discussing its impact on gameplay and strategies. They reflect on their personal experiences with team dynamics, the significance of role players, and the adjustments needed for success. The conversation highlights the importance of adaptability and the collective goal of winning championships, emphasizing the value of each player's contribution to the team's overall performance.

Takeaways

  • 🏀 The evolution of spacing in the NBA has significantly impacted the game, with teams focusing on spreading the floor to create more offensive opportunities.
  • 📈 The importance of role players and their contribution to the team's success cannot be overstated, as they complement the stars and often make the difference in winning championships.
  • 🤔 The term 'super team' is somewhat of a misnomer, as even with a 'big three,' a team needs well-performing role players to be truly successful.
  • 🎯 The concept of 'important' in basketball is often misconstrued, as the best player is usually the most important, but every role is crucial for the team's overall performance.
  • 🔄 The shift in Chris Bosh's role from power forward to center was a pivotal adjustment that unlocked the full potential of the Miami Heat and maximized their offensive capabilities.
  • 🚫 The term 'pressure' is frequently misused in the context of NBA players, as all players, regardless of their stature, put significant pressure on themselves to perform.
  • 📊 The growth mindset of players like Chris Bosh, who willingly adapted his game to benefit the team, is a key factor in achieving success in the league.
  • 🏆 Winning championships is the ultimate goal for NBA players, and understanding how to complement teammates' strengths and weaknesses is vital in reaching that goal.
  • 🎥 The podcast 'Mind the Game' aims to delve deeper into the intricacies of basketball, providing insights and analysis that go beyond the surface-level discourse.
  • 💡 The importance of discipline in shooting and decision-making is highlighted, as it can significantly impact a player's effectiveness and the team's offensive flow.
  • 🌟 The ability to adapt and evolve one's game, as demonstrated by players like LeBron James and Chris Bosh, is a testament to their basketball IQ and commitment to team success.

Q & A

  • What is the significance of the term 'floppy' in the context of the basketball play discussed in the script?

    -In the context of the basketball play discussed, 'floppy' refers to a catch and shoot play. It's a simple play where there are two bigs on either side of the lane, the point guard has the ball at the top, and the two wing players are underneath the basket. The shooter can come out from either side, make a play, and shoot.

  • What is the role of the big player like Chris Webber or Vlade Divac in the Corner Splits play?

    -In the Corner Splits play, the big player like Chris Webber or Vlade Divac is positioned in the vicinity of the elbow or high post area. They are involved in split action, which is when two offensive players screen for each other off the ball. They can cut, curl, set a back screen, or a rip screen, creating various offensive options.

  • How did the concept of spacing in the NBA evolve during LeBron James and JJ Redick's careers?

    -The concept of spacing in the NBA evolved significantly during LeBron James and JJ Redick's careers. Initially, teams used two bigs and played more traditional styles. Over time, the league shifted towards more spacing, with all five players spread across the perimeter, leading to the adoption of strategies like spread pick and roll and five out. This change was influenced by teams like the Phoenix Suns and later, the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors, which emphasized shooting and movement to create space on the court.

  • What is the term 'short roll' in basketball and its significance?

    -The 'short roll' in basketball refers to the area between the restricted area and the three-point line. It is significant because when the ball is brought into this area, it forces a reaction from the defense. Big men often short roll to either shoot a floater, make a pass to a cutter, or spray out to a man for a three-pointer, making them an integral part of the offensive strategy.

  • How does the 'slot cut' work in basketball and why is it effective?

    -The 'slot cut' is a timed cut made by a player from the slot area (high quadrant or wing) to receive the ball. It is effective because it allows the player to get open for a pass in a position that is difficult for the defense to cover, especially when combined with other actions like pick and roll or dribble penetration.

  • What was the impact of Chris Bosh's move to the power forward ('the five') position in the Miami Heat?

    -Chris Bosh's move to the power forward ('the five') position in the Miami Heat was transformative for the team. It allowed for better spacing on the court and enabled Bosh to become a threat from the corner three-point line, forcing opposing bigs to leave the paint. This change unlocked the offense for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, as it created more room for them to operate and made the team more dynamic overall.

  • How did the addition of Ray Allen and Mike Miller to the Miami Heat affect the team's spacing?

    -The addition of Ray Allen and Mike Miller to the Miami Heat enhanced the team's spacing. Both players were known for their shooting abilities, which meant that defenders had to follow them out to the three-point line, creating more space in the paint and allowing for better ball movement and offensive execution.

  • What is the significance of the 'Mac Truck Lane' strategy implemented by the Miami Heat?

    -The 'Mac Truck Lane' strategy was a specific rule implemented by the Miami Heat during training camp, prohibiting big men from running between the lanes from the first day of camp until game one. This strategy was designed to encourage perimeter play and spacing, as well as to force big men to improve their rebounding and passing skills, which were crucial for the team's offensive system.

  • How did the concept of 'five out' or 'delay' revolutionize the NBA?

    -The concept of 'five out' or 'delay' revolutionized the NBA by changing the traditional offensive approach. Instead of two players running to the blocks, teams now spread out with all five players outside the three-point line. This forced defenses to cover more ground and made it harder for them to help on defense, leading to more open shots and a faster-paced game.

  • What is the importance of role players in the success of a 'super team'?

    -Role players are crucial for the success of a 'super team'. While star players may attract the most attention, it is the role players who complement the stars and fill specific roles that often determine a team's ability to win championships. They contribute in various ways, such as defense, rebounding, and shooting, which are essential for a well-rounded and successful team.

  • How did the discourse around 'pressure' and 'importance' in the NBA affect the players' mindset?

    -The discourse around 'pressure' and 'importance' in the NBA can shape players' mindset in various ways. Players often put immense pressure on themselves to perform at a high level, and the perception of who is the most important player can influence team dynamics. However, it's understood that every player has a role and contributes to the team's success, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collective effort over individual accolades.

Outlines

00:00

🏀 Introduction and Conversation on Basketball Evolution

The paragraph discusses the evolution of basketball strategies, particularly focusing on spacing in the NBA during the careers of LeBron James and JJ Redick. They delve into past and present strategies such as 'floppy', 'Corner splits', and 'Spread pick and roll', highlighting the changes in gameplay over the years. The conversation also touches on the absence of animation and whiteboards in their current setup, and reviews key basketball concepts from a previous episode.

05:01

🎥 Discussion on Modern NBA Strategies

This section continues the conversation on basketball strategies, with a focus on 'five out' and 'delay' concepts in modern NBA gameplay. The speakers discuss the importance of these strategies and how they have become a staple in today's NBA. They also explain the 'short role' and 'slot cut', emphasizing their significance in contemporary basketball and how they have influenced the way the game is played.

10:01

🤔 Reflecting on Player Potential and Mentorship

The speakers share their insights on identifying potential in young basketball players. They discuss the markers that indicate a player's likelihood of success in the league, such as discipline, work ethic, and the ability to absorb knowledge. The conversation also includes personal anecdotes about their own experiences with coaches and the impact of high school basketball on their careers.

15:03

📚 Learnings from High School Basketball

In this segment, the discussion revolves around the lessons learned from high school basketball and how those experiences translated into their later careers. The speakers talk about the importance of fear and respect for the game, the value of hard work, and the impact of strict coaching on their development as players.

20:04

🌟 Transition from High School to NBA

The speakers compare their transitions from high school to the NBA, discussing the differences in gameplay and the adjustments they had to make. They touch on the challenges of adapting to the physicality and speed of the NBA, as well as the mental shift from a structured high school environment to the professional league. The conversation also includes reflections on their early experiences in the NBA and how they adapted to new positions.

25:04

🏀 Spacing and Strategic Changes in the NBA

This paragraph delves into the changes in spacing and team strategies in the NBA, attributing the shift to influential coaches like Stan Van Gundy. The speakers discuss the impact of having players who can shoot from the perimeter and how it forces defenses to make tough decisions. They also reflect on their experiences playing against different teams and strategies, highlighting the evolution of offensive and defensive play.

30:04

🥇 The Impact of Complementary Players

The speakers emphasize the importance of complementary players in a team's success. They argue that while star players are crucial, it's the role players who truly make a team a 'super team'. The conversation includes personal experiences from their time in Miami and Cleveland, discussing how adding the right role players significantly improved their teams' performances and chances of winning championships.

35:07

🎥 Final Thoughts and Podcast Subscription Encouragement

In the concluding segment, the speakers wrap up their discussion with final thoughts on the importance of a well-rounded team and the role of basketball IQ. They express their passion for the sport and the value of discussing basketball strategy. The speaker also encourages listeners to subscribe to their podcast, 'Mind the Game', and thanks them for their support.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Spacing

In basketball, spacing refers to the strategic positioning of players on the court to optimize offensive opportunities and create open shots. The video discusses the evolution of spacing in the NBA, emphasizing its importance in modern basketball. For instance, Stan Van Gundy's coaching and the addition of players like Rashard Lewis to the Orlando Magic significantly changed the team's spacing strategy, leading to a more effective offense.

💡Corner Splits

Corner splits is an offensive basketball play where the players utilize the corner areas of the court to create scoring opportunities. It involves a high post player passing to a corner player, often leading to a shot or further offensive action. The concept is highlighted in the video as a strategic element that has evolved over time, with teams like the Sacramento Kings using it effectively.

💡Pick and Roll

The pick and roll is a fundamental basketball play in which an offensive player sets a screen (or 'pick') for a teammate with the ball, who then drives towards the basket. The screener can then 'roll' towards the hoop or pop out for a potential shot. The video emphasizes the importance of spacing in executing effective pick and roll plays, and how it has become a staple in modern NBA offenses.

💡Short Roll

The short roll in basketball is a specific type of pick and roll where the screener moves to an area between the three-point line and the restricted area after setting the screen. This action forces the defense to react, creating scoring opportunities for the offensive team. The video highlights the short roll as a critical concept in contemporary NBA offenses, where big men often use it to make plays.

💡Slot Cut

A slot cut in basketball is a timed offensive move where a player makes a cut from the high quadrant (or 'slot') area of the court to receive a pass, often in the context of a pick and roll. This cut is designed to exploit gaps in the defense and create scoring opportunities. The video emphasizes the importance of precise timing and reading defensive reactions in executing a successful slot cut.

💡Five Out

Five out is a basketball strategy where all five players on the offensive team are positioned outside the three-point line. This tactic spreads the defense and creates space for ball handlers to drive to the basket or set up plays. The video discusses how the evolution of the five out strategy has revolutionized the way teams play, with the Miami Heat and Chris Bosh being cited as a key example of its successful implementation.

💡Super Team

A super team in basketball refers to a team composed of multiple star players who have come together to form a dominant squad. The term often implies that such a team should be successful due to the sheer talent of its players. However, the video emphasizes that even with star players, a team must have complementary role players to be truly successful.

💡Basketball IQ

Basketball IQ refers to a player's understanding of the game, including strategy, tactics, and the ability to make smart decisions on the court. High basketball IQ is crucial for players to effectively execute plays and contribute to their team's success. The video highlights the importance of players like Chris Bosh, who demonstrated high basketball IQ by adapting his game to benefit his team.

💡Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that one's abilities and skills can be developed through dedication and hard work. In the context of the video, it refers to players who are willing to learn, adapt, and improve their game to contribute to their team's success. The video emphasizes the importance of this mindset for players to continuously evolve and reach their full potential.

💡Role Players

Role players in basketball are individuals who play significant roles within the team but may not be the primary stars or leading scorers. They contribute to the team's success by fulfilling specific functions or responsibilities, such as defense, rebounding, or shooting. The video stresses the importance of these players in a team's success, as they complement the stars and contribute to the overall performance.

Highlights

The evolution of spacing in the NBA is discussed, with the speakers noting changes from traditional two-big formations to more spaced-out lineups featuring five players outside the three-point line.

LeBron James shares his experience of playing with the Miami Heat and the strategic adjustments they had to make, particularly focusing on Chris Bosh's role and the importance of his ability to adapt.

The concept of 'slot cut' is explained, which is a strategic move used in basketball to create space and opportunities for scoring, highlighting its significance in modern NBA gameplay.

The conversation touches on the importance of role players and how they complement the stars in a team, emphasizing that a successful team dynamic isn't just about having multiple star players.

The speakers discuss the impact of the 'super team' concept in the NBA and how it's not just about堆积顶尖球员 but also about the strategic integration of role players to maximize the team's potential.

LeBron James reflects on his early career, the challenges he faced, and how he had to adjust his game, particularly noting the difference in season length and intensity between high school and the NBA.

The speakers delve into the importance of having a growth mindset in basketball, exemplified by Chris Bosh's willingness to change his game to benefit the team.

The conversation highlights the influence of coaching and player development, especially in shaping young talents and their approach to the game.

The speakers discuss the strategic use of the 'short roll' in basketball, which is a move used to create space and draw reactions from the defense, allowing for various offensive options.

The concept of 'five out delay' is introduced, explaining its role in modern basketball strategy and how it has become a fundamental part of team playbooks.

LeBron James talks about his experience of watching his son's games and how it influences his own approach to basketball, showing the cyclical nature of learning and adapting in the sport.

The speakers discuss the impact of the 'pick and roll' in basketball, highlighting its evolution and the various offensive strategies that can be employed using this fundamental play.

The conversation explores the idea of 'corner splits', a specific offensive strategy that involves precise movements and coordination between players to exploit defensive weaknesses.

The speakers reflect on the importance of discipline and consistency in shooting, noting the difference between athletes who can consistently make shots and those who struggle with their shooting mechanics.

The speakers discuss the challenges of guarding spread pick and roll, a common offensive strategy in the NBA, and the decisions that defenders have to make when facing such plays.

The conversation touches on the influence of analytics and data in modern basketball, with the speakers noting how it has changed the way teams approach player evaluation and game strategy.

Transcripts

00:00

I mean I don't know if it was

00:01

intentional I had so many people like

00:02

whne people text me oh yeah me too DM me

00:05

be like couldn't quite make out I knew I

00:07

knew you were drinking the one rouso

00:09

what was the other one or yeah someone

00:11

called me last uh episode one say said

00:13

he's not he's not going to waste a drop

00:15

of that wine but I pour juice up when I

00:17

oh so I didn't know you want another

00:18

glass I pour juice up and we were

00:20

talking in mid conversation I wiped the

00:22

bottle and like lick my finger it was oh

00:24

yeah he's not wasting a drop with

00:28

that

00:42

welcome back to mind the game with

00:44

LeBron James and me JJ reic this is

00:48

episode three we're going to be talking

00:50

a little bit about the evolution of

00:53

spacing in the NBA during both LeBron's

00:57

career and my career we're also going to

00:59

be talking about the evolution of

01:01

certain positions certain Cuts it's

01:04

going to be a great episode um no we

01:07

have not upgraded to animation no we

01:10

don't have a whiteboard yet the

01:12

Whiteboard was sent to Los Angeles I'm

01:14

recording this in Brooklyn so you're

01:17

stuck with the paper guys a few key

01:20

Concepts I just want to review before we

01:22

get to our conversation just as a review

01:26

from episode one floppy is a catch and

01:29

shoot play

01:30

uh it's very

01:31

simple on either side of the lane

01:34

there's two bigs the point guard has the

01:35

ball up top and the two Wing players are

01:38

underneath the basket the shooter can

01:40

come out either side make a play in the

01:44

context of this

01:46

conversation it's funny because LeBron

01:48

James never runs floppy so in this

01:51

episode we talk about Corner splits

01:53

think the Sacramento Kings with Chris

01:56

Weber and Vlad devach as the passers

01:59

Mike Biby Pia Bobby Jackson Doug

02:02

Christie those guys as the shooters and

02:05

Cutters more recent example uh was Rick

02:08

Adelman when he was in Minnesota in the

02:11

mid

02:12

2010s Kevin Love Kevin Martin Ricky

02:15

Rubio that's what these guys ran a lot

02:18

of corner splits is very simple by the

02:20

way by the way I

02:23

apologize uh a number of people have

02:25

pointed out that the defensive players

02:27

are supposed to be the x's and the

02:30

offensive players are supposed to be the

02:32

Yo's here's the thing I've only had one

02:34

coaching job in my life that is coaching

02:37

8 n and 10 year olds now when you coach

02:40

eight nine and 10 year olds it can be

02:42

very confusing to have X's and O's on

02:46

the court so I decided to draw X's

02:49

because they all thought the O looked

02:50

like a basketball and that confused them

02:53

so for me I draw my offensive players as

02:55

X's all right corner split there is a

02:58

wing player in a corner the ball handler

03:01

brings it up aside in this case we're

03:03

going to bring it up the left side and

03:05

the big I.E Vlad devot Kevin Love Chris

03:09

Weber is somewhere in the vicinity of

03:12

the elbow or high post area uh you can

03:15

occupy the weak side in a number of ways

03:17

have a guy in the corner have a guy high

03:19

you can have a guy in the corner or have

03:21

a guy in the dunker spot because I don't

03:23

love the dunker spot we'll put the other

03:26

guy in the high quadron point guard

03:28

brings it up he would hit the big Chris

03:32

Weber VL debot at the high post he then

03:35

goes into split action as a reminder

03:38

split action is just when two offensive

03:40

players go to screen for each other off

03:43

the ball and again they can cut they can

03:45

curl they can set a back screen or a rip

03:48

screen a rip screen is the same thing as

03:50

a back screen often times again the

03:52

meaning is in the word if I was to say

03:54

I'm going to go set a back screen for

03:56

you where would I screen your defense

04:00

I would screen his back that's the same

04:02

thing as a rip screen so in this case

04:05

this is Paia this is Mike Biby uh Mike

04:09

BBY can go set a down screen for Paia

04:12

Paia has a number of options here he can

04:14

curl to the basket he can back cut he

04:19

can chase the basketball he can come for

04:22

a dribble handoff uh in this case let's

04:24

say Mike Biby sets a great screen page

04:26

it just comes off FL hits him he hits a

04:29

wide open jump that's Corner splits all

04:32

right spread pick and

04:33

roll all that means is there's nobody in

04:36

the dunker spot there's nobody in the

04:38

paint all five players are spread across

04:41

the perimeter um depending on where the

04:45

pick and roll is located let's say it is

04:47

up top the ball handler here you have a

04:49

guy in each Corner um this is a

04:51

right-handed player so we want to go to

04:53

the single side so we'll put this this

04:56

guy in the high quadrant and then the

04:58

screener would then come set a pick and

05:00

roll again everyone is spread out nobody

05:03

is inside the paint the opposite of this

05:04

of course uh would be let's say this guy

05:07

will eliminate him and put him in the

05:10

dunker spot that is no longer a spread

05:13

pick and roll that's just a pick and

05:14

roll five out delay uh again the meaning

05:19

is in the word five out five outside of

05:22

the three-point line five out this is I

05:26

think one of the biggest revolutions EV

05:29

ution in today's

05:31

NBA no longer see two people run to

05:36

either block as you did for a long time

05:40

in the NBA you still see it some in

05:43

college you certainly see it some in

05:45

high school five out is how most NBA

05:48

teams play it's not necessarily a play

05:53

as it is a set in a concept so for the

05:56

purposes of this let's say it's off a

05:58

miss everybody sort of run you get two

06:01

guys in the corner one guy on the wing

06:03

ball handler bringing it up and then the

06:05

trail guy who got the rebound or who

06:07

took it out is running down the center

06:09

of the floor okay within that you can

06:12

get to a number of options you can play

06:14

a step up pick and roll here you can run

06:17

a stagger screen away stagger screen

06:20

again it's in the word two players a

06:22

stagger one screen two screen uh you can

06:26

run away action away action again

06:28

meaning is in the word you go away from

06:30

the basketball you screen away like this

06:34

boom that's DeAndre Jordan screening for

06:37

me that's Brook Lopez screening for Kyle

06:39

corver that's just a way action a lot of

06:43

teams will hit the fivan though at the

06:47

top and then they will get into split

06:53

action delay is just another name for

06:56

five out again because I've got a white

06:59

piece of paper not a whiteboard I can't

07:01

go over every single option out of this

07:04

but this is the essential idea of five

07:08

out or delay okay the short role this is

07:11

one of the most important Concepts in

07:13

today's NBA uh it's a big part of this

07:16

conversation as well uh let's just go

07:18

back to that spread pick and roll okay

07:20

so within that spread pick and roll the

07:23

fan is going to set a screen for the

07:26

ball handler to get to his right hand

07:29

okay okay and let's say the help side is

07:33

here

07:35

here strong

07:37

side strong side all side is there the

07:43

big is up in the pick and roll and the

07:47

guards and the and the defender of the

07:50

point guard is right there as this guy

07:54

comes

07:55

off they put two on the ball the short

07:58

roll

08:00

is essentially the area between call it

08:04

the restricted area and the three-point

08:07

line so at any point in time if you get

08:10

the ball to the fivan in this area that

08:14

forces a reaction from the defense now

08:16

this guy almost always will pull over as

08:19

the low man he's the lowest guy on the

08:22

floor he's the low man that's his

08:23

responsibility to protect the rim this

08:26

guy as we discuss sometimes will drop

08:30

here and he will essentially have

08:33

responsibility on these two guys once

08:35

the ball is in this area this is the

08:37

short roll area anywhere again between

08:40

restricted and the three-point line the

08:43

short roll area is where today's big man

08:47

makes plays a lot of guys are not

08:49

shooting necessarily right here they're

08:51

not short rolling to shoot this shot

08:54

they are short rolling to either shoot a

08:56

floater haa yic to May

09:00

this cut this P pass to this cutter or

09:03

to spray out to this man for a three

09:07

that's the short Roll Another concept we

09:09

talk about is the slot cut just to be

09:12

clear here the slot is another word for

09:14

the high quadrant it's another word for

09:17

the wing uh in a spread pick and roll

09:20

the slot is considered the guy on the

09:22

wing you have the corner the corner and

09:24

the two people in pick and roll so this

09:26

would be the slot right here the slot

09:29

cut is simply a timed cut let's say the

09:33

ball handler turns the corner the big

09:35

rolls the defense reacts it's a Time cut

09:38

out of this slot to get the ball in this

09:42

area paint Rim whatever go dunk the

09:45

basketball now you can also let's say

09:48

you're posting the ball

09:49

here you can have a slot cut out of the

09:52

post a slot cut is just a cut from the

09:54

slot

09:55

area thank you guys again for watching

09:58

for listen listening LeBron and I have

10:01

really enjoyed recording these episodes

10:03

talking basketball and I hope you guys

10:06

have learned something and enjoyed it as

10:08

well appreciate you this is episode

10:10

three of mind the game

10:19

Evolution Cheers Cheers very much enjoy

10:23

the first episode absolutely I'm going

10:25

to ask you a question and I we can edit

10:27

this out if need be this is just I I

10:29

just want to get the conversation

10:30

started this way that's great because we

10:31

were just talking about young

10:34

guys and I felt towards the end of my

10:38

career once I had figured the league out

10:41

and I again figured the league out

10:42

meaning like I had a job you know what I

10:45

mean not like I'm an Allstar um but once

10:48

I figured the league out I felt like I

10:51

could tell within two or three days of

10:54

being around a young guy whether he was

10:56

going to be all right in the league yeah

10:58

do you have that too do you sense that

11:01

yeah absolutely what are the markers for

11:03

you where you say this guy's this guy's

11:05

going to be

11:06

good um coaches and Veterans being able

11:11

to get on

11:13

them and there's no snickering there's

11:18

no back talk there's

11:21

no n all of that it's just almost they

11:25

almost look

11:28

like

11:30

just keep on coming with it because I

11:31

want to see if how much I can I want to

11:33

see how much just keep on keep on

11:35

because I'm absorbing

11:38

everything that's when you know like oh

11:41

he's he's going to be in this league for

11:43

for a long

11:45

time one of the things that I always

11:47

noticed was

11:48

um and I wasn't perfect perfect at this

11:52

when I was like a rookie

11:55

especially there there's an element of

11:58

fear me meaning once we step on the

12:00

court I'm not scared but there's an

12:03

element of fear like I I need to be in

12:06

the training room on time yeah yeah I

12:09

need to do all the lifts yeah that my

12:11

strength coach is telling me to do if my

12:13

PD guy Player Development guy my PD guys

12:16

telling me to be on the court at 10

12:17

o'clock for an 11 o'clock practice that

12:18

guy's there at 9:55 ready to go sure

12:21

it's it's it's like the small stuff yeah

12:24

it's a small stuff it is a small stuff

12:26

uh we are recording this on

12:30

Thursday opening day of the NCAA

12:32

tournament official opening day I do not

12:34

count the play in yeah I don't I don't

12:35

count the play in not because not

12:36

because I've been in the play in a

12:38

couple times now as an NBA player but I

12:39

do not count a play in I don't get it's

12:42

like it's not official because you're

12:44

still playing into the tournament yeah

12:46

um and your high school coach just got a

12:48

big win about an hour ago yes he did

12:51

what what did you learn from

12:53

him oh my

12:55

goodness

12:57

um I think the number one thing that I

13:00

learned from him right

13:02

away

13:04

is how

13:06

to not only approach the

13:09

game but also how to think the game and

13:12

also play at a level that

13:15

was a lot harder and determined than the

13:21

a tournaments that I was playing in

13:23

beforehand um I got to coach Dan br

13:29

my ninth grade year so My First Year at

13:31

high school first of all back to the

13:33

fear

13:34

thing when you go from middle school to

13:36

high school you all already terrified of

13:39

what lies ahead you don't know what to

13:41

expect you know obviously you know in

13:43

Ohio you have six seventh and eth and

13:45

middle school so you have that feeling

13:47

coming out of Elementary going to the

13:48

Middle School from the fifth to sixth

13:49

grade you have that fear older people in

13:52

in the schools and how is it going to

13:54

affect you and things of that nature and

13:55

then you go to the high school and you

13:57

see you know kids with beards and you

14:00

know teachers they just look so much

14:03

more massive you you know and um and I'm

14:07

going to a a coach that is a former

14:11

college basketball coach and you hear

14:14

the stories I mean you know firsthand

14:16

probably or maybe you don't because

14:18

you're great you maybe had have to do

14:20

everything but you know I heard you know

14:23

the stories of like you know 500 am

14:25

wakeups to go run the mile or you know

14:29

this was your high school coach this is

14:32

my high school coach this is my high

14:34

school coach this is my high school

14:35

coach you hear the stories of like you

14:38

know one mistake everyone's going to run

14:41

until the coach gets tired and in my

14:44

head I'm like how in the hell does a

14:46

coach get tired if he's not running so

14:48

you like terrified of all of this you

14:51

know so the one thing back to your

14:53

question that I learned from coach D is

14:56

that um we're going to practice

14:58

Perfection every single day day every

15:00

single day he always used to tell us the

15:03

game uh the practices are going to be

15:05

way freaking harder than the

15:07

Gams and you don't understand that every

15:10

time the coach say get on the

15:11

line that's a universal that's a

15:14

universal word right there or or

15:16

Universal term right there get on the

15:17

line you know that's the last thing you

15:19

want to hear as a basketball player to

15:20

get on the line but he was um he was

15:24

super strict he was super demanding he

15:28

would get in your face call you out of

15:29

your name there were kids whose parents

15:32

used to come to

15:33

practice that he would call them out of

15:35

their names right in front of their

15:37

parents my sophomore

15:40

year my freshman year we win the state

15:43

championship we go 27

15:45

and0 I was MVP of of the

15:49

tournament uh obviously Maverick was our

15:51

captain um my freshman

15:54

year my sophomore year the first

15:57

practice I was

16:00

uh came in as projected number one

16:02

player in the state of Ohio I was

16:04

projected to be All-American as a

16:06

sophomore projected to be Mr basketball

16:09

as a sophomore which had never been done

16:11

in Ohio High School uh

16:14

history and the first practice we had

16:17

our sophomore year after the winning

16:18

state championship I did absolutely

16:19

nothing wrong coming out of football he

16:22

kicked me out of

16:23

practice he kicked me out of practice I

16:26

had no idea why the [ __ ] he kicked me

16:28

out of practice

16:30

and I think he was just setting the tone

16:31

for the season yeah like wherever the

16:34

[ __ ] or wherever you think you

16:36

are yeah I've heard all of this stuff

16:39

about how great you are and things that

16:40

nope I'mma humble your ass right now it

16:43

kicked me out of practice in the last

16:45

thing he said to me when he kick him out

16:46

of practice first day practice he said

16:48

best sophomore in the country my ass I

16:50

love that I love that setting the tone

16:54

right away best sophomore in the country

16:56

my ass and kick me out of practice

16:59

I I actually think I had a healthy level

17:02

of respect so I played varsity as a

17:04

freshman but actually my school middle

17:07

school was sixth through nth grade

17:09

really so I didn't even go to high

17:10

school yet say that again so it was

17:12

sixth through nth grade we didn't have

17:14

space they have space at the high school

17:16

so the year after I left they built a

17:17

second high school they split into two

17:19

they mov down a division that sort of

17:20

thing right right so I'm coming off

17:23

eighth grade I start JV M I grew seven

17:26

inches that year [ __ ] I learned how to

17:29

shoot without my left thumb yeah started

17:31

shooting a real jump shot I go to a

17:34

Nationals in Florida I average like 35 a

17:36

game so I'm coming into freshman year

17:39

with a decent level of confidence and I

17:43

knew my high school coach was tough

17:45

because my JB coach was so tough yeah

17:48

but I was Brash and cocky you know the

17:51

kid you saw at Duke early on I was that

17:54

kid I was that kid and we were playing

17:57

um preseason we're just like doing

17:59

pickup so we would do these stations

18:01

where you had like 30 seconds to a

18:04

minute on so 30 seconds to a minute on

18:06

walls sits 30 seconds to a minute on D

18:08

slides with bands 30 seconds to a minute

18:09

on jumping jacks with a weight like all

18:11

this stuff and we do that for like 30 to

18:13

45 minutes and then we' we'd play pickup

18:17

so there was this this senior named

18:18

Kevin Conley and and he uh he was he was

18:23

good but I also played his position and

18:26

he hadn't started the year before so he

18:27

was like very much wanted the starting

18:29

position so we were playing pickup and

18:30

truthfully Kevin I was busting your ass

18:32

I was busting his ass no he and he said

18:35

and I started yapping off yeah and he

18:37

said to me said I'm tell you right now

18:40

shut the [ __ ] up and he gave me the look

18:44

mind you I'm I'm my size but 155

18:48

pounds so I I was like oh he's gonna

18:50

kick my ass and I didn't say anything we

18:53

checked the ball up as soon as somebody

18:54

passed it he just popped me in the in

18:56

the face right my jaw still popped this

18:59

day and pretty much from that day on I

19:02

had a healthy level of fear for high

19:04

school a healthy level of

19:07

fear do you uh do you think there's

19:09

anything for you I know for me like I

19:12

played for Coach K I played for a great

19:14

High School coach I played for Boo

19:15

Williams in a we talked about our

19:16

coaching and how important that was to

19:18

us last time do you think for you there

19:20

was anything

19:22

transferable from what you learned in

19:24

high

19:24

school to what you had to do in the NBA

19:28

especially early on from a coach's

19:29

perspective or the on the court being

19:31

being a player on the

19:34

court no totally different

19:37

game um it was a totally different game

19:40

but the the nuance and the and the

19:42

fundamentals and you know the things

19:45

that was

19:46

being that was being taught to me as a

19:49

18yearold I I I kind of had already knew

19:52

a lot of that [ __ ] I mean it's it's

19:55

weird to kind of say because you feel

19:57

like when you get to the NBA you're to

19:58

learn so much more which I eventually

20:01

did you know and I think that just came

20:03

with like we always talk about you know

20:05

experience the best teacher in life is

20:07

experience you know but when I when I

20:10

got to the NBA the biggest adjustment I

20:13

had was literally just going from

20:16

like oh [ __ ] I don't have to go to class

20:19

every day you know um I you know I'm

20:23

going from 27 Game season to now 82 so

20:26

like oh [ __ ] like after 27 games in the

20:30

NBA you know around about 32 games I'm

20:34

like I'm

20:35

exhausted you know so now like what what

20:39

what can I do to get the get the energy

20:42

back going but as far as when I stepped

20:45

out on the

20:47

floor there wasn't too much of an

20:51

adjustment um I felt like I was physical

20:55

um enough I felt like I had the size I

20:57

had the Speed Out obviously had the

21:00

athleticism obviously um you know you

21:04

have the you know some of the vet tricks

21:06

and things of that nature how to get

21:07

away with certain things that I had to

21:09

kind of learn and whatever the case may

21:10

be but um and then I was thrown around

21:13

with many positions my rookie year too

21:15

like at one point I was I was a two

21:18

guard at one point you know my first

21:20

game in Sacramento I was coming off

21:21

floppies oh we'll get to that in a bit

21:23

yeah you know we'll get to that in a bit

21:25

Yeah and then next you know we know we

21:27

do make a change or whatever now I'm the

21:28

point guard is like you know which is

21:31

one natural position for me but also not

21:34

a natural position like I love to pass

21:36

the ball I love to bring the ball up but

21:39

I've never really started at the point

21:40

guard position so it's still very diff

21:44

different but um I was able to just kind

21:48

of

21:49

seamlessly kind of just move right on in

21:52

figure it out on the fly a little bit

21:54

Yeah figure it out on the Fly um with

21:57

the tournament going on right now have

22:00

you I rewatched episode one and I you

22:04

talking about uh not going up to Ohio

22:07

State for parties or down to Ohio State

22:08

for parties I was like all right I

22:10

wonder if he ever thought to himself

22:11

this time of year man I wonder what it's

22:13

like to play in March Madness absolutely

22:16

you have yeah 21 years later not you're

22:19

still thinking about it every year yeah

22:21

this is the only time though I was

22:23

thinking about all the stuff you've

22:24

experienced in basketball but you

22:26

haven't experienced that this is the

22:28

only March Madness right now is the only

22:31

time I think about playing college

22:33

basketball for 21 straight years I don't

22:36

watch much college basketball this year

22:38

I watch a ton of it obviously because

22:39

Bonnie's in college you know so I was

22:41

there watching the game but it's

22:44

just it doesn't translate for me it

22:46

frustrates me my high blood pressure

22:49

picks up I'm a black man and high blood

22:51

pressure is not good for us so I try to

22:53

stay away from it but I love basketball

22:56

so I find myself watching it anyways

22:59

but um I literally before we came in

23:01

here like you said Duan won their game

23:04

big shout out to the Dukes coach coach D

23:06

my best friend Drew Joyce right after

23:09

the game I was watching Illinois versus

23:11

uh Morhead State scouting because that's

23:14

who they play

23:15

next and you're G to give him notes

23:17

already did I already sent notes already

23:20

I got to watch like a quarter uh third

23:22

third three fours of the game before we

23:24

started and I've already sent

23:27

notes I I I'm a I'm a junkie man yeah I

23:31

I I'm well aware of that well aware I

23:34

want to talk about spacing

23:36

today do you you you mentioned coming

23:39

off floppy in that Sacramento game your

23:41

very first game do you do you

23:43

specifically remember your two first

23:45

first two baskets of your career I

23:47

remember my first one okay my my first

23:50

basket was coming off a floppy action

23:52

and I faded to the corner by our bench

23:56

and received the ball over the top and

23:58

hit a I had a 17 18 foot first of all

24:01

it's hilarious that you were running

24:02

floppy it's hilarious on that one you

24:06

came

24:06

off and took the one dribble Baseline

24:10

and C Boze after he set the screen kind

24:12

of backed up into the pocket around the

24:14

elbow there was like space a little

24:17

space on the second one you came off the

24:19

other side and curled and Ricky Davis

24:22

hit you at the elbow and I have this

24:24

screenshot on my phone and it's Z on the

24:27

left block y SE SE BL on the right block

24:32

Darius miles spotting up from about 17

24:34

feet at the right wing is but not really

24:38

space not really space and then Ricky

24:39

Davis is just standing there at the top

24:41

of the key it's like literally eight or

24:43

nine people people all just right there

24:47

and then you drove back and hit a little

24:48

fall way going left

24:50

yeah when did you start to feel like the

24:53

spacing was changing in the NBA um you

24:58

know that's a good question I'm trying

24:59

to

25:00

think I I think the spacing started to

25:03

change in the

25:07

NBA I

25:09

think I think Stan Van Gundy had a lot

25:12

to do with it you know now that I think

25:15

about I'm thinking because I'm in the I

25:16

was in the East and obviously um you

25:19

know they they they they had a lot of

25:20

spacing you know in Sacramento in the

25:23

early 2000s but it it wasn't a lot of

25:25

spacing maybe they just had some

25:26

shooting obviously Mike bib could shoot

25:29

the ball you know uh you know Pia was

25:31

shooting the ball they ran Corner splits

25:32

yeah they run Corner splits they you

25:34

know uh you know vlot you know could

25:36

play the elbow could play the corner

25:38

could hit the you know the three at time

25:39

see you know see web from time to time

25:41

with space a little bit but he was more

25:42

in the post um you know Bobby Jackson

25:45

will fly off obviously for shots but you

25:47

know I don't I believe Stan with with

25:50

with with Dwight you know kind of in

25:52

that that 07 08 09 kind of

25:55

range they started to change it a lot

25:58

you know um I hadn't seen that much

26:01

space because I played against the

26:02

Detroit Pistons and obviously you have

26:04

you know you had rip on his floppy down

26:05

action you know flying off the floppy

26:07

down or the two chest or whatever the

26:09

case may be um but with Stan I think he

26:13

saw what he had in Dwight and he started

26:15

to build that team around him to like I

26:17

want nothing but space you know and we

26:21

saw that we saw it when rashar Lewis got

26:22

on that team we saw withu turkalo got

26:25

there you know and then added jir you

26:27

know and added just a bunch of space you

26:31

as you as well like took a while yeah

26:34

you know it took a while to use your

26:37

superpowers I tell you that it took a

26:39

while for you to use your superpowers or

26:41

them to use your superpowers for the

26:42

better of the team but um you know um

26:46

you know even where Ray Allen was on

26:47

Boston you know at in ' 08 it wasn't it

26:50

still wasn't a lot of space out there kg

26:52

was posting up Ronda was not a shooter

26:54

Ronda was not a shooter Tony Allen

26:55

wasn't a shooter you know PP yeah was a

26:59

three LEL score um they were playing

27:01

playing two bigs a lot you know if it

27:03

was kg and perk or kg and big baby or

27:05

whatever the case may be you know

27:07

Detroit was still playing two bigs even

27:08

when being with the Chicago you know

27:10

they brought in um they brought in Chris

27:13

Weber um you know so they were playing

27:16

two bigs as well you know I feel like

27:19

you know Miami was still playing two

27:21

bigs they was playing Shaq when he was

27:22

there along with Udonis and and zo when

27:24

zo came back I feel like the Orlando man

27:27

Orlando kind of was the the first I want

27:30

to say the first because

27:32

obviously the precursor was definitely

27:35

in my opinion the Suns right the suns

27:36

were the first with dantony st Nash

27:40

Maran at the four Amari at the five Mar

27:43

wasn't he wasn't a spacer either but he

27:44

but he was so athletic he had so much

27:46

speed that he created space yes you know

27:48

there they they we're going to get to

27:50

this pace we're GNA get to this in a

27:53

second but it's funny because with the

27:55

with the magic yeah I'm not sure that

27:57

that was the ention now It ultimately

28:00

may have played out that way but Tony B

28:02

hurt his shoulder guarding Dwight in

28:04

preseason and uh we tried Turk at the

28:07

four in the preseason games and he

28:10

refused he's like [ __ ] this I'm not

28:12

guarding you I'm not

28:16

guarding so Rashard as a as a good

28:19

teammate and a true professional unlike

28:21

Turk um he's like he's like [ __ ] it I'll

28:25

do it right and that and then all of a

28:26

sudden it created an advantage

28:29

and we end up playing you guys in 09 in

28:31

the Eastern Conference Finals and by the

28:34

way I played nine

28:37

minutes nine minutes that series second

28:40

quarter second quarter of game two but I

28:44

got to watch some awesome basketball and

28:46

it's weird I I I've rewatched some of

28:48

that

28:49

series and it is so apparent that no

28:54

matter what you did no matter what y'all

28:57

did

28:58

we just had an advantage

29:00

yeah the whole

29:03

season we geared our team up to play

29:09

Boston everything was geared to play

29:13

Boston

29:15

everything we we never

29:18

practiced anything besides two bigs a

29:21

point guard small and a small small

29:24

forward and a shooting

29:25

guard and then you guys win and it's

29:29

like we've geared up all you know we had

29:33

big

29:34

Z and S myself Dante and Mo Williams I

29:41

mean you guys are out there with Dwight

29:43

Rashard

29:45

hedu jir Patric Patric Courtney Lee

29:49

Courtney Lee you guys are out there like

29:51

what the league is to now the league to

29:53

now is like long Wings shooters

29:58

and a guy that can screen roll

30:01

lob then you add on even more with

30:04

Dwight because he could occasionally

30:05

post up a small I think too you know

30:07

what I looking back on that team that I

30:09

think was so important because I talk

30:11

about this all the time now jir Nelson

30:14

could shoot threes out of pick and roll

30:17

yeah it's an important thing it is a

30:19

very important thing for many reasons

30:22

first of all it unlocks everyone's

30:24

offensive game if you can shoot threes

30:25

off the dribble it unlocks your game

30:26

right absolutely but also for the

30:28

offense now all of a sudden you're

30:30

forced to make a decision in a jir

30:33

Nelson Dwight Howard pick and roll he do

30:36

turkalo yeah if you decide to go under

30:37

him because you don't want him getting

30:38

to his right hand you're you have to

30:41

make a decision now he's going to shoot

30:42

he's going to shoot a three he's going

30:43

to shoot it so we would run that angle

30:45

pick and roll yep we'd have a shooter in

30:47

the left corner yep Turk going to his

30:50

right hand y Dwight rolling and two

30:53

Shooters two Shooters where is the help

30:54

coming from and you can't you can't

30:56

switch it cuz Dwight's going bur you hit

30:59

you with 19

31:00

elbows and he doesn't care about getting

31:02

one or two fouls off the

31:04

elbows but he's going to dunk you in the

31:06

room this is like super duper man Dwight

31:09

at the time I rewatched game five the

31:12

other day and uh I've never watched a

31:14

series by the way you haven't very

31:16

curious to get your thoughts and what

31:18

you remember about that series

31:19

specifically because this is what I

31:21

remember and I was like I'm going to go

31:22

watch what was the series 42 42 yeah

31:25

okay yeah 42 yeah oh yeah I didn't talk

31:28

to the media after game six I was

31:31

pissed I was pissed I took a shower and

31:33

got sh on the bus I remember that now

31:35

yeah I was pissed game five I I was

31:38

watching the fourth quarter literally

31:41

your offense you didn't match up hunt

31:44

for the first part of the the fourth

31:46

quarter you had uh two bigs in the

31:49

dunker spot either dunker spot you had

31:52

Mo or Delante at one point it was Wally

31:55

zerak spotting up yeah and you would

31:59

post up Mel petus at like 19 ft and then

32:03

try to go oneon-one it was really

32:05

interesting to watch that versus spread

32:09

pick and roll with shooting and spacing

32:11

it was really and by the way how the

32:13

[ __ ] is he functioning by the way I'm

32:15

this is not this is not like a knock on

32:17

Mike Brown at all like I'm not saying

32:19

that it was just what we were doing was

32:22

so different at the time yeah and it

32:25

wasn't like the next year everybody's

32:26

like oh we're going to try to emulate

32:28

what Orlando did right 2011 I'll never

32:31

forget this game we played against the

32:34

Minnesota Timberwolves in our new Arena

32:37

and that's when we had Ryan Anderson and

32:39

Rashard and we would get to our spread

32:42

pick and roll and it didn't matter where

32:45

Ryan or Rashard was they would tag

32:48

Dwight with Kevin Love the fourman no

32:51

matter where he was no matter where he

32:52

was so if he's the high guy he's taking

32:55

him all the way to the room on the

32:56

double side they tagging him at the rim

32:59

and Ryan and Rashard are just sitting

33:00

there teeing him up it's bizarre it's

33:03

super

33:04

bizarre I'm not going to gash you up I'm

33:06

not GNA gas you up I'm gonna say one

33:07

thing though real

33:09

quick you averaged

33:13

388 and eight in that

33:15

series with that offense and that

33:18

spacing with no space with no space with

33:20

no space it was wild It is Well to think

33:22

back on like I said I have not watched

33:24

that series since it

33:25

happened and to think that I damn near

33:29

average 4088 in a series with no space

33:32

is and I obviously if I caught a good

33:36

heater I could make a couple of Threes

33:38

in a row whatever the case may be but

33:40

that wasn't my thing that wasn't my

33:42

thing I lived in the paint in the post

33:44

you didn't have your signature move then

33:46

I didn't have my signature move then no

33:48

I was not my I was not a disciplined

33:51

jump shooter at that point in time

33:53

interesting what do you mean by

33:56

that it I if I was uh I would shoot

34:00

fadeaways for no

34:02

reason I would be off balance for no

34:04

reason I would make shots more difficult

34:06

for no reason and i' envied guys that

34:09

can go straight up and down or could

34:11

like shoot the same shot every time and

34:14

it was just discipline I was so athletic

34:17

that I could re myself I I there's like

34:19

sometimes there's like old clips of me

34:20

that I watch or come across my timeline

34:23

on social yeah hold on bro it's okay I

34:27

seen the clip sometimes no no no I don't

34:30

just go online and look up LeBron James

34:32

highlights we all watch her own

34:34

highlights on YouTube Lebron Lebron I'm

34:38

telling you you've never gone on YouTube

34:41

yes I I have of course I have I said

34:43

from time to time they come through I of

34:46

course I have especially oh by the way

34:48

the number one reason you do that is

34:49

when you hit like a little slump or

34:51

whatever you like where's my game at

34:53

where's my game at oh YouTube is the

34:55

perfect place to find your game March 20

34:57

8 at Charlotte 27 points type it in let

35:02

me see my

35:04

game Absol we' all done it yeah we all

35:06

been there for sure we've all done it um

35:10

when you guys got together in Miami

35:13

yeah the conversations with

35:17

Chris about his role but also the

35:22

decision to sort of move him to the five

35:24

which by the way was not right away no

35:27

it wasn't

35:28

like was there push back on that at the

35:31

time do you remember like those

35:34

conversations

35:35

because you know I know UD was was there

35:38

Joel Anthony was there yep uh yeah my

35:41

first year big Z was there and and Eric

35:44

Danier yeah I'm I'm G tell you when it

35:48

all

35:49

changed obviously my first year there

35:52

you know play great basketball got all

35:54

the way to the finals losing the finals

35:56

I play like [ __ ]

35:58

um SPO is the

36:01

reason why we were a better

36:04

team and our team was more assembled

36:08

properly that summer he went to Oregon

36:12

and hung out with Chip

36:13

Kelly oh interesting he he when we lost

36:17

to Dallas he went to Oregon and hung out

36:20

with Chip Kelly and learned to spread

36:23

offense and tried to figure out if he

36:25

could translate that to basketball

36:28

and don't know the super conversations

36:30

that him and Chip had but I know when he

36:33

came back to us he knew in order for us

36:36

to reach our potential

36:38

one I had to be [ __ ] 10 times better

36:41

than I was in that previous June finals

36:44

but Chris Bosch had to go to the

36:46

five and CB

36:49

being who he is there was no push back

36:54

there was no push back he knew in order

36:58

for us to reach our

36:59

potential that CB will have to go to the

37:02

five and we had to spread we had to he

37:04

had to start working on this corner

37:06

three Faithfully every day after

37:08

practice Corner three every day after

37:10

practice we're going to post you up we

37:11

gonna get you your elbow catches offense

37:13

gonna run through you at times but in

37:16

order to bring you know the Tyson

37:19

chanders out of the paint in order to

37:21

bring the Roy hibbers out of the paint

37:24

in order to bring Tim Duncan out of the

37:26

paint at times in order to bring Kevin

37:28

Garnett out of the

37:31

paint you got to hit these Corner threes

37:34

you gotta at least be a

37:37

threat and SPO SPO knew it he had that

37:40

he had that Vision he went and learned

37:42

he said the way I he said the way I

37:44

coached in that finals versus Dallas

37:48

unacceptable I told myself the way I

37:50

played

37:51

unacceptable and he came back with

37:53

vengeance and I was all I was locked the

37:55

[ __ ] in from from start to finish but

37:57

spell I got a question about the boss

37:59

BOS spacing but because you just said

38:01

that was that the low point for you in

38:03

your career oh for

38:05

sure the lowest yeah yeah the lowest

38:08

yeah the lowest what is the Bosch

38:10

spacing what did that sort of unlock I'm

38:12

curious like what were the

38:14

actions what what was the the the Twan

38:17

game yeah what were the reads the

38:19

cutting slot cut the slot

38:22

cuts the slot cuts the slot cuts it

38:25

unlocked the slot cuts it unlocked

38:28

exactly what myself and dwade thrive on

38:31

dribble penetration slot cutting pick a

38:34

roll happens you tag slot cut yeah it it

38:38

unlocked all that and and we all know

38:40

how great dwade is on the Baseline it's

38:42

hard to cut behind the defense when X5

38:45

is standing there the whole time because

38:48

you know the offensive five is there you

38:51

know so you know you hit me on the

38:53

pocket pass now you know I get the

38:55

pocket pass from from chers or or from

38:56

Norris Cole

38:57

you know and now BOS is in a strong

39:00

Corner are you going to leave him or not

39:02

if you do he going to tag you and if not

39:05

when I roll now you got X3 or X2 tagging

39:08

on Me on the roll and nine times out of

39:11

10 that that that guy that's playing the

39:12

elbow that's supposed the X to the

39:13

corner he's xing out to the three-point

39:15

line and D way slashing right behind

39:17

him it just it unlocked a so much for

39:20

our offense and it gave myself and dwade

39:22

in transition we had this thing called

39:25

the Mac Truck Lane so from basically

39:28

From the Block to the block so s FR

39:31

instance we sit on the free throw line

39:33

yeah got one block on one side one block

39:35

on the I can picture a basketball court

39:36

yeah we doing for the viewers I'm not

39:38

questioning JJ's expertise no I know

39:40

what you're saying first day of training

39:42

camp we had that whole thing taped off

39:46

The Bigs were not allowed to run in

39:49

between the mat truck

39:50

lane from the first day of training camp

39:53

all the way to game one prohibited

39:57

you're not all to you got and if and if

40:00

I'm bringing the ball up and the big is

40:02

behind me he can't cross the court he

40:05

have to run wide behind this is all this

40:09

is

40:10

all SPO is like he's he's that damn

40:14

good some Twitter sleuth will correct me

40:17

on this and I will accept it if I'm

40:20

wrong but in my mind when I think of

40:24

five out or delay

40:27

I think of the Miami Heat with Chris

40:30

Bosch as maybe it wasn't the originator

40:34

but the first time I'm like oh this is

40:37

this is different and this is

40:39

happening was the Miami Heat with Chris

40:41

BOS yeah and it changed everything it

40:44

changed everything changed the whole

40:45

team changed the whole team then we

40:47

added Ray Shane added Shane added Mike

40:52

Miller we added to spacing and CB could

40:56

pass he could rebound and push there

40:58

wasn't many fives at that time that was

41:01

rebounding and pushing to

41:03

break you see it all the time now right

41:06

you see Bam Bam does it bam does it all

41:08

the time MP of the leag yok does it like

41:12

CB was pushing the break okay if he a

41:14

have nothing early in trans boom right

41:16

to a dho second side Swing Swing like he

41:22

he was a smart he was just smart but I

41:23

mean obviously when you move from one

41:27

position where you're so dominant you

41:29

think of CB in Toronto where he mainly

41:31

played the four almost probably 95% of

41:34

the time played before and average 25

41:36

and 10 or

41:37

12 the ball exclusively went through him

41:40

in the mid post every single time on

41:43

either block really yeah but it's it's

41:45

remarkable that he changed that yeah he

41:47

changed that the slot

41:51

cut can you

41:53

explain the

41:55

timing the play how it works we actually

42:00

because it's it by the way it is

42:02

a it's now part of every like every

42:05

team's vernacular and every team runs it

42:08

now it becomes programmed into

42:11

everybody's reads and pick and role yeah

42:13

and it's now is uh it used to not be a

42:16

live cut I go back and watch college

42:19

basketball and there's so

42:22

many fluff Cuts

42:26

or cuts that don't do

42:29

anything it's like why are you making a

42:32

cut towards the basket and you're not

42:33

even looking at the damn

42:36

ball you know so the slot cut I started

42:41

to make the slot cut when Mike Brown

42:43

took over for us in Cleveland we

42:45

actually used to have a play when we got

42:47

Mo Williams Mo Williams was one fast

42:51

quick [ __ ] off pick and rolls

42:53

and another guy that could shoot the

42:56

three off the pick and roll

42:58

um we will run

43:01

angle Mo Williams would have the ball

43:03

left left

43:05

slot we will have a shooter in a strong

43:08

Corner going same side as

43:11

him and either verou or Z com set the

43:16

step up you know what take that back I'm

43:18

sorry no strong side shooter strong side

43:20

shooter in the weak

43:22

Corner only Mo's job was to race the big

43:29

race the big get around the big get

43:30

around to the

43:31

Baseline and at the same time as soon as

43:35

I would see Mo race the big to the

43:39

Baseline Anderson verile or Z come set a

43:42

rip screen for me

43:45

blind the guy that's guard me and the

43:48

corner man couldn't leave because it was

43:50

a corner shooter and I was slot cut at

43:52

the same time it's easy clip we could

43:54

find that clip easy and mo would drop it

43:56

to me

43:58

um and I either dunk it home or finish

44:01

it or whatever the case may be we

44:02

actually put that in one of our that was

44:04

one of our

44:06

atos and then when I got to Miami I

44:09

started to see a lot of guys peing a lot

44:12

of lot of guys with d way had a ball

44:14

obviously he attracted a lot of eyes

44:16

he's a driver whatever the case may

44:18

be instead of me standing out and

44:22

shooting threes which at times I wasn't

44:24

always comfortable with shooting threes

44:27

I will see guys peing and as soon as I

44:29

would see my guy turn his head I will

44:31

slot

44:35

cut this is part of the reason it's

44:39

really hard to guard spread pick and

44:42

roll yep and we'll put the clips up as

44:45

well

44:48

but

44:50

if the X's here are the offensive player

44:54

right correct and you're running this

44:55

angle pick and roll correct right and

44:58

let's say the big is in a drop okay and

45:01

this is the

45:03

guard this is the guard right y so if

45:07

this guard turns the corner here yep

45:11

right on the big Damen lard does this

45:13

better than anybody especially going

45:15

especially going left

45:17

right this guy has to make some sort of

45:20

decision yep he's coming to 29 this guy

45:23

has to get into an

45:24

exposition and who the [ __ ] is Guardian

45:27

this guy nobody nobody right nobody so

45:30

that's the position I'm in a lot the

45:32

slot cut the slot yeah the other one is

45:37

this which Golden State when I think of

45:41

this cut I think of golden

45:45

state which is essentially same

45:50

formation here's the defense

45:54

right all right so you put two on the

45:57

ball on Steph Curry and Draymond Green

46:00

which is the worst thing you can do

46:02

right right this guy's gonna have to be

46:04

the low man so Draymond rolls Steph hits

46:07

him right here this guy drops what's

46:10

gonna happen right here LeBron as

46:13

Draymond Green takes a dribble into the

46:15

paint it's a lob it's a lob every sing

46:19

every single time and it's a lob every

46:22

single time and and you and you can't

46:25

you you literally can't put two on the

46:26

ball ball you can't see everyone thinks

46:31

that putting two on the ball takes step

46:34

out of the

46:36

play the problem that you don't

46:38

understand is that you're now unlocking

46:40

draymond's superpower offensively yeah

46:43

Draymond superpower offensively is the

46:46

four on three

46:47

game you put two on the ball now

46:50

Draymond has it's four on three and I'm

46:55

going to have EOD doal in the

46:58

pass now wigs and konga they're going to

47:02

be in that opposite

47:04

corner and if you help up too early

47:08

there's going to be a lob and that is

47:11

demoralizing and the number one thing

47:14

it's so much momentum a half court

47:18

lob so much momentum when we used to

47:21

that's the worst Court I've ever seen

47:22

but I'm going to do the same formation

47:24

real quick same set so like when we to

47:27

teach or learn yeah how to guard spread

47:30

pick and roll MH right we would you

47:34

would do this drill I'm sure you did

47:35

this drill so you know here's the

47:38

defense right yep here's the defense and

47:42

as this guy comes off the low man pulls

47:45

over here's the basket the low man pulls

47:47

over this guy drops and the drill was

47:50

always this this guy the ball handler

47:53

would skip it it corner and you would

47:55

literally

47:58

but nobody does that anymore they hit

48:00

the short roll yeah and the short

48:02

rollers now in today's NBA like if

48:04

you're a big coming into the NBA right

48:05

now what's your player development

48:07

program look like it's literally playing

48:10

out of the short role yeah playing out

48:11

of the short role you're Jared Allen

48:13

Jared Allen for the last five years what

48:16

is he doing short roll short roll yeah I

48:18

mean I mean especially with Darius Garin

48:20

and Donovan Mitchell they're going to

48:21

attract so much you have to be able to

48:23

play out of the short role and when you

48:25

play out of a short role it's not for

48:26

you to score yes you have the ability to

48:28

score but you have to read the game you

48:31

have to read the

48:33

game I think about Chris

48:36

Bosch and it makes me think of Chad

48:39

homr a little

48:43

bit you guys probably run different

48:47

stuff but in a way what makes OKC so

48:51

good is their ability to drive the

48:53

basketball yep and then kick and then

48:55

drive the basketball and then kick and

48:57

they did this last year this is how they

48:59

played last year when they were 42 and

49:01

40 Y and then all of a sudden C comes in

49:04

and it unlocks everything y in the same

49:07

way I'm not comparing Chad to Chris

49:08

Bosch as like but to unlock the most but

49:13

unlock how you how you maximize the

49:16

offense yeah you need chat on that team

49:20

for sure no question about it he he

49:23

changed the Dy the dynamic of everything

49:26

you know they have they have a one set

49:28

that they run off of all free throws

49:31

where Chad takes the ball out they send

49:34

two guys to the other end both of them

49:36

sit in the

49:38

corner and Chad takes the ball out and

49:43

now Shay has got he has it on the right

49:44

wing or the left wing or whatever the

49:46

case may be and

49:48

normally the X5 job is to load to the

49:52

ball and stop Shay from driving to 45

49:56

driving a slot that's your job load get

49:59

to the body

50:01

load OKC now because there's another guy

50:05

back there they're flare at the same

50:07

time that the big is trying to load on

50:09

Shay there's a guard that's flaring

50:11

check to the opposite

50:14

slot you know how hard that is they're

50:17

flaring a seven-footer to the opposite

50:19

slot

50:21

right I mean there's ways to guard it

50:24

I'm not going to say it right now

50:25

because we may see him the

50:28

playoffs I'm not going to give that

50:30

coach there opportunity to prepare for

50:32

it but that's very difficult when you

50:34

have a guy like Shay who's gonna get to

50:37

the line eight to 12 times a game and or

50:42

or Jay dub who's now turned into a

50:46

[ __ ] gy he's a star he's a star he's

50:48

a star I told him too I said man I said

50:52

boy you you out here killing he's like

50:55

man I had a hell of a summer

50:57

because he came to me and said you know

50:58

my younger brother played against

50:59

bronnie last night because his younger

51:00

brother goes to Colorado Cody yeah Cody

51:03

and I was like I said that's crazy man

51:05

yeah I said man you hey keep going bro

51:07

you you killing this [ __ ] he was like

51:08

man I had a hell of a

51:09

sum he's one of those guys he's right

51:14

now not many holes in his game right

51:17

he's pretty damn good at nearly

51:19

everything yeah he's one of those guys

51:22

you know he's 22 now I believe 23 that's

51:25

it four or five years you're like oh no

51:28

no that guy has no holes in his game

51:30

yeah zero yeah zero I want to be before

51:33

we talk more spacing I want to touch on

51:35

one last thing with the heat and that

51:40

is I feel

51:43

like in the NBA this the the the phrase

51:48

super team or the the term super team is

51:52

is a little bit bit of a

51:55

misnomer

51:57

because you can

51:59

have you can have a big

52:02

three right you still

52:05

need four or

52:08

five ancillary role players absolutely

52:12

star in their role and then complement

52:15

the Stars no question about it and it

52:17

doesn't work it doesn't work unless you

52:21

have those guys and you've lived it

52:23

multiple times I've lived it I've lived

52:26

it I mean obviously my my first year in

52:28

Miami yeah we had a big three and

52:31

everyone said it's a super team super

52:32

team this super team that but we had to

52:35

build our team around all minimum guys

52:38

which was still okay but we didn't fill

52:41

out the complim guys enough yeah we had

52:43

Rio we had Udonis you know but we didn't

52:47

we didn't have enough as far as enough

52:51

complimentary guys to actually make it

52:53

all work and we still made it to the

52:56

finals

52:57

we still made it to the finals and we

52:58

still probably should have won the

52:59

finals but I still give credit you

53:01

listen it is what it is you you win and

53:03

you lose and we lost just no Dallas was

53:06

[ __ ] good and they hit they hit a

53:07

stride at the right time Dirk was

53:10

unbelievable um but my second year we

53:13

was able to grab some complimentary

53:17

players and role players that really

53:19

just I'm talking about

53:22

super superstars in their roles and it

53:25

goes back to my first year in Cleveland

53:27

my first year in Cleveland yes we got

53:28

Kevin out of a trade we lost in the

53:31

finals we wasn't really whole to unlock

53:35

everything we wasn't whole enough to

53:37

unlock everything then we was able to

53:40

add channy fry add Richard Jefferson to

53:43

that to that second team yeah add those

53:46

guys and then the experience that we had

53:47

from the year previously you know Jr got

53:49

better and shump you know and obviously

53:51

we were healthier you know Kyrie goes

53:54

down in the finals you know busty me and

53:56

Kev obviously separated shoulder in year

53:59

one but you're absolutely right the

54:03

complimentary guys are ultimately the

54:05

ones that will help you win the

54:08

championship for

54:09

sure yes and classified as a as a as a

54:12

real super team right so I think I think

54:17

you know the goal of of this show is to

54:19

really just like talk about basketball

54:21

right I love it and and it's great and I

54:23

love it I love it and I could do it all

54:25

day yeah me too you know I we both live

54:29

online let's be honest we live online

54:31

we're well aware of all the the

54:33

discourse I I have to participate in the

54:35

discourse and I said this I want I want

54:37

to participate so much more I I I uh I

54:40

said this the other day I was like the

54:41

discourse has a place right it provides

54:44

a level of entertainment and I get it

54:46

and I I feel like

54:50

sometimes I get

54:52

annoyed at a couple keywords that get

54:56

involved in discourse and we're not

54:57

going to do this every episode we're not

54:59

going to we're not going to do this but

55:01

I I just on this point we're making

55:03

about how a team works yeah there's

55:06

there's the um the word important who's

55:10

the more important player for the Boston

55:13

Celtics who's the most important player

55:15

for the Boston Celtics um I also get

55:18

annoyed with the word

55:20

pressure right those are the two words

55:22

that drive me [ __ ] crazy pressure in

55:25

particular

55:27

because if you if you've like been

55:30

around you know that most guys in the

55:35

NBA put an insane amount of pressure on

55:39

themselves it's why we all have [ __ ]

55:41

anxiety like we all put so much pressure

55:45

on

55:46

ourselves and the important word bugs me

55:52

because the best player is always the

55:54

most important player

55:57

it's very hard to win in the NBA if the

55:59

player who has the most outsized impact

56:04

isn't at his best and no offense 2011 is

56:07

a great example of that I wasn't at my

56:09

best you weren't at your best and you

56:11

lost if I play anything like I did in

56:13

Easter Conference Finals we win

56:15

but you could have been at your best and

56:19

the role

56:20

players could have been bad so like for

56:23

me this is why I get annoyed because I'm

56:25

like yeah like when I played on the

56:27

Clippers CP and Blake they were the most

56:29

important guys on our team but DeAndre

56:33

and I had a role Jamal had a role Matt

56:35

Barnes had a role Luke and Bob Mout the

56:38

next two years had a role like we all

56:39

had an important role and guess what we

56:42

put a lot of pressure on ourselves yeah

56:46

to actually play well and actually

56:49

contribute to winning yeah and I feel

56:51

like we live in this [ __ ] 2K world

56:55

where we're like put putting a roster

56:57

together and it's like who can how can

56:58

we put as many good players that don't

57:01

even make sense together yeah and it

57:04

drives me crazy it's like what's wrong

57:07

with this team well it's very simple

57:09

basketball is a very organic thing and

57:12

the players and their skills have to

57:15

compliment each other compliment each

57:17

other and Chris Bosch is a great example

57:21

of that the sacrifice to figure out how

57:24

can my skills and maybe I have to

57:27

develop some of those mentioned the

57:28

three-point shooting how can I figure

57:30

out how to compliment right it's going

57:32

to make me better it's going to make

57:34

LeBron better it's gonna make dwade

57:36

better and it's gonna make our team

57:38

better and that's basketball and that's

57:40

basketball but that's but that also

57:42

comes from a to go back to episode

57:45

one basketball IQ as

57:48

well him having the basketball IQ and

57:51

the knowledge of

57:54

saying yeah I could still be in Toronto

57:56

averaging 255 and 12 but I didn't come

57:59

here for that [ __ ] I came here to win

58:01

championships and we [ __ ] lost in

58:04

year

58:06

One what can I do to compliment my

58:09

teammates and what can I do to broaden

58:11

my game out to where we don't lose in

58:13

year

58:15

two [ __ ] talk about growth mindset

58:18

and everyone's talking about you know

58:20

Chris Bosch was this before that no one

58:23

ever asked Chris BOS no one ever asked

58:25

Chris BOS

58:27

about how he

58:29

feels everyone just speaks for

58:31

him no one ask him how he

58:34

feels he knew he was making a sacrifice

58:38

we all knew we was making

58:40

sacrifices but we knew what the what the

58:42

[ __ ] we all came together for and that

58:43

was to win

58:44

championships and that's what we

58:50

did for sure Swing Swing Swing okay

58:53

drive the Baseline okay boom I'm

58:54

trapping the Box in the Box reverse the

58:57

feet throw it back out okay now I'm back

58:59

okay when we drive from the slot slot

59:01

man you come drive from the slot guy

59:04

drops down he peels crack the big go

59:06

back out now we back out like simple

59:09

things like simple things like ass coach

59:19

one hey guys thanks for listening thanks

59:22

for watching mind the game podcast if

59:24

you like it please hit that subscribe

59:26

button thank

59:46

you