The Conference Finals | LeBron James and JJ Redick
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of 'Mind the Game' with LeBron James and JJ Redick, they delve into a detailed analysis of the NBA Conference Finals, discussing the identity and role players' impact on team success. They break down basketball strategies like pick and roll coverages and advanced passes. The duo also shares insights on Bronny James' basketball journey and mindset, emphasizing the importance of living in the moment and carving out one's own path in the league. The conversation is a blend of technical basketball talk and personal anecdotes, offering fans a comprehensive look into the NBA playoffs and the evolving landscape of the sport.
Takeaways
- 🎙️ The podcast 'Mind the Game' with LeBron James and JJ Redick discusses basketball strategies, player performances, and the latest happenings in the NBA.
- 🏀 The hosts analyze specific basketball plays such as pick and roll coverages, emphasizing the importance of understanding defensive strategies like drop coverage and hedging.
- 🌟 They highlight the impact of role players in the NBA playoffs, noting their significant contributions to team success, especially during the Conference Finals.
- 👨👦 LeBron shares his perspective as a father on his son Bronny's basketball journey and the maturity he's shown in handling media attention and public scrutiny.
- 🔍 The discussion delves into the importance of having a clear team identity, using the Boston Celtics' and Indiana Pacers' contrasting styles of play as examples.
- 📊 Advanced statistics like fast break points and three-point shooting are discussed as key factors in the success of teams and players, with an emphasis on the pace of the game.
- 🛡️ Defense is underscored as a crucial aspect of the game, with Minnesota and Dallas being noted for their strong defensive play and the impact it has on their offensive strategies.
- 🤔 The podcast considers tactics for exploiting defensive strategies like hedging, particularly in the context of the Eastern Conference Finals matchups.
- 🚫 The hosts touch on the challenges faced by young players with high expectations, using Caitlyn Clark's entry into the WNBA and the backlash she has faced as a case study.
- 💪 The importance of mindset and resilience is highlighted, with LeBron reflecting on his early experiences in the NBA and the skepticism he faced from teammates and the media.
Q & A
What is the main topic of discussion in this episode of 'Mind the Game' with LeBron James and JJ Redick?
-The main topic of discussion in this episode is the Conference Finals in the NBA, focusing on the identity of the four teams, the importance of role players in the NBA playoffs, and various basketball strategies and concepts.
What basketball concepts does LeBron James explain in the episode?
-LeBron James explains concepts such as pick and roll coverages, drop coverage, up to touch coverage, blitz, soft blitz, hedging, and the advanced pass.
What is the significance of the advanced pass in basketball according to the discussion?
-The advanced pass is significant because it flattens the defense, creates an early shift, and allows for the creation of mismatches and pace in the game.
How does the podcast episode describe the role of role players in the NBA playoffs?
-The episode describes role players as crucial to a team's success in the playoffs, often having more impact than usual, and being essential in winning games beyond the star players.
What are some of the NBA players mentioned in the script who are known for their impact on winning plays?
-Some of the players mentioned include Naz Reid, TJ McConnell, Derek White, Marcus Smart, and Davon Mitchell.
How does LeBron James describe his son Bronny's mindset and perspective at his age?
-LeBron describes Bronny's mindset and perspective as remarkable for his age, highlighting his self-awareness, class, and ability to handle scrutiny with maturity.
What does JJ Redick appreciate about Bronny James's approach to his basketball career?
-JJ Redick appreciates Bronny's ability to figure out his own place in the NBA, his winning mindset, and how he is carving out his own lane separate from his father's legacy.
What are the key differences between the Boston Celtics' and Indiana Pacers' playing styles as discussed in the episode?
-The Boston Celtics are described as a team that emphasizes three-point shooting, space, and driving kicks, while the Indiana Pacers focus on playing in the paint, using the advanced pass to create pace and drive and kick opportunities.
How does the episode discuss the importance of exploiting mismatches in basketball?
-The episode discusses exploiting mismatches through various strategies such as setting screens at different angles, using the advanced pass to create early shifts in the defense, and taking advantage of a hedge with slips into space.
What advice does LeBron James give to young players coming into the NBA, like Caitlyn Clark, facing animosity from others?
-LeBron advises young players to keep their focus on their work, learn from veterans, and not get involved in negativity. He emphasizes the importance of having a good head on their shoulders and enjoying the journey.
Outlines
🏀 Basketball Concepts and Strategy Discussion
The paragraph introduces a basketball podcast episode featuring LeBron James and JJ Redick, discussing various basketball strategies and concepts. They delve into pick and roll coverages, explaining different defensive tactics such as drop coverage, up to touch, blitz, and hedging. They also discuss offensive actions like slippage past a hedge and driving away from a screen. The conversation aims to refresh listeners' understanding of these concepts, indicating that more in-depth explanations can be found in previous episodes.
👨👦 LeBron on His Son Bronny's Basketball Journey
This section focuses on LeBron James sharing his thoughts and feelings about his son, Bronny, attending a basketball combine in Chicago. LeBron expresses pride and admiration for Bronny's mindset and perspective at his young age. He discusses Bronny's aspirations to play in the NBA and acknowledges the remarkable nature of witnessing his child pursuing his dreams. The conversation also touches on Bronny's self-awareness and how he is carving his own path in the basketball world, separate from his father's legacy.
🏆 The Impact of Role Players in the NBA Playoffs
The discussion highlights the crucial role that role players have in the NBA playoffs. It emphasizes how these players, such as Naz Reid, PJ Washington, and TJ McConnell, contribute significantly to their team's success. The paragraph points out that while star players often take the spotlight, it is often the role players who make the difference in tight playoff games, showcasing their importance in winning plays and contributing to the team's overall performance.
🌟 The Importance of Team Identity and Role Acceptance
This part of the conversation stresses the importance of team identity and the acceptance of roles within a team. It discusses how each team in the NBA playoffs has its own distinct identity and how players understand and embrace their roles to contribute to the team's success. The paragraph also touches on how the regular season differs from the playoffs in terms of player contributions and the appreciation of role players' impact on the game.
🎯 Boston Celtics' Game Strategy and Identity
The paragraph delves into the playing style and identity of the Boston Celtics, particularly their emphasis on shooting threes, creating space, and utilizing mismatches to their advantage. The Celtics are described as a team with a clear identity, focusing on driving kicks, offensive rebounds, and early transition plays. Their strategy involves exploiting mismatches through flare and rip screens to get the ball to their star players in advantageous positions.
🔄 Indiana Pacers' Dynamic Offense and Pace
The discussion contrasts the Boston Celtics' style with that of the Indiana Pacers, who are characterized by their use of advanced passes and a concept-driven offense rather than set plays. The Pacers are praised for their ability to flatten the defense with early passes and their focus on scoring in the paint. The paragraph also mentions the Pacers' proficiency in drive and kick plays, highlighting their efficiency and the importance of identifying the right personnel to execute their game plan.
🛡️ Defense and Size as Keys to Success
This section discusses the commonalities between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks, focusing on their defensive prowess and the importance of size and length on the court. Both teams are known for their ability to create a smaller playing area due to their players' wingspan and defensive engagement. The paragraph explores how these attributes contribute to their success and the challenges they pose to opposing teams.
🚫 The Challenge of Facing Elite Shot Creators
The conversation turns to the challenge of defending against elite shot creators like Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, who are adept at creating their own shots and those for their teammates. The paragraph discusses the need for teams to avoid double-teaming these players, as their passing abilities can lead to open shots for their teammates, which can be detrimental to the defending team's chances of winning.
💪 Overcoming Animosity and High Expectations
The final paragraph reflects on the experience of young players entering professional sports and facing animosity or high expectations. It recounts the speaker's personal experience of dealing with skepticism and hostility from teammates and opponents. The advice given is to stay focused, work hard, learn from veterans, and not get involved in negative distractions. The paragraph concludes with a message of support for young players like Caitlyn Clark and Bronny James, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the journey and proving doubters wrong.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Pick and Roll Coverages
💡Drop Coverage
💡Up to Touch
💡Blitz
💡Hedging
💡Role Players
💡Advanced Pass
💡Pace
💡Bronny James
💡Caitlyn Clark
Highlights
LeBron James and JJ Redick discuss the Conference Finals, emphasizing the importance of role players in the NBA playoffs.
The identity of the four teams in the Conference Finals is explored, highlighting their unique strategies and strengths.
LeBron shares his perspective on Bronny James' mindset and approach to the NBA combine, showcasing maturity beyond his years.
The concept of 'advanced pass' in basketball is explained as a strategy to create pace and catch the defense off guard.
LeBron and JJ analyze various pick and roll coverages, including drop coverage, up to touch, and hedging, and their impact on the game.
The importance of ball handlers who can drive away from screens is discussed, with LeBron reflecting on his experience with Dwyane Wade.
The podcast covers how teams like Indiana and Boston utilize their respective styles of play to dominate in the paint or beyond the arc.
LeBron expresses pride in Bronny's ability to handle scrutiny and social media attention with class and self-awareness.
The role of defensive intensity and size, particularly with teams like Minnesota and Dallas, is examined for their strategic advantages.
LeBron and JJ talk about the challenges faced by young players with high expectations, using Caitlyn Clark's experience as an example.
The impact of advanced passes on defensive positioning and the creation of mismatches is detailed.
LeBron discusses the animosity that young players sometimes face from their peers and how to navigate these challenges.
The podcast highlights the importance of role players in determining the outcome of playoff games, not just the stars.
LeBron and JJ analyze how teams like Boston Celtics use space and three-point shooting as part of their strategic identity.
The discussion touches on how the Indiana Pacers' concept-based plays create opportunities in the paint and beyond the arc.
LeBron reflects on the skepticism and doubt he faced from teammates early in his career and how he proved them wrong.
The podcast concludes with advice for young players entering the NBA, emphasizing hard work, learning from veterans, and staying focused.
Transcripts
are we like ready cuz JJ has a hard 45
minutes out Sound Speed it's probably
gonna dent a little bit but who
[Music]
cares it's like poking out like right
there yeah see like here and here
exactly exactly where
recording oh well I made the Pod I'm
trying to help
you you you haven't put me on your pod
yet that all right you good Jason
[Music]
welcome to mind the game with LeBron
James and JJ reick brought to you by
uninterrupted and 342 Productions uh
this is episode 8 we discuss everything
about the Conference Finals in
particular uh we talk about the identity
of these four teams the importance of
role players in the NBA playoffs we have
a discussion on Caitlyn Clark we have a
discussion on bronny James um there's a
few technical things we talk about in
this episode a lot of this stuff we have
discussed before so you can always
reference previous intros and previous
episodes uh for any of the Lexicon that
we may discuss in this episode uh
there's a few things I want to just
break down real quick this will be quick
I promise you and this is just pick and
roll
coverages um this is more of a refresher
than anything ball handler here Defender
here screener
here Defender here all right drop
coverage drop coverage okay drop
coverage this Defender right here is
going to sit back sometimes in the paint
and play Drop coverage which just means
he's dropping towards the basket very
simple drop coverage uh I always say
this about
definitions of basketball Concepts a lot
of times it's just simply in the word so
up to touch is another coverage up to
touch means the defender is up to touch
as the ball hler comes off this is
different than a blitz which is more
aggressive there's also a soft Blitz
which is interchangeable with up to
touch the other concept we talk about a
bunch actually is hedging a lot of NBA
teams don't do this anymore but if you
are Target hunting if you are trying to
create a mismatch and get a switch a lot
of teams will do this we saw this a ton
in the Indiana New York series where
this offensive player with the ball is
Jaylen Brunson so I'm going to circle
him uh this offensive player could be
Josh Hart could be miles McBride they're
being guarded by Tyrese halberton right
here okay that is the defender a hedge
this SC trer is being set Jaylen
brunson's coming off Tyrese halberton is
actually going to get higher than the
level of the ball and he's going to try
to reroute Jaylen Brunson around him and
what that does is if Tyrese halberton is
here and Jaylen Brunson goes around this
screen is being set here we
go Jaylen brunson's defender in this
case Aaron n Smith let's say he can get
back in front of the ball what we talk
about in this episode is sort of
opportunities for the screener against
the Hedge to roll or slip into space so
again as this guy's coming off and
Tyrese halberton or whoever Hedges uh
the screener slipping into space and
you've now created that four on three
that we always talk about on the back
side if you have a great shooter uh as
as an example this was LeBron James on
the Lakers uh this is kcp this is LeBron
James kcp is going to set that pistol or
21 action that we had talked about in a
previous episode as LeBron's coming off
here
kcp his man is going
to hedge out and kcp is going to slip
into space I had to guard this action a
lot wasn't fun in Casp may have may or
may not have hit a couple threes on me
um the other thing we talk about is
driveways love driveways uh this is
Dwayne Wade over here here's his
Defender there is a
screener and as this guy comes to screen
remember Dwayne Wade in the auns in the
2000s early 2010 sometimes this was
still a hedge so we talk about the idea
of dribbling away or rejecting a screen
driving away in order to get away from
that second Defender so Dwayne Wade
would set it up with a little Jab step
and he'd get Baseline on that left side
almost impossible to
guard and the last concept which we're
going to do on this side of the board
because we need the full court is just
uh a very simple
concept it's intuitive in the name the
Advan pass this can happen on a make it
can happen on a Miss uh Nico yic gets a
defensive rebound here this is case CP
out there's Defenders back this is not
meant to necessarily lead to a layup or
an open shot but it's just a quick
Advanced pass to kcp the early shift of
the defense you guys will see this with
Indiana a ton off of makes they will
take the ball out they will advance past
to Tyrese halberton he will then Advance
pass to Aaron n Smith P Pascal sakam uh
they play with pace
and they use the pass to create Pace the
advanced
pass this is episode eight of mind the
game please enjoy if you haven't already
please hit that subscribe button and
please double tap for me cuz I got
through this entire thing in two
[Music]
takes R lots of stuff happening in the
world of basketball
these days um I I want to actually start
with bronnie yeah um this past week he
was in Chicago at the combine and uh I
first of all I've never met bronnie but
I will say uh in all the interviews and
clips that I
saw his uh
perspective and his mindset at that age
was like really stood out it was
actually quite remarkable for you as a
as a dad and obviously my kids play
basketball they're much younger but as a
dad watching him go through this process
what's it like wow this is this is where
we kicking it off with huh JJ you go we
going right to that topic uh I love it I
love it um you know for as a parent to
be able to be um you know there to
witness a child of yours uh start to
live out a dream of theirs um um is
something bronnie has always talked
about um you know and he you know said
we asking plenty of times like what is
but it's your end goal and his end goal
is to to be in the NBA and to see him um
almost at that at that moment um you
know for a parent it's something that
you could just be in all of because I
mean that's what you you want your kids
to be able to live out their dreams you
know and whatever that whatever that is
um whatever you know Direction they take
you want them to be able live out their
dreams and for you know myself and
Savannah to be there and be at the
combine this past week in Chicago to see
him out there with other kids that's
trying to live out their dream um it was
a it was a pretty
like
remarkable I don't know what to say
slash this is exciting um um you know
feeling for for for our whole family and
I know probably know the same feeling
for him as
well he had he had some quotes where he
talked about certain players in the NBA
that he felt he could play like yeah and
I thought it was neat um because not
every 19-year-old kid has that
perspective like I most of us you know
we think we're going to be Allstar all
NBA from day one and that's not
necessarily how it works for everybody
do you do you talk to him about that do
you talk to him about who he can be in
the NBA or is he figuring this out on
his own I think he's figuring it I
wanted him to kind of figure it out his
own where he see himself fit in the NBA
or you know where he see you know what
his comp looks like to to see you know
him mention guys like Derek white Drew
holiday um you know a few other guys
Marcus Smart in our leag Davon Mitchell
these are guys who like come in and and
for a team that's trying to win
championships a team that wants to win
every night these are the players that
you have to have on your team because
they just it doesn't always show up in
the box scores um but always shows up in
the winning plays and you know for Bry
to have that perspective on where he
stands today um you know that's great
and I think that's great for any team to
be able to have a 19y old kid like you
said you know I know that wasn't my that
wasn't my goal my goal was like listen
I'm trying to make it to the to the
All-Star Game in year one I want to be
you know Allstar I want to be MVP I want
I want to be this you know all of these
things and and a lot of us have those
aspirations but you know for brny to
just to have that mindset of like listen
um at this point in time in my in my
life and in my game I know where I stand
but I know how I affect the game you
know and um you know he's just a winning
player and I just I just love his
mindset it's just some of his answers
and and to a lot of the questions that
was given to him was like I was in awe
of because we've never actually you know
even talked about it but um he's living
in it he's living in the moment and he's
he's definitely carving out his own lane
you know he's he's definitely not his
dad and and I'm not him I wouldn't be
able to handle the scrutiny and all the
things that he got going on you know at
his age at his level and with social
media like I didn't have social media to
deal with when I came in at 18 I did
have a lot of scrutiny I did have a lot
of things that was put on my shoulders
but I didn't have you know you know
every single day around the clock news
covers Sports shows things of talking
about this particular person every
single day or you go online or on social
media and x and Instagram and everyone
can comment every single day
about whatever they want to say whatever
I didn't have to deal with that and to
see him handle it you know with such
class and so um you know just like
self-awareness and just St even kill is
just a remarkable thing man and uh super
proud of him you know me and Savannah
talk about all the time how proud of we
are of our kids and you know he's the
oldest you know he we always told him
from day one listen you have to set an
example for your brother and your little
sister um and he he continues to do
that yeah I would say that NBA media got
a week worth of content out of out of
yeah well since you know I think they
said you know well since your dad's not
in the playoffs no more you know what
we're going to ride your ctail bronny
James we can't get your dad to say
anything right now he
declined interview at the Cav's game we
can't get him to say anything so we're
GNA we're going to use your we're g to
use your
son yeah you know we know how there's
other things there there's other things
happening in the NBA World non-playoff
related that I feel like the NBA media
is using as
well absolutely AB you know I'm glad I'm
glad when you when you pointed to those
guys that bronnie mentioned um you
talked about uh players that impact
winning and I think that's a great segue
to get into the playoffs yeah man and
the Conference finals are set we've got
four teams and there's some similarities
between all four teams but I think all
four teams have their own specific
identity you know one of the things when
I think about all four of these
teams is they have a bunch of guys that
star in their roles beyond the stars of
the team y there's buyin yep across the
board to what guys roles are and I think
in the regular season whether it's
because people are
distracted uh the viewership is
different uh we all everybody wants to
talk about is who is in the MVP
discussion all of that it's not till the
playoffs that we fully get to
appreciate guys like nazri guys like TJ
McConnell the Derek whites of the world
PJ Washington Daniel gaford Jaden
McDaniels of course and it's to me this
playoff run for a like across the league
does it feel like to you the role
players are almost having more impact
than normal I mean I know there's always
been there but it feels like when we
talk about we we always talk about like
your stars got to win a couple games you
you you got to gut through a game maybe
your coach gets you a game your role
players win you a game it feels like the
role players night tonight have just
been incredibly consistent no you're
absolutely right JJ I mean you you look
at last last night's game seven in
Denver you know we talk about how
spectacular Ant-Man has been this whole
postseason last night he goes six for 24
from the field I mean at I think at
halftime he had maybe two or four points
you know and in that fourth quarter you
saw Nas Reed you you saw obviously I
mean obviously Rudy is kind of a star
player but Rudy making plays um niil
Alexander Walker and jayen mcds was just
I mean he's been huge all season but you
see it even more in the postseason but
Nas Reed last night you know from you
know the Euro Step he had left right on
on on on Joker uh get fouled on the
offensive rebound then he had a tip dunk
from the corner you know he had a big
time block shot on Joker late in that
game as well like he was huge and then
he pushed in in transition they was up
seven and hit Ant-Man for a corner three
opposite of their bench you know that
came off Nas Reed you know so like
you're absolutely right the the role
players right now with these four teams
that's left are making all the plays you
saw PJ Washington seemed like every time
PJ Washington got into foul trouble in
that Dallas vers OKC Series OKC kind of
had a little Advantage you know and when
he was on the floor the advantage was
gone you know because PJ Washington was
there made the timely threes obviously
in game six at home made the timely
stops he was just big for him so you
know and obviously TJ McConnell he's
just a a you know he's a a coaches dream
to be able to have a guy like that that
comes in knows exactly what he's doing
puts the tempo he's always going to be
high in ass cernal ratio you know and
he's just a dog so you you are
absolutely right man um you this this
this postseason is great and as much
obviously we know the narrative is
always GNA go to the star guys but to be
honest these games have been won by the
MVPs that are role
players yeah to to that point last
night's a great example in game seven
there were games earlier in
uh the Knicks run where Jaylen Brunson
didn't have a good shooting night and
they won uh Luca has not been at his
best outside of a couple games and
they've won right uh they won games in
that OKC Series without Kyrie having a
monster performance and I I'm I don't
know what I'm trying to get at but it
feels like and it it feels like and
we'll get to some of the parody stuff in
a second but it just feels like the
depth of talent right now particularly
on really good teams like you can't
concentrate you need seven eight guys
that can really play in high pressure
moments and have the you called it a dog
I'll say it the the the toughness the
mental
fortitude um to compete at this level
yeah and it feels like across the board
in the NBA we're getting more and more
of these guys that are just they're
[ __ ] good players man absolutely
right and and they are starring in their
roles and they're not doing nothing
outside of what they what they do and
this is what this postseason has been
about and that's what this top four is
all about these top four teams Indiana
Boston um you know Dallas and Minnesota