The Spacing, The Icons and The Block | LeBron James & JJ Redick | Mind the Game
Summary
TLDRThe transcript highlights a deep dive into the strategic nuances of NBA basketball, with a focus on player TJ McConnell and concepts such as screen assists, hockey assists, court mapping, and defensive tactics. The discussion, featuring LeBron James and JJ Redick, underscores the importance of spatial awareness and anticipation in exploiting space on the court, and touches on the evolving popularity of women's basketball.
Takeaways
- 🏀 TJ McConnell is highlighted as a game-changer in the NBA with his ability to alter the flow of the game when he checks in.
- 📊 The concept of 'screen assist' is discussed, emphasizing its importance in tracking a player's contribution to scoring through setting screens.
- 🏀 The 'hockey assist' is introduced, explaining its role in documenting the pass that leads to a chain of events ending in a score.
- 👥 Court mapping is defined as the awareness of players' positions and tendencies on the court, which is crucial for making strategic plays.
- 🚀 The 'Gortat screen' is described as a modern NBA tactic where the screener goes over the top of the pick and roll, giving the ball handler an advantage.
- 🏀 The significance of spacing in basketball is discussed, noting that not all spacing is equal and that cognitive abilities like pattern recognition and anticipation are vital.
- 📈 The impact of the transfer portal in college basketball is mentioned, suggesting it affects fan engagement due to the constant change in player lineups.
- 🏆 Women's basketball, especially at the college level, is gaining popularity due to the ability to follow players' growth over multiple years, unlike the one-and-done era in men's basketball.
- 🌟 The importance of icons in basketball is highlighted, with the discussion noting the lack of college icons in men's basketball compared to women's.
- 📊 The statistics and records of notable women's college basketball players are mentioned, emphasizing their role in elevating the sport's popularity.
- 🎥 The discussion underlines the surge in women's basketball viewership and popularity, attributing it to factors like the transfer portal and the opportunity for players to build their legacy.
Q & A
Who is TJ McConnell and how does his role in the NBA compare to Draymond Green?
-TJ McConnell is a professional basketball player in the NBA who is known for his impact on the game similar to Draymond Green. Both players are recognized for their ability to change the flow of the game when they check in, despite not being the primary scorers on their teams.
What is a screen assist in basketball and how is it tracked?
-A screen assist occurs when a player sets a screen for another player who then scores. It is tracked through advanced stats in the NBA, acknowledging and documenting the role of the player who set the screen in facilitating the score.
Why is Rudy Gobert considered one of the best screen setters in the NBA?
-Rudy Gobert leads the NBA in screen assists, indicating his effectiveness in setting screens that result in scores for his teammates. His ability to create open shots through strategic screening makes him one of the best in this aspect of the game.
What is the concept of 'Court mapping' in basketball and how does it relate to spatial awareness?
-Court mapping refers to a player's understanding of where everyone is on the court and the tendencies of those players based on NBA concepts. It involves spatial awareness and the ability to make plays based on the current positioning and movements of players on both teams.
What is a 'Gortat screen' and how did it become popular in the NBA?
-A Gortat screen is a type of screen where the offensive player comes around the pick and roll, and the defensive player goes over the top of the pick and roll. This tactic was popularized by Marcin Gortat, who used it effectively with John Wall, allowing the ball handler to get to the basket and creating scoring opportunities.
How does the concept of 'flooding' work in basketball?
-Flooding typically happens in a wing isolation scenario where the low man, the man closest to the rim, floods the lane and comes across the lane. This action forces the other defenders on the weak side to get in help position, changing the dynamics of the play and creating potential mismatches or open shots.
What is the significance of the 'boxes and elbows' in basketball terminology?
-The 'boxes and elbows' refer to specific areas on the basketball court. The boxes are located near the basket, while the elbows are on the lane. When discussing help defense, 'boxes and elbows' means that the help defense is stationed at these strategic points to provide support and prevent easy scoring opportunities.
How has the popularity of women's basketball, particularly at the college level, been changing recently?
-There has been a surge in popularity for women's basketball, with increased attendance and viewership. Factors contributing to this include the transfer portal leading to decreased fan attachment in men's college basketball and the ability for women's players to build their legacy and brand over four years of college play, as they don't have the 'one and done' rule.
What is the 'hockey assist' in basketball and how does it differ from a regular assist?
-A hockey assist is a pass that leads to a pass that leads to a score. It is named after the similar concept in hockey and differs from a regular assist, which occurs when a player passes the ball to another player who directly scores. The hockey assist accounts for the play that sets up the scoring opportunity, even if it involves multiple passes.
What impact has social media had on the scrutiny of NBA players?
-Social media has amplified the scrutiny of NBA players, with their every move and decision being closely monitored and commented upon by fans and media. This increased attention can affect players' mental health and public image, and has led to a situation where there are fewer iconic players who are as widely recognized and celebrated as in the past.
How does LeBron James view the importance of recognizing and utilizing screen assists in basketball?
-LeBron James believes that screen assists should be a tracked box score stat because they capture a significant aspect of a player's contribution to the game that is not fully reflected in traditional stats. He argues that recognizing screen assists would better highlight the impact of players like Draymond Green who may not score many points but significantly influence the game through their screening abilities.
Outlines
🏀 NBA Strategies and Player Impact
This paragraph discusses various strategies in the NBA, emphasizing the impact of certain players like TJ McConnell and Draymond Green. It explains concepts such as screen assists, hockey assists, and the significance of court mapping and spatial awareness in the game. The discussion highlights how these elements can change the flow of the game and contribute to a team's success.
📈 Court Mapping and Player Tendencies
The focus of this paragraph is on court mapping, which involves understanding the positions of players and their tendencies on the court. It uses examples from Nicoa Yic's gameplay to illustrate how anticipating the movements of teammates and opponents can lead to successful plays. The concept of flooding is also introduced, describing how a player can change the dynamics of an isolation play by moving across the lane.
🌟 The Rise of Women's College Basketball
This paragraph explores the growing popularity of women's college basketball, attributing it to factors such as the transfer portal and the ability for female players to build their legacy and brand over four years. It also discusses the impact of social media on the visibility of female athletes and the importance of icons in the sport, highlighting the success and recognition of several women's college basketball players.
🏆 The Evolution of Basketball and Its Future
The paragraph reflects on the history and evolution of basketball, from the introduction of men's basketball in the Olympics to the founding of the WNBA. It emphasizes the progress and potential for growth in women's basketball, particularly in college, and predicts that the sport is trending towards greater success. The conversation also touches on the importance of recognizing the contributions of all players, not just those with high scores or rebounds.
🤔 Defensive Strategies and Decision Making
This paragraph delves into defensive strategies in basketball, discussing the decision-making process when facing certain offensive plays. It talks about the concept of blitzing, the risks and rewards associated with it, and how some players are so skilled that they can single-handedly change the outcome of a game. The paragraph also explores the idea of what a defense is willing to give up in order to prevent certain plays from succeeding.
🎥 Play Breakdown: The Gortat Screen
The paragraph provides a detailed breakdown of a specific play known as the Gortat Screen, which has become a staple in the NBA. It explains the origins of the play, its effectiveness when timed correctly, and how it can be used to create scoring opportunities. The conversation also touches on the importance of anticipation and pattern recognition in executing such plays successfully.
🚫 Personal Preferences in Offensive Alignments
In this paragraph, the speaker shares personal preferences regarding offensive alignments in basketball. The discussion revolves around the strategic use of the dunker spot, the importance of having the best shooter in a strong corner, and the desire to create numerical advantages on one side of the court. The speaker also talks about the discomfort of certain offensive sets and the need to adapt alignments based on the game situation and shot clock.
🏋️♂️ The Athleticism of Basketball: Cognitive and Physical
This paragraph discusses the cognitive and physical aspects of basketball athleticism. It highlights the importance of pattern recognition, spatial awareness, and anticipation in the game. The conversation also touches on the idea of players having a fully 'downloaded map' of the court, which signifies a high level of understanding and mastery of the game. The paragraph emphasizes the impact of cognitive abilities on a player's performance and the overall dynamics of a game.
🏀 Iconic Moments and Personal Anecdotes
The paragraph recounts specific iconic moments in basketball games, including a memorable chase-down block and a game-winning shot in overtime. It provides personal insights and anecdotes from the speaker's experiences, discussing the mindset and decision-making process during high-pressure situations. The conversation also reflects on the legacy and impact of certain plays, emphasizing the significance of timing and execution in the sport.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Screen Assist
💡Hockey Assist
💡Court Mapping
💡Flooding
💡Gortat Screen
💡Spatial Awareness
💡Transfer Portal
💡One and Done
💡Women's Basketball
💡Social Media Era
💡Iconic Players
Highlights
TJ McConnell is a favorite NBA player due to his game-changing impact similar to Draymond Green.
The concept of 'screen assist' is underutilized in the NBA, despite its importance in opening up scoring opportunities for teammates.
Rudy Gobert leads the NBA in screen assists, showcasing his significant contribution to the Utah Jazz's offensive flow.
The 'hockey assist' is a vital part of basketball play, often leading to a chain of events that result in a score.
Court mapping, or understanding the positioning and tendencies of players on the court, is a crucial skill for high-level basketball.
Nicola Jokic's ability to read the court and make precise passes demonstrates his exceptional spatial awareness.
The 'Gortat screen' is a strategic play named after Marcin Gortat, involving a defensive player going over the top of a pick and roll.
LeBron James and JJ Redick discuss the evolution and increasing popularity of women's basketball.
LeBron highlights the importance of recognizing and adapting to the changing dynamics of the court in real-time.
The concept of 'flooding' in basketball involves a player taking up a strategic position to disrupt the offensive flow.
The 'boxes and elbows' strategy refers to defensive positioning in the context of an isolation play.
LeBron and JJ Redick discuss the impact of the 'one and done' rule and the transfer portal on college basketball fandom and popularity.
LeBron emphasizes the scarcity of iconic players in men's college basketball due to the 'one and done' rule and player transfers.
The podcast also touches on the surge in popularity for women's basketball, attributing it to the consistency of players like Candace Parker and Maya Moore.
LeBron and JJ Redick discuss the importance of recognizing and valuing the roles of all players in a basketball game, not just the high-scoring ones.
The conversation highlights the strategic use of the 'Gortat screen' in creating space and opportunities for the ball handler.
LeBron shares personal anecdotes of his high school recruitment and love for Duke University.
The podcast wraps up with a discussion on the historical progression and future trends of women's basketball.
Transcripts
like one of my favorite players in the
NBA right now is TJ McConnell all I can
just do TJ McConnell is
like like Draymond guard yeah he's like
Draymond as a as a point guard he is
talking about TJ McConnell one of my
favorite players NJ TJ he's like a
there's certain guys they check into the
game and it changes the flow of the game
pton pritchard's like that pton Smith
was like that is Smith was like that
yeah for sure yeah for
[Music]
sure
[Music]
welcome to episode four of mind the game
podcast with LeBron James and me JJ reic
presented by uninterrupted and 342
Productions this discussion is centered
around space in the NBA and how to
exploit that space icons in women's
college basketball and of course one of
the most famous defensive plays in NBA
history told through the mind the eyes
and the words of LeBron James just a few
things that we cover conceptually in
this episode I want to go through these
right now just to give you guys a little
precursor to the concepts that we talk
about one of the things I talk about in
this episode is the screen assist
uh assists are tracked and have been
tracked for decades in the NBA an assist
is when a player passes the ball to
another player and that player scores a
screen assist is simply acknowledging
and documenting that a player has set a
screen for another player who then
scores so it's Kevin Garnett with a wide
pin down screen for Ray Allen who comes
off that screen and hits a jumper it's
Derek Lively setting a high pick and
roll screen for Luca donic who then
makes a three-pointer a screen assist is
just an opportunity to get your teammate
open who then scores one of the best
screen of sisters in the entire NBA is
Rudy goar and he has been for a number
of years he actually leads the NBA in
screen assist this is a stat that is
tracked through advanced stats however
I think this should be a box score stat
and I explain why in this episode the
other type of assist we talk about in
this episode is the hockey assist so in
hockey if a player passes the puck to
another player who then passes the puck
to a goal scorer and this the scorer
scores the goal he gets an assist a
hockey assist is simply the pass that
leads to a pass that leads to a score
for example in high pick and roll
if the ball handler comes off and makes
a pass to the big man on the short roll
which we covered in episode three and
the short roller passes to the wing and
the wing guy SW swings to the corner for
an open three then the big man in the
short role who made the first pass
that's a hockey assist so the Gortat
screen this is named after one of my
former teammates Martian Gortat who
popularized this type of screen and this
concept uh in the modern NBA so if we
talk about a spread pick and
roll right here and you have five
offensive players and five defensive
players in today's NBA the X5 the five
guarding the five men on the offense
he's oftentimes in drop coverage drop
coverage is simply the big man in a pick
and roll dropping into the paint he's
not at the level the level of the screen
is at the level of the offensive player
setting the
screen drop coverage is simply your back
off of the level so a Gortat screen is
when the offensive
player comes around the pick and roll
the defensive player goes over the top
of the pick and roll and at this
point the offensive player has an
advantage and as Bron calls it a hostage
dribble or putting a player in jail he
keeps the defender on his back instead
of rolling to the rim this
screener rolls into another
screen on the drop coverage big which
allows the ball handler to get all the
way to the basket that is something that
Martian Gortat ran a ton with John Wall
something I first really noticed when I
went to Philadelphia and I played
against the Boston Celtics a bunch
Daniel Ty Al Horford excellent Gortat
screeners that is the Gortat screen
another concept we talk about
specifically as it relates to Nicole yic
is Court mapping Court mapping is simply
knowing where everyone is on the court
and the
Tendencies of those players based upon
NBA Concepts so here's an example let's
say this is nicoa yic with the
basketball and this is two nuggets
players going into a high split again a
split is just when two offb players go
to screen for each other let's say that
this is Reggie Jackson and Reggie
Jackson sets a screen on Christian Brown
and Christian Brown cuts to the basket
Nicole yic has mapped the court he knows
this help Defender is not really
involved in the play he's reading what
these two Defenders are doing he also
knows that as this cutter cuts to the
basket chances are this help Defender
because he's been taught this way is
going to help on this cut whether it is
a scoring cut or not he's going to help
he has awareness of this cut so Court
mapping is simply I know this guy's
going to be open I'm going to make this
skip pass for a three Payton Watson
three that's Court mapping it's simply
knowing where everyone is on the court
another example of that from nicoa yic
nicoa yic in a post up right here
against the New York Knicks Josh Hart
right here as a help Defender Aaron
Gordon in the dunker spot in this area
Josh Hart coming from the Baseline side
on a double nicoa yic knows that Aaron
Gordon is in the dunker spot assuming he
can get inside position he just makes an
over thehead pass right to Aaron Gordon
for a layup
that's Court mapping spatial awareness
so a flood typically happens on a wing
isolation so let's say this is Jason
Tatum he's got a clear side he's the
offensive player he's the O he's got a
clear side on offense and let's say the
other Boston players are all either at
the top of the key or on the weak side
which we explained in a prior episode
flooding simply means that that the low
man the man closest to the rim floods
the lane and comes across the
lane that is flooding right here so now
Jason Tatum instead of being isolated
alone against one Defender has a second
Defender all the other Defenders on the
weak side then get in help position but
this is the guy right here who comes
across the lane and floods boxes and
elbows again sometimes the meaning of
the concept is simply in the word uh if
you look at a court typically uh the
lowest hash mark is a
box this part of the court on the lane
is these are called the elbows right
here so boxes and elbows simply means
that the help defense is stationed at
the boxes and elbows so think about an
isolation at the top of the key let's
say again it's Jason Tatum he's
isolating at the top of the key against
the defender
Boston is spread out five
out these Defenders are at boxes and
elbows want to thank you guys again for
watching and listening to mind the game
podcast with LeBron James and JJ reck if
you haven't already please hit that
subscribe button uh we just recorded
episodes five and six um a bias of
course but I think they're some of our
best work
[Music]
yet
I saw something on uh on Twitter that
tick pick is reporting that they've sold
six times more final four tickets the
women's final four than the men's final
think about earlier this year uh Ryan
ruko who I you know work with of course
was calling uh South Carolina LSU had
better ratings on a Thursday night
versus a Miami Heat Boston CS TNT game
it feels
like uh there's a surge in popularity
right now even more so for the men's you
than the men's game the women's
basketball whether it's WNBA but
particularly particularly Women College
why do you think that
is I think I think there's obviously
there's a lot of factors that goes into
to we're theorizing here by the way yeah
we're theorizing theorizing but I
personally think that there's two things
I obviously the obvious one to me is the
transfer portal I think there's too many
guys that are leaving colleges leaving
programs and it's just hard to keep up
with a lot of guys you know so if I'm a
if if I'm a kid that goes to the you
know if I'm a fan and I my team is is
Connecticut or or Baylor or you know
duke or North Carolina and kids are now
you know they're leaving one year in or
two years in in transfer portal you know
you're like
your pop you know your your your your
fandom of that particular player on your
favorite program it automatically
dwindles it goes down so I think that
that has something to do with as far as
the popularity and and and the
excitement of why you may want to watch
the the women's uh college game more
than the men's but I also think the
number one thing
is in in women's sports compared to the
men we have the ability to go to the NBA
right after our freshman year in the
women's game you have the ability to
build your
legacy and build
your and build your your your Rapport
and brand with that fan base with that
Community Caitlyn
Clark I mean back in the day when it was
like Diana terazi and Sue bir sea H
cloth you know Candace Parker you know
you're watching these girls they're
doing it Kelsey Plum at Washington you
you're watching these girls year after
year after year continue to
grow watch you watch any girl I mean
there's not much going on in Connecticut
besides the
Huskies so when you get a a a a a
popular basketball player which is the
most popular sport in the world I'm
going stick by it I know
football fans will rebuke my comment but
I believe that but you get a a a a woman
to stay on campus 3 four
years I think that has a lot to do with
the popularity of their sport it gets to
Something Rich Paul said to me he was
talking about NBA players and the
scrutiny that uh the great ones face now
in the social media area era but he said
to me there are no more icons and when I
think about men's college basketball
there are no more icons and I think two
reasons you mentioned one and done
transfer portal are a big part of that
we'll go down the list since the one and
done error look listen to this [ __ ] this
is some of the names of women's college
basketball players and a lot of these
players have won the wooden award
Candace Parker and some of them have won
it more than once Maya Moore Britney
Griner Banna Stewart Asia Wilson Aaliyah
Boston sabr Sabrina UNESCO Kelsey Plum
Caitlyn Clark Angel ree Juju Watkins
who's at USC that's just to name a few
yep and I I feel like that as much as I
love
the team aspect of basketball period I
think the women's game right now
particularly in college has more icons
yeah I mean when I was growing up
watching college basketball on big
Monday you had Allen Iverson at
Georgetown you had krie KD at
Villanova you had Ray Allen at at
Connecticut you had uh U John Wallace at
Syracuse these are all on big Mondays
you know there's no more
you was you spent four years at Duke
there's no more JJ rex or Shane B Shane
Bader came back he came back when he was
already he's going to be a lottery he
came back for his senior year he's like
I'm coming back
like those are the icons that we're
talking about those are the college
icons that you that you watched yeah you
watched because you had a love for you
know that program but you also watch
because they had certain icons or
certain uniforms like you know I used to
watching North Carolina back in the day
Ed cot he didn't sniff the
NBA but the he was [ __ ] loved edot in
college I love edot Shaman Williams that
that team that they had you know what
I'm saying like I love Cincinnati you
know what with uh uh Logan and Ruben
Patterson you know and Kenya Martin all
those guys when and then when Kenny
safield stepped in Demar Johnson it was
like I don't know where it kind of like
I me as a kid watching that like I want
I wanted to when I was growing up I
wanted to go to Cincinnati because of
the uniforms and because of how because
of hugs and then I got a little older
then I wanted to go to North Carolina
because of the uniforms and because you
know OTA and his ability to pass the
ball like I was like oh that's
insane like like you you never want to
go to Duke [ __ ] no man [ __ ] no I never
wanted to grow and go to Duke I already
told you
this my now yes now now that you know K
now that I know K is my [ __ ] guy yes
my sophomore year uh they started
recruiting me right at the end of this
the the high school season and so they
my season ends and they say you can come
to senior night Chris Carell's senior
night it was against Carolina I go this
is I mean I'm a Duke fan I'm a dream
come true right so I go and um had a
great time Duke wins you know I meet K
for the first time spent some time with
wjo wjo takes me around campus or
whatever like a month and a half later
I'm at the first uh big Nike a
tournament which was Boo Williams we
hosted the first tournament in Virginia
and we get to the championship game and
I'm sitting with my teammates and you
know how you used to wear shorts
Underneath Your Shorts of course shorts
shorts that particular day I had decided
to wear some Carolina shorts so all I
want to do in life is go to Duke but I I
like the Carolina blue color so I'm
rocking these Carol of blue shorts and
who [ __ ] walks up sits next to me no
wjo does he's like what the [ __ ] are you
doing dude I was like there goes kill
everything there goes my chance uh real
quick I just want to wrap this up but
like Cameron Brink who uh star player
for for Stanford she said a she a quote
she said I keep seeing videos of people
saying I can name five women's
basketball players in college but not
men that's so funny and such a crazy
shift I want to say overall the women's
game we have Legends still playing and a
bunch of future stars the game is in
such a good place I want to make one
last point cuz I always think about time
in progress right uh first time there
was men's basketball in the Olympics was
1936 first time there was women's
basketball was
1976 the NBA started in 1951 it was the
NBL before that in
1946 WNBA was founded in
1996
the first women's nationally televised
game was 1979 think about that it was
the a
a they were going against uh Larry Bird
and Magic right NCAA tournament for
women didn't start till 1982 think about
the NBA right still on tape delay y in
the 1980s finals games playoff games
it's just time in progress that's it
it's inevitable it's inevitable these
players are so talented it's only going
to get better it's only going to get
better so this surge we're seeing it's
the trend it's the trend it is the trend
and I'm all for it cuz I love the sport
men or women I love it and talking about
role and I want to be I want to be clear
on this no I I do I want to be clear on
this that is our show our show is very
clear I want to be clear on this
because I feel like there are parts of
basketball mhm
to Casual fans
yeah and actually you know what [ __ ]
that we're all guilty of this yeah we
are guilty of this where we can watch a
game yep and say oh that guy was awesome
and you know chances are he he was
awesome if we all think he was awesome
he was awesome and there's this other
part of us that's like that guy was a
bum and there's the box score Watchers
there that box score Watchers oh yeah we
know the box score and I made the point
the other night on uh your game with the
Warriors I said I think screen assist
should be in the Box Score I'm well
aware that we can track screen assist
that is an official tracking stat I want
it to be a box score stat yeah because
it's like it goes back to
role basketball for some reason we all
have these like interchangeable roles at
times other sports we don't agree so if
Jason Kelce doesn't allow a sack
and has a couple pancake blocks then he
was awesome nobody's saying [ __ ] Jason
why didn't you catch a pass today right
why did you score a touchdown Jason yeah
yeah for sure we need screen assists for
sure like can we capture how good Rudy
goar is if we had screen assists in a
box score if Steph goes off for
42 and Draymond has seven assists seven
rebounds seven points and seven screen
assists and seven screen assist does
that better capture how good Draymond
Green is yes because his impact don't
always show up in a box SC like you're
saying hockey
assists guys that pass Pass open decent
shots for great shots right or
understand what the pass what the next
pass is going to do I can give you a
prime example right now let's hear back
to Blitz and pick and rolls yeah there's
certain teams in our league that we
know will Blitz a pick and roll try to
get the ball out of D's hands try to get
the ball out of Austin's hands cuz they
you know pretty damn good if you let
them get a little you know get some
Spades get them give them where they can
see Vision whatever a lot of teams have
been trying to Blitz us
late the best play for them to make when
you know that's happening with 8 setting
the stream is the throw aead pass to the
corner or or or to the wing depending on
which
which as soon as you come off and you
have two guys on the ball 80s diving
that mean there's a two-sided on the
same side that's going to tag ad8 which
you just drew up yeah I can draw it up
again yeah draw it up
again you want the throw aead pass to
the slot the throw aead pass to the slot
come in Middle yeah come in Middle it is
the easiest play to recognize and now
you put the onus on the guy in the slot
to make the proper
read nine times out of 10 is going to be
the guy that's sitting right in front of
him
right in the
corner you know it's it's interesting
too cuz you you talk about the hockey
assist in this play and so as ad rolls
here these two guys have now committed
to the ball right and the pass goes here
yes sometimes it's it's not ad that's
going to score either right it's like he
can catch yeah and then he hit here or
maybe it's a skip pass all the way over
yeah
I I I think basketball in some
ways I don't want to simplify it
because as Devin Booker said a couple
weeks ago to me uh there's certain
people that are them ones I was not one
of them ones right but there are certain
people that have the ability like Kevin
Durant or like Devin Booker or like
Jaylen Brown to Kyrie Irving Luca
whoever you know who I'm talking about
the guys that can
score efficiently
one-on-one and as we've gotten into this
like super analytical phase of the NBA
there are coaches who are reading time
and
score they're reading the shot chart the
turnovers and they're saying I'm going
to manage this game and as long as I'm
up seven to 10 points in this situ
situation I'm not going to Blitz I'm not
going to put two on the ball and I'm
going to live with
whoever going 12 for
24 for 29 to 32 points but you know what
I'm not going to get in rotation I'm not
going to put two on the ball I'm not
going to give up offensive rebounding
and I think that's really interesting it
is how far did I get to
Hawks what's wild about that is they
they blitzed more than anybody in the
league and then they decided not to
Blitz and luuka had
70 I know anyways my point is my point
is there are certain guys that can do it
and you live with it and there's there
are certain plays and actions that cause
a reaction and you get two on the ball
the whole thing with defense at least to
me right now is can we stay out of
rotation can you stay out of rotation
and what are you or what are you willing
to give up yeah is not what you're
willing to stop you can't stop
yeah the players and in certain teams
and the coaching
now is very it's super super Diversified
and super tricky and they always trying
to they're just reading to see what you
do okay that's how they played it okay
we got a counter for that there's a
counter for that so it's not what you
willing to stop it's what you're willing
to give up if we go to a game and say
hey this team they [ __ ] shoot the
three out of high clip they shooting 45
threes a game game 503s a game so let's
take away try to take away the threes
and let's live with the
mid-range don't foul and put them on the
free throw line because we know that's
the easiest bucket you can get and let's
try to take away the
threes but that's not switching when it
comes to a great
player because you know what happens
when you switch and you play against a
great player you're G to end up in
[ __ ] rotations anyways rotation
anyways yep 100% it's not switching it's
building a defense that keeps everyone
at home keeps the big on the big the
guard has to either navigate am I going
under am I going over depending on who
the point guard or the two guard is and
he has to work his ass off for that game
and his minutes that he's guarding that
player and everyone has to just be ready
on the backside obviously case of
emergency you know guy [ __ ] Falls or
you know something breaks down the big
is up too high and he let the roller get
behind him [ __ ] changes obviously by the
way I I want to just show you that real
quick that's your second
shot I shoot something else [ __ ] isn't
that wild there's nine guys inside the
there's nine guys within 12 feet of each
other yeah it's wild well we'll make
sure this ends up on the video that's
crazy uh you mentioned you mentioned the
Luca game against Atlanta I we actually
had him right after and we talked about
uh what I think
we're going to do a play break down here
what I think is like the most
Unstoppable and ridiculous cheat code in
the NBA if you can time it
right this is you against the Milwaukee
Bucks um in
2020 in March of 2020 oh I already know
what it is without even watching it what
what happens on this play the [ __ ]
Gort screen the Gort screen the [ __ ]
Gort to screen is the most Unstoppable
it's Wild
play like you said if you can time it
right it can't be stopped I scored a few
times in that game one I got a and one
in the first half vers Brooke in the
second one I just I hostaged you call a
I see put them in jail but some people
call it a hostage trible you know so you
come you come over they chase over the
screen you put them on your back and
then you just kind of Hostage dribble
and now and now I'm waiting in that clip
yeah as soon as I saw javil yeah Gort it
death I took off yeah Luca does it I
they they teach it yes J kid and his
staff they teach that yeah they teach it
the um my favorite part about that clip
by the way so Martian Gortat was a
teammate of mine in Orlando when he was
in Washington with John
Wall he started doing this I actually
asked him about this today on the flight
here I was like hey bro I'm going to
talk about the Gortat screen I'm like
where did you get it from and he's like
ah just reading angles you know Stan
really helped me in understanding the
game and I came up with it myself then
he said he has three other screening
angles that he hasn't shared with
anybody so I'm like I got to see this
[ __ ] but anyways Martian gorot would run
this with John Walt yeah if you remember
a lot of teams would go under John EXA
right so if as they would set the pick
lower and lower they would keep
switching the pick lower and lower or
flipping the pick lower and lower JN
would eventually get over the top and
the big right JN was treated as a
non-shooting threat we got to protect
the rim against John Wall the big would
be so far back that Martian instead of
rolling to the basket would just go run
right into the big and just run and then
you know he would either run straight
into him with his back with his back
towards his offensive player or act like
he's on a fake post up and then just
turn around yeah it's so amazing that
Martian has a he has a like Martian G
Gort has yeah you know you have like you
have like the craw Malone area yeah yeah
you know you have like like certain
things that that we have in our game the
ion cut yeah Iverson cut have the
Iverson cut there one more it's a couple
more my favorite though part about that
particular clip if you really slow down
and watch it you had to have just said
javel Gortat screen he doesn't even look
at you or the ball at all he sets the
pick he kind of out of the corner of his
eye sees that you have him in jail have
him in and he runs directly to right to
Brook yeah right to Brooke I see it now
on drives too it's not just in pick and
roll yeah Draymond Draymond does it all
time yeah Draymond did it on me the
other night but he actually grabbed my
[ __ ] arm it was he wouldn't [ __ ]
let my arm go he had me in jail and put
the handcuffs on me it's a great no it's
great great so anyways look for that
yeah look for that look for that and
again it goes back to you you dunk the
ball you dunk the ball but McGee going
to get no credit on that that should be
the assist you're absolutely right 100%
100% you're absolutely right but that's
sacrifice
um going back to
spacing I love just weaving in out of
this [ __ ] going back to spacing though I
feel like a 911 Turbo S right now just
weaving out of traffic not all spacing
is created
equal and by that I mean you can have
you can play five
out right you can play five out you can
keep the paint clear yeah but not every
player as you said earlier by the way
which is important not everybody has to
be a 40% shooter you have to be a threat
from three you have to be a threat
Draymond plays in spacing yeah sha Maran
played in spacing you know there's
certain guys that plays in spacing and
but it's your IQ that creates the
space draymond's biggest asset
offensively is being able to know that
guys are going to Sag off off them cuz
they daring them to shoot and Draymond
smart enough to say you idiots I'm not
going to shoot the ball y'all playing so
far off me so when I catch it in space
I'm G to find one of my deadly two guys
clay or
Steph and I'm going to dho to those guys
and get a clean hit and because you're
so far off me you're not going to be
able to contest and then when you run up
out of control I know my greatest asset
is my pocket pass game four on three
yeah that's playing in space
right the over this is like this is the
Duncan Robinson this is the Kyle corver
this was of course Ray Allen you get to
that dribble hand off you're the you're
the big yeah you've you've sagged off
DeAndre Jordan with me you've sagged off
of him I've created the separation
DeAndre is coming to a dribble hand off
me oh [ __ ] there's the overreaction and
with Stephen Clay there's probably not a
greater overreaction Draymond Gets
behind I mean and when you have a guy
like you saying you have those guys that
could play in the pocket and understand
it bam out Bayou you know we played them
in the finals he when you have Tyler
herro and Duncan Robinson and those guys
flying off there has to be some chain of
reaction yeah there there's this
uh there's this concept it's not a
concept really but uh my friend uh who
coaches for the Timberwolves put up
these uh list of attributes for
basketball athleticism and look I'm not
going to go through through all the
physical ones you can guess them you
know vertical plane balance coordination
uh agility all that stuff uh but the
cognitive side of it um which I think we
touched on quite a bit in episode one
but I there's one in particular I want
to talk about today so uh cognitive side
of it is pattern recognition spatial
awareness which is Court mapping y
anticipation cognitive load mental
bandwidth essentially your processing
spe right so the the court mapping part
I think is really interesting so there's
there's a bunch of guys that do it I
think at a higher level than anyone else
and the analogy I would use is if you
were to um to get a new
car and let's say this new car it was
like 19 no we'll say 2009 okay before
Apple carplay before Android Google Play
you remember you used to get a car and
the map would have to download okay so
there's some guys they the map gets 30%
downloaded there some guys maybe it gets
60% downloaded there's a lot of guys
that I think are at like 80 or 90% the
map has been downloaded so that you can
actually start the car and get most
places you want to go and then there's
like a handful of guys the map has 100%
downloaded and they've mapped the whole
Court their pattern recognition is a 10
out of 10 their anticipation is a 10 out
of 10 MH and that to me is a GameChanger
you we talking about the the not all
spacing is Crea well you remember in
your game the other night against the
Warriors Steph's over in the corner Gary
pton is in the left wing and Steph is
pointing at him right Ball's all the way
on the right side all the way in the
right corner Steph is pointing at him
pointing at Gary pton because his man is
all the way in the middle of the paint
so he knows if you swing it to Gary P
the dho happen and he came off faked the
three resurfaced shot it and won Ry hore
talk [ __ ] to D yeah it's part of the
reason I don't again it's Personnel
based I talked to my teammates
today about that about that about that
about Steph Curry about in the film
session we have film today and we we
watched clips of Golden State we watched
clips of the Hawks game that we just had
our last two games there was a clip
where we gave up way too much space to
Clay we got caught looking at the ball
in the air the ball finds the ball in
the post to one of the Golden State
Warriors and for a split second we have
one of our guys looking at the ball and
as soon as that happened Steph set a rip
on clay and he gets a three the next
clip we show we showed I had Steph in
transition and Steph Cuts back door and
I'm body on body I didn't [ __ ] look
at get the ball the whole time and I
know that goes against every coach yeah
ball you basket see the ball see the
ball the ball is the
problem the ball is not the problem with
Steph
Curry he's he's the [ __ ] problem
Steph is most dangerous when he doesn't
have the ball which is not there's not
many guys all time in our league that's
most dangerous without the ball I'm
telling them listen
guys I've been in more than enough War
with those
guys more than enough I understand it so
I get it I get I come from a different
point of view
POV but when Steph decides to cut inside
the lane don't
relax he's coming back up
right yeah he's coming back up but you
have to have that's reps and Reps and
Reps and Reps of actually guarding
something that's uncomfortable guarding
stuff is uncomfortable and the problem
with our guys in our league they're not
comfortable with being
uncomfortable and that's why Steph and
Golden State will always be relevant
because they play an uncomfortable style
of play do do you hate
that I I hate it when you don't have the
Personnel to
match I'm just using the word hate I
hate it
uh going back to that Gary pton play
though I know exactly the
play but this is so there's an anomaly
to this of
course I really hate the dunker i'mna
make same mistake episode one it's all
good no no we're I really hate the
dunker
spot I do I think there's a time and
place for it I think there's a time in
place for [ __ ] with the
spacing yes obviously obviously
obviously I like I like when I'm
watching games or I'm watching film and
I see no one in the paint so think about
it this way if Aaron Gordon was always
in the dunker spot and they go to their
five out splits they throw it to joic
they start running the back screen to a
slip he's going to be in the way he's
going to be in the way right there's a
time and place okay I like that there's
a time and place for the dunker spot
time and place 7030 8020 I would say
7030 7030 but on that team 75 25 on that
team it's a different thing because of
because of joic and the court mapping
yeah Court mapping for sure there's a
play from from March 2nd that I love end
game you know what they're running two
man yep two man joic crosses the court
on the right side M Murray's got the
ball on the left side they're going to
go to that high pick and roll of Murray
to his right hand correct and joic I
think it was pton Watson he's like stay
on no no he's said go go to the right
corner so Pon Watson was in life left
wing goes to the right corner they get
to their Twan it eventually ends up with
joic Gordon's doing cat and mouse on the
Baseline Y and he spins and it literally
looked like a shot by the shot and he
does like this yeah and lob dunk right
lob dunk yeah that is Court mapping it
is cu he knew getting that guy over
there y he knew getting that guy over
there yep would make you have to make
the tough decision y do I help on his
spin do I let him score y or do I stay
home on a Gordon yep and it helps and
then it's the anticipation the cognitive
load all that stuff yeah I saw I mean I
saw a stat on on yish last year and and
I don't know that exact
number but in the finals in in in the
finals vers Miami he shot like
70% from the free throw line
in like catching the ball the free throw
line either yeah this or floaters when
he catches in the pocket like
74% that's insane so when he turns and
he's going to this you're thinking okay
let me try to get a contest meanwhile he
has Aaron Superman Gordon from the
corner by the way give credit to Aaron
Gordon AB because he's figured that out
part of it out the reason I don't I
don't normally like the dunker spot
though is because I think what Gary pton
did and what Ben Simmons did and to an
extent when in La when we ran five out
we called it delay when we ran delay we
would have Ben or Blake at the top and
DJ in one of the slots and then he's
screening for off the ball for Jamal for
me for CP whatever it's just harder to
guard to me
um unlocked he unlocked everything for
for 100% yeah for this is
again I like I like your I like your
courts as different courts you know more
wine I've had the worse these courts
have got all right I'm gonna put a
dunker spot guy that is the dunker spot
guy okay all right so you're an ISO on
the left wing
y I'm very curious about this Y and and
if you don't want to give away secrets
that's
fine obviously if you look at uh [ __ ] it
Al troll if you look at uh 1980s 1990s
right and you had an ISO on the left
wing this is what you're looking at
right there's no 29 you're
not literally right
there uh in today's NBA this guy 29 all
over two n's all the way strong let's
say he just floods all the way let's say
he floods all the way this guy moves
inside okay so now you're looking at
essentially defense defense defense
defense plus the guy on the ball box
theil
yeah on the left wing y I hate it I
don't like it I don't what is your what
is your sort of uh checklist here on
this depends on what the clock is okay
obviously if I don't if I have more time
in a shot clock then I'm going to
rearrange that
lineup meaning I'm sorry not lineup
alignment alignment yeah yeah I'm going
to rearrange the alignment to to make it
better for not only me but for the team
I don't like catching on the wing and
sitting on the wing and allowing a
Defender X5 to come over and tilt strong
side cleanse itself and just stay there
X4 X3 or X2 get to S inside the big on
the other side and now you got the boxes
nail balls covered if I have enough
time I'm going to send one of my strong
one of my best shootter on the floor to
the strong Corner strong corner so now
if they want to tilt strong side I
create the three on two I want to create
the three
on2 it' be very difficult so just to be
clear on that you want to create the
three on two so by sending the top guy
essentially to the strong side your side
you want to now get middle yes create a
two a a two on the ball now youve got a
three if that big wants to stay on the
strong side that I was isoing I got too
much room to work with on that side for
my teammates yeah and it's not about for
me it's about creating the the the the
advantage on the other side there's not
much Advantage when I'm sitting on the
wing and I have four guys staring at me
yeah if a short clock obviously my job
is to tell the big that's being you know
in the pain in the dunker you got to you
got to duck in get to the middle of the
rim to make him guard you so when I do
swing we do have an advantage on the
other side but I don't like that
alignment I'm more of a I'm more of a 31
guy when I have the ball I like my my
best shooter in the strong corner from
on the left wing or the right wing and I
like a three line assembled on the other
side you want to get that the flood guy
the [ __ ] out of there [ __ ] out of there
and I like a guy down in the in the I
know you don't like the dunker but I
like him down and then a guy in the
corner guy on the slot but no no no hold
on hold on I will say this on a left wi
or rightwing ISO or postup I got no
problem with the dunker good there's C
because if you're if you're if no one's
at the basket in that spot if you're the
only guy on the side of the court right
right right and everybody's around the
three-point line then everybody can help
yeah everybody you have to put some
pressure on the rim with the dunker I'm
talking about balls up top either in the
right High quadrant left High quadrant
or pry bad it's pretty bad spacing yeah
I agree it's pretty bad spacing I agree
all right we did the gore toop play I
want to go through two more plays and
we're gonna we're gonna We'll add these
to whatever episode we we decide we want
to add them to um all right so the one
specific play I want to go through with
you is the Block in game
seven okay of
2016 okay
take me
through what proceeded on the offensive
end to your mindset in that chase
down if if my mind is serving me right
both teams can
score three three three minutes three
four minutes of game of actually game
time so when you're in the game it
actually feels like it's [ __ ] 253
minutes um I think it was 8989 at the
time if I'm not mistaken
and at that point time I felt like Kyrie
could get us the best
shot and um if I'm not mistaken I
believe Kyrie drove got a great look sh
of a
floater and I'm sitting in the corner by
their bench I'm opposite of Kyrie I'm
I'm sitting I'm sitting in the corner by
their bench in my head I
said if I'm correct with the with the
trajectory of the ball what I'm
seeing I got to get my ass back because
Iggy is going to be on the Sprint
Steph's going to be on the Sprint and
we're outnumbered cuz I'm below the free
throw line Tristan's below the free
throw line Kyrie shooting the ball he's
below the free throw line and all I can
see is all I see is is Swiss
Jr I said I gotta get
back so soon as the ball when the ball
is missed I didn't I didn't if I was to
follow my coach's orders or coaches
orders you're supposed to get back on
race on the release yeah on the release
get back on the release I did not get
back on the release I did not get I
didn't start to actually get back until
I actually saw it was a Miss but in my
mind I could see the ball feeling like
it was going to be a little
long I just hard ass
man I just hard ass and when I'm running
I think if I'm not mistaken I don't know
who it was that I kind of like kind of
run around I don't know who it was I
don't know if it was a golden state
player or or one of our guys I kind of
had to run around or or or move around
cuz I was in the left corner and Iggy
Sider on the right
side but when I running all I'm telling
myself I'm
like swish do not foul him so you can
ask any of my teammates throughout the
course of my career or throughout the
course of that
season anytime that you see me trailing
the play all I need is a little
adjustment from the offensive player and
I promise you I'll track it down do not
[ __ ]
foul do not [ __ ] foul I told the guys
all year if you see me hauling ass just
make him instead of just going there for
a layup make him change it a little bit
just a little bit and and switch gets a
lot of [ __ ] today right because of the
blunder he had the following year or two
years later or whatever the [ __ ] it was
of not understanding the the timeing
score whatever the case may be he
executed that [ __ ] to
Perfection he made Iggy change his shot
just a little bit and that's all I
asked it's interesting because I went up
with both hands too by the way I was
ready oh you hit the you hit the rim
with your left hand I was ready for the
reverse or the strong side and I was
like if these [ __ ] refs call go
10 I might get kicked out of this most
important game of my life because it was
still over two minutes and it couldn't
you couldn't review back then unless it
was under two minutes because I knew I
had got it clean that's all I was saying
myself I I'm getting this [ __ ] so many
of your Chase Downs by the way is you
you do your little run you know I'm just
saying bro I don't I'm not I'm not an
impressionist but you do your little run
and then it's like the quick burst you
know what I mean that was different
though that was uh that was like once
you said okay I got to go get this I was
like yeah I've got I don't have time a
little window to get there yeah it was
different like the last leg of the
[ __ ] 4 by1 relay with like [ __ ]
the same boat I was like I gotta [ __ ]
go all right I got one more play for you
let me pull it up real quick we could
literally do this [ __ ] all day
bro you're not on the Wi-Fi here they
give you the
Wi-Fi I just hit play on
that I already know what the [ __ ] this
play is
[ __ ] by the way by the way you [ __ ]
what what happened here what happened
here what happened here is I didn't know
that your ass could go stop and go like
this what the [ __ ] I didn't know that
you had that in your in Your Arsenal the
little yeah the little rap the little
heesy rap yeah the he rap you [ __ ]
turn me all the way around I'm I'm
serious when I say this like I love the
fact that you missed it thank you I
appreciate it if I had made that shot if
I had made that
shot have I would have that highlight
pinned on every social media account at
the very top
9494 in overtime overtime I know how you
we won like
10498 we won that game y'all won that
game yeah yeah yeah yeah that turned all
the way around that was a uh I think
that was a lockout year yeah Shane was
on the team yeah Shane was on the team
Shane was on the team because he guarded
me that game he actually switched he was
on Ryan Anderson he switched right
before yeah we got a [ __ ] foul after
that he
didn't made that shot man it's not a
highlight it's not a highlight it's not
a highlight it should not be on YouTube
should not be on YouTube ASL you know
why it's on YouTube CU who was because
it was against [ __ ] me everything is
on YouTube if it's done against me no
matter if it's a highlight or not
everything uh I'll take half of it I'll
take I'll take like a half credit you
you do know how that I create super
teams though right what's
up Che
man
I'm I'm glad I didn't dive into
that so good that was great all right we
good he say okay I get it this
[ __ ] oh this [ __ ] nice
he points at me this [ __ ] he
going to get his we can't stop him this
[ __ ] Okay he hit his 15 foot
shots and [ __ ] okay all right cool but
this
[ __ ]
this [ __ ] ain't [ __ ] how does he
have 18 points I said oh my God that
[ __ ] is so
funny hey guys thanks for listening
thanks for watching mind the game
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