February 14, 2024 • 29 mins
Chris Mannix and Rohan Nadkarni break down the good but not great moves made by contenders at the trade deadline and how the Cleveland Cavaliers have overcome injuries to reach the second best record in the eastern conference
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
It is the crossover sports Illustrators NBA show, bringing the
the latest news, bloomers and everything. Here's your host, Chris.
This is the Crossover NBA podcast. I'm Chris Mannox. He
is Rohan, not Gurney. Our first episode since the NBA
(00:25):
trade deadline, last episode before the All Star break and Rowan.
I was debating, you know, hitting you up and saying,
let's do a pod right after the trade deadline. But
it just I couldn't come up with a take right.
I didn't have any hot takes after the trade deadline.
I didn't get all lathery over the Knicks taking a
couple of bad, good shooters off a bad NBA team.
(00:47):
I didn't get uber excited about the Daniel Gafford PJ
Washington acquisitions like I couldn't summon up the froth for
Celtics adding bench depths. I can't get giddy about the
Hornets adding draft picks like. You know, the trade deadline
is one of the most compelling days of the year
(01:07):
in the NBA, always has been. But you know, this
one felt like a reshuffling of the deck chairs. Man,
this one felt like, all right, a couple of moves
here and there. That makes some sense. I see how
some teams got better, but there wasn't a seismic deal.
There wasn't any landscape changing move The teams that I
thought were good before the deadline are the exact same
teams I thought were good after the deadline.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, Chris, I know that you're really dialed in on
my Twitter, so I'm sure you caught this as I
said it the day of, but this deadline was a
volume shooter. It was like the Lou Williams of trade deadlines.
It put up numbers in terms of volume of trades,
but not, like you said, just a lot of empty
calories here. There was a lot of movement, not a
lot of it very exciting. I agree. I don't think
(01:50):
we saw the landscape change much with this trade deadline.
I do wonder if this is something that we have
to get used to moving forward with the new CBA,
and how that's be affecting the way teams are operating.
That's something to keep an eye on before we get
into it. Though. I have one quick question for you here, Chris,
because there's a little bit of an age gap between us.
For me, on Sunday, during the Super Bowl halftime, show
(02:12):
when Ludacris came out to perform his verse from Yeah,
that was like a huge moment for me personally. I
was like, are they gonna bring Ludacris out? Is Ludacris
gonna come out? Are they gonna finish this song?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Right?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
I'm just curious if that moment resonated with you as
well or just no interest whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
If you think I watched the halftime show, you don't
know me well at all. Like I due respect to
Usher and Ludacris and Alicia Keys who I heard it
was awesome as well and heard there was some controversy there.
Swiz Beats is coming for Usher, Like I mean, like
I had the game on, I'm on the road now,
(02:49):
had the game on in the background when the halftime
show went up. That's when my eyes went down for
a minute. I just I don't I don't care. I'm
sure it's great, and I just I just can't care.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
That's good to know. It does another data point.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
So let's unpack a couple of things that happened on
the deadline. Look, I thought Dallas did have a good day,
you know, I think they gave up a lot to
get PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford. They forked over some draft
capital to make those deals happen, but they needed another
kind of springy center to compliment Derek Lively and as
(03:27):
he's doing. Now replace him. And look the two games
I've seen Daniel Gafford play. We have nineteen seventeen in
one game and another double double in another, twenty seven
points in another. Like he looks like a round peg,
round hole type of fit for this Luka Doncic, Kyrie
Irving led team and PJ. Washington fine athletic defender. I
(03:48):
do think they had to get away from Grant Williams.
It wasn't working in Dallas. You know, Grant had some
you know, there's a person there's some personality conflicts between
Grant and some staff on that team, coaches on that team,
and he just wasn't more important. He wasn't the defender
they thought he was going to be. They thought they
were getting kind of a three and D defender. They
(04:09):
didn't get that from Grant Williams. So they get off
of him. They bring in PJ. Washington. I don't know
if it pushes Dallas into the upper tier of the
Western Conference, certainly with Luca and Kyrie. You can beat
anyone offensively, but I still don't know if they have
the defensive depth to beat a Denver, to beat a
Clippers team, even to beat Oklahoma City in the playoffs.
(04:31):
I mean, I think they improved, but I don't think
it pushed them into that upper tier, which is where
this team needs.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
To be for sure. You know, I did Winners and
Losers the next day after the deadline, and I think
for Dallas, I actually I had to push because I mean,
I like the Gafford pickup. Is he leading the league
and field go percentage this year? He's really solid for
the Wizards as kind of a rim runner type guys.
You mentioned the PJ Washington Grant Williams things really interesting
to me, Chris, because I thought Grant a perfect fit
(05:00):
for them on paper in the summer, it was one
of my favorite signings. Like you mentioned, the defense hasn't
quite been there at times, He's not necessarily been a
willing shooter, and you alluded to the personality fit hasn't
been there. I mean, there's reports. I think it was
Tim McMahon who had that. He stopped wearing Luca's shoes
and switched to Jason Tatum's and you know that was
kind of Grant's reputation coming out of Boston, right, someone
(05:21):
who could kind of wear on the coaches a little bit,
wear on the players a little bit. But I really
like PJ. Washington. I think he's individually more talented than
Grant Williams, but he's at like thirty two percent from
three this year. I think he's a good offensive player,
but on paper, I don't know that he brings them
what they need. They didn't need another individual offensive talent,
which I think is what PJ. Washington is. I don't
(05:43):
think he is at his best the defender Grant Williams
is at his best. He's not the shooter Grant Williams is.
So I'm curious to see if maybe just putting him
around great talent and Luca and Kyrie is kind of
what unlocks him lives up to his potential. I think
everyone I talked to who likes him as a player,
I like him as a player. But yeah, I'm with you.
I think that they made nice moves, but you look
at the draft capital they've given up now for the
(06:05):
next four years between the Kyrie trade, between the maneuvering
they did for Grant In any ways, they're kind of
all in on this build for a team that is
consistently in the bottom half of the Western Conference.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, it's got a ceiling, and you get to win
the NBA. You gotta get stops, and they're not going
to get defensive stops from their backcourt. They've got another
guy up front to protect them in Gaffer. But you
can't play gafferd and Derek Lively together, not with Luke
and Kyrie on the floor. You need floor spacers, so
more Maxi, Kleeber and you know, again protection in case
(06:38):
Lively is not ready, you know, for a postseason series.
Gafford's got more experience. I actually was surprised that Washington
gave up on him. It's got two years left on
his deal at manageable money. I thought that was kind
of crazy to just walk away from a young guy
like that. But you know, Washington now hardaway like there's
no stoppers there. There's no guys that get stops, and ultimately,
(06:58):
you know, you can't out score your way to success
in the NBA. You've got to play defense. I think
the Nuggets were, you know what they like one of
the worst defensive teams in terms of rating to win
a championship in recent years. But even them in the playoffs,
they were fourth in defensive ratings. So they turned it up.
I don't think Dallas can turn it up. So I
they're a little bit more than just rearranging the deck chairs.
(07:20):
But I don't think they got them to the next level.
And I don't know, man, I don't. I didn't see
anything else that that jumped off the page. I mean,
I know Knicks fans were giddy about getting Boyan and
getting Alec Burk's back, and okay, all right, great, I
think you know the next like I've reading those stuff,
like the next have nine to ten guys they can
play now, like a tips ain't playing nine ten guys.
B when you get to the postseason, you play like
(07:42):
seven anyway. So what that team needed or needs is
Jalen Brunson to be the best player on the floor
in some of these series and Julius Randall to be
in like the top three of the best of the
players on the floor. And we won't know the answer
to that until we get there. I'm concerned too about
I'm concerned too about the OG Anonobe injury like that
(08:03):
that is to have.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
I mean that knock on him has been I think injuries.
Can I advocate for the Knicks a little bit here? Well,
first of all, let me say this, I think you're right,
like the depth is going to be a little bit
overstated come playoff time. But I do think what they
have now that they haven't had in the past is flexibility.
And that's why I really like the Bogdanovitch pickup, because
(08:24):
I mean, it gives them an option. Do they want
to play Randall at center? Do they plan to play
Randall with another big if Randall is having one of
his playoff no shows. I think you can play heart
Anenobi and Bogdanovitch together on the wing in a playoff series.
And Bogdanovitch is not a great defender, He's not even
a good one necessarily, but he has size. I think
he's smart, and I think he can survive better than
other scores of his talent level. And he's an incredibly
(08:47):
efficient scorer, you know, over forty percent from three for
a couple of seasons in a row. Now, he's been
really good. Are that in the floor and his life
should only be easier playing off Jalen Bruns and oj Anobi.
So I really like what they do in terms of
a flexibility standpoint. You know, they can go really big
on the wing, they can go small. That's gonna be
an important in the East where you kind of have
to play up against the Bucks and maybe a little
(09:09):
bit smaller against the Celtics. So I think if you
combine the Anenoby and Bogdanovitch trades together, especially considering they
haven't given up any of their first you know, can
still kind of go hunting for more pieces this summer.
I think they've done a really good job. I mean,
I'm with you, it's gonna come down to Brunson. You know,
obviously Ananobe's health, ken Brunson continue to do what he's
done this year. I'm really just see Randall though, because
(09:32):
we've seen him before put up an All NBA season
and then come playoff time, it's not there. But I'm
pretty excited about the moves they've made, to be honest.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I mean, look, it's great, right if you need to
have your ninth man or your seventh man replaced by
your ninth man. Now you've got a ninth man that
can play in a postseason series. But it ultimately is
gonna come down to Brunson being in the postseason what
he is in the regular season. It's gonna come down
to Julius Randall not laying another egg in the playoffs
(10:02):
as he's done, you know, for several years now, So
that to me is what it comes down to. I
feel the same way about Boston's deals too, Like I
had advocated for the Celtics to do exactly what they did.
They needed veterans, you know, coming off that bench. They
didn't need a bunch of guys that they were just
trying out there. Two way contract guys, younger guys. They
get Zavier Tillman, who I think is another body you
(10:23):
can throw at Giannis in the playoffs. He's a pretty
sturdy defender. You get Jaden Springer, who can't shoot a lick,
but he's another versatile defender that you could potentially throw
at a Bucks team, you know, with Damian Lillard and
Chris Middleton in the playoffs. Again, I was a little
surprised that Philadelphia's offloaded him, like they got some other pieces,
namely really interesting move I was listening to Daryl Morey's
(10:47):
press conference, and Daryl's like, you know, maybe it don't
turn out to be a mistake. We'll see, Well, the
time will tell. We thought the the second round pick
would be more value for us, but Springer can defend,
and you get him in with the shooting coach, and
all of a sudden, you know, he unlocks that part
of his game. He's a rotation player in the NBA.
He's like a guy we're gonna talk about in the minute,
Isaac Gacorro, you know, a good defensive player who's turned
(11:08):
himself into a valuable two way player because he can
shoot the basketball now. So all it takes is one
offseason for a guy like Springer two to turn up
the team. I thought was interesting though, and I wrote
about them on Friday, as always Los Angeles Lakers who
stood pat and did nothing to me the right thing.
They didn't have a deal right like you had one
(11:30):
first round draft pick to move, you had D'Angelo Russell
and that contract to move. I wouldn't have done it
for Bruce Brown. That didn't make any sense to me.
That's not high enough value to get back in return.
I saw a lot of people surprised Atlanta didn't offload
Dejonte Murray. Have you not followed Atlanta over the last
few years, like look up, you know, google Collins, Comma
(11:51):
John and Trade and see see how many years Atlanta
held onto him without dealing them. So it surprised me
not one bit that Atlanta on to de Jonte Maury
and the Lakers didn't have the offer to make for him. Anyway.
The Hawks gave up three first round draft picks to
get de Jonte Marie a couple of years ago. They
weren't trading him for one pick unless that one pick
(12:13):
came with Austin Reeves and the Lakers rightfully, we're not
going to do that. So look, I don't know how
Lebron is going to ultimately react to all this. Lakers
are playing pretty good right now. But I thought Rob
Polanka did the absolute right thing in not dealing away
the one asset that he had and leaving himself with
(12:34):
options this summer when the Lakers could have as many
as three first round picks to deal.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Yeah, I mean, and we certainly we've seen that reporting
now from multiple people. You know, I'm sure the Lakers
made sure that word got out there that they'll have
three first round picks to trade this summer, and they
plan to be aggressive with it. I mean, I do
think Spencer Dinwiddy is a buyout pickup is about as
best as you could hope for.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Okay, hold on, hold on, Mark, Can we just stipulate
that buyout guys never do anything. They don't they never
do anything. It's always so much more hype than substance.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
I agree, I agree, But two things I'll add here. One,
Kevin Love had a little bit of success for the
Heat last year. He's back this year. I do also
think Dinwittie, like you think about when he joined Dallas
a couple of years ago, and it wasn't really a
you know, a hyped acquisition by them when they got him.
Obviously ended up moving him for Kyrie, but he had
(13:24):
his moments during that playoff run, and he was a
better shooter playing off Luca than he was during his
Nets career, So you know, I think listen, My point
being getting him as kind of your quote unquote deadline
pick up when you don actually have to trade anything,
is solid work. I do wonder if they'll maybe regret
(13:45):
not doing Reeves in a first for de Jontay Murray.
I mean and listen. I like Austin Reeves a lot.
I think he's a good player. I do think Dejontay
is better. He's not quite the shooter that Reeves is,
but he gives them more size. I think he's a
better defender. I think there's an argument there. I wouldn't
necessarily argue it strongly. They're just in a weird spot. Man.
They're in a weird spot because I think we're in agreement.
(14:07):
They did the right thing last offseason bringing these guys back.
It just hasn't worked. And I think Russell is someone
who's going to be a better trade ship next year
when that contract, I think becomes easier to move. I
believe it's a team option the last year, so it's
actually an expiring But I mean, they're just kind of stuck.
To be honest, it is how I feel about the
Lakers is they've gotten the healthy Lebron and Ads this season.
(14:31):
They brought everyone back. It just hasn't worked. There was
no magic pill for him this year.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Look, the Lakers' playoff success is going to hinge on
two things. One is a return to health. By mid April,
you've got Jared Vanderbilt out released a month, gave Vincent
probably going to be back some point after the All
Star break. They need those two guys to come back
and be rotation players. They need Vanderbilt's defense. They need
(14:56):
Vincent's defense and shooting and him being the guy he
was for Miami last year. They need that. They also
need this D'Angelo Russell renaissance to continue. I mean, Russell
has been just all NBA level since January first, like
twenty plus points per game, shooting well over forty percent
from three. Since January first, he has been awesome. He
(15:18):
has looked like an All Star, you know, since then.
But he's looked that way in the past at times.
Not the first time we've seen a D'Angelo Russell tear.
Maybe this is a bit longer than the ones we've seen,
but we've seen this type of stuff in the past.
He's got to be that guy in the playoffs. He
can't disappear like he did in that Nugget series. He
has got to be an efficient shooter, a reasonable defender,
(15:42):
a playmaker. He's got to be all the things he's
been over the last month and a half. If he
can be, don't count this Lakers team out, especially if
they want up like Oklahoma City in the first round,
or you know, some other team that has less experience
that they could potentially beat.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Well, my question for you is because we've seen this
in the past with Lebron teams, where smart management doesn't
necessarily coincide with what is best for Lebron. You know,
I think about that last year in Cleveland, they didn't
trade that pick that turned out to be number eight
and they got coin section with it. You know, Lebron
wanted them to move it. Do you run the risk
(16:18):
of alienating him? What if he's already lost a belief
in this team. I mean, he was not exactly giving
the most reassuring comments leading up to the deadline, when
he was basically like, oh, this is what we got.
Do you are you worried at all about a risk
of you know, not Lebron checking out, but not necessarily
having belief that this group can get it done.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Well, yeah, look I do. But I do think Lebron
is going to maintain that intensity until all the guys
get back, and that's going to push you into mid
to late March at the earliest. I don't know what
Vanderbilt's situation is. They're speaking optimistically. People behind the scenes
I talk to are a little bit less optimistic about
(17:00):
his ability to bounce back from this foot injury this season.
And lookae Vince has only played like five games this year,
so it's hard.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
It's kind of rough in them too.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Yeah, it's it's hard to know what you're gonna get
when he comes back. I think Lebron will still be
Lebron throughout and then you're reconvening the offseason. Look, I
think all things being equal, Lebron would like to stay
in LA. His family is entrench there, He's got a
superstar teammate that he likes, and if he decides he
wants to be in LA, the Lakers can do something
big next summer, Like you can package you know, two
(17:30):
first round picks and Russell's contract to get to Jonte
Murty next summer. I think that's realistic if you're the Lakers,
just that. Right now, you're just crossing your fingers and
hoping that the things that are going wrong internally go
right over the next couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Do we know if Jared Vanderbilt has seen the Lebron
James feet and the feels like his first visit should have.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Been like now the second time you've regurgitated your Twitter
feed here on the podcast, so you haven't been attention.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Just check it, I just check it.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Well done, all right? We have to talk about the
Cleveland Cavaliers, who are the best story in the NBA
right now. They are sitting in second place in the
Eastern Conference, just behind Boston. They have won seventeen of
their last nineteen games, almost eighteen of their last nineteen game,
(18:22):
after completing nearly completing just a ridiculous rally at the
end of that game against Philadelphia twenty two and five.
We're gonna read some of the numbers here. Twenty two
and five in their last twenty seven games dating back
to December sixteenth, that's the best winning percentage in the
NBA over that span. They are tied for the fourth
(18:42):
best winning percentage in the NBA, second best, I said,
in the East, best record in the NBA since mid December,
and they are being led by Donovan Mitchell, who's averaging
career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks. I am
one of the voters that Tim Bontam's of ESPN harasses
(19:05):
on thrice yearly basis and I wanted to put Donovan
Mitchell in that top five. I really did. I got
really close to putting him in that top five. He's
one of only two players this season afaging twenty eight
five six and with one and a half steals. The
other is the guy that is in my top five.
That's Shake Gildos Alexander. Donvan Mitchell has the best plus
(19:28):
minus per game in the NBA at eight point seven.
So when he's on the floor, the Cavs are really
freaking good. They have been really freaking good for a
long time now. So I'll kind of put it out
to you, like this, what is going on in Cleveland right.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Now, Chris. They've been fantastic and I'm part of the
problem because I think this team deserves way more recognition
for what they've done. I mean, you mentioned that record
twenty two and five or the last twenty seven, A
big chunk of that game with Evan Mobley and Darius
Garland out, this team they're number one used lineup this
year is without those two guys. It's with Dean Wade,
(20:03):
it's with Isaaca Koro, It's with Max Struce, Jared Allen,
and Donovan Mitchell. That lineup has been fantastic, elite on
both ends of the floor. A nineteen point six net
rating for that group. No one saw that coming. This season,
they've been fantastic. You mentioned Mitchell, I mean he's been
playing out of his mind. Jared Allen, who had you know?
He was memed this summer after he said maybe the
(20:25):
lights were too bright in that playoff series, always go
us come back and played an all star level. Was
the anchor of that defense with mobiley out. I mean,
you look at that lineup. Guy's not necessarily known for
what they do defensively. I mean, I do think Dean
Wade has been really good and making people learn, but
you know, Allen's been the anchor of that unit. They've
been fantastic. I think Mitchell and Allen have really kind
(20:45):
of established themselves as the two best players on this team.
They're really good. I mean, I mentioned on part of
the problem because I get on Twitter, I get on
this podcast age another podcast, talk about how good the
Knicks have been, how much I loved what they did
at the deadline, Cleveland's ahead of them, and think about
like Jalen Brunson, Mayor of New York, just kind of
the hype around that team. Cleveland's been better and they
(21:06):
have such a good defense. You know people always complaining, oh,
like no team can play defense anymore, That's not true
about Cleveland. I think they're second overall in the league
defensive efficiency. Yep, this is a defense that stands the
test of time. I think they're fantastic. I thought when
they made the Mitchell trade this was a team that
had the potential to get the to make a conference
(21:26):
finals with him. This is even better than I thought
they would be, And especially what they've done with the injuries,
I'm incredibly impressed. And they are not being taken seriously
at all in a way that they should feel disrespect.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeah, and look, some of the things that have made
the Cavaliers successful have come out of nowhere. Right. They are,
all of a sudden, a high volume three point shooting team.
Sam Merrill, who no one could have picked out of
a lineup before this season, is shooting forty four percent
from three. Craig Porter Junior, who nobody had expectations for
(22:02):
coming into this year, has been a key part of
their rotation. I mentioned Isaac acro Like when Darius Garland
went down that was considered a body blow for Cleveland
a car. All he's done is come in, shot thirty
eight and a half percent from three and played the
sturdy defense that they needed from him at that swing position.
(22:25):
And now instead of having kind of a smallish backcourt,
the Cavs been able to deploy a biggish backcourt, you know,
with Mitchell and with a coro back there Max Strus
getting minutes in that backcourt and wing position as well.
So you know they've they've done that. They've gotten a
lot from a lot of different guys, a lot of
diversity from their game. Jared Allen has stepped up and
(22:46):
he's been awesome All Star caliber player all year long.
I think the question, look, last year, I'm kind of
pivoting all over the place now, but last year, when
Cleveland would got hot mid season, I went to Cleveland.
I did a magazine store on Donald Mitchell, his impact
on that team. How they I don't want to say
rewarded me, but how they they showed up in the
playoffs was that they failed right, and they weren't ready and.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
So next series wasn't close.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
No, And the question I then have is like are
things different? Because it's still a lot of the same
players on that team. It's still the same coaching staff.
Donovan Mitchell is still the star. Darius Garland's back and
he's been really good since he's been back. Are things
different with this team? Are they better equipped for a
postseason run this year than they were last year?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Listen, that's obviously the million dollar question. And here's what
I'd say to that. Two things. I mean you mentioned too,
the guys like Akuro was someone who was getting played
off the court in that next series and was a
big reason why the weren't able to score. If he's
willing to shoot, and he's shooting it at the clip
that he's shooting this year, that makes a material difference
for them. If Jared Allen is the guy who we've
(23:55):
seen during this regular season, that makes a difference for them.
And I do think that they I think that was
a humbling playoff defeat for the Cleveland Cavaliers. And what
I respect and what I love what I'm seeing from
them this season is the guys who took it the worst,
the guys who took it on the chin a Coroh Allen.
They've come back and been better, and that's what you want.
To see. So that's why I think I have some
(24:16):
faith in them. And I'm at the point now, Chris, like,
I really hope Donovan Mitchell resigns here because this is
a good team. It's an exciting team, and that's I
think that's part of the reason why no one wants
to talk about them. Like once people found out that
they were good and Donovan Mitchell wasn't getting traded, it's like,
all of a sudden, they became uninteresting. You know, if
this team makes the conference finals, I'd be the furthest
(24:38):
Mitchell's gone in his playoff career. Why wouldn't he want
to stay here? If they're able to keep this core together,
I know it's gonna get expensive. I know Evan Mobley,
we haven't really talked about him much. Maybe hasn't taken
the leap a lot of us expected. And I do
think they're gonna have to make some tough decisions with
Mobiley and Allen come playoff time. But they're built better
for it this year. And yeah, I hope Mitchell stakes.
(24:59):
I think they something special going on here, and I
think the guys that had an issue in the playoffs
last year, they've come back better I've.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Come back better. You mentioned Mobley, and I think the
biggest problem with him obviously is that he has not
developed into a reliable perimeter shooter. Though this month he's
been really good. Look at something a fifty eight point
three percent from three, not at a small insignificant number either,
He's averaging a couple threes per game. He's got to
(25:28):
get better at that for them to continue to deploy
a lineup with Jared Allen and Evan Mobley there in
the front court. So you can't have two guys that
are not floor spaces. So Mobley's gonna have to get
better in that respect. This is gonna be, I think
a referendum on this unit this year if they get
to the second round. Look, they get to the second
round and lose to like Boston, Let's say that happens.
(25:51):
You can't knock that right. Boston's ready Boston championship team.
But if they get beat in the first round again,
a lot's gonna probably gonn have to change with this team.
And I'm look, I'm I'm so sure it would mean
that Donovan Mitchell would go. In fact, I'm I'm of
the believe that Donald Mitchell's going to stay. And I'm
not basing that on any conversations I've had with him.
But like you're looking around with the potential Donovan Mitchell suitors, right, Like,
(26:15):
is he he's not gonna go the Knicks? The Knicks,
I think they realize that they can't win with Brunston
and Mitchell in their back court, Like that's too small
to succeed, even if those guys are really good offensively.
Is he gonna go to the Lakers? Like? Do the
Lakers make a big off for him this summer? If
if the Cops put on the table.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
I think the only way he goes to the Lakers
is if Lebron goes back home in a second time.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yeah, I mean I guess he could, Like he could
go there. I mean you could put together a package
of Russell three first and you know, recoup some of
the draft capital you gave away when you went after him.
But I don't, I don't know, Like does Orlando make
a play for him, No, because he's not going to
resign there, Like you have limited options with Donovan Mitchell.
If I'm Mitchell and this team gets the second round
(26:56):
and I get a max level offer, I'm taking it. Man,
I'm taking I deal with the fallout later. You can
always ask for a trade, you know, later on if
it doesn't work.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Where where do you have the calves right now? If
I have to put you on the spot a little bit, like,
do you see conference finals potential with them? Do you
see them making the second round? Where do you have
them in the pecking order of the East.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
I think it's probably gonna be them in Milwaukee in
the second round. And I think they match up okay
with Milwaukee.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I think that'd be a fun and interesting series.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Yeah, I mean, look, you've got you know, you gonna
have a tough time defending Dame, that's for sure. You've
got some guys that you can throw, some bodies you
can throw at Giannis, although he just run over Evan
Mobley at this point, and the Bucks are still very
much in flux right. They had a great game on
Monday against Denver, but they're still trying to figure themselves out.
(27:49):
That to me is gonna be the referendum. Like they
get to the conference finals, I think Boss is gonna
kick the ress. I just do. I think they're not
ready for that yet. But can they beat a Bucks
team which made a coaching chain mid season, which has
some questions it's trying to answer internally. Maybe those questions
will be answered by you know, mid May. But right now,
that's the matchup I'm most interested if they wind up
(28:11):
two three facing each other in the second round, I'm
fascinated by that matchup.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
I do think any team in the East besides Milwaukee
and Boston that makes the conference finals, it's a huge
successful season for them, and I'm also the pandemic. Boston
is like a heavy, heavy, heavy favorite to win the East.
But yeah, man, I think a Cleveland Milwaukee series if
that started today, I don't know who I'm picking. I'm
(28:37):
not feeling great about Milwaukee there, just based on what
we've seen over the last thirty forty games or so.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Well, because the Bucks would have the same problem with
Cleveland's backcourt that Cleveland would have with Milwaukee's backcourt, Like
there are no stoppers there. I saw Pat Bev getting
some minutes last night in Milwaukee. Okay, Like I'm not
sure he's gonna do He's gonna be able to slow down,
(29:03):
you know, Mitchell Garland, those guys, and look, it comes
down to can Ocral make the same shots in the playoffs.
He's making in the regular season. He has been great
over the last month month and a half filling in
for Darius Garland. Can he be that same guy in
the postseason. He's a huge weapon if he can, because
he can go out there and he can play against
a Chris Middleton, he can play some minutes, probably against
(29:24):
Damian Lillard, Like you can do a lot with a
guy like that if he's able to make shots. But
that's a fascinating second round series. That's one of the
more fasting ones I think that are out there. All right,
short episode this week, but we'll be back next week.
Make sure you subscribe, rate and review on the Crossover Feed.
Keep reading over at s side dot com. We'll see
you next week.
It is the crossover sports Illustrators NBA show, bringing the
the latest news, bloomers and everything. Here's your host, Chris.
This is the Crossover NBA podcast. I'm Chris Mannox. He
is Rohan, not Gurney. Our first episode since the NBA
(00:25):
trade deadline, last episode before the All Star break and Rowan.
I was debating, you know, hitting you up and saying,
let's do a pod right after the trade deadline. But
it just I couldn't come up with a take right.
I didn't have any hot takes after the trade deadline.
I didn't get all lathery over the Knicks taking a
couple of bad, good shooters off a bad NBA team.
(00:47):
I didn't get uber excited about the Daniel Gafford PJ
Washington acquisitions like I couldn't summon up the froth for
Celtics adding bench depths. I can't get giddy about the
Hornets adding draft picks like. You know, the trade deadline
is one of the most compelling days of the year
(01:07):
in the NBA, always has been. But you know, this
one felt like a reshuffling of the deck chairs. Man,
this one felt like, all right, a couple of moves
here and there. That makes some sense. I see how
some teams got better, but there wasn't a seismic deal.
There wasn't any landscape changing move The teams that I
thought were good before the deadline are the exact same
teams I thought were good after the deadline.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, Chris, I know that you're really dialed in on
my Twitter, so I'm sure you caught this as I
said it the day of, but this deadline was a
volume shooter. It was like the Lou Williams of trade deadlines.
It put up numbers in terms of volume of trades,
but not, like you said, just a lot of empty
calories here. There was a lot of movement, not a
lot of it very exciting. I agree. I don't think
(01:50):
we saw the landscape change much with this trade deadline.
I do wonder if this is something that we have
to get used to moving forward with the new CBA,
and how that's be affecting the way teams are operating.
That's something to keep an eye on before we get
into it. Though. I have one quick question for you here, Chris,
because there's a little bit of an age gap between us.
For me, on Sunday, during the Super Bowl halftime, show
(02:12):
when Ludacris came out to perform his verse from Yeah,
that was like a huge moment for me personally. I
was like, are they gonna bring Ludacris out? Is Ludacris
gonna come out? Are they gonna finish this song?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Right?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
I'm just curious if that moment resonated with you as
well or just no interest whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
If you think I watched the halftime show, you don't
know me well at all. Like I due respect to
Usher and Ludacris and Alicia Keys who I heard it
was awesome as well and heard there was some controversy there.
Swiz Beats is coming for Usher, Like I mean, like
I had the game on, I'm on the road now,
(02:49):
had the game on in the background when the halftime
show went up. That's when my eyes went down for
a minute. I just I don't I don't care. I'm
sure it's great, and I just I just can't care.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
That's good to know. It does another data point.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
So let's unpack a couple of things that happened on
the deadline. Look, I thought Dallas did have a good day,
you know, I think they gave up a lot to
get PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford. They forked over some draft
capital to make those deals happen, but they needed another
kind of springy center to compliment Derek Lively and as
(03:27):
he's doing. Now replace him. And look the two games
I've seen Daniel Gafford play. We have nineteen seventeen in
one game and another double double in another, twenty seven
points in another. Like he looks like a round peg,
round hole type of fit for this Luka Doncic, Kyrie
Irving led team and PJ. Washington fine athletic defender. I
(03:48):
do think they had to get away from Grant Williams.
It wasn't working in Dallas. You know, Grant had some
you know, there's a person there's some personality conflicts between
Grant and some staff on that team, coaches on that team,
and he just wasn't more important. He wasn't the defender
they thought he was going to be. They thought they
were getting kind of a three and D defender. They
(04:09):
didn't get that from Grant Williams. So they get off
of him. They bring in PJ. Washington. I don't know
if it pushes Dallas into the upper tier of the
Western Conference, certainly with Luca and Kyrie. You can beat
anyone offensively, but I still don't know if they have
the defensive depth to beat a Denver, to beat a
Clippers team, even to beat Oklahoma City in the playoffs.
(04:31):
I mean, I think they improved, but I don't think
it pushed them into that upper tier, which is where
this team needs.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
To be for sure. You know, I did Winners and
Losers the next day after the deadline, and I think
for Dallas, I actually I had to push because I mean,
I like the Gafford pickup. Is he leading the league
and field go percentage this year? He's really solid for
the Wizards as kind of a rim runner type guys.
You mentioned the PJ Washington Grant Williams things really interesting
to me, Chris, because I thought Grant a perfect fit
(05:00):
for them on paper in the summer, it was one
of my favorite signings. Like you mentioned, the defense hasn't
quite been there at times, He's not necessarily been a
willing shooter, and you alluded to the personality fit hasn't
been there. I mean, there's reports. I think it was
Tim McMahon who had that. He stopped wearing Luca's shoes
and switched to Jason Tatum's and you know that was
kind of Grant's reputation coming out of Boston, right, someone
(05:21):
who could kind of wear on the coaches a little bit,
wear on the players a little bit. But I really
like PJ. Washington. I think he's individually more talented than
Grant Williams, but he's at like thirty two percent from
three this year. I think he's a good offensive player,
but on paper, I don't know that he brings them
what they need. They didn't need another individual offensive talent,
which I think is what PJ. Washington is. I don't
(05:43):
think he is at his best the defender Grant Williams
is at his best. He's not the shooter Grant Williams is.
So I'm curious to see if maybe just putting him
around great talent and Luca and Kyrie is kind of
what unlocks him lives up to his potential. I think
everyone I talked to who likes him as a player,
I like him as a player. But yeah, I'm with you.
I think that they made nice moves, but you look
at the draft capital they've given up now for the
(06:05):
next four years between the Kyrie trade, between the maneuvering
they did for Grant In any ways, they're kind of
all in on this build for a team that is
consistently in the bottom half of the Western Conference.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, it's got a ceiling, and you get to win
the NBA. You gotta get stops, and they're not going
to get defensive stops from their backcourt. They've got another
guy up front to protect them in Gaffer. But you
can't play gafferd and Derek Lively together, not with Luke
and Kyrie on the floor. You need floor spacers, so
more Maxi, Kleeber and you know, again protection in case
(06:38):
Lively is not ready, you know, for a postseason series.
Gafford's got more experience. I actually was surprised that Washington
gave up on him. It's got two years left on
his deal at manageable money. I thought that was kind
of crazy to just walk away from a young guy
like that. But you know, Washington now hardaway like there's
no stoppers there. There's no guys that get stops, and ultimately,
(06:58):
you know, you can't out score your way to success
in the NBA. You've got to play defense. I think
the Nuggets were, you know what they like one of
the worst defensive teams in terms of rating to win
a championship in recent years. But even them in the playoffs,
they were fourth in defensive ratings. So they turned it up.
I don't think Dallas can turn it up. So I
they're a little bit more than just rearranging the deck chairs.
(07:20):
But I don't think they got them to the next level.
And I don't know, man, I don't. I didn't see
anything else that that jumped off the page. I mean,
I know Knicks fans were giddy about getting Boyan and
getting Alec Burk's back, and okay, all right, great, I
think you know the next like I've reading those stuff,
like the next have nine to ten guys they can
play now, like a tips ain't playing nine ten guys.
B when you get to the postseason, you play like
(07:42):
seven anyway. So what that team needed or needs is
Jalen Brunson to be the best player on the floor
in some of these series and Julius Randall to be
in like the top three of the best of the
players on the floor. And we won't know the answer
to that until we get there. I'm concerned too about
I'm concerned too about the OG Anonobe injury like that
(08:03):
that is to have.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
I mean that knock on him has been I think injuries.
Can I advocate for the Knicks a little bit here? Well,
first of all, let me say this, I think you're right,
like the depth is going to be a little bit
overstated come playoff time. But I do think what they
have now that they haven't had in the past is flexibility.
And that's why I really like the Bogdanovitch pickup, because
(08:24):
I mean, it gives them an option. Do they want
to play Randall at center? Do they plan to play
Randall with another big if Randall is having one of
his playoff no shows. I think you can play heart
Anenobi and Bogdanovitch together on the wing in a playoff series.
And Bogdanovitch is not a great defender, He's not even
a good one necessarily, but he has size. I think
he's smart, and I think he can survive better than
other scores of his talent level. And he's an incredibly
(08:47):
efficient scorer, you know, over forty percent from three for
a couple of seasons in a row. Now, he's been
really good. Are that in the floor and his life
should only be easier playing off Jalen Bruns and oj Anobi.
So I really like what they do in terms of
a flexibility standpoint. You know, they can go really big
on the wing, they can go small. That's gonna be
an important in the East where you kind of have
to play up against the Bucks and maybe a little
(09:09):
bit smaller against the Celtics. So I think if you
combine the Anenoby and Bogdanovitch trades together, especially considering they
haven't given up any of their first you know, can
still kind of go hunting for more pieces this summer.
I think they've done a really good job. I mean,
I'm with you, it's gonna come down to Brunson. You know,
obviously Ananobe's health, ken Brunson continue to do what he's
done this year. I'm really just see Randall though, because
(09:32):
we've seen him before put up an All NBA season
and then come playoff time, it's not there. But I'm
pretty excited about the moves they've made, to be honest.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I mean, look, it's great, right if you need to
have your ninth man or your seventh man replaced by
your ninth man. Now you've got a ninth man that
can play in a postseason series. But it ultimately is
gonna come down to Brunson being in the postseason what
he is in the regular season. It's gonna come down
to Julius Randall not laying another egg in the playoffs
(10:02):
as he's done, you know, for several years now, So
that to me is what it comes down to. I
feel the same way about Boston's deals too, Like I
had advocated for the Celtics to do exactly what they did.
They needed veterans, you know, coming off that bench. They
didn't need a bunch of guys that they were just
trying out there. Two way contract guys, younger guys. They
get Zavier Tillman, who I think is another body you
(10:23):
can throw at Giannis in the playoffs. He's a pretty
sturdy defender. You get Jaden Springer, who can't shoot a lick,
but he's another versatile defender that you could potentially throw
at a Bucks team, you know, with Damian Lillard and
Chris Middleton in the playoffs. Again, I was a little
surprised that Philadelphia's offloaded him, like they got some other pieces,
namely really interesting move I was listening to Daryl Morey's
(10:47):
press conference, and Daryl's like, you know, maybe it don't
turn out to be a mistake. We'll see, Well, the
time will tell. We thought the the second round pick
would be more value for us, but Springer can defend,
and you get him in with the shooting coach, and
all of a sudden, you know, he unlocks that part
of his game. He's a rotation player in the NBA.
He's like a guy we're gonna talk about in the minute,
Isaac Gacorro, you know, a good defensive player who's turned
(11:08):
himself into a valuable two way player because he can
shoot the basketball now. So all it takes is one
offseason for a guy like Springer two to turn up
the team. I thought was interesting though, and I wrote
about them on Friday, as always Los Angeles Lakers who
stood pat and did nothing to me the right thing.
They didn't have a deal right like you had one
(11:30):
first round draft pick to move, you had D'Angelo Russell
and that contract to move. I wouldn't have done it
for Bruce Brown. That didn't make any sense to me.
That's not high enough value to get back in return.
I saw a lot of people surprised Atlanta didn't offload
Dejonte Murray. Have you not followed Atlanta over the last
few years, like look up, you know, google Collins, Comma
(11:51):
John and Trade and see see how many years Atlanta
held onto him without dealing them. So it surprised me
not one bit that Atlanta on to de Jonte Maury
and the Lakers didn't have the offer to make for him. Anyway.
The Hawks gave up three first round draft picks to
get de Jonte Marie a couple of years ago. They
weren't trading him for one pick unless that one pick
(12:13):
came with Austin Reeves and the Lakers rightfully, we're not
going to do that. So look, I don't know how
Lebron is going to ultimately react to all this. Lakers
are playing pretty good right now. But I thought Rob
Polanka did the absolute right thing in not dealing away
the one asset that he had and leaving himself with
(12:34):
options this summer when the Lakers could have as many
as three first round picks to deal.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Yeah, I mean, and we certainly we've seen that reporting
now from multiple people. You know, I'm sure the Lakers
made sure that word got out there that they'll have
three first round picks to trade this summer, and they
plan to be aggressive with it. I mean, I do
think Spencer Dinwiddy is a buyout pickup is about as
best as you could hope for.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Okay, hold on, hold on, Mark, Can we just stipulate
that buyout guys never do anything. They don't they never
do anything. It's always so much more hype than substance.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
I agree, I agree, But two things I'll add here. One,
Kevin Love had a little bit of success for the
Heat last year. He's back this year. I do also
think Dinwittie, like you think about when he joined Dallas
a couple of years ago, and it wasn't really a
you know, a hyped acquisition by them when they got him.
Obviously ended up moving him for Kyrie, but he had
(13:24):
his moments during that playoff run, and he was a
better shooter playing off Luca than he was during his
Nets career, So you know, I think listen, My point
being getting him as kind of your quote unquote deadline
pick up when you don actually have to trade anything,
is solid work. I do wonder if they'll maybe regret
(13:45):
not doing Reeves in a first for de Jontay Murray.
I mean and listen. I like Austin Reeves a lot.
I think he's a good player. I do think Dejontay
is better. He's not quite the shooter that Reeves is,
but he gives them more size. I think he's a
better defender. I think there's an argument there. I wouldn't
necessarily argue it strongly. They're just in a weird spot. Man.
They're in a weird spot because I think we're in agreement.
(14:07):
They did the right thing last offseason bringing these guys back.
It just hasn't worked. And I think Russell is someone
who's going to be a better trade ship next year
when that contract, I think becomes easier to move. I
believe it's a team option the last year, so it's
actually an expiring But I mean, they're just kind of stuck.
To be honest, it is how I feel about the
Lakers is they've gotten the healthy Lebron and Ads this season.
(14:31):
They brought everyone back. It just hasn't worked. There was
no magic pill for him this year.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Look, the Lakers' playoff success is going to hinge on
two things. One is a return to health. By mid April,
you've got Jared Vanderbilt out released a month, gave Vincent
probably going to be back some point after the All
Star break. They need those two guys to come back
and be rotation players. They need Vanderbilt's defense. They need
(14:56):
Vincent's defense and shooting and him being the guy he
was for Miami last year. They need that. They also
need this D'Angelo Russell renaissance to continue. I mean, Russell
has been just all NBA level since January first, like
twenty plus points per game, shooting well over forty percent
from three. Since January first, he has been awesome. He
(15:18):
has looked like an All Star, you know, since then.
But he's looked that way in the past at times.
Not the first time we've seen a D'Angelo Russell tear.
Maybe this is a bit longer than the ones we've seen,
but we've seen this type of stuff in the past.
He's got to be that guy in the playoffs. He
can't disappear like he did in that Nugget series. He
has got to be an efficient shooter, a reasonable defender,
(15:42):
a playmaker. He's got to be all the things he's
been over the last month and a half. If he
can be, don't count this Lakers team out, especially if
they want up like Oklahoma City in the first round,
or you know, some other team that has less experience
that they could potentially beat.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Well, my question for you is because we've seen this
in the past with Lebron teams, where smart management doesn't
necessarily coincide with what is best for Lebron. You know,
I think about that last year in Cleveland, they didn't
trade that pick that turned out to be number eight
and they got coin section with it. You know, Lebron
wanted them to move it. Do you run the risk
(16:18):
of alienating him? What if he's already lost a belief
in this team. I mean, he was not exactly giving
the most reassuring comments leading up to the deadline, when
he was basically like, oh, this is what we got.
Do you are you worried at all about a risk
of you know, not Lebron checking out, but not necessarily
having belief that this group can get it done.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Well, yeah, look I do. But I do think Lebron
is going to maintain that intensity until all the guys
get back, and that's going to push you into mid
to late March at the earliest. I don't know what
Vanderbilt's situation is. They're speaking optimistically. People behind the scenes
I talk to are a little bit less optimistic about
(17:00):
his ability to bounce back from this foot injury this season.
And lookae Vince has only played like five games this year,
so it's hard.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
It's kind of rough in them too.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Yeah, it's it's hard to know what you're gonna get
when he comes back. I think Lebron will still be
Lebron throughout and then you're reconvening the offseason. Look, I
think all things being equal, Lebron would like to stay
in LA. His family is entrench there, He's got a
superstar teammate that he likes, and if he decides he
wants to be in LA, the Lakers can do something
big next summer, Like you can package you know, two
(17:30):
first round picks and Russell's contract to get to Jonte
Murty next summer. I think that's realistic if you're the Lakers,
just that. Right now, you're just crossing your fingers and
hoping that the things that are going wrong internally go
right over the next couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Do we know if Jared Vanderbilt has seen the Lebron
James feet and the feels like his first visit should have.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Been like now the second time you've regurgitated your Twitter
feed here on the podcast, so you haven't been attention.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Just check it, I just check it.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Well done, all right? We have to talk about the
Cleveland Cavaliers, who are the best story in the NBA
right now. They are sitting in second place in the
Eastern Conference, just behind Boston. They have won seventeen of
their last nineteen games, almost eighteen of their last nineteen game,
(18:22):
after completing nearly completing just a ridiculous rally at the
end of that game against Philadelphia twenty two and five.
We're gonna read some of the numbers here. Twenty two
and five in their last twenty seven games dating back
to December sixteenth, that's the best winning percentage in the
NBA over that span. They are tied for the fourth
(18:42):
best winning percentage in the NBA, second best, I said,
in the East, best record in the NBA since mid December,
and they are being led by Donovan Mitchell, who's averaging
career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks. I am
one of the voters that Tim Bontam's of ESPN harasses
(19:05):
on thrice yearly basis and I wanted to put Donovan
Mitchell in that top five. I really did. I got
really close to putting him in that top five. He's
one of only two players this season afaging twenty eight
five six and with one and a half steals. The
other is the guy that is in my top five.
That's Shake Gildos Alexander. Donvan Mitchell has the best plus
(19:28):
minus per game in the NBA at eight point seven.
So when he's on the floor, the Cavs are really
freaking good. They have been really freaking good for a
long time now. So I'll kind of put it out
to you, like this, what is going on in Cleveland right.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Now, Chris. They've been fantastic and I'm part of the
problem because I think this team deserves way more recognition
for what they've done. I mean, you mentioned that record
twenty two and five or the last twenty seven, A
big chunk of that game with Evan Mobley and Darius
Garland out, this team they're number one used lineup this
year is without those two guys. It's with Dean Wade,
(20:03):
it's with Isaaca Koro, It's with Max Struce, Jared Allen,
and Donovan Mitchell. That lineup has been fantastic, elite on
both ends of the floor. A nineteen point six net
rating for that group. No one saw that coming. This season,
they've been fantastic. You mentioned Mitchell, I mean he's been
playing out of his mind. Jared Allen, who had you know?
He was memed this summer after he said maybe the
(20:25):
lights were too bright in that playoff series, always go
us come back and played an all star level. Was
the anchor of that defense with mobiley out. I mean,
you look at that lineup. Guy's not necessarily known for
what they do defensively. I mean, I do think Dean
Wade has been really good and making people learn, but
you know, Allen's been the anchor of that unit. They've
been fantastic. I think Mitchell and Allen have really kind
(20:45):
of established themselves as the two best players on this team.
They're really good. I mean, I mentioned on part of
the problem because I get on Twitter, I get on
this podcast age another podcast, talk about how good the
Knicks have been, how much I loved what they did
at the deadline, Cleveland's ahead of them, and think about
like Jalen Brunson, Mayor of New York, just kind of
the hype around that team. Cleveland's been better and they
(21:06):
have such a good defense. You know people always complaining, oh,
like no team can play defense anymore, That's not true
about Cleveland. I think they're second overall in the league
defensive efficiency. Yep, this is a defense that stands the
test of time. I think they're fantastic. I thought when
they made the Mitchell trade this was a team that
had the potential to get the to make a conference
(21:26):
finals with him. This is even better than I thought
they would be, And especially what they've done with the injuries,
I'm incredibly impressed. And they are not being taken seriously
at all in a way that they should feel disrespect.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeah, and look, some of the things that have made
the Cavaliers successful have come out of nowhere. Right. They are,
all of a sudden, a high volume three point shooting team.
Sam Merrill, who no one could have picked out of
a lineup before this season, is shooting forty four percent
from three. Craig Porter Junior, who nobody had expectations for
(22:02):
coming into this year, has been a key part of
their rotation. I mentioned Isaac acro Like when Darius Garland
went down that was considered a body blow for Cleveland
a car. All he's done is come in, shot thirty
eight and a half percent from three and played the
sturdy defense that they needed from him at that swing position.
(22:25):
And now instead of having kind of a smallish backcourt,
the Cavs been able to deploy a biggish backcourt, you know,
with Mitchell and with a coro back there Max Strus
getting minutes in that backcourt and wing position as well.
So you know they've they've done that. They've gotten a
lot from a lot of different guys, a lot of
diversity from their game. Jared Allen has stepped up and
(22:46):
he's been awesome All Star caliber player all year long.
I think the question, look, last year, I'm kind of
pivoting all over the place now, but last year, when
Cleveland would got hot mid season, I went to Cleveland.
I did a magazine store on Donald Mitchell, his impact
on that team. How they I don't want to say
rewarded me, but how they they showed up in the
playoffs was that they failed right, and they weren't ready and.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
So next series wasn't close.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
No, And the question I then have is like are
things different? Because it's still a lot of the same
players on that team. It's still the same coaching staff.
Donovan Mitchell is still the star. Darius Garland's back and
he's been really good since he's been back. Are things
different with this team? Are they better equipped for a
postseason run this year than they were last year?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Listen, that's obviously the million dollar question. And here's what
I'd say to that. Two things. I mean you mentioned too,
the guys like Akuro was someone who was getting played
off the court in that next series and was a
big reason why the weren't able to score. If he's
willing to shoot, and he's shooting it at the clip
that he's shooting this year, that makes a material difference
for them. If Jared Allen is the guy who we've
(23:55):
seen during this regular season, that makes a difference for them.
And I do think that they I think that was
a humbling playoff defeat for the Cleveland Cavaliers. And what
I respect and what I love what I'm seeing from
them this season is the guys who took it the worst,
the guys who took it on the chin a Coroh Allen.
They've come back and been better, and that's what you want.
To see. So that's why I think I have some
(24:16):
faith in them. And I'm at the point now, Chris, like,
I really hope Donovan Mitchell resigns here because this is
a good team. It's an exciting team, and that's I
think that's part of the reason why no one wants
to talk about them. Like once people found out that
they were good and Donovan Mitchell wasn't getting traded, it's like,
all of a sudden, they became uninteresting. You know, if
this team makes the conference finals, I'd be the furthest
(24:38):
Mitchell's gone in his playoff career. Why wouldn't he want
to stay here? If they're able to keep this core together,
I know it's gonna get expensive. I know Evan Mobley,
we haven't really talked about him much. Maybe hasn't taken
the leap a lot of us expected. And I do
think they're gonna have to make some tough decisions with
Mobiley and Allen come playoff time. But they're built better
for it this year. And yeah, I hope Mitchell stakes.
(24:59):
I think they something special going on here, and I
think the guys that had an issue in the playoffs
last year, they've come back better I've.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Come back better. You mentioned Mobley, and I think the
biggest problem with him obviously is that he has not
developed into a reliable perimeter shooter. Though this month he's
been really good. Look at something a fifty eight point
three percent from three, not at a small insignificant number either,
He's averaging a couple threes per game. He's got to
(25:28):
get better at that for them to continue to deploy
a lineup with Jared Allen and Evan Mobley there in
the front court. So you can't have two guys that
are not floor spaces. So Mobley's gonna have to get
better in that respect. This is gonna be, I think
a referendum on this unit this year if they get
to the second round. Look, they get to the second
round and lose to like Boston, Let's say that happens.
(25:51):
You can't knock that right. Boston's ready Boston championship team.
But if they get beat in the first round again,
a lot's gonna probably gonn have to change with this team.
And I'm look, I'm I'm so sure it would mean
that Donovan Mitchell would go. In fact, I'm I'm of
the believe that Donald Mitchell's going to stay. And I'm
not basing that on any conversations I've had with him.
But like you're looking around with the potential Donovan Mitchell suitors, right, Like,
(26:15):
is he he's not gonna go the Knicks? The Knicks,
I think they realize that they can't win with Brunston
and Mitchell in their back court, Like that's too small
to succeed, even if those guys are really good offensively.
Is he gonna go to the Lakers? Like? Do the
Lakers make a big off for him this summer? If
if the Cops put on the table.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
I think the only way he goes to the Lakers
is if Lebron goes back home in a second time.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yeah, I mean I guess he could, Like he could
go there. I mean you could put together a package
of Russell three first and you know, recoup some of
the draft capital you gave away when you went after him.
But I don't, I don't know, Like does Orlando make
a play for him, No, because he's not going to
resign there, Like you have limited options with Donovan Mitchell.
If I'm Mitchell and this team gets the second round
(26:56):
and I get a max level offer, I'm taking it. Man,
I'm taking I deal with the fallout later. You can
always ask for a trade, you know, later on if
it doesn't work.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Where where do you have the calves right now? If
I have to put you on the spot a little bit, like,
do you see conference finals potential with them? Do you
see them making the second round? Where do you have
them in the pecking order of the East.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
I think it's probably gonna be them in Milwaukee in
the second round. And I think they match up okay
with Milwaukee.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I think that'd be a fun and interesting series.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Yeah, I mean, look, you've got you know, you gonna
have a tough time defending Dame, that's for sure. You've
got some guys that you can throw, some bodies you
can throw at Giannis, although he just run over Evan
Mobley at this point, and the Bucks are still very
much in flux right. They had a great game on
Monday against Denver, but they're still trying to figure themselves out.
(27:49):
That to me is gonna be the referendum. Like they
get to the conference finals, I think Boss is gonna
kick the ress. I just do. I think they're not
ready for that yet. But can they beat a Bucks
team which made a coaching chain mid season, which has
some questions it's trying to answer internally. Maybe those questions
will be answered by you know, mid May. But right now,
that's the matchup I'm most interested if they wind up
(28:11):
two three facing each other in the second round, I'm
fascinated by that matchup.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
I do think any team in the East besides Milwaukee
and Boston that makes the conference finals, it's a huge
successful season for them, and I'm also the pandemic. Boston
is like a heavy, heavy, heavy favorite to win the East.
But yeah, man, I think a Cleveland Milwaukee series if
that started today, I don't know who I'm picking. I'm
(28:37):
not feeling great about Milwaukee there, just based on what
we've seen over the last thirty forty games or so.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Well, because the Bucks would have the same problem with
Cleveland's backcourt that Cleveland would have with Milwaukee's backcourt, Like
there are no stoppers there. I saw Pat Bev getting
some minutes last night in Milwaukee. Okay, Like I'm not
sure he's gonna do He's gonna be able to slow down,
(29:03):
you know, Mitchell Garland, those guys, and look, it comes
down to can Ocral make the same shots in the playoffs.
He's making in the regular season. He has been great
over the last month month and a half filling in
for Darius Garland. Can he be that same guy in
the postseason. He's a huge weapon if he can, because
he can go out there and he can play against
a Chris Middleton, he can play some minutes, probably against
(29:24):
Damian Lillard, Like you can do a lot with a
guy like that if he's able to make shots. But
that's a fascinating second round series. That's one of the
more fasting ones I think that are out there. All right,
short episode this week, but we'll be back next week.
Make sure you subscribe, rate and review on the Crossover Feed.
Keep reading over at s side dot com. We'll see
you next week.
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