November 9, 2025 • 33 mins
In Houston’s most impressive win of the 2025-26 season to date, Kevin Durant (31 points, 7 assists) and Alperen Sengun (23 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists) were incredible down the stretch as the Rockets stormed back from a 14-point deficit on the road. Houston is now 6-3 on the season, while Milwaukee is 6-4.
In Sunday’s postgame show, Ben DuBose, Paulo Alves, and Dave Hardisty break down all the highlights versus Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, including the huge bench spark provided by Reed Sheppard (16 points, 4 steals) and whether he could soon push for a starting role.
This episode can be viewed in video form here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMao3ZdviME
In Sunday’s postgame show, Ben DuBose, Paulo Alves, and Dave Hardisty break down all the highlights versus Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, including the huge bench spark provided by Reed Sheppard (16 points, 4 steals) and whether he could soon push for a starting role.
This episode can be viewed in video form here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMao3ZdviME
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome into the show. Guys.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
We are all smiles. I didn't expect us to be
all smiles the way this game was going. But the
Rockets get a big win, their first win against an
above five hundred team this year, one twenty two to
one fifteen in Milwaukee. I'm here with Ben Dubo's Palo Alves.
You guys know both of those guys on Twitter. You
can see their handles as well. Here, guys, I'm really
(00:25):
kind of floored by the way the Rockets came back.
There's a ton to talk about in this game, but
I'll start with you.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Ben.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
What was your reaction as the Rockets come back to
win one in Milwaukee.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Yeah, before we talk about the specific plays at the
end of the game, because I thought they were surgical
when it mattered, which was a refreshing change from what
we saw, especially the first week of the year when
they struggled in the half court against the Thunder and
against the Pistons. I want to talk a little bit
Macro because if the Rockets get this version of Kevin
Durant thirty one points on eleven to fifteen shooting, and
(00:58):
after having eight turnovers on Friday tonight, he had seven
assists to just three turnovers. If you get this version
of Kevin Durant, and it's not like we're asking for
a ton I mean the last road trip, the games
he had in Toronto and Boston were amazing. If you
get this version of Kadi, and that's for the game
as a whole, he was even better down the stretch
(01:18):
in the last five minutes, which we'll get to. It's
amazing how so many of the concerns just fade away,
at least in terms of their importance. I'm not going
to say this is a perfect Rockets team. You can
certainly nitpick the point guard issues. How good are they
defensively if they're running Reed Shepherd or double big and
choosing to play more zone. We can get into all
(01:39):
of that. But if you have this version of Kevin Durant,
and last week, for the most part, you didn't, you're
probably gonna be fine. Because when you have two all
stars and a men Thompson is someone who's not there yet,
but he has the capability of playing at that level
we saw it in Memphis, then a lot of your
other concerns aren't going to be quite as important. And
I just think that's so important to hit home off
the time. And last week, you know, the first two
(02:02):
games Katie shot like thirty percent in even though they
were both wins. That one against Dallas was a lot
uglier than you would have liked. The shooting tick back
up in San Antonio, but he had the eight turnovers tonight,
he put it all together. It was like he was
on that last road trip. And when you get that
version of Kevin Durant, they y'all know who I am. Version,
then this Rockets team, it's amazing how much bigger the
(02:24):
buffer is. And Polo, I'll kick it to you on this.
So let's talk about clutch Kevin Durant. Obviously, that's what
he's known for. There's this stat going back to the
start of the decade. They don't have it in front
of me right now, but basically since the calendar turned
to the twenty twenties, of all the Tier one NBA stars,
Katie has the best record when games are decided about
(02:45):
five points or less, in large part because of what
we saw tonight. I also think his ability to shoot
at all three levels is particularly important late in games
because defenses have to account for every inch on the
floor against him, So, Polo, who would you prefer in
the clutch Kevin Durant we saw tonight or the Davis
Mills that we see when the Texans are largely playing
(03:06):
for draft positioning in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Listen, that's a really tough choice because basically, it's basically
come down to sample size. Right, do you want the
guy who's one hundred percent win right when you want
to lose the game or do you want to or
do you want the guy who's, you know, an all
time great and has a lot of games where he's
been clutched but has also lost some. I mean, I
think it's it's a very tough call. That being said,
(03:30):
and then Davis Milk drops aside. I'm still I'm still
revising my take of the rocket of the Texans should
be taken or not. I think it's not just because
because he's so good in the clutch. It's because this
team defensively is I think at this point we can
we can just say it it's not as good as
it was last year and and at certain points they
(03:50):
cannot get stops like that. There there were huge stretches
of the game where the Bucks are basically automatic two points,
especially with the there in which at that point it's
it's not really just how good he is closing, is
that he's keeping us in gained by how consistent he's
been scoring. Meanwhile, we're trying to figure out what We're
trying to figure out those defensive issues, right, And so
(04:11):
I think with kd you obviously coming into the season thought, Okay,
this is the guy you're gonna spot into the Cleveland
Green role.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
He's going to be our closer, right.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
But I do think it cannot be understated that what
he's been doing keeping us in games, making shots that
only he can make in situations sometimes it breaks apart
a sequence sort of we've turned over the ball a lot.
Sometimes it's just one of those you know, great team,
great offensive teams go back and forth where you can stop,
you can't be stopped, and you can't stop anybody, and
he has been our go to guy in that in
(04:41):
those situations. Obviously Shinngland has been great as well. Don't
want to take anything away from him, and in the
sense that he's making that offensive when we don't have
a point pard.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
But yeah, Kadi is a great closer.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
But we cannot forget how well he's played to keep
us in games going way into the horse quarters.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah, I mean, Durant was just on believable. Can't say
enough good things about him in this game. Eleven of
fifteen from the field, as you pointed out, guys to
thirty one points overall, but seven assists, and we could
talk about that as well. For Kevin Durant, after having
eight turnovers in the San Antonio game, that was really
good to see because he is your closer, your best
offensive player, the guy you want to have the ball
(05:20):
in his hands at the very end to get the
big shot. You want that possibility that when of the
double cumps, he can find the right guy and not
turn it over. Today was really good in that regard
did have a few turnovers. It's really interesting. I think
Emao Dolka talked about this after the game. It was
like the night and day difference from the first half
to the second half. Rockets were down sixty one to
(05:40):
fifty first half. Matter of fact, Sheng Goon and Katie
were seven of seven combined from the field and you
look up and the score was tied. This is early
in the game, of course, and I was a little
bit concerned because, as Paolo is talking about, this is
not the same defense. Defensively, they have slipped some. The
zone has definitely had some problems that have been exposed
that they're probably going to up and work on. It
(06:01):
was better in the second half. They played better in
the second half. I thought Kad was the story. Not
taking anything away from Shnggoon. We will talk about Shangoon too,
because he had a couple of big baskets late one
that was just unbelievably impressive that we'll play as well here.
But relative to expectations, this is the Reed Shepherd game.
I mean, he's had two good games in a row.
(06:25):
You know, he as far as offensively quite efficient, he
looks more comfortable today. Sixteen points, six to ten from
the field, four of six from three, had four steals.
And I'll hand it to you guys, I'll play the
clips here the Reed Shepherd. This game you a.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Really you know, good team six and three.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
The Milwaukee Bucks. He was phenomenal. I mean, I just
I thought his play today was like wow. Now you know,
we're we've talked about little bits and pieces of the vision,
but this is actually it kind of you know, playing
out defense will the defensive issues will be there, he's
getting better on those. But offensively, you know, this guy's
got a lot to him.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Yeah, and he's shooting basically fifty percent for the year
on threes now, Like whatever concerns there were about his shooting,
and that was always small sample sized theater, consider how
little he played last year, there's a reason why going
into the draft this guy was billed as a generational
shooting prospect. So we're seeing the shooting start to translate.
What's most encouraging our plays like this one, the instinctive
(07:26):
plays defensively, the vision to push it ahead, like you
can't coach this stuff. And then this sequence right here,
so he hits the shot to pull them within five,
and then what happens on the ensuing trip. Kadi said
after the game that he felt like this sparked the rockets. Yeah,
the steal there and then the three from the corner
(07:46):
to push.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
It to two, no hesitation.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Yeah, And to tie back into the general theme, which
is the defense, at least at this point without Doriy
Infinny Smith is not what it was a year ago.
This game was frustrating for a lot of reasons, but
most notably it felt like every time for a while,
but the Rockets would get it down to three or
four points, the Bucks would push it right back up
to nine, ten or eleven. And I think the reason
for that the Rockets forced a lot of turnovers throughout
(08:10):
the game. But then when the Bucks really felt threatened
and they you know, took the possession more seriously and
they were more crisp and decisive in their decision making,
they were usually able to get a good shot because
the Rockets aren't as good defensively, and we saw that
down the stretch in San Antonio. Well, what happened in
the fourth quarter the Rockets, well, Reed sparked them. I
(08:31):
think Katie is absolutely right in saying that like those
weren't traditional stops, those were Reid going out of his
way to make some home run plays defensively, which he
is capable of making. Like for all the critiques, he
can make those types of plays and they have a
ton of value. He also had a big block defensively
down the stretch of that game. And then what we
saw down the stretch once first KD and then Alprin
(08:51):
Shongoon made those plays in the half court late in
the game, it felt like the Rockets gave the Bucks
a haymaker, and then the game prush is what forced
the Bucks to get a little bit tight. I thought
we saw Giannis miss some free throws late, like on
paper the Rockets between two All Stars and Kevin Durant
and all for in schoanoon, and first it was kd
then he drew a little bit of attention, and then
(09:13):
Alpi took advantage of that gravity and made a couple
of huge plays himself. Katie was also a great passer
in that stretch, had the dime tabari for the three
that put them ahead. I think for the first time
since the first quarter, when you are able to deliver
that type of paymaker, and I know they hadn't early
in the year, but there's a ton of small sample
sized theater to it. We're just three weeks into the season.
Even if your defense isn't great for the game as
(09:35):
a whole, then that type of game pressure is going
to force the other team to get a little bit tight.
And I thought that's what happened down the stretch of
that game. So I think you know, it starts with
Reid making some home run plays, and both ends of
the court to keep the Rockets competitive, and then down
the stretch, I think what basically happened Kati and Shangoon
were so lights out efficient offensively that it forced Giannis
in the Bucks to get a little bit tight and
(09:56):
ultimately that that was enough to swing the game.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
Yeah, in regarding your re the right at a certain point,
like you're talking about a six to two guard and
we've seen six two guards historically, you're typically I don't
think the read is ever going to be like a
great on ball defense. You know, first guy defending their
primary ball handler, and he might not ever be a
positive defender even if he's average, the fact that he's
(10:19):
such a good play maker getting steals and blogs. Obviously
that's not all defense is about. But maybe you can
you can make up for some of your deficiencies when
it comes to plainting straight up defense when you get
those steals and you get and you are able to
normally get the steels, but then have the Christmas decision,
maybe that it's shown tonight in in transition, making sure
that you make the right play and you actually convert
those those turnovers, in those turnovers into points.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
Because something that Rockets at times struggle with but.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Then beyond that, right, I think ultimately what is going
to make or break this team, Like I think they've
shown offensively they're going to be that they're going to
be great. And I saw someone was asking to trust
reed to play in a in a series against ok SE. Right,
I think eventually as this team gets it tells more
and more together.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
I think it's ticking.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
It's taken longer on defense, but I do think that
we have the personnel to be a better defensive team
than we have been those far right, the same guys
that were there last year are still there besides the
own Brooks who we think will be replaced in watch part,
my daughter and Pinnie Smith and I And if there's
anything I can say with one hundred percent certainty is
that I trust in may Udoka to eventually be able
to get the most out of his personnel defensively.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
We saw it in Boston, a team.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
That when they went to the finals played against the
water Is they flipped the switch defensively in the middle
of the season because Email was trying stuff out and
eventually he landed on what the best was The best
strategy was to get the most defensively out of the
players that he was getting at the time, and at
that time he was playing I think all Harford and
Robert and Robert Williams at the same time. Right we
(11:46):
have the personnel for the team to be great defensively.
It might be it might be you know, different lineups,
might be less double day, It might be the less zone.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
It might it might be over committing a little bit
more on free than having guys chase guys around.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
It might be perhaps not having a man thumps and
be the focal point of the office and hope and
hoping can become the disruptive defensively that he was last season.
There's a lot of ways to go about it. There's
a lot of tools in emails, tool back here. So
I think ultimately that would be the way for us
to assent from what right now is the team that
hangs with anybody but can loose to anybody because of
not being able to blow that people out other than
(12:19):
the really poor teams to that type of contender. And
I think once we figure that out, I think we
will be a part of that solution. If he keeps
playing like he is right now offensively, that it will
make up for the defensive struggles.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
That he has had when it comes to points of defense.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Well, let me point out the question that was just
on the screen, Dave, because I would love to have
your input on this. Somebody asked about potentially starting Read
over a Kobi and I texted you about this during
the game. Now, to Amn Thompson's credit, he was better
in the second half, but the first half he struggled
to finish. He had three turnovers. We know the point
guard issues that are there. There's also the question of
(12:58):
if you're asking a man to handle the ball or
does that take away from the juice he has defensively.
And it's not like the idea of starting Read is
reactionary based on just a couple of good games this
weekend against good opponents. While it is good to see
Read step up under the bright lights, these are two
statement games against the Spurs and the Bucks. It goes
deeper than that for the Rockets. Like we know in
(13:18):
the preseason, the Rockets thought about starting Reach Shepherd. It
had been told to me. I think it had been
told to you, Dave. Like behind the scenes, this was
something that they strongly considered. They also looked at the
double big obviously they ended up going with or have
gone with Joshua Kogi for the last couple of weeks.
But if you think you need a point guard, you
need more ball handling, maybe you need to save more
(13:39):
juice for men. Is there a point? I don't think
we're there yet, but is there a point where you
start read Shepherd like, I think it's a fair it's
a fair critique, especially because, like I think, where the
do the Rockets have a point guard? I guess that
narrative is especially important is in the first forty three
minutes of a game, like the last five minutes we
(13:59):
saw the way this game ended, like they have closers
between Kevin Durant and all par Ech and goot, it
slows in the half court and it just comes down
to who's going to be able to make the play.
And the Rockets had one more of those guys at
the top tier than the Bucks did tonight. I think
I'm sorry, no, I just setting you up for it
by saying the first forty three minutes, that's where you
know the live ball turnovers can put you in a deficit.
(14:20):
If a men gets too tired defensively, that can add up.
It's more of a of a first forty three minutes question,
and so that's where I'm not saying I'd flip it
right now, but I do think it's a it's a
fair question.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, I'm with you one hundred percent. I think you
kind of answered it. I think it's we're not there
right now. But that's where they ideally won't want it
to be, right. I mean, I think we all knew
that when they took him that they this was the
guy they hoped would take the torch from Fred down
the line, not right away, and they wanted to give
him that every opportunity to do that. It could be
also a little bit matchup dependent. I mean, Milwaukee's a
(14:55):
really good team, so I'm not taking anything away from it.
They're not the physicality team that we I've seen some
of these other ones. That's gonna be a little bit
tougher for read Again, I'm not taking anything away from
this incredible showing yet tonight, just saying that that, you know,
it's just going to take a little bit of time,
But I think ultimately he'll be given every opportunity to
take that starting job because that's what they want for him.
(15:16):
I don't know if you think anything differently on that, Palo.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Yeah, I think I think I'm with you guys as well.
I think eventually he will take over that, especially because
of what it does defensively for the team in order
to let them and thumps and be more active and
being in more posums to make those this uptive place.
But what I will add as well is that, well,
I do think that eventually it will happen, and I'm
not sure if now is the time to do it.
(15:41):
I do think that we also got to view this
early season stretch as a little bit of, you know,
a springboard to what's going to happen later in the season.
I think if you can remain a competitive, uppertiar playoff team,
you know, be within one two games of those you know,
probably two three seeds. I'm okay giving these reps to
(16:03):
a Man and Breath as well, this close for both
of them, because I do think it will play off
later in the season or later in their careers. Right,
You've got to take the fact that freadvent with is
out also as an opportunity and a Man's getting these
reps right, and sometimes it looks rough, sometimes it goes
off for thirty and most of the time when he does,
it's a little bit of that of that off fall stuff,
right But at the same time, I think we'll see
(16:23):
this will pay dividends down the line, and it might
hurt a little bit right now. But once again, I
think we've talked about is about this in the first
version of this show. I was on this team is
not optimized right now, right and the fact that they
are not optimized right now will make it so the
weak links right now will be better later on in
the season because they got these reps earlier. And it's
not I'm not even talking about this as a you know,
(16:46):
two to three year plan like we were back when
we were thanking. I'm talking about for this season right now.
As these guys being in these positions, we will play
off within this season. This is not a long term investment.
It's an investment for this season as well. Like these
twenty fifteen games earlier, early on in the season, we'll
play off in a playoff situation where maybe guys are
out with more fouls, maybe some guys got hurt, you know,
(17:09):
and we need these guns to step up. The fact
that they're getting these reps now, even though with might
cost us a few games. I think we'll play off
later on.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Yeah, I'm really impressed with reid last few games. It's
not just a one off fluke and like I said,
it's been building the last few games as his offense. Yeah,
the last game defensively, there were some problems down the stretch,
no question against San Antonio. You know, I want to
talk about just the contrast again real quick in halfs
and then we'll talk. I'm sure some people are like, hey,
get to Katie and Shangoon a little bit more and
(17:36):
Jabbari with a big shot, and we're going to play
those here in just a second. But really, it was
amazing in the first half. I'm watching this game taking
notes and I'm like, the Rockets are becoming at least
I'm talking about in the first half when I'm watching
this a bad caricature of what people were saying they
were and it was like they were just turning it
over like crazy. They had eleven in the first half.
(17:56):
Shangoon and a man at this point in time at
half had more turnovers than assists each, and they gave
up nine to eighteen from freequint range. And there was
another there was a play. I didn't pull the clip,
but they broke that zone down. Whether it was just
a simple dunk down low or maybe it was I
can't remember.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
It was Turner.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Miles Turner like a simple, you know, wide open shot
underneath the basket, and I'm like, man, they are picking
the zone apart. They made significant adjustments to the point
where down the stretch, Katie hit that incredible turnaround, got fouled.
We'll play these clips. Katie then found Jabbari for three
off the elbow. Katie makes another incredible mid range jumper,
(18:36):
and then Shangoon put you know, puts the nail on
the coffin, had a little flip shot over Yanis, and
then just this incredible, you know, star level play by
Shangoon at the end where Yannis is chasing him all over.
He gets around Yannis and then he you know, kind
of collides into Miles Turner, spins scores, gets fouled, does
the Shangoon flex and the whole thing, and and you know,
(18:57):
Rockets pulled this game off. They were big offensively down
the stretch. Like I said, we'll play these these highlights.
But it really was to me such a difference from
the first half to the second.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Yeah, and Reid had a lot to do with that.
He made it run a lot more smoothly, I thought
in the first half. To your comments on it looking
like a caricature at times, I would agree with you.
I would point out that it's always going to look
a little bit different when you start the group that
the Rockets had, and especially when they go double big
with the men at the point. But I also think, look,
(19:30):
with a men, what needs to happen is that you
offset the occasional turnovers and you know, maybe moving a
little bit too quickly. With him being lethal going downhill,
finishing near the rim, pressuring the rim, and kicking it
out and what we've seen the last few games, the
combination of athleticism, power and lean, he hasn't finished as
(19:50):
well as the Rockets need him to, with the exception
of the Memphis game when he was incredible. But Dallas,
we talked about how after that block by Daniel Gafford
early in the third quarter, he wasn't the same San Antonio.
He went four of twelve and it felt like ever
since Wimby got him early in that game on a block.
He was a little tentative going inside and tonight. You know,
(20:10):
the Bucks don't have a huge shot blocker, but they
have a lot of size and length between Giannis and
Miles Turner, and it felt like he was pulling up
from five to six feet instead of actually attacking the rim,
and it would help if he actually made those five
or six footers. He missed some good looks tonight, But
I also thought, you know, in a perfect role, a
men is six foot seven, super powerful, he should go
to the rim. And it looked like, again he was
(20:32):
a little bit tentative, So I think that's something to
watch like. I think it's pretty clear the Rockets have
a high floor all the time because of Kevin Durant
and all for in Shongoon. As long as they are healthy.
The ceiling is about Amen Thompson and to a lesser extent,
Reed Shepherd, And when they had the version of a
men that they had in Memphis, that's when they're lethal.
They didn't quite have it the last two games, although
a Men, to his credit, was better in the second half.
(20:55):
He did make a tough bucket in the half court
in the fourth quarter tonight, so hopefully we see that more.
Still just twenty two years old, year three, he's still learning,
but I think it's never gonna look traditional with the men.
But if he just finishes so much of the concerns
of the ball handling and the turnovers, like it's not
going to go away, but it won't be quite as
important as it looks the last couple of games, when
(21:16):
not only is he giving the ball away and the
offense looks clunky at times, but he's also not finishing
the way he should with his size and athleticism, And
then laid in the game to spin it forward one
of the fun subplots for me to see all pri
in Shongoon take over down the stretch of that game. Guys,
how fun do you think it was for him to
do that against Giannis after that ridiculous EuroBasket storyline, Like,
(21:37):
I'm sorry, do you guys remember the aftermath of the
Greece Turkey game. I thought his comments on Giannis were
so benign. It started with I believe Giannis is a
great player. Yannis is an amazing player, but he's not
a great passer. That's totally reasonable, Like that was a
completely reasonable critique. Quite frankly, I hate you know, as
(21:57):
a media member, I hate whenever we pile on athletes
for giving quote, forgiving quotes that aren't just boilerplate, because
then we incentivised them to say nothing. No, it was
a revealing quote of how Turkey wanted to defend Greece
in that game. I believe it was either the quarterfinal
or the semifinal, an elimination game that Turkey and Shingoon
won against Greece and Giannis, and it turned into this
(22:18):
whole like international incident basically, And it was just it
was a completely benign quote. I thought, like, Giannis is
a great player, but amongst all the great elements of
his game, I would say passing is not quite as
great as all the other elements. That's what Shingun was saying.
And somehow, you know, it started with wasn't Greece coach
by Spinulas Rockets legend Dave. Isn't that the grease coach?
Speaker 1 (22:43):
I did not know that. If he is, I did
not know he is the coach of Greece.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I think he is. I'm sure the Chad will correct
me if I'm wrong, but I think it's Rockets legend
coaching him from back in the day. But the point is,
I thought that was so blown out of proportion, like
come on, it was an innocent critique and in the
first game. Since then, I know they made up on
social media in large part because the fan base is
we're going back and forth at each other, and Johannis
and Shomgoon were just like, hey, this is ridiculous. We
(23:07):
need to, you know, lower the temperature. But for Shangoun
to do that in Milwaukee, including that last one, which
was just an and one mixtape move, going the full
length of the floor against Giannis, that had to feel
so good for him, of all the teams and players,
for him to do that against I don't know if
he'll say it postgame, but privately I bet you that
it feels a little bit better for him than he
(23:28):
did that against Giannis in the box.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
Yeah, and being fair, it's not like Yanna said. The
four game himself.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Obviously down in the cliss he missed those two free throws,
which was really killer, but Janni's was having a nice
game himself. This was a little a little bit of
those you know type of legacy again like I'm here,
I'm I'm going one on one with you. Obviously TV
helped as well, but I also think that some of
that found, you know, not necessarily funny, but they're among
(23:53):
those plays. There were points where I thought Temgun had
a chance to pick out for a three, and it
felt like he it was very intentional of him to
take it all the way himself into you know, that's
that's a star mentality. And we saw and I think
Kingdom's ever been someone who's scared of the moment. But
perhaps at certain point the right play would have been
to kick out for a three. But that's a high
(24:14):
barrier stob right, and he took it upon himself, took
it to the rim, got that end one, got that
little photo as well.
Speaker 5 (24:20):
Just to say that, I do think that.
Speaker 4 (24:21):
There was something with king yun mentally to close this
game that it wasn't just you know, business as usual.
Let me try to make like let me work as
a computer and make the right play every time. Sometimes
the right play when you're a star is to take
is to take it, is to take.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
It to yourself. Because even the best three point shooters
are you know, in the clutch.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Talking about all small stevel right, the best three point
shooters are what forty three versus you know, I'm the star,
I'm going to take my two and I'm gonna make
it sixty percent of the time rather make it, rather
go forward the two because it's a lot less a
lot of lower variants. So yeah, I did think that
kingun was in with a different mentality, and Dave.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I looked it up. Bacilli spin Rockets legend is the
grease coach and he's so he is the one who
blew it up. If you notice how it went down
after the Eurobasky game. Eventually they asked you honest about it.
But it was Spinulus that made it into this huge
international controversy, so you know, I guess the highlight of
the Spinulas era was getting traded for Louis Scola, which
(25:19):
also indirectly led to the infamous WOJE on John hollingker
Burn for how bad that trade was for the Spurs. Dave,
as a longtime Rockets fan, I'm assuming your favorite Spinula's
memory with the Rockets was that he was traded for
Louis Scola, right.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Well, that and also that he's t mac in Greece.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I don't know if you remember that, but Jeff van
Gundy saying very clearly basically airing Spinulus's laundry to the
whole world, saying that he said, behind the scenes, well,
you know, in Greece, I'm the tea mac, I'm the
guy who gets the ball, and boy that was humiliating.
But yeah, I mean it didn't quite pan out. He
went back and had a very very successful career in Europe.
(25:57):
You know, on Shangoon, I got to say, all around
his game tonight, very efficient. For me, it's efficiency and
defense and three point shooting that always concerns me about Shangun.
But ten to fifteen from the field tonight, very efficient,
hit his only three point attempt, very good sign eleven boards,
seven assists, did have five turnovers, but you'll put that aside.
You know, just a really good game from him. Plus
(26:20):
twenty one. Jabbari. You know we were talking earlier Ben
like he really wasn't like he was missing shots, and
I'm like, Jabari, you're killing me in this game. You
look up, he leads the team in plus minus tonight
with plus twenty five hits that big three. He did
have one nice drive baseline where he scored where he
went I believe around Giannis. I can't remember if if
(26:42):
I'm remembering correctly, but overall wasn't efficient. Tari has been
lights out from three, crashed back to Earth tonight, zero
for five from long range.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
We knew that was going to happen.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
He's not going to shoot fifty eight percent from three
all season, but it happened really quickly, all in the
first half. So I just want to give you know,
a little bit of mention to those numbers as well.
A men, was not impressed in the first half. You
already talked about this, Ben, but you know, I was
just disappointed with some of the on offenss, particularly how
he was playing. I think that's gonna, you know, iron
(27:14):
out some but it was a concerning a little bit
of a concerning game from him for me. But just overall,
I'm just so impressed with how they came back because
I got to tell you mentally a third quarter, I'm like, yeah,
they're losing this game.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
And to your point on Jabari, I want to underscore
this was at least the third game this season where
he's hit a huge three down the stretch of this game.
It happened opening night in OKC, and I think the
first overtime. It happened late in the Detroit game, which
brought him back to within two with a couple of
minutes left, and obviously it was to go ahead tonight.
And I think that's so important if you're a role
player like Jabari, you can't get scared. If you start
(27:49):
off for fourteen, which I think he was, you've got
to have to go back, you know, twenty thirty years.
You've got to have that Mario Elie Robert or ability
to tune it all out and trust your price, and
even if you're not making on a given night, if
the ball gets to you and you have a clean look,
put it up. And I think that's what Jabari has
done this season. I think the last couple of years
(28:10):
he hasn't always done that. He's sort of faded a bit.
This year he hasn't. And his ability to take and
make those shots, like obviously he deserves a lot of
credit for, you know, he's living up to the big
shot Bari nickname. But just the willingness to fight through
it to keep playing. I think there's a lot of
value in that. Like Pallo. We're going to do one
of our episodes on Rockets Launch Pod this week doing
(28:31):
Player Grades, in which we'll talk more about some of
the role players than we have tonight going up and
down the roster among rotation players. But I just think
when you go down the rotation and you're not talking
about the high usage guys, when you're going down to fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh,
those spots in the rotation, and Jabari's you know, probably
fourth right now. So much of it comes down to
your willingness to play through a bad night. And I
(28:52):
thought that's what he did tonight, Like he missed some
easy shots. He thinks he should be a lot better,
and he probably should be. But like there's something to
be said right that if you're a role player, you've
got to trust your process. You can't get phased. He's
now in your four so he's grown up a lot,
like you just gotta if you have the right shot
the way he did, you know, trust your mechanics, let
it fly. And I just think that I think that's
super valuable for a role player, especially on a Rockets
(29:14):
team like this. You know they've been math disadvantaged a
lot this season. Maybe that you know, gets a little
comes into a little better balance. With Reed Shepherd, they
can put up more threes, but you know, the Rockets
need to take more threes, and if you're a role
player like Jabari Smith Tarry Easton, you've got to let
it fly, right, Like even if you have a bad night,
you just got to put it up.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Yeah, and I think I do think that at least
it strikes me as Javari's mechanics will go up, you know,
more consistent this season than then they were last season.
Perhaps it's a little bit because the thought doesn't look
quite the same as far as like it looks more
kind of unique than it did before. Right, it seems
like his elbows is a little bit more far forward
like that it's a little bit more Gimmi key or
(29:54):
whatever you may call it.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
Frum three not from frum three. But he's trusting it.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
And as you said, he gotta trust it because if
Kad and sing Woom are scoring inside and KD can
shoot some three but mostly in the rains, master, right,
you've got to like that three point volume has got
to come from those road players because we don't really
have a point guard. It's going to pull up prompletely. Right,
So if you go, if you want to even out
of match, that's what you gotta do. Last thing I
wanted to channel and they've s touch down it as well.
(30:19):
Is thank god the tar reason come back to Earth
came and probably not the only one, but thank god
that that game happened in the game that we want,
because if that had happened against the Spurs or against
you know, okay, see, those games.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
Would not have looked the same.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
There were, you know, so far the season, a lot
of moments where Tarisan was the one keeping us in
games with his you know, flury of three.
Speaker 5 (30:42):
So it's good to get that out of the way
in the game that that we want.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Obviously, Taran was never going to be sixty percent, so
you know, you want to take those games in games
where you don't you're not, you know, really struggling to
shoot right and in the in a weird sense, thank
god it happened this way.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
And to close out, there's a comment in the right
now I want to address this game was such a
palette cleanser after the Spurs loss, and you finished out
the road trip two and one. You're now six and
three on the year, so you're consistently taking two out
of three, like I think this last week to sort
of put a bow on it has been sort of
refreshing and that with all the frustrations, the what could
have and should have been. You think back to that
(31:18):
opening week in Okac and then the home opener against Detroit, like,
you've won two of well two of your last four
games and two of your last three wins that were
fifty to fifty games, going down the stretch against Dallas
on Monday when they couldn't make a shot, and now
today in Milwaukee. It's tough to win fifty to fifty games.
And the Rockets went out down the stretch and made
the plays they needed to in both of those games.
(31:39):
So six and three we know this team is compromised,
especially without Dori and Finny Smith. Like the one nitpick
you could have is, hey, like they left some meat
on the bone early in the year, but it feels like,
you know, they're finally starting to get some of those
fifty fifty games go their way. And tonight was even
lower than fifty fifty. Obviously they were down double digits
for a decent chunk of this game. But I think,
just you know, for all the concerns, can they execute
(31:59):
down this and they should be able to with Kevin
Durant and all Princh and goon. They just didn't the
first week of the season. But can they execute down
the stretch? Are they going to get some breaks? They
got some breaks against Dallas on Monday and now Milwaukee
today and six and three. It's it's a fair record,
is probably where they should be. And you know, now
you move forward to a three game homestand starting Wednesday night.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Yeah, spreadsheet, I have them, you know we talked about before.
I have them at fifty five wins out of eighty games.
Don't There's two games we don't know about yet and
they're only one game behind that pace. Everything has gone
perfectly except the Detroit game, which I had had down
as in w But the next few games, I mean,
Rockets should get this next one. Wizards, you got the
Blazers on Friday. It's going to be big for the Cup,
(32:39):
you know, part of the Cup bracket. And then you've
got Paolo and the Magic coming in and Franz on Sunday.
But really just we'll close on this question. I think
it's really really key is do we see cam wentmore
tribute video? On was like, we do we compile the highlights?
How does that work exactly? Because there's a lot of
points in there.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Well, what's funny that you actually could have a Kim
Whitboard's tribute video because there are so many highlights just
due to a style of play in the insane dunks
and threes. But no, I will say, like Washington is
as must win as it gets Washington at home, Like,
you do not want to tune into this post game
if the Rockets lose that game. In fact, we probably
shouldn't even have a post game if the Rockets somehow
(33:20):
lose to the Wizards, because oh my god, I would
be I would be in consolable, Dave, I think you
would be too.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Yep, absolutely appreciate you guys doing this.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Yeah, this big, big win for the Rockets.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Like I said, it really didn't look good and for
them to come back it really makes you a lot
more optimistic about the season and hopefully you know.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
There are some things they got to clean up, the
turnovers and the three point.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Defense in the zone, but big, big plays from the
Rockets key players down the stretch. So you have a
huge shout out to the Rockets for this one. Thank
you guys, and have a great night.
Welcome into the show. Guys.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
We are all smiles. I didn't expect us to be
all smiles the way this game was going. But the
Rockets get a big win, their first win against an
above five hundred team this year, one twenty two to
one fifteen in Milwaukee. I'm here with Ben Dubo's Palo Alves.
You guys know both of those guys on Twitter. You
can see their handles as well. Here, guys, I'm really
(00:25):
kind of floored by the way the Rockets came back.
There's a ton to talk about in this game, but
I'll start with you.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Ben.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
What was your reaction as the Rockets come back to
win one in Milwaukee.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Yeah, before we talk about the specific plays at the
end of the game, because I thought they were surgical
when it mattered, which was a refreshing change from what
we saw, especially the first week of the year when
they struggled in the half court against the Thunder and
against the Pistons. I want to talk a little bit
Macro because if the Rockets get this version of Kevin
Durant thirty one points on eleven to fifteen shooting, and
(00:58):
after having eight turnovers on Friday tonight, he had seven
assists to just three turnovers. If you get this version
of Kevin Durant, and it's not like we're asking for
a ton I mean the last road trip, the games
he had in Toronto and Boston were amazing. If you
get this version of Kadi, and that's for the game
as a whole, he was even better down the stretch
(01:18):
in the last five minutes, which we'll get to. It's
amazing how so many of the concerns just fade away,
at least in terms of their importance. I'm not going
to say this is a perfect Rockets team. You can
certainly nitpick the point guard issues. How good are they
defensively if they're running Reed Shepherd or double big and
choosing to play more zone. We can get into all
(01:39):
of that. But if you have this version of Kevin Durant,
and last week, for the most part, you didn't, you're
probably gonna be fine. Because when you have two all
stars and a men Thompson is someone who's not there yet,
but he has the capability of playing at that level
we saw it in Memphis, then a lot of your
other concerns aren't going to be quite as important. And
I just think that's so important to hit home off
the time. And last week, you know, the first two
(02:02):
games Katie shot like thirty percent in even though they
were both wins. That one against Dallas was a lot
uglier than you would have liked. The shooting tick back
up in San Antonio, but he had the eight turnovers tonight,
he put it all together. It was like he was
on that last road trip. And when you get that
version of Kevin Durant, they y'all know who I am. Version,
then this Rockets team, it's amazing how much bigger the
(02:24):
buffer is. And Polo, I'll kick it to you on this.
So let's talk about clutch Kevin Durant. Obviously, that's what
he's known for. There's this stat going back to the
start of the decade. They don't have it in front
of me right now, but basically since the calendar turned
to the twenty twenties, of all the Tier one NBA stars,
Katie has the best record when games are decided about
(02:45):
five points or less, in large part because of what
we saw tonight. I also think his ability to shoot
at all three levels is particularly important late in games
because defenses have to account for every inch on the
floor against him, So, Polo, who would you prefer in
the clutch Kevin Durant we saw tonight or the Davis
Mills that we see when the Texans are largely playing
(03:06):
for draft positioning in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Listen, that's a really tough choice because basically, it's basically
come down to sample size. Right, do you want the
guy who's one hundred percent win right when you want
to lose the game or do you want to or
do you want the guy who's, you know, an all
time great and has a lot of games where he's
been clutched but has also lost some. I mean, I
think it's it's a very tough call. That being said,
(03:30):
and then Davis Milk drops aside. I'm still I'm still
revising my take of the rocket of the Texans should
be taken or not. I think it's not just because
because he's so good in the clutch. It's because this
team defensively is I think at this point we can
we can just say it it's not as good as
it was last year and and at certain points they
(03:50):
cannot get stops like that. There there were huge stretches
of the game where the Bucks are basically automatic two points,
especially with the there in which at that point it's
it's not really just how good he is closing, is
that he's keeping us in gained by how consistent he's
been scoring. Meanwhile, we're trying to figure out what We're
trying to figure out those defensive issues, right, And so
(04:11):
I think with kd you obviously coming into the season thought, Okay,
this is the guy you're gonna spot into the Cleveland
Green role.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
He's going to be our closer, right.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
But I do think it cannot be understated that what
he's been doing keeping us in games, making shots that
only he can make in situations sometimes it breaks apart
a sequence sort of we've turned over the ball a lot.
Sometimes it's just one of those you know, great team,
great offensive teams go back and forth where you can stop,
you can't be stopped, and you can't stop anybody, and
he has been our go to guy in that in
(04:41):
those situations. Obviously Shinngland has been great as well. Don't
want to take anything away from him, and in the
sense that he's making that offensive when we don't have
a point pard.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
But yeah, Kadi is a great closer.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
But we cannot forget how well he's played to keep
us in games going way into the horse quarters.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah, I mean, Durant was just on believable. Can't say
enough good things about him in this game. Eleven of
fifteen from the field, as you pointed out, guys to
thirty one points overall, but seven assists, and we could
talk about that as well. For Kevin Durant, after having
eight turnovers in the San Antonio game, that was really
good to see because he is your closer, your best
offensive player, the guy you want to have the ball
(05:20):
in his hands at the very end to get the
big shot. You want that possibility that when of the
double cumps, he can find the right guy and not
turn it over. Today was really good in that regard
did have a few turnovers. It's really interesting. I think
Emao Dolka talked about this after the game. It was
like the night and day difference from the first half
to the second half. Rockets were down sixty one to
(05:40):
fifty first half. Matter of fact, Sheng Goon and Katie
were seven of seven combined from the field and you
look up and the score was tied. This is early
in the game, of course, and I was a little
bit concerned because, as Paolo is talking about, this is
not the same defense. Defensively, they have slipped some. The
zone has definitely had some problems that have been exposed
that they're probably going to up and work on. It
(06:01):
was better in the second half. They played better in
the second half. I thought Kad was the story. Not
taking anything away from Shnggoon. We will talk about Shangoon too,
because he had a couple of big baskets late one
that was just unbelievably impressive that we'll play as well here.
But relative to expectations, this is the Reed Shepherd game.
I mean, he's had two good games in a row.
(06:25):
You know, he as far as offensively quite efficient, he
looks more comfortable today. Sixteen points, six to ten from
the field, four of six from three, had four steals.
And I'll hand it to you guys, I'll play the
clips here the Reed Shepherd. This game you a.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Really you know, good team six and three.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
The Milwaukee Bucks. He was phenomenal. I mean, I just
I thought his play today was like wow. Now you know,
we're we've talked about little bits and pieces of the vision,
but this is actually it kind of you know, playing
out defense will the defensive issues will be there, he's
getting better on those. But offensively, you know, this guy's
got a lot to him.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Yeah, and he's shooting basically fifty percent for the year
on threes now, Like whatever concerns there were about his shooting,
and that was always small sample sized theater, consider how
little he played last year, there's a reason why going
into the draft this guy was billed as a generational
shooting prospect. So we're seeing the shooting start to translate.
What's most encouraging our plays like this one, the instinctive
(07:26):
plays defensively, the vision to push it ahead, like you
can't coach this stuff. And then this sequence right here,
so he hits the shot to pull them within five,
and then what happens on the ensuing trip. Kadi said
after the game that he felt like this sparked the rockets. Yeah,
the steal there and then the three from the corner
(07:46):
to push.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
It to two, no hesitation.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Yeah, And to tie back into the general theme, which
is the defense, at least at this point without Doriy
Infinny Smith is not what it was a year ago.
This game was frustrating for a lot of reasons, but
most notably it felt like every time for a while,
but the Rockets would get it down to three or
four points, the Bucks would push it right back up
to nine, ten or eleven. And I think the reason
for that the Rockets forced a lot of turnovers throughout
(08:10):
the game. But then when the Bucks really felt threatened
and they you know, took the possession more seriously and
they were more crisp and decisive in their decision making,
they were usually able to get a good shot because
the Rockets aren't as good defensively, and we saw that
down the stretch in San Antonio. Well, what happened in
the fourth quarter the Rockets, well, Reed sparked them. I
(08:31):
think Katie is absolutely right in saying that like those
weren't traditional stops, those were Reid going out of his
way to make some home run plays defensively, which he
is capable of making. Like for all the critiques, he
can make those types of plays and they have a
ton of value. He also had a big block defensively
down the stretch of that game. And then what we
saw down the stretch once first KD and then Alprin
(08:51):
Shongoon made those plays in the half court late in
the game, it felt like the Rockets gave the Bucks
a haymaker, and then the game prush is what forced
the Bucks to get a little bit tight. I thought
we saw Giannis miss some free throws late, like on
paper the Rockets between two All Stars and Kevin Durant
and all for in schoanoon, and first it was kd
then he drew a little bit of attention, and then
(09:13):
Alpi took advantage of that gravity and made a couple
of huge plays himself. Katie was also a great passer
in that stretch, had the dime tabari for the three
that put them ahead. I think for the first time
since the first quarter, when you are able to deliver
that type of paymaker, and I know they hadn't early
in the year, but there's a ton of small sample
sized theater to it. We're just three weeks into the season.
Even if your defense isn't great for the game as
(09:35):
a whole, then that type of game pressure is going
to force the other team to get a little bit tight.
And I thought that's what happened down the stretch of
that game. So I think you know, it starts with
Reid making some home run plays, and both ends of
the court to keep the Rockets competitive, and then down
the stretch, I think what basically happened Kati and Shangoon
were so lights out efficient offensively that it forced Giannis
in the Bucks to get a little bit tight and
(09:56):
ultimately that that was enough to swing the game.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
Yeah, in regarding your re the right at a certain point,
like you're talking about a six to two guard and
we've seen six two guards historically, you're typically I don't
think the read is ever going to be like a
great on ball defense. You know, first guy defending their
primary ball handler, and he might not ever be a
positive defender even if he's average, the fact that he's
(10:19):
such a good play maker getting steals and blogs. Obviously
that's not all defense is about. But maybe you can
you can make up for some of your deficiencies when
it comes to plainting straight up defense when you get
those steals and you get and you are able to
normally get the steels, but then have the Christmas decision,
maybe that it's shown tonight in in transition, making sure
that you make the right play and you actually convert
those those turnovers, in those turnovers into points.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
Because something that Rockets at times struggle with but.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Then beyond that, right, I think ultimately what is going
to make or break this team, Like I think they've
shown offensively they're going to be that they're going to
be great. And I saw someone was asking to trust
reed to play in a in a series against ok SE. Right,
I think eventually as this team gets it tells more
and more together.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
I think it's ticking.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
It's taken longer on defense, but I do think that
we have the personnel to be a better defensive team
than we have been those far right, the same guys
that were there last year are still there besides the
own Brooks who we think will be replaced in watch part,
my daughter and Pinnie Smith and I And if there's
anything I can say with one hundred percent certainty is
that I trust in may Udoka to eventually be able
to get the most out of his personnel defensively.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
We saw it in Boston, a team.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
That when they went to the finals played against the
water Is they flipped the switch defensively in the middle
of the season because Email was trying stuff out and
eventually he landed on what the best was The best
strategy was to get the most defensively out of the
players that he was getting at the time, and at
that time he was playing I think all Harford and
Robert and Robert Williams at the same time. Right we
(11:46):
have the personnel for the team to be great defensively.
It might be it might be you know, different lineups,
might be less double day, It might be the less zone.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
It might it might be over committing a little bit
more on free than having guys chase guys around.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
It might be perhaps not having a man thumps and
be the focal point of the office and hope and
hoping can become the disruptive defensively that he was last season.
There's a lot of ways to go about it. There's
a lot of tools in emails, tool back here. So
I think ultimately that would be the way for us
to assent from what right now is the team that
hangs with anybody but can loose to anybody because of
not being able to blow that people out other than
(12:19):
the really poor teams to that type of contender. And
I think once we figure that out, I think we
will be a part of that solution. If he keeps
playing like he is right now offensively, that it will
make up for the defensive struggles.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
That he has had when it comes to points of defense.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Well, let me point out the question that was just
on the screen, Dave, because I would love to have
your input on this. Somebody asked about potentially starting Read
over a Kobi and I texted you about this during
the game. Now, to Amn Thompson's credit, he was better
in the second half, but the first half he struggled
to finish. He had three turnovers. We know the point
guard issues that are there. There's also the question of
(12:58):
if you're asking a man to handle the ball or
does that take away from the juice he has defensively.
And it's not like the idea of starting Read is
reactionary based on just a couple of good games this
weekend against good opponents. While it is good to see
Read step up under the bright lights, these are two
statement games against the Spurs and the Bucks. It goes
deeper than that for the Rockets. Like we know in
(13:18):
the preseason, the Rockets thought about starting Reach Shepherd. It
had been told to me. I think it had been
told to you, Dave. Like behind the scenes, this was
something that they strongly considered. They also looked at the
double big obviously they ended up going with or have
gone with Joshua Kogi for the last couple of weeks.
But if you think you need a point guard, you
need more ball handling, maybe you need to save more
(13:39):
juice for men. Is there a point? I don't think
we're there yet, but is there a point where you
start read Shepherd like, I think it's a fair it's
a fair critique, especially because, like I think, where the
do the Rockets have a point guard? I guess that
narrative is especially important is in the first forty three
minutes of a game, like the last five minutes we
(13:59):
saw the way this game ended, like they have closers
between Kevin Durant and all par Ech and goot, it
slows in the half court and it just comes down
to who's going to be able to make the play.
And the Rockets had one more of those guys at
the top tier than the Bucks did tonight. I think
I'm sorry, no, I just setting you up for it
by saying the first forty three minutes, that's where you
know the live ball turnovers can put you in a deficit.
(14:20):
If a men gets too tired defensively, that can add up.
It's more of a of a first forty three minutes question,
and so that's where I'm not saying I'd flip it
right now, but I do think it's a it's a
fair question.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, I'm with you one hundred percent. I think you
kind of answered it. I think it's we're not there
right now. But that's where they ideally won't want it
to be, right. I mean, I think we all knew
that when they took him that they this was the
guy they hoped would take the torch from Fred down
the line, not right away, and they wanted to give
him that every opportunity to do that. It could be
also a little bit matchup dependent. I mean, Milwaukee's a
(14:55):
really good team, so I'm not taking anything away from it.
They're not the physicality team that we I've seen some
of these other ones. That's gonna be a little bit
tougher for read Again, I'm not taking anything away from
this incredible showing yet tonight, just saying that that, you know,
it's just going to take a little bit of time,
But I think ultimately he'll be given every opportunity to
take that starting job because that's what they want for him.
(15:16):
I don't know if you think anything differently on that, Palo.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Yeah, I think I think I'm with you guys as well.
I think eventually he will take over that, especially because
of what it does defensively for the team in order
to let them and thumps and be more active and
being in more posums to make those this uptive place.
But what I will add as well is that, well,
I do think that eventually it will happen, and I'm
not sure if now is the time to do it.
(15:41):
I do think that we also got to view this
early season stretch as a little bit of, you know,
a springboard to what's going to happen later in the season.
I think if you can remain a competitive, uppertiar playoff team,
you know, be within one two games of those you know,
probably two three seeds. I'm okay giving these reps to
(16:03):
a Man and Breath as well, this close for both
of them, because I do think it will play off
later in the season or later in their careers. Right,
You've got to take the fact that freadvent with is
out also as an opportunity and a Man's getting these
reps right, and sometimes it looks rough, sometimes it goes
off for thirty and most of the time when he does,
it's a little bit of that of that off fall stuff,
right But at the same time, I think we'll see
(16:23):
this will pay dividends down the line, and it might
hurt a little bit right now. But once again, I
think we've talked about is about this in the first
version of this show. I was on this team is
not optimized right now, right and the fact that they
are not optimized right now will make it so the
weak links right now will be better later on in
the season because they got these reps earlier. And it's
not I'm not even talking about this as a you know,
(16:46):
two to three year plan like we were back when
we were thanking. I'm talking about for this season right now.
As these guys being in these positions, we will play
off within this season. This is not a long term investment.
It's an investment for this season as well. Like these
twenty fifteen games earlier, early on in the season, we'll
play off in a playoff situation where maybe guys are
out with more fouls, maybe some guys got hurt, you know,
(17:09):
and we need these guns to step up. The fact
that they're getting these reps now, even though with might
cost us a few games. I think we'll play off
later on.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Yeah, I'm really impressed with reid last few games. It's
not just a one off fluke and like I said,
it's been building the last few games as his offense. Yeah,
the last game defensively, there were some problems down the stretch,
no question against San Antonio. You know, I want to
talk about just the contrast again real quick in halfs
and then we'll talk. I'm sure some people are like, hey,
get to Katie and Shangoon a little bit more and
(17:36):
Jabbari with a big shot, and we're going to play
those here in just a second. But really, it was
amazing in the first half. I'm watching this game taking
notes and I'm like, the Rockets are becoming at least
I'm talking about in the first half when I'm watching
this a bad caricature of what people were saying they
were and it was like they were just turning it
over like crazy. They had eleven in the first half.
(17:56):
Shangoon and a man at this point in time at
half had more turnovers than assists each, and they gave
up nine to eighteen from freequint range. And there was
another there was a play. I didn't pull the clip,
but they broke that zone down. Whether it was just
a simple dunk down low or maybe it was I
can't remember.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
It was Turner.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Miles Turner like a simple, you know, wide open shot
underneath the basket, and I'm like, man, they are picking
the zone apart. They made significant adjustments to the point
where down the stretch, Katie hit that incredible turnaround, got fouled.
We'll play these clips. Katie then found Jabbari for three
off the elbow. Katie makes another incredible mid range jumper,
(18:36):
and then Shangoon put you know, puts the nail on
the coffin, had a little flip shot over Yanis, and
then just this incredible, you know, star level play by
Shangoon at the end where Yannis is chasing him all over.
He gets around Yannis and then he you know, kind
of collides into Miles Turner, spins scores, gets fouled, does
the Shangoon flex and the whole thing, and and you know,
(18:57):
Rockets pulled this game off. They were big offensively down
the stretch. Like I said, we'll play these these highlights.
But it really was to me such a difference from
the first half to the second.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Yeah, and Reid had a lot to do with that.
He made it run a lot more smoothly, I thought
in the first half. To your comments on it looking
like a caricature at times, I would agree with you.
I would point out that it's always going to look
a little bit different when you start the group that
the Rockets had, and especially when they go double big
with the men at the point. But I also think, look,
(19:30):
with a men, what needs to happen is that you
offset the occasional turnovers and you know, maybe moving a
little bit too quickly. With him being lethal going downhill,
finishing near the rim, pressuring the rim, and kicking it
out and what we've seen the last few games, the
combination of athleticism, power and lean, he hasn't finished as
(19:50):
well as the Rockets need him to, with the exception
of the Memphis game when he was incredible. But Dallas,
we talked about how after that block by Daniel Gafford
early in the third quarter, he wasn't the same San Antonio.
He went four of twelve and it felt like ever
since Wimby got him early in that game on a block.
He was a little tentative going inside and tonight. You know,
(20:10):
the Bucks don't have a huge shot blocker, but they
have a lot of size and length between Giannis and
Miles Turner, and it felt like he was pulling up
from five to six feet instead of actually attacking the rim,
and it would help if he actually made those five
or six footers. He missed some good looks tonight, But
I also thought, you know, in a perfect role, a
men is six foot seven, super powerful, he should go
to the rim. And it looked like, again he was
(20:32):
a little bit tentative, So I think that's something to
watch like. I think it's pretty clear the Rockets have
a high floor all the time because of Kevin Durant
and all for in Shongoon. As long as they are healthy.
The ceiling is about Amen Thompson and to a lesser extent,
Reed Shepherd, And when they had the version of a
men that they had in Memphis, that's when they're lethal.
They didn't quite have it the last two games, although
a Men, to his credit, was better in the second half.
(20:55):
He did make a tough bucket in the half court
in the fourth quarter tonight, so hopefully we see that more.
Still just twenty two years old, year three, he's still learning,
but I think it's never gonna look traditional with the men.
But if he just finishes so much of the concerns
of the ball handling and the turnovers, like it's not
going to go away, but it won't be quite as
important as it looks the last couple of games, when
(21:16):
not only is he giving the ball away and the
offense looks clunky at times, but he's also not finishing
the way he should with his size and athleticism, And
then laid in the game to spin it forward one
of the fun subplots for me to see all pri
in Shongoon take over down the stretch of that game. Guys,
how fun do you think it was for him to
do that against Giannis after that ridiculous EuroBasket storyline, Like,
(21:37):
I'm sorry, do you guys remember the aftermath of the
Greece Turkey game. I thought his comments on Giannis were
so benign. It started with I believe Giannis is a
great player. Yannis is an amazing player, but he's not
a great passer. That's totally reasonable, Like that was a
completely reasonable critique. Quite frankly, I hate you know, as
(21:57):
a media member, I hate whenever we pile on athletes
for giving quote, forgiving quotes that aren't just boilerplate, because
then we incentivised them to say nothing. No, it was
a revealing quote of how Turkey wanted to defend Greece
in that game. I believe it was either the quarterfinal
or the semifinal, an elimination game that Turkey and Shingoon
won against Greece and Giannis, and it turned into this
(22:18):
whole like international incident basically, And it was just it
was a completely benign quote. I thought, like, Giannis is
a great player, but amongst all the great elements of
his game, I would say passing is not quite as
great as all the other elements. That's what Shingun was saying.
And somehow, you know, it started with wasn't Greece coach
by Spinulas Rockets legend Dave. Isn't that the grease coach?
Speaker 1 (22:43):
I did not know that. If he is, I did
not know he is the coach of Greece.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I think he is. I'm sure the Chad will correct
me if I'm wrong, but I think it's Rockets legend
coaching him from back in the day. But the point is,
I thought that was so blown out of proportion, like
come on, it was an innocent critique and in the
first game. Since then, I know they made up on
social media in large part because the fan base is
we're going back and forth at each other, and Johannis
and Shomgoon were just like, hey, this is ridiculous. We
(23:07):
need to, you know, lower the temperature. But for Shangoun
to do that in Milwaukee, including that last one, which
was just an and one mixtape move, going the full
length of the floor against Giannis, that had to feel
so good for him, of all the teams and players,
for him to do that against I don't know if
he'll say it postgame, but privately I bet you that
it feels a little bit better for him than he
(23:28):
did that against Giannis in the box.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
Yeah, and being fair, it's not like Yanna said. The
four game himself.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Obviously down in the cliss he missed those two free throws,
which was really killer, but Janni's was having a nice
game himself. This was a little a little bit of
those you know type of legacy again like I'm here,
I'm I'm going one on one with you. Obviously TV
helped as well, but I also think that some of
that found, you know, not necessarily funny, but they're among
(23:53):
those plays. There were points where I thought Temgun had
a chance to pick out for a three, and it
felt like he it was very intentional of him to
take it all the way himself into you know, that's
that's a star mentality. And we saw and I think
Kingdom's ever been someone who's scared of the moment. But
perhaps at certain point the right play would have been
to kick out for a three. But that's a high
(24:14):
barrier stob right, and he took it upon himself, took
it to the rim, got that end one, got that
little photo as well.
Speaker 5 (24:20):
Just to say that, I do think that.
Speaker 4 (24:21):
There was something with king yun mentally to close this
game that it wasn't just you know, business as usual.
Let me try to make like let me work as
a computer and make the right play every time. Sometimes
the right play when you're a star is to take
is to take it, is to take.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
It to yourself. Because even the best three point shooters
are you know, in the clutch.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Talking about all small stevel right, the best three point
shooters are what forty three versus you know, I'm the star,
I'm going to take my two and I'm gonna make
it sixty percent of the time rather make it, rather
go forward the two because it's a lot less a
lot of lower variants. So yeah, I did think that
kingun was in with a different mentality, and Dave.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I looked it up. Bacilli spin Rockets legend is the
grease coach and he's so he is the one who
blew it up. If you notice how it went down
after the Eurobasky game. Eventually they asked you honest about it.
But it was Spinulus that made it into this huge
international controversy, so you know, I guess the highlight of
the Spinulas era was getting traded for Louis Scola, which
(25:19):
also indirectly led to the infamous WOJE on John hollingker
Burn for how bad that trade was for the Spurs. Dave,
as a longtime Rockets fan, I'm assuming your favorite Spinula's
memory with the Rockets was that he was traded for
Louis Scola, right.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Well, that and also that he's t mac in Greece.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I don't know if you remember that, but Jeff van
Gundy saying very clearly basically airing Spinulus's laundry to the
whole world, saying that he said, behind the scenes, well,
you know, in Greece, I'm the tea mac, I'm the
guy who gets the ball, and boy that was humiliating.
But yeah, I mean it didn't quite pan out. He
went back and had a very very successful career in Europe.
(25:57):
You know, on Shangoon, I got to say, all around
his game tonight, very efficient. For me, it's efficiency and
defense and three point shooting that always concerns me about Shangun.
But ten to fifteen from the field tonight, very efficient,
hit his only three point attempt, very good sign eleven boards,
seven assists, did have five turnovers, but you'll put that aside.
You know, just a really good game from him. Plus
(26:20):
twenty one. Jabbari. You know we were talking earlier Ben
like he really wasn't like he was missing shots, and
I'm like, Jabari, you're killing me in this game. You
look up, he leads the team in plus minus tonight
with plus twenty five hits that big three. He did
have one nice drive baseline where he scored where he
went I believe around Giannis. I can't remember if if
(26:42):
I'm remembering correctly, but overall wasn't efficient. Tari has been
lights out from three, crashed back to Earth tonight, zero
for five from long range.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
We knew that was going to happen.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
He's not going to shoot fifty eight percent from three
all season, but it happened really quickly, all in the
first half. So I just want to give you know,
a little bit of mention to those numbers as well.
A men, was not impressed in the first half. You
already talked about this, Ben, but you know, I was
just disappointed with some of the on offenss, particularly how
he was playing. I think that's gonna, you know, iron
(27:14):
out some but it was a concerning a little bit
of a concerning game from him for me. But just overall,
I'm just so impressed with how they came back because
I got to tell you mentally a third quarter, I'm like, yeah,
they're losing this game.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
And to your point on Jabari, I want to underscore
this was at least the third game this season where
he's hit a huge three down the stretch of this game.
It happened opening night in OKC, and I think the
first overtime. It happened late in the Detroit game, which
brought him back to within two with a couple of
minutes left, and obviously it was to go ahead tonight.
And I think that's so important if you're a role
player like Jabari, you can't get scared. If you start
(27:49):
off for fourteen, which I think he was, you've got
to have to go back, you know, twenty thirty years.
You've got to have that Mario Elie Robert or ability
to tune it all out and trust your price, and
even if you're not making on a given night, if
the ball gets to you and you have a clean look,
put it up. And I think that's what Jabari has
done this season. I think the last couple of years
(28:10):
he hasn't always done that. He's sort of faded a bit.
This year he hasn't. And his ability to take and
make those shots, like obviously he deserves a lot of
credit for, you know, he's living up to the big
shot Bari nickname. But just the willingness to fight through
it to keep playing. I think there's a lot of
value in that. Like Pallo. We're going to do one
of our episodes on Rockets Launch Pod this week doing
(28:31):
Player Grades, in which we'll talk more about some of
the role players than we have tonight going up and
down the roster among rotation players. But I just think
when you go down the rotation and you're not talking
about the high usage guys, when you're going down to fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh,
those spots in the rotation, and Jabari's you know, probably
fourth right now. So much of it comes down to
your willingness to play through a bad night. And I
(28:52):
thought that's what he did tonight, Like he missed some
easy shots. He thinks he should be a lot better,
and he probably should be. But like there's something to
be said right that if you're a role player, you've
got to trust your process. You can't get phased. He's
now in your four so he's grown up a lot,
like you just gotta if you have the right shot
the way he did, you know, trust your mechanics, let
it fly. And I just think that I think that's
super valuable for a role player, especially on a Rockets
(29:14):
team like this. You know they've been math disadvantaged a
lot this season. Maybe that you know, gets a little
comes into a little better balance. With Reed Shepherd, they
can put up more threes, but you know, the Rockets
need to take more threes, and if you're a role
player like Jabari Smith Tarry Easton, you've got to let
it fly, right, Like even if you have a bad night,
you just got to put it up.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Yeah, and I think I do think that at least
it strikes me as Javari's mechanics will go up, you know,
more consistent this season than then they were last season.
Perhaps it's a little bit because the thought doesn't look
quite the same as far as like it looks more
kind of unique than it did before. Right, it seems
like his elbows is a little bit more far forward
like that it's a little bit more Gimmi key or
(29:54):
whatever you may call it.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
Frum three not from frum three. But he's trusting it.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
And as you said, he gotta trust it because if
Kad and sing Woom are scoring inside and KD can
shoot some three but mostly in the rains, master, right,
you've got to like that three point volume has got
to come from those road players because we don't really
have a point guard. It's going to pull up prompletely. Right,
So if you go, if you want to even out
of match, that's what you gotta do. Last thing I
wanted to channel and they've s touch down it as well.
(30:19):
Is thank god the tar reason come back to Earth
came and probably not the only one, but thank god
that that game happened in the game that we want,
because if that had happened against the Spurs or against
you know, okay, see, those games.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
Would not have looked the same.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
There were, you know, so far the season, a lot
of moments where Tarisan was the one keeping us in
games with his you know, flury of three.
Speaker 5 (30:42):
So it's good to get that out of the way
in the game that that we want.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Obviously, Taran was never going to be sixty percent, so
you know, you want to take those games in games
where you don't you're not, you know, really struggling to
shoot right and in the in a weird sense, thank
god it happened this way.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
And to close out, there's a comment in the right
now I want to address this game was such a
palette cleanser after the Spurs loss, and you finished out
the road trip two and one. You're now six and
three on the year, so you're consistently taking two out
of three, like I think this last week to sort
of put a bow on it has been sort of
refreshing and that with all the frustrations, the what could
have and should have been. You think back to that
(31:18):
opening week in Okac and then the home opener against Detroit, like,
you've won two of well two of your last four
games and two of your last three wins that were
fifty to fifty games, going down the stretch against Dallas
on Monday when they couldn't make a shot, and now
today in Milwaukee. It's tough to win fifty to fifty games.
And the Rockets went out down the stretch and made
the plays they needed to in both of those games.
(31:39):
So six and three we know this team is compromised,
especially without Dori and Finny Smith. Like the one nitpick
you could have is, hey, like they left some meat
on the bone early in the year, but it feels like,
you know, they're finally starting to get some of those
fifty fifty games go their way. And tonight was even
lower than fifty fifty. Obviously they were down double digits
for a decent chunk of this game. But I think,
just you know, for all the concerns, can they execute
(31:59):
down this and they should be able to with Kevin
Durant and all Princh and goon. They just didn't the
first week of the season. But can they execute down
the stretch? Are they going to get some breaks? They
got some breaks against Dallas on Monday and now Milwaukee
today and six and three. It's it's a fair record,
is probably where they should be. And you know, now
you move forward to a three game homestand starting Wednesday night.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Yeah, spreadsheet, I have them, you know we talked about before.
I have them at fifty five wins out of eighty games.
Don't There's two games we don't know about yet and
they're only one game behind that pace. Everything has gone
perfectly except the Detroit game, which I had had down
as in w But the next few games, I mean,
Rockets should get this next one. Wizards, you got the
Blazers on Friday. It's going to be big for the Cup,
(32:39):
you know, part of the Cup bracket. And then you've
got Paolo and the Magic coming in and Franz on Sunday.
But really just we'll close on this question. I think
it's really really key is do we see cam wentmore
tribute video? On was like, we do we compile the highlights?
How does that work exactly? Because there's a lot of
points in there.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Well, what's funny that you actually could have a Kim
Whitboard's tribute video because there are so many highlights just
due to a style of play in the insane dunks
and threes. But no, I will say, like Washington is
as must win as it gets Washington at home, Like,
you do not want to tune into this post game
if the Rockets lose that game. In fact, we probably
shouldn't even have a post game if the Rockets somehow
(33:20):
lose to the Wizards, because oh my god, I would
be I would be in consolable, Dave, I think you
would be too.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Yep, absolutely appreciate you guys doing this.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Yeah, this big, big win for the Rockets.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Like I said, it really didn't look good and for
them to come back it really makes you a lot
more optimistic about the season and hopefully you know.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
There are some things they got to clean up, the
turnovers and the three point.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Defense in the zone, but big, big plays from the
Rockets key players down the stretch. So you have a
huge shout out to the Rockets for this one. Thank
you guys, and have a great night.
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.