May 8, 2026 • 48 mins
Dan Barreiro opens the show discussing the Art of Not Fouling and why it's critical for both the Wolves and Wild the rest of the way before our friend Tom Crean joins for another outstanding segment talking Wolves/Spurs and other basketball topics.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is you're the art of not fouling The Leader
fan Fan Radio Network and k fa N dot com.
Two minutes and eight seconds past three o'clock. That's Central
Greenwich mean time. Welcome back to the Bumper to Bumper
(00:23):
program the afternoon ardvarc.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Today the Friday Football Beast.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
My name is Dan Barrero, host of the program form
rings Dane Retch newspaper the Twin Cities Guards. He is
the producer of the program. Two time state high school
tennis champion. When I say the art of not fouling,
I don't mean to leave the hockey community out of
(00:52):
the discussion.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Now, in hockey, it wouldn't be the art of not fouling.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I guess it would be technically speaking, the art of
not emitting a dumb penalty, right, But it means the
same thing, and frankly, it may well be the key
to whether the Minnesota Timberwolves rebound no pun intended starting
tonight and or the Minnesota Wild make a series out
(01:19):
of their second round playoff game or series against the
Colorado Avalanche.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
We know on the wild side.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
That we're close to giving up hope, especially with the
people we have out of fixing our penalty kill one
of the worst in all of hockey. I think so
far in the playoffs this go round, it ranks fifteenth
out of you know, at the beginning of the whole tournament,
(01:51):
sixteen teams participate. We rank fifteenth in our penalty kill percentage.
I think it's like fifty nine percent. That's awful. So
if you're going to give yourself a chip chair and
a chance against a superior team, a team with championship pedigree,
(02:12):
then I'm not going out on any kind of a limbit.
It may well depend whatever chance you have to get
back in. It might well depend on your ability to
not give them, they being the av another power play opportunity. Now,
it's not like we've had an unbelievable number of penalties.
(02:33):
I think the av have had seven power play opportunities
in the first two games of this series. Is that
considered a lot? Is that considered average? I don't know
what the number is, or twas two games? Yeah, I
guess that's actually pretty hoigh. Three and a half is
pretty high, I would say, probably right, And they're three
for seven. We don't have that margin fer air against
(02:55):
them because they are better five on five than the Dallas.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Stars were correct. We know that, yep.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
So there's an art I have to believe to avoiding
the penalty. Sometimes it is unavoidable. Sometimes you have to.
Sometimes you get job by the officials. But I have
to believe the best players, regardless of the sport, really
master the art of not committing a dumb penalty or
(03:22):
a dumb foul, and in the case of the Minnesota Timberwolves,
I believe the same largely applies, especially pertaining to one player,
Jaden McDaniels, has emerged through this playoff run as if
not the Wolve's best player, perhaps they're most indispensable. And
(03:49):
what prevents Jaden from being a factor well lately and
often when it happens, it's he can't play because he's
got too many fouls, so his minutes get limited as
a result, he was under getting into foul trouble in
the first half with three. I think he ended up
(04:11):
the game definitely under thirty minutes in game number.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Two, so it's I think essential.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
That that might be a lot to expect a guy
to master the art of not fouling overnight or over
a couple of days, but you have to be smarter
about it. He has to be smarter about it. I'm
not sure. We all know again that the Woll's margin
for air is thin in this series, thinner than it
(04:45):
probably was against Denver, all things considered and considering the opposition.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That being the case, you.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Can't squander one of what might be your advantages in
this series. And we all know the def forget the
offense for a minute. The defense suffers mightily when he's
not out on the court, harassing, often harassing perimeter players.
Being able to move all over, can guard a number
(05:14):
of different positions, never seems to be tired.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I kidded with you on enough said.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Today we do talk Wolves, even though it's going to
be a little bit, you know, moldy. Given by the
time the show airs, the Wolves will be well on
their way to either beating San Antonio Spurs Davi or
losing to them tonight. That the over under on minutes
for Jayden tonight should be forty eight. I want him
to play forty eight minutes every game, however long this
(05:42):
playoff run goes, and of course nobody plays. Will Chamberlin,
I think he is the last guy who plays who
played forty eight all the time. But you get the point.
He's tireless. The only thing that stops him is himself.
And it's funny because they're kind of saying the same
thing in New York, New York about a former Timberwolf,
(06:05):
Carl Anthony Towns. Once the head coach received a podcast
of this show and listened to it carefully and understood
that he needed to run more of the offense through
Carl Anthony Towns, that he needed to stop ignoring this
offensive asset. He has been quite possibly he's definitely top five,
(06:30):
maybe even top two or three players in this tournament.
Up to this point, he has been magnificent, not necessarily
scoring thirty, but basically getting twenty ten to ten all
the time. He's a good passer. He looks like he's
an even better passer.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Through this series.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
They're running more stuff through him and he's enjoying it.
Why because it helps to engage him. He needs to
stay in game aged. Jaden needs to stay engaged. They
can't stay engaged if, in the case of New York,
he doesn't get the ball cat or here, if he's
on the bench next to Finchy because he's got another
(07:13):
dumb foul.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Now I think he.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Did get as we talked about yesterday, job by the
officials one of those first half fouls last week, but
Conley talked about it after the game. You got to
pick your battles. You have to be smart about it. Now,
there's no question the Spurs aren't stupid. They got good coaches.
They still got Pop in the background, who apparently it
(07:36):
was the first guy to give him the video breakdown
after game one.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
And what I.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Think they know is they know it too. We got
to try to get him off the court. We got
to try to engage him that way. We got to
try to force him into fouling us and hope that
the Zebras will make the call. And I really believe
this whole issue, whether it's fouling especially Jaden, because it's
(08:05):
mainly him, right. I don't think we have a lot
of other players who often didn't follow trouble.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
I mean, I mean, Rudy.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Can sometimes can, and so can so can Julius a
little bit. But it's mainly Jayden. And again this is
essential because he's been your best two way player.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yes, and that's it.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
And in the case of the wild I don't even
know if we're good enough to beat him five on five.
We may not, but I sure as hell know we're
not good enough to beat them when they're on the
power play and we are on the penalty kill. So
that to me has to be the mantra for both
our favorite winter sports teams this weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
They're both back home.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Wolves tonight right here on the fan late start again,
eight thirty eight to forty whatever, right in that range,
and the Wild tomorrow night in a must win situation.
The Wild cannot go down three games to nil. If
they do, we all know that the series is at
that point, will be will be done?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Essential, is it not?
Speaker 1 (09:04):
For for both the teams has to be And I
do believe the best players and I don't know what
it is. Sometimes it might be reputation. They can get
away a little bit more if you if you're a star.
But I do think there's an art to understanding. You
know when to file or how to file sneakily or
(09:25):
subtly in a way that it's less likely to be called.
Whatever it is. They're the best players master it. Because
the best players understand that their team needs them on
the court or on the ice.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
They also have an attentiveness to avoid the ones that
seem unavoidable. Well exactly right, a step or two behind,
you get caught looking the other way, all of a sudden,
you get a foul, or you get a penalty.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Because some of that is what I'll give up. I'm
gonna give up the lay up here. Discretion is the
better form of valor.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Right, I'm gonna I'm.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Gonna lose this battle because I want to win the war, right,
that's that's part of I think that scratching you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Give away some money as well, fanombigdeck dot com, I
wanna give you a shot to win bonus bucks. It
is our national cash contest, and the keyword is coin,
the first keyword of the afternoon. Go to KFA dot
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Speaker 1 (10:12):
An apology on my pre show tweet on the guest lineup,
I had Tom Crane at four fifteen. Not so fast,
my friend, He is coming up next right here in
the fan.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Don't forget Oules game three tonight on the fan.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I'm assuming pre game either eight or eight fifteen opening
tip off schedule for some time after eight thirty. But
on the flagship that's us FM one hundred point three
the one hundred thousand watt FM flamethrower.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
I know our next guest will be.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Watching very closely, and uh, mister Green Tom Crean kind
enough to join us. You get the added bonus of
listening or watching and listening to one of your favorite
former players on the TV broadcast.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Correct.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Absolutely, I really kind of wish, not kind I really
wish i'd have made a decision to come in there.
I had to speak last night, so iting to get
back so really late, but I wish I would have
done that. And I'm gonna miss be in there, yep.
But it's going to be great to listen to it
and watch it.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
It'll be outstanding. We're all very much looking forward to it.
You're the perfect person to dive in on a subject
I explored in the first segment of the program, and
I call it the art in basketball, of course of
not fouling. You can extend it to hockey not committing
dumb penalties, obviously because of the ramifications of that, something
(11:50):
that's hurt the Minnesota Wild in their second round series
against Colorado thus far, and we're bringing it up today
again primarily because of Jaden McDaniel. It's a problem he
tends to have, and he has been, as you well know,
so effective in this playoff run. I almost feel like
he's becoming the one player other than Anthony that you
(12:13):
cannot lose minutes on the court to because of what
he does defensively offensively. Speak to us and the audience
about the art of not fouling, what's involved in players
who seem to have that propensity, that difficulty about getting
into foul trouble, and how you as a coach attempted
to sort of work that out of them.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
Well, both ends equal each other in this sense, both
ends of the floor you have to be down and
in a stance. And my opinion on this with Jaden
a lot of times is when he's not getting the ball,
when he's not as effective offensively, which was the case
the other night, He's engaged defensively, but he's not down defensively.
(12:59):
And obviously, when you're scoring and when you're locked in,
you're engaged, you're down, you're active, and he's such a
felth defender, I mean, there's no doubt about that, But
when you're up and when you're a reactor rather than
being proactive, when your hands aren't as active when you
reach when when frustration can set in, and it doesn't
happen nearly as much as it used to with him,
(13:20):
but it still happens. It happens to a lot of players,
and I think that's what it is. I mean when
when he's a lower like I use this example with
og Nnobi a lot, and this is one of the
reasons he's such a such a great two way player.
You're you're never going to be lower than he is
offensively or defensively because he's he's going to be lower
(13:41):
than you offensively, because he's going to be in an
offensive stance. He's going to be ready to play, ready
to shoot, ready to attack, and he's going to get
down and he's going to guard you, which means his
hips are going to be down, his shoulders are going
to be down, his hands are going to be active.
So he may foul, but it's not because he wasn't ready.
And to me, that's what happens to Jaden Thumb And
and I think people attack his hips, yes, And so
(14:03):
when you're up, you're going to open up that much quicker.
When you're down, you're going to be able to take
that because when you're standing straight up. I mean, just
think about anybody that's listening to this. When you're standing
straight up, your hips are high, right, And he's a long,
athletic guy, and when he's down, because he's got such
good foot speed and quickness, and he's really got quick twitch,
(14:24):
he's very twitchy. That way, you're putting yourself in a
severe disadvantage when you're standing up, and you don't have
to be like locked in every possession to be a
great defender when you're as athletic as Jade McDaniels is,
but you can't stand up. And I think people attack
him that way. They attack those hips, They open him up,
and then he starts using his hands.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
On the ESPN program right before we came on the air,
I don't remember which of the panelists said this. I
believe he is a reporter though not just a host,
and the quote was something the effect of, he has
been told that if this the regular season, Anthony Edwards
(15:02):
would not be playing at all. That at best he's
seventy maybe seventy five. But that's just the the the
reality of what he's dealing with here. You know, Anthony
very well, does that sound about right to you?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Well, I saw that same thing. I think Seam Sharanya
said that on NBA today. I thought that one and yeah, no,
maybe Mark Spears did. Maybe it was yeah, Mark Spears.
Sham's was on after. Yeah, I don't there's so many
people talking for him at times that really don't know,
Like this kid has got such an unbelievable will. Now
(15:40):
I do know that he put it in overdrive because
he didn't want to miss time, and and what he
did he stayed back obviously after he got hurt. Yes,
he continued to work those though that first trip that
they that they went with that was more he was
in a maintenance mode like he had to just kind
of like heal a little bit. So that wasn't as
much about all the rehab that he did as much
(16:01):
as it letting it settle down and heal. But the
way he went into this, I mean, I'm not even sure,
and it's been reported some of the things that he's done,
I'm not even sure that it's even close to how
much he did do to get back. So that's why
I think this is an absolute joke that he is
not in that award situation where Luca gets the exception
(16:23):
for going overseas what it was for the birth of
his kids, and Anthony not getting that exception. I mean, like,
what is the NBA really looking at? Like, what do
you really what do you really want out of the NBA? Right,
if you're an NBA star, you want them to play,
You want them to want to play, you want them
to do everything they can do to be on the court.
And to me, this is just my own complaints. I
(16:44):
haven't had this conversation with other people, but it's like,
this kid is at a different mindset right, And yes,
his body heals well, Yes he's got you know, very
good genetics in that side of area, but he works
extremely hard. So an answer to your question, I really
don't know. I have not asked him that. It's been
way more about the rehab process, how he feels, what
(17:05):
it's like after the games are over, and I know
that he has felt. You know, there's no question he's
not where he needs to be. I mean, you can
see that. But at the end of the day, he's
got such a strong willed mind and loves to compete
and win so bad. He always loved to play and compete. Then,
as I've said many times on your show he's grown
(17:27):
to love to win, and that's just what he brings.
And I think you'll see him in a really good
place tonight. I think you'll see Jaden in a really
good place tonight. I think that team will respond because
so much of what they didn't do the other night
is all correctible type of things, and a lot of
it is really coming in with the right mindset to
match and exceed the physicality that San Antonio played with
(17:52):
the other night. But Anthony is going to do whatever
he has to do to play in the games. And
I know that in times that he's had to sit
in the regular season that he wanted to play, that
the medical team came back and said, no, you know,
we need to wait another game or wait this, you know,
wait this distance, and he deals with that. But Anthony
(18:13):
is always pushing to get on the court, and I
don't think this time was any different.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Former college basketball coach Tom Creane kind of have to
join us doing a lot of basketball analysis at pretty
much every level these days. All right, let's get a
little deeper into the weeds on the offensive side. What
has to get better to counter what clearly was a
strategic switch by San Antonio in game two to blitz Anthony,
(18:41):
to blitz Julius a lot that, all of which contributed
to the offense really not being in a in a
mode where the Wolves had a chance to win Game two.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
What what needs to change? What are the counter moves.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
Respond to the physicality? They came out and they were
going to be from the very first play of the game.
You know Vasso getting up into Jaden forcing that turnover
on the sideline where he stepped out, and I think
it was Casso was trying to front Julius on that
mid post. Like there were times the other night. Fundamentally
they could have got the ball to Julius. You just
got to create an angle. And I think that that
(19:19):
Minnesota let the physicality get into them. But I also
didn't like the way the ball was moving. TJ. Shannon
is a fantastic player, But that's not your role to
come out and play like you're Anthony Edwards. All right,
that's not his role, and he's going to be fantastic player. Man.
I know from the very beginning, beyond your show, I've
talked about how good he can be, and that's not changing.
(19:42):
You can't come out here, that's not your role. Don't
come out and start hunting shots. And the ball didn't
move enough the other night. I thought they're spacing at
times wasn't nearly as good. They weren't. They didn't have
corner discipline, so it allowed the good physicality and the
aggressiveness of the guards and being down in a weak
side stance or a help side stance on ball side
(20:03):
to really help San Antonio. And I think as far
as when it went with Anthony, he did too much
on the side. He did too much bring it up
on the side of the court, and when you do that,
you shrink the floor, right and he knows better than
that you shrink the floor. He was not down the
way that he needed to be. He came into game,
he wasn't nearly as low where I think that was
(20:26):
some I think there was some body, you know, stuff
to that. I don't know what the level of his
shortness was. But he wasn't down and in the attack
mode like he was in the game that he came
back because even though he's not healthy obviously, and seventy
percent may be a very good ratio, I don't know.
I don't know what that is. But at the end
(20:47):
of the day, he was not down and his balance
on his jump shots. I'm not saying anything on your
show that I haven't said to him. His balance on
his jump shots was not good, as landings were not good,
but he was up too high. And I think that
you know when you and again you can see it coming.
San Antonio's plan is to switch defenders on him. Bee physical,
(21:08):
get into him, body him. And he's a guy that
responds well to physicality and makes it and uses it
against them a lot of times. And he's going to
need to do that tonight. He didn't do that the
other night, and then a couple of times that he
got trapped and gave it up. They want to deny
him the ball back. Well, when you're playing on the
side of the floor, then okay, and you're playing the
(21:31):
automatic the sideline is a built in defender, right it's
like the longest defender on the court. There's nowhere to
go when you're over there. So it's almost like being
triple teams when you're on the side because they're bringing
the double. You got the sideline right there, You're you're
you're you're really shrinking your ability to attack. And then
what Anthony's got to get out of is when he
gives it up standing, he's got to cut, He's got
(21:55):
to cut, he's got to cut again. And I just
think it's more of an aggressive mindset. I think there's
some technical things, like I said, being more in the corner,
creating passing angles, but that ball's got to move because
then what happened the other night is they got into
their head a little bit. They start looking for calls,
not like the Lakers did last night, but they were
looking for calls, and what happened is they got caught
(22:16):
in no man's land. Dan the shot goes up and
they're not going to the offensive glass and they're not
sprinting back, and Jaden was guilty of that a couple
of different times. Jaden didn't touch the ball nearly enough
inside of the beginning of that game the other night,
not just to score it, but to touch it and attack,
especially when you're trying to take away Anthony like that.
(22:38):
So I think it's all correctable. I'd be shocked if
they don't correct it. But if they don't come out
and match the physicality and play through the physicality, and
if they don't attack the traps and play more in
the middle of the floor. And here's another big thing
you got to they're running pick and roll victor Whomanna's
standing to drop coverage. If you come up off on
(23:00):
the side of him, he's agile enough, long enough, athletic
enough that he's going to block your shot. He's going
to create a problem. You've got to turn him. You
got to make him change his footwork and come at
his body. And it's really hard to do that when
you're trying to do that off the side of the floor.
It's got to be more down the middle of the floor.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Great great analysis of mister Crean.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Always appreciate it. You've got pretty good sources. When it
comes to Anthony Edwards.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Will you be shot?
Speaker 4 (23:27):
I just go to him exactly.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
So I maybe this is an impossible question for you
to answer.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Maybe you don't have the answer to this question. We're
all trying to figure out.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Is tonight the night that he starts after coming off
the bench for the first two games.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
I don't know. You know, it's a good question. I
don't know. I don't know what is I heard the
I'm not asked him about his minutes restrictions. Really seriously,
my conversations with him, and they're usually through texting right now,
are more about his body, more about the rehab, what
he feels like after the game, and then things I
see in the game, you know, things I see the
result you know in him, and reminders for him, you know.
(24:05):
And because he's well coached. I've said that forever. I'm
not his current coach, but I'm always looking at him
from what he needs to be successful. But I have
not asked that. I don't know, I'd be just guessing.
But I mean if his minutes, if his minutes restriction
stays that way, then maybe. But whatever happens tonight, start
(24:26):
not start. They can't come out and not have the
ball moving the way it wasn't moving the other night,
because the physicality of san Antonio set the pace of
that game, and they played well early, they played close early,
but it never they never never responded to it the
way that they needed to, and san Antonio turned it up.
They didn't look anything like that in game one, but
(24:47):
they turned it up. They felt they could, and tonight
is the night, no matter if Anthony's in or not
in that they come and they attacked that physicality. I
think it's going to be a heck of a chippy game.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
So you mentioned the Lake response last night to Oka See.
That opens up a question I think we should or
an area I think we should explore, and it's the
ongoing debate about Oklahoma City and the way they guard
and whether you know, the criticism is they foul on
(25:18):
every possession and that tends to wear down the officials.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Now, I heard Brian Scalabrini this morning.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Say that he looks at Oka See as he understands
the frustration other teams occasionally have, but he credits Oklahoma
City staff their head coach with basically very effectively quote
unquote bending the rules in favor of OKAC for them
to play the way they do defensively. You also have
(25:46):
been around teams. I'm sure that wallow in self pity
about calls when all that does is doesn't get to
the real reason they're behind or they're having difficulty.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
So where are you?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
I'm that whole philosophical discussion about okay See following flopping
the whole bit, I'll.
Speaker 4 (26:03):
Start with ok See and then I'll get into the Lakers.
I've known of Mark Daganol for a long time. The
first time we had a really in length conversation was
back in twenty seventeen in the fall. He was the
blue head coach for the G League and they used
to have a clinic there. Billy Donovan was still the
coach and I was in between Indiana and Georgia. So
(26:24):
I went to speak at the clinic. But they had
a group of young college like quality control people, gas
director of operations. It was all like an intel gathering.
They brought in a bunch of people from around the country,
which was very very smart, you know, to build into
their network of their coaches and scouts and Sam Presby
and everybody. And long story short, I was there the
(26:45):
night before to speak at that to that group and
Mark Daganol. We spent more time talking about switching solutions,
like he was one of the first coaches that I
was around that was absolutely immersed in you attack switching.
I think it's very easy to say right now, nine
years later, he's as good as anybody in the NBA
(27:06):
at finding the switch, okay, And that's an advantage because
everybody hunts switches, not everybody attacks them the way that
he does. So we're going to give credit there because
that I have no doubt about that. All right, Now,
do they understand how to draw files? I think they're
the best. There are other players that are phenomenal at
drawing files. There's no team better at drawing files. Now
(27:30):
do they push the limit. Yeah, But let's look at Shaye.
Shane's a great example. If you show your hands on
Shae defensively, he absolutely knows how to create that contact
to get the whistle from the referee. And one thing
I like about Shae and Anthony has cleaned this up too.
Anthony doesn't yell the same way after every time he
(27:51):
thinks he's fouled, because you have to. It's almost like
a quarterback changing his cadence at the at the pocket.
You can't sound the same or now it just becomes
like white noise. And so Anthony has done a much
better job of growing into how he uses his voice
or uses the yell to get the attention. Shay is
(28:12):
masterful at it, right, Like Shay's got the head bob,
He's got the shoulder bob. He can yell, he can grunt,
he sells it. And so I think that's a that's
a heck of advantage. That's part of the game, right,
that's a that's a disadvantage for those that don't do it.
They are so good at creating those. Here, here's another
thing that they're so good at. They take your help out.
(28:34):
Like lou Dort does a lot of different things, and
he gets a ton of credit defensively. But here's what
else he does. You if he smells a switch when
he makes the pass, or his guy is on his
body and he makes a quick pass, he is masterful it.
Not only screening to get the switch, but if they
don't want to switch, he finds a way to step
(28:55):
into his own. Man, it's basically a foul. It's like
a moving screen, but he doesn't have the ball, and
nobody ever calls it. And so like there's all these
masterful little tricks. And I go back to Mark Mark
and that staff, and I credit Mark big time on this.
They have understood how to attack switching, how to master it,
how to get the fouls. They're very very good at it.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Let's flip it.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
I do think they get away with some Let's flip
it over to the Lakers, all right. If the Lakers
had Luca in there, right now, their defense is even
worse because he's such a poor help stot. Oh, I'm
not kidding. He can score, he might get thirty, but
he gives it up because he's not engaged defensively on
the weak side. And right now, when you watch the
Lakers play, Austin Reeves did draw a couple of fouls
(29:40):
on Shay. He did a really good job. He had
to charge. He had another call, but like when they
get him in an open court, they're going to buy
him right And the problem for the Lakers, there's been
three problems to me all year, and right now they're
doing this again. Okay, this would be the fourth. They
give up more five on fours because somebody's complaining in
the back. They're not getting back. They're like the Celtics
(30:02):
were for a couple of years when Jason Tatum would
be laying on the floor or complaining at the raft
and all of a sudden you could race up and
get a five on four and you could take advantage
of them. Right now, the three biggest things that they do,
they're very, very poor on the weak side of awareness
and blockouts. The bigs really struggle anytime you force them
to come out on the court and defend or get
(30:22):
them in a help situation with Aden, then with Jackson Hayes.
And the other thing is their switch communication when the
ball is moving like it is for Oklahoma City. Oklahoma
City is not only attacking you off the top, they're
attacking you off the wing in the corners and they're
getting the ball kicked out and so that attacks their
health side. Well when they bring in somebody to the screen,
(30:44):
their communication still sucks, right, And it's like it shouldn't
be like that. You know, when you're the Lakers, they're talented.
I mean, Lebron is still Lebron, and Lebron is one
of the more engaged defenders on that team at forty one.
So I'm not criticized in him as much as the
team has been. Like you look at how easy it
(31:04):
is to offensive rebound against the Lakers, and it's been
that way all year and it's just that's what it is.
And so what happens is when you get beat, and
yes it's more contact or into them psychologically, you want
the narrative to be the victim card more than you
want the narrative to be We got to play better,
and that's why San Antonio's had success with them this year.
(31:26):
I don't think there's any question in Minnesota can have
success with them this year because they will come back
and fight them, and those kind of teams will they
understand that you have to keep attacking them and not
play isolation basketball against them, because if you keep attacking them,
you're going to get them making mistakes. But Oklahoma City
(31:48):
has earned this. Yes they get away with things. Yes
they push and shove. It's the old baddage that we've
had in coaching forever that they can't call all the foules.
So they do use their hands. They do swipe it,
they do hit your wrists. But they've been doing that
for years. It didn't just all of a sudden happen.
But they don't get enough credit for how good of
a basketball team they are and taking advantage of what
(32:09):
they can take advantage of the.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
Best approach for the Wolves when you're dealing with what
when Banyama presents the challenges he presents defensively.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Let's go back to Game one.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
I liked how hard they went to The Wolves went
to the basket knowing that some of those shots early.
I think two in a row within the first minute
got blocked about. I mean, there were shots by Shannon
that you mentioned earlier, but I liked that they didn't stop.
I liked that they look, we all understand the mid range,
(32:43):
and just hitting some jump shots going to be probably
be pretty essential in this series, more essential than against Denver.
But I still like, I still prefer that aggressiveness. How
do you thread the needle on not being stupid in
trying to get at him to a place where you're
asking him to block the shot, but not being becoming
too passive offensively either.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
Well, I think it's the thing I said a little
bit earlier. It's the pick and roll game. Okay, if
he's in that drop, especially when Rudy goes up to
set the pick, you've got to change his feet. Okay. Now,
can Shannon get by him at times? Yeah, he did
the other night. You've got to keep the more you
can get. When Mignana lifted the quicker, you have to
attack because he's not going to be up there all
(33:28):
the time, and especially in the pick and roll. So
now sometimes running high pick and roll with Victor is
not necessarily the answer because he can see the ball
coming at him. If that makes sense. And if you
don't change his feet, then he's got a great read
on it. You've got to continue to move him. You've
got to continue to This is a great example of
why the Celtics couldn't beat Philadelphia. Embiid is a different defender,
(33:53):
but in those three games that they won, they never
the Celtics never made him beat uncomfortable defensively. They never
moved him around, and so he might have got fatigued,
but he didn't get fatigued on the defensive end. You
have to because Victor wants to shoot on the perimeter,
because Victor wants to be a perimeter guy. You got
to keep putting pressure on him defensively, okay, where he
(34:16):
wants to be a part of the offense. And that's
not easier for it, right because that's going to bring
some fatigue to the defensive end. And they played him
those limited minutes throughout the year to having be able
to play these heavy minutes in the playoffs, which was
very smart. But you still got to go at his body.
Here's the other thing. You got to steal him in
his legs every chance that you get. He's like most
(34:36):
big guys, he does not like having the front of
his body, the front of his legs get and taken away.
So you've got to look for those seals. Look for
those opportunities, especially on the break. I think the Wolves
and Anthony is good on this when he's coming up
the court, like throw that ball to the wing and attack,
attack before Victor gets down in there. Let Rudy get
a seal, Let Julius get a seal on his body,
(34:58):
so you steal some looks at the basket that way.
But I think the moving of the feet that going
into his body to getting him to engage in you
in a one on one while keeping your dribble right,
don't just pick up your dribble on him, keep your
dribble while he is guarding you one on one. Now
kick the ball out, you move and cut or in
(35:20):
Rudy's case, get behind the defense. And now you're making
Victor have to do two things at once. Jokicch is
really really poor guarding, and the Wolves did a good
job of this. Jokicch is really poor is the second defender.
And I know I said this last time I was
on your show. It didn't change. Victor's so good at
doing so many different things that when you move him,
(35:41):
when you get physical in his lower body, when you
change his feet, now you have a chance to get
some baskets that you wouldn't otherwise get.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Last question for today, the age old question of series dynamics.
The Wolves win Game one at close to the buzzer,
they get annihilated, they get routed in game two, and
there's always the question of okay, did something seismically change
(36:09):
between one and two, especially from the Spurs side, where
they quote unquote figured it out in a way that
they say, well, we're the sixty two win team, We're
the team that's supposed to go someplace this year.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Now we know what we can do against them.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Does that become can a result in a single game
I guess I'm saying, in a seven game series become irreversible?
How do you look at it as a coach? So
that obviously from Finch's standpoint, he's saying, no, it was
a bad performance. He said, ah loud, we got punked,
But that it doesn't mean it's irra What took place
(36:46):
was irreversible, because I think some people think a door
was opened in a way that given the Wolves injuries
on top of it, that the Wolves might not be
able to close it again.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
How do you deal with the psychology of that as
a coach?
Speaker 4 (36:58):
Well, this is huge tonight, and and this is absolutely
huge because the physicality, the denying of Julius at that
seventeen to eighteen foot mark to get that high post pass.
Here's another big thing that was that was that was brutal.
The other night, Minnesota wasn't nearly strong enough with the ball.
So that physicality that San Antonio came with, they got
(37:21):
in and they got swipes, they got deflection, they created
contact on that. And I think I credit he's a
good friend of mine that I credit Sean Sweeney with
a lot of that with the defense in San Antonio
for the way they knew to attack right and they
came out with the mindset that we're going to be
physical with you from the jump street, even if we
have a couple of files. So what here's how we're
(37:42):
coming at you. And and the Terminiles fell into that.
They took the bait and they weren't strong enough with
the ball. I think tonight, win or lose, Okay, let's
take the result out of it. They have got to
come with a the technique has got to be better.
To being strong with the ball has got to be better.
The spacing has got to be better. But where they
(38:03):
attack from and how much that ball is moving has
got to be better. And then here's the other thing,
because this started the other night. In this if I'm
San Antonio, if I'm sitting on the other side, now,
I'm saying we can do this now if we not
only turn them over, but if our guards get rebounds,
we can run on this team and we can get
easy baskets at home, and that will take that will
(38:24):
stifle the crowd a little bit. So my gas is
going to be that San Antonio is gonna come hard
on that break tonight. I would, right, And I haven't
talked to it. I haven't talked to Sean. I haven't
talked to anybody on that end in a couple of days.
But if I'm watching the game, man, I'm coming at Minnesota.
Because Minnesota the other night because of the lack of
offense and the lack of movement, and they weren't nearly
(38:46):
as good, and they took their foot off the gas
a little bit in San Antonio too the other night.
Once once that score got that way, that is what
would concern me tonight at Minnesota to make sure that
transition d is fantastic. And then at the same time,
if you can force them into some tough jump shots
in Minnesota, run right back at him. Yes, bring fatigue
(39:06):
to Victor. I couldn't believe how they didn't put any
pressure on Luke Cornett the other night. He looked like
he was on the all defensive right. Yeah, and he's
a good player, but like, you got to go at
the big guys. But again, I think that's the part
of the game, and I'd be looking for the mindset
of the game more than the result of the game.
The result of take care of itself. But the mindset
(39:27):
of how they come out and attack is going to
tell a lot about where Minnesota's at in this series.
Speaker 1 (39:31):
Great primer for tonight. As always, we really appreciate it.
One of our regular listeners, in fact, just wrote, tell
Crean to slow down.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
My pen is drying out. So we got people out
there trying to take notes. So that's why you think analysis.
Speaker 4 (39:44):
So I love it, man, That's why you put it online.
So they just go back and rewind it.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
That's what we'll do.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
I can't we get talking fun stuff. Man, I can't
slow down. I don't know how much time we have,
so I got to make sure I get it in.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I want you to get every bit of it in
as you always do it. Appreciate you, man. We'll be
in touch as this thing plays out.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Be good.
Speaker 4 (40:04):
Anytime. Thanks a lot. Having a good weekend you.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
As well, Tom Crean with great analysis and sobering analysis.
I think about the current condition of the Wolves. I
think he's pretty straight with what he's saying and what
he's kind of demanding of the Wolves tonight. If they
want to turn this thing back in any meaningful way.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
Maybe we need.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
Another expansion of replay in pro basketball.
Speaker 2 (40:59):
By the way, did you see the news.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
Well it's not news, but some reporting has been done
regarding the the robot ball and strike umpire. No again,
small sample size. What will we two months in?
Speaker 2 (41:15):
Yeah? Just wow, middle and a half maybe whatever? Yeah? Sure,
started in late March, late March, early April. Okay, so
close enough.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Apparently the pitchers are are are are losing in that
on average, more balls are being called in the ball
strike category than you know, like like by ten percent
over the old ways with the umpire, the the notion
(41:43):
being a belief that the strike zone the way it
is defined because they had to come up with the
definition that fit the technology, but that the that the
that the strike zone as it's been defined for the
purposes of the robot has actually shrunk the strike zone.
So there are some pictures who don't feel so wonderful
(42:05):
about that. And what it means is we're getting a
bunch more walks across the board and game times are
starting to increase again. Yeah, but now we're back up
to like two forty two, three, two forty four. So
I'll say is again, be careful what you wish for.
I know we got to get it right, but the
question is whether because you know what's been proven over
(42:28):
and over again, We've all seen the viral video of
the homeplate umpire missing a pitch by two feet. Right,
It's easy, we all go follow, how's that possible? What's
wrong with these idiots? It's it's it's pretty easy to
get incensed, right, But the fact of the matter is
what the analytics indicate is that ninety seven percent of
(42:50):
the time it's microscopic. In other words, the judgment that
umpires were making. You could argue when they're saying it
was a strike, it was, if not a strike, about
as close as possible to being a strike without being
a strike. That's what tim Cheat would always wich to face,
what Cheetah has told us as well. And it shows
(43:11):
again just how difficult it is, you know that that
that process because we always have the opportunity to look
afterwards or at several replays of it, not when you're
behind the plate and you've got to judge the ball
as it crosses home plate and where it's supposed to
(43:32):
cross home plate.
Speaker 4 (43:34):
Yea.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
So it's a tough job. It's an impossible job.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
And I guess we're supposed to feel better about the
fact that the robot humps are in charge, but now
we have more walks than we ever had before. And
what I wonder is whether they might reconsider what they
defined as the strike soon on the basis of this,
because the feeling is that has actually been shrunk from
the original intent of from where to where in terms
(43:58):
of high and low.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
So I don't know, I imagine Cheeta.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
I don't know if he smoked cigars, but I imagine
him like sitting with Lavelle somewhere in Saint Paul smoking
the cigars, and that's what I tried to tell those guys.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
That's probably true. Do we have any news on Desumu?
LISTA is questionable officially earlier today.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
I'm going to be gobsmacked if he plays on the
basis of what we saw last game and apparently a
new injury. But I don't know. I mean, I guess
I could be surprised here, and we're back to is
this logical?
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Right?
Speaker 1 (44:33):
The longer it goes, is it logical to think they
can keep reinventing themselves the way they did in tremendous
fashion in Game six against Denver and to a certain
extent Game one against San Antonio, that you're just we're
going to reach a point where it's too many bodies
missing When you also factor in that Edwards whatever he
whatever percentage he's at, it's clearly not one.
Speaker 3 (44:56):
I saw that Io took part in shoot around, okay,
and I'm trying to find it who tweeted about it,
because I know somebody did. More specifically it was Chris
hin Here it is. Desumu was playing in the Wolves
Stay in Shape scrimmage, which features end of the bench
players in reserves A fairly high intensity scrimmage they do after,
(45:16):
which is usually an indication that you're not going to
play because you're just now. Maybe he wants to get
into some extra shape. I don't know, but so usually
if you're playing in that, you're not playing in the game,
is what I remember the historical But he was part
of the shoot around today and listed is questionable.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
We'll find out eventually.
Speaker 1 (45:33):
Right, it's another, as we said, another late start, so
it won't be it certainly will not be early. Willow
Mark Rosen's cat guy is very, very crustfallen because he
is the regular listener I quoted without naming him to
Tom Crean about he's got to slow down because you
know my pens, My pens run and dry, inks run
(45:54):
and dry.
Speaker 2 (45:55):
And the best way I.
Speaker 1 (45:56):
Can put it Willow Mark Rosen's cat because he's responded
again and too cool to tell your friends one of
your listeners as a cat.
Speaker 2 (46:02):
Okay, I see how it is.
Speaker 1 (46:05):
I didn't think there was gonna be an easy way
for me to explain the moniker to Tom Crean. To
Tom Crean, so I figured out this time and we're
running out of time as it was. But yeah, I
know Willow Mark Rosen's cat has a good line. It's
very well played, and we appreciate that. And I don't
love cats. I've made that pretty clear. They're not my favorites.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
They don't like me.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
I don't like them. It's universal apparently. Yeah, so yeah,
that's probably it.
Speaker 3 (46:31):
I like how Tom gave us the podcast plugged though
he did, that's true. I mean, he gave us a
good promo for the podcast. It's always available after the
show on the Barrero channel of your iHeartRadio app. And
you can slow it down, you know, half speed. If
you want to positive podcasts.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
You can pose it. Yeah, you can do whatever you
want to exactly right, stay on schedule.
Speaker 1 (46:48):
I'm so curious with the strikes on his flat like
a pane of glass or does it.
Speaker 2 (46:53):
Have depth like the home plate has. I think it does.
Speaker 1 (46:57):
I'll look for the story that had this update on
all the walks, the extra walks that are now being
drawn on the BA on the basis of more balls
being called balls. If I can find it, might be
able to figure all that out as well. Let's get
a top of the hour break, and I have some
(47:18):
explaining to do. According to six to five one guy
when we come back. Don't forget Ben Gesling at four thirty,
Lavell any other third five thirty. Is it possible? I
am underrating? There seems to be for me a little
too much arousal about this wide receiver news.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
I don't know, man, Have I lost yourself in his
eyes like that?
Speaker 1 (47:42):
And I'm not saying he can't be helpful, but I
just don't think this is as size of a seismic
a move as some other people who are just really
really excited about it. Maybe Ben Gessling joining at four
to thirty will convince me otherwise. Levelle is scheduled four
five thirty as well, and we expect the acts from
Kevin Fallness to keep coming in
This is you're the art of not fouling The Leader
fan Fan Radio Network and k fa N dot com.
Two minutes and eight seconds past three o'clock. That's Central
Greenwich mean time. Welcome back to the Bumper to Bumper
(00:23):
program the afternoon ardvarc.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Today the Friday Football Beast.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
My name is Dan Barrero, host of the program form
rings Dane Retch newspaper the Twin Cities Guards. He is
the producer of the program. Two time state high school
tennis champion. When I say the art of not fouling,
I don't mean to leave the hockey community out of
(00:52):
the discussion.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Now, in hockey, it wouldn't be the art of not fouling.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I guess it would be technically speaking, the art of
not emitting a dumb penalty, right, But it means the
same thing, and frankly, it may well be the key
to whether the Minnesota Timberwolves rebound no pun intended starting
tonight and or the Minnesota Wild make a series out
(01:19):
of their second round playoff game or series against the
Colorado Avalanche.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
We know on the wild side.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
That we're close to giving up hope, especially with the
people we have out of fixing our penalty kill one
of the worst in all of hockey. I think so
far in the playoffs this go round, it ranks fifteenth
out of you know, at the beginning of the whole tournament,
(01:51):
sixteen teams participate. We rank fifteenth in our penalty kill percentage.
I think it's like fifty nine percent. That's awful. So
if you're going to give yourself a chip chair and
a chance against a superior team, a team with championship pedigree,
(02:12):
then I'm not going out on any kind of a limbit.
It may well depend whatever chance you have to get
back in. It might well depend on your ability to
not give them, they being the av another power play opportunity. Now,
it's not like we've had an unbelievable number of penalties.
(02:33):
I think the av have had seven power play opportunities
in the first two games of this series. Is that
considered a lot? Is that considered average? I don't know
what the number is, or twas two games? Yeah, I
guess that's actually pretty hoigh. Three and a half is
pretty high, I would say, probably right, And they're three
for seven. We don't have that margin fer air against
(02:55):
them because they are better five on five than the Dallas.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Stars were correct. We know that, yep.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
So there's an art I have to believe to avoiding
the penalty. Sometimes it is unavoidable. Sometimes you have to.
Sometimes you get job by the officials. But I have
to believe the best players, regardless of the sport, really
master the art of not committing a dumb penalty or
(03:22):
a dumb foul, and in the case of the Minnesota Timberwolves,
I believe the same largely applies, especially pertaining to one player,
Jaden McDaniels, has emerged through this playoff run as if
not the Wolve's best player, perhaps they're most indispensable. And
(03:49):
what prevents Jaden from being a factor well lately and
often when it happens, it's he can't play because he's
got too many fouls, so his minutes get limited as
a result, he was under getting into foul trouble in
the first half with three. I think he ended up
(04:11):
the game definitely under thirty minutes in game number.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Two, so it's I think essential.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
That that might be a lot to expect a guy
to master the art of not fouling overnight or over
a couple of days, but you have to be smarter
about it. He has to be smarter about it. I'm
not sure. We all know again that the Woll's margin
for air is thin in this series, thinner than it
(04:45):
probably was against Denver, all things considered and considering the opposition.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That being the case, you.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Can't squander one of what might be your advantages in
this series. And we all know the def forget the
offense for a minute. The defense suffers mightily when he's
not out on the court, harassing, often harassing perimeter players.
Being able to move all over, can guard a number
(05:14):
of different positions, never seems to be tired.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I kidded with you on enough said.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Today we do talk Wolves, even though it's going to
be a little bit, you know, moldy. Given by the
time the show airs, the Wolves will be well on
their way to either beating San Antonio Spurs Davi or
losing to them tonight. That the over under on minutes
for Jayden tonight should be forty eight. I want him
to play forty eight minutes every game, however long this
(05:42):
playoff run goes, and of course nobody plays. Will Chamberlin,
I think he is the last guy who plays who
played forty eight all the time. But you get the point.
He's tireless. The only thing that stops him is himself.
And it's funny because they're kind of saying the same
thing in New York, New York about a former Timberwolf,
(06:05):
Carl Anthony Towns. Once the head coach received a podcast
of this show and listened to it carefully and understood
that he needed to run more of the offense through
Carl Anthony Towns, that he needed to stop ignoring this
offensive asset. He has been quite possibly he's definitely top five,
(06:30):
maybe even top two or three players in this tournament.
Up to this point, he has been magnificent, not necessarily
scoring thirty, but basically getting twenty ten to ten all
the time. He's a good passer. He looks like he's
an even better passer.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Through this series.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
They're running more stuff through him and he's enjoying it.
Why because it helps to engage him. He needs to
stay in game aged. Jaden needs to stay engaged. They
can't stay engaged if, in the case of New York,
he doesn't get the ball cat or here, if he's
on the bench next to Finchy because he's got another
(07:13):
dumb foul.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Now I think he.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Did get as we talked about yesterday, job by the
officials one of those first half fouls last week, but
Conley talked about it after the game. You got to
pick your battles. You have to be smart about it. Now,
there's no question the Spurs aren't stupid. They got good coaches.
They still got Pop in the background, who apparently it
(07:36):
was the first guy to give him the video breakdown
after game one.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
And what I.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Think they know is they know it too. We got
to try to get him off the court. We got
to try to engage him that way. We got to
try to force him into fouling us and hope that
the Zebras will make the call. And I really believe
this whole issue, whether it's fouling especially Jaden, because it's
(08:05):
mainly him, right. I don't think we have a lot
of other players who often didn't follow trouble.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
I mean, I mean, Rudy.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Can sometimes can, and so can so can Julius a
little bit. But it's mainly Jayden. And again this is
essential because he's been your best two way player.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yes, and that's it.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
And in the case of the wild I don't even
know if we're good enough to beat him five on five.
We may not, but I sure as hell know we're
not good enough to beat them when they're on the
power play and we are on the penalty kill. So
that to me has to be the mantra for both
our favorite winter sports teams this weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
They're both back home.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Wolves tonight right here on the fan late start again,
eight thirty eight to forty whatever, right in that range,
and the Wild tomorrow night in a must win situation.
The Wild cannot go down three games to nil. If
they do, we all know that the series is at
that point, will be will be done?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Essential, is it not?
Speaker 1 (09:04):
For for both the teams has to be And I
do believe the best players and I don't know what
it is. Sometimes it might be reputation. They can get
away a little bit more if you if you're a star.
But I do think there's an art to understanding. You
know when to file or how to file sneakily or
(09:25):
subtly in a way that it's less likely to be called.
Whatever it is. They're the best players master it. Because
the best players understand that their team needs them on
the court or on the ice.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
They also have an attentiveness to avoid the ones that
seem unavoidable. Well exactly right, a step or two behind,
you get caught looking the other way, all of a sudden,
you get a foul, or you get a penalty.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Because some of that is what I'll give up. I'm
gonna give up the lay up here. Discretion is the
better form of valor.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Right, I'm gonna I'm.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Gonna lose this battle because I want to win the war, right,
that's that's part of I think that scratching you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Give away some money as well, fanombigdeck dot com, I
wanna give you a shot to win bonus bucks. It
is our national cash contest, and the keyword is coin,
the first keyword of the afternoon. Go to KFA dot
com and enter the keyword coin.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
An apology on my pre show tweet on the guest lineup,
I had Tom Crane at four fifteen. Not so fast,
my friend, He is coming up next right here in
the fan.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Don't forget Oules game three tonight on the fan.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I'm assuming pre game either eight or eight fifteen opening
tip off schedule for some time after eight thirty. But
on the flagship that's us FM one hundred point three
the one hundred thousand watt FM flamethrower.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
I know our next guest will be.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Watching very closely, and uh, mister Green Tom Crean kind
enough to join us. You get the added bonus of
listening or watching and listening to one of your favorite
former players on the TV broadcast.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Correct.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Absolutely, I really kind of wish, not kind I really
wish i'd have made a decision to come in there.
I had to speak last night, so iting to get
back so really late, but I wish I would have
done that. And I'm gonna miss be in there, yep.
But it's going to be great to listen to it
and watch it.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
It'll be outstanding. We're all very much looking forward to it.
You're the perfect person to dive in on a subject
I explored in the first segment of the program, and
I call it the art in basketball, of course of
not fouling. You can extend it to hockey not committing
dumb penalties, obviously because of the ramifications of that, something
(11:50):
that's hurt the Minnesota Wild in their second round series
against Colorado thus far, and we're bringing it up today
again primarily because of Jaden McDaniel. It's a problem he
tends to have, and he has been, as you well know,
so effective in this playoff run. I almost feel like
he's becoming the one player other than Anthony that you
(12:13):
cannot lose minutes on the court to because of what
he does defensively offensively. Speak to us and the audience
about the art of not fouling, what's involved in players
who seem to have that propensity, that difficulty about getting
into foul trouble, and how you as a coach attempted
to sort of work that out of them.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
Well, both ends equal each other in this sense, both
ends of the floor you have to be down and
in a stance. And my opinion on this with Jaden
a lot of times is when he's not getting the ball,
when he's not as effective offensively, which was the case
the other night, He's engaged defensively, but he's not down defensively.
(12:59):
And obviously, when you're scoring and when you're locked in,
you're engaged, you're down, you're active, and he's such a
felth defender, I mean, there's no doubt about that, But
when you're up and when you're a reactor rather than
being proactive, when your hands aren't as active when you
reach when when frustration can set in, and it doesn't
happen nearly as much as it used to with him,
(13:20):
but it still happens. It happens to a lot of players,
and I think that's what it is. I mean when
when he's a lower like I use this example with
og Nnobi a lot, and this is one of the
reasons he's such a such a great two way player.
You're you're never going to be lower than he is
offensively or defensively because he's he's going to be lower
(13:41):
than you offensively, because he's going to be in an
offensive stance. He's going to be ready to play, ready
to shoot, ready to attack, and he's going to get
down and he's going to guard you, which means his
hips are going to be down, his shoulders are going
to be down, his hands are going to be active.
So he may foul, but it's not because he wasn't ready.
And to me, that's what happens to Jaden Thumb And
and I think people attack his hips, yes, And so
(14:03):
when you're up, you're going to open up that much quicker.
When you're down, you're going to be able to take
that because when you're standing straight up. I mean, just
think about anybody that's listening to this. When you're standing
straight up, your hips are high, right, And he's a long,
athletic guy, and when he's down, because he's got such
good foot speed and quickness, and he's really got quick twitch,
(14:24):
he's very twitchy. That way, you're putting yourself in a
severe disadvantage when you're standing up, and you don't have
to be like locked in every possession to be a
great defender when you're as athletic as Jade McDaniels is,
but you can't stand up. And I think people attack
him that way. They attack those hips, They open him up,
and then he starts using his hands.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
On the ESPN program right before we came on the air,
I don't remember which of the panelists said this. I
believe he is a reporter though not just a host,
and the quote was something the effect of, he has
been told that if this the regular season, Anthony Edwards
(15:02):
would not be playing at all. That at best he's
seventy maybe seventy five. But that's just the the the
reality of what he's dealing with here. You know, Anthony
very well, does that sound about right to you?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Well, I saw that same thing. I think Seam Sharanya
said that on NBA today. I thought that one and yeah, no,
maybe Mark Spears did. Maybe it was yeah, Mark Spears.
Sham's was on after. Yeah, I don't there's so many
people talking for him at times that really don't know,
Like this kid has got such an unbelievable will. Now
(15:40):
I do know that he put it in overdrive because
he didn't want to miss time, and and what he
did he stayed back obviously after he got hurt. Yes,
he continued to work those though that first trip that
they that they went with that was more he was
in a maintenance mode like he had to just kind
of like heal a little bit. So that wasn't as
much about all the rehab that he did as much
(16:01):
as it letting it settle down and heal. But the
way he went into this, I mean, I'm not even sure,
and it's been reported some of the things that he's done,
I'm not even sure that it's even close to how
much he did do to get back. So that's why
I think this is an absolute joke that he is
not in that award situation where Luca gets the exception
(16:23):
for going overseas what it was for the birth of
his kids, and Anthony not getting that exception. I mean, like,
what is the NBA really looking at? Like, what do
you really what do you really want out of the NBA? Right,
if you're an NBA star, you want them to play,
You want them to want to play, you want them
to do everything they can do to be on the court.
And to me, this is just my own complaints. I
(16:44):
haven't had this conversation with other people, but it's like,
this kid is at a different mindset right, And yes,
his body heals well, Yes he's got you know, very
good genetics in that side of area, but he works
extremely hard. So an answer to your question, I really
don't know. I have not asked him that. It's been
way more about the rehab process, how he feels, what
(17:05):
it's like after the games are over, and I know
that he has felt. You know, there's no question he's
not where he needs to be. I mean, you can
see that. But at the end of the day, he's
got such a strong willed mind and loves to compete
and win so bad. He always loved to play and compete. Then,
as I've said many times on your show he's grown
(17:27):
to love to win, and that's just what he brings.
And I think you'll see him in a really good
place tonight. I think you'll see Jaden in a really
good place tonight. I think that team will respond because
so much of what they didn't do the other night
is all correctible type of things, and a lot of
it is really coming in with the right mindset to
match and exceed the physicality that San Antonio played with
(17:52):
the other night. But Anthony is going to do whatever
he has to do to play in the games. And
I know that in times that he's had to sit
in the regular season that he wanted to play, that
the medical team came back and said, no, you know,
we need to wait another game or wait this, you know,
wait this distance, and he deals with that. But Anthony
(18:13):
is always pushing to get on the court, and I
don't think this time was any different.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Former college basketball coach Tom Creane kind of have to
join us doing a lot of basketball analysis at pretty
much every level these days. All right, let's get a
little deeper into the weeds on the offensive side. What
has to get better to counter what clearly was a
strategic switch by San Antonio in game two to blitz Anthony,
(18:41):
to blitz Julius a lot that, all of which contributed
to the offense really not being in a in a
mode where the Wolves had a chance to win Game two.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
What what needs to change? What are the counter moves.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
Respond to the physicality? They came out and they were
going to be from the very first play of the game.
You know Vasso getting up into Jaden forcing that turnover
on the sideline where he stepped out, and I think
it was Casso was trying to front Julius on that
mid post. Like there were times the other night. Fundamentally
they could have got the ball to Julius. You just
got to create an angle. And I think that that
(19:19):
Minnesota let the physicality get into them. But I also
didn't like the way the ball was moving. TJ. Shannon
is a fantastic player, But that's not your role to
come out and play like you're Anthony Edwards. All right,
that's not his role, and he's going to be fantastic player. Man.
I know from the very beginning, beyond your show, I've
talked about how good he can be, and that's not changing.
(19:42):
You can't come out here, that's not your role. Don't
come out and start hunting shots. And the ball didn't
move enough the other night. I thought they're spacing at
times wasn't nearly as good. They weren't. They didn't have
corner discipline, so it allowed the good physicality and the
aggressiveness of the guards and being down in a weak
side stance or a help side stance on ball side
(20:03):
to really help San Antonio. And I think as far
as when it went with Anthony, he did too much
on the side. He did too much bring it up
on the side of the court, and when you do that,
you shrink the floor, right and he knows better than
that you shrink the floor. He was not down the
way that he needed to be. He came into game,
he wasn't nearly as low where I think that was
(20:26):
some I think there was some body, you know, stuff
to that. I don't know what the level of his
shortness was. But he wasn't down and in the attack
mode like he was in the game that he came
back because even though he's not healthy obviously, and seventy
percent may be a very good ratio, I don't know.
I don't know what that is. But at the end
(20:47):
of the day, he was not down and his balance
on his jump shots. I'm not saying anything on your
show that I haven't said to him. His balance on
his jump shots was not good, as landings were not good,
but he was up too high. And I think that
you know when you and again you can see it coming.
San Antonio's plan is to switch defenders on him. Bee physical,
(21:08):
get into him, body him. And he's a guy that
responds well to physicality and makes it and uses it
against them a lot of times. And he's going to
need to do that tonight. He didn't do that the
other night, and then a couple of times that he
got trapped and gave it up. They want to deny
him the ball back. Well, when you're playing on the
side of the floor, then okay, and you're playing the
(21:31):
automatic the sideline is a built in defender, right it's
like the longest defender on the court. There's nowhere to
go when you're over there. So it's almost like being
triple teams when you're on the side because they're bringing
the double. You got the sideline right there, You're you're
you're you're really shrinking your ability to attack. And then
what Anthony's got to get out of is when he
gives it up standing, he's got to cut, He's got
(21:55):
to cut, he's got to cut again. And I just
think it's more of an aggressive mindset. I think there's
some technical things, like I said, being more in the corner,
creating passing angles, but that ball's got to move because
then what happened the other night is they got into
their head a little bit. They start looking for calls,
not like the Lakers did last night, but they were
looking for calls, and what happened is they got caught
(22:16):
in no man's land. Dan the shot goes up and
they're not going to the offensive glass and they're not
sprinting back, and Jaden was guilty of that a couple
of different times. Jaden didn't touch the ball nearly enough
inside of the beginning of that game the other night,
not just to score it, but to touch it and attack,
especially when you're trying to take away Anthony like that.
(22:38):
So I think it's all correctable. I'd be shocked if
they don't correct it. But if they don't come out
and match the physicality and play through the physicality, and
if they don't attack the traps and play more in
the middle of the floor. And here's another big thing
you got to they're running pick and roll victor Whomanna's
standing to drop coverage. If you come up off on
(23:00):
the side of him, he's agile enough, long enough, athletic
enough that he's going to block your shot. He's going
to create a problem. You've got to turn him. You
got to make him change his footwork and come at
his body. And it's really hard to do that when
you're trying to do that off the side of the floor.
It's got to be more down the middle of the floor.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Great great analysis of mister Crean.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Always appreciate it. You've got pretty good sources. When it
comes to Anthony Edwards.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Will you be shot?
Speaker 4 (23:27):
I just go to him exactly.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
So I maybe this is an impossible question for you
to answer.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Maybe you don't have the answer to this question. We're
all trying to figure out.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Is tonight the night that he starts after coming off
the bench for the first two games.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
I don't know. You know, it's a good question. I
don't know. I don't know what is I heard the
I'm not asked him about his minutes restrictions. Really seriously,
my conversations with him, and they're usually through texting right now,
are more about his body, more about the rehab, what
he feels like after the game, and then things I
see in the game, you know, things I see the
result you know in him, and reminders for him, you know.
(24:05):
And because he's well coached. I've said that forever. I'm
not his current coach, but I'm always looking at him
from what he needs to be successful. But I have
not asked that. I don't know, I'd be just guessing.
But I mean if his minutes, if his minutes restriction
stays that way, then maybe. But whatever happens tonight, start
(24:26):
not start. They can't come out and not have the
ball moving the way it wasn't moving the other night,
because the physicality of san Antonio set the pace of
that game, and they played well early, they played close early,
but it never they never never responded to it the
way that they needed to, and san Antonio turned it up.
They didn't look anything like that in game one, but
(24:47):
they turned it up. They felt they could, and tonight
is the night, no matter if Anthony's in or not
in that they come and they attacked that physicality. I
think it's going to be a heck of a chippy game.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
So you mentioned the Lake response last night to Oka See.
That opens up a question I think we should or
an area I think we should explore, and it's the
ongoing debate about Oklahoma City and the way they guard
and whether you know, the criticism is they foul on
(25:18):
every possession and that tends to wear down the officials.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Now, I heard Brian Scalabrini this morning.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Say that he looks at Oka See as he understands
the frustration other teams occasionally have, but he credits Oklahoma
City staff their head coach with basically very effectively quote
unquote bending the rules in favor of OKAC for them
to play the way they do defensively. You also have
(25:46):
been around teams. I'm sure that wallow in self pity
about calls when all that does is doesn't get to
the real reason they're behind or they're having difficulty.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
So where are you?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
I'm that whole philosophical discussion about okay See following flopping
the whole bit, I'll.
Speaker 4 (26:03):
Start with ok See and then I'll get into the Lakers.
I've known of Mark Daganol for a long time. The
first time we had a really in length conversation was
back in twenty seventeen in the fall. He was the
blue head coach for the G League and they used
to have a clinic there. Billy Donovan was still the
coach and I was in between Indiana and Georgia. So
(26:24):
I went to speak at the clinic. But they had
a group of young college like quality control people, gas
director of operations. It was all like an intel gathering.
They brought in a bunch of people from around the country,
which was very very smart, you know, to build into
their network of their coaches and scouts and Sam Presby
and everybody. And long story short, I was there the
(26:45):
night before to speak at that to that group and
Mark Daganol. We spent more time talking about switching solutions,
like he was one of the first coaches that I
was around that was absolutely immersed in you attack switching.
I think it's very easy to say right now, nine
years later, he's as good as anybody in the NBA
(27:06):
at finding the switch, okay, And that's an advantage because
everybody hunts switches, not everybody attacks them the way that
he does. So we're going to give credit there because
that I have no doubt about that. All right, Now,
do they understand how to draw files? I think they're
the best. There are other players that are phenomenal at
drawing files. There's no team better at drawing files. Now
(27:30):
do they push the limit. Yeah, But let's look at Shaye.
Shane's a great example. If you show your hands on
Shae defensively, he absolutely knows how to create that contact
to get the whistle from the referee. And one thing
I like about Shae and Anthony has cleaned this up too.
Anthony doesn't yell the same way after every time he
(27:51):
thinks he's fouled, because you have to. It's almost like
a quarterback changing his cadence at the at the pocket.
You can't sound the same or now it just becomes
like white noise. And so Anthony has done a much
better job of growing into how he uses his voice
or uses the yell to get the attention. Shay is
(28:12):
masterful at it, right, Like Shay's got the head bob,
He's got the shoulder bob. He can yell, he can grunt,
he sells it. And so I think that's a that's
a heck of advantage. That's part of the game, right,
that's a that's a disadvantage for those that don't do it.
They are so good at creating those. Here, here's another
thing that they're so good at. They take your help out.
(28:34):
Like lou Dort does a lot of different things, and
he gets a ton of credit defensively. But here's what
else he does. You if he smells a switch when
he makes the pass, or his guy is on his
body and he makes a quick pass, he is masterful it.
Not only screening to get the switch, but if they
don't want to switch, he finds a way to step
(28:55):
into his own. Man, it's basically a foul. It's like
a moving screen, but he doesn't have the ball, and
nobody ever calls it. And so like there's all these
masterful little tricks. And I go back to Mark Mark
and that staff, and I credit Mark big time on this.
They have understood how to attack switching, how to master it,
how to get the fouls. They're very very good at it.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Let's flip it.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
I do think they get away with some Let's flip
it over to the Lakers, all right. If the Lakers
had Luca in there, right now, their defense is even
worse because he's such a poor help stot. Oh, I'm
not kidding. He can score, he might get thirty, but
he gives it up because he's not engaged defensively on
the weak side. And right now, when you watch the
Lakers play, Austin Reeves did draw a couple of fouls
(29:40):
on Shay. He did a really good job. He had
to charge. He had another call, but like when they
get him in an open court, they're going to buy
him right And the problem for the Lakers, there's been
three problems to me all year, and right now they're
doing this again. Okay, this would be the fourth. They
give up more five on fours because somebody's complaining in
the back. They're not getting back. They're like the Celtics
(30:02):
were for a couple of years when Jason Tatum would
be laying on the floor or complaining at the raft
and all of a sudden you could race up and
get a five on four and you could take advantage
of them. Right now, the three biggest things that they do,
they're very, very poor on the weak side of awareness
and blockouts. The bigs really struggle anytime you force them
to come out on the court and defend or get
(30:22):
them in a help situation with Aden, then with Jackson Hayes.
And the other thing is their switch communication when the
ball is moving like it is for Oklahoma City. Oklahoma
City is not only attacking you off the top, they're
attacking you off the wing in the corners and they're
getting the ball kicked out and so that attacks their
health side. Well when they bring in somebody to the screen,
(30:44):
their communication still sucks, right, And it's like it shouldn't
be like that. You know, when you're the Lakers, they're talented.
I mean, Lebron is still Lebron, and Lebron is one
of the more engaged defenders on that team at forty one.
So I'm not criticized in him as much as the
team has been. Like you look at how easy it
(31:04):
is to offensive rebound against the Lakers, and it's been
that way all year and it's just that's what it is.
And so what happens is when you get beat, and
yes it's more contact or into them psychologically, you want
the narrative to be the victim card more than you
want the narrative to be We got to play better,
and that's why San Antonio's had success with them this year.
(31:26):
I don't think there's any question in Minnesota can have
success with them this year because they will come back
and fight them, and those kind of teams will they
understand that you have to keep attacking them and not
play isolation basketball against them, because if you keep attacking them,
you're going to get them making mistakes. But Oklahoma City
(31:48):
has earned this. Yes they get away with things. Yes
they push and shove. It's the old baddage that we've
had in coaching forever that they can't call all the foules.
So they do use their hands. They do swipe it,
they do hit your wrists. But they've been doing that
for years. It didn't just all of a sudden happen.
But they don't get enough credit for how good of
a basketball team they are and taking advantage of what
(32:09):
they can take advantage of the.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
Best approach for the Wolves when you're dealing with what
when Banyama presents the challenges he presents defensively.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Let's go back to Game one.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
I liked how hard they went to The Wolves went
to the basket knowing that some of those shots early.
I think two in a row within the first minute
got blocked about. I mean, there were shots by Shannon
that you mentioned earlier, but I liked that they didn't stop.
I liked that they look, we all understand the mid range,
(32:43):
and just hitting some jump shots going to be probably
be pretty essential in this series, more essential than against Denver.
But I still like, I still prefer that aggressiveness. How
do you thread the needle on not being stupid in
trying to get at him to a place where you're
asking him to block the shot, but not being becoming
too passive offensively either.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
Well, I think it's the thing I said a little
bit earlier. It's the pick and roll game. Okay, if
he's in that drop, especially when Rudy goes up to
set the pick, you've got to change his feet. Okay. Now,
can Shannon get by him at times? Yeah, he did
the other night. You've got to keep the more you
can get. When Mignana lifted the quicker, you have to
attack because he's not going to be up there all
(33:28):
the time, and especially in the pick and roll. So
now sometimes running high pick and roll with Victor is
not necessarily the answer because he can see the ball
coming at him. If that makes sense. And if you
don't change his feet, then he's got a great read
on it. You've got to continue to move him. You've
got to continue to This is a great example of
why the Celtics couldn't beat Philadelphia. Embiid is a different defender,
(33:53):
but in those three games that they won, they never
the Celtics never made him beat uncomfortable defensively. They never
moved him around, and so he might have got fatigued,
but he didn't get fatigued on the defensive end. You
have to because Victor wants to shoot on the perimeter,
because Victor wants to be a perimeter guy. You got
to keep putting pressure on him defensively, okay, where he
(34:16):
wants to be a part of the offense. And that's
not easier for it, right because that's going to bring
some fatigue to the defensive end. And they played him
those limited minutes throughout the year to having be able
to play these heavy minutes in the playoffs, which was
very smart. But you still got to go at his body.
Here's the other thing. You got to steal him in
his legs every chance that you get. He's like most
(34:36):
big guys, he does not like having the front of
his body, the front of his legs get and taken away.
So you've got to look for those seals. Look for
those opportunities, especially on the break. I think the Wolves
and Anthony is good on this when he's coming up
the court, like throw that ball to the wing and attack,
attack before Victor gets down in there. Let Rudy get
a seal, Let Julius get a seal on his body,
(34:58):
so you steal some looks at the basket that way.
But I think the moving of the feet that going
into his body to getting him to engage in you
in a one on one while keeping your dribble right,
don't just pick up your dribble on him, keep your
dribble while he is guarding you one on one. Now
kick the ball out, you move and cut or in
(35:20):
Rudy's case, get behind the defense. And now you're making
Victor have to do two things at once. Jokicch is
really really poor guarding, and the Wolves did a good
job of this. Jokicch is really poor is the second defender.
And I know I said this last time I was
on your show. It didn't change. Victor's so good at
doing so many different things that when you move him,
(35:41):
when you get physical in his lower body, when you
change his feet, now you have a chance to get
some baskets that you wouldn't otherwise get.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Last question for today, the age old question of series dynamics.
The Wolves win Game one at close to the buzzer,
they get annihilated, they get routed in game two, and
there's always the question of okay, did something seismically change
(36:09):
between one and two, especially from the Spurs side, where
they quote unquote figured it out in a way that
they say, well, we're the sixty two win team, We're
the team that's supposed to go someplace this year.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Now we know what we can do against them.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Does that become can a result in a single game
I guess I'm saying, in a seven game series become irreversible?
How do you look at it as a coach? So
that obviously from Finch's standpoint, he's saying, no, it was
a bad performance. He said, ah loud, we got punked,
But that it doesn't mean it's irra What took place
(36:46):
was irreversible, because I think some people think a door
was opened in a way that given the Wolves injuries
on top of it, that the Wolves might not be
able to close it again.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
How do you deal with the psychology of that as
a coach?
Speaker 4 (36:58):
Well, this is huge tonight, and and this is absolutely
huge because the physicality, the denying of Julius at that
seventeen to eighteen foot mark to get that high post pass.
Here's another big thing that was that was that was brutal.
The other night, Minnesota wasn't nearly strong enough with the ball.
So that physicality that San Antonio came with, they got
(37:21):
in and they got swipes, they got deflection, they created
contact on that. And I think I credit he's a
good friend of mine that I credit Sean Sweeney with
a lot of that with the defense in San Antonio
for the way they knew to attack right and they
came out with the mindset that we're going to be
physical with you from the jump street, even if we
have a couple of files. So what here's how we're
(37:42):
coming at you. And and the Terminiles fell into that.
They took the bait and they weren't strong enough with
the ball. I think tonight, win or lose, Okay, let's
take the result out of it. They have got to
come with a the technique has got to be better.
To being strong with the ball has got to be better.
The spacing has got to be better. But where they
(38:03):
attack from and how much that ball is moving has
got to be better. And then here's the other thing,
because this started the other night. In this if I'm
San Antonio, if I'm sitting on the other side, now,
I'm saying we can do this now if we not
only turn them over, but if our guards get rebounds,
we can run on this team and we can get
easy baskets at home, and that will take that will
(38:24):
stifle the crowd a little bit. So my gas is
going to be that San Antonio is gonna come hard
on that break tonight. I would, right, And I haven't
talked to it. I haven't talked to Sean. I haven't
talked to anybody on that end in a couple of days.
But if I'm watching the game, man, I'm coming at Minnesota.
Because Minnesota the other night because of the lack of
offense and the lack of movement, and they weren't nearly
(38:46):
as good, and they took their foot off the gas
a little bit in San Antonio too the other night.
Once once that score got that way, that is what
would concern me tonight at Minnesota to make sure that
transition d is fantastic. And then at the same time,
if you can force them into some tough jump shots
in Minnesota, run right back at him. Yes, bring fatigue
(39:06):
to Victor. I couldn't believe how they didn't put any
pressure on Luke Cornett the other night. He looked like
he was on the all defensive right. Yeah, and he's
a good player, but like, you got to go at
the big guys. But again, I think that's the part
of the game, and I'd be looking for the mindset
of the game more than the result of the game.
The result of take care of itself. But the mindset
(39:27):
of how they come out and attack is going to
tell a lot about where Minnesota's at in this series.
Speaker 1 (39:31):
Great primer for tonight. As always, we really appreciate it.
One of our regular listeners, in fact, just wrote, tell
Crean to slow down.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
My pen is drying out. So we got people out
there trying to take notes. So that's why you think analysis.
Speaker 4 (39:44):
So I love it, man, That's why you put it online.
So they just go back and rewind it.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
That's what we'll do.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
I can't we get talking fun stuff. Man, I can't
slow down. I don't know how much time we have,
so I got to make sure I get it in.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I want you to get every bit of it in
as you always do it. Appreciate you, man. We'll be
in touch as this thing plays out.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Be good.
Speaker 4 (40:04):
Anytime. Thanks a lot. Having a good weekend you.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
As well, Tom Crean with great analysis and sobering analysis.
I think about the current condition of the Wolves. I
think he's pretty straight with what he's saying and what
he's kind of demanding of the Wolves tonight. If they
want to turn this thing back in any meaningful way.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
Maybe we need.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
Another expansion of replay in pro basketball.
Speaker 2 (40:59):
By the way, did you see the news.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
Well it's not news, but some reporting has been done
regarding the the robot ball and strike umpire. No again,
small sample size. What will we two months in?
Speaker 2 (41:15):
Yeah? Just wow, middle and a half maybe whatever? Yeah? Sure,
started in late March, late March, early April. Okay, so
close enough.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Apparently the pitchers are are are are losing in that
on average, more balls are being called in the ball
strike category than you know, like like by ten percent
over the old ways with the umpire, the the notion
(41:43):
being a belief that the strike zone the way it
is defined because they had to come up with the
definition that fit the technology, but that the that the
that the strike zone as it's been defined for the
purposes of the robot has actually shrunk the strike zone.
So there are some pictures who don't feel so wonderful
(42:05):
about that. And what it means is we're getting a
bunch more walks across the board and game times are
starting to increase again. Yeah, but now we're back up
to like two forty two, three, two forty four. So
I'll say is again, be careful what you wish for.
I know we got to get it right, but the
question is whether because you know what's been proven over
(42:28):
and over again, We've all seen the viral video of
the homeplate umpire missing a pitch by two feet. Right,
It's easy, we all go follow, how's that possible? What's
wrong with these idiots? It's it's it's pretty easy to
get incensed, right, But the fact of the matter is
what the analytics indicate is that ninety seven percent of
(42:50):
the time it's microscopic. In other words, the judgment that
umpires were making. You could argue when they're saying it
was a strike, it was, if not a strike, about
as close as possible to being a strike without being
a strike. That's what tim Cheat would always wich to face,
what Cheetah has told us as well. And it shows
(43:11):
again just how difficult it is, you know that that
that process because we always have the opportunity to look
afterwards or at several replays of it, not when you're
behind the plate and you've got to judge the ball
as it crosses home plate and where it's supposed to
(43:32):
cross home plate.
Speaker 4 (43:34):
Yea.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
So it's a tough job. It's an impossible job.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
And I guess we're supposed to feel better about the
fact that the robot humps are in charge, but now
we have more walks than we ever had before. And
what I wonder is whether they might reconsider what they
defined as the strike soon on the basis of this,
because the feeling is that has actually been shrunk from
the original intent of from where to where in terms
(43:58):
of high and low.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
So I don't know, I imagine Cheeta.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
I don't know if he smoked cigars, but I imagine
him like sitting with Lavelle somewhere in Saint Paul smoking
the cigars, and that's what I tried to tell those guys.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
That's probably true. Do we have any news on Desumu?
LISTA is questionable officially earlier today.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
I'm going to be gobsmacked if he plays on the
basis of what we saw last game and apparently a
new injury. But I don't know. I mean, I guess
I could be surprised here, and we're back to is
this logical?
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Right?
Speaker 1 (44:33):
The longer it goes, is it logical to think they
can keep reinventing themselves the way they did in tremendous
fashion in Game six against Denver and to a certain
extent Game one against San Antonio, that you're just we're
going to reach a point where it's too many bodies
missing When you also factor in that Edwards whatever he
whatever percentage he's at, it's clearly not one.
Speaker 3 (44:56):
I saw that Io took part in shoot around, okay,
and I'm trying to find it who tweeted about it,
because I know somebody did. More specifically it was Chris
hin Here it is. Desumu was playing in the Wolves
Stay in Shape scrimmage, which features end of the bench
players in reserves A fairly high intensity scrimmage they do after,
(45:16):
which is usually an indication that you're not going to
play because you're just now. Maybe he wants to get
into some extra shape. I don't know, but so usually
if you're playing in that, you're not playing in the game,
is what I remember the historical But he was part
of the shoot around today and listed is questionable.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
We'll find out eventually.
Speaker 1 (45:33):
Right, it's another, as we said, another late start, so
it won't be it certainly will not be early. Willow
Mark Rosen's cat guy is very, very crustfallen because he
is the regular listener I quoted without naming him to
Tom Crean about he's got to slow down because you
know my pens, My pens run and dry, inks run
(45:54):
and dry.
Speaker 2 (45:55):
And the best way I.
Speaker 1 (45:56):
Can put it Willow Mark Rosen's cat because he's responded
again and too cool to tell your friends one of
your listeners as a cat.
Speaker 2 (46:02):
Okay, I see how it is.
Speaker 1 (46:05):
I didn't think there was gonna be an easy way
for me to explain the moniker to Tom Crean. To
Tom Crean, so I figured out this time and we're
running out of time as it was. But yeah, I
know Willow Mark Rosen's cat has a good line. It's
very well played, and we appreciate that. And I don't
love cats. I've made that pretty clear. They're not my favorites.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
They don't like me.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
I don't like them. It's universal apparently. Yeah, so yeah,
that's probably it.
Speaker 3 (46:31):
I like how Tom gave us the podcast plugged though
he did, that's true. I mean, he gave us a
good promo for the podcast. It's always available after the
show on the Barrero channel of your iHeartRadio app. And
you can slow it down, you know, half speed. If
you want to positive podcasts.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
You can pose it. Yeah, you can do whatever you
want to exactly right, stay on schedule.
Speaker 1 (46:48):
I'm so curious with the strikes on his flat like
a pane of glass or does it.
Speaker 2 (46:53):
Have depth like the home plate has. I think it does.
Speaker 1 (46:57):
I'll look for the story that had this update on
all the walks, the extra walks that are now being
drawn on the BA on the basis of more balls
being called balls. If I can find it, might be
able to figure all that out as well. Let's get
a top of the hour break, and I have some
(47:18):
explaining to do. According to six to five one guy
when we come back. Don't forget Ben Gesling at four thirty,
Lavell any other third five thirty. Is it possible? I
am underrating? There seems to be for me a little
too much arousal about this wide receiver news.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
I don't know, man, Have I lost yourself in his
eyes like that?
Speaker 1 (47:42):
And I'm not saying he can't be helpful, but I
just don't think this is as size of a seismic
a move as some other people who are just really
really excited about it. Maybe Ben Gessling joining at four
to thirty will convince me otherwise. Levelle is scheduled four
five thirty as well, and we expect the acts from
Kevin Fallness to keep coming in
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