November 4, 2025 • 45 mins
In this week’s episode of The Baseline, we hit the court running with News and Notes, as Trae Young goes down with a sprained MCL expected to sideline him for four weeks and Ja Morant headlines a dramatic start to the 2025-26 NBA season.
Then, in our featured segment “Impress Me,” we spotlight the teams and players making noise early — the Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, and San Antonio Spurs have each turned heads with strong starts, fueled by rookie impact performances and veteran leadership. We also dive into the resurgence of Jrue Holiday in Portland, where he’s reminding fans why he’s still one of the league’s most reliable two-way guards.
🎧 Tune in as The Baseline breaks down the storylines that impress us most in the NBA’s opening weeks — from breakout rookies to redemption arcs and everything in between.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-baseline-nba-podcast--3677698/support.
Then, in our featured segment “Impress Me,” we spotlight the teams and players making noise early — the Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, and San Antonio Spurs have each turned heads with strong starts, fueled by rookie impact performances and veteran leadership. We also dive into the resurgence of Jrue Holiday in Portland, where he’s reminding fans why he’s still one of the league’s most reliable two-way guards.
🎧 Tune in as The Baseline breaks down the storylines that impress us most in the NBA’s opening weeks — from breakout rookies to redemption arcs and everything in between.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-baseline-nba-podcast--3677698/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
What's good. Everybody is your boy Cal, game Face Lee.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And it's me Warrenshaw and we are officially live on
millions y'all.
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That's right, The Baseline NBA podcast is officially live. Just
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Speaker 3 (00:30):
Absolutely so be sure to go to millions dot COO
you already know. Keep it real here the Baseline NBA podcast.
Your boy Cal gave Face Lee and my man Warren
Shaw hit us up on millions.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Don't miss out.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
This is the baseline discussing the hot button topics of
the NBA. Welcome everybody or two to the Baseline Cali
warn't y'all discussing the hot button topics of the NBA.
We are reaped up, ready to go week to NBA
at on full tilt.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
The NBA Cup has started.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Waste any time, all of the level of competitiveness, just
basically just using out.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
You know, for the association, it is always a good time.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
I do want to pivot very quickly, Shaw, because again
you and I are a lover of sports, and I
gotta say, man, this is about as good.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
It's like Christmas early for us.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Bro, when NBA is popping off, NFL's popping off, and
MLB is popping off. We grew up playing baseball. I'd
got to find out. I gotta know, Bro, what were
your thoughts about that Game seven Blue Jays Dodgers?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Bro?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
I was, man, what a what a world series? What
a way for us to be able to appreciate the
game of baseball, and for it to go Game seven?
It was left out all until I you know, I
just felt like, damn, it's great to love sports all
over again.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
But yeah, extra innings come back in the ninth to
send it to extra innings by the Dodgers, to get
for them to repeat. Uh yeah, I mean again, as
a sports fan, you just kind of have to love that.
As I always say, the two great greatest words in
sports game seven and the Blue Jays and Dodgers absolutely delivered.
Those are two teams that I actually kind of like.
I know, the Mets are beloved. I honestly, that's just
what it is, but I've kind of always liked the
(02:21):
Blue Jays and always kind of like the Dodgers got
a secondary and third teams, but just teams and organizations
that I kind of respect.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
You gotta. Of course I love Blue as well too,
but of course you gotta.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
You know, it's it's like a love hate relationship because
La took our team from us. We should have always
been you know what I'm saying, but Brooklyn Dodgers. It
should have always been that way, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
But I get it.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
We have to we have to settle for the New
York Giants, and we have to settle for the New
York Mets, and I'm okay with that. But it's hard
to love them cats because they prevented us from winning
the world world say two World Series, you know what
I'm saying, in the eighties, So you.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Know I can't stand them for that.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
But I can't yes last year, so you know, you
know what I'm.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Saying, Like every time I want to, I want to
embrace them and hug them. I want to strangle them.
But listen, what a job by Dave robertson those guys.
I know I don't want to get too long winning
on it. But again, I think the whole point was is, man,
it's just great to see when sports at that high
level of competitiveness is on full display. And for people
(03:33):
who probably don't watch baseball, it was a heck of
a time for you to be able to kind of
witness great baseball being played, especially by that Toronto Blue Jays.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I was I was rooting for Vladi Junior bro. You
know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
The Guerrero family deserves one, Bro. They deserve one, and
so does the Bischette family. So yeah, it sucks.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Man.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I hope that they you know, I hope that that
core team stays together and we get to see those guys,
you know, compete for it again next year. Anyway, we
got a great show on tap. We're gonna pivot right
back to the NBA. Got some good stuff to discuss,
and then we got our coveted impressed me seg Man.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
This is where you.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Know, within one or two weeks of the NBA season,
we kind of look at things and say, damn, I'm
kind of impressed by what I'm seeing right now, and
and listen to the NBA is good for that man,
we don't talk about a guy or a team because
they come out of nowhere and they suddenly have basically
put us on notice, put everything on pause for us
to give and and you know, basically give flowers to
(04:32):
what's going on to our oppress me segment. I can't
wait for us to kind of get into that as always, man,
be sure to get my man shaw at d Warren Shaw,
get at me a gay face lead. The show's to
an NBA based on available on all the major platforms.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
You know where to find us.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Go to www dot the based on NBA dot com
to only check this episode out, but also all of
the episodes that we've got our cave in the dungeon.
And then if you see us on the YouTube channel,
you're catching us on the YouTube channel like to say
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(05:05):
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group family. So we get into the news and notes
that are going to happen in the association. But but but,
but but first we got to make sure that we
let you know and we've spread the message because this
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to get twenty percent off. Coming up, Shawn, I go
(06:29):
over the news and note tapping in the association.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Don't miss it here on the baseline.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Time now to go over the news and note tappening
in the association. And obviously the big topic of conversation
is Trey Young for the Atlanta Hawks.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
He is going to be out.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
For four weeks with a sprain MCL, which is clearly
a bummer because the Alanta Hawks came out the gate.
You know what I'm saying hot basically just you know,
putting teams on notice. So losing your core player, your
your franchise player, your marquee player. You know, not to
say that the Hawks are not talented Shaw, but obviously
(07:17):
it is a blow and Snyder and the crew are going.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
To have to adjust.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
But it's better that it happens, I guess, on the
earlier side of the season than it does somewhere the
midway point or around trade deadline time, or maybe even
on the back end. You know what I'm saying, just
because of what Trey Young means to the Atlanta Hawks team.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I think with all the roster construction that they did
over the course of the summer, making those improvements, the
one thing they didn't really address was truly the back
cup point guard situation. So you know, I don't know
if you're a bit creachy type of guy, but I
don't think most people are. And I don't think he's
gonna be getting the minutes there. So Nikkel got to
keep it.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Not if you got to not every time you cringe,
if you got to pronounce the last name like that.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Sure, sure that's how it's pronounced. But you know, from
the but Nikol Alexander Walker will probably assume the point
guard spot in terms of the minutes that we played
on a regular basis. They think they can still get
play creation obviously from Jalen Johnson. You know what that
small forward power forwards slot and now can do a
(08:17):
little bit of play creation. But this is going to be,
I think a true test for what the Hawks will
be able to do without Tree Young in the short term.
But will other guys like Dyson Daniels and others really
now Rehoulchay obviously and porzingis they'll have more touches, but
can they be put in the position to be successful
without Trey Young, who is one of the elite playmakers
(08:37):
in our game. Something to watch here over the next
couple of weeks, and it's four weeks then in the
evaluation and then even if he's ready to go in
terms of like ready to come back, this will probably
a little bit of a ramp up period. So you know,
probably a good five weeks maybe even towards the end
of the year before we see Trey Young back at
full full strength. Yere for this anal Hawks team and
in the East, maybe you have a little bit more
(08:58):
time innocence because it's not as strong Hawks three and
three as a record, so they have an opportunity to
still be impactful in the Eastern Conference even with this
four or five weekend jury from Tree Young. But a bummer, right,
because you want to continue to build chemistry, especially with
all the new guys on this roster, and Quinn Sneindner
is gonna have a little bit of a job ahead
of him.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Yeah, I mean, listen, it's a it's a it's a
big blow.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
But again, you know, if we if we break the
teams down, you know, to you know where they are
not just within the division, but where they are within
the conference. You know, they're they're they're in a decent space.
They're they're they're afforded that opportunity for them to use
this time period of really you know, to grow because
(09:42):
I think Shaw like one of the things I think
that was really interesting about what happened with the Hawks
last year is they had something of like a kind
of coming out party with some of the young players,
right with Dyson, Daniels, with Johnson and those guys. And
I don't know whether or not there still has been
enough time for that chemistry to really build, but I
(10:05):
think what is definitely going to be the bigger question
in tow will be who is that next guy? Right
who truly should be that next guy? And these are
those chances and opportunities where you know, guys can step
in and really make a name for themselves, really kind
of forge themselves, you know, to supplant and give Snyder
(10:28):
a lot more wiggle room, a lot more flexibility. And
then I think the other thing as well too, is
it also if a team shows that they could be
successful even without their best player, you know, Obviously the
whole idea is to win with your best player, but
even without your best player, you are actually helping to
buy time for that guy to come back at one
hundred percent or maybe higher than the rush. You know,
(10:50):
job of bringing a guy back because he wants to
come back, but he's not fully healed from that injury,
and then you know, you essentially could set him back,
and you can set the team back by doing so.
So this is a great opportunity, right like the Inhalian
Hawks by all accounts to your point, Shaw have made
the type of moves to be a deep team. Obviously
not completely addressing the point guard position, for say, but
(11:12):
I think again everyone has an opportunity where they can
help chip in to a level where they can compete
and by being successful maybe winning some games and a
lot of people don't expect them to win because you
know Trey Young is out. They do that, they're also
helping Trey Young in his ability to kind of properly
heal and be ready for the much longer haul that
the Hawks are going to need because they're still going
(11:34):
to be a competiti team. I still think they're going
to be in the mix no matter how you slice
it so that to me, I think is where you
know it could actually play well for a team like
the Hawks, because I think a lot of this is
based on how Snyder is able to get get these
guys to come out and play collectively better than just
only depending on their star player.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Yeah, without looking at their actual schedule and the strength
of that schedule, I would agree with pretty much everything
you said there. You know, it's the Eastern Conference, presumably
should be able to keep their heads above water even
if they stay at the five hundred market, which they
are right now. I think that's good, and then they
have an opportunity to make a run in the latter part,
you know, second half of the season, if you will. So,
(12:13):
you know, Wishtra Young well and hope he gets back soon,
but it'll give some guys against some opportunity used to
score or playmake and just really even build some chemistry
even without for Young on the roster for the time being.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Absolutely your tunes to the baseline, Cali weren't show discussing
the hot button topics of the NBA, all right, and
then the other news or notes so to speak, or
the other you know thing that was happening so far
this week in the NBA is related to John Moran.
And I mean, it can't be remiss that, you know,
we have to kind of, I guess address the elephant
(12:46):
in the room. So if people have been paying attention,
the Memphis Grizzly suspended John Morant one game for conduct
detrimental to the team basically just stemmed from the recent
loss that the Memphis Grizzly suffered at the hands of
the Los Angeles Lakers, in which Jahn Morant basically scored
(13:07):
eight points and went three to fourteen on the field
but from the field. So but it wasn't the gameplay
that really kind of made this all go down. It's really,
you know, the things that he said, the comments that
he made after the game, and really it in the
in the you know, outside of the game, I think
(13:28):
it is during a timeout or whatever, there apparently was
a confrontation between him and coach timas La Salo. So
with that being said, Shaw and I know, you, you know,
you kind of want to help bring context to this.
You know, this obviously is not a good situation with
regards to John Morant, because yet again it's another incident
(13:50):
that really is not a reflection of the game of
John Morant, but more so his attitude, demeanor and the
way he's conducting and carrying himself as to how that
is reflected to the Memphis Grizzlies organization and and and
what it does to the organization itself and how they
have to deal with him because of how he handles it.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
All. Right, well, let's hear from John Moran. I think
you hear it up nicely. So let's hear John Moran.
After that Lakers lost on Halloween Night? What went wrong
for you today? As the coaching staff?
Speaker 4 (14:21):
Do you feel like, I mean, never anything you could
do differently?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Good?
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Right? So they had a whole spill in him. So
from the outside and that it may be wrong, but
from outside it didn't look like you had your usual
energy tonight. Okay, do you feel like you should play
more more?
Speaker 1 (14:47):
What could have been done different get a different outcome other.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Than actional coaching staff?
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (14:51):
According to they don't. Probably don't play me, honestly, that's who.
Basically your message was dropped the strong that's cool. The
coach staff message was this cool, We're good. You didn't
have anything physically wrong to well, miss or anything. Okay,
I'm fine.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
This is going to go down as one of those
quotable moments in the NBA, you know, maybe not quite
as viral as Allen Iverson. You know, we're talking about practice,
but got the coaches staff, you know, and I was.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
I'm trying not to get fined by Marshawn Lynch that.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Yeah, I mean, that's that's for basketball sake. I think
I was asked on serious six M NBA radio over
the weekend with our guy Joel Brown or Rick Mahorn,
you know, like, all right, you know, are the Memphis
Cruises and John Moran at a at a breaking point?
And I think, you know, reactionary. Yesterday I was like, well,
just you know, the proverbial weathers soulters fire. There's been
a lot of things here that have not gone or
(15:50):
gone right in the last few years. Since we were
all jumping on the Grizzlies band. I can say, hey,
they're gonna be the next young team. Okay, see has
since come and lapped them, you know, an NBA champion,
you know, in that time while they continued to struggle
with injuries off the court, issues front office, if he
issues new coaching like just so many things have gone
(16:11):
left for the Memphis Grizzlies, and now John Moran with
his little blow up with the with the coaching staff here.
I'm not sure that it will not blow over and
that the Grizzlies won't be able to just kind of
get past this as a speed bump. But I think,
you know, this might be the final year if we
don't really see a forward movement for the Grizzlies and
(16:32):
John Moran as a as a combined you know, front
and moving in unity together. If they Grizzlies flame out again,
I can very much see Grizzies entertaining something here and
hopefully nothing else flares up. But this was a really
really interesting situation for him to handle it, and a
guy who's been questioned about his overall professionalism, he didn't
(16:52):
have effort in that in that game versus because I
think the Amazon team was very critical appropriately, so like
look where he was lagging, where he wasn't giving any effort,
just watching other guys not participating in the huddle, and
that's more or less like he was pouting because he
had whatever disagreement with the coaching staff. Again, he can
come back from this. He's an amazing talent, but it's
(17:15):
frustrating to see that Jaws and it's in the spotlight again.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, so he's an amazing talent. And what you know,
what I'm saying like it when I struggle with this
at times because at some point, this has nothing to
do with the money that the Memphis Grizzlies is giving you.
It's the responsibility. I think we just continually keep forgetting this.
(17:41):
I'm not saying you do seaw. I'm saying we as
those get in wrapped in the whole idea of sports
entertainment because the game is still the game, right, Like
we quote the wire all the time, the game is
still the game. You get what I'm saying. And the
problem that I have more than anything about what happened
with John Morant is you're dancing around making it seem
(18:07):
like they are putting a muzzle on your voice about
what it is that you don't agree with. And I'm
just like, why are you half stepping this? If you
fully believe that the organization wronged you, if you fully
believe that something's going on, I mean, doing what you're
doing there is a disservice not just to you, but
(18:29):
it's also a disservice to your teammates. You get what
I'm saying, Like, at some point, when you are the
man everything that comes with it. It's not selective that
you act in that kind of way and not think
that that's going to affect your team. I remember that
we had a conversation about whether or not him and
Jaron Jackson Jr. That relationship is going to run its
(18:54):
course because I've said numerous times I think Jaren Jackson
Junior needs to find another place to play.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
And my thing is, if you're John Morant and you're
that alpha, you know what I'm saying, and this is
what you're getting from your alpha.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Jaron Jackson Jr. Is a real quiet guy.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
The meaner and how he carries himself, quiet person, You're
not getting any kind of leadership. Then if you're the
Memphis Grizzlies, you know what I'm saying. And at some point,
if I'm Jared Jackson Junior, I gotta pull my man
to the side. I gotta be like, Yo, what are
you doing?
Speaker 2 (19:27):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
That's not helpful for any of us with you doing that.
Like if you have a problem. You need to come,
we can collectively go and talk or whatever. But this
is on job for what he's doing. You know what
I'm saying. I wasn't doing this to to to to
to to to single out Jaron. What I'm saying is
that you can see how this now is going to
have an effect all the way down from the from
(19:51):
the top person on the team down to the guy
who's not even getting those minutes. And that's just not good.
That's not good. I don't care, I don't care where
we are in this season. It's just not good. This
is going to carry itself like a cancer because of
how it's being handled. And of course the media has
an obligation to be like, all right, fine, if I'm
(20:13):
not gonna get an answer from him, I'm gonna get
an answer from one of these guys. See, now, you're putting
players in an awkward position to address this situation they
probably have nothing to do with. They're gonna have to
address it because it's about the team, right, the Grizzlies,
and why he's acting that way in some way, shape
or form.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
And that's the mister, the unfortunate part of this. And
you know what's crazy shaw.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
This team is three and three right now, They're essentially
a five hundred team right now. But this type of
stuff we won't talk about how this could actually be
a triggering mechanism to send this team on a downward spiral.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Your shrifting of triple J continues to amaze. I'd actually
look at a guy like casep as a veteran guy
who can maybe you know, try to get in jazzier
and just say, hey, bro, like, let's think about what
this means for the rest of us and how we're
gonna move forward. I will give hold on. I'll give
me one second. So from the Grizzlies line, Now, again,
it's a one game suspension, so it's not three games,
(21:12):
five games, ten games, or anything like that. It's one game.
So by the time this actually comes out, you know,
the Grizzies would have played the game, and then he'll
be back, presumably for the next one after that. This
is something to monitor. Again, it's not nothing, but I
do think the Grozies and John Morant can come back
from it. But it is, like I said, it continues
to be unfortunate situation.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
Again, I am not saying that I'm trying to give
stray to Jaron Jackson Junior. What I'm saying is is
that the dynamic of this team has always been where
we look at John Morant as being the alpha, right,
we have given opportunities to a guy like Jared Jackson jrew,
but that he's not built like that. So when Jared
Jackson Junior is having a crap game, who do you
(21:52):
think he's gonna look to in order for him to
get him back in his head space? You're gonna tell
me that that's gonna be which call it Jahn Morant.
Look at how he's handling situations. He would be the
last person that I'm gonna run to or I'm gonna
lean on and ask of to get me right, get
my guys right. Because whatever's going on with him, and
(22:12):
even say the head coach, it's all becoming manifested on
a him thing. There's so much internal I don't want
to make it sound like he's selfish, but I'm saying
his actions and his motives are coming off selfish. You
see what I'm saying, Because he could have had that
issue and said, you know what, take me out of
the game. And if the coach takes him out of
the game, then the coach has to explain why he's
not playing. But him going out there on the basketball
(22:34):
court and half assing and not putting any kind of
effort is affecting the whole team. And if you're the coach,
you still gotta leave him out there because he's your
number one player.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
But look at what that could affect effect effectively do
to other guys.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Now, other guys have to take on a leadership role
to address situations that ultimately is supposed to be on
John Morant to address. But he's not. He's not mature
enough to handle that or whatever going on with him.
He's not gonna be in a position to handle it properly.
And so I think that, to me is the unfortunate part,
because you want your guys all playing at a high
(23:09):
level at whatever capacity they're contributing to the team. Now,
everybody's got to jump outside of a space to do
that because the one person is going through whatever he's
going through that's impacting the whole circumstance in this situation.
It's just unfortunate because we've come to this point so
many times with him. You know what I'm saying, If
he's just gonna go out and ball. Then go out
(23:30):
and ball, and to your point, the kcps, you know
what I'm saying, other guys gotta basically step in and
fill in in a leadership role in space and come
to the coach and say, look, man, he can't be
on the he can't be on the court right now.
If this is what we're gonna put up with, this,
we're gonna deal with you know what I'm saying, like
somebody else is gonna have to do that because it's
taking other guys out of their space to be who
(23:51):
they need to be for the Memphis Grizzlies to be successful.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
It's monitor the situation. And you know, I'm wishing joh
well that's sickly all are and tired of talking about it,
you know, from a negative standpoint, and just want to
see him oop. I think rises you get healthy and
be all they can really, Maybe you know what.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Y'all, Maybe what this is, maybe this is a quote
unquote coming to Jesus moment about what the expectations need
to be for the guys that are on that roster.
We want those guys to hoop, then somebody else has
to fill in those those voids and gaps of what
makes a team successful even if they're not quote unquote
the star player.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
It's not questioning that, you know, the guys are are
you know, like little babies or anything like that. But again,
it highlights a point that we've talked about numerous times
about guys, you know, because of how they're being compensated,
we just assume that they are supposed to take on
certain responsibilities and roles within the dynamic of a team
that equates to that level of success.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
And that's not what it is.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
And you know, again it's unfortunate because it's putting other
people in tenable positions and maybe they weren't expected to
have to now get ushered into because of it.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Fair Enough, your tune to the.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
Baseline Cali Warrenshaw discussing the hot button topics of the
NBA coming up. Now it's time for us to get
into the impressed Me segment. Now, no more, we're not
talking about the stuff that doesn't impress this. Now we
talk about the stuff that will really impress this. So
you don't want to miss it here on the baseline,
(25:22):
we're back Cali Warrenshaw based on NBA podcast time to
do a little impress me, you know what I'm saying.
Some good stuff happening in the association, and we want
to basically make sure we take our time to give
flowers to that. So Shaw, give me a little something
to impress me.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Yeah. So, I mean, this is probably this story of
the league, I think, and from my lens, the team
that has been the most impressive and surprising I think
at the same time is the five and oh Chicago Bulls.
Five and oh as a record because they're in a
home and home with the New York Knicks, so you know,
maybe they'll have an l by the time this comes out.
(26:00):
But fifth in offensive rating sixth and defensive rating sixth,
and net rating. Right now, are the Bulls uh super efficient?
Sharing the basketball? Josh Giddy is actually looking like you're
gonna outperform the twenty five million a year that he
was had to basically have to wait to get towards
the free agency. And they're doing all this without Kobe White.
(26:21):
Kobe White hasn't even played a game yet and we're
not quite sure when he'll return, you know, to the lineup.
So shout out to Giddy. Vusovich, is you know off
to a like almost like a resurgent start here at
thirty five years old, but consistently given that double double
and nice playmaking at that center position, Iyodasumo has been
really great coming off the bench for them. Busilla's has
been the demion that I thought he was going to
(26:41):
be in the second year. Herder has been shooting the
basketball great. Trey Jones not not the other not tyas Jones.
Trey Jones is playing great basketball as well. It's it's
a good situation for Bill Donovan and the Chicago Bulls.
So they are my impressed me team so far in
the first two weeks of the NBA season.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Listen as the bull impress you, so so do the
Philadelphia seventy six Ers. Bro And I know in a
moment we'll talk about the rookie class and how they
are impressive. But I think I'm just overall impressed with
the Sixers. Like you know, if you really think about it,
this Sixers team is showing that they're going to figure
(27:20):
out a way to be competitive and to stay in it,
and I think hopefully by doing that, it'll calm down
a little bit of the noise that's going on obviously
since over the last couple of seasons, and I also
think that it should put Joel Embiid in a better
headspace about how he can help contribute to this basketball team.
(27:40):
It's interesting, though, the last couple of years we've talked
about how the road to the Sixers eventually getting a
championship is through Joel Embiid. But if you look at
the way that this roster is constructed, and I've said Tyron,
you know Tyrese Maxi and and what you know, when
he's fully healthy and he is basically over the place
(28:00):
like he is right now, guys get to eat. And
we're seeing that even with the rookie vj Edgecomb, who
I feel like is a mini Maxi right now. And
if you got that tandem operating at a high optimal level, that.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Takes so much burden off of Joel Embiid.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
It takes so much off of the intent of us
having to believe that Joel Embiid has got to be
perfect and one hundred percent and everything like that. Joel
and Bid can be a big He can actually play
his natural position properly. He can play it without putting
so much stress that he has to shoulder the burden
because he has a talented team that he can truly
work with and he doesn't have to put it on him.
(28:37):
And I think that may actually be the best thing
for the Philadelphia seventy six ers instead of hoping and
praying for him to be at one hundred percent. So
if Nick Nurse is now working with this kind of
team where he can basically plug guys in very similar
to what he did when he had the Toronto Raptors
and got them their first championship, that is a dangerous
team to watch for in the Eastern Conference. And we
weren't expecting that because again a lot of it was
(28:58):
levied on Joel and b and his health status and
what he can give you. But if the rest of
this team can stay healthy, and I haven't even talked
about Jared McCain and his ability to come back when
he does come back, like, this team is gonna actually
be a deep, competitive basketball team. And I like that,
and they need this early kind of start for us
to build in that level of confidence in their ability
to hang with whoever's out there in the East. I'm
(29:20):
just really impressed by the Philadelphia seventy six Ers thus far.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Yeah, I like that call. I mean, I could get
into a whole dissertation onto why I think it is
or is not sustainable. But they've had a easier schedule
to start the season as well. But you know, Maxie
averaging thirty five a game, leading the league in scoring,
but also playing forty three minutes a night. That's where
I'm starting to get a little bit dubious about the
sustainability of this. And then hopefully the reserves McCain and
(29:46):
obviously Paul George can kind of come back and give
them some reserve help and give them that depth to
the right.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
If you're gonna, yeah, if you're gonna have Maxi playing
those minutes, make it count, right, Like, get those dubs
if you're gonna maxim out on those minutes. But I
agree with you they obviously it's got to be tailored back.
But again, I think Nick Nurse, you know, he sees
what opportunities can be had if they can continue to
get wins like this for right now.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Yeah, So I'm gonna go into what was supposed to
be an open and shutcase. Cow. It was supposed to be, Hey,
Cooper flag Rookie of the Year, Get him out of here,
like nobody's got a chance, Like it's it's a done deal. Well,
we said it was his to lose, right, And as
you just alluded to, you know, be Can started with
Vjhcomb on the floot of his seventy six ers, averaging
(30:33):
over twenty a game, five rebounds, five assists, what like?
What what? What? Right?
Speaker 3 (30:40):
And he and he has to share the ball with
Tyrese Maxi and Joel emb And that was exactly the
reason why we were like, no, there's there's not a
whole lot of opportunity here, you know what I'm saying
for him to thrive like this.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
But yeah, and I think if you were to extrapolate
that there such a coward and Memphis, you know, off
to a nice start. He's playing coming off the bench,
but as you know, getting points in the teams on
the Harper playing really great for the also you know,
five and zero or undefeated Spurs. As we record this
show as well, too, Cooper Flak hasn't been bad, you know,
I think he just miscast in the role that he's in,
(31:18):
trying to be point guard, and it's got a lot
of you know, going pains that he's gonna have to
go through that. Trey Johnson as well, Conkaer Nipple, Jeremiah
Fears even in New Orleans playing really good basketball, and
I don't know if he's assumed the starting role over
Jordan Poole for good, but has started the last couple
of games. The publicans are also struggling, So maybe with
the Green Company, are gonna lead into that, you know too,
that youth movement a little bit, uh, Ryan Calprenner, kych Renner,
(31:41):
rather excuse me in Charlotte starting center now, like people
are hooping and we haven't even seen anything really from
makes Billy who's dealing with the knee injury and the
sickness that he's coming off of. So hasn't only gotten
his motor going in Utah. But this rookie class is
really good. Kind of cross the board and Cooper flag these.
I don't think it's he to look at his back.
He needs to look in front of him right now.
(32:02):
He's got it. He's gonna be playing catch up here,
I think when it comes to j Edgecomb and the
Rookie of the Year race man. But this is great
for the league, all these young players coming here making
an impact so far, so far, so I love it.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
The depth is is is just it's amazing right now.
And we're not even talking about guys coming to be
role players. We're talking about guys who are actually coming
in and having such an impact that they could actually
be taking starting positions very easily. Like you know, it's
so difficult to these days in order to win over
you know, some of these these coaching staffs, or for
(32:33):
the coaches to have confidence to put guys in because
you know they they're they're trying to protect them or
you fear that some of these guys are going to
hit the rookie wall. And I think maybe for this season,
I'm just saying this season. I don't know if it'll
be for next year or moving forward, but I do
think that there there is a better understanding of how
coaches need to allow these guys to you know, rise
(32:55):
and fall through the course of an NBA season and
not out of you know, happenstances or because you're trying
to protect the other player or whatever. It's literally because
you see the potential of what they can contribute for
your team, and you gotta buy you gotta believe in
the fact that, yeah, they may not give it to
you every single night. But if they're giving it to you,
(33:16):
it's there, and you just got to figure out a
way to unlock it and allow them to find their
level of consistency to give it to you.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
When you keep.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
Pulling them in, yanking them in, pulling them out, throwing
them out, you know what I'm saying, Like doing all
of that, that's not gonna help, and especially for the
team collectively, you know, like you want that guy to contribute.
So I am very much impressed that when these rookies
have been given the number, like when they when their
number has been called, they've stepped up and they've contributed,
and they've contributed in a big way. And you know,
(33:46):
look will eat our words. Obviously, if Cooper Flag is
not gonna wind up being a rookie, there's still a
whole lot of season left to be played, a lot
of opportunity. I will say this Shaw because this may
not get spoken to because we look at the numbers, right,
but the fact that Cooper Flag is willing and is
you know, showing a level of versatility to be that
(34:09):
person right now for the Dallas Mavericks should be something
that could be credited to him. Not a detriment to
him in that sense, right, because he's not in a
position to go out and score that basketball when he
knows that other players are gonna have to you know,
eat you know first, not first in the sense that
you know he's not going to be aggressive and take
(34:30):
his shots. But these other guys, man, they got to
be given an opportunity to be put in a position
to do that, and he's got to look for that first.
And so to show that level of versatility, you know, listen,
if it puts the Mavericks in a position where they're hanging,
especially in a very tough Western Conference, you know, I
credit him more to that because that's a sacrifice play.
Most guys are go out there and I'm thinking about
(34:50):
trying to get their numbers, and you know, obviously there's
incentives of them winning, you know, Rookie of the Year
and things of that nature. But I think about what
Cooper Flag has always shown us, even when when he
played at Duke. He is a team first kind of player,
and he's willing to put certain things to the side
if it's to put the Mavericks in the best position
possible to win it. Just so happens that the guys
(35:11):
that he's dealing with in this class, they're going out
there hungry, looking to eat and put those numbers up,
and it just so happens that by doing that, it
has put their teams in the best position to win,
which was something that we weren't expecting because of how
those teams were structured.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Yeah, we're not here denigrating Cooper at all, and you know,
we understand the time that he has. And one good
thing potentially is that if Kyrie is maybe a little
bit closer to returning than originally anticipated, that could definitely
play to Cooper's overall statistical improvement and maybe even some
of his efficiency not having so much of the ball
creating and ball handling duties that he has currently right
(35:50):
now playing the point guard. I Kyrie is able to
come back, even though Kyrie scores the ball a lot,
He's gonna do a lot of them bringing up the
court and can set up Cooper flag got a lot
of races as well too, allow Cooper to be more
natural I think, you know, coming off off the wing
as well too. But great, great, great for the NBA
and as rookie class has been as impressive as it
has been in the first weeks in the NBA season.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Absolutely all right, seaw So, you know, a couple of
other news and notes that we wanted to highlight that's
impressed us. I know that you wanted to speak specifically
to an individual player, but there was two teams I
also wanted to throw up there because you know.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
We were we were a little we were a little.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Down on one of these teams. Uh, I know I
was because it was just hard for me to see
how they're going to be able to be as successful
in a way because the dynamic of the team is
certainly not the same as it was the last couple
of years. And that's you know, it's the Milwaukee Bucks.
I have to say that I am. I am thoroughly
impressed by what Doc Rivers has been able to do
(36:45):
with the early outset. Again, it's early, but I don't
know if it's it's it's it's a resurgence of you know,
seeing what Giannis continually does. But it's a reflection of
how this team together is really rallied or round the
level of Gianni's play and they're going out there, they're
they're playing good defense, you know, despite not having the
(37:08):
brook Lopezes and the same roster that they've had the
last couple of years. They're going out there playing good defense.
You know, they're scoring a basketball relatively well. I like
to start from the Milwaukee Bucks. It's a good start,
you know, to begin with. And if this is how
they're going to be, you know, to the course of
the regular season, they will thoroughly be in the mix
to be considered a dangerous scene of people are gonna
(37:29):
have to watch out for in the Eastern Conference. Yeah,
I mean, Giannis is always going to be in the
running for MVP. We knew he was going to have
this super high usage, going back to the point forward
mentality that he had back when Jason Kidd was there,
averaging thirty four games. I think he's second in the
league in scoring, thirteen rebounds, seven dimes and you know,
shooting to three sparingly. But on when he is shooting it,
(37:50):
he's hitting it, so it starts and ends with him.
They do suffer when he's out on the floor, but
they do have a signature win already against the Warriors
when he didn't play in the one game that he
did miss this year, So you know, Doc Rivers seems
to have this team kind of rock and rolling. They
still have Kevin Porter Junior to kind of come back
from his injury. It looks like it might he might
be a little bit further away than originally anticipated. Ryan
Robbins has really stepped up here, you know, in his
(38:11):
third year, to man that point guard position and give
them some creation and give them some efficiency out there
at the guard. Yeah, there's a lot to like about
this Bucks team, but it still starts and stops with
the honest and you know, he's his minutes got to
be where they're at. I think Doc's doing a good
job of keeping him in, you know, in the thirty
three to thirty five range.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
He came to playing tyres MAXI minutes. But the Bucks
need the overall depth and that roster to continue to play.
Kal Kuzm had a really nice game the other night
in a loss, unfortunately, but if he can get back
to his former form, then this Bucks team can really
be vulnerable. As you allude into. And again, I wouldn't
want to see, Yanna said, any play off matchup, no
matter where they land in the East of Conference.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely. Final final impressed me. Show I think
you were alluding to the play of a one holiday.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
Yeah, so, I mean the Pulling Drope Blazers are a
team that some people like are seem to be caught
flat footed by. I was a little still like, I'm
not really sure what they're gonna do this year, you know,
wasn't know if it was like a little bit of
fools gold towards the latter part of last year then
the whole John C. Blop sing and all of that.
But I say all that to say is that they
play good basketball, and a lot of that is because
(39:18):
Hrew Holliday has returned to form. He's been pretty much
a high level, an over over overqualified role player, fourth
man to fifth man wherever you want to call him
on the Boston Celtics for the last couple of years,
and he just kind of feel like, oh he can
he can still do this. He can still score nearly
twenty a night. Oh he can still give you eight
to nine assist you know, while playing good defense. He's
(39:38):
not the stopper that he once was, but he's not
a you know, he's not a matator oute there either.
So eighteen nine and five to start the year for
a Blazers team that is really bought in and just
doing all the right things. And I think with his
leadership championship level experience at that, it's nice to see
him producing at this high up a level because I
thought he's going to go back out be twelve five
(40:00):
and three, you know what I mean, like nothing, nothing
to be to laugh at, per se, But I didn't
think he was going to produce at this level. And
they still have Scoot Henderson to come back as well too.
Don't know if that will impact his overall numbers, but
shout out to Holiday, the consummate professional. That guy can
be on my team anytime.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
Yeah, absolutely, man, I felt like he probably still had
that in him to your point that as far as
from a scoring perspective, you know, he can literally kind
of give you that that the the nine was it?
Nine rebounds, five assists. The nine rebounds is a little
high for me for him, but he's always been a
set rebounder.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
By the way. Around nine dimes, I mean, yeah, nine dimes,
five rebounds.
Speaker 3 (40:39):
Sorry, oh, nine dimes five rebounds, Okay, to nine dimes,
I'm thoroughly impressed with. I don't know, like there's there's
only been like what there maybe has been like maybe one.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
Or two seasons.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Maybe he is almost as high like right now. I
think it's a career high in his assists because he's
always been primarily you know, a score or two score,
you know what I'm saying, in the pecking order. But
he's always been a solid rebounder, and obviously his calling
card has been his ability to play defense. And to
your point, though, I think what has always been good
about Jew Holiday is with his size and his ability
(41:14):
to relatively you know, stay healthy. He has managed to
be a consummate, go to kind of guy and then
when the time calls for it, he comes in and
he hits clutch shots. You know, he gives you you
know what I'm saying, He makes a key penetration, dribble drive, penetration, penetration,
you know, and gives his teams opportunities and chances, you know,
(41:35):
to win games, where as other guards may be young
or just not good enough, don't make that kind of
play that Jew Holiday always made. And to me, it's
refreshing to see that the Portland Trailblazers is an organization
the coaching staff are giving him those chances where he
can go and do those things. You know, it's not
about just saying you got to pass it to the
(41:56):
Scoot Henderson's of the world. It's if I'm doing it,
let him do it, you know what I'm saying. Let
your boy cook. You know what I'm saying. He knows
the recipe, he'd been known to recipe. Let him cook.
And it's their responsibility, those young guys and everything like that,
to know how to cook that and cook it better
than him, because until he can't do it any longer,
(42:17):
that's what you got. And if it's giving you success,
let you know, let's let's see the guys succeed. Let's
see the team succeed through it from it, you know
what I'm saying. I really love the fact that Portland
is embracing that giving him his chance, and Drew Holliday
doesn't disappoint man. He's been one of our favorite players
since day one, essentially, and I'm just glad that he's
being given that opportunity for him to go out there
(42:39):
and show the Portland Trailblazers team and the organization what
a winner wants to do, what a winner commits to,
in order for those guys to see what success looks
like with them.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
Yeah, and it's some turmoil to be in the air.
So again contumment pro just a good dude and not
I want to say this, you know, I gotta I
gotta eat my words a little bit. I want to
shout out to you Remy Grant as well. You know
on that Trailblazers team playing a six man role, averaging
twenty one a game off the bench right now, and
you know, really cooking those second units. And you know,
(43:10):
he guy, he could be a guy, you know, thirty
one years old, could be pouting about not being the
starting lineup but letting the Kamorrows of the world and
obvious with the world is starting ahead of him. And
he's still getting twenty eight minutes a night and really
doing great job off that bench. Like things, the bobs
are good, important right now, hopefully able to continue with it.
But shout out to both through Holliday and Jeremy Grant
as well too.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
Absolutely, man, great show all together.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
Man. You know, we were impressed by some things, and
there's some things that we obviously were you know, not
impressed by.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
Yeah, next season, next week, we'll do the depress me.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
Deepress me, you know, I just hope thing let me
let me. Let me end this by saying, I hope
things turn around and get better, you know, for the
Memphis Grizzlies. I I I want the Memphis Grizzlies to
thrive and I want them to succeed. But I also
don't want an organization to suffer because we get infatuated
(44:09):
and we get enchanted with you know, circumstances and situations
that have never been good for the team concept of
the game, you know what I mean. And so I'm
hoping that the parties involved recognize that. As our girl
Klali will say, but your pride to the side and
(44:30):
handle this stuff that needs to be handled, because if
it doesn't get handled, things can go wrong very very quickly,
and players are going to be compromised. And I would
hate to see that because again, we've seen some really
talented play from this Memphis Grizzly scene the last couple
of years, and I would hate to see them not
be relevant, especially in this upcoming NBA season, for reasons
(44:51):
that are just have nothing to do with the game
of basketball itself, have more to do with the mentality.
The mentality and how people handle situations and things of
how they play the game that that kill it.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
So that's just me and I'll just say, if you
want to go Kilani, I'll match you. And hopefully they
don't tell him to come pick up his clothes.
Speaker 3 (45:09):
They haven't hold it, hold it, go hand it, go
hand on that lone anyway, great show altogether, man, you
know where to find this man. As always, it's great
chopping it up with my brother man for the baseline
Golly Warren Show.
Speaker 1 (45:27):
We appreciate you guys, you know we do. And we'll
catch up with you and stop
What's good. Everybody is your boy Cal, game Face Lee.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And it's me Warrenshaw and we are officially live on
millions y'all.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
That's right, The Baseline NBA podcast is officially live. Just
go to millions dot co and go to our profile
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Speaker 2 (00:23):
And if you're looking to book with us, collaborate us,
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Speaker 3 (00:30):
Absolutely so be sure to go to millions dot COO
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Your boy Cal gave Face Lee and my man Warren
Shaw hit us up on millions.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Don't miss out.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
This is the baseline discussing the hot button topics of
the NBA. Welcome everybody or two to the Baseline Cali
warn't y'all discussing the hot button topics of the NBA.
We are reaped up, ready to go week to NBA
at on full tilt.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
The NBA Cup has started.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Waste any time, all of the level of competitiveness, just
basically just using out.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
You know, for the association, it is always a good time.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
I do want to pivot very quickly, Shaw, because again
you and I are a lover of sports, and I
gotta say, man, this is about as good.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
It's like Christmas early for us.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Bro, when NBA is popping off, NFL's popping off, and
MLB is popping off. We grew up playing baseball. I'd
got to find out. I gotta know, Bro, what were
your thoughts about that Game seven Blue Jays Dodgers?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Bro?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
I was, man, what a what a world series? What
a way for us to be able to appreciate the
game of baseball, and for it to go Game seven?
It was left out all until I you know, I
just felt like, damn, it's great to love sports all
over again.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
But yeah, extra innings come back in the ninth to
send it to extra innings by the Dodgers, to get
for them to repeat. Uh yeah, I mean again, as
a sports fan, you just kind of have to love that.
As I always say, the two great greatest words in
sports game seven and the Blue Jays and Dodgers absolutely delivered.
Those are two teams that I actually kind of like.
I know, the Mets are beloved. I honestly, that's just
what it is, but I've kind of always liked the
(02:21):
Blue Jays and always kind of like the Dodgers got
a secondary and third teams, but just teams and organizations
that I kind of respect.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
You gotta. Of course I love Blue as well too,
but of course you gotta.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
You know, it's it's like a love hate relationship because
La took our team from us. We should have always
been you know what I'm saying, but Brooklyn Dodgers. It
should have always been that way, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
But I get it.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
We have to we have to settle for the New
York Giants, and we have to settle for the New
York Mets, and I'm okay with that. But it's hard
to love them cats because they prevented us from winning
the world world say two World Series, you know what
I'm saying, in the eighties, So you.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Know I can't stand them for that.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
But I can't yes last year, so you know, you
know what I'm.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Saying, Like every time I want to, I want to
embrace them and hug them. I want to strangle them.
But listen, what a job by Dave robertson those guys.
I know I don't want to get too long winning
on it. But again, I think the whole point was is, man,
it's just great to see when sports at that high
level of competitiveness is on full display. And for people
(03:33):
who probably don't watch baseball, it was a heck of
a time for you to be able to kind of
witness great baseball being played, especially by that Toronto Blue Jays.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I was I was rooting for Vladi Junior bro. You
know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
The Guerrero family deserves one, Bro. They deserve one, and
so does the Bischette family. So yeah, it sucks.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Man.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I hope that they you know, I hope that that
core team stays together and we get to see those guys,
you know, compete for it again next year. Anyway, we
got a great show on tap. We're gonna pivot right
back to the NBA. Got some good stuff to discuss,
and then we got our coveted impressed me seg Man.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
This is where you.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Know, within one or two weeks of the NBA season,
we kind of look at things and say, damn, I'm
kind of impressed by what I'm seeing right now, and
and listen to the NBA is good for that man,
we don't talk about a guy or a team because
they come out of nowhere and they suddenly have basically
put us on notice, put everything on pause for us
to give and and you know, basically give flowers to
(04:32):
what's going on to our oppress me segment. I can't
wait for us to kind of get into that as always, man,
be sure to get my man shaw at d Warren Shaw,
get at me a gay face lead. The show's to
an NBA based on available on all the major platforms.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
You know where to find us.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Go to www dot the based on NBA dot com
to only check this episode out, but also all of
the episodes that we've got our cave in the dungeon.
And then if you see us on the YouTube channel,
you're catching us on the YouTube channel like to say
hello to you and yours. And if you see the
blue and white logo on the lower left hand corner,
that means we are with the nineteen Media Group family.
Nineteen Media Group be running these content streets, so be
(05:05):
sure to go to www dot Nineteenmediagroup dot com to
not only check us, but also the family of great
content creators that are a part of the nineteen Media
group family. So we get into the news and notes
that are going to happen in the association. But but but,
but but first we got to make sure that we
let you know and we've spread the message because this
(05:26):
message is sponsored by Raycon. And when it comes to Raycon,
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to get twenty percent off. Coming up, Shawn, I go
(06:29):
over the news and note tapping in the association.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Don't miss it here on the baseline.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Time now to go over the news and note tappening
in the association. And obviously the big topic of conversation
is Trey Young for the Atlanta Hawks.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
He is going to be out.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
For four weeks with a sprain MCL, which is clearly
a bummer because the Alanta Hawks came out the gate.
You know what I'm saying hot basically just you know,
putting teams on notice. So losing your core player, your
your franchise player, your marquee player. You know, not to
say that the Hawks are not talented Shaw, but obviously
(07:17):
it is a blow and Snyder and the crew are going.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
To have to adjust.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
But it's better that it happens, I guess, on the
earlier side of the season than it does somewhere the
midway point or around trade deadline time, or maybe even
on the back end. You know what I'm saying, just
because of what Trey Young means to the Atlanta Hawks team.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I think with all the roster construction that they did
over the course of the summer, making those improvements, the
one thing they didn't really address was truly the back
cup point guard situation. So you know, I don't know
if you're a bit creachy type of guy, but I
don't think most people are. And I don't think he's
gonna be getting the minutes there. So Nikkel got to
keep it.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Not if you got to not every time you cringe,
if you got to pronounce the last name like that.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Sure, sure that's how it's pronounced. But you know, from
the but Nikol Alexander Walker will probably assume the point
guard spot in terms of the minutes that we played
on a regular basis. They think they can still get
play creation obviously from Jalen Johnson. You know what that
small forward power forwards slot and now can do a
(08:17):
little bit of play creation. But this is going to be,
I think a true test for what the Hawks will
be able to do without Tree Young in the short term.
But will other guys like Dyson Daniels and others really
now Rehoulchay obviously and porzingis they'll have more touches, but
can they be put in the position to be successful
without Trey Young, who is one of the elite playmakers
(08:37):
in our game. Something to watch here over the next
couple of weeks, and it's four weeks then in the
evaluation and then even if he's ready to go in
terms of like ready to come back, this will probably
a little bit of a ramp up period. So you know,
probably a good five weeks maybe even towards the end
of the year before we see Trey Young back at
full full strength. Yere for this anal Hawks team and
in the East, maybe you have a little bit more
(08:58):
time innocence because it's not as strong Hawks three and
three as a record, so they have an opportunity to
still be impactful in the Eastern Conference even with this
four or five weekend jury from Tree Young. But a bummer, right,
because you want to continue to build chemistry, especially with
all the new guys on this roster, and Quinn Sneindner
is gonna have a little bit of a job ahead
of him.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Yeah, I mean, listen, it's a it's a it's a
big blow.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
But again, you know, if we if we break the
teams down, you know, to you know where they are
not just within the division, but where they are within
the conference. You know, they're they're they're in a decent space.
They're they're they're afforded that opportunity for them to use
this time period of really you know, to grow because
(09:42):
I think Shaw like one of the things I think
that was really interesting about what happened with the Hawks
last year is they had something of like a kind
of coming out party with some of the young players,
right with Dyson, Daniels, with Johnson and those guys. And
I don't know whether or not there still has been
enough time for that chemistry to really build, but I
(10:05):
think what is definitely going to be the bigger question
in tow will be who is that next guy? Right
who truly should be that next guy? And these are
those chances and opportunities where you know, guys can step
in and really make a name for themselves, really kind
of forge themselves, you know, to supplant and give Snyder
(10:28):
a lot more wiggle room, a lot more flexibility. And
then I think the other thing as well too, is
it also if a team shows that they could be
successful even without their best player, you know, Obviously the
whole idea is to win with your best player, but
even without your best player, you are actually helping to
buy time for that guy to come back at one
hundred percent or maybe higher than the rush. You know,
(10:50):
job of bringing a guy back because he wants to
come back, but he's not fully healed from that injury,
and then you know, you essentially could set him back,
and you can set the team back by doing so.
So this is a great opportunity, right like the Inhalian
Hawks by all accounts to your point, Shaw have made
the type of moves to be a deep team. Obviously
not completely addressing the point guard position, for say, but
(11:12):
I think again everyone has an opportunity where they can
help chip in to a level where they can compete
and by being successful maybe winning some games and a
lot of people don't expect them to win because you
know Trey Young is out. They do that, they're also
helping Trey Young in his ability to kind of properly
heal and be ready for the much longer haul that
the Hawks are going to need because they're still going
(11:34):
to be a competiti team. I still think they're going
to be in the mix no matter how you slice
it so that to me, I think is where you
know it could actually play well for a team like
the Hawks, because I think a lot of this is
based on how Snyder is able to get get these
guys to come out and play collectively better than just
only depending on their star player.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Yeah, without looking at their actual schedule and the strength
of that schedule, I would agree with pretty much everything
you said there. You know, it's the Eastern Conference, presumably
should be able to keep their heads above water even
if they stay at the five hundred market, which they
are right now. I think that's good, and then they
have an opportunity to make a run in the latter part,
you know, second half of the season, if you will. So,
(12:13):
you know, Wishtra Young well and hope he gets back soon,
but it'll give some guys against some opportunity used to
score or playmake and just really even build some chemistry
even without for Young on the roster for the time being.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Absolutely your tunes to the baseline, Cali weren't show discussing
the hot button topics of the NBA, all right, and
then the other news or notes so to speak, or
the other you know thing that was happening so far
this week in the NBA is related to John Moran.
And I mean, it can't be remiss that, you know,
we have to kind of, I guess address the elephant
(12:46):
in the room. So if people have been paying attention,
the Memphis Grizzly suspended John Morant one game for conduct
detrimental to the team basically just stemmed from the recent
loss that the Memphis Grizzly suffered at the hands of
the Los Angeles Lakers, in which Jahn Morant basically scored
(13:07):
eight points and went three to fourteen on the field
but from the field. So but it wasn't the gameplay
that really kind of made this all go down. It's really,
you know, the things that he said, the comments that
he made after the game, and really it in the
in the you know, outside of the game, I think
(13:28):
it is during a timeout or whatever, there apparently was
a confrontation between him and coach timas La Salo. So
with that being said, Shaw and I know, you, you know,
you kind of want to help bring context to this.
You know, this obviously is not a good situation with
regards to John Morant, because yet again it's another incident
(13:50):
that really is not a reflection of the game of
John Morant, but more so his attitude, demeanor and the
way he's conducting and carrying himself as to how that
is reflected to the Memphis Grizzlies organization and and and
what it does to the organization itself and how they
have to deal with him because of how he handles it.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
All. Right, well, let's hear from John Moran. I think
you hear it up nicely. So let's hear John Moran.
After that Lakers lost on Halloween Night? What went wrong
for you today? As the coaching staff?
Speaker 4 (14:21):
Do you feel like, I mean, never anything you could
do differently?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Good?
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Right? So they had a whole spill in him. So
from the outside and that it may be wrong, but
from outside it didn't look like you had your usual
energy tonight. Okay, do you feel like you should play
more more?
Speaker 1 (14:47):
What could have been done different get a different outcome other.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Than actional coaching staff?
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (14:51):
According to they don't. Probably don't play me, honestly, that's who.
Basically your message was dropped the strong that's cool. The
coach staff message was this cool, We're good. You didn't
have anything physically wrong to well, miss or anything. Okay,
I'm fine.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
This is going to go down as one of those
quotable moments in the NBA, you know, maybe not quite
as viral as Allen Iverson. You know, we're talking about practice,
but got the coaches staff, you know, and I was.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
I'm trying not to get fined by Marshawn Lynch that.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Yeah, I mean, that's that's for basketball sake. I think
I was asked on serious six M NBA radio over
the weekend with our guy Joel Brown or Rick Mahorn,
you know, like, all right, you know, are the Memphis
Cruises and John Moran at a at a breaking point?
And I think, you know, reactionary. Yesterday I was like, well,
just you know, the proverbial weathers soulters fire. There's been
a lot of things here that have not gone or
(15:50):
gone right in the last few years. Since we were
all jumping on the Grizzlies band. I can say, hey,
they're gonna be the next young team. Okay, see has
since come and lapped them, you know, an NBA champion,
you know, in that time while they continued to struggle
with injuries off the court, issues front office, if he
issues new coaching like just so many things have gone
(16:11):
left for the Memphis Grizzlies, and now John Moran with
his little blow up with the with the coaching staff here.
I'm not sure that it will not blow over and
that the Grizzlies won't be able to just kind of
get past this as a speed bump. But I think,
you know, this might be the final year if we
don't really see a forward movement for the Grizzlies and
(16:32):
John Moran as a as a combined you know, front
and moving in unity together. If they Grizzlies flame out again,
I can very much see Grizzies entertaining something here and
hopefully nothing else flares up. But this was a really
really interesting situation for him to handle it, and a
guy who's been questioned about his overall professionalism, he didn't
(16:52):
have effort in that in that game versus because I
think the Amazon team was very critical appropriately, so like
look where he was lagging, where he wasn't giving any effort,
just watching other guys not participating in the huddle, and
that's more or less like he was pouting because he
had whatever disagreement with the coaching staff. Again, he can
come back from this. He's an amazing talent, but it's
(17:15):
frustrating to see that Jaws and it's in the spotlight again.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, so he's an amazing talent. And what you know,
what I'm saying like it when I struggle with this
at times because at some point, this has nothing to
do with the money that the Memphis Grizzlies is giving you.
It's the responsibility. I think we just continually keep forgetting this.
(17:41):
I'm not saying you do seaw. I'm saying we as
those get in wrapped in the whole idea of sports
entertainment because the game is still the game, right, Like
we quote the wire all the time, the game is
still the game. You get what I'm saying. And the
problem that I have more than anything about what happened
with John Morant is you're dancing around making it seem
(18:07):
like they are putting a muzzle on your voice about
what it is that you don't agree with. And I'm
just like, why are you half stepping this? If you
fully believe that the organization wronged you, if you fully
believe that something's going on, I mean, doing what you're
doing there is a disservice not just to you, but
(18:29):
it's also a disservice to your teammates. You get what
I'm saying, Like, at some point, when you are the
man everything that comes with it. It's not selective that
you act in that kind of way and not think
that that's going to affect your team. I remember that
we had a conversation about whether or not him and
Jaron Jackson Jr. That relationship is going to run its
(18:54):
course because I've said numerous times I think Jaren Jackson
Junior needs to find another place to play.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
And my thing is, if you're John Morant and you're
that alpha, you know what I'm saying, and this is
what you're getting from your alpha.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Jaron Jackson Jr. Is a real quiet guy.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
The meaner and how he carries himself, quiet person, You're
not getting any kind of leadership. Then if you're the
Memphis Grizzlies, you know what I'm saying. And at some point,
if I'm Jared Jackson Junior, I gotta pull my man
to the side. I gotta be like, Yo, what are
you doing?
Speaker 2 (19:27):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
That's not helpful for any of us with you doing that.
Like if you have a problem. You need to come,
we can collectively go and talk or whatever. But this
is on job for what he's doing. You know what
I'm saying. I wasn't doing this to to to to
to to to single out Jaron. What I'm saying is
that you can see how this now is going to
have an effect all the way down from the from
(19:51):
the top person on the team down to the guy
who's not even getting those minutes. And that's just not good.
That's not good. I don't care, I don't care where
we are in this season. It's just not good. This
is going to carry itself like a cancer because of
how it's being handled. And of course the media has
an obligation to be like, all right, fine, if I'm
(20:13):
not gonna get an answer from him, I'm gonna get
an answer from one of these guys. See, now, you're putting
players in an awkward position to address this situation they
probably have nothing to do with. They're gonna have to
address it because it's about the team, right, the Grizzlies,
and why he's acting that way in some way, shape
or form.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
And that's the mister, the unfortunate part of this. And
you know what's crazy shaw.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
This team is three and three right now, They're essentially
a five hundred team right now. But this type of
stuff we won't talk about how this could actually be
a triggering mechanism to send this team on a downward spiral.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Your shrifting of triple J continues to amaze. I'd actually
look at a guy like casep as a veteran guy
who can maybe you know, try to get in jazzier
and just say, hey, bro, like, let's think about what
this means for the rest of us and how we're
gonna move forward. I will give hold on. I'll give
me one second. So from the Grizzlies line, Now, again,
it's a one game suspension, so it's not three games,
(21:12):
five games, ten games, or anything like that. It's one game.
So by the time this actually comes out, you know,
the Grizzies would have played the game, and then he'll
be back, presumably for the next one after that. This
is something to monitor. Again, it's not nothing, but I
do think the Grozies and John Morant can come back
from it. But it is, like I said, it continues
to be unfortunate situation.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
Again, I am not saying that I'm trying to give
stray to Jaron Jackson Junior. What I'm saying is is
that the dynamic of this team has always been where
we look at John Morant as being the alpha, right,
we have given opportunities to a guy like Jared Jackson jrew,
but that he's not built like that. So when Jared
Jackson Junior is having a crap game, who do you
(21:52):
think he's gonna look to in order for him to
get him back in his head space? You're gonna tell
me that that's gonna be which call it Jahn Morant.
Look at how he's handling situations. He would be the
last person that I'm gonna run to or I'm gonna
lean on and ask of to get me right, get
my guys right. Because whatever's going on with him, and
(22:12):
even say the head coach, it's all becoming manifested on
a him thing. There's so much internal I don't want
to make it sound like he's selfish, but I'm saying
his actions and his motives are coming off selfish. You
see what I'm saying, Because he could have had that
issue and said, you know what, take me out of
the game. And if the coach takes him out of
the game, then the coach has to explain why he's
not playing. But him going out there on the basketball
(22:34):
court and half assing and not putting any kind of
effort is affecting the whole team. And if you're the coach,
you still gotta leave him out there because he's your
number one player.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
But look at what that could affect effect effectively do
to other guys.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Now, other guys have to take on a leadership role
to address situations that ultimately is supposed to be on
John Morant to address. But he's not. He's not mature
enough to handle that or whatever going on with him.
He's not gonna be in a position to handle it properly.
And so I think that, to me is the unfortunate part,
because you want your guys all playing at a high
(23:09):
level at whatever capacity they're contributing to the team. Now,
everybody's got to jump outside of a space to do
that because the one person is going through whatever he's
going through that's impacting the whole circumstance in this situation.
It's just unfortunate because we've come to this point so
many times with him. You know what I'm saying, If
he's just gonna go out and ball. Then go out
(23:30):
and ball, and to your point, the kcps, you know
what I'm saying, other guys gotta basically step in and
fill in in a leadership role in space and come
to the coach and say, look, man, he can't be
on the he can't be on the court right now.
If this is what we're gonna put up with, this,
we're gonna deal with you know what I'm saying, like
somebody else is gonna have to do that because it's
taking other guys out of their space to be who
(23:51):
they need to be for the Memphis Grizzlies to be successful.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
It's monitor the situation. And you know, I'm wishing joh
well that's sickly all are and tired of talking about it,
you know, from a negative standpoint, and just want to
see him oop. I think rises you get healthy and
be all they can really, Maybe you know what.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Y'all, Maybe what this is, maybe this is a quote
unquote coming to Jesus moment about what the expectations need
to be for the guys that are on that roster.
We want those guys to hoop, then somebody else has
to fill in those those voids and gaps of what
makes a team successful even if they're not quote unquote
the star player.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
It's not questioning that, you know, the guys are are
you know, like little babies or anything like that. But again,
it highlights a point that we've talked about numerous times
about guys, you know, because of how they're being compensated,
we just assume that they are supposed to take on
certain responsibilities and roles within the dynamic of a team
that equates to that level of success.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
And that's not what it is.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
And you know, again it's unfortunate because it's putting other
people in tenable positions and maybe they weren't expected to
have to now get ushered into because of it.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Fair Enough, your tune to the.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
Baseline Cali Warrenshaw discussing the hot button topics of the
NBA coming up. Now it's time for us to get
into the impressed Me segment. Now, no more, we're not
talking about the stuff that doesn't impress this. Now we
talk about the stuff that will really impress this. So
you don't want to miss it here on the baseline,
(25:22):
we're back Cali Warrenshaw based on NBA podcast time to
do a little impress me, you know what I'm saying.
Some good stuff happening in the association, and we want
to basically make sure we take our time to give
flowers to that. So Shaw, give me a little something
to impress me.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Yeah. So, I mean, this is probably this story of
the league, I think, and from my lens, the team
that has been the most impressive and surprising I think
at the same time is the five and oh Chicago Bulls.
Five and oh as a record because they're in a
home and home with the New York Knicks, so you know,
maybe they'll have an l by the time this comes out.
(26:00):
But fifth in offensive rating sixth and defensive rating sixth,
and net rating. Right now, are the Bulls uh super efficient?
Sharing the basketball? Josh Giddy is actually looking like you're
gonna outperform the twenty five million a year that he
was had to basically have to wait to get towards
the free agency. And they're doing all this without Kobe White.
(26:21):
Kobe White hasn't even played a game yet and we're
not quite sure when he'll return, you know, to the lineup.
So shout out to Giddy. Vusovich, is you know off
to a like almost like a resurgent start here at
thirty five years old, but consistently given that double double
and nice playmaking at that center position, Iyodasumo has been
really great coming off the bench for them. Busilla's has
been the demion that I thought he was going to
(26:41):
be in the second year. Herder has been shooting the
basketball great. Trey Jones not not the other not tyas Jones.
Trey Jones is playing great basketball as well. It's it's
a good situation for Bill Donovan and the Chicago Bulls.
So they are my impressed me team so far in
the first two weeks of the NBA season.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Listen as the bull impress you, so so do the
Philadelphia seventy six Ers. Bro And I know in a
moment we'll talk about the rookie class and how they
are impressive. But I think I'm just overall impressed with
the Sixers. Like you know, if you really think about it,
this Sixers team is showing that they're going to figure
(27:20):
out a way to be competitive and to stay in it,
and I think hopefully by doing that, it'll calm down
a little bit of the noise that's going on obviously
since over the last couple of seasons, and I also
think that it should put Joel Embiid in a better
headspace about how he can help contribute to this basketball team.
(27:40):
It's interesting, though, the last couple of years we've talked
about how the road to the Sixers eventually getting a
championship is through Joel Embiid. But if you look at
the way that this roster is constructed, and I've said Tyron,
you know Tyrese Maxi and and what you know, when
he's fully healthy and he is basically over the place
(28:00):
like he is right now, guys get to eat. And
we're seeing that even with the rookie vj Edgecomb, who
I feel like is a mini Maxi right now. And
if you got that tandem operating at a high optimal level, that.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Takes so much burden off of Joel Embiid.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
It takes so much off of the intent of us
having to believe that Joel Embiid has got to be
perfect and one hundred percent and everything like that. Joel
and Bid can be a big He can actually play
his natural position properly. He can play it without putting
so much stress that he has to shoulder the burden
because he has a talented team that he can truly
work with and he doesn't have to put it on him.
(28:37):
And I think that may actually be the best thing
for the Philadelphia seventy six ers instead of hoping and
praying for him to be at one hundred percent. So
if Nick Nurse is now working with this kind of
team where he can basically plug guys in very similar
to what he did when he had the Toronto Raptors
and got them their first championship, that is a dangerous
team to watch for in the Eastern Conference. And we
weren't expecting that because again a lot of it was
(28:58):
levied on Joel and b and his health status and
what he can give you. But if the rest of
this team can stay healthy, and I haven't even talked
about Jared McCain and his ability to come back when
he does come back, like, this team is gonna actually
be a deep, competitive basketball team. And I like that,
and they need this early kind of start for us
to build in that level of confidence in their ability
to hang with whoever's out there in the East. I'm
(29:20):
just really impressed by the Philadelphia seventy six Ers thus far.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Yeah, I like that call. I mean, I could get
into a whole dissertation onto why I think it is
or is not sustainable. But they've had a easier schedule
to start the season as well. But you know, Maxie
averaging thirty five a game, leading the league in scoring,
but also playing forty three minutes a night. That's where
I'm starting to get a little bit dubious about the
sustainability of this. And then hopefully the reserves McCain and
(29:46):
obviously Paul George can kind of come back and give
them some reserve help and give them that depth to
the right.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
If you're gonna, yeah, if you're gonna have Maxi playing
those minutes, make it count, right, Like, get those dubs
if you're gonna maxim out on those minutes. But I
agree with you they obviously it's got to be tailored back.
But again, I think Nick Nurse, you know, he sees
what opportunities can be had if they can continue to
get wins like this for right now.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Yeah, So I'm gonna go into what was supposed to
be an open and shutcase. Cow. It was supposed to be, Hey,
Cooper flag Rookie of the Year, Get him out of here,
like nobody's got a chance, Like it's it's a done deal. Well,
we said it was his to lose, right, And as
you just alluded to, you know, be Can started with
Vjhcomb on the floot of his seventy six ers, averaging
(30:33):
over twenty a game, five rebounds, five assists, what like?
What what? What? Right?
Speaker 3 (30:40):
And he and he has to share the ball with
Tyrese Maxi and Joel emb And that was exactly the
reason why we were like, no, there's there's not a
whole lot of opportunity here, you know what I'm saying
for him to thrive like this.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
But yeah, and I think if you were to extrapolate
that there such a coward and Memphis, you know, off
to a nice start. He's playing coming off the bench,
but as you know, getting points in the teams on
the Harper playing really great for the also you know,
five and zero or undefeated Spurs. As we record this
show as well, too, Cooper Flak hasn't been bad, you know,
I think he just miscast in the role that he's in,
(31:18):
trying to be point guard, and it's got a lot
of you know, going pains that he's gonna have to
go through that. Trey Johnson as well, Conkaer Nipple, Jeremiah
Fears even in New Orleans playing really good basketball, and
I don't know if he's assumed the starting role over
Jordan Poole for good, but has started the last couple
of games. The publicans are also struggling, So maybe with
the Green Company, are gonna lead into that, you know too,
that youth movement a little bit, uh, Ryan Calprenner, kych Renner,
(31:41):
rather excuse me in Charlotte starting center now, like people
are hooping and we haven't even seen anything really from
makes Billy who's dealing with the knee injury and the
sickness that he's coming off of. So hasn't only gotten
his motor going in Utah. But this rookie class is
really good. Kind of cross the board and Cooper flag these.
I don't think it's he to look at his back.
He needs to look in front of him right now.
(32:02):
He's got it. He's gonna be playing catch up here,
I think when it comes to j Edgecomb and the
Rookie of the Year race man. But this is great
for the league, all these young players coming here making
an impact so far, so far, so I love it.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
The depth is is is just it's amazing right now.
And we're not even talking about guys coming to be
role players. We're talking about guys who are actually coming
in and having such an impact that they could actually
be taking starting positions very easily. Like you know, it's
so difficult to these days in order to win over
you know, some of these these coaching staffs, or for
(32:33):
the coaches to have confidence to put guys in because
you know they they're they're trying to protect them or
you fear that some of these guys are going to
hit the rookie wall. And I think maybe for this season,
I'm just saying this season. I don't know if it'll
be for next year or moving forward, but I do
think that there there is a better understanding of how
coaches need to allow these guys to you know, rise
(32:55):
and fall through the course of an NBA season and
not out of you know, happenstances or because you're trying
to protect the other player or whatever. It's literally because
you see the potential of what they can contribute for
your team, and you gotta buy you gotta believe in
the fact that, yeah, they may not give it to
you every single night. But if they're giving it to you,
(33:16):
it's there, and you just got to figure out a
way to unlock it and allow them to find their
level of consistency to give it to you.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
When you keep.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
Pulling them in, yanking them in, pulling them out, throwing
them out, you know what I'm saying, Like doing all
of that, that's not gonna help, and especially for the
team collectively, you know, like you want that guy to contribute.
So I am very much impressed that when these rookies
have been given the number, like when they when their
number has been called, they've stepped up and they've contributed,
and they've contributed in a big way. And you know,
(33:46):
look will eat our words. Obviously, if Cooper Flag is
not gonna wind up being a rookie, there's still a
whole lot of season left to be played, a lot
of opportunity. I will say this Shaw because this may
not get spoken to because we look at the numbers, right,
but the fact that Cooper Flag is willing and is
you know, showing a level of versatility to be that
(34:09):
person right now for the Dallas Mavericks should be something
that could be credited to him. Not a detriment to
him in that sense, right, because he's not in a
position to go out and score that basketball when he
knows that other players are gonna have to you know,
eat you know first, not first in the sense that
you know he's not going to be aggressive and take
(34:30):
his shots. But these other guys, man, they got to
be given an opportunity to be put in a position
to do that, and he's got to look for that first.
And so to show that level of versatility, you know, listen,
if it puts the Mavericks in a position where they're hanging,
especially in a very tough Western Conference, you know, I
credit him more to that because that's a sacrifice play.
Most guys are go out there and I'm thinking about
(34:50):
trying to get their numbers, and you know, obviously there's
incentives of them winning, you know, Rookie of the Year
and things of that nature. But I think about what
Cooper Flag has always shown us, even when when he
played at Duke. He is a team first kind of player,
and he's willing to put certain things to the side
if it's to put the Mavericks in the best position
possible to win it. Just so happens that the guys
(35:11):
that he's dealing with in this class, they're going out
there hungry, looking to eat and put those numbers up,
and it just so happens that by doing that, it
has put their teams in the best position to win,
which was something that we weren't expecting because of how
those teams were structured.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Yeah, we're not here denigrating Cooper at all, and you know,
we understand the time that he has. And one good
thing potentially is that if Kyrie is maybe a little
bit closer to returning than originally anticipated, that could definitely
play to Cooper's overall statistical improvement and maybe even some
of his efficiency not having so much of the ball
creating and ball handling duties that he has currently right
(35:50):
now playing the point guard. I Kyrie is able to
come back, even though Kyrie scores the ball a lot,
He's gonna do a lot of them bringing up the
court and can set up Cooper flag got a lot
of races as well too, allow Cooper to be more
natural I think, you know, coming off off the wing
as well too. But great, great, great for the NBA
and as rookie class has been as impressive as it
has been in the first weeks in the NBA season.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Absolutely all right, seaw So, you know, a couple of
other news and notes that we wanted to highlight that's
impressed us. I know that you wanted to speak specifically
to an individual player, but there was two teams I
also wanted to throw up there because you know.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
We were we were a little we were a little.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Down on one of these teams. Uh, I know I
was because it was just hard for me to see
how they're going to be able to be as successful
in a way because the dynamic of the team is
certainly not the same as it was the last couple
of years. And that's you know, it's the Milwaukee Bucks.
I have to say that I am. I am thoroughly
impressed by what Doc Rivers has been able to do
(36:45):
with the early outset. Again, it's early, but I don't
know if it's it's it's it's a resurgence of you know,
seeing what Giannis continually does. But it's a reflection of
how this team together is really rallied or round the
level of Gianni's play and they're going out there, they're
they're playing good defense, you know, despite not having the
(37:08):
brook Lopezes and the same roster that they've had the
last couple of years. They're going out there playing good defense.
You know, they're scoring a basketball relatively well. I like
to start from the Milwaukee Bucks. It's a good start,
you know, to begin with. And if this is how
they're going to be, you know, to the course of
the regular season, they will thoroughly be in the mix
to be considered a dangerous scene of people are gonna
(37:29):
have to watch out for in the Eastern Conference. Yeah,
I mean, Giannis is always going to be in the
running for MVP. We knew he was going to have
this super high usage, going back to the point forward
mentality that he had back when Jason Kidd was there,
averaging thirty four games. I think he's second in the
league in scoring, thirteen rebounds, seven dimes and you know,
shooting to three sparingly. But on when he is shooting it,
(37:50):
he's hitting it, so it starts and ends with him.
They do suffer when he's out on the floor, but
they do have a signature win already against the Warriors
when he didn't play in the one game that he
did miss this year, So you know, Doc Rivers seems
to have this team kind of rock and rolling. They
still have Kevin Porter Junior to kind of come back
from his injury. It looks like it might he might
be a little bit further away than originally anticipated. Ryan
Robbins has really stepped up here, you know, in his
(38:11):
third year, to man that point guard position and give
them some creation and give them some efficiency out there
at the guard. Yeah, there's a lot to like about
this Bucks team, but it still starts and stops with
the honest and you know, he's his minutes got to
be where they're at. I think Doc's doing a good
job of keeping him in, you know, in the thirty
three to thirty five range.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
He came to playing tyres MAXI minutes. But the Bucks
need the overall depth and that roster to continue to play.
Kal Kuzm had a really nice game the other night
in a loss, unfortunately, but if he can get back
to his former form, then this Bucks team can really
be vulnerable. As you allude into. And again, I wouldn't
want to see, Yanna said, any play off matchup, no
matter where they land in the East of Conference.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely. Final final impressed me. Show I think
you were alluding to the play of a one holiday.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
Yeah, so, I mean the Pulling Drope Blazers are a
team that some people like are seem to be caught
flat footed by. I was a little still like, I'm
not really sure what they're gonna do this year, you know,
wasn't know if it was like a little bit of
fools gold towards the latter part of last year then
the whole John C. Blop sing and all of that.
But I say all that to say is that they
play good basketball, and a lot of that is because
(39:18):
Hrew Holliday has returned to form. He's been pretty much
a high level, an over over overqualified role player, fourth
man to fifth man wherever you want to call him
on the Boston Celtics for the last couple of years,
and he just kind of feel like, oh he can
he can still do this. He can still score nearly
twenty a night. Oh he can still give you eight
to nine assist you know, while playing good defense. He's
(39:38):
not the stopper that he once was, but he's not
a you know, he's not a matator oute there either.
So eighteen nine and five to start the year for
a Blazers team that is really bought in and just
doing all the right things. And I think with his
leadership championship level experience at that, it's nice to see
him producing at this high up a level because I
thought he's going to go back out be twelve five
(40:00):
and three, you know what I mean, like nothing, nothing
to be to laugh at, per se, But I didn't
think he was going to produce at this level. And
they still have Scoot Henderson to come back as well too.
Don't know if that will impact his overall numbers, but
shout out to Holiday, the consummate professional. That guy can
be on my team anytime.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
Yeah, absolutely, man, I felt like he probably still had
that in him to your point that as far as
from a scoring perspective, you know, he can literally kind
of give you that that the the nine was it?
Nine rebounds, five assists. The nine rebounds is a little
high for me for him, but he's always been a
set rebounder.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
By the way. Around nine dimes, I mean, yeah, nine dimes,
five rebounds.
Speaker 3 (40:39):
Sorry, oh, nine dimes five rebounds, Okay, to nine dimes,
I'm thoroughly impressed with. I don't know, like there's there's
only been like what there maybe has been like maybe one.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
Or two seasons.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Maybe he is almost as high like right now. I
think it's a career high in his assists because he's
always been primarily you know, a score or two score,
you know what I'm saying, in the pecking order. But
he's always been a solid rebounder, and obviously his calling
card has been his ability to play defense. And to
your point, though, I think what has always been good
about Jew Holiday is with his size and his ability
(41:14):
to relatively you know, stay healthy. He has managed to
be a consummate, go to kind of guy and then
when the time calls for it, he comes in and
he hits clutch shots. You know, he gives you you
know what I'm saying, He makes a key penetration, dribble drive, penetration, penetration,
you know, and gives his teams opportunities and chances, you know,
(41:35):
to win games, where as other guards may be young
or just not good enough, don't make that kind of
play that Jew Holiday always made. And to me, it's
refreshing to see that the Portland Trailblazers is an organization
the coaching staff are giving him those chances where he
can go and do those things. You know, it's not
about just saying you got to pass it to the
(41:56):
Scoot Henderson's of the world. It's if I'm doing it,
let him do it, you know what I'm saying. Let
your boy cook. You know what I'm saying. He knows
the recipe, he'd been known to recipe. Let him cook.
And it's their responsibility, those young guys and everything like that,
to know how to cook that and cook it better
than him, because until he can't do it any longer,
(42:17):
that's what you got. And if it's giving you success,
let you know, let's let's see the guys succeed. Let's
see the team succeed through it from it, you know
what I'm saying. I really love the fact that Portland
is embracing that giving him his chance, and Drew Holliday
doesn't disappoint man. He's been one of our favorite players
since day one, essentially, and I'm just glad that he's
being given that opportunity for him to go out there
(42:39):
and show the Portland Trailblazers team and the organization what
a winner wants to do, what a winner commits to,
in order for those guys to see what success looks
like with them.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
Yeah, and it's some turmoil to be in the air.
So again contumment pro just a good dude and not
I want to say this, you know, I gotta I
gotta eat my words a little bit. I want to
shout out to you Remy Grant as well. You know
on that Trailblazers team playing a six man role, averaging
twenty one a game off the bench right now, and
you know, really cooking those second units. And you know,
(43:10):
he guy, he could be a guy, you know, thirty
one years old, could be pouting about not being the
starting lineup but letting the Kamorrows of the world and
obvious with the world is starting ahead of him. And
he's still getting twenty eight minutes a night and really
doing great job off that bench. Like things, the bobs
are good, important right now, hopefully able to continue with it.
But shout out to both through Holliday and Jeremy Grant
as well too.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
Absolutely, man, great show all together.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
Man. You know, we were impressed by some things, and
there's some things that we obviously were you know, not
impressed by.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
Yeah, next season, next week, we'll do the depress me.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
Deepress me, you know, I just hope thing let me
let me. Let me end this by saying, I hope
things turn around and get better, you know, for the
Memphis Grizzlies. I I I want the Memphis Grizzlies to
thrive and I want them to succeed. But I also
don't want an organization to suffer because we get infatuated
(44:09):
and we get enchanted with you know, circumstances and situations
that have never been good for the team concept of
the game, you know what I mean. And so I'm
hoping that the parties involved recognize that. As our girl
Klali will say, but your pride to the side and
(44:30):
handle this stuff that needs to be handled, because if
it doesn't get handled, things can go wrong very very quickly,
and players are going to be compromised. And I would
hate to see that because again, we've seen some really
talented play from this Memphis Grizzly scene the last couple
of years, and I would hate to see them not
be relevant, especially in this upcoming NBA season, for reasons
(44:51):
that are just have nothing to do with the game
of basketball itself, have more to do with the mentality.
The mentality and how people handle situations and things of
how they play the game that that kill it.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
So that's just me and I'll just say, if you
want to go Kilani, I'll match you. And hopefully they
don't tell him to come pick up his clothes.
Speaker 3 (45:09):
They haven't hold it, hold it, go hand it, go
hand on that lone anyway, great show altogether, man, you
know where to find this man. As always, it's great
chopping it up with my brother man for the baseline
Golly Warren Show.
Speaker 1 (45:27):
We appreciate you guys, you know we do. And we'll
catch up with you and stop
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