And now the low-post- Welcome to the Low Post Podcast Live from an undisclosed location in Los Angeles, California Where all my life, all my life is an East Coast resident, all my life, 20 years living in the greatest city in the world New York City, New York, now I'm a loser suburban dad so I don't live there anymore But I live close, in all my life, my dream was to live and work in an NBA world Where both the Knicks and the Nets were good, competent would have been fine for a long time Great, seemed too far off of a dream, too far off, good And oh my god, after so much drama, after me learning about a lot of historical stuff that I didn't really want or need to learn about Are we there? It can't be happening, just can't be happening, Sarah Kusak from the Yes Network Wearing a hat that for anyone else in this world will get you banned right the hell off this podcast Oh, Zach, I'm sorry! In my enthusiasm and excitement for all that's happening in New York I don't own a Mets hat because I obviously work for the Yankees Entertainment Sports Network But I find that this certainly was not a slight at you And how honored I am to be on the Low Post As I tell all the... Now I'm friends, I'm friends with children now Because my daughter has children friends and some of them have older sibling friends And I've watched now the process of these children picking their baseball teams Some pick their parents baseball teams, some pick the Yankees, some pick them up I tell them, look, you should be proud of your own choices, should own your own choices You should just know that you can choose good or you can choose evil And you, young Yankee fan, have chosen evil So just get used to it, Sarah Kusak, how are you?
It's so nice to see you and your plants in the background They're looking really good, the plants, I don't have... I just purchased them today because you told me we're on YouTube now So as you know, in previous Low Post appearances, my background didn't look like this This is just for you, Z, just for you You should have been a joke that you will not get, you should have gotten two ferns and sat between two ferns Google that later and you will find something Sarah Kusak, the Brooklyn Nets are 11 and 2 in their last 13 games They've won 6 games in a row, they are fourth in the East That's not a ranking, like offense, right, defense, right? They're just fourth, they're fourth in the East They are for the season, seventh in offense, sixth in defense and tied Exactly what a bit of serendipity with the New York Knicks with a plus 1.8 per 100 possessions net rating And I think the headline is over their last 11 and 2 stretch, their 13th in defense 20th in defensive rebounding, which doesn't sound like much, but when you're coming from below last That's a big big deal, they're getting healthy Ben Simmons is not quite Ben Simmons-y as he was a few weeks ago when he was rolling and then had to sit out with with knee issues, but he's back, Joe Harris is back, Seth Curry's back, Patty Mills will be back soon, TJ Warren's back You talk once in Aby, people are going to laugh at I bring him up this early in the podcast Miss 9 games, he's a big deal, you know what, Utah shooting from corner on corner 3, sir Kusak, I bet you do I don't but it's got to be over 60% 71% Look at that, you have all the numbers for me, I just know that it I had a cross country flight today with all else to do and I'm punchy because we sat on the tarmac for a long time So I'm going to swear 70% over 70% 71% and look, I wrote a 10 things item on Utah Years ago when he was in Toronto about his closeouts his technique closing out to shooters on defense And there was some snickering on the internet I remember from Raptors fans who loved who loved wantonabe but were like whoa That's a deep cut like Zach is highlighting Utah's closeouts And I remember saying like this dude is a jump shot away from being a good NBA rotation player Because he does everything else pretty damn well now he's a good NBA rotation player Syracuse doctor schedule has been easy This was clearly Brooklyn's time to get fat Okay, Toronto without Van Vliet and Siakam Portland without Lillard or Lando without any functional guards They'll hornets without LeMello ball Atlanta without Murray and Collins but Ben Simmons, bunch of games all those other guys Next four games Warriors Bucks, Cabs Hawks Please just tell me please that it's not all gonna come crashing down Please tell me that the vibes are good, everything's good, it's gonna stay good No one's gonna tweet, the Instagram accounts have been disabled Can we just move on and be a basketball team? See I can't see into the future but I can tell you vibes are high And I obviously am around the team call the games I think oftentimes when I have a positive outlook on things It's on the basis of well of course you're gonna feel that way These guys are having fun.
They're playing for each other You went through you hit a lot of the highlights when you talked about the differences in how they're playing defensively That starts with a level of communication buy-in and engagement The rebounding factor has been huge in their improvement again to do the numbers look great No, but that jump has made a major difference And that's been a collective effort of this group Jack Thon I cannot say enough great things about you want to talk about someone who brings that juice and guys drink the Kool-Aid because he not only has a Infectious energy He has a organized game plan The entire coaching staff it starts with JV his in-game adjustments how locked and he is how locked and he is with the communication with all players But you watch him and Kevin you watch him and Kyrie Um, it is it is something that has been fun to see And add in the fact that Kevin Durant is playing at an MVP level Him and Kyrie Irving are both they got a one-two punch of those two playing at the same time together same games Um, which I think we hadn't always seen when they were on the floor together Kd 30 points six and a half rebounds five and a half assists 56.5 percent from the floor it shocks me when he misses it shocks me when he misses That's a joke 57 on these kind of shots We don't that's the I could go on forever about this and I won't because I know we have a lot to get to The efficiency of which he's shooting when he is seeing double teams different coverages every different what he is doing In terms of making shots that he's got guys draped on him and also it's the facilitation It's got you will talk about Utah and you does a guy who kind of jokes He's like well, of course I'm getting wide open looks because look at who I'm playing around Uh, but the the balance of guys not forcing things the the less We we talk so much with with both Kevin and Kyrie because they can do it but about the isolation basketball Is been so much less of that it's been quickness of decision-making It's been getting everyone involved the touches the energy the ball feels so to answer your original question Yeah, are these teams that they maybe could should have beaten a nice little stretch in the schedule But you're still playing the things that are in front of you and it's less and it's less about to me in watching them It's less about the record. It's less about the wins. It's more about how they're doing at the style of play They figured out an identity and that's where I think there's carryover. Well the the rebounding stuff I mean you just watch the games and you see it.
They've committed to gang rebounding everyone is crashing back They've sacrificed fast-breaking for gang rebounding and it's it's working for them Durant is by the way 63 on twos. That's a joke Um, those are mid-range looks like his numbers are things that you would think is a center kitchen labs His defense is he's all the way balled in our defense deflections shot blocks last night Afternoon last night they played the Pistons market Marvin Bagley tried to post him up and I started laughing on dribble number one Like Marvin Bagley man, what do you think is gonna happen here? It's not gonna be good for you. Okay, do you just strip them and off?
They went the other way Offensively you meant you mentioned the two stars and Um, that's just I mean this is a jump shooting machine. That's how this team is built They don't get to the line. They turn the ball over quite a bit. They don't get offensive rebounds Their shot distribution is heavy on mid-range shots.
They just have makers They have makers and they have makers and those two guys who don't need like pristine spacing They don't need everything around them to be perfect to make shots like that And and I think one of the things that's interesting about jock fawn's tenure is he's gone back to We have to see what we have with simmons and klaxon on the floor together We have to because klaxon is playing at a borderline all defense level He's getting enough shot creation like out of the pick and roll and his fake dribble handoffs and all the quirky stuff He does to make you think okay, neither of these guys can shoot free throws By the way Ben Simmons has 18 free throws the entire season He's o of two in the last six games combined zero free throws in six games Um, but if we have those two super duper stars a third guy who can shoot We gotta get something out of those minutes. It can't just be something where we separate them for the entire game They've been starting together and slowly but surely that for some of kd kairee simmons and klaxon has now eked over The positive plus minus line after starting way underneath it, which means in this 11 and 2 stretch It's been it's been a major positive and you look at that starting five of kd kairee simmons klaxon roiso and yo It's a big lineup It's not big in the middle at the traditional big positions But roiso kneels the two guard in that lineup and they're switching everything They're scrambling kairee out of the bad match-ups on the back ends of those switches And then when they downsize and they play one of simmons or or klaxon with warren and wanthonabe and the rotation They have more options where they can play those lineups without going so teeny teeny teeny with like two of patty and seth and and um and kairee You all along you could see the blurry outlines of what this team was supposed to be And it was just a matter of like can we just see the team well to their credit we've finally seen the team It's not as good as boston. It's not as good as me walkie Those teams are amazing despite boston's offense going in the toilet in the last 10 games But it's it's pretty it's pretty freaking good And it's right where I thought it would be at the beginning of the season when I had them in that second tier of eastern conference playoff teams I thought philly would be ahead of them, but this is about what where I thought they would be and then it all went Hey, why are I and I thought honestly like I thought it was over I thought it was over It might still be over kairee is still gonna be a free agent after the season. We have learned It's charlie brown with the football we've learned over and over again that we're one tweet away from disaster But to their credit, this is now I asked for 20 games I went on tv and I had a whole rant that I know made people in the organization mad I said give me 20 games of competent basketball.
We're almost there Yeah, I mean I would give you 16 and so you got a couple more left But I think you hit on a lot of things in terms of the lineups One I think you see a variance in the opportunity for figuring out how you want to play and when you you talk about klaxon Being on the floor with binsimins and there's obviously different areas that the nets have tried to mitigate some of the weaknesses But even like to the point of kairee defensively he competes He's been that's where I go back to the energy or the buying you talk about them scrambling on back or how they switched double switch What they've been doing but the way in which everyone's figured out and there's definitely moments There's moments of a lot of breakdowns. I mean you could point you talking about the subtricling there's But the understanding of what needs to happen and I think for those reasons That's why there's optimism of if you have a collection of depth and there is depth and guys are healthy Then you can figure out what you need in terms of different scenarios or who you're playing against who you're matching up against I think that's part of even some of the stretches of what markeef Morris has come in and done Or you have certain you know in terms of size joe Harris started hit shots again and using it And then there's been times that you know You mentioned patty mills like patty mills was has been out of the rotation for a good stretch But you have pieces of players that you can go about figuring out what you need when and I think that's part of the work in progress here for these guys And is everything 10 you is though like you look at the steam and I know you pointed that and obviously there's more reasons and more Background collected to understand that maybe it is but as of right now how they're playing and how they're playing together and what it is that They're trying to accomplish. I think the closer they get to that the more they feel you mentioned I'm being fourth in in the east I think these are players who especially in a kevin in a kairil The more they taste winning the more they taste success the more they're figuring out how they can have fun playing together But still find success put up these type of numbers have these type of wins I just been some fun wins the game winner by kairi the way that they came back When no one was playing and one in indiana like those Was one of the most fun wins of the entire season for any team And I think it was just as fun watching the guys on the bench that we're not playing watch these players And that goes back harkens back to kevin d'ran talking about how he felt when he was hurt last season and during that stretch And the approach of it and he circled back, you know talking in the post game Just the pride he had for this group and how they played but I think there's just a different a different mindset currently And I think that's the the optimism that you can continue to build on that and build on that with pieces that can fit together and fit together in different ways the simmons piece to me It's been interesting because this this run began with ben simmons looking like ben simmons again for three or four games And then he went out with injury again, and he hasn't looked like ben simmons since he came back It's been just a few i think a few games now since he came back it's i've seen most of them He's looking okay Um, I'm interested in your take on this to me I think part of the reason why maybe his numbers are a little down defensively. He's bought in he's playing really well defense He's rebounding chasing guys around I feel like since jock vaughan took over The offense is simpler In that there is no one is going out of their way to solve the problem of like how do we use ben simmons?
Worship and simmons be how do we use them? It's like transition screen get out of the way You're not going to be as involved. It's like a lot of high pick and roll for kyrian kd A lot of two their two-man game together is happening more frequently the two stars Like they had a couple of sessions where klaxon set a ball screen for kyrian like half court the other night And it's like just just do that kind of stuff and I feel like for better or worse The simmons thing is less central like how do we incorporate this guy is kind of less central to what's going on? What what's right and wrong and what i've said i would agree with that where not necessarily disagree one you're right about klaxon You're right about the two-man game between kyrian kevin.
I think he'll continue to see more of that I think even with ben just the opportunity dribble hand off here there and then they'll run a couple actions and get him back in the dunker spot Like I think that's if he's bringing the ball up I think his greatest strength we've seen is being able to push the ball and push the tempo and I do think it just hasn't been to the same I don't know if efficiency is the right word level who did you know what's all about body It's all about getting back and getting healthy, but since he's returned and came back But he's got a burst and he looked different He had a different a different uptick tempo that he was able to get it to and I think you're starting to see that That's where he's at his best Offensively what I will say is don't put him in the mid post and he'll play with his back to the basket And it's been less about about him necessarily I mean he has the option obviously to pass out of that We've seen him take a lot of little hook shots a lot of short shots He's not been to your point getting to the line as much in a to me in a forceful way But he'll attack the basket. He looks more at ease being aggressive and assertive looking to score taking some shots And that's why I think it's become less of a factor. He's not gonna take mid-range looks But will he you know it takes some seven footers will he do his best to attack like those are the things I think you still see mixed in there And it's a balance of how much he chooses to do that and how much they choose to do that But it's not necessarily we're gonna run this set and run it for Ben But I think there's just a lot of actions like to me the offensive changes There's so many actions off the ball There's so many actions that are taking place that has shifted the defense and allowed them just to play it a quicker half court pace Yeah, when they when they play through the post whether it's Simmons and look I'm I'm not gonna lie I have no faith that any of those six foot flip shots are like ever going in But they've been going in a decent amount and when you when you get a switch with him and it's like killion hazy other night or some small point guard If he can back you down to the layup range Like he's going to score and teams are gonna send help and it's the same thing with the ramp when they get him on a switch Or when they get him against a mismatch, which is everybody basically they're playing they'll post him to pass out of the post They'll post him to draw help guys will cut and I've said this from the from the second they got hardened Kyrie Bought back into being an offball mover and offball cutter and there they are at their best when he engages that part of the game It's not central to his game But when it's appropriate he's been doing it and I have a couple clips lined up for a column item Maybe one day where he's cutting in you want an obby found him on one Durant found him on one That's when they're at their best and they've just look we all know this is gonna be a good offense and they're up to seventh Their fourth in the last 15 games. It's it's the defense that is gonna kind of define how far the steam can really go They've still foul the hell out of everybody they've been merely average in the stretch It's not like they've been great, but average that was always the road map was the road map when they had hardened was average defense and blow you out of the water Offense well, they're not gonna this offense.
I don't think it's gonna blow you out of the water But it's it's pretty damn good and you know defensively that I don't know how they're doing it But they're not allowing they're not allowing a ton of threes I guess the switching helps they limit dribble penetration But they're allowing a ton of shots at the rim switching a lot in letting guys playing teams get to the rim is sub optimal But they're cleaning up the mess and that's where clack they're leading the league like they're leading the league in blocks And there's been in so that's where I think it's hit or miss You know you have times where you have some some nice room protection And you have somewhere there's wide open looks and guys are just getting the basket with a whole lot more ease But I think that ability to protect the three-point line makes a difference and I also think though That's where they've been susceptible with giving up rebounds when you're switching that much when you're getting out of position When you have a lot of those long rebounds that can hurt you but that's where I think the buying guys getting back and that to me Will be the big test how much are you because even in stretches in the early part of the season they were pretty decent Defensively because you look Kevin Durant you got Nick Clackson Royce O'Neill When Simmons these are they're good they would get they would get the initial miss and then just not gonna rebound or not get in that Stuff where I think they've improved can you sustain that can you consistently get better that that to me will be the big questions But they with that being said that's why offensively to them getting some runouts them getting into early offense Not allowing teams just a setup in their half-court and figure out how they're trying to slow down Kevin How they're trying to get the ball out of his hands that type of stuff obviously has benefited them Yeah, and I don't I don't think there's any Magic fix for the rebounding other than everybody has to try really hard on every single possession because this team as is a small They're just small. Clackston is skinny the behemoth's with the league running to push him out of the way and Like the difference is when you're giving up a 35% offense of rebounding rate you can't win in the end You just can't it's volleyball for the other team It's too many second chances when you're at 28 or 29 You're just like a normal average to below average offense and rebounding team You can win those those six or seven chances or per game are the difference between winning and losing and that brings me to where we should go next Which is suddenly the conversation about this team needs to shift to are they gonna be buyers at the trade Deadline from like a month ago and I was not guilty of it because I still Was gonna happen but it was all who's gonna trade for Duran or the calls gonna come in for Duran blah blah now It's well. They have an extra pick from Philly. They have their own pick to trade in 28 or 29 They have a bunch of mid-sized contracts all of whom are linked to players who play real minutes on their team Whether it's Joe Harris or Seth Curry or Clackston or Roy so Neil is there's something they can do to To shore up their rebounded shore up their defense and everyone's gonna be obsessed with the center can they find a center?
I just we can go through the names But everybody gets excited about these like low cost or like buyout market centers And then they come in and they're like us down to Jordan. You can't play in playoffs No, it's like neurons. No well, we're not gonna play this guy in the playoffs I mean I have some names for you, but I just don't see an easy center trade for them I even thought about vujavish because they could get the salary up to get vujavish It would be two of their rotation guys mung out Probably a first round pick I mean if the Bulls think they're getting like this pick bonanza for Nick vujavish on an expiring deal I'm sorry to tell them it's not going to be a bonanza similar to what they said out But at first a couple of seconds a couple useful rotation guys Do you just sort of wash your hands a bit and say okay good? We you know that's the best we're gonna get and I'm like Where's your concert started cut you off?
But like in terms of bigs and you think about this in the need like I would think about a Defending Joellen B. Do you think about Boston the bigs the concern would be in getting bigs on the defensive end? And that like vujavish isn't gonna help like that's not that's not gonna help you so at least at least they'll help with the spacing Right at least he can shoot so you if you add if you're talking about adding like a yakka pertil or somebody like that Well, we already have Nick Claxon He can't shoot for those Benson's can't shoot for those right They're big guy who can't shoot I know he's only gonna play with one of we're shooting ourselves now into two of those guys have to be on the floor together at almost all times and You know that that's just not ideal So it's actually kind of hard to find somebody who's worth it and and all that and I do think to your point of And where you look at Claxon or you look at you look at Benson's or what we all think about is the closing lineups or what you need And that's where the free throws the inability or the struggles to make free throws. That's where comes in play You see some mixing and matching now with lineups, so I don't know I don't have an answer I know you have some names, but there's there's a point where it comes to how much is it going to move the needle?
And how much do you mess with I mean we'll see next couple weeks or next month But the consistency and the continuity of the way guys are playing or what they're doing or just the different added benefits That it brings on the offensive side because at some point too It what it what juncture do you say have teams match up? You got you got a player like Kevin Durant how Kyrie Irving has been playing it What juncture do you say have teams match up against against how you are playing TJ Warren has only played I should have these numbers But seven games so he's okay Yeah, but brings a little bit of size the Benson's component of him getting healthy again and he looked at different way before coming back But I think for him to just reactlating himself I mean so I think that's there's a lot of a lot of things to look at a lot of questions to have but I do think this is Absolutely a team that thinks that they can compete because I think they think as a holder just beginning to scratch the surface Yeah, I thought about I can't believe I'm saying these names and relations of Brooklyn That's I thought I thought about Christoph's words I guess because he can block shots and shoot threes But he makes 35 million dollars here. It's too many outgoing guys miles Turner I don't even know I've said for two months They may and it may be most likely now that they renegotiated and extended and he's not traded at all and after that I just we're just running out of guys and the center for the sake of getting a size He's a center for the sake of size size for the sake of size just doesn't it doesn't translate into the playoff rotation Like everyone thinks it will be I almost think they should sniff around so one of these bigger tweener forwards who can just give you a little more size Maybe is a little more proven than Warren coming off two years of injuries want to not be coming off very little experience really in almost No playoff experience, so I thought about the usual suspects here who's most you're who it both non-avitches, you know The old friend booked out whoever and they can get into that if they put pics on the table I'd rather go for that guy, but I think that's the conversation I was like these guys are these guys are gonna be buyers now and they should be Yeah, I agree with you and those names that you said and I think that's just a point of what you're willing to give up what you're willing to To sacrifice now and I do think though when you look at how the group has been playing that they will be in some capacity I don't know if that you know what the moves look like what the players look like You know where the trust is with some of the players that you have But I have no doubt that it's moving in that direction as opposed to you know necessarily thinking that this is something that is not gonna come together Not work out Yes, me the beginning of the podcast to you know to make a projection of if this is gonna continue and I Didn't even want a projection. So I just want even if it's just blind reassurance like like I'm a child There's no meters, you know, but I think just in that sense of we shouldn't make we should not make galactic or outer space analogies Anytime talking about the Brooklyn Nets, which is my fault I brought a meeting we just should think it was the last time we're gonna be talking me here in my in my Yankee set Anyway, I just wanted to be reassured.
That's all I know you can't project the future Nobody can really project the future if you could we'd all bet well we're not allowed to bet but still They're playing well and credit to him I mean talk about it would have been easy to let go of the rope the rope got lit on fire And was like cast aside down into the sea it was over like it looked and they they said fastly We're like all along if we just get our guys to play if we could just see what the team is we've got something here We don't know what it is, but it's something and they were right. They've got something I don't know what it is. I don't know how long it'll last but they've got something you that had for almost 20 games on Sarah who's stuck just a basketball team to talk about and analyze it's been probably kind of fun It more than fun not to mention I'll say again like overlooking what Kevin Durant has been doing is and I know There's a lot of players put up a lot of big numbers and special performances But to me like you cannot say enough about on a night-to-night basis How much he's been integral to how this team is collectively playing and Kyrie's been a part of it everyone We've been through all of it, but Kevin Durant is there has been a different level of of just enthusiasm and joy that I've seen him play with That has been so much fun to watch and I to me that's where it all begins with esteem and with their success And it started in the stretch when Kyrie was suspended and Simmons was out and it was like Katie and Edmund Sumner and all these guys He eventually were kind of like that for Utah ended up, you know Like getting moments and different players just getting moments and ticket advantage But that was all followed through the play of what Durant had been doing until he gave the regrettable interview And he was like well guys I'm not here playing with Edmund Sumner and you don't want to know you think we're gonna win that I mean The entire it didn't come off it was just not great. It was not great But they've overcome it the article yeah, they had a big win that night But but but I gave you the numbers he leads the league in minutes period full stop Kevin Durant is played more minutes than anyone Else in the NBA this season and you know about a month ago I sort of wondered aloud when I had Nick Friedella and like can you it was it was someone else but doesn't matter I Was reckoning with as we start thinking about MVP more seriously You know we talked about when the Nets traded for harden and for 25 30 games harden played his way into the MVP conversation I remember saying I just don't think I can vote for a guy who lit his previous franchise on fire Visibly did not try for the first 12 games of the season and then got himself traded and I began reckoning with the Durant thing You know he was the source of much organizational drama even though he was not the cause of it even though the drama had been swirling Around him and he was the one durable mostly constant for this team the one guy who just showed up every day and played and So you couldn't blame him for being discontented But then his discontent was like fire on top of fire on top of a fire and he took requested a trade and rescinded it And then he asked for the coach in the jam to get fired and I reckon with like can you do that and then win MVP?
And I didn't know the answer just raised the question and and now that we're into the guts of the season And you feel the length of the season and the difficulty of navigating 82 games The more he plays like this the less that other stuff matters to me And he's just a normal MVP candidate again in the baggage gets thrown out to see and it's all good I'm ready to I'm if he just plays like this I'm ready to just erase that from the MVP and it was pre it was offseason It wasn't in season like the harden stuff that I mentioned I mean you just cannot he's majestic every single night. It's it's a piece of NBA Majesty happening That's a perfect way to put it off season feels like 100 years ago the factory didn't bring this up so much has happened I forgot that even occurred But I do think there's I do think when you're sparsing out and the MVP conversation is something that you know There's probably a lot of gray and figuring things out But when you sparse out the reasons why when you sparse out how it all kind of matriculated what it started as what it turned into But what the season has looked like what he has looked like since step and foot in a training camp And from then on like to me that's a part of how are you playing and what are you bringing to this season? And and that's where I would think you know petting what happens obviously You know just in general But that to me wouldn't even you know at this point move the needle of of being a negative or a takeaway Of him being in the discussion being in the conversation, especially considering the fact that to your point about the longevity of the season I mean we're still sitting here in December So there's there's a long way to go and I think with that being said it turns more into the performance to play in what he's doing contributing to his team Success Sarah Kooestuck I don't need to tell the people that I and Eagle and Sarah Kooestuck are incredible on the broadcast I do have to say that on a recent during a recent game It must have been a blowout because you guys were off on when you're a tangents you Annointed sour patch kids your favorite Halloween gandy. I think was it sour patch kids very likely disgusting Disgusting choice absolutely disgusting.
You don't eat kids. That's all poison all the sour patch stuff with the powdery sugar all over it Was a little sugar is that what about Swedish fish gross? Just just have some chocolate that's not just have a just like a chocolate like an actual thing that exists in nature And it's just chocolate just you have a kid cat or a twig sure that all this stuff your naming is disgusting No, yeah, no, I'm all in I'm in on the sugar give us all the sugar We got some we got some great people to bring us candy during the game. So maybe that's why we were a little delirious We were talking about sugar Sir, who's like just one of the absolute gems of the business I can't wait to see it in that's game soon and knock on wood We just didn't jinx everything but it's great to see you and I'll talk to you soon if you did I know where to come back to thanks Hey sports fans the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events ESPN shows and originals across every ESPN network in service And now you can check if you already have ESPN unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls visit activate.espn.com To learn how to access your account or sign up then start streaming in the ESPN app It's all the ESPN all in one place sign up or activate now All right, let's transition to what some not all but some would say is the real team most Let's be honest the real team of New York City the New York knickerbockers who have won seven games in a row They are 14th in offense 9th in defense in that seven game stretch They have the number one defense of the NBA by a mile and at the beginning of the season Ian Begley from SNY It's great to see you to give you the season.
We previewed the next and I said, you know what? Let's let's preview the starting five. Who's it gonna be a nice set? Let's get Evan for me a all the way out of here and put quitting Grimes after all this hype after he was the piece They wouldn't deal for Donovan Mitchell allegedly reportedly in some offers whatever and then Quinn grinds out of foot injury and the whole season was a ride Well now Quinn Grimes is starting there grows out of the rotation and in 40 is out of the rotation Do's McBride is in the rotation.
They have a nine-man rotation They have a rotation where Barrett is playing with the bench where he gets to eat a little bit You know, it's Barrett in the bench guys They have a manual quickly is kind of become their sixth starter He plays with the other four starters in place of Grimes and then in place of Barrett They're defending like hell get a little lucky from three the schedule has been forgiving in this seven game stretch But you got to win the games that you should win they play the Warriors they were recording this Monday night They play the Warriors in about 24 hours without Steph Curry So Steph Curry can't just blast this winning streak to smithereens like he otherwise would be in Begley when the Oklahoma City Thunder hung like 140 on the Knicks at home and then Dallas hung a million on them somewhere I can't remember where was in Dallas, New York and it felt like it felt like it was teetering Yeah, and like the the Nets across the river where he was teetering in a much different and more dramatic in public way The Knicks didn't implode. They didn't wobble they kept fighting They went all in on defense if you can't guard and you're out unless you're one of our star players not playing and it's worked And the way you see it working is not only the defensive numbers even if it's a little bit of luck It's still they're still they're still doing the other stuff really well on defense It's working and the way you see it working is like for the first time it feels like forever the starting lineup is good The starting lineup is building up leads. This is funny and Begley the next This is fun Zach and this is the starting flag that I think would have been on the floor opening night if Quinn Grimes was healthy You referenced it the foot injury I think that really derailed a lot for this group from the top to on down because of the plans they had for Grimes I mean they said that it was gonna be an open competition and training camp for that shooting guard spot But I think Grimes have healthy would have won the spot and then maybe this year looks a little bit different But regardless here they are now Quinn Grimes reinserted into that starting lineup and Mitchell Robinson also coming back healthy into that starting lineup back on November 21st And it wasn't a straight line ascension But you could see as Robinson got his feet under him as Grimes started to get his rhythm back that this unit was doing something that Tom Thibbut I wanted it to do which was would defend and also grind started to make it shots and you look at the numbers going back to that Date and the starting five I think has the most minutes played in the league from that date to now and has the best plus minus They were plus 65 bonus that Indiana win over the weekend So as starting five I think is what Tom Thibbut I'll envision when he was coming into training camp and it's playing I would think exactly how he hoped it would when the next rolled the balls out on this season in October Yeah starting five I have it plus 63 in 235 minutes for the season. It's a really good lineup You mentioned Mitchell Robinson.
He's been sensational since it's the best he's ever played the stegacies ever played defense He's always been a great shop locker rim to turn he's more disciplined his rebounding is better on both ends of the floor And I think the ripple of and Randall this is what has both made me made Randall like I'm always he's like a siren song for me I'm always lured to Randall. I've always been a fan of his and then sometimes the same thing would repel me is that What he tries on defense. It's so obvious. He's so much better He's so much more impactful Both as a rim protector if he wants to be or a switch guy Which is next to views them on a lot like when they were playing the Bulls in those back-to-back games There were a couple possessions where he switched onto Zach Levine and Demar de Rosen and got into their ass man got into their dribble got into their Jersey and defended like a guy who was like I want this and and he has the biggest sort of like am I trying?
I test gap maybe in the entire league and he's trying but Mitchell Robinson the ripple effect of that is the Knicks whether it's happenstance or not are Giving up fewer threes than they were prior to this stretch when they were giving up almost the most reason The league and you can give up a lot of threes. That's not carnal So we've seen a lot of good defensive teams much people want to say the threes are evidence that tibs is out of touch in old School and he is old school to the old school you can give up a lot of threes and have a good defense They have found the right water level now where they're not helping inside quite as dramatically They're trusting Mitchell Robinson to do a little bit more They're allowing an average number of threes the other kind of flip side of that is teams are getting to the rim on them more but that's why you have Mitchell Robinson and he's cleaning up he's cleaning up a lot of messes and and They just they look you know they look like a time-thibital team in this sense the Bulls announcers were talking about how tibs is About Billy Donovan tell it's saying how physical the Knicks are never very physical But they are a power team in the purest sense They get to the line a lot They take care of the ball and they've gone from a bottom 10 defensive rebounding team to the best defensive rebounding team in the last 10 games Or so they're winning the power kind of categories and that's a very tibsy thing It's remarkable when you look at you mentioned the three-point shooting and the three-pointers allowed and You look at that adjustment the top-tip It'll made after the Dallas game that when they got crushed at home He said all right, I'm gonna go down swinging here I'm gonna go down because there was a lot of questions about his job security at that point So he says all right mazmik ride you're getting minutes Can't radish you're gonna be outside the rotation dark rose you're gonna be outside the rotation I think what you've seen from that point to here is the Knicks just being able to contain the ball a lot more on the perimeter It keeps them out of rotation and it keeps them from giving up those wide open shots They're still giving them up to a degree but much less so I think met with this new rotation here Miles McBride flies around the floor manual quickly I think doesn't get enough credit for his defense and then Quentin Grimes is very good on the perimeter So the ball containment you know tom tibetal tell you it starts there for the reasons why they've had so much success on defensive late And yeah, this is just it's you talk about a New York minute right because back then that Dallas Well exact I'm telling you you know this people around the league saw blood in the water right there was even a Top executive from another team, you know kind of back channel I don't know his people somebody connected to him was trying to get to owner James Dolan to try to put his His hand in for if Leon Rose were to be let go I mean people saw it as that much of a tire situation And now here we are seven games later and it looks like a different team and it looks like a different season for this next club Unquickly totally agree. He's always been one of the best rebounding guards in the league his screen navigation getting around screens sticking with people Has just been on another level issue now his shooting hasn't been great from anywhere fine shooting goes up and down Are they still looking at trades for him? I get all the reasons why they were Allegedly reportedly at least listening they were because because you know his shot is up and down to say the least He's gonna want an extension.
It's gonna be a lot of money But the last 10 12 games to me he's become too important to their current team where if I'm trying to win this year Like I'm not super psyched about just like quickly for a lottery top 18 protected first or something's that done now? Yeah, I don't know if currently those conversations are still being had But you know I do know that he's been such an integral part of what they've done Not only the last seven games, but you go back to you know that okay see game where they set this starting five You know he's been right there in the middle of it all well I mean and through it all just for two years the bench was what lifted them up all the time And he was always a part of that even if the numbers didn't paint him is the main part of it the main driver of it Like you know, I don't know right now. I'm watching like I'm not in a rush to trade that dude I don't really care if he's extension eligible figure that out later Well, that's the thing right like because you look at him and you look at obi top in both extension eligible But if you get them on deals that are you know within reason and they continue to play the way that you as the organization that drafted These guys hope they would you know those are trivial contracts Those are things that you can those are decisions you can make after this offseason after you extend them So I know coming into the year people in touch with the team felt like they they were not keen on extending both of those guys But they also have to win games, right? This is not a season where you can punt midway through the season and expect to keep your job quite frankly if you're at Leon Rose and William Wesley and Tom Thibodeau so these guys have to win games They know that it's just an interesting set of decisions here with quickly I would assume that they end up holding on to him if they continue to win games if they continue to be at 500 a couple Because how do you shake that up if the goal is to win games as to show tangible improvement this season?
You can't go ahead and trade one of the players in this tight rotation just for a future pick you can't do it And I think top it is good. I've always thought top it is good I can't believe how much I'm enjoying the Jericho Sims Isaiah Hartenstein duo double center look that they're using while top it is injured I've said this before put Jericho Sims in the dunk contest man that guy that guy might be able to dunk on like a 14 foot hoop It's ridiculous, but those guys are playing well I would I would pull the plug on whatever trade whatever was going on With quickly and look like I don't I don't think this seems like great, you know in the last in those last seven games Opponents are shooting 27% on threes. I mean that's not that's not gonna last not there shooting pretty well on on two So maybe it bounces out a little bit there schedule gets tougher again, but you know we talked about before this season Like you and I were both relative to consensus a little higher on the Knicks I took the over on the Knicks I think it was like 42 and a half I was like I think they're a little better than that and I was high on them last year too relative to consensus and they craft The bed so whatever I was wrong man, but I thought this team was somewhere from like six to ten in the East in the in the play and race for sure That's probably I don't I mean as nice as the seven-game win streak is I don't think it's like really changes the even medium-term outlook for the franchise I'm not sure that it if you thought not trading the whole kitten kuboodle for Mitchell was a mistake and I said at the time like I'm not really sure how I feel about it Like I think it's I think it was fine for the next did not do that considering their their situation going into the trade I didn't didn't didn't have strong objections to them holding fast to what they had But if you thought it was a mistake at the time I'm not sure this streak like proves you wrong that they should have traded gone on for Mitchell, I will see it doesn't prove that they were right rather to exercise that discipline I'm the jury's gonna be out on that for a while. I don't know what the longest term plan is really still But I know that part of the plan has been to try to be competent and this team looks competent and a big reason for that That we should probably talk about now probably should have led with it is Jalen Bronson is really really good and has changed Has fit into what the nicks did well stylistically before he got there given them more avenues with which to do it It done his job really well and just stabilized everything he has been really good for them I said it in July.
I don't get why everyone is freaking out about this contract. I said it might not be an A But it's a B. It's fine. It's it's it's fine like he's good I think it's more than fine and I think Zach you talk about on the court and also off the court the way I think he stabilized the locker room there because if you look at the Nick teams that have struggled You know past five ten years those teams They lose a game like that Dallas game at home that we referenced They lose a game like that Oklahoma City game that we referenced where they gave up 145 points in regulation And I was hearing about the heightened scrutiny on the group from ownership So I'm sure the players were hearing about it.
I'm sure the coaching staff was hearing about it You saw those Nick teams over the past five ten years More or less kind of fall apart in those situations But Jalen Bronson I think has this steady effect on this group where they kind of put things in the rear view mirror very quickly And they move on to the next game and of course He's very invested in this Nick team succeeding because you know they brought his dad in on Tom Thibodeau's staff I think he has a strong affinity for Tom Thibodeau as a coach and a human being So I think he wants this to work in so many different ways But you're seeing the way that he's getting it to work tangibly stuff you're seeing on the floor and also the stuff You're seeing off the floor where he's I think he's connected with a lot of these young guys and even the veterans In a way that maybe you wouldn't have assumed for a player who was not the 1a in Dallas Wasn't the face of the franchise But he's got these these ways of connecting with players from the top of the roster on down that I think you know just builds a camaraderie in the room and builds it togetherness that you haven't seen among these Nick teams a lot in the Recent past and having a real point guard who can who's a plus offensive player a good shooter good creator good iso guy All that stuff. It's the reason why you can take Derek Rose and Evan for you out of the rotation is because you have that guy Alongside Barrett who is endlessly fascinating to me on some nights I'm like where is he lost within this offense where is he just have to scrounge for his points and then he plays with the bench And you can do I don't know what he's but he's not shooting well But he's okay and Randall like they have enough creation now where they can just say we don't need their girls We don't need ever for you And it's because they have jail in Brunson and what I meant before by fitting into what they what they used to do when they were good two seasons ago and then amplifying it is They're a unique combination right now at least of we think of like power teams Like it's not like this offensive suddenly become creative and stylish and you know Julius Randles like moving it and doing that there's still like a fair amount of pound the crap out of you One-on-one in the post it's not a beautiful offensive spacing gets clunky But they just have more vehicles to do that in creative ways now like like Brunson will come down the floor And he'll run like a guard guard pick and roll to get a switch that he likes better a little Guy or a worst defender and he'll just start pounding that guy draw help kick it out Brunson and Randall have a nice little pick and roll Combination going both ways where you have a decision to make like am I gonna switch it or am I gonna try to hedge and recover and maybe Give up and open three if you switch it you've got mismatches both ways They go into their bully ball and and play out of that and when Randall's not involved in the central like pick and roll actually You gotta run pick and rolls with Mitch. He's a great lob catcher They're doing a smart job of like sometimes he's in the corner Sometimes he's in the dunk or spot sometimes he's on the other side opposite wing waiting to run a dribble handoff It's just it's not a sea change in how they play it's still kind of brutality basketball But it's more variety to it and less predictability to it and mostly mostly because of Brunson like Randall will run pick and roll With Robinson to sometimes a Brunson will be over here. He's fit into exactly how they want to play I think with Mitchell Robinson to zac you hit it earlier the rebounding particularly on the offensive end in the way He is improved in that area several coaches have said after these games against the Knicks that you know They haven't faced the player that puts that much pressure on them on the offensive glass then Mitchell Robinson And so the added strength for him I think he's really grown into it He put that strength on two off seasons ago when he was injured He was dealing with that foot injury coming back from that and I think he's gotten used to it I'm used to playing with that edit weight and he's a force down there And he is he's not a player who obviously is gonna take much away from you to mend anything from you offensively He's gonna finish possessions around the rim and not as to do much else And I think that also fits the three guys that you were discussing Jalen Brunson archie Barret Julie strangle really well really well and you know quitting grinds now that he has slid into that starting role He's another guy that he's not going to not to run plays for him He's not gonna not a high usage guy So you put those two around the the mid three I think I saw online that Jalen Brunson archie Barret Julie strangle been nicknamed the mid three I it just works right now and you say a real thing.
Yeah, I've seen it. I've seen it all over the place And more so Nick fans mocking it over this last seven game win streak than not and using it as derision But you know who knows is it sustainable? We'll find out does it change the ceiling on this team? I don't think in a big way But I think it does show you like from a macro perspective that the plan at least coming into this year and not doing it down A Mitchell deal the plan made sense because you're seeing what the nix had hoped to have on opening night You're seeing it here over these past seven to 12 games or so and it looks pretty good.
Yeah Yeah, like I said, I'm not sure I'm not sure the Mitchell non decision needed to be redeemed Like I was pretty okay with it at the time Less it looked like it needed to be redeemed when the whole team felt like it was teetering But I'm not sure it has been redeemed if it needed redemption to this point a couple of Brunson notes. I mentioned the variety He's set a fair number of ball screens I'm looking at the numbers now as the screener for both Barrett and Randall Among all players who have said at least 50 ball screens this season. That's 243 players Brunson is third in points per possession scored on any trip where he sets a ball screen And if you zero in on the shots that come directly out of it He's he's a top 10 like he's a really good little screener And that's what I mean by variety Brunson isolations the nix are scoring 1.2 points per possession out of a Brunson isolation That would basically lead the league over a full season or be close be top five like he's he's bringing the variety and the bullying both At the same time, which is kind of a race. It's weird to think of his sort of brutish offenses also having variety and unpredictability But they've got that right now trade deadline couple months away still nix still have all the picks all the protected picks from other teams All the they have the Dallas picks still they got all their own picks Cam reddish we know that they have you know, they've got they've got they've got stuff to play with and I Think there's a sense that they missed their first big shot with on a Mitchell Maybe they missed it on purpose or they didn't take it whatever's the right terminology and now everyone's focused on all these little things Oh, okay, I'm ready to get a couple second round picks for him Maybe what should we actually be focused on though?
Are there bigger things to be focused on than little fringy things? Here's what I look at Zach. I look at the record right because if the nix were let's say if they are Five games under 500 or struggling as we get closer to that February deadline I could see them being more aggressive in making roster altering move to try to get things turned around in the right direction For what for reasons that we discussed earlier this group that's they have to win games this year bottom line But if they continue to be around 500 new games over I don't see them I'd be surprised I should say if they make a big big big trade at the deadline because they're showing the step that they intended to Show come into the season so they'll get another off season and they'll get another shot to take the big swing So I don't think they they would feel pressure to make that move in early February I think would be an all-season move But if you look at the record and it's and they're struggling and they need to get things turned around Immediately I could see them being aggressive there, but you look at the landscape of the league, right? Everybody's keeping an eye on Chicago Yeah, and I understand that you know what's gonna shake loose there I think Toronto too people are keeping on Toronto And I think just to speak to the Nick mentality before this winning streak Somebody over there in touch base with Toronto on OGN and OB and I think it was just a casual conversation But I think when they were struggling they were looking at those kind of moves those bigger moves to move the needle forward But now after these seven wins assuming they kind of maintain this pace I would I would assume that they are more aggressive on the caretishes that there are roses They haven't forties then they are on taking a big swing So you just nailed it stole my thunder just came into my own podcast with your fancy New York skyline background Everyone is looking at Chicago right And Anthony Davis is now injured for the Lakers for some undetermined period of time I'm left to put out an announcement while we've been doing this podcast that may or may not torpedo the Lakers interest in Upgrading their current roster it may just may not be worth their while Maybe maybe not depends on the severity depends on how the next month goes I don't think they're in a rush to conclude that their season is effectively over But certainly if they struggle with Anthony Davis I think you just keep your powder drying going to the off-season and try to play for next year or make a trade the same that next year Which would take I think the bulls guys off the boards for them either way As well as the rose it might fit there so you start to think yeah I don't want which bitches isn't doing anything for me center rotations fine.
They're losing fizzle fizzle old for the next timeline anyway Where else do I start looking around? What's got younger guys and you said it Toronto? Everybody is watching Toronto. I said it last week Maybe it's maybe and I am I official Toronto prediction was a they stabilize and be if they make a move It'll be Gary Trent and that's it but if I'm the next and I miss my first big shot It's on a Mitchell who didn't take it you said the name OGN and OB if I'm them That's a guy I would look really really hard at and I don't I said last week I want to be very careful here.
I said I don't think the Raptors are interested in it I all these reports that in and OB is unhappy. You know he's publicly said no the Raptors over the years of publicly said everything's fine I still think the Raptors are gonna stabilize all that I got bad news for Nick's fans in this sense If that if those things ever change the entire league wants OG and it'll be everybody wants OG and it'll be and if he ever gets traded The price and picks or whatever is going to surprise people because it might be on par almost with what the gas gave up For time of adventure like it's gonna be a lot if it ever happens But that's the name It's hard to find names because there's not that many sellers and the nicks shouldn't be in the market for anybody 30 and over If they're gonna give up lots of stuff for him And so you just sort of naturally come down and you said the name that's that that's one of the right names Yeah Yeah, and I think that you know if Toronto decides to go that route he instantly becomes the top name I mean you exact I'm sure you know this but you know the Donavich and Detroit I think they would ask a lot For donavich, but you know I think that might be the most impactful player at least right now I saw some I see these reports like Detroit's telling teams are gonna keep O'Donavich I Believe that for 0.0 seconds like I'm sure like I you can tell teams are you want? I just don't believe I would if they told me that if I were to poison GM They're like you cannot make us an offer where we would part with boy on bug-dollin even bother I would be like what are we doing here like a serious commander? I seriously actually talk no I think though It's posturing and I think obviously they're gonna entertain offers enough Well obviously hold out for the best offer but teams think that you know push comes to shove that he will be available But you don't even say it's not gonna be a shove it's gonna be a little gentle tap that's all So so yeah, Toronto I think tilts the market as does Chicago depending on which way either of those teams decides to go and yet Toronto And they've said in the past and I'm sure they'll continue to say that you know Everything is copistetic But if they flounder and they don't coalesce as you're saying Zach I think there's decisions to be made up there and you know Messiah's you're is never hesitant to make a big decision What are you hearing about the Bulls because as much as you're a nix beat guy you have sources all across the league You're really really plugged in The vibe I got from the Bulls as of a week ago or the vibe others were getting to was we're not ready to have this conversation We still want to stick it out with these guys.
We just built this team. We still think there's something here and It's like you're 11 and 18 man. Like it's not going great Like what's the latest you're hearing well before the nix went to Chicago which was last week I had checked in just with people that had been in touch with the Bulls and they got a similar Five that they weren't in a rush to pull the plug and to blow things up and it would be pretty significant pivot based on how the team Was built and the moves they need to get here. I think Zaklavine surprised me a little bit just I don't know if it's people in Chicago But you know people kind of around Chicago are wondering how the Bulls like feel about his play in general I know he's been hurt I know he's still coming back from the knee but just the idea that it wasn't all Rainbow's and unicorns at least from people who've been in touch with the Bulls on the beam that peeks my interest But I mean I would be a huge pivot for management there to go that route and to pull the plug when you're when you are not that Far moved from committing all the money and the assets that you've committed to build this roster So I think I heard the same similar that you had Zack But you keep losing and what they do they gave up on 50 the other night 150 to the timber wolves without without like a bunch of guys Yeah, it's hard to justify I think not at least exploring the ear options as you get closer to February if the team continues to turn in that direction Yeah, I'm not sure That's why I'm not sure my intel is up to up to date like that already could be outdated and things change fast And you don't hear all the accurate stuff in a timely fashion if you ever hear it and but it just it's just summer I think that is early and the play in has had an effect on a lot of teams where like well We're not we're not out of it and if we get in we can build something away the pelicans have built and built something built a culture Build you know, let the young guys Experience winning But 11 and 18 is is is not very good What else anything else we need to hit with on the hit on the next?
I mean it's been a nice turnaround I don't know what it means really but it's it's it's nice to see them play It's I see them defend the way they defended two seasons ago because I did think this could be a 45 win team On talent and on depth and those things are starting to show up interesting thing to me is you know We locally I should say Nick fans and the media It's easy to get on top thibbo when the team is losing because there's so many Decisions that he makes and can make on a night-to-night basis when you have a roster as deep as the nicks are especially with politics It play with regards to camera and others So you have to also give him credit when he decides to rein it in and he makes a big decision and goes with the rotation As it is right now and the results are what they are the thing that I wonder though I haven't for me in particular like he's out of here rotation He's making a lot of money and how how is it even possible to get anywhere near equal value for him? Considering all those factors. I don't know how they do it. That's why wind horse mentioned it the other day I think they're willing to be patient on Evan for me.
They're no interest in dumping him salary dump Partially, I think because they've done that with so many other contracts from the 2021 offseason so you can't do that with yet another one But to me that's that's interesting as you approach a trade deadline How do you maneuver if you want to offload guys and you want to figure something out maybe open up another rotation? So how do you do that with so many players that are fully out of your rotation and you know teams are not gonna Maybe give you sixty cents on the power so it's gonna be an interesting dance for the Knicks as they continue a closer to that early February deadline Yeah, I'm not I'm not in the business of sacrificing a valuable future assets. I get off of it for you I'm just not and like and by the way, he's out of rotation the team's winning You want to draw natural conclusions like well He must not be able to contribute anything someone will get injured two guys We'll get injured at the same time and you will all of a sudden need a guy who's average 19 points a game in the NBA You can shoot three so you can run a secondary pick and roll even if it's not a lot effective Like you might need Evan for you at some point just like the next all of a sudden needed Alex alieberts to do everything last year But and by the way one point I wanted to make about the variety and Brunson Randall is still isolating a lot this year, but last year was 15 isolations per hundred possessions It was like number one or two in the league this year It's down to 11 his efficiencies up and that's what I mean It's everyone's at their right right water level and the defense has been pretty ferocious and Tibbs and his beard What's what do we give what grade do we get the Tibbs beard better than mine? I don't know what I want to be here gone.
I want the beard gone. Oh, not a fan. You're calling for the end of the beer What are Jack born beard Tom Thibodeau beard? What are you just jock on?
It's not even close. It's not even close Tibbs Tibbs is it's getting better. It's just he just can't make it look polished and it's just I don't know It's not working for me, but it's working for the next Ian Bagley. It's always wonderful to see you Just covers the next better than anyone in the world.
It's good to see it and I'll see you at the world's most famous arena fairly soon Hopefully Zach I look forward to my friend always good to see you and all the best to you your family. You too