Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective - Lakers’ Looking Dangerous + NBA Awards Selections

Episode Date: April 7, 2025

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to talk the Lakers’ impressive wins of late, what that means for the playoffs, late season playoff seeding battles and Luka’s upcoming return game to Dallas. Then, the crew breaks down their takes on the NBA Awards including Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Most Improved, Rookie of the Year and 6th Man of the Year.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 and 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 of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Hello, welcome to the Hoop Collective podcast. We talk about the NBA, what you're doing on Sunday evening, joining us from New York City, where he's just back from Philadelphia

with the top sixers. Look like they might beat the Tim Wolves on Saturday, but then got it done. And the wolves won their fifth straight game. It's Timbonteps. Hello, everybody. At Western Conference is tightly packed. You can't afford to lose.

No, we can't. The top sixers can't afford to win. They've lost 10 in a row, Bon Temps. Will they win again? they play the Wizards again, so maybe. But they're not going to win twice more and tie the nets. I don't feel confident about. Well, the nets are losing to the Raptors as we record this.

Joining us from Dallas, Texas, where he spent the weekend in Austin at Father's Weekend or something. You're an honorary member of a sorority this weekend. Is that right, Tim McMahon, the band man? Yeah, Tride out, Howdy Partners. By the way, Howdy is used in Austin probably more than any other city in the great land of ours. But yes, I was at Dad's weekend for the Tri-Delt sorority. It's quite a festive weekend.

I had a car get a workout too, fellas. Including on a father-daughter pedicare, if I'm not mistaken. Oh, yeah. The third pedicure of my life. I had a tip extra because, you know, my big range game. Ain't so great. My toes ain't pretty. especially got the right big toe.

I don't know what's going on with it, but it's a... Let's just keep it to yourself. It's a tough one. So, yeah, no, I've gotten one with Gobert, one with the IT department, and now one with my oldest daughter. So feeling fresh and minty. Here we are. Bontas, when's your next pedicare?

Not today. Not today. All right, so one week from today, the NBA awards ballot are due. We talked a lot about the MVP last week when the Bontas. I don't really think they come out. Oh, yeah, I'm sorry. I guess they do.

We don't only get them until a week from today. But I was thinking. Aren't they do a week from today? We don't get them until after the season ends. I don't remember if we have to turn them in the same day or not. Because we used to get them early, but they hand them out the day after the season ends now because of the 65 game. will. So I have to wait to see it's actually eligible. Let me just, you know, pull back the curtain.

It's not really a ballot. You go on to a website with a secret password and then you click from drop-down menus. It's not like the good old days where you would fill out a piece of paper, which I'm old enough that I actually did that. So, but anyway, it's due soon. And the days are dwindling and it's starting enough people's minds. Trust me. My phone is, My phone is ringing, looking for the lobbying. The lobbying is underway. The lobbying is underway. Lobbying is well underway.

So we had our man, Evitia Zubots. I don't think you got the pronunciation right. Zoo. Zoo, yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, with all due respect, Zubots, okay, but getting Evitcia from that, it's a rough. It's a rough.

You're adding a vowel at the... Yeah, yeah. You're not saying his first name. right, but that's fine. We can move along. We know who you're talking about. That's, you know, one of the reasons he came on the pod last week. Um, who knows. Have you missed to have you miss pronounce his name further? Yeah, we may have more, uh, we may have more campaigning on the pod over the course of the week. We'll see what happens. By the way, the Lakers right now, um, are putting, uh, are putting the finishing touches on a whipping of the thunder in Oklahoma

and I got to say, uh, so you make every shot, it's going to look pretty good. That's true. done. When you, I think they shot almost 70% on threes in the first half. They started the game 10 for 12. I mean, what they've done is just lit the league's best defense on five. They shot the lights out. Look, and like, that was, they got a big, you know, another game with them on Tuesday. I will say this, though, considering everything, the fact that the, and we'll see what

happens, the Warriors are playing the, uh, the rockets later tonight in a big game. We're not going to, I have to travel out to LA so we couldn't do this pod too late. But the Lakers, over the last eight or so days, you know, Memphis, Houston, Golden State, Oklahoma City. They go three and one. That's strong. Golden State, Memphis, Lakers, Nuggets, 3 and O. We'll see what happens with the Rockets. That's strong.

Like, these teams are finishing. are really, you know, putting their best foot forward. And it's one of the reasons why we're excited about the postseason. Before I ask you about what is going to happen this week in Dallas, McMahon, I want to point something out. Okay. The L.A. Clippers whipped the Mavericks on Saturday night. And Friday, for that matter.

And Friday. And Coilander played in both games. That's what I wanted to bring. up. Kauai Leonard has 12 consecutive games of 20 points or more, and he played in his first back-to-back Friday, Saturday, the baseball series with the Mavericks. And in the second night of the back-to-back, he went 12 of 19. The Clippers, we talked about it with Zoo the other day. They have been on an absolute tear. They're defending. They've been defending all year. And now with Kauai, they have that edge. I don't, I have no idea how this Western conference is going to shape out

or shake out. And we're obviously paying a lot of attention to the nuggets, the Warriors, uh, and the Lakers because those three teams, where they finish between three and six, it's really going to depend on. We'll see if they finish between three and six. Right. I mean, that's why this was a massive win for the Lakers. I mean, they had a very tough week. Getting this win today, it really puts them a very strong position to not finish outside the the top six, which look, if they'd lost these two games of the Thunder, they would have at least been in a position where you could have talked about them going from third to the play in in the span of a week. Now, getting this win today certainly puts them in a much better position

to avoid falling out of the top six, which for them, you know, for LeBron especially, and I'm sure Luka will feel the same way, the only real concern for them is just getting the week off of rest. They don't think they're going to be too concerned about starting on the road. It's just being in the top six and avoiding having to play extra games. And today was a big reason why they probably won't have to do that. Yeah. And let me just like the Warriors, again, going into tonight against Houston at home, I don't know what's going to happen in that game.

Houston just just whipped the thunder on Friday. This has not been a great weekend for the Thunder. First time we've been able to say that all year. But the Warriors are 20 and two with their, with Jimmy Butler in the lineup, but with Steph. And yet they are two bad days. from being in the playing, like you said, Bontemps, like, and they know.

And everybody's in that boat. I mean, there's two losses separating third to eighth, so it's going to be a crazy week. Right. Which is why we're not talking about games today. Right, we're out of position. We're just the timing out of position. One more thing I want to point out.

Yass de Nacompo, they went into Miami and won on Saturday night, the bucks. The bucks have won three in a row. They're in a dog fight for five, six in the east. In the last four games, these are Janice's stats. 31 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 37 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 35 points, 17 rebounds, 20 assists, 36 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists.

In the last four games, he has 45 assists. and like 12 turnovers. Well, with Dame out of the lineup, the ball is in Yon's hands all the time, and he is putting up mega numbers, and he's carrying them to some wins. And now they're in pretty good shape, and we'll see how the rest of the week goes. But, you know, they've got a real shot going to those final two games in Detroit

to avoid falling to sixth and playing the Knicks in the first round and being on the Knicks and Celtics side of the bracket. And it's much better living playing potentially the Pacers and Cavs then the Knicks and Celtics in the first two rounds. So we'll see how they do. We'll see if Dane comes back. But, you know, Janus is certainly killing it at the moment and tearing them along. Everybody's just turning up their games.

You can just feel it. Steph and again, again, not know what's going to happen tonight. Steph has been on a tear as well. We'll talk about the Luca return later this week. But the Bontemp's, I mean, McMahon, what do you feel? is there a growing buzz in Dallas? It was such venom when the trade went down. You know, now it's been, you know, two months.

There's, it's, it's still, it's still venom. And it's agony with a trending toward apathy, but this will not be, this will, nobody will be apathetic about Lucas return. It's going to be very strange and surreal. it'll be six and a half, you know, celebrating six and a half spectacular seasons while mourning that it wasn't a lot longer than that. And then, you know, I anticipate, you know what, though? I thought Luca would really come in with like that just ruthless killers mentality

the last time they played or the first time they played for. Right. And we saw just a glimpse of that early in the game, it didn't really stick. So I don't know what to expect from Luca. I know that there will be a full house, which has not been the case recently in Dallas, no matter what the attendance number say. And I know that pretty much everybody in those seats

is going to be wanting to see Luca score 50, 60, 70 points. My assumption is the Mavericks will go to great lengths to make sure that does not happen. Yeah. It's a big moment for Anthony Davis as well, right? because, you know, he he's trying to send a message. He's really trying to, you know,

basically what I've said is a triple message, you know, coming back. You know, one, send a message to the fans. You know, I'm coming back, I'm here to play. You know, he was trying to do that from the first day. Secondly, he's trying to, you know, establish himself with his new teammates. And third, he's really caping for Nico Harrison.

Yeah. And he's kind of doing it all with one hand tied behind his back. He's still on a minute's restriction. You know, really since he came back, he's had one AD-like performance. And that was, God, I can't remember that they were playing. Just a couple days ago. Yeah. Yeah.

When he had the game winner, you know, at 30-some-odd points, the game winner, why can't I even remember who that was against? Godly. Well, we're getting at that point. I believe it was against Atlanta, wasn't it? Yeah, that's who it was against. I don't know if anybody saw it. I don't know if anybody saw that.

You know what's remarkable about that game and it said a lot about the Mavericks is it was a tie game. Mm-hmm. And they ran up, they had called a timeout and they ran up an isolation play for AD. Like they gave him the ball at the top of the key like he was Kobe. Well, I would say who else they can run it for? I mean, Kyrie. Well, that's what I'm saying. It's a statement.

It's a commentary about the state of the team. Do you ever remember running a top of a, like a one-four flat for Anthony Davis. Yeah. Yeah, and it wasn't like, you know, the old days with Dirk, it's maybe getting the ball in the nail and let him go to work from there.

You're right. It was giving the ball up high, spaced the floor, and he went to work and hit that nice little floater. And then on the other end, switched out on Trey Young and smarter and made Trey take a really tough, kind of fade away three that didn't draw.

But that's the one, like, Oh, yeah. That's the dude they traded for performance that he's had since his debut, which he didn't make it all the way through. His Dallas debut, which didn't make it all the way through. And, you know, obviously the guy's chipping off six weeks of rust. This is not the team that the Mavericks thought he'd be playing for. I mean, but we all knew when Kyrie went down, any hope of the Mavericks being even a reasonable playoff threat went kaput this year.

And somehow they still might end up ninth. and hosting a home playing game because Sacramento is completely falling apart, and the sons are back to being, frankly, a laughing stock. That's true. And, you know, I think their record without Kevin Durant is hideous, and there's no sign of him returning right now, at least. By the way, as Austin Reeves, the Lakers ended up winning by 27, as Austin Reeves continues to have big game after big game,

he had 31 against the Warriors and a loss. with a 20 point fourth quarter. He had 30 on Friday and a win over the Pelicans. He had a huge first half today. I don't think he did much in the second half of this game. It wasn't needed. It continues to be malpractice that Austin Reeves is still on the Lakers and not on the Mavericks. Well, I would say the real malpractice is Luca Dantra.

I understand. That's what I would say. But, yes, I get your point. And there's the 2031 pick, the 2030 swap is still in his pocket, Dalton, I mean, listen, man. We don't need, we've gone over that ground enough. I know, just because Austin Reeves has just had a huge, enormous week. I mean, he, you know, I just wanted to point that out as we're talking about Lakers and going back into Dallas.

All right. Let's talk a little bit about these awards. Bond Temps and I had a piece on Friday talking to a bunch of people in the league and their opinions on these awards. More Hoop Collective Podcast after this. I'm telling you, man, the defensive. player of the year. I've never seen a defensive race like this. If they have, I've forgotten it. Contributed by the fact that, you know, that one Banyama got out and was not, it's not going to qualify. It's just, it's a very compelling race and a lot of people are in their feelings about it.

And we're going to continue to hear that during this week. Bontas, I don't know what, what you came away from that. I had a lot of quotes on a lot of different players. I talked last week when we were talking the MVP discussion about how I was leaning towards, voting for Lou Dort. I've taken a lot of, had a lot of commentary reach me about that, both people supporting that and people telling me that I'm pointing the wrong direction, that I shouldn't vote for a non-center, that a center is, by definition, it's the lift. He goes, you can't, this one guy said to me, you can't say out of one side of your mouth that you focus on the lift, and then on the other side of your mouth say that you're going to vote

for a wing. Well, the response there would be the guy takes the toughest deep. against a matchup every single night. Doesn't matter. I will say this. I will say this. Lou Dorts' defense player of the year, KANSI, did not get a boost today against Luke Adontich and the Los Angeles Lakers as they were just doing whatever they wanted against the thunder,

especially in the first half. I mean, Lou is a fabulous defensive player who's going to be first team all defense for me. The way this award, the defensive player of the year almost has to be a big. because you cannot, you can scheme away from a good or bad perimeter defender. You cannot scheme away from a good or bad defensive center over 8 to 2 games. You can, you can in a specific matchup in the playoffs in some respects. But those, the best defensive players, the most impactful defensive players, are these interior defenders who you could build your entire defense in a room.

where for as great as Lou Dord is, that is not the case. And it's not the case for Dyson Daniels. It's not the case for Derek White. Name any of these really good perimeter defenders. They're all really good. I'm going to vote for all three of those guys for all defense. But my defensive player that your ballot is down to five guys, and they're all centers.

Who are you five? In some order, though I haven't really settled on it yet. Evan Mobley, Draymond Green, Jaron Jackson Jr., Rudy Gobert, and Viveka Zubach, or guest from the other day, who I think is probably my lane right now for my book, of those five. He won you over with his eloquence on the pot? He didn't win me over with his eloquence on the pot, though. I just think if you look at their team, like again, they've been a top five defensive team all year. That's true.

And yes, they've got Dare Jones and Nick Petum and some other solid perimeter defenders, but they're also playing James Harden a ton of minutes. Norm Powell is a average defender. Like they're not, Kauai has been out a lot of the year. They're not teaming with super elite players at the defensive end. And yes, Jeff Van Gundy's there. He's done a great job.

Tylo is a great coach. But that whole thing is built around Zubach's ability to wall off the rim. And he has, he's been good at that in the past. He's been, I think, one of the most super players in the league this season, across the board and I just think he's been massive for them. He plays every game. He plays every game. I think he's missed one or two games all year.

He plays every game. He plays big minutes. He's playing in the most minutes, I think, by five or six minutes a game. And if you watch them play, what they ask him to do is he is extremely important what they ask him to do. I mean, by my rules of evaluating the lift, there is no doubt that he meets that criteria about what they're asking him to do. And by the way, on Saturday night, he went 11 of 11 from the field offensively.

Yeah. Inspired by his career. He's had a phenomenal, phenomenal year. Yeah. Okay. So the, the, the vogue name at the moment is Dremont because the Warriors are finishing so strong. He came on to NBA today at the end of last week and declared himself.

The Vogue name is Dremont because Dremont and the Warriors. have been openly and nakedly campaigning for him to win the award. He's campaigning as hard as we've seen somebody campaign for an award in recent history. Well, for a defensive player of the year. I mean, we've seen some of him. For any award. He's campaigning as hard for any award as anyone ever. He's on a daily crusade.

He has his own pod. He's booking him. Yes. I can't believe he. Is he exclusive to his own pot? I can't believe he hadn't joined the parade of Wendy. guess. I mean, you know. I suspect if we ask the Warriors, he'd probably be on in three seconds. He said that he's the most, how did he say it? I don't want to get.

Said he's the most impactful defender of the last 25 years. That's right. Yes. Yes. 20. I think he said 20 years. Don't be ridiculous. At least 20. Whatever the number. It's also, it's a 20 year award, Dr. And he's had, he has had a great closing kick. Correct. It is defense player of the year and not defensive player. the final quarter. So, you know, I'm just, just pointing that out. I'm looking up, when you talk about impact, like, it's not a perfect way to gauge impact, but the on-off numbers for defensive rating are one way to do it. And you guys keep you app. And I'm, I'm looking at for Draymond, it's about a point and a half difference. Yeah, it's exactly a point and a half difference.

Or you're going through and doing all of them? Is that what you're doing that? All five. So far, Draymond is the is the low as some almost done you guys keep you happening keep you happen I mean look he's he's certainly got a case I don't think he's going to be first or second I'm on ballot I'll see if he's on it he's had a really nice year I don't think you three or five on your ballot three three three for MVP it's three for every other award and then obviously it's five for the teams three all-emba teams if any player complains just say hey I had you in fourth place on my ballot what do you want me what do you want Yeah, that's fair.

All right, here we go. So the on-off numbers, you're right. Draymond is 1.5 better, 10.1 on, 110.6 off. Mowb is 3.2 better, 108.5, 111.7. Zubots, 2.6, 107.1, 104, 1009.5. I'm not that good at math. Jared Jackson Jr. Let me see, 108.3 and 113.1.13.9.

Wow, that's a big in. That would be a big old 5.6. Yeah, between his injury and their struggles, he's probably slipped farther down ballots than he should have, but he's had a great season. And Rudy, 107.4 and 112.1. So Rudy's 4.7. So, again, not...

Rudy is the other one, too, where if you look at Rudy, numbers. But basically the same as last year in terms of impact and performance and everything else. But for whatever reason, probably I think part, at least significantly because Minnesota's been seventh or eighth all year instead of first or second in the West, he has been not really in this conversation when I think he's got a pretty damn good case to win the award again. This might shock you, but he thinks he has a pretty good case. He did, he, Rudy also, Rudy also, like his nemesis, Dremont, is also not afraid to advocate for himself, which I respect in both cases.

Now, he did not have a strong start to the season. He did not play to his four-time defensive player of the year's standards early this season. And, you know, he would admit to that. But it is interesting whether, like for so long, I mean, honestly, until Wimby went down, and it was kind of, okay, this is the first of many for Wimby. And so since then, there's not been a clear-cut front-runner, but it's interesting how Gobert doesn't even really come up at all in that conversation. Jackson, where does Go-Ber's, where is Go-Ber on the odds?

Sure, his odds are very low. I mean, he's not going to win because of that, but he should be much more in the mix than he is. Well, and frankly, he has the, you know, he has to clear a higher bar because he has won it four times. Correct. Another win would be the record-breaking fifth defense player of the year award. Hold on a second. Is anybody paying attention to that? I don't think anybody cares.

I don't think anybody cares about that at all. I don't think has anything to do with why Rudy isn't getting any. I think you're the, as the Rudy-Gaer-Cronachler, I think you're the one person who is aware of that. I don't be a facetious about that. I wasn't even aware of that. Really? That's interesting. I know Ben Wallace won it four times.

I mean, players like to dump on Rudy for reasons. A variety of reasons. But that's that I don't think that has, I don't think there's any voter that's like, man, not going to let Rudy get a fifth defense player of the year award. I think it's solely that the wolves have been, like you said, for the first half of the year, it was sort of like Victor's going to win in a romp. Yeah. And then he got hurt, couldn't play.

And since then, Minnesota continues to sort of be floating around in the bottom of, you know, trying to get out of the plane. Yeah, there'll be somewhere between six and eight probably. Right. And they're not the number one schedule. Last year, they were the number one defense in the league. They're not this year. They're six, which ain't bad, but it's not, you know, it's not like, hey, he's anchoring the number one defense in the league. you know, that's a lot stronger, uh, case.

Rudy's not on the board is what Jackson is. Wow. I'm not so, I mean, he hasn't gotten any he's, he should, my point is simply that like, you know, this is probably going to make Drayman if he hears it extraordinarily angry. I would say that Rudy's got a as good or better case than he does this year to win the award. Drayman's usually very level headed.

Yeah. Especially when it comes to Rudy. I don't think that's going to be an issue at all. I think Draymond is very happy that. he has four defense players of the year and he only has one. I think that's, I don't think it's something that bothers Draymond whatsoever. Not one bit. Not one bit.

Yeah. Not one bit. Look, I don't like the concept that one good game in the last week or something is going to change this. I don't like the idea. Dremont has, for a guy who's campaigning, he's backing it up. I know. I agree, but like I don't like that. You know, like when he strips Luca to seal a win over the Lakers

that a few people tuned into a national TV. No, and that makes, frankly, he very well may win the award because of that. I agree. I mean, that makes the voters look shallow. I mean, look, he's got a real pace. I would say it's farther down the list. No, I'm just saying, though, like, you know, if he, if he would win the defensive player of the year award because of a couple of defensive plays in the fourth quarter of one game, that's

Russell Westbrook on MVP because he hit a three in a game in Denver. That's not true. He average a triple double for the season. I understand that. And his clutch numbers all year were. I'm not saying he was not deserving. There's always multiple people that deserve to win. But Russell Westbrook won that MVP award the day he hit that three.

If he didn't hit that three, he may not have won it. That's how these things go sometimes. There are defining moments that if you have a big moment in a spot where everybody's paying attention, it's going to carry extra weight. I can't argue that. He's right. He's right. It's got nothing to do with, I'm not sitting here trying to re-litigate whether Rush should have won that MVP or not.

Well, look, I just think it's, I think, long story short, I think it's hard. And last week, I was fired up about Dort. Well, you were ready to put seven thunder on your 10 all defense ballot. Well, I don't regret that. I didn't say seven, but I'm, but. No, you said five. But I had a number of people who I respect say, listen, I appreciate your, you're sticking up for him, but I think you're wrong. Well, listen, I also think the way this award works now, there's 10 spots and there's no positions.

So you can really just have 10 bigs if you want. I don't believe in that either. Like I'm going to have on the all defense ballot, I put a couple wing players on both the first and second team because I think to me it's dumb that all defense is not as positionless because you should be talking about building a team of defenders. Yeah. And it would be dumb if you have the end of the year ballot just. be the 10 best bigs in the league because technically that's probably what it should be. But it that removes the point of in theory even having an all defense team, which would be recognizing who's a guy who can guard point guards, who's a guy who can guard wings,

and then who are guys who are obviously going to be doing the job of walling off the paint. By the way, the four-time defense players of the year, Ben Wallace, the Kimbe Matambo, and Rudy Gobert, Akeem Ojewan, who the trophies, the Akemaelajuan trophy, won it twice. he's one of a handful guys who are multi-time winners. Yeah. More Hoop Collective podcast after this. Okay. We'll see how that defensive ballot ends up going in a week.

Okay, Coach of the Year, which is another one that's interesting. Really a two-man race, although I did have some people say to me why, they question why Mark Dagonal, who a week ago, I thought they still had 70 on the board. Now it's 68 and falling. but he wasn't really considered a leading candidate, even though he's a coach the year last year and his team is going to have the best record, I think. But it's really between Kenny Atkinson,

who's been favored for quite some time of the Cavs and J.B. Bicker staff. I would put E. May O'Dok also into conversation. To win it? I mean, he's going to get votes, but he's not going to win. I mean, I think he should be on pretty much every ballot. Totally agree.

But then it would be a win team without a true star. Right. And second, if they hold on, which they're in good position, to the second seat in this Western conference. Nobody thought the Rocks were going to be a second. 100%. He said at Media Day, they'd be a playoff team this year. I thought that was way too bold.

Yeah, 100%. But, okay. He definitely deserves, he definitely deserves consideration. Ty Lou has done a great job. I think he definitely deserves consideration. But I think the award, to Brian's point, is coming down to one of two people. And so Atkinson has been at the forefront of this for most of the season, primarily because he took a Cavs roster that was essentially the same.

They made the mid-season trade for DeAndre Hunter, but it was essentially the same roster and transformed them from a four seed that looked like they were underachieving to a one seed that was beating people's heads in throughout the whole season. But I got to say in talking to people across the league, while no one's putting down, no one's diminishing what Kenny Atkinson did. The people in the league, not, they don't vote. You know, I'm not talking, this is not a poll.

I'm seeking people's opinions. The ground swell for J.B. was strong, taking a team with 14 wins. And, you know, right now they're in the five. They probably are not going to get to the four, but there was, you know, there was, you know, some period, not too long ago where they might even have had home court in the first round. And just what he's done with that team in his first year, I mean, you know, being a first year coach of the year, that's saying something. The fact that you're a candidate as a first year coach speaks well to both of the jobs that they did.

It's crazy. It's J.B., who got fired from Cleveland and the guy who replaced them. But, I mean, they both have great cases, though. And the Cavs were a good team that Kenny Ackinson helped become a great team. He's 62 and counting win team. That's impressive. Nobody's ever tripled their win total. I mean, the Pistons have tripled their win total. And the Pistons were as bad of a team as we've seen in recent memory.

I hadn't made the playoffs since 18. I think it was. And last year, I mean, they set the record for the longest losing streak in NBA history. 28 losses in a row. And, you know, I forgot the exact date. But last year on a certain date, they were 8 and 49. This year on that date, they won their eight straight game. you know, stuff like that.

For them to be a playoff team, whether they end up, you know, probably a six seed, maybe a five seed, but a top six team in the east tripling their win total, be tough for me not to have just business bicker staff on top of the ballot. That's where I'm at. I just, you look at their season. They've had just an absolutely remarkable year. And, you know, we thought they, you know, we thought they'd maybe be. fighting for a play in spot this season. And that would be tangible progress for a team that in the

last 16 years had had one season with more than 41 wins and one other season with 41 wins. And last year was a disaster. And for them to, like, yes, they made some solid veteran pickups, getting Malik Beasley, who has turned into a human flamethrower this year at Park because of how they've used them, named Tim Hardaway, getting Tobias Harris. Like, they got some solid veteran guys. But but they put, you know, J.B.'s done a remarkable job with them defensively. He's helped Kate Cunningham take a big step forward. Real quick diversion, not to interrupt you. Sure.

I don't really want to talk about Most Improved right now. It's kind of a squishy award. I got to go to the airport. It's a word that should not exist. Squish. Cade Cunningham is running very high in the odds. And this is nothing against Cade's spectacular year. He's, we talked about him on, on the straw poll last week.

Can you get a max contract? and then win most improved? I mean, him and Evan Mowbly are probably going to finish first and second on a lot of people's bows. I don't think either one of them should really be there. I don't think... I also don't know if Dyson Daniels really applies either.

Well, he didn't sign a max contract. I don't think lottery picks on their rookie deals should be eligible for most improved. You're supposed to get better on a rookie deal. And a lottery pick, you're supposed, especially a high lottery pick and number one pick? Yeah, I mean, I have a very hard rule. I will not vote for second year players for this reason because you're just naturally going to take a step, pretty step, big step forward in theory from your first and second years in the league.

I think this award is really dumb. I think it should not exist. I don't understand why it exists. Then you also have to do the thing like, okay, is Dyson Daniels, has you really improved that much? Or did he just get more of an opportunity? Correct. Dyson Daniels has improved a lot. I mean, he's had a great year.

Dyson Daniels is getting a chance to really play. He was buried behind players in New Orleans. He's at a great year. I'm not knocking Dyson Daniels. It's just like this is why this award is so dumb. It's a bad award. It shouldn't exist. And Wendy, you gave us the history lesson on why it does exist.

And it's actually a pretty funny history lesson. Well, it used to be comeback player of the year, which is, you know, supposed to be for like a guy like tied Jerome who like missed all of last year with like this. Somebody gets hurt and then comes back. wins. Right. But then in the 80s, guys started winning it who were out for the year with cocaine suspensions. And they were like, uh, what chance of most improved? The NBA should have just, if the NBA sunset at this award this year, not a single person would care. Who is the most improved award player award named after? I don't even, I don't even know. I don't know if Jackson was ever doing producing. We'd probably know by now, but he did some producing to get this pod on the

year. We had some technical issues that were at the corporate level. I'll just leave it at that. It's named after anybody. I'm trying to find out who it's named after. George Miken. Oh, George Miken. Yes. There it is. Is that because like the Miken drill, you know, the concept is that he... I think they just got to another all-time great player to hear. We'll just give him this one. Yeah. The concept is you do the Miken drill. George Miken, who led the league in scoring as a rookie. So let's name the most improved a rookie actually let it his first three years but yeah did he did i know what it is mykin got the the prescription he got a thicker set of glasses between like year one and two and

all of a sudden his field goal percentage went like well i it's many reasons looking at this officially george miking did have in his third season a 14.1 rebound per game spike but that's just because rebounds were not accumulated before that yes and then they were. Yeah. So, yeah, that award is dumb. We could set that aside. All right.

Well, anyway, I don't want to take. No, no, it's fine. Nothing against Caintingham. I just, Oh, it's not about whoever wins. The fact that he might win that or he's going to be All-MBA. Who gives a crap about most improved? Yeah.

Kate Cunningham ain't got to be sweating whether he wins most improved. That's right. He's going to care about making the all-MBA team, which you will. And Evan Mowbly, by the way, will do the same thing. And he will also get his money. So it'll be good for both of them. But, but yeah, to me, if you just look at, where the Pistons are and where they've been.

Like, yes, the CAB's making it, this leap forward has been really important, and they obviously could go on to make the finals win the title, we'll see how their playoffs go. But I just think the structural foundation that J.B. has put in place with the Pistons this year, it's pretty remarkable. And I, as the years gone on it, I've looked more and more at it, and I think I'm going to be open for that. And frankly, J.B, I'm not saying give the guy credit for the Caves,

success this year, but he did do a hell of the job laying the foundation in Cleveland. Right. And by the way, everybody in the cows organization would say that. Yeah. The cows will not counter, you know, program, you know, they will not, you know, as they make their case for Kenny Atkinson, they will not be like, well, Jay. And he's come in and he's been able to maximize Mobley and kind of unlock some things there. Also with Darius Carlin. Now, Darius Garland had a broken jaw in the middle of last year and lost 15 pounds and dealt with the person. Should be most improved. Well, if there was a comeback player of the year, he'd have a case.

But, you know, it's not like, I mean, the Cavs were a good team that won a playoffs. The Cavs, the case for Kenny Atkinson is that when you go down the line on the Cavs roster, he got like the best out of every single player. Donovan Mitchell's statistics do not index. indicate he's having his best season, but when you look at the games played his most in six years, and he was able to sell

Donovan on taking a smaller role. I mean, Donovan played a big role in that too. But Darius Garland, most games played bounce back season, All-Star. Far and away, Evan Mobley's best season. The central game plan for Kenny Ackinson coming into this year

was maximize Evan Mobley and the fact that he has have a strong chance to win defensive player of the year, make all NBA, made the All-Star team, 60 wins. That is pretty much his case. Ty Jerome, best year far and away of his career. Jared Allen's spectacular season, balancing playing those two guys together and the way he's set the rotation up. You know, Dean Wade, you know, even DeAndre Hunter, the way he's brought him in and integrated him. Like, I mean, he's, he's, that's his case. His case is he essentially had the same team and just max him.

them from day one and was careful with minutes and, you know, got, you know, went, was able, you know, confidently played 10, 11 guys throughout the season and it put them in a position to, you know, just win an incredible amount of games. That's his, that's his case. And, um, but I don't think it's a historic case when I think J.B's got the history on his side. And, you know, it's been on your way, it's pretty wild. Yeah. I mean, you got to be pretty bad in the first place to be to do it. But tripling your wins and going from the worst team in the league to a top six spot in your conference is, you know, pretty... It's called J.B. 3X. Bickerstaff. Okay. The other, you know, sort of interesting one is

Ricky of the year, Bon Tempton and I canvassed about. So there's been a groundswell for Stephen Castle, Stefan Castle, of the Spurs. Just use last names. You're really good with last. I usually am good at first names too. I just, you know, Evita. I keep. Yeah. There you got it. Anyway, you know, Castle's statistics are strong, especially in the wake of both Victor going out and then Deeran Fox going out. His usage rate has just gone up a lot, like something like 30%

since mid-February. And he's put up big numbers. He had another couple of big games last week. And, you know, he was highly visible. He was in the slam dunk contest. You know, the spurs were on national TV a lot. I did have one guy that I talked to. He wasn't commenting on Castle. He was just saying, he goes, this year feels like the Michael Carter Williams year, which was 2014, where the class was just not super impressive. And Michael Carter Williams had the best stats. And so he won it. The best player in that class wound up being the guy who was taken with the 15th pick in that draft. not 2011, 2013, I mean, which went on to be 2014, 13, 14 season.

Went on to be a certain Greek guy. We were talking about earlier in the pod. It was pretty darn good. Anyway, Castle is the favorite. I will just say, again, as I went around the league and talked to people, significant support for Zachary Risha Shay. Not they were putting Castle down. What they were saying is Risha Shay's improvement throughout the course of the year

is what has impressed them. to one assistant coach who he has the hawks as his scout and they played the hawks early and then they didn't play them for like two or three months and the difference between rishishish andet between those two times he prepared his team was significant and he just said his shooting is dramatically better and if you do look at his stats in the second half of the year his three-point shooting is right about 40 percent where actually whereas castles again, not that this is about three-point shooting. When Castle's usage has gone up,

his efficiency has actually gone down, which is what you expect, by the way, from rookie guards. You expect their efficiency not to be high. Whereas as the season has gone along and the responsibility has gone more to Risha Shay, his numbers have improved. And the one thing that I think will be a factor

as I make this decision is that Rishishet has played a bunch of good games when the Hawks were playing for. something. Not that the Hawks are flying into the finish. They're four or five games under 500. But the games that they're playing do have meaning and he's played well in them, whereas the spurs are sort of playing out the strength. Not that that's Castle's fault, but Castle is the favorite. I've got people in the league that I listen to leaning Risha Shea. Kassel's the favorite because basically by default, because he, frankly, I think mainly because he had a very good

All-Star Weekend and was visible at All-Star Weekend, and that coupled with him putting up some numbers lately, has lifted him up the list. He's a good-looking prospect. I'm a huge fan of him long-term. I just think the reason he's at the top of the list for this award this year is a combination of this class is not very impressive. And he had some moments at the All-Star game that I think have lifted it up more than anything else personally.

He's also the only one in the rookie. He's leading the rookie class in scoring. He's fourth an assist. Of course, you guys know who leads the rookies in assist, don't you? Isaiah Collier, I believe, right? Yeah, just broke John Stockton's assist record, or at least one of them. That's correct. The jazz rookie.

Yeah, I'm a big, I'm a big Castle fan long term. I like him as a prospect. It's just, I think, to me, like, for example, Reed Shepherd's playing in Houston. Reed Shepard is basically not played all season because he played in Houston. He played against the Thunder a couple weeks ago. He had a huge game against one of the best teams in the league, right? If he's playing for a team where he's playing 25, 30 minutes a game,

my prediction would be he'd be running away with this award. But he's not. Jared McCain was going to run away with this award. He like Victor got hurt earlier in the year. He's out of the midst. So none of these choices are very overwhelming in terms of who you should vote for. Alex Sar is better the second half of the year.

Yeah, Alex Sar before the – I have some splits here. So what's – Jalen Wells, the second round pick from the Grizzlies. He was sort of a pick that a lot of people were looking at as a possible surprise pick. Some of it's that the Grizzlies have been healthier. But, you know, so before the All-Star break, Jalen Wells averaged 11 points, three rebounds, on 45% shooting. Since the All-Star break, nine points, three rebounds on 30. 7% shooting. And if you look at Sarr, you know, the Wizards were so horrible for the first three months

of the season that I don't think there's anything you could pull out of there that you could appreciate. But the first, you know, half of the season, he averaged 11 points and six rebounds. Since the All-Star break, 16 points and six rebounds. He's still not shooting the ball great. I mean, he needs to get better efficiency there. But, you know, he's come on. He's come on later.

Yeah, he's definitely been better. To me, to me, Rishi, is going to be the guy that I vote for. Since January 1, he's shooting 49 from the field, shooting 39 from 3. He's playing real minutes on a team that has ambitions to at least try to make the playoffs,

which none of these other guys do. He's playing a role on the team. But again, like I, this is not, comparing it to the Michael Carter, Victor Williams, Victor Oladipo race is I think a fitting comparison because none of these,

it's not last year where you've got Victor Wimbunyama and a Chet Holmgren, and you're like, one of these guys has to win the award, and one of them's going to finish second. And most, you know, Chet was playing this year. Chet would have won unanimously this year. No, no question. It wouldn't even have been a debate.

So, like, there's not a, the reason this one's competitive is because there isn't a clear choice. There are, there are other rookies that are playing significant roles for playoff teams. The two guys on the Grizzlies, Jalen, Welles, and Zach Eadie. Yep. They don't have the numbers that Rieselchay does. Quentin Perimeter on the Warriors. He can't even start playing until January.

Yeah. Witton Post has had a really nice season, though. He will be on my, he will be on one of my all rookie teams, for sure. Another thing that should go away is the second all rookie team. That should also not exist. It's going to be, my God. I haven't thought about second team all rookie this year. Yeah.

Mons have just, he wants to get rid of so many. I just, I just don't, I love the process of doing the award. boards. It's super interesting. Second team all rookie is named after Bob Petit. That's the Bob Petit. It is just a ridiculous thing to be coming up with 10 rookies a lot of these years.

Some years not, but this year, yes. It's just going to be tough. I'll just do a drive-by real quick on six men. By the way, for most improved, Denia is a guy that I'm leaning towards by the way. You discovered Dyson Daniels. Well, he's a serious candidate too. We'll see.

We'll do a drive-by on six-man here. Peyton Pritchard is the betting favorite. Malik Beasley. I was going to say. I think Peyton Richard is my pick. Oh, well, that one's easy. Why is it easy? He has played a massive role for the Celtics.

I would say he's their second most consistent player outside of Jason Tatum. His energy every day is a huge thing for them. He's really turned into an incredible score off the bench for them. you know, it's a solid defender. I just, in terms of him, coming off the bench every single game and giving them real production and minutes and energy every night,

I, to me, he's been the clear favorite for this for most of the year. Malik Bees has had a great year. There's several other guys that you can point to, but the guy who you've got, the guy who you call E. Andre Hunter because you say he has no D. DeAndre Hunter is a guy who served on.

The Andre Hunter has a case. with my ballot too. So just tied Jerome. Tied Jerome from the caps. Dude, Beasley, again, Beasley has been a major factor in the Pistons tripling their wins. Not only his scoring,

but the fact you have to guard a guy. And he's come off the bench the vast majority of the games. He's averaging 16.3 points, shooting 41.6 from three point range on over nine attempts per game. Some pretty significant value in that for a team that was so star. Sounds like a most improved player to me. What is he like nine years into his

career? You know what though? He's always been able to shoot it. He's always been able to. No, I know. His shooting has been crazy. The other guy that I think will get strong considerers from my ballot. Westbrook. Westbrook, yes, Russell Westbrook. I think, I mean, Nasree, he won it last year. We'll probably get some votes again. But it's his teammate, to me, Mikhail Alexander Walker, who I think is going to be very high on my. my ballot. But he, you know, he has had an fantastic year for the wolves, really good two-way player, guards multiple positions, really good shooter, can handle the ball. You know, obviously Mike Connish been in and out of the lineup with some injuries. He stepped in and handled point guard duties a bunch.

We saw him hit that huge, hit those huge free throws the other day when he got fouled at the end of the game by Westbrook in that crazy wolf's Nuggets game. He's just had an awesome year. and I think he's going to be pretty squarely in my consideration for my ballot, too. All right. He has to lead the league in three-pointers made. Beasley. He's at a crazy season. Right now, Ants got 303.

Bezzi's got 301. Well, Beasley hasn't missed a game either. It helps when you play every game. And that's what the pistons needed. Shooting 41% from three on nine attempts a game is crazy. Awesome. that's really... The pistons could pull some hardware here.

It would be amazing. Talk about it unexpected. All right. We have a very high stakes week coming up. We'll be talking about all of it's going to be changing by the day. And we'll be with you, breaking it all down. Got a couple of really important games coming up in the next four or five days. So thank you for watching, listening to The Hoop Collective.

Thank you to Jackson for pulling this together. Thank you to Bonn-Tempson McMahon. And we'll talk to you later this week. Adios, amigos Dio, amigos.