OverDrive - Armstrong on the Raptors' team mentality, Barnes' notable leadership and Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP season

Episode Date: February 26, 2025

TSN NBA Analyst Jack Armstrong joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NBA, the Raptors playing through the rebuild mentality, the development of the budding talent, Scottie Barnes' leadership impact in Toronto, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP caliber season, the Lakers and Mavericks' matchup and more.

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Listen on the free iHeartRadio app. Here's Jack Armstrong, our TSN Raptors analyst. How's it going, Jack? Guys, good. I'm here in the beautiful Scotiabank Arena, about to call the game on TSN TV. So happy to be all of you gentlemen. Yes. So what do we expect in here? I mean mean when you

consider coming off the other night where i thought they've been obviously played really well one big against phoenix this is a different beast with boston in town uh... but scotty you know the the the focus on the defensive side of play in the way that he has been playing recently and seems to be taking more more pride now as the season's gone on what have you seen out of him defensively in particular Scotty Barnes?

I think he's playing more within at this point in his career where his game is, you know, in terms of playing nearer to the basket and then really using his his length and athleticism and ability to guard to be an impactful guy on both ends so uh... you know at this stage of his career he's not necessarily a three-point shooter uh... and uh... that's fine you know play to do what you do and do it well and he when he gets into the mid-low post he gets very effective

scoring around there and obviously is a as a passer is a uh... unselfish guy in the open court and then uh... defensively he can guard all the positions. So to me, you know, he's dialed in and playing at a really high level. So that's what has to happen for him to continue to grow and those other steps from a skill perspective will take place more in the off season than right now. It's just so hard with limited practice time,

but I like what I see in from him, you know, having quickly back in a lineup and healthy, his ability to shoot the ball gives your offense more spacing and more creativity. I think it makes it easier for everyone else to be that much more efficient. And right now you're doing that without Jakob Pertl, a guy that you, you know, you involve quite a bit in your offense in terms of throwing him the ball and his ability to move it around quickly in his

Outstanding screen setting and ability to finish at the rim is big But you know and they're playing better defense. I think they're protecting the ball guys know their roles a little bit better There's not as many silly turnovers leading to easy scores, so therefore they're able to lock into their coverages a little bit better. They look more like a team. You know, they're still gonna have their share of droughts and mistakes because particularly when you play

all those young guys off the bench, that's gonna be a problem. But nonetheless, I think it's gonna pay dividends as you go forward in the years to come that these guys have been thrown in the fire and you're going to see these guys develop that much quicker. So I think it's a good thing. Think about it, tonight Boston and then tomorrow at Indiana, two good teams. And then after that, the schedule goes the other way. They have the

easiest schedule in the NBA after tomorrow night and depending on what school of thought you're from and you guys nailed on both sides in terms of are you trying to win or are you worried about the draft, the schedule could become a real issue if you're in tank nation because even if you're trying to not necessarily win 50 games which you're not going to make the playoffs, they might not have no other choice because the team they're playing against, you know, never underestimate the other guy has more problems than you do. Right. And there's a bunch of those teams remaining that are on the schedule. So I'm fascinated to see how it all plays out. So Jack, you know, we began this season listening to Messiah Jury talk about a rebuilding year, and a lot of the rebuilding, let's face it, is figuring out what you're building around. And you talked about Scottie and the step that could be taken with more development of his game and refining of his skills.

If you're looking at this guy through the offseason and what could he bring to his game that would make him the foundational piece of an NBA franchise, where would you be adding? Well I think we're too obsessed in this league with three-point shooting. Not everyone could be a 40% three-point shooter. You look at a guy like Giannis, he kind of knows what works for him and he rolls with it and he stays where what benefits him and to me I think for Scotty Barnes if he can be an adequate solid mid-30s three-point shooter at a low volume and do the things that in my opinion really benefit the team a significant amount and that is being a guy that's an absolute

beast in the low post who could score consistently out of there that has a few pet moves a few counters to those pet moves around the basket and can operate consistently in the mid-range as well to me I think is big and I think the more shooting you put around him the more space he has to deal he has to work with I think the more matchups he can win because he's got a real good he has real good ball handling skills he has excellent vision and he can he can navigate particularly if he's got space to navigate so to me when I look around it a lot of it's going to be roster construction, but some of it's going to be him, you know, really developing a few pet moves that right

now some of it's playing on talent and now you got to take that next step and play a little bit more with some skill. But the other thing is just that nasty temperament night in night out. Again I mentioned a guy like Giannis. Talent wise is he overwhelmingly more talented than guys in the league or is he overwhelmingly more determined? I would say he's overwhelmingly more determined and what I'm seeing of late from Scotty Barnes is a guy that's a heck of a lot more determined and you put that determination with his talent you can have a guy that's a heck of a lot more determined and you put that determination with his talent you can have a guy that could end up being a consistent all-star in the years ahead.

So Jack, you've got 25 games left roughly. To me, what is the perfect scenario for the Toronto Raptors for the rest of this season? Is it just development? Is it, you know, gaining a bunch of points? Like what did you, if you had a crystal ball and something that you would love to see happen here down the stretch what would it be oh my goodness the perfect development would be tons of development and getting Cooper flag I mean that would be yeah that would be the absolute utopian existence if that happened. And the guy is a great talent.

Now do I think he's on the level of a Victor Webinama? Probably not that level, but probably a half notch below that, but a guy that could come in and you add to what you have currently and right now you have a Brandon Ingram not playing, you got Pertle and you got some of these young guys that they have, I think it's go time if you had a roster next year that's healthy with the current group that you have and you have some guys healthy and you had a really good young player.

You know, you look at what the Detroit Pistons have done this year. Now are they gonna win an NBA championship this year? No, but they're fighting for a fourth, fifth seed right now. They're right on the backs of the Pacers and the Bucks. So it's a great turnaround. And I think if you look at the Eastern Conference right now, this is the conference that you can make that turnaround in.

So as much as you look at the Raptor record, they're not that far off. And to me, if things work out a good way, they could be a good competitive playoff team next year. And once you get to there, then a lot of positive things can happen. If you look back to the last way they built the title team it was in steps and but you got to win and you got to have players that experience winning and expectations have to be higher and to

me I think that environment has to exist so that would be the ideal. With Jack Armstrong do you think at any point in his wildest nightmares, Nick Nurse would be looking at the standings and saying, my Sixers are only two games up on my former team and the Raptors from the hop. And a rebuild. Said we're rebuilding, it's going to be a tough year. They've lost eight in a row down there in Philly and Bede, I was reading about some of the surgeries they're talking about.

It's out like out of this world type stuff they've got a top six protected pick it's just it's crazy what's going on in Philly like do you empathize at all for Nick I mean and how much worse could it get before it gets better down there no I feel for Nick I think he's one of the great coaches in our league. Obviously he won a championship. Um, and, uh, you know, it's a mess there. I was shy. I was a little surprised that Paul, they went and got Paul George an older player and gave him a lot of money and I gave him four years. Um,

you see what the heat did trying to get out of a Jimmy Butler deal that, you know, a guy similar age and you know, a guy similar age, and you know, you just, it's just a lot of money to tie up into an older guy. Man, it's a mess there, and they're on the hook for a lot of years with Embiid, and it's not only his knee, it's conditioning, it's what's been created around him

since he broke into the league, and all they were trying to do was lose games and that creates a bad standard, a bad habit, a lot of things that kind of go into a player's makeup. You know, the guy, they haven't won. You know, they've won but they haven't won. And to me, I think it's a huge problem I feel for Nick. You know, if you could do it all over again, I think if you were Nick Nurse, look, the money's great,

but you were getting paid by Toronto for another year, you sit the year out, you hang out, and you jump back in. Instead, you jump in in Philly and everyone thinks, wow, what a great job it is and unfortunately for him it's it's uh... not a good disaster disaster i feel for him it's a really difficult spot to be in and you know

the people that understand what's going on will not blame him but they'll always be people that will uh... but it's a hard scenario to go away from on score yeah they jack uh... just wanna ask you about you know she'll just alexander obviously have an incredible incredible season the presumptive nbmvp the his team the okc thunder have the of the number one seed in the west but interesting turn of events last night they they blow big lead to minnesota

uh... and chris binch the minnesota coach i think was turn of events last night they blow a big lead to Minnesota and Chris Finch the Minnesota coach I think was attempting to plant a seed in the mind of NBA referees complaining that you can't touch Shea they're a very frustrating team to play against because he can't touch Shea sort of inferring that he's foul baiting a little bit that maybe the refs got to keep an eye on this guy he does go to the line more than almost anybody in the league and i'm asking you like the you think she's run the risk of maybe being a

you know that the james harden rockets that the situation maybe even the demar de rosa raptors era where he's relying a little too much on drying fouls and that might not play in the playoffs or how do you see that uh... well the little whistle traditionally get a little looser in the playoffs so you're gonna have to play through more contact so yes that's an issue. Do I think it's his fault? No I think he's a competitor he's gonna take every edge he can get and if he's gonna get that edge he'll take it. I also think

though when the postseason comes, he's a smart enough player and they have a good enough coaching staff that they'll adjust to whatever the whistle is. And if you're Chris Finch, you're smart, you look at where you are in the standings, you might be playing them potentially in the first round or at the very least the second round. So, you know, you're trying to already plant that seed. So which is smart on his part.

And by the way, his guy Edwards gets a lot of benefit of the doubt as well. No doubt. And there's a lot of great players that do. So, you know, it's all gamesmanship. It's all nonsense. It's all playing to the cameras and trying to get into the heads of the officials. And you know, the top officials in the league, when you get a really good crew on a game game They're not going to let any of that stuff influence them any any way shape or form All right, Jack. It's gonna be a good one tonight the champs in town Celtics wraps. Enjoy it. Have a great call

We'll catch you on TSN tonight Guys and enjoy by the way Lucas return to Dallas. That'll be fun I think we got that game on TSN tonight as well, right? It's gonna be outstanding, man. I think he's going for 40 plus. Do you ever read on that, Jack? 40 plus or have a 40 after the game? Both. The ultimate double-double. 40 plus and a 40 after the game. That's the Euro double-double. Yes. I love it. And he loves it too, man. He's gonna be dancing and he will have a party waiting for him after that game that's right he's very comfortable all of a sudden in l.a. i think it's gonna be a fun one hey babe brooke hit a lot of home runs and uh... you know he wasn't necessarily missed

the physical fitness that's right not everyone has to look like me i mean you know some other guys uh... figure out a different way it's overrated it's overrated it's gonna be a fun night of basketball and TSN. Enjoy it, Jack, we'll do it again soon. All right, guys, all the best. There he is, Jack Armstrong, our TSN Raptors analyst. This February, IHER Radio celebrates Black History Month by amplifying the voices that define black excellence.

Select upon and celebrate history and culture. From curated playlists, celebrating iconic black artists artists to powerful podcasts. My grandmother marched with Martin Luther King. And Black History Month radio. We're shining a light on the music, stories and culture that inspire us all. Black history is our history. Celebrate with us.

Listen on the free IHAR Radio app.