The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Draymond Green Show - Warriors Eliminated + Looking At Next Season

Episode Date: May 13, 2023

Draymond Green discusses the Warriors being eliminated by the Lakers in six games, how the team looks going forward, and the rest of the playoffs.  #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The volume. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Draymond Green Show. This is actually our first episode that we've ever done after a series loss, which I must say is a little weird because this is actually the earliest series loss had. It's 2014, which is, it's funny. We were sitting on the plane last night in the locker room. like talking to Steph and Clay.

Like, I don't even know how to feel or what to think or like, like, what am I supposed to do now? Like, do you keep watching the playoffs? Do you not keep watching the playoffs? Obviously, I'm going to keep watching the playoffs because if you want some great analysis, you can come right here and check it out. I'll break this shit down for you like nobody else can. So obviously I have to keep watching for that.

But it's like one of those things. Like, all right, do you keep watching the playoffs? Do you like, you know, kind of sell off for a little bit and kind of just reset and get away from it? It's like weird, man. We haven't been through this since 2014 versus the Los Angeles Clippers losing in game seven in the first round. 2015 through 2019. Obviously our NBA finals runs, 2020. I mean, you can say we were done then, but like,

A, we all weren't playing. And B, like, the season stopped in March, and the world stopped in March. So that's kind of like a whole different thing. We were all wondering, like, if we would, like, still be living the next day. And, like, if you get sick, like, you remember at that time,

none of us knew anything about COVID except for it was, like, ramping up, it was shutting the world down. So then you had that. Then you had 2021. which was Steph's, Steph was back, I was back. I mean, not that I missed time like Steph or Clay, by the way, but they went through like some serious injuries and my year 2020 was just awful.

Season, I would say, season was awful. I think I played 21 games or something like that. So there's that. Then you have 2021 where like the regular season, didn't end until May because Christmas, the season really didn't start until Christmas time due to the pandemic. So even though we lost in a playing game, I think we still finished in like May or something like that.

So you can't say that, and I even think then it was later than this. Like if I'm not mistaken, it was like the third week of May playing the playing games. If I'm not mistaken. And then last year, obviously, winning a championship. So this is the first time we've lost in like any round earlier than the NBA finals in nine years. And so like how to feel about that? I don't know. Like are you sitting there and you're like, man, it's been great nine years to accomplish that.

But like we're competitors. Like we're not sitting there. And we're also not done. So we're not sitting there like, oh, man, it's been a great run. And this has been incredible. But like, no, that's been kind of the talk, but hasn't been quite the mindset. Because I think we all do know what we're capable of, what we're still capable of. And obviously, didn't finish quite the way we wanted it to finish this year.

But, like, we know right there, it's still right there for us. And we know we're capable of. Some retooling. We need to happen, obviously. always have to retool your roster after a win or a loss and especially after a loss. I saw Steve Kerr, Coach Kerr has said, he said, ultimately this team maxed out.

And the reality is, it's like that's true. Like, we weren't in the playoffs, we were in the playoffs, we were right there from 6 to 10 to 12 for the last month or whatever. Every time we thought like, oh, man, we're gaining ground. You give, like, just give a game away. You think about all the games we gave away this year. Like, literally, gift wrap. Here, Orlando, gift wrap.

Here's Charlotte. Giff rap. Here Detroit Pistons. Like, you name it. So many games, just, like, gift-wrap people this year. And the reality is if you don't gift-wrap to all of those games, then all of a sudden you're a 47-win season, not 44, or 48 win season in a totally different position coming into the playoffs,

not grinding every game out down the stretch because you have to win in order to get in. Like there was so many things that went into it like this year and then not ultimately turning out to be the year that we wanted to have. And so I do say you guys didn't absolutely, didn't let us win another fucking championship. kudos, congratulations, uh, and saying this year,

just this year. But, um, it's, uh, you know, everything happens for a reason. And, you know, we're not going to sit here and,

A, number one, not give the Los Angeles Lakers credit. Uh, you got to get them their credit, uh, starting the top, Darvaham,

uh, you know, some of the adjustments he's made, he made this series. look like a coach that's been in the playoffs for years and years and years and obviously he has a ton of experience in the playoffs as an assistant coach but when you take over as the head coach um that's a different thing a totally different thing uh tasked with coming back from a two and ten record uh to start the season to start his campaign as a head

coach job well done o g job well done and um looking forward to continuing the watch his adjustments as these playoffs go on. One thing I will be talking about on these shows are coaches adjustments and the things that I watch in these series and the chess match that is the playoffs. And so I will be discussing that as well, and I know he'll continue to do great things. I did an article the other day or an interview about an article the other day just about like Saginaw, like coming from Saginaw and me going like I snuck into Darbanham camp as a kid hit, like through the side door at the high school and, like, full circle to be playing

against him with a chance to go on to the conference finals. Like, we from Saginaw, Michigan. Like, that's not a real thing. Like, I thought it was so great for, like, kids to Saginaw, for kids from Saginaw to not only see me playing in the game, but to look on the other side and, like, yo, there's a coach from Saginaw. Like, that guy, obviously he's an NBA champion as a player, but that guy, It's from Saginaw he's coaching.

Like the things, the possibilities that can open up in one's mind on what you can be coming from Saginaw, Michigan. So many times, athletic sports is our way out. Like my son, DJ, he's always, like, he loves the coaching side of basketball. Like, he likes to talk with the coaches. He beats over there, like, writing stuff on the clipboard, like, rebounding for players when he comes to the gym and all of these things.

I know everybody gonna laugh and be like, oh, man, you're lying on DJ, which was crazy, by the way, in that press conference when that kid said, I was lying. We played like four different sports that night at the gym, but that's my man.

No, but honestly, like, he always tells me, Daddy, I'm gonna be a coach. And that's a realistic thing for him because of my situation and what he's allowed to see the interactions he's allowed to have. He's not growing up in Saginaw, Michigan.

so he's able to interact with Steve Kerr. Mike Brown was one of his favorites. Coach Q, Bruce Frazier, like Gemma, Jacob Rubin, like, he loves the coaching side of it. And like for that to be a realistic thing in his head at six years old, like to me that's incredible. And like ultimately I want him to know that there are so many other things outside of basketball that you will be able to do too.

It's my job as a parent to continue to teach him and show him those things. But for him to watch all of this that's going on and for him to come away with it like, I like basketball and he'll play it sometimes, but like I want to coach. I think that's so dope because that wasn't a realistic thing for me as a kid growing up in Saginaw, Michigan, which goes back to my point of the kid that's growing up in Saginaw, Michigan now, and see Darvaham coaching leading a team to the NBA conference finals. absolutely incredible and I take my hat off to that. And losing sucks and I hate losing, but that thing makes me feel good.

You're always trying to find like the silver line in or the message and things. Like there's messages and wins. There's messages and losses. And like you try to find like those things that's like, man, but that thing though, but that, but this thing. And like that's one of those things. or like the kid from Saginaw can dream about something more than being Draymond Green and playing right now and Darvindham and playing like no I don't even want to play I just want to coach so what's that route what's that path I think that's incredible so I take my hat off to them

um Brian finished with 39 and 9 before everybody say oh man jamaichael's post uh it it motivated lebron James like lebron james is going to come out and play that way because it's a close out game six at home and he knows going back to game seven and chasing it like that you just don't want to do that like how can you do that so the force that he came out playing with lebron james i i highly doubt is being moved by someone posting a blue cap on his head on on on on instagram story like and i know that's the media that that's the media thing sports media they'll oh you just don't pull Like, stop. There ain't no poking no bear at this point in the season.

Like, you try and win, you win or you lose. And you're coming out to do that regardless. So before everyone run off, like, oh, Jamichael, you cost this. Stopping. And saying that, as the series went on, I know you all remember me speaking earlier, like, yo, Brian off the ball. As the series went on, you see he got on the ball more and more and more and more. And it was more of what we were accustomed.

to see him from Brian. I thought it said a lot about him to try taking a different route, a different path, doing a different thing for this team, start this series. And then he ultimately went back to, I'm going to control everything. I want to get us into the actions that we want to get into. I'm going to get the game at the pace that we wanted at. And he ultimately went back to that, which was more of what, like I said, what we're accustomed to seeing. And I think he did what the game dictated. AD 17, 20, two steals, two blocks.

Man, I always enjoy competing against some of the best. AD is one of the best in the game. One of the most talented players we got in this league. One of the most gifted guys. Special, special talent. Obviously, you know, we came in together. It's been 11 years in this thing

in the battles that we've had. This isn't our first playoff battle. I doubt if it's the last playoff battle, but the battles we've had over the course of these last 11 years has been amazing. I always enjoy playing against the guys that challenge me to be at my best. And if you're not at your best, it's not good enough.

And I wasn't at my best enough this series for it to be good enough. Tipped my hat to AD as a competitor. It's a guy who takes a lot of slander. A lot of slander. And, you know, he stepped up to the challenge. changed their season, and they're headed to the conference finals, and he's right at the center of all of that. So I take my hat off to him.

Austin Reeves, man, a guy who got off to a slow start in this series, finished with 23, and I think for the last three, three, four games, maybe he played well. You got to, he earned my respect. Definitely earned my respect. He's just competing at the level that he competed at throughout these series. these lights get bright. We've seen guys these playoffs that these lights get bright, too bright. And they get too bright for a lot of people.

Tipped my hat to him on how he stood. And like I said, it didn't start off great. And that's a guy who's up for a contract. You start talking about, you know, you start struggling in the series. You lose that series all of a sudden. Like, what is the future? Like, are you the guy? Are you here?

All of those things. And, like, for the series to not start off great for him and for him to stick with it and how to impact that he has. had on the series said a lot to me said a lot like I said a lot like I said you see so many guys that just shrink in these moments and don't live up to the moment and if I'm not mistaken this is this first time playing it at this level as far as the playoffs and you know making runs and look like he fit right in so I take my hat off to him Dennis Schroeder um Dennis Schroeder was a huge key to this series for them.

I thought the adjustment to add him to the start line up with a came earlier, but you also don't really make adjustments like that when you're not faced with elimination essentially. Now, again, remember I said, you see that type of adjustment in game six. That is because they're essentially approaching that like an elimination game. Like, we got to go back for game seven.

It's just a coin flip. You just like you don't want that. And so they go to Dennis Schroederer. in the starting lineup, like I said, which is one that I thought what it could have happened earlier. And Dennis had been great for them the whole series. He had been great defensively. You know, didn't shoot the ball particularly well,

but shot it okay, well enough. Hit timely shots. I wouldn't even necessarily say it was how many the amount of shots here, but he hit timely shots all series. We'd be on a run. He'd get to the middle of the pain, hit a little floater, hit a couple threes, like timely. much respect to him as a competitor.

Obviously, we had our drawing back and forth in the series, and I enjoy that. Don't take stuff that happens on the court personal. He changed that series for them. Changed the series for them. And it'll be interesting to see what happens with him in free agency this summer, because if he doesn't get a nice contract,

it's because people... So, in all of this stuff, when you're talking social media and, like, medium, like, it's everyday thing. People, like, create these perceptions. And so when you, like, there's a perception that's been created on Dennis due to the contract that he didn't take with the Lakers before. And, like, that perception lives in people's head.

And so all of a sudden it's like, oh, well, we can get this guy for cheap now. We don't have to pay this guy. And, like, he's played well above what he's making. Well above what he's making. And shown to be an important piece to a possibly championship contending team, a very important piece. Almost their starting point guard. Like, you know, you got DeLo obviously

started at the point. But when Dennis is in the game, Delo plays off the ball most of the time. And Dennis is playing 30 plus minutes in these playoffs. And so he's almost like their starting point guard. Whenever anything's going wrong, he's who they're inserting. And so Dennis was a huge key to this series.

and I tip my hat to him as well. And ultimately, like I said, tipping my hat to all of those guys. They were the better team in this series. And they're moving on with a matchup versus the Denver Nuggets. We will get into that before we get out of here.

I'll go back to that. Just moving forward thoughts on the future of the Warriors. I know, like I mentioned earlier, Steve said, like this team maxed out. And I said this thing isn't maxed out, but this team was maxed out. Like, I can 100% agree with that, as I said earlier. But when I said this thing isn't maxed out, what I mean? I mean, like, we've been rolling. We've been doing this now.

I've been here 11 years. We've been rolling for nine. And that ain't over. You know, like I always say, I'm rolling. around out with the same guys I rode in with. And what I know about those guys I rode in with, still a lot left in the tank. It's still a lot of winning on the, you know,

ahead of us. I was talking to Clay. As we were sitting at the table last night, Todd Clay, Steph and myself, just like how important and big of a summer this is. Like how, like, locking in, like, how locked in we need to be. Like, yeah, this, like, no, I don't think this is it.

I'll say it right here for you. No, this isn't it. We plan on doing this thing again. That's the plan. Obviously, this is a business and things has to take place. I get that. But we plan on doing this again, but was just sitting at the table stressing the importance of, like,

us coming in and in shape and, like, being ready to go and, like, getting our bodies to the best space that you can get your body and, like, how big of a year this is for us next year. And the first thing he said, he said, hell yeah. Like, I still want to be an all-star again. I still want to win more. Like, I want to do all of these things again. Like, and last summer for me, it just wasn't like,

like, that's my first summer or two and a half years, a different summer, but I'm ready to attack this summer. And, like, that was great. Number one, to just be able to sit there and have that conversation. Like, so many people aren't opening that conversation and to know that we can still have those conversations after 11 years. You always talk about, like, bands breaking up. this thing get too big and that thing get too big.

And like to still have those conversations 11 years later, that's why we win. And that's why we will win again. Because it's not just about one guy. It's not you can't say this to me or I can't say it. It's to you like, no. It's a brotherhood when we, it's really that. And so looking forward to this summer,

it's going to be a great summer for us. And it'll be a great year for us next year. And so that's what I meant on, this thing isn't maxed out, although that team was maxed out. Like, we got all we can get out the team. It sucks that it did not finish the way you ultimately wanted to finish. Another thing Clay said I thought was interesting was like, man, I was looking at the Spurs and like what they were to do.

They never won back-to-back championships. Like, yeah, it's true. It's like, man, so, like, we still got more to do. Like, absolutely. It's hard to win back-to-back championships. Ultimately, your team has to get better to win back-to-back championships. I'm not sure this team got better.

I'm not sure this was a better team. I know it wasn't. This wasn't a better team than we had last year. So that's the case. And saying that as a competitor, you do all that you can and try to make it happen and win. And I think we did that. Like I said, like Steve said, it maxed out.

It's okay. Another thing that I thought was interesting when Steph said there was no change up that we had to throw at the Lakers lineup. And I think that's true. Like when you look at rosters, having guys like Auto Porter, Namaya B. Elisa, like those were changeups

that you could throw at different things like we threw at the Celtics last year. Auto Porter, like those were different changeups that you can throw when all the stuff is going on and it can throw a team off. we didn't have as many capabilities to do those things as we have in years past and championship years past. I can agree with Steph on that. And, you know, ultimately those things matter when it's in the playoffs.

Because, again, it comes down to a team that's going to play the hardest, the team that's going to play more force, adjustments, obviously skill and talent that goes without saying. But, you know, it comes down to those things. And when you're capped or limited on how much you can do, it makes a difference. And ultimately, those teams usually lose. Like, when I look back on this series, I always say there's like, and I don't say this because, like, we lost. Like, because there's always a point in the series that we get to and we're like, all right,

we got them, they done. And we never got to that point with this team of like, all right, we got them, we got them figured out. Yes, we figured some things out for sure. getting AD in space, getting pulling him away from the basket, like getting braining some actions. Like we figured some things out,

but ultimately it wasn't enough. Like we didn't figure them out. Like we didn't crack the cold. Like every series, Jackson tried to give me to tell y'all last series when we cracked sax code. Like, Draymond, as a producer, it's my job to get you to say that.

Because I would tell him we get on here. I'm like, Jackson, we got this team figured out. They can't beat us. And he got accustomed to that last year when I would tell him that last year. He's like, oh, okay, but they really be figuring out. And this year I told her once we figured sack out,

like, yo, we got them figured out they toast. And sure enough, we did. Like, this series, we never got to a point to where we like, yo, all right, we got it, cracked the code, that's it, they done. Obviously, we lost, so that goes out saying. But, like, you can get to that point and still lose, by the way. like the ball don't bounce your way or something like that.

What I'm saying is this wasn't like a ball didn't bounce your way thing. Last night I thought we got great looks to start the game and they just didn't go in. Like, yes, that is a fact, of course. But in saying that, I still don't think we ever just cracked the cold.

Like, yes, we got to a space where we could win games and ultimately got to a space where we could have possibly won the series. But it still wasn't a cold. crack, this is it. And that's, you know, there we are, May 12, May 13 finish. So it makes sense.

And that's kind of what the change-up talk was. So that's, that was that. My future with the Warriors, obviously I have a player option. I have not had the opportunity. I have the best Asian in the game for those of you out there who don't understand the business or know the business. My agent is Mr. Richard Paul, Rich Paul, for short, for those of you who don't know who rich it is.

He is the best in the business. I said all of that to say. We have not had the opportunity yet to sit down and discuss any future things. If I call Rich during the season, I was like, Rich, all right, so here's what I'm thinking for a free agent. He probably hang up in my face. when you do start to discuss those things like during the season

he has a very a very funny way of like veering the conversation a totally different way and not like I Rich was in my wedding like that's my brother like that's my big brother super close to him

so we talk all the time and it's not in a way of like where you notice he changed the conversation but he just smoothly redirected the conversation somewhere else And in large part, that he's, like,

he's not ever jumping a gun. He's not about to talk contract during a season unless it's like, yo, we need to get an extension done before the season is over. That's just not how he operates.

And so we have not had that discussion yet. So as far as future goes, like, I don't know what the options will be. I don't know what my option will be here. I don't know any of those things. So, I can't

What I can tell you is like I said last night Which is I want to be here You know I want to I want to This is I've been here 11 years Like you don't just get out of way You don't just throw that away

And quite frankly I think we still have more championships That we can and we'll win So And I understand all that I want to be here But also I understand that this is a business I know the business side of it I know the penalties that lie ahead with the new CBA.

I know all of those things. I think winning is worth it. And I know we still will win. So there you have it. That's kind of my outlook on the future. When I do have a decision, you will know it here first. How about that? You will know it here first whenever that decision is made,

whether I'm opt out. I don't know. Again, I don't know what it is. We haven't discussed it. So there's that. You all would know first. A lot of people saying the Warriors' Dynasty are over, which are the same people that said it was over in 2019 when KD left.

Four years later, they're still saying it's over. Great. They're always wrong. Those same people are the same folks that said, I'd never make it in NBA. Those people are the same folks that said, They're a jump shooting team and they won't win. It's those people. They're saying the dynasty's over.

But also know and pay attention to who the people that are saying the dynasty are over. It's always people that have never been a part of a dynasty. You never really see Shaquille O'Neal, the Great Shaq. My favorite player as a kid growing up say, oh man, it's over. You know why? Because that man understand what it's like. He gets it. But there's always people that run and say, oh, man.

it's over. You don't even know how it feels to start it. So fast to say it's over. It's not. But we'll prove that again. And we'll shut people up again. And that'll be fun to do. That's always the best thing to do. That's always the fun part. Looking forward to doing that.

Because this thing is not over. He closed out the Knicks in game six. Jalen Brunson had four. 41 points. Hey, y'all remember that adjustment I told you all about about Jimmy Butler being on Jalen Brunson? I didn't get to see most of the game. I'm not sure when I did see some of the game early on. It was not Jimmy Butler guarding Jalen Brunson. It was Cody Martin and a couple other people. But that last possession when Jalen Brunson turned it over, did you see who was on Jalen Brunson? It was Jimmy Butler. Why? Because Jailen drives left, middle. He's trying to get to that

spot goes back the other way trying to get to the spot but you can't bump jimmy off that spot and so boom there you have it they didn't make the adjustment for the entire game but when the money was on the line you had to go jimmy i saw something the other day that said eric spolster has never been the coach of the year in the NBA that is insane that's nuts eric spousher is one of the best coaches in the NBA. And always, like, even when they had them terrible rosters down there, I'm not even sure, like, when you talk about the Great Miami Heat Teams, I'm not even sure this is one of the best rosters now.

But they always win. Like, they always win. Like, they always find a way. Like, I got so much respect for that organization. I also got a lot of respect for those guys. Jimmy, bam, how they send it. UD out. Like they haven't had a great year.

Finish 7 seed playing, lost that 8th seed. And like how they're fighting and like to send UD out. Like I think that's super dope. A lot of respect and love for what they're doing down there. Obviously we know Jimmy in the playoffs

and what he's capable of. Bam's been playing a lot better. Duncan Robinson's been playing better. He's been hitting some shots. Definitely missed some shots in that game five but he's backed that. threat again and I think that's important. Kyle Laurie's been

great off the bench. But he goes back to the Easter Conference finals for the third time in four years. I'm not sure they were projected to go either one of those times, either one of those three times. And that just says a lot about them, about their process,

about the guys you have, their dogs, you know, like, says a lot about them. I personally think they don't have a Chance versus Boston, I do think they could be Philly because you can get Philly in spaces where, like, you can stop them from scoring. Keying on Joel, if James doesn't have it going, they have to rely on so many other things.

And Miami's defense has always been great. Boston, I don't think they have a chance to stop. Like, they cannot shoot it from out. They can score in so many different ways that I don't think they would be Boston. But they would get physical. but Boston has shown to be able to handle physicality. So I think for the heat's sake, it's best of Philly wins. However, I think Philly left their opportunity on the table.

And now they got to go back to Boston for game seven. I had to go back to Boston for game six. Not game seven. Not quite game seven, but game six. It is not a pleasant place. Let me tell you, it's just not pleasant. And so I think they're in trouble. I think they let their opportunity get away.

They had the game well in control. Jason Tatum had three points going into the fourth quarter. At that point, I think he was like one for 13. And I was sitting there watching the game with my homeboy, and I said, yo, if J.T. can finish 5'15, he's going to be the hero. He goes to the savior and the hero. But if he don't finish him, he's going to finish. five for 19, he is going to get crushed. He didn't quite finish five for 19. He finished five

for 21, but it was to my point. He hit big shot after big shot. And then when he didn't hit the big shot, he was taking the big shot. And like, your guys rally around that. And they rallied around it. Marcus Smart had a very good game, kept him afloat. Malcolm Brogden, very good game, kept them afloat. The substitution of the adjustment of Robert Williams going into the star lineup. I told you all they're going to need a game from Robert Williams to win, putting him on PJ Tucker and allowing him to wrong, letting Joel bang with Al Horford.

Incredible adjustment. Because Philly can't afford to, you know, they were playing off PJ Tucker and just making them hit the three. And he hit a couple of them. But Philly can't afford to take PJ off. the floor because they need this toughness. They need all of those little things that PJ brings to a game and a series of this magnitude.

They can't take PJ off the floor. So then you stick Rob Williams there who's like Roman and Rob Roman will screw your offense. And so down the stretch, they had nothing. Down the stretch, they didn't get stops, Joel didn't get shots. they didn't get good looks and they let Boston sneak in there and take it after they had Boston beat

had the game won and let it get away and I don't think there's no recovery coming from that one it actually wouldn't surprise me if they got blasted tomorrow because it's just tough to come back from that Boston feeling good they're going back home chasing Tatum won't start one for 13 could get ugly it may get ugly.

We shall see. The Denver Nuggets closed out the Phoenix Suns. The Phoenix Suns was down 30 at halftime for the second year in a row in a close-out game at home. That was brutal. Denver, I think, gained a lot of respect with that. Like, Sean, like, oh, no, we're ready to close out. We're ready for that next step.

I think that's a great note to go. into the Western Conference Finals on against a Lakers team who everybody said, oh, they want Denver in the first round. They don't care about the 7th C. They want Denver. That's a statement.

That's a statement sent. Now Denver got to go do it. My quick analysis on that series, the AD-Joker matchup will be key. I think Joker being able to pull an AD away from the rim is going to be a real thing. Joker operates in that mid post area, even in the pick and roll.

He's catching in the pocket. He's making plays in that area. It'll be important for the Lakers to shrink the floor, force to skip passes out and take that away, that pocket away from the nuggets because they live on that. They feast on that. I think the great thing about Joker, though, is you can move him all over the court.

You can move him to the high post. You can move him to the block. You can move him to the elbow. you can move him to the, you know, middle of the paint, free throw line area. You can move him around. And that, I think, will create some issues for the Lakers defense,

especially with how they want to play with AD. But just pulling AD out from the rim, a Joker has not been reluctant to shoot the three this year. When we played them in the playoffs last year, he wouldn't take them any threes. This year, he's letting them go. And that changes things. And so that's going to pull AD away from,

the basket. However, I also don't think Denver has a bunch of guys that can just drive in the pain and get to the cup. Like they got Jamar Murray. Bruce Brown has shown to be a guy that can get to the cup. But are you losing with Bruce Brown getting to the cup? Although Bruce Brown has changed that team, KCP has changed that team.

They've made them ready to take that next step. But ultimately, I don't know if they have the guys to put the pressure on the rim. Aaron Gordon will be matched up with Brian. I'm not sure he's not just powering through Braun. Aaron Gordon is one of your fence benders. We've talked about the fence bender before. Michael Porter, Jr. is more perimeter base.

He's more perimeter base. So he's not putting pressure on the rim. So that'll be an interesting thing. They'll be able to pull AD away from the rim, but they don't necessarily have the ball handler slash playmakers to get to the rim like you'd hope outside of Jamar Murray. So does that advantage end up playing out the way it could or should as far as pulling AD away from the rim?

I don't know that that advantage works. However, I will expect a bunch of inverted screens with Joker handling, allowing Joker to get downhill and put pressure on the rim. and again, AD is going to be lifted out. He won't be able to sit back. So now you get inverted screens. How do they guard those?

Do they just read them? Keep everything in front. But then if you read it and Joker hits somebody and he gets the ball back, now you're going to have to overhelp. You have to overhelp. Finish with 32, 12, assist, and 10 rebounds last game. Average the triple double.

It is going to be on the Lakers to, you either got to stop Joker from passing or stopping from scoring. the easier one to do is stop him from getting assists. Can't allow him to get both. If he gets both, you lose. It's very simple. So do you switch that and play on one-on-one?

Make him score and keep everybody else at bay. Don't start giving up back cuts. Don't start giving up open threes and keep the others at bay. That could be one way of doing it. But it'll be interesting to see. But I do expect to see a lot of inverted picking roles. I'm looking forward to seeing how they're going to guard those. That'll be their way of giving them.

breaking the paint, trying to get to the hole, break the Lakers defense down. Be a good series. Ultimately, Denver ready, man. I think Denver is ready. Like Denver taking that next step, they're doing it. We're watching it. But I think we're going to have a rerun of 2020. I think the Lakers are the bubble.

And I think the Lakers will take it. I got the Lakers. I got the Lakers in six. Closing out at home in six. That is my prediction. That's what I'm rolling with, and I'm sticking to it. There will be some very in-depth analysis after these games. Check it out.

It'll be fun. Maybe give you a different insight on what you see. Until next time. With the Draymond Green Show, that's a wrap on this season for the Dubs, but that is not a wrap on the podcast. Peace.