So the Lakers this
morning and last night, they want to blame the refs. They want to they want to
blame the replay system. OK not the LeBron
James 16 seconds left, missed wide open 3. Now, that wasn't it. Or the fact that Anthony
Davis had no points in the fourth quarter. Darvin Ham couldn't
dial up a player. The fact that once again
a Laker starter gave you a nothing burger Rui 3 points. Not that in the last
10 minutes the Lakers went away from the pick and
roll with AD and LeBron. I think LeBron just gets tired. We know the Lakers
don't have the talent or the versatility of Denver. Last night's a great example. Jokic did not play
well in the first half. Murray was awful in the
first three quarters, but because of their
surrounding talent they can keep it close and make runs. These teams have played
10 straight times. The games all look the same. They're all close. We've said all year Lakers
aren't going to beat them, but they match up with them. Well, the difference
is, though, last night. Last nine possessions
for Denver. They scored on eight of them. Why? because LeBron and
AD in both games have had to overcome a
starter that gave you. Nothing Diallo was
awful in game one, and Rui was awful in game 2. Jamal Murray wasn't
good last night in the first three quarters, but
he was remarkable in the fourth. Jokic had a rare bad half but
he was money in the second half. Denver always wins this
game because Denver their two stars can have a bad
quarter can have a bad half. They don't have to be gassed. Jokic just lets the
game come to him. He doesn't press when
things are going awry. He's got Gordon
and Porter and KCP. He doesn't have to press. If LeBron doesn't get
Lo help, he's got to. He's got to empty the tank. If AD doesn't get Rui help,
he's got to empty the tank. And so I mean, again last
night Jokic and Murray didn't do anything
in the first half but in the last nine
possessions Denver scored in 8 and those are the
crunch time numbers. That's the best
defense you'll face, that's the most
pressure you'll face. And this is what championship
teams like Denver deliver. It's not just that they have
the best player in the world because LeBron and
AD aren't far behind. It's the ability for
their star teammates who often have bad
halves to still be brilliant, like Jamal Murray
when you need him deliver. And in that fourth
quarter, whereas Lo was bad the entire game one
and Rui was awful last night, the entire game. Jamal Murray as a star,
they're going to go back to La. The games will be close. The Lakers will empty the tank. But this has been
the most predictable series of all of them. The Lakers match up. Well, the Lakers have two stars,
but LeBron and AD are always have to overcome a
weak bench sometimes regrettable substitution
patterns by Darvin Ham. And by the end of
the game what's Edey have left not much
offensively what is the constant been in Philadelphia
for eight years they've had multiple Nick
Nurse is embiid's third coach. We had the trial balloon with
Ben Simmons, James Harden. Now it's Tyrese Maxey Tobias
Harris draft picks the process the constant is Embiid. And superstars. That's what he's been labeled. He's a superstar. I don't know. I've got a higher standard
to be a superstar in the NBA. You have to, you know,
once win a second round playoff series in the much,
much weaker Eastern Conference. I don't know, just one time
GMs coaches, teammates, stars Simmons Harden. Now he's got Maxi
and these Knicks though gutty are hardly the Shaq
Kobe Lakers they're doing it on guile moxie toughness they
want it more they care more that last sequence for the next
it was all desire and effort I mean Embiid first two games. No rebounds in the
fourth quarter. Through two games. Is Ewing on the floor. What am I missing? No rebounds. Rebounds is an effort stat. Dennis Rodman wasn't skilled. Ben Wallace wasn't
a world class basket its effort rebounds are effort. Embiid seven two superstar. Did Shaq ever have two
games with no rebounds in the fourth quarter through
two I don't think so did akeem he has the talent
he doesn't shrink he has the size he lacks effort. If you go look at Joel
embiid's playoff career, his numbers plummet
in the fourth, his plus minus his field
goals, his rebound, everything goes down. That's effort. I understand bigs get
tired, bigs get beat up. I get that. But when Tyrese Maxey
with 109 left hit a three, the score was 196 Philadelphia. In fact the Knicks
next two possessions they didn't get a field goal. It was their game now. Kyle Lowery missed a
free throw that was big and Jalen Brunson got a bit of
a break on that bounce on the 3. Absolutely but in the
nba, you're a superstar. If you win in
April, may and June and you and you have
a big personality. Kawhi doesn't Jokic
doesn't their stars but you're a superstar. If you win in April,
may and June and you have a big personality
and embiid's got plenty of personality. But I, I waited through
trust the process and Ben Simmons and
James Harden and now Tyrese Maxey and
multiple coaches and Nick Nurse the third and multiple
GMs and draft picks and moving and and I get the same thing. Big games in the East
in the playoffs late. Where's Embiid. I just didn't see the effort
I watched that last sequence by the Knicks they were done. It was over. Maxi hits a three next two
times down under a minute. They don't get a field goal. It's over. And then it became
rugby on the floor. Did you have any
doubt when that ball went on the floor the Knicks
would come up with it? Was there any doubt for
a second who was going to come up with the basketball? Even defense genzo's second
three it was about effort. Nobody blocked out the next. I keep hearing the
Sixers last night and this morning complain
about there was no timeout. You know what I saw? Nobody blocking out no
effort that last night was all about desire. That game was over Knicks
were cooked 196 didn't score in their next two possessions
game was over it's over Embiid no rebounds last first two games
in the series fourth quarter I mean, that was all
effort all desire. These Knicks. Jalen Brunson is not playing
well Julius randle isn't available and they're beating
two stars in this league one that has been
labeled a superstar. I don't want to
hear about timeouts. I don't want to hear about time. I don't want to hear about.
You missed this. You missed it. I missed the effort. Where is it? It is all on the Knicks. You can watch a sporting event. You don't see this
a lot in hockey. You don't see a lot in baseball. But you do see in the NBA some
load management teams wanting it more and more physicality. That was an effort win. It wasn't a talent win. Don't don't give me talent. Devincenzo bounced
around the league. It's not a talent thing. That was an effort thing.
