Ben DuBose

I guess, Paolo, how are you feeling coming off that beat down?

Does it change in any way your feelings about this team and, you know, how aggressive they should be this offseason?

Like I've seen some say that this is the kind of result that if it happens again in the playoffs, maybe it forces you to reevaluate the honest trade talks and whether you trade the

shangoon and future picks that's just one example there's a lot of others but uh i'm just curious at a high level how much in the macro did sunday night's result change how you're feeling about this team entering the offseason

So we can get to the offseason in a few minutes.

I want to follow up on something you said about the Spurs young guys, because one of the talking points that I don't like that I've seen, at least on my feeds, is that the difference between the two squads is more than Wembley.

I don't think that's true.

I think, unfortunately, at this point, and it's not that you can't overcome it, it's just going to take a lot of stars aligning.

The difference between these teams is that night in May of 23, I remember us doing the live pod, Paolo, for the lottery night.

And of course, the Rockets didn't get Wemby and the Spurs did.

So not only did you not get this generational prospect, certainly not a disaster of a night, because I think it's pretty clear.

I mean, Thompson is the second best player in that draft class.

But when you don't get the truly generational guy and your main competitor in state, same division does.

it leaves a mark.

And for Wimby to do what he's doing now at 22 years old is absolutely ridiculous.

We know the length, the versatility defensively.

And when you combine it with the shooting on offense, I mean, I pretty much knew once he made a couple of first half threes, I felt like the Rockets were cooked because as soon as they had to come out on him, the driving lanes were going to be there because they're more athletic across the board other than

men and to an extent Jabari depending on the matchups the Rockets were just in a different weight class than the Spurs in terms of athleticism and those two teams again the 145 points might be a little skewed based on shot luck but the Spurs were getting really good looks and when Wemby connects from outside I knew it was going to be a long night or I had a strong suspicion that it would be

But as far as those other young guys, I think so much of the difference between the Rockets young guys and the Spurs is situational.

Like this isn't to make an excuse for Houston's young guys, because at some point you've got to make the best of what you've got.