Mike Wargon

So that's probably not the best game to be like, hey, this is what the Lakers are going to do the rest of the time. But you could see even with Len, because it's kind of a desperate acquisition after the Mark Williams trade gets rescinded. And even if they've kept Mark Williams in that trade, I think the Lakers would look at it as saying, let's just space somebody in a playoff matchup here.

Let's have Dorian Finney-Smith sit in the corner. We may give up something here, and there's going to be a game where we get out rebounded by a ton. But if you're opening up, you're playing five out, and you're having Luke and LeBron and Reeves attack, all the stuff we were saying in the beginning, that might be the payoff where JJ's like, I know what I'm giving up.

Let's have Dorian Finney-Smith sit in the corner. We may give up something here, and there's going to be a game where we get out rebounded by a ton. But if you're opening up, you're playing five out, and you're having Luke and LeBron and Reeves attack, all the stuff we were saying in the beginning, that might be the payoff where JJ's like, I know what I'm giving up.

Let's have Dorian Finney-Smith sit in the corner. We may give up something here, and there's going to be a game where we get out rebounded by a ton. But if you're opening up, you're playing five out, and you're having Luke and LeBron and Reeves attack, all the stuff we were saying in the beginning, that might be the payoff where JJ's like, I know what I'm giving up.

but I also know what I'm gaining here on offense. I guess I think it would just be tough to go, okay, if you're running into, say, a healthy, big OKC team, if you're running into what Denver is, Memphis is probably a better matchup when you look at some of the size stuff here. Let's stay on Memphis, though, because I'm with you. They're the two seed today. They're 11-2 in their last 13.

but I also know what I'm gaining here on offense. I guess I think it would just be tough to go, okay, if you're running into, say, a healthy, big OKC team, if you're running into what Denver is, Memphis is probably a better matchup when you look at some of the size stuff here. Let's stay on Memphis, though, because I'm with you. They're the two seed today. They're 11-2 in their last 13.

but I also know what I'm gaining here on offense. I guess I think it would just be tough to go, okay, if you're running into, say, a healthy, big OKC team, if you're running into what Denver is, Memphis is probably a better matchup when you look at some of the size stuff here. Let's stay on Memphis, though, because I'm with you. They're the two seed today. They're 11-2 in their last 13.

They're top seven offense and defense. I, you know, last night, Ja, you know, the whole Ja thing in and out of lineup, all this different stuff that you had mentioned all the times where it feels like it's another guy stepping up, which speaks to their depth. And I think it is a team that doesn't mind who goes off from night to night.

They're top seven offense and defense. I, you know, last night, Ja, you know, the whole Ja thing in and out of lineup, all this different stuff that you had mentioned all the times where it feels like it's another guy stepping up, which speaks to their depth. And I think it is a team that doesn't mind who goes off from night to night.

They're top seven offense and defense. I, you know, last night, Ja, you know, the whole Ja thing in and out of lineup, all this different stuff that you had mentioned all the times where it feels like it's another guy stepping up, which speaks to their depth. And I think it is a team that doesn't mind who goes off from night to night.

But Ja, you know, he's missed, in his 21 games, goes off against Phoenix last night. Santi Aldama was incredible to start the game for him. Jalen Wells, a rookie, has been like a real piece of what they're doing here. And they have guys that they can go to and Gigi is back and stuff. So, like, I like them, but yeah, it feels hard going, do you see them in the Western Conference Finals?

But Ja, you know, he's missed, in his 21 games, goes off against Phoenix last night. Santi Aldama was incredible to start the game for him. Jalen Wells, a rookie, has been like a real piece of what they're doing here. And they have guys that they can go to and Gigi is back and stuff. So, like, I like them, but yeah, it feels hard going, do you see them in the Western Conference Finals?

But Ja, you know, he's missed, in his 21 games, goes off against Phoenix last night. Santi Aldama was incredible to start the game for him. Jalen Wells, a rookie, has been like a real piece of what they're doing here. And they have guys that they can go to and Gigi is back and stuff. So, like, I like them, but yeah, it feels hard going, do you see them in the Western Conference Finals?

And that may be too dismissive of them, and maybe it's just, I mean, here they are. They've had different versions of themselves so many times over these last couple of years, and yet here they are standings-wise, the only team behind the Thunder.

And that may be too dismissive of them, and maybe it's just, I mean, here they are. They've had different versions of themselves so many times over these last couple of years, and yet here they are standings-wise, the only team behind the Thunder.

And that may be too dismissive of them, and maybe it's just, I mean, here they are. They've had different versions of themselves so many times over these last couple of years, and yet here they are standings-wise, the only team behind the Thunder.

Let's look at the East. I love the Hunter trade for Cleveland because whenever I watch Cleveland and Boston, I would just go, man, these defensive assignments start off really bad for what Cleveland probably wants to close with. And they probably would want to close with Strews prior to Hunter showing up. Um,

Let's look at the East. I love the Hunter trade for Cleveland because whenever I watch Cleveland and Boston, I would just go, man, these defensive assignments start off really bad for what Cleveland probably wants to close with. And they probably would want to close with Strews prior to Hunter showing up. Um,

Let's look at the East. I love the Hunter trade for Cleveland because whenever I watch Cleveland and Boston, I would just go, man, these defensive assignments start off really bad for what Cleveland probably wants to close with. And they probably would want to close with Strews prior to Hunter showing up. Um,

Now, I don't know how Struis closes in a playoff game unless he's just on fire and they feel like, hey, that's... But I'm not saying Hunter's going to shut down Tatum or Jalen Brown or other guys, but it's just another big body that they didn't have. And I love the way they move the ball. I love the way Mobley has played. You look at some of the on-off stuff with what Mobley has done.