Managing Fox and Harper Minutes

comoming up on this episode of Mind the Game. Jaylen just he's first of all, the number one characteristic for me is his will to win. It's almost not a floater. Not a l up, not a runner, but it's just like a shot. Yeah on the move with a guy tattoo you can't time it because you don't know when he's not it's not natural. Yeah It's not natural. Like he goes and then he just he just kind of tosses it up there boom boom boom. Yeah, yeah, exactly now you know, ye, exactly fascinated by this cat wom Kat likesarding women is the strength that I Weby So how do they now move Weby around? get him on the baseline, get him on the block, get him to O the move. San Antonio, they're a team that doesn't have They have their personal, you know beliefs on what they can bring to the table. We all do. We're all competitors, but that team is eagleless. It's big time to see Josh kind of grow into, you know, the player that he's in. We always talked about Aice Caruso a lot. It's those certain guys that you can plug into any franchise, any team and they're going to win because those guys just make winning plays. You know, Isaiah, what other You know what other small guards of other team to titles? Yeah very very ra. I was to win in it? Yeah So G in it Yeah, some time away. I'm just getting back little family vacation. took the family over to to Italy and France. We started in Monaco and then took the coast all the way down and finished in Capri. So I mean, it was a great trip. whole family, kids, wife, my mom, had a couple kids have some of their friends with us. So you had a. Yeah, we had a crew. We had a crew. It was a good time though. a great time. Little jet lag U Well we're back, man, mind again, we're back. think're back. We are back. Let's go. Quion for you, man. you know, this is one year into you doing this whole broadcasting thing You know, how was that been? Is it everything you thought it would be? Is it you know, kind of take us through it. Yeah. take us through it. Yeah, it's been good. I mean, thanks to you. I got a little bit of a head startart. Doing this, feeling a little more comfortable with camera. The Amazon Prime stuff has just been amazing though You know, they really invested in it. Great team, great crew, all on camera off camera. So that part of it's been like home run. And you got some guys up there too that's like smart know the game as well, U D, Dirk, Blake, like you guys do a great job up there. you know, Taylor, you know, those y'all a pretty good c. I mean.. I don't me personally, I don't watch a lot of like Pre game shows, post game shows because just you know me. You already know how I am about that shit because they don't speak about the game enough. There's not enough knowledge about the game, breaking down the game,, you know, what it means as a fan to actually learn about the game and what will we watching? You know? And it's been a breath of fresh air having you guys up there. you know, I think I don't know what game that was. It was maybe after game one or two in the Houston series. actually got on to talk to you guys after that game and I did it because I knew who I was about to be talking to, you know, So you know, it was a breath of fresh air to get on there and talk to you guys about the game and kind of like, you know, just really speak about the nuances of why we all fell in love with the sport and why we continue to fall love with the game. So big shout out to you guys for sure. Thank you Well, we appreciate you coming on. We hope it's not the first of last. But you know you hit it I mean, I want to give a major shout to like the people that support us. They do an incredible job. And then you like you said, man, like to sit there with Dirk and Bake, UD and Taylor's like the point guard.ike she really is such a I mean, she's so talented at what she does. She keeps us on track for our first year. She made it seamless for us. So it's been amazing. and I think Thank you for saying that about the content. like we wanted to come in and try to add and elevate these are best players in the world. We want to highlight what they're doing. We have to call them out if it's not right or they're not playing well. But the reality is they're still the best players in the world and we want to show the fans why and what makes it so difficult to play at this level. So that was fun for us to try Maybe give fans casual fans, even fans that are deeper into the game like an opportunity to kind of see it from a player's perspective, coaching perspective, like what's happening out there on a slightly deeper level. So they have a little bit of like either access into the game or an understanding of why they're doing what they do or what makes it so hard. Yeah. That was fun. That was fun. Iso also like the court too. the court breakdown. Court. That a breakdown Pays break down specific moves that certain guys made, you know, I thought that was pretty cool too. The court was super like immersive. Yeah. Like it felt like it was a video game. Right You know, played by live guys, which you guys were. so I thought that was a good piece that Amazon did a great job of capturing that too. Yeah. and I think like we haven't even fully been able to Exploit the court. R You're still learning like what sense, what you mean? So like you can play video on the court. you can put you can have trackers where you have the players moving, you could put graphics on the court. So being interactive. So for example We haven't like been able to do it enough, but we could theoretically use the court but draw a play on an iPad. And then it goes right to the court.. But getting all the dynamics of that down to where like it's TV ready., it just takes a little bit of time. Yeah sure. The ability, the functionality of that thing is incredible. So hopefully we can use it as a tool to help Thats pretty cool Well, conongratul on your w Thank you. We're looking forward to you too. Yeah Yeah absolutely. coming up on deck. Yeah Cheers today. Yeah Cers today Mmm, nice. Nice burllo. Yeah. I'm fresh from Italy, I just keep it going. Keep it going. Right? From Burroos to Burgundy. Yeah. So we've had some really, really sad days here at the NA recently losing Rick Edelman, Jason Collins, Brendon M Clerk. Yeah You know I'd love to hear from you and we've both played against Rick's teams and great human being. And that elbow action offense with Pete Carll was one of I think the most beautiful teams of that era. So obviously shouts to his family and all the incredible stuff he did in the game Yeah, I mean, obviously at the end of the day, I mean, we all compete against one another. I mean, there's thirty teams. We all compete for one comm of goal as's to win that game, win a championship, whatever the case may be. however you kind of break down the course of a season, your career. But more importantly, like we're Brotherhood. We're all a brrotherhood from you know the staff, the training staff to everybody that's helping The coaches, the players, everything, we're all it's all a brotherhood, you know? And you know, when you lose someone in a fraternity, you know, it hits home, you know. You know, to be in a playoff series versus Brandon Clarark a couple years back when, you know, we had a big time playoff series versus Memphis, you know, you know, with that team to lose him. obviously it s a lot of shock waves. I got a lot of teammates on the Lakers that was actually teammates with him, Marcus Smart, Jake L Ravia Ry was a college teammate of his, Luke you know, Luke Conar was a teammate of his. so I know that kind of probably hit home even more for them. So that was, you know, very devastating. and like you said, Archadolesis goes out to not only BC, but also, you know, Jason Collins as well losing him competed against him as well, you know earlier in my career You know, and also, you know, just playing against obviously, like you said, Rick Aldaman. I saw my one of my dear friends, one of my best friends, you know, the NBS Kevin Love and Kay Love put a put a post out, I think yesterday the day before about how much he meant to him, you know, and his family as well. So, you know, it's a big fraternity and to lose people like, you know, people who've meant some to our league And to be able to compete versse them or see them, have conversations with them is always something you kind of just you don't you don't take it for granted. like you said, you give so much more in depth, you know, respect and, you know, words to to their families, you know, they've all lost, you know, great great people. Those are good words and the brrotherhood, the fraternity You know Fam extends to families right who have to experience it because we take them on this journey the way they support us and they have to share these players with the fans, airplanes, organizations, te you know, quickly you know, Rick Adaman, obviously terrific ex's and O's great coach, Jason Collins, first openly gay basketball player and professional athlete in North America, you know tremendous You know, leadership, strength and spokesperson for our community. And Brandon, you know, just too young, all of them too young. but Brandon just everything I've ever heard about him was an awesome kid. So got to meet him a little bit. A kid was born in Vancouver, know over the West cooast where I'm from Canada, grew up in Phoenix where I played. and so all these hit home for me Yeah, thanks for those words and for the community and all the people that will miss them dearly. Yeah, absolutely. They will beiss. Absolutely They will miss for sure. Yeah Well let'sump to these NBA finals At the time of recording, this is Friday of game two. Yeah. but we saw game one. Did you get a chance to watch it all? I did not I did not get a chance to watch it. It was It came on at two thirty in the morning. And I was knocked out, but I did wake up to see on my way I was on my way to the airport actually. so I was starting to make my way to the airport. and I did see a lot of the Jaylen Brunts and big time shots late. The shot making ability that he had in that fourth quarter was, I mean, thiss reason why they're in the there're in the finals. Yeah. He's he's the he's the head of the snake for their team and his shot making ability Tough shots Tough shots madeade the, you know, the left hand lay up over top of Castle long arm float off the top split the defense on the next one was able to get to the hole again, you know, I think after maybe office a rebound here the three by the San Antonio bent cor of three the corner three big three, you know, why San Aonio was trying to make a run And then obviously the kind of the dagger the playing off to step back, step through high really high on the sa of a sale. That's a tough shot and you just tip you tip your hat. obbviously's he's a all star, big time player, you know, So yeah. and I think the one thing that I heard about the San Antonio side it was a lot of A lot of turnovers, a lot of unforced turnovers, a lot of turnovers. look like they played a little sloppy, like they was playing a little fast is what I heard. you can't do that verse verse versse New York. I mean, they're the hottest team That we've seen in a long time.. I mean, what is it now? eleven games in Yeah eleven or twelve, something like that. I think they haven' a losost since was game three of the Atlanta series. Right. Yeah. And as much as you respect the Kicks, I don't think going into the pl anyone right. I mean, a lot of people picked them in the East, but they weren't playing great. They down to one in the first round and then they run the table No No one saw that coming So for context, it's like a different New York Nicks team. It absolutely is. R. It absolutely is. B time to get hot is to play off. I mean, and they've caught a rhythm and they're showing it both off we talk a lot about their offense, but it's the defense too. I mean that is showing up even even more for them and I mean they're up one right. I thought that was big the defense. I mean, clearly, you know, they've made a lot of threes and made a lot of shots and found a nice rhythm Kat being a hub offensively, but their rhythm and their feeling defensively has been great. Kat's been a better defender. They've done a much better job of not giving into switches with Jalen Brunson. you know, he showing getting back, kind of showing a crowd, giving him time to get back. So their rhythm defensively has been outstanding. You know, they have the pieces like know brridges and OG and hard to Samon is playing well off the bench. you know, Duce is playing well off the bench Obviously, you know what you going to get out of Mitchell Robinson, giving them extra possessions and, you know, changing shots. So, you know, their their team right now, everyone who's coming in you know You got the wild card and Josh Hart. He's like a wild card. You could play him whenver played with him. Yeah, play, you know, and he's continuue to get better and better, you know, I was with him when he was young. I had the young Lake show with him and BI and Lonzo and Caruso and all the, you know, Zube back. I had the young guys, you know, and, you know, you just see Josh Hart, you know, continue to get better team better now I know, that'd be he to you right now for sure. Oh my goodness. You just see Josh Harges continue to get better and better and better. And he's one of those few guys in our league that makes it impact and it doesn't have to always be so ' the Draymond Green role where, you know, he gets you eight points, but it's twelve rebounds. It's seven assists, It's diving for lose some of the stuff that don't show up in the box scores, you know, it's that competitive wheel, you know, And if you disrespect them, he can obviously make shots as well, you know, the coast to coast, you know, left to right, right hand finish. So, you know, it's big time to see Josh kind of grow into, you know, the player that he's in ands he's one of those guys like you said, we always talked about Alice Caruso a lot. It's those certain guys that you can plug into any franchise, any team and they're going to win because those guys just make winning plays. Winners.. winning plays, winners. I think Josh, I think fifteen rebounds, six assists. Oh that stes. Yeah. Oh man I might have it wrong fifteen, sixteen rebounds four steelals, six assists, but what what you know, he's a winner like we said. twoo things that come to reminds me timely timely steel, timely offensive rebounds, you know, timely assist. and that leads to him he kind of ties the room together. You know, he understands they're going to play off me. They're going to change the matchupss to try to take advantage that I'm not shoot first guy. He's now kind of getting to the place where he's figured out all the different looks. Yeah when he goes into uphill DHO when he's the screener, he's got to hold the screen, get the switch and get out to the corner or not allow them just to pass guys off down the line. He's so smart and adept at kind of finding out ways that he helps the offense and not hurts the offense. That's a skill in itself. like Absolutely. And I've played with like I said, I' played with Alice Caruso who did that play with a young Josh Hart who You know, I don't think at that point he kind of knew exactly what he wanted to be, you know, or how he was going to affect the game, but just played hard as hell, you know, but also play with Reay Jhn Rondo and competed against Ray John Rondo And you think back to the old eight Champions Celtics, you know, you think back with Rondo guys with teams were tryed to back up off of them, you know, so they could Heavy stunt on pin downs for Ray or Paul or whatever the case may be. and Doe figured out a way to if you're going to disistrate me here, I know that once I give the ball up, you're my heavy stunt to to the nail, I can cut back door. And once I get the ball and now my IQ and my playmaking play a four in three game there's nothing you can do about. I' see KG at the rim I see Dump down for Perk. I see Sray, you know, to the corner for Ray or Paul or James Posey or Eddie House or one of those guys come off the bench. you know, So It is a it's a tricky thing when you play against certain guys like that. You try with Draymond as well where just clog up the paint trying to make him shoot. But what happens when you're off of him and now Steph is running around and he's DHO to Steph. Now the guy that's g Draymond is nowhere near to be found. Steph coming off clean. So that makes those guys so unique. I used to love that Rondo. I think he also used to stampede that absolute shooter Ray Yeah. He'd get it back on the move then he's playing through run two. That was great. Let's go back to Brunson though for a minute you know, Isaiah what other yeah, you know, what other small guards of le their team to titles? This very very rare. to win in it? Yeah To win in it? Yeah I can't think of one Besides Isaiah. Yeah. you know, obbviously we've had guys get close. I mean, we've, you know, I think of Alan Iverson who got that team to the finals versus the Lakers, obviously in zero one, I believe that was. stuff. J' not a small guard though, is he? Yeah, I mean, he is, but he's not necess he's not really a point. He's kind of I guess Alan Iverson is a combo too right too Yeah. I would say, I mean Maybe it's mayaybe it's because stuff is just so You know, I just think he is so different. I don't give Steph the point guard nod becausecause he's so different. Like I you know, with Zeke, you knew Zeke was the one. Dumars was the two You know, you kind of knew that. You knew those, you know, he brought the ball up, he handled the rock You know, you knew he was the point He really wasn't let too many people, other people bring the ball up Well Stehie so dynamic to the point where plays off the ball up play off the ball, you know, when they were running winning championships, you know, shit, Sean, you know, Livison was bringing the ball up You know, Iggy was bringing the ball up, you know, Draymon was bringing the ball up. But I guess if you had to You know, the old school ways of saying who's the point, who's the two? who's the three the small four like then you would say Steph as well. Yeah. So Zeke and Steph, but besides that Yeah. And Jalen Brson try is trying to do that as well.. Yeah, I mean, you have to in some ways have the perfect team around a small guy, you know, especially, I think nowadays the way the games play, but they space the floor so much offensively for that small guy to be able to guard his yard is imp posossible. Yeah Yeah. So you have to have these long Mcale brridges Ananaobbe, Josh Hart Kat, Robinson Yeah, guys around him. Steph in some ways had that, you know, Clay was a great primiter defender, Iggy Draymon Draymon, of course. They usually had like revolving Dorf centers do things Jalen just he's first of all, the number one characteristic for me is last year is clutch playler of the year this year I believe Shay last year was Jalen is his will to win.. His will to win. And I would say one of the things that I love about him, you know, beyond the shop making is he's so smart at using his body. Yeah. We know he plays off two feet. We know he's got incredible touch on those drives right And he's able to just float It's almost not a floater Not a lip, not a runner, but it's just like a shot Yeah On the move with the guy tattoo' what we will say is off timing. Yeah. orr if you're guarding him Yeah, you can't time it because you don't know when he's not It's not natural. It's not natural. Like he goes and then he just he just kind of tosses it up there boom boom boom. Yeah Yeahah exactly now you know Yeah, exactly. So now you know I have to get it up, But like as a defender, he gets you sometimes gets you lean in boom. And he' wes them over Yeah. But what I love about Jallen I try to teach this to young guards is using the body and cutting guys off. And so like one of the, you know, there's variations of that. There's one using your body to get off two feet and play. There's one where you have half an advantage where you steer him away from the pocket of space so you can then go back to the pocket of space. And the last one is how he gets in front and just stops. just stops. And what is important as a you know, I can relate as a non MBA athletic dude is that a small guy is what happens is by getting in front of your guy, close out, pick and roll, whatever it is, by cutting him off, one, he can run you over. That's a foul. Now he's got to be more conservative. You're setting the terms how he plays against you. But to as you cut him off, your bigigs rolling or your bigigs in the dunker you're creating a big you've stopped the game. game stops. and now if that big wants to step up, you're looking right at the lob. Yeah. right If that corner guy wants to come in, you're seeing that And you say, okay, the game's going to restart when I say so.ight. And now we play four on three, three on two, two on one. He's so good at taking those little advantages or big advantages, stopping the game Creating a space for himself and asking the defense. who's going to come guard this space because if you do I play behind And also, I mean, and also add on to that He's a leftf You know, which also changes it too. you know, our league is so percent of our league ninety five percent of our leagues al righties. you know, and the lefties that's dynamic in our league, it's sometimes just hard to kind of get a cadence to that. The man who Jenobvah is the James Hard is the, you know, now the Jayalen Brunson like it's a different it's a different feel Yeah when a guy's coming at you lety, you know? That I think that plays a little bit into it. I don't know if anybody's ever said that and I could be wrong, but I also could be right. I think being a lefty too, when you're that dynamic, it just gives the defense and the defender a little bit more of a headache. And it gives the defense a really absolutely on an individual basis or team basis Like how do you scheme for him? Because you know, he's quite comfortable to shoot a hand in the face three off the dribble if you give him a little gap. So that brings you all the way up Yeah. So then he creates that little advantage with the body whether he cuts you off, whether he takes you away from the space or whether he plays up two feet. So what do you do? L getting in the gaps is so hard because he's so efficient at getting his slight advantage and using straight to the hoop space instead of curving one way, spinning. He's very in like his short leg. So the gapping, it's really difficult to gap him because you have to over commit so much. S like you We said in game one they made you mentioned in game one, they made those threes. So that even it put so much pressure when when they're at their best You know, Michkael Bridges is, you know, knocking down shots. OG's knocking down shots. You know, Josh Harp picks, you know, knocks in a couple. You already know what Kat's ability to do. So youre you're not going to be too far in on him anyways because his ability to shoot the ball, you know, and Shamleon been shooting the ball. Like I said, Duce's been shooting the ball. So JC, George Clarkson could come in and knocks them down. so like H like we mentioned earlier, they've done a great job of surrounding him with the perfect pieces. that allows him to be the perfect himself. Yeah And now over to our producer, Jason for a word from one of our partners. Thanks to Draft Kinks for sponsoring the show. The final round of the basketball season is here Two teams left, one trophy on the line, and only our partners at Draft Kingss have you covered every step of the way. The Draft Kings sports app is now available in all fifty states and includes all markets, Binging each game straight to your fingertips wherever you are. From New York to San Antonio to L.A, you're in on the excitement the speed of sports. Follow every possession, every fourth quarter swing, every clutch shot that decides a series. Sweat the whole run in real time with the seamless experience built for championship basketball. 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Deem one non withdrawable reward. Availability varies Predictions offer Void in New York ends june twenty eighth Terms at dKNG.ot co slash audio So spurs I think they show their youth a little bit like decision making, spacing, Wby, I think settling too often. Wendby I also thought was way under his level. I mean, I'm sure they were they had the I think ally good got off numbers for defensively, but I don't think he played to his level defensively. Absolutely. And we got to think too they're coming off a grueling seven game series versus defending champions, you know. And you know, the Kicks have been resting fresh and sometimes they can work both ways. You know, sometometimes you go into a game seven, you play not too long after that, you got more rhythm But I thought I just I feelt like, you know, from what I've seen from the outside looking in or what I'm hearing is that they were, like you said, mentally that were not, you know, completely there of how they've been planned. I mean, it goes from one game to N's g. The game is not the series is not one in one game. R. You know, And when you got two teams even if it feels like it is. Right, rightight you're right, exactly. And that that that feeling that you have after a loss, you know You know you're going to go in with a better better mindset, a better focus because now you have a sense of if you didn't have a sense of fear versus your opponent, now you do. You know that they can beat you. You know, And've you know, I've heard a lot of quotes, you know, from their team and rightfully so, you know, they you know, we're the best team in the world You know, I heard some of the young guys say, we're the best team in the world That's how we feel. and I love that that Bravada. I love that that they they feel really good about that, but having someone come in and kind of punch you in the mouth, you know you're home for it. now you kind you like, o, now youall gain my respect. So I see I think San Antonio is going to it might have been one game, but they'll they'll be the team that we all we've seen over over the course of this playoff series run. Yeah I think they'll be better. I want to ask your opinion on this though. I think the Kicks sitting at home resting, going and playing on the road in game one, I think is beneficial because there wass less pressure. Yeah, you know, you you play at home after that layoff. you can't lose at home you know you lose home court. So I think in some ways, you think psychologically it helped the Kicks in a way that they maybe they were rusty, but they they go with a more of a free swing attitude. Yeah makes shots a little easier Yeah, I think they definitely went in with a more of like a free swing, you know mentality.ike I said, I didn't get an opportunity to catch the game, but just from my knowledge of playing the post season, but also just watching the game and knowing the game. I also, I don't know if anybody talked about this, but I also think that them starting on the road Nick fans right now are so fucking insane and crazy right now for a finals game that them starting off on a road and just knowing that it's keeping the main thing the main thing. The main thing or the main thing is the game. Let's just play the game I can only imagine if game one started at Madison Square Garden. People asking for tickets, peopleople want to be in there, the fans all that. City is on fire. Yeah, the city is on fire. and it's going to be on fire for game three. We know that. But I think just them having a level of being in San Antonio, mean in San Antonio, you got to not we focus on basket. You ain't doing shit in San Antonio Nothing at all. Nothing. And I mean nothing. You' not get on the riverwalk? hell no, you get on the riverwalk. fuck around and fall in the water. You fuck with that But I it was it was I think it was a perfect setup for them too because like even though San Antonio was a great crowd, you could hear Nicks fans if hear them on TV. so they had support. Yeah but it wasn't overwhelming. on the road kind of that free sway. and they got two chances to get one. They got one lot of pressure on San Antonio., absolutely tonight. A lot of pressure. a lot of pressure on San Antonio, but I think they're going to be off for it You know, you you this think they they They had their guards extremely up versus OKC because they knew. They play OKC throughout the whole year. They play them four times in a regular season, you know, they know okay, this is defendant champions. they know we can't really afford to not be as locked in as possible Sometimes human nature kicks in, especially with a young team you come off a young team beating the defendant champions and even though it's the finals, a little human nature might have kicked in like we got pass atat. I mean we got passed oC. shit, we we all right. Yeah. We ain't gott to play as hard or we ain't got to be as focused. Feing good about them. Feing good about themselves And I think they just got punching them up. They opened the door and it was no conversation, no no talking. they got straight to it. I think it's going to help them going into the rest of the series. They get their edge back. Yeah, I think so. I'm fascinated by this cat Wemby matchup. You know, it's a slightly different look with cats shooting. you know, Wemby I just thought was so Prohibitive against Shay and OKC, you know, they have all these primiter defenders and weemby's looming and Shay had to just take incredibly difficult shots. So with Kat out there though, it feels like Wemby was a little in between in game one. like he didn't lock down the paint. It'll be interesting to see if he adjusts. And he's like, I'll get back out, but I'm going to say first and foremost we're locking down the paint. So I'm interested to see how he adjusts in these next few games. And then how Kat does because Kat likes guarding Weemby Yeah You know, he has the strength and I think the foot speed to kind of make it difficult Yeah Wey. So how do they now move Weemby around? getet him on the baseline, get him on the block, get him to on the move around the elbows coming down here I think so I think we they got to get back to that a little bit, you know, get back to him being in the corners, them setting pin downs for him, getting them on the move, getting a body off of Kat is Probably like I said, I didn't see game one, but I can probably guess he's probably used his body up against his physicality, which you can do a lot in the post seas, especially the finals. they're not going to let the flails too much happen or calls going to be happening. So, you know, if you know, I think obviously they got a great coaching st down here in San Antonio, but I could see them just trying to get him on the move a little bit more using his athleticis' using his ability to You know, either come off, catch and shoot or come off and just get downhill having a lot of the guards be the ones who setting those pin downs or those, you know, if he's high on on the elbow, you know set having the guards set it. So, you know, there's not many switches. You don't want to do it with OG's guy. You don't really want to do it with Bridges guy. want to kind of stay away from that but it's other guys that may be on the floor where you can this guy you know, Duce McBride's guy, you know, shham' guy when he comes in just to get a body off of them so he can have some a little bit of freedom. Yeah. I think that's a great point because I think from a standstill off the catch or off the drible the top, you know, that's easy to stay connected with whaty, you know, although he's obviously prodigious in the length. Yeah to for him to get that momentum to win that first bump to spin Very difficult against Kat because cat's strong enough and can move his feet well enough. And they also did a great job gapping his spin, staying in his lap, making him putting doubt in his mind where he's like, should I get off it or should I make a move at some point, I got to create an advantage, but he's making an advantage Cat doing a good job. Guys in the lap, they can still recover. So I think that's going to be a really, really interesting component is how they continue to adjust with one another And I think he will. I think he will. I mean he's super young still. and obviously we talked a few of our episodes ago about his development but the best teacher in life has experienced, you know? 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Learn more about Priority Notify and Ri credit at go. amx slash platinum. com I also think the fox situation is important. Like how healthy is he is he you know he had a poor game one, but he's an all star. You know, we know what he can do, what he brings this team, the calmness he can bring to this team, but he's got to play to a level, conversely, Dylan Harper was amazing in game one. I mean, he got to it ISO situation, you know defensively he makes plays. he gets timely rebounds, he scores at all three levels and it was just so aggressive. It felt like nobody could contain him on the Nicks How is Fox' health? Right? How do they share those minutes? Does it shift a little bit more to Harper? Do they ever play those guys together They will play those two together or they'll play Castle when together, but they almost never play the three of them R Castle Fox right. whichich is something he may push that button, but you know, I think that this is a this is the beauty of of San Antonio they have these three guys that can go get it themselves or make plays for one another. Yeah, I mean, I think it I think it's simple. I mean, listen this This is the last of the Mohicans for the season. and this is not any time to feel like, okay, if I don't play this guy, we may lose them for the rest of the season. Well, this is the season. But I do think, you know, Dar and Fox is a huge piece to their puzzle. They brought him in for a reason. You know, we talked about Jayalen Brunson being clutch player the year. I think Fox was maybe two years ago You know, he was Cutch pairred a year and we know what he can do in late games to his speed dynamic when he's healthy. his shop making ability when he's healthy. He's able to break down defenses in ninety four feet or in, you know. So I think it's a gauge on how the game is going Yeah. You know, if you see, I mean, they've been around Fox enough to know that, you know, is he close to healthy or not? Is he in a rhythm or not? And they know what they're going to get out of the roook and Dylan. So I think it's just a feel, you know and not feeling one way towards that's let him play out. Yeah let it play out. who's performing well? If this guy's performing well you know, let him get the run. I mean, At the end of the day when we win, we we all we all win, you know, and it's not, you know, there's not no time to be, you know, trying to babysit or, you know, I know that's a big word, but like babysitting someone's ego or whatever. I don't think San Antonio they're a team that doesn't have ego. They have their personal, you know, beliefs on what they can bring to the table. We all do. We're all competitors But that team is eagleless, you know, And you know, but I just think it's a feel. It's how a coaches feel. That's it. specially because Fox since the injury has had some amazing games or moments.ike it's not like he's been poor Right. So I think there's still an opportunity for him to play well. Even if he's neutral, you can see the benefit he brings that team, the calm, the poise, the tempo, which allows Harper just the freedom to go get it allows Castle like extra opportunities to just be super aggressive instead of feeling like I have a responsibility to control the game. So even if he just plays neutral, not not below his level He's a big part of this, but you just gott to let it play. You gott to let it play out. And like you said, the part of Dylan and Stepfan being able to just go out and play free is the benefit of Fox being in the lineup. You know, we kind of saw in the OKC series at times when Derren didn't play the level of turnovers and how The office kind of looked a little sped up. you know, but with Daron who's a natural natural floor general point guard who can get the guys, you know, where they need to be and a sense of calmness. it allows those two guys to just be themselves. Just go out and attack, attack, attack. Don't worry about o, okay, o shit, I got to make this read. I got to make this read. No you guys just be instinctive Let everybody else kind of get around it Thanks for watching, Mind the Game. New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Remember to like, subscribe, or follow wherever you're watching