In this episode, Derrick White returns as a guest, discussing JJ's obsession with him, their thoughts on the most disappointing NBA teams this season, the young talent in the league, foul baiting, and playing with Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown.
The Oklahoma City Thunder's recent success is attributed to their effective ball movement, spacing, and solid defense, making them a dangerous team in the playoffs.
The difficulty of guarding elite players in today's NBA is discussed, emphasizing the importance of discipline, adapting to changing offensive strategies, and mindful defense.
The mindset of a successful role player is explored, highlighting the importance of understanding and embracing one's role, making the right plays, and continuously improving.
Deep dives
The impact of the Thunder's recent success
The podcast episode discusses the recent success of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have won eight of their last nine games. The Thunder's strong play is attributed to their effective ball movement, spacing, and solid defense. The guest praises the team's starting five for their ability to create space, make plays, and shoot well. Their success is seen as a result of their young core players' talent and intelligence. The Thunder are considered a dangerous team in the playoffs due to their excellent offensive and defensive efficiency.
Challenges in guarding elite players in the modern NBA
The podcast explores the difficulty of guarding elite players in today's NBA. The guest acknowledges the high level of talent possessed by offensive players and emphasizes the importance of being disciplined and solid on defense. He highlights the impact of spacing and smart offensive tactics that make it tough for defenders to guard effectively. The podcast also addresses the ongoing discourse surrounding favoritism towards offensive players, but the guest points out that defenders have to adapt and be mindful of the changing rules and offensive strategies to be successful.
The development and mindset of a role player
The podcast delves into the mindset and development of a successful role player. The guest discusses the importance of getting over oneself and understanding that individual scoring is not the sole focus. Being a good role player involves understanding and fulfilling the team's needs, staying ready, and being confident when called upon. The guest emphasizes the necessity of embracing one's role, making the right plays, and continuously working to improve. He also mentions the impact of having supportive teammates and the ability to adapt to different team dynamics and strategies.
The challenges and growth of joining a new team mid-season
The podcast acknowledges the challenges of being traded to a new team mid-season. The guest reflects on his experience of joining the Boston Celtics during a playoff run and the various adjustments he had to make on and off the court. He discusses the rollercoaster of emotions and the need to juggle personal changes such as finding new housing and preparing for fatherhood alongside acclimating to a new team. The guest highlights the mental growth and perspective gained from that experience, emphasizing the importance of staying focused, enjoying the game, and continuously striving to improve.
Reflection on the memorable game-winning shot and the playoff run
The podcast revisits a memorable playoff game and its significance for the guest. The discussion focuses on a particular game where the guest hit a game-winning shot, thereby forcing a Game 7 in the series. Reflecting on the game, the guest describes feeling in control until the opponent made a comeback, ultimately leading to a decisive moment. The guest shares the mindset of staying ready and making the right plays when the opportunity arises. The overall playoff run is viewed as a rollercoaster of emotions, with both exhilarating victories and disappointing defeats, but the experience provided valuable perspective on personal growth and team dynamics.
We are psyched to welcome back our friend from the Boston Celtics, Derrick White. Topics include: JJ talks about the three most disappointing teams in the NBA this season (Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers) and who he actually believes in from that bunch, Derrick on JJ's obsession with him lol, his reaction to getting beat by Shai, Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the amount of young talent in the NBA and why it's hard to get stops today, JJ goes on another rant about the narrative that the rules favor the offensive player, Derrick's awareness of foul baiting, his thoughts on the Boston Celtics evolution with Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, his approach to being a good teammate, what makes a great role player, playing with Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown and much more.
Subscribe to The Old Man and The Three podcast w/ JJ Redick (ESPN / First Take) and Tommy Alter YouTube channel today for more NBA analysis, player interviews and highlights.
