Welcome to Basketball Home.

We're here to give you the complete picture of everything that's going on in the basketball world.

That's right from the NBA all the way down to the NCAA.

If it's happening on a court, we're talking about it.

We've done all the work so you can get a full rundown of all the biggest stories.

And we have a huge agenda tonight.

We're going to start in Las Vegas.

The NBA Cup Final exactly.

It's delivering that playoff level intensity way earlier than we expected.

And we're going to break down the two very different teams that are fighting for that trophy.

And speaking of different, we have to get into the absolute implosion that's happening with the LA Clippers.

It's a mess.

It is a future Hall of Famer, Chris Paul has this really ugly sudden exit.

It's a story that just says so much about expectations and friction behind the scenes.

From there, we'll pivot to some individual greatness.

We're looking at the unbelievable start for Maverick's rookie Cooper Flag.

I mean, he is setting records that used to belong to Lebron James.

Yeah, and We'll also dive into a historic night where two centers basically redefine their position in the same game.

And finally, we'll wrap it all up with a big look at the college game.

We've got sweeping SEC honors for coach Cow's Arkansas razorback.

A huge recruiting commitment for Louisville, and.

Of course, the ongoing injury watch for some of the biggest names in college shops.

It's a pack knight, so let's jump right in.

Let's start with the NBA Cup Final.

All right, So the stage is set T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

It's the third annual Emirates NBA Cup Championship tonight.

And what a matchup.

You've got the New York Knicks eighteen to seven, they've won five straight, roll in, just roll in, and they're up against the San Antonio Spurs, who have the exact same record eighteen to seven and are on a three game winning streak themselves.

And the atmosphere around this whole tournament, everyone is saying it feel like a real playoff rehearsal.

It does, and that's exactly what the league was hoping for right when they came up with this whole mid season tournament idea.

But let's be honest about what gives this thing it's genuine edge.

The one thing that elevates it beyond just you know, a simple exhibition, it's the money.

It's the money.

It's absolutely the money.

The financial stakes here are they're substantial, and what's really important is that it's spread across the entire roster.

We're talking five hundred and thirty thousand, nine hundred and thirty three dollars.

Each for every player and the head coach on the winning team.

That number is just staggering when you think about it through the lens of the different contracts on a team.

For the max guys, you know, you're Jalen Brunson's your Karl Anthony Towns, that's a nice bonus, it's a new car whatever.

Sure, But for the guys on minimum deals, or especially the two way players, yeah, a half million dollars is it's transformative.

It could be two or three times their entire annual salary exactly.

That's the key.

When you have a two way guy who might be making what six figures, and suddenly there's a potential five hundred and thirty thousand dollars bonus on the line.

Their whole approach just fundamentally.

Changes every position matters, Yeah.

Every single one.

That final angel incentive.

It drives the urgency we've been seeing.

It makes sure that even in December, these games feel like the playoffs.

It's honestly, it's a brilliant way to guarantee high effort basketball from top to bottom.

So let's start with the Spurs side of this.

Yeah, because they are the real story here, this story of ascendants.

Absolutely.

They finished last season a disappointing thirty four to forty.

Eight, and now they're eighteen to seven.

I don't think anyone, and I mean anyone projected them to be here competing for a trophy this early in their rebuild.

They really feel like the upstarts.

They're way ahead of schedule, and their path to get here was probably the hardest.

They had to take down the league leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

A team that was twenty four too.

And on a massive sixteen game winning streak, and the Spurs beat them in this thrilling two point semi final.

That win wasn't just you know, a number in the win column.

It was a psychological statement for sure.

It tells you that this young Spurs core, even with all its youth, can beat the absolute best in the league when the pressure.

Is one which part of that win was the return of Victor Wembanyama.

He'd been out for nearly a month with that calf strain and you could tell the team was being.

Cautious with him, Oh very cautious.

They limited him to just twenty one minutes in that semi final game.

But even so in the final against the Knicks, he still puts up twenty two points, nine rebounds, two locks, and two assists in just twenty minutes.

The efficiency is just off the charts.

It shows his immediate game changing impact.

What's really interesting, though, is that the Spurs haven't really needed him to carry this massive load throughout the tournament, which you know speaks to the depth they've built.

Right But when they needed that moment of brilliance, he was there.

And on top of that, wehm Banyama has a history of just absolutely terrorizing this specific opponent.

Against the Nares against the Knicks in their two matchups over the last couple of seasons, Wemby has averaged an absurd forty one points and nineteen rebounds.

Get out of here.

Forty one and nineteen and.

Five point five assists, five three pointers, and four that steals plus blocks.

Those are I mean, those are literally video game numbers.

To average that against an elite Eastern Conference team is almost unheard of.

It just suggests there's a fundamental matchup problem that New York has not figured out.

So if he can do even like seventy percent of that tonight, the Spurs are going to be incredibly tough to be.

And he'd be the clear front runner for Cup MVP.

It's important to mention his perspective though.

Yeah, he's very measured.

Even after that huge win over OKC, he sort of downplayed the whole rivalry idea.

He said, the Thunder in their own tier right now, but he wants to build one exactly.

He hopes to build one in the future.

That humility, that a long term view.

It's such a hallmark of the Spurs organization.

It keeps that young roster from getting, you know, too far ahead of themselves.

The other big narrative for the Spurs is the the emotional side of it.

For Darren Fox.

Yeah, the Texas native who forced his way out of Sacramento and.

Tonight he faces his old coach, Mike Brown, who's now leading the next.

That whole situation in Sacramento was complex.

Fox had really fought for Brown to get a contract extension, and when Brown got fired anyway, that was reportedly the last straw for him.

But they're still close.

Yeah personally, right, oh yeah.

Fox calls Brown family, but professionally he seems so much happier in San Antonio.

He told Ansgap that the grass is definitely greener.

He said he hasn't stopped smiling since he.

Arrived, and that happiness is translating on the court.

He's playing so efficiently he is.

He missed the first seven games with hamstring injury, but since then he's averaging almost twenty four points, over six assists and nearly four rebounds a game.

His speed and his vision, they just fit perfectly with Wemby's gravity.

It makes their whole offense so much more dynamic.

Okay, so let's switch over to the Knicks.

The Eastern Elite.

That's how they're seen.

They're hungry for a signature win, and you know, for that franchise.

They're chasing their first championship banner of any kind since nineteen seventy three.

So even a mid season cup for them, it's a huge step.

It helps them as establish this new identity, and.

That identity is, without a doubt, defined by Jalen Brunson.

He is playing at an undeniable MVP level.

He's six on the MVP Ladder right now, seventh overall in scoring.

He's just this aggressive, relentless engine for their whole offense.

He dictates everything.

So what's the game plan for the next how do they stop this unique Spurs team?

Well, coach Mike Brown laid it out pretty clearly.

He said, they have to match the Spurs physicality.

They have to run the floor and they have to rebound.

And New York's defense is legit.

It is they allow the fourth fewest points per game in the league.

They rely heavily on guys like og and Nunob and McCall bridges for that defensive versatility.

But it's got to be a full forty eight minute effort.

Okay, So let's drill down into the key matchups that are going to decide this thing.

It has to start with the Biggs.

It has to Wan Banyama versus Karl Anthony Towns.

And kt is having a super efficient season.

He's averaging over twenty three points a game on almost fifty five percent shooting.

He's arguably one of the best shooting centers ever.

But the dynamic here is it's.

Complicated because Towns has stepped up his defense lately.

He has, but the Knicks coaching staff, Mike Brown included, they've openly admitted that guarding one Banyama one on one is basically impossible.

So what's the strategy.

Just hope he misses.

That's pretty much it.

Brown's direct quote was nine times out of ten, he's gonna miss because he misses.

Wow.

It's a defensive philosophy of just forcing him into tough, contested jumpers, and then you know, playing the odds.

They're not expecting any one player to shut him down.

That is a fascinating, almost philosophical way to approach defense.

It's basically admitting you can't stop me, you can only hope to contain him exactly.

And on the perimeter, you've got the battle between Brunson and the Spurs guard.

Rotation, and the Spurs have options there they do.

They can throw different looks at him.

You've got Fox, who's quicker You've got stuff on Castle, who's been maybe their most impactful player in this whole Cup run because of.

His defense, and the rookie Dylan Harper, who's.

Been praised for being so poised and sure.

But Brunson is a master at leveraging defenses.

He's always hunting for contact.

So the Spurs' best bet is probably using Castle on him early to wear him down.

I think, so you try to frustrate him, keep Fox fresh for the offensive end.

It's a real strength on strength matchup that's going to come down to help defense.

We have to talk about the environment around this tournament though, specifically the controversy with the title sponsor Emirates.

Yeah, this is a serious issue.

The tournament is sponsored by the UAE, which has been directly linked by organizations like Refugees International to funding the RSF paramilitary group.

And this immediately brings up the very sensitive issue of sports washing.

It does the RSF is accused of mass killings and ethnic cleansing in the civil war in Sudan.

Refugees International put out a very strong statement saying the NBA is allowing itself to be used as a pawn by the UAE to normalize this alleged humanitarian catastrophe.

It's a huge moral question for the league and their response.

Their stated response is that they're following US State Department guidance and that their goal is to engage with fans and players globally.

They point out that basketball is very popular in the Middle East.

But you have to ask the question, right, does that response that they're just following guidance?

Does it ring a little hollow When so much money is flowing from a regime accused to these things.

It puts the league in a very tough spot.

It's this constant balancing act between global expansion and ethical integrity, and right now it seems like the money is a huge factor in their decisions, and.

This partnership goes deeper than just the Cup sponsorship.

Much deeper.

There are annual preseason games in Abu Dhabi, and there are plans for a new NBA Global Academy at NYU's campus there, And.

Now there are reports the NBA might even move the final stages of the Cup out of Las Vegas next season, and that.

They're seeking investment from Abu Dhabi to launch a new NBA branded European league, maybe as soon as twenty twenty seven.

So this financial relationship, it seems to only be getting deeper, which means this ethical scrutiny isn't going away.

Okay, that is the high stakes and very ethically complex setup for the Cup Final.

Now let's pivot from that to the ugly reality of just pure organizational chaos.

Let's talk about what's happening in Los Angeles.

The Alley Clippers are.

I mean, they're in a complete and total meltdown.

They're six twenty that puts them fourteenth in the West.

They've lost eighteen of their last twenty one games.

This isn't just a cold streak.

This feels like the whole organization is collapsing.

And right at the center of all this chaos is the spectacular and very public implosion involving Chris Paul.

The way it all went down was just terrible for the franchise's reputation.

Oh yeah, a forty year old future Hall of Famer is just abruptly sent home twenty one games into what was supposed to be his farewell run.

And he's the one who broke the news.

At three am Eastern time on Instagram, he posts just found out and being sent home.

I mean that just exposed the deep, deep dysfunction inside that building.

So let's get to the root of it.

This whole re union was basically doomed from the start because of completely different expectations.

Wildly different.

Paul signed that one year, three point six million dollar deal thinking he'd have a reserve role, but also, and this is key, that he'd be an extension of the coaching staff.

Well, the team just wanted a veteran presence at the.

End of the bench exactly.

They wanted a low maintenance leader and cheerleader, not a co coach.

And that gap right there between wanting to contribute to strategy and being told to just you know, be a good vet, that's where the friction started.

And it was immediate and intense.

Sources say Paul had serious arguments with Tyron Low and especially with the associate head coach, jeff En Gundy.

The core issue, from what we're hearing, is that players and coaches found him abrasive when he was challenged.

Yeah, an executive from another team summed up Paul's entire history perfectly.

He said, he wears you out, he's convinced he's right, and he often is right, which kind of pisses you off.

That quote is everything.

It just captures the whole tension of his personality.

He's a brilliant basketball mind, one of the best ever, but he struggles with the humility he need to have when you're in a reduced role like that.

He was apparently warned over and over not to undermine the staff, but he.

Just kept doing it, and it all came to a hat on a team flight.

This is unbelievable.

It is after a tough loss, he's openly questioning the coaching staff's decisions about Kowee Leonards minutes.

But it gets worse to prove that he had only suggested a defensive change, not you know, challenge the staff.

He actually starts pulling Cowie and Chris Dunn right there on the plane to get them to confirm his side of the story.

He's conducting his own internal investigation on the team plane.

It was the final straw.

The front office saw that and knew he was creating a massive division.

So the team president, Lawrence Frank, has to deliver the news in a late night hotel room meeting in Atlanta.

Right and Frank gives him one last warning about being divisive, but says the decision is final.

He's going home, and Paul apparently tried to fight it.

He brought in brook Lopez as a character.

Witness, and he reminded Frank that a one on one meeting he was promised with Tylo never even happened, but it didn't matter.

The aftermath of this just shows how fragile that whole franchise is.

Right now, Oh yeah, after Monday's blowout lost to the Grizzlies, Cowie and James Harden both just skipped talking to the media.

Which just amplifies the sense of chaos.

And then you have Dwyane Wade, who talked to Paul and he suggested the whole thing was forced by people inside the organization.

He said, somebody didn't want this study to happen anyway.

That feeling that was driven by resistance from inside.

It just highlights how unstable everything.

Is, and this whole Chris Paul saga, it's not an isolated thing.

It's just one part of a string of catastrophic offseason moves.

Right.

They bring in Bradley Beal, he immediately suffers a season ending hip injury.

They trade away Duncan Robinson, who is now thriving in Detroit for John Collins, who just hasn't been the answer they needed.

So what was the strategic failure here?

What were they thinking?

It was the classic one last push strategy.

They brought in all this aging high profile talent Paul Beale Collins, hoping to supplement their stars.

They banked on name recognition instead of fit and durability, and.

They needed cohesion.

Instead, they got high maintenance.

Division exactly, and trading Robinson, a specialized elite shooter for Collins, a big who needs the ball in specific spots, just made the floor spacing even worse.

The whole thing is just a mess built on a flawed strategy and dysfunctional leadership.

So let's contrast that absolute chaos with the quiet, unexpected steadiness that's happening in San Antonio.

Yeah, where coach Mitch Johnson has just provided this necessary calm.

He's the stable leadership the Clippers desperately need.

He had to take over November after the legendary Greg Popovich had a stroke.

I mean, that's the ultimate following a legend scenario.

And he hasn't flinched.

And what's really remarkable is He's navigated all these huge injuries.

Lambayama miss twelve of the first twenty five games, Harper miss ten, Castle miss nine, Fox missed.

Eight, and yet he's guided them to an eighteen to seven start, which is their best since the twenty sixteen seventeen season.

That stability is the exact opposite of what the Clippers are going through.

Johnson even admitted he said, I'm not Pop, so I can't lead how he did.

He's not trying to be a clone.

He's leading authentically, and he's made these mild little tweaks to the Spurs way that are actually really significant.

The big one was in that Cup semi final against OKC.

He used intentional fouling late in the game with a three point.

Lead three separate times, and Pop was famously philosophically against that tactic.

He saw it as concession.

So that shows Johnson is willing to evolve.

He respects the tradition, but he's not afraid to break it for a tactical advantage.

And the players trust him.

Devin Missel said they trust him one hundred percent.

The Thunders coach Mark Danielle, who coached Johnson in the G League, called him steady, emotionally unflappable, and.

That emotional consistency is what you need for a young, injury hit roster.

That contrast is just so starksan and to finding stability after a legend versus the Clippers just imploding from within.

It just shows you that cultural health is the foundation for any kind of success.

Speaking of success, let's transition now to some of the incredible individual performances that are rewriting the record books.

Let's start with the rookies, because Dallas Mavericks' rookie, Cooper Flag's not just having a good start to his career.

No, he's having a historically defining one.

He just put up a career high forty two points and a tough overtime loss to the Utah Jazz.

And the historical context of that performance is what's really mind blowing.

He surpassed Lebron James's record for the most points scored by an eighteen year old in NBA.

History, a record that stood since December of two thousand and three.

He also tied Mark Aguire's long standing record for most points by a Mavericks rookie.

So he's now in the company of Lebron James and Kevin Durant as the only three teenagers ever to have a game with forty points, five rebounds, and five assists.

It's just astounding company to be in twenty five games into your career.

But what stands out even more than the numbers is his mindset.

Right after the game, despite all those records, he was almost entirely focused on the loss.

He said he had major regrets about turnovers and missed free throws.

It's that singular, intense focus that people are already calling a Kobe Bryant like mindset.

Let's dig into that a little.

Yeah, what does that mindset actually look like in his game?

Well, it's an inability to accept anything less than perfection.

Even in a game where he performed at a historic level.

Most young players would be celebrating the forty.

Two points exactly, He's immediately critiquing his own efficiency and the final outcome.

That complete prioritization of winning over personal stats is so rare for an eighteen year old.

For the MAVs, it signals they have a cornerstone player whose internal drive matches his talent.

And that high standard is really defining this year's rookie class.

It really is.

Flag is actually ranked number two on the Rooky Ladder.

Right now, and number one is his old teammate from.

Duke Condinuple of the Charlotte Hornets.

They actually made history as the first college teammates to win conference Rookie of the Month honors at the same time.

And Contineple is leading all rookies in scoring.

At eighteen point three points per game and he's already hit seventy three threes.

His scoring and shooting are making the Hornets surprisingly competitive, and a.

Sophomore class is just as impressive.

Stefan Cassel from the Spurs is number one.

Right and he's getting praised for his two way play, especially his one on one defense against elite guards like Shi Gilgess Alexander.

That's the skill that separates him for sure.

At number two is Alex Sar of the Wizards.

Sar is putting up incredible defensive numbers like when b Ya Mahalmgren level stats, and he's.

Doing this with what some people are calling the worst guard room in the league.

Which is a testament to his individual production.

And rounding out the top three is Reed Shepherd of the Rockets.

He is the pure shooter the flamethrower.

When he's on the floor with their starters.

Their net rating is a plus nine point four.

It's a banner year for young talent.

And speaking of talent, we saw this history evolution of the center position this week in.

That Nuggets Rockets game.

The one twenty eight one to twenty five overtime win.

For Denver, Nikola Jokic and Alprin Sengan made NBA history.

Jokic had thirty nine points, fifteen rebounds in.

Ten assists, and Sengen had thirty three points, ten rebounds and ten asists.

They became the first pair of centers in NBA history to both record a triple double in the same game.

It's just a staggering moment.

It really shows how the center position has evolved from just being a post scorer to being a primary playmaker.

I mean, Jokic is just anchoring his MVP case, averaging a triple double on the season while shooting over sixty one percent, and Sengen has taken this massive leap.

He's a legitimate superstar now.

And of course both of them immediately pushed back on that baby Joker comparison.

For Sengen, Yeah, Yokich was very respectful.

He said, I think he needs to be recognized for who he is.

And Sengen said, I'm on my own way.

They appreciate the comparison, but they're building their own legacies.

But that game wasn't without some seria drama.

Oh yeah, the ending was controversial.

That away from the playfoul on Iman Thompson that led to Jamal Murray's game tying free throw.

And Rockets coach Ime Udoko was furious.

He put the officiating crew on blast, called it the most poorly officiated game I've seen in a long time.

He said two of the refs had no business being out there, and Jamal Murray, who hit the free throw, defended the ref saying it was just a physical game, right.

But for the Nuggets, it was a big win.

They snapped a four game home losing streak and now they're on a five game win streak overall.

So we just saw an example of peak level positionless basketball and Denver.

Now let us look at the other side of that coin.

The Cleveland Cavaliers.

Yeah, a team that seems to be suffering from a real identity crisis.

They're struggling at fifteen twelve They've lost six of their last nine.

This is a huge drop off from last year when they started fifteen to low.

And this crisis is forcing them to rely so heavily on Donovan Mitchell.

He had that incredible fourth quarter against the Wizards where he scored twenty four points to lead a comeback.

That was the highest single quarter scoring output in the entire NBA this season.

It shows he can be this nuclear offensive force, but it also shows how dependent they've.

Become on him, and you can tell the pressure is getting to them.

After that overtime loss to the Hornets, where they missed every single shot in ot all ten of them, Mitchell admitted the fans were right to be frustrated.

He said, I was a fan once, I would boo us too.

That's some raw accountability from a superstar.

And it doesn't help that they're dealing with injuries.

Evan Mobley is out for a few weeks with a calf strain, Darius Garland is still battling pain from off season toe surgery.

All this adversity is really chipping away at their foundation.

It's raising serious questions about whether they can get back to being a true contender.

Let's shift over to another part of the East where we're seeing some big power shifts.

The Detroit Pistons are dominating.

A twenty one to five record with a plus six point three differential.

Their success really highlights one of the most regrettable trades of the season.

The Miami Heat trading Duncan Robinson.

Yeah, the Heater a struggling at fourteen twelve, They've lost five straight and reports are they deeply regret that move.

Robinson is averaging twelve a game, shooting forty percent from three, and the Pistons starting five as a plus ten net rating with him.

So what was the failure there?

Did the Heat just misjudge the value of a pure shooter?

I think it's a failure on two fronts.

They underestimated his unique gravity, the way he creates space for guys like Jimmy Butler just by being on.

The floor, and they not only made themselves worse, they gifted a key piece to an in conference rival who they're now chasing in the standing.

It's one of their most regrettable moves in a long time.

It really shows you that while versatility is great, elite specialized shooting is still irreplaceable.

And Miami's problems go deeper than that.

Nikola Jovitch got hurt in that loss to the Raptors, and there's.

The whole off court distraction with Terry Rouzier and the betting scandal.

Right He's accused of faking an injured back in twenty twenty three, and now prosecutors are raising conflict of interest issues because he's reportedly paying for a co defendant's lawyer.

That's the kind of thing that can really erode trust in a locker room.

The Raptors, though, they're starting to find their footing.

They beat the Heat to end a four game skid.

That five day break from the NBA Cup seems to have really helped them.

They got to prepare, specifically for Miami's unique offense.

Yeah, that five out low, pick and roll offense.

For anyone listening, that just means all five guys are outside the three point line, which spreads the floor, and the screen is set lower near the free throw line, which forces the defense into tough decisions closer to the basket.

And the Raptors totally neutralized it.

They held the third best offense in the league, twenty six points below their average.

Brandon Ingram led the way with twenty eight.

It was a great defensive performance.

And one last quick personnel.

No.

Yeah, but Pacers, they're so beat up with injuries.

They got a hardship exception and they used it to sign Gabe mcloughin to a ten day contract.

Called them up from their G League team, the Nobles Boom, where he was averaging almost seventeen points and eight rebounds.

It's a great story the former Grand Canyon star gets his first real shot in the NBA.

It just shows you how fast things can change.

Absolutely Okay, that's a lot from the pros.

Let's jump over to the college game, where the talent is just as high and the recruiting battles are heating up.

All right.

In the men's Top twenty five, the Arizona Wildcats are still the consensus number one team, holding strong at nine and' eel.

They just look like the most complete team in the nation right now.

They got forty two first place votes in the latest APEEP Pole.

The consistency has just been so impressive.

They're pairing this high powered offense with really disciplined defense.

And tonight we've got a huge non conference matchup with big top twenty five implications.

Number twenty three Tennessee is hosting number eleven Louisville in Knoxville.

And it's a confirmed sellout.

It's the third sellout of the season already.

For the volunteers, that kind of fan support is huge.

It gives these players invaluable experience in a high pressure playoff like Atmosphere in December.

Over in the SEC, the Arkansas Razorbacks are really starting to gain some momentum on a.

Coach cal They just swept the conference's weekly awards after a big win over Texas.

Tech, and that sweep really shows you how well built their roster is.

It does.

You've got the senior forward Trevon Brazil, who won SEC Player of the Week.

He had twenty four points and ten rebounds against a ranked opponent.

He's the power, the energy in the front court.

And then you have the freshman guard Darry z Acuff.

Junior, who won his second straight SEC Freshman of the Week award.

He had twenty points and eight assists.

He's the poise, the control in the backcourt that stabilizes their whole offense.

That balance of veteran power and young playmaking, Yeah, that's a great sign for Arkansas heading into conference.

Play and switching to the recruiting landscape, Louisville just landed a huge commitment.

Yeah, this is a big one class of twenty twenty seven.

Combo guard Isaac Ellis committed to the Cardinals.

He had decommitted from South Carolina last week, and this is a massive get for coach Pat Kelcey.

Ellis isn't just a talent, he's a phenomenon.

He's averaging over thirty points and eight assists in the overtime.

Elite League and he has a huge social media following over a million followers on TikTok alone.

So what does a commitment like this say about the program?

Well, Ellis specifically mentioned his belief in coach Kelsey and the high standard culture they're building.

For a player with that kind of online profile to choose a program that promises discipline and excellence, it's a statement.

It suggests Kelsey is building an identity that appeals to these top tier, media savvy recruits who are looking for more than just playing time exactly.

They're looking for brand alignment and structure.

We also saw some strong finishes to non conference play from some mid majors Wyoming moved to nine to two with a good road win over South Dakota State.

And their freshmen.

Nasser Meyer led the way with twenty five points and seven boards.

He's had a really hot start.

It's that kind of performance that puts a mid major on the map heading into comfort.

On the flip side, huh, Maryland is having a tough go of it at six'.

Five.

Yeah Coach Buzz williams is dealing with a lot of Injuries Ferrell, Payne Solomon, washington and he's pointedly refusing to give any updates on their.

Status he says he wants to protect his, team.

Which is a classic coaching move.

Right you shield your players from pressure and you don't give opponents any extra.

Information but you could see signs of progress in their loss to number One.

Michigan they played a great first, half lowest turnover rate of the, season.

But then they had eight turnovers in the second half That michigan immediately turned into transition.

Buckets it just shows how a lack of depth from injuries can hurt your stamina and focus late in.

Games and now they have to get ready for a brutal game against number twenty Three.

Virginia, meanwhile the injury watch continues For kansas's potential number ONE nba draft, Pick Darren.

Peterson he's dealing with these ongoing leg.

Issues, yeah it's quad, cramping not a reaggravation of his old hamstring, injury but it forced him to miss time and leave their last game.

Early his status For tuesday's game is still, unclear and anytime a potential top pick is dealing with an, injury it's going to be monitored very closely for.

Sure before he left a, game he still had seventeen, points five, boards and four.

Assists he's just so productive when he's.

Healthy, unfortunately we also have some truly heartbreaking news to report from the college basketball.

Community, Yeah Brown university had to cancel both its men's and women's games scheduled For december twenty.

First this was after a mass shooting on campus that killed two people and wounded nine others On.

Saturday it's just a, tragic tragic situation that really puts basketball into.

Perspective usc who the men's team was supposed to, play has found a replacement, opponent but obviously the thoughts of the entire basketball community are with everyone At.

Brown university right.

Now, Absolutely and just to round out the, results in women's, Basketball California baptist fell at home TO Uc San.

Diego they just really struggled from, outside shooting only twelve percent from three point.

Range it's just so hard to overcome that in the modern.

Game and, finally a quick note on excellence across college.

Sports, yeah Four Oregon ducks football players were NAMED Ap All.

Americans Emmanuel, pregnant the offensive, lineman Was first Team All Big.

Ten he didn't allow a single sack all.

Season that is just a phenomenal level of.

Consistency and you Had Kenyan, Sadig Dylan, thienemann And Iaponi La lulu also getting.

Honors it just shows that winning culture is thriving across the Whole oregan athletic.

Department, okay we have covered an immense amount of.

Ground.

Tonight we set the whole stage for THE Nba Cup.

Final we analyze the financial, stakes The Wee binyama matchup, problem and that a very complex ethical layer with the emerate.

Sponsorship then we dissected the complete chaos and dramatic fall of The La clippers after that ugly divorce.

With Chris, paul and we contrasted that dysfunction with the stability that Coach Mitch johnson is bringing To San.

Antonio and we Celebrated Cooper flag who is just shattering rookie records while keeping that Singular kobe like focus on.

Winning and we wrapped it up with THE ncaa focusing On arkansas sweeping THE sec, Awards louisville's huge recruiting win With Isaac, ellis and the injury watch For Darren peterson At.

Kansas as we put all these stories, together there's a big theme that sort of, emerges and it's all about how you build a roster in today's.

League Right we talked about those historic triple doubles From jokic and Seng, gun two centers who are really primary.

Playmakers they embody that positionless player.

Ideal but then on the other, hand we also saw the massive specialized impact of a guy Like Duncan, robinson a pure three point, shooter helping to completely transform The piston.

Season and we saw the struggles of a team Like cleveland when they have to rely too heavily on just one star.

Player so if the league is truly moving towards that versatile positionless, model The jokic And sengen.

Model where does the specialists fit?

In, yeah where does a dominant defensive, center or more, importantly a pure shooter Like, robinson where do they rank in terms of importance for a team that's building for the.

Future and that really raises a big question for, you the, listener to think, about can a team built around specialized excellence still win in a league that's becoming more and more, positionless or.

Are those pure skill guys now just valuable assets that you're waiting to package together in a trade for the next versatile.

Superstar the future.

Of HOW nba rosters are built might really depend on whether you value having five average skills and one player or one truly elite skill in a.

Specialist and we'll be tracking those strategic trends and all the successes and failures that come from them all season.

Long we absolutely will thank you for joining us here On Basketball.

Home we'll catch you next.

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