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Legendary men’s basketball coach, Jim Larrañaga, shares his take on whether or not it’s too early to declare the Miami Heat contenders in a weak eastern conference.
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00:00So, Jim Laranaga usually joins us on Wednesdays.
00:03He's going to be traveling.
00:04Jim Laranaga, the head coach at the University of Miami
00:07for their men's basketball team for many years,
00:10and he's on the Toyota of Hollywood Hotline.
00:13We brought him on a day early, talk a little hoops with him,
00:17and there he is.
00:19What are you doing travel-wise?
00:20Are you going to see your son?
00:22Are you going to L.A. to spend Thanksgiving there?
00:25Yeah, I'm going to L.A.
00:26I'm going to cheer on the Clippers and get them rolling.
00:30I'm going to bring him some good luck.
00:32Bring him some plays.
00:36Bring a chalkboard and a piece of chalk and an eraser.
00:42Don't be trashing my Clippers now.
00:47Sorry, you laid it up there for me.
00:49Who am I not to bounce it back in if I get the opportunity?
00:53We're talking about the Heat.
00:54So, the Heat are 12-6.
00:56They're third in the East.
00:57Tyler Hero's back.
00:58And I asked Crowder and Solana yesterday.
01:01This was before they won yesterday.
01:02I asked them yesterday, is it time we start having the conversation about the Heat being one of the better teams in the East?
01:09One of the best teams in the East.
01:12And now with Tyler back.
01:15And as Solana mentioned at the beginning of the show, you know, they won a game last night that maybe last year they would have lost.
01:21And sometimes that's what makes a good team a great team.
01:25So, is it too early to start talking about the Heat as being one of the elite teams in the East?
01:32Well, I certainly think they are right now.
01:35At 12-6 and playing very well.
01:37The win last night.
01:39When it got tied at 102, I was like, uh-oh.
01:43And then you have a player like Tyler Hero in his first game back.
01:47Goes 12-18.
01:49Plays a terrific game.
01:50Makes a game-winning shot.
01:51They played like a championship-caliber team.
01:55But, again, it's November.
01:58The season's just getting started.
02:00What I loved about last night is they did it without Norman Powell, who's having a career year.
02:08And he's playing like one of the top ten players in the NBA right now.
02:12He's scoring the ball so efficiently.
02:14So, when he and Tyler Hero team up, if they have the great on-court chemistry, that's a huge bonus for Eric Spolster and the staff,
02:25where they have those two big-time scorers in the same backcourt.
02:32And, Coach, some of us, Lana and me, where we're going after, you know we argue all day on this show,
02:36but he talked about the pace of play, which he's the number one in the league pace of play.
02:40But then I looked at the top five pace of play teams.
02:43The other four teams are below .500.
02:45They're not great teams.
02:46Like, what do you take from pace of play?
02:48Is that an impressive stat to have your team be the number one pace of play team in the league?
02:53Well, only if you're winning.
02:56You know, it's not something that pace of play determines whether you win or not.
03:02Pace of play is basically how you're utilizing your personnel.
03:06If your personnel is suited to that style, like Spoh and his staff think the Heat are, then you utilize that to your advantage.
03:17If your team, you know, runs up and down the floor and loses, then it's not so great.
03:23Do you remember when Paul Westhead ran the system with the Denver Nuggets 30 years ago, and he was scoring 140 points?
03:32And his opponent was scoring 150.
03:36Oh, Crowder, you don't know that?
03:38You don't know that story?
03:40Yeah, Coach, I think I was nine years old.
03:44Weren't you paying attention to the NBA back then?
03:47Come on.
03:48Well, here's the thing.
03:50Paul Westhead won a world championship with the Lakers running the system.
03:54He had Magic Johnson pushing the ball, and then Pat Riley took over, and it was Lakers Showtime.
04:03They now got a TV show called Showtime or something like that about the Lakers' great run in the 80s under Pat Riley.
04:11But I think what Spoh is doing, his team is suited for that style.
04:16He feels very comfortable pushing the ball and scoring before the opponent's defense gets set.
04:23Every coach will tell you it's harder to score when the opponent has five defenders back and you have to try to score against a set defense than if you're in the open court and it's two-on-one, three-on-two, four-on-three, five-on-four.
04:40Once you have the advantage, you want to take advantage of it.
04:43If you don't have the advantage and it's five-on-five, that's a different story.
04:47And a lot of those teams that are playing fast that are not as successful as the Heat, it's because their players are just not as good at it right now.
04:57That can change over a period of time because, as I said, it's early in the season.
05:04It's still November.
05:05Coach, what about a player like Kalil Ware?
05:09We've talked about him already this season.
05:12Over his last three games, 20 points in all three games, 20 and 14 rebounds, 20 and 16 rebounds, 20 and 18 rebounds.
05:21When do you know that a player who obviously has a ton of talent,
05:25when do you know that he's no longer taking a leap to where you can expect that sometimes,
05:31but then he'll regress in other games, too, he's emerged.
05:35He's arrived.
05:36He's officially taken that leap to big-time player.
05:41Yeah, Solana, here's my thought about that.
05:44He was in the starting lineup.
05:46Was he in the starting lineup all three games?
05:48Yes.
05:49So maybe the excitement of moving into the starting lineup and thinking, like,
05:53I've got to earn that spot and keep it for the rest of the year.
05:57And he's playing with Bam.
05:58So, you know, we're trying to figure out if that combination is going to actually work in the long run.
06:04Obviously, winning a close game like last night is a tremendous sign.
06:09But if he starts to be too happy with himself and his production slips,
06:19then the question comes in, should we move him back to the bench
06:23and make him earn that playing time a second time?
06:28Hopefully, Kalel is getting old enough, experienced enough, confident enough,
06:34and is competitive enough to make that starting role his.
06:39And only his for the rest of the season.
06:42So, I just want to see if I have this correct, Coach Laranaga.
06:46If you were coaching the Heat and you're 12-6 and your style of play is working perfectly,
06:54the way that you thought, and obviously you're hoping, like you said,
06:56that Norman Powell and Tyler Hero will coexist as, you know, superstars can.
07:03You wouldn't have a moment in your office by yourself saying,
07:07hey, man, I know it's only November.
07:10I think I got something here.
07:12Or you would literally be, hey, early, I'm not thinking success yet.
07:19I got it.
07:19And I understand you got a long season to play.
07:21But you wouldn't start having those thoughts of everything I thought that this team was going to be
07:27during the offseason as we prepared for the season.
07:29Everything I thought is coming true.
07:31I think I got it.
07:36Hockey, you're amazing.
07:37You want coaches to look into their crystal ball and figure out the way they're going to be playing in April, May, and June.
07:44Now, coaches tend to look at it one day at a time, one game at a time.
07:49No, they say that.
07:51But do they really do it is my question.
07:53Well, you obviously feel better after wins when you're on a little bit of a winning streak.
08:00You feel good that you're doing the right thing.
08:02Because if you lost three in a row, you'd be saying to yourself, what adjustments do we have to make?
08:09Do we have to consider slowing things down?
08:12Or do we have to consider changing the lineup, changing our defense, whatever your thoughts are?
08:18But it's really in the present.
08:21You don't want to get too far ahead of you, and you don't want to look back too far.
08:26You want to really examine what is going on, what's working for you, and what's not working for you so well.
08:36What's the OKC head coach's name?
08:38Like, he has to be comfortable right now, coach.
08:40He's by far the best team.
08:42They have one loss.
08:43Yeah, they have one loss, coach.
08:44They just won a championship.
08:46Like, he can't be panicking on a Tuesday before a game.
08:49He's the best team in the world.
08:51No, he – those young teams, they still have a lot of energy.
08:57You know, the older teams, those guys have to motivate themselves.
09:00They've been playing for 10, 12 years, a little bit more difficult to keep yourself ready game after game.
09:08These young teams, like, look what the Pistons are doing.
09:11They're young and enthusiastic, and I'm starting to see – you know, I'm big on Instagram,
09:20and they're starting to show offensive clips of the Detroit Pistons' clips of plays that they're running to get Cade Cunningham going.
09:31How about the kid who no one drafted – what the heck's his name – who's now in the start lineups for the Pistons?
09:41You guys know who I'm talking about?
09:43You're talking about Duncan Robinson?
09:44No, no, no, no.
09:45This kid was undrafted.
09:47He was not – no.
09:48Jalen Duren?
09:49What is it?
09:50Jalen Duren?
09:51No, Jalen Duren was a lottery pick.
09:55Come on.
09:57You guys –
09:58At least I got Duncan.
09:59He wasn't drafted.
10:00At least I got half the question right.
10:03No.
10:03This guy's name is Jenkins.
10:08Dennis Jenkins.
10:10He wasn't drafted.
10:12Oh, did you get it?
10:13And he's now starting and averaging like 17 and 9 for the Pistons.
10:22He wasn't even drafted.
10:23They have found a diamond in the rough.
10:27They've inserted him, given him more and more playing time.
10:30Initially, he was coming in off the bench.
10:31Now he's starting, and he's doing a fantastic job.
10:35You know, with teams, you always are looking for those players who step up to fill a role,
10:43much like Duncan Robinson did for the Heat.
10:46You know, those guys who come in off the bench and light it up for you.
10:51This guy has done it.
10:52Now they've moved them into the starting lineup.
10:55And I'm looking at his stats right now.
10:58He's killing it.
11:00He's shooting 51% from the field, 46% from three, and having a heck of a year.
11:10I may have to start betting some over-unders on him.
11:12Maybe Vegas hasn't caught up the Coach L on this one.
11:16Let me ask you a question before we run out of time here, because Thanksgiving's coming up on Thursday.
11:21The Hurricanes play BYU.
11:23I think they're ranked ninth in the country on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day.
11:27It's some invitational.
11:28And so it's a 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day start.
11:31Did you like playing in those holiday tournaments, or was that more of just, hey, it's a casualty of the business?
11:38Like, did you look forward to a Thanksgiving tournament where, you know, you can't do a traditional Thanksgiving with your family?
11:47Or did you love that part of it?
11:50Well, first of all, I'm very excited to see our Miami Hurricanes team go up against BYU.
11:56I think that'll be a fabulous game.
11:58And, again, another way for Jay Lucas and his staff to evaluate their team.
12:04As far as my experience, I loved it when we won.
12:08I hated it when we lost.
12:10That was very, very simple.
12:12We played some great games, some great teams during the holidays.
12:15And a lot of them were ESPN events.
12:19I liked those ESPN events.
12:21They were all on TV.
12:23Families could plan well in advance to come.
12:26So Thanksgiving weekend became a, you know, if you were at home, we'd have Thanksgiving dinner as a team.
12:33And then the players would actually go with their families who had arrived in town.
12:37But when we were on the road, they celebrated with their families.
12:42So these games this weekend are going to be phenomenal.
12:49You know, you've got so many great college matchups.
12:52I'm looking forward to it.
12:54What's your favorite Thanksgiving meal?
12:58Like, what's the portion of it that you look forward to the most?
13:01We were talking on the air yesterday.
13:02Really, we're not doing traditional Thanksgiving meals.
13:06I don't think any of us on the show other than Jimmy, although they're doing more than just turkey.
13:13Are you standard turkey stuffing, sweet potatoes?
13:17And what's your favorite?
13:18My favorite is when my wife is cooking Thanksgiving dinner, I eat a little bit of the turkey meat.
13:25But her stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy are to die for.
13:30That's all I want to eat.
13:31Second, third helpings of the stuffing and the mashed potatoes.
13:35The gravy is awesome.
13:37The turkey's just okay.
13:39But we won't be doing that this Thursday.
13:42We'll be in L.A.
13:43And my son and his wife will be preparing the dinner meal.
13:48Coach, what does your wife put in the stuffing?
13:51Because it's just soggy bread to me at my house.
13:53Is there something more in that stuffing?
13:55I got no idea.
13:57But, hey, Crowder, if you were at my house, you'd be at the dinner table for hours eating it.
14:04This stuff is so good.
14:06It's unbelievable.
14:08Have you suggested to your son Jay just bring an Indian-N-Out burger on Thanksgiving as long as you're in L.A.?
14:14No, no, they've got a big dinner planned.
14:16I'm just glad that I don't have to fix anything.
14:21I'm not a cook.
14:23I just eat the meal that it would ever serve to me.
14:25And I'm not a big eater.
14:27I've told you guys before, I wish I didn't have to eat, that I could just sustain life without eating.
14:34That would be right in my wheelhouse.
14:36He doesn't like to eat.
14:37He does not like to eat.
14:38I don't like to eat.
14:39What did you eat today?
14:40What did you eat today?
14:41I had a yogurt for breakfast, and I had soup for lunch.
14:50And I had, like, butterscotch soup.
14:52It was awful.
14:53Huh.
14:54I mean, Jimmy there, he lives on Costco hot dogs.
14:57My wife says butternut squash.
14:59I had a feeling it was butternut squash soup.
15:03It was terrible.
15:03Did she make it?
15:05What?
15:06Did she make it?
15:08She made it at Publix.
15:10Oh, okay.
15:10So it wasn't her recipe.
15:12Yeah, no, she just bought it off the shelf.
15:14So just a cup of hot soup for lunch, huh?
15:17Yeah, that was it.
15:18Bread?
15:18No bread?
15:19To dip the bread in it?
15:20No, I did have some saltine crackers, but not many.
15:24I don't eat.
15:26I eat more junk.
15:28I like ice cream and cookies and candy.
15:31I had avocado toast today.
15:33That's all I've had.
15:34Avocado toast.
15:35And a cappuccino.
15:36Oh, my gosh.
15:37You never had avocado toast?
15:39No, I don't eat avocado.
15:40Oh, Coach, I got to get you up to Boca.
15:42You and I, we're going to go to Italiano.
15:44It's a little market right downstairs.
15:46We're going to have an avocado toast and a cappuccino, and we're going to talk about Josh Giddey and Montez Buzela.
15:52Josh Giddey's playing very well.
15:54Very well.
15:55Very well.
15:55Hit the over last night.
15:5720 and a half.
15:58All right.
15:58We love you, Coach.
15:59Safe travels to L.A.
16:01Thanks, guys.
16:01Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:03And we'll talk to you next week.
16:04Happy Thanksgiving, guys.
16:06Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:07Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:07Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:07Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:08Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:08Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:09Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:10Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:11Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:12Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:13Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:14Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:15Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:16Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:17Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:18Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:19Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:20Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:21Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:22Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:23Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
16:24Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
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