Spurs STOMP Lakers! Confidence without Wemby & Ready to CONTEND Now! Shuts Door on Giannis TRADE?!

Spurs STOMP Lakers! Confidence without Wemby & Ready to CONTEND Now! Shuts Door on Giannis TRADE?!

their tickets to go to the NBA Cup. Let’s start with the Lakers and the Spurs, Chandler. Yes, sir. It was a little ugly and it got ugly quick. A little resilient comeback there for the Lakers towards the end there, but they are on their way to Vegas 13219. Stfan Castle 30, 10 and six. Dear Fox 20, Luca did up 358. LeBron 19 and 15. But I want to start with you. Were you surprised just given the state, given the, you know, the magnitude of this game to advance to Vegas, how lopsided this game was? Am I surprised? No. And uh the reason I say that is this Spurs team is real deal. Um I think they’re slowly starting to make a case as being a real real threat in the West this season. And uh you know, we’ve talked about them a lot this year, but it’s the narrative is more so been, you know, this is a team to look out for the future. The future is bright, but no, I think this is a team that’s ready right now. Um and they did all this last night without their best player being on the floor in Wimby. So, uh this team is real deal. They’re continuing to show that. Um I love what I’m seeing. De’Arren Fox obviously uh the big trade piece that they acquired um last season and you know he’s doing minimum work. No disrespect, but it’s it’s minimum work and it just goes to show how talented this team is this season. So um you know what I I am though. I I thought the Lakers were going to put up a bigger fight than this. You know, when when the when the lights are bright, the Lakers are usually a team that wants to be a part of the show, especially any something as exciting as the NBA Cup going down in Vegas. But I thought I thought the Spurs their pace was too fast for them. They got a bunch of shots up. They were shooting it early in the shot clock and the way that the the the Lakers are built and how that team was, they just didn’t respond well to how how loose and confident that the Spurs were last night. So, give the young guys credit. You know, even Wimby being out of the lineup, everybody is stepping up in a in a big way, especially Stefon Castle. It was great to see him have a big night, but but like I said, I thought the Lakers were going to put up more of a fight than they did last How much of like the Spurs age like being more hungry to get to Vegas in this playin tournament like how much did that play in a factor versus like a older experienced team with guys that make a lot more money like the incentive of 500k doesn’t really mean that much to them. Did that factor in at all to this? I think it’s more so this is just a young group that’s out here trying to prove their sales every night. Um like I said the conversation has been a young team full of potential but no they’re trying to make the case that we’re ready to do this this season. And on top of that, it’s hard for the Lakers to actually put up a fight against a team like the Spurs with a top 20 defense. Um, you know, their their defense is their their glaring hole right now. Offense, everything is flowing. You know, they got the three head of Monster and Luca, Austin Reed, and LeBron, but the defense is the glaring hole for the defense. And that was part of the I mean, the glaring hole for this team, and that’s part of the problem and the results of last year. I thought they were motivated to get the Vegas. You know, uh, listen, even even when I looked at the OKC game and I watched Shay in his in his post game, he said it was a little money on the line. Even the MVP is mindful that there’s a goal here. And and we talked about it. When we’re competitive people and it’s it’s a it’s anything that’s on the line that we can win or we can accomplish, we want that, right? And so when I looked at the Spurs last night, they looked like a young team that wanted to have a week in Vegas to have an opportunity to win some money, have an opportunity to have some fun and take a break with uh within the season and just have an opportunity to really enjoy themselves somewhere different in the market that they’re not usually in. Also, as part of it like LeBron and and Luca, these guys trying to get that bonus for Dalton Connect, trying to get that bonus for Jake Laravia that haven’t made that type of bread or we’ve gotten to the point they want it for themselves now. They also just go to Vegas or the season’s gone. Yeah. Like we we we heard it Josh Hart last last year said I want that watch. We heard uh what was it Austin Reeves I want to be a part of this this particular golf redid his mom’s did his like 500k is a lot of money to anybody I don’t care how much money you make I don’t care what’s on your contract a free half a million dollars that’s not on the books that you can go out and spend and do what you want to do with it I’m motivated to go grab that. So, a game like this with a young team like the Spurs, how much of a confidence boost is this to get over the Lakers, knock off LeBron, knock off Luca on the road and now get a chance to face the odds on favorite to win this year? I think this is exactly what they want. And on top of that, without Wimby, um I think this is exactly what they want. They’ll continue to improve uh throughout the season. This is a momentum uh boost for them and uh obviously it helps that team and the camaraderie. So, uh I think this team will continue to grow this season and only continue to get better. Yeah, it helps. and and we talked about it. How are they going to survive with Wimby being out of the lineup? Well, they’ve proven it. We’re a really good basketball team. So, imagine what they’re going to look like in Vegas with a possibility of having him back in the lineup and them having the momentum going in their direction. So, listen, we can say what we want about the NBA Cup, but I look forward to it, man. We got some really good basketball that’s coming up in the next few days down out in Vegas with some of the marquee guys we want. So, I hope Wim is back in the lineup. I would love to see a match up with with all of the stars and all of the young guys that’s coming in the league. We talked about it being a changing of the guard, it being new energy around it and it’s showing the proof is in the pudding of the guys that’s in Vegas. And we know how good these guards are with Stefan Castle, Harper, Fox. And there were some questions early on like how can they fit together? Where are we going to play De’Aran Fox? I think people forgot how good he is. How much of a luxury is that to have those three guards, especially when Wimby’s out and they go smaller and deeper and they still have Champenny and Kell Johnson and these guys off the bench being productive as well? I mean, this is exactly the reason they traded for for De’Ar. Are we looking at the next trio here? Is this the next Tony Kawawaii? Absolutely. And I and I think it’s dope, too, cuz I saw uh Stefan Castle’s interview and and after the game, his words were, “Nobody cares about the shine.” You know, we just want to win. Nobody cares who’s having the big night. And that’s exactly the message you want with a young team and also a team that’s having a chance to compete later on in the year. Yeah, this is a this is a nice trio. I would I would stray away from comparing them to that trio. Yeah, that’s a championship group right there. I would stray away from that. But you love what they’re doing. You love how they’re playing together and what they’re building as a young core of guys. You know, their legacy is still being mapped out. They’re still building bricks towards that. So, I I I like the fact that they’re there. But I I want to I want to switch directions with you guys and ask because Castle and Harper, they’ve been mentioned in conversations based around Giannis if that’s a possibility, if that’s going to be something. But a big win like that, do you do you guys think that helps close the door on that on those type of conversations? Here’s the thing to to think about Giannis and Wimi on the floor together is awesome, especially in the next two to three to four years, however long Giannis is going to be the Giannis we know today. Now, when I see games like last night and I see the jump and the versatility that Stfan Castle has and the way Dylan Harper has continued to get better and better and the things I’ve seen Darren Fox do for years and that core with Sohan and Kell Johnson and Vel, like they’ve built something so special there, homegrown all there, all bought in like you like you said, they don’t care about who gets the credit. They don’t care about who’s the leading score that day. They just play hard and they win. So, yes, it’s appealing to go and get a Giannis, but like you’ve built this from scratch and you’re just going to give up on that when the future is so bright and you’re good enough now to compete. Boogie said before the game, he thinks the the Spurs might be the second best team in the in the West right now. And that’s over the Lakers, over the Nuggets, over the over the Rockets. So, I do think you got to look at all options, but I’m I’m on the fence now cuz I’ve seen too much I’ve seen too much potential and I’ve seen too much production right now to not let this play out, not let this this core continue to grow and really contend. Yeah, I I couldn’t agree more. Um I I I think you hit it right on the head. And as far as, you know, making a move like a Giannis, that’s a big splash. And and for me, that’s not something you do midseason. That’s some that’s a offseason type of move. So, I do think, you know, with that big win last night, if I’m the Spurs, I’m I want to see how this this this season finishes out. I want to see what this product looks like throughout the rest of the season before I go and make a huge decision with trying to go add a guy like Giannis. So, um I I think this young team has shown that they they are the real deal. They have all the potential in the world and this isn’t something that, you know, we have to look forward to two, three, two, three, four years from now. This is something that can happen this season. Yeah, I’m agreeing with you both. Like if I’m going to build this thing from ground up, why am I going to why am I going to sell it off now when I’m starting to see the fruits of the labor? When I’m starting to see our young guys develop into the young stars of it all. But Chandler, I I want to ask you on the flip side of it, on the Lakers side, Rich Paul, earlier this week, he got some push back about the Lakers possibly not being a contender. He didn’t feel like they had enough. Did this game last night kind of prove him right a little bit? They looked a little exposed last night and I think defensively when you have guys like Austin Reeves and Luca that have such a high rate, they’re never going to be an elite defensive team. I think right now they’re they’re 21st in efficiency. They’re 18th ranked defense defensive rating. So they’re so good offensively. We know that they’re going to score a lot of points. Luca, Austin Reeves, whatever you can get from LeBron at this point being a point forward is going to help. But I I do see and I look in the market and I see like a Herb Jones. to see like a 3 and D guy that can clamp and really relieve the pressure from Austin Reeves, from Luca, for them to kind of take the next step. Now, we always talk about the West. We know how good the Thunder are. They’re on the pace for a historic season. The Nuggets are really really good. The Rockets are really really good. So, after those three team and the Spurs are right there, like like Boogie said, but I are they a contender? I agree with Rich Paul. I don’t think they are right now. I think they are a dangerous out. I’d hate to have to play this team and beat them four times in the playoffs, but they are missing something and that is a defensive wing that can go on lockdown and really allow those two guards to do what they do and go get that easy 30 40 points a night. Did you Did you play with Herb Jones? I didn’t. Okay, that is a Bama boy though. So, okay. He gets all my love. But, uh, I got a lot of backlash last week when I said the Lakers were, you know, more of a middle of the pack team. And I didn’t mean it in a disrespectful way, but when I say middle of the pack, they’re in that four, five, six range. And uh the reason I say that is because of that Glen Hole with their defense being ranked 18th 20 20th in defensive uh efficiency. That’s just not the recipe for you know competing for a championship this season. And this is a Luca type team, right? This obviously they went to the finals in Dallas. But can you win Lou like like outscoring teams like like they’re trying to do? Can that can they sustain that for 82 games and win a championship playing that way? Because think about they’ve given up 120 points or more to the Jazz, the Pelicans, and the Kings this year. And that So, they’re not getting stops. Like I said, man, the pace last night for the Spurs, it looked alarming to me. Like, the Lakers did look a step slower than the Spurs. You know, even when the Lakers start to make some runs, got some stops and were able to get out and and get transition layups, Spurs were just pushing it right back up their backs and getting layups as well. And so, when you have young teams like that that’s going to constantly put pressure on you on the defensive end, you got to find those guys that’s going to be able to help you finish some of those things. One of the positives last night though, the old man was out last night. Yes. I want to take a look I want to take a look at this video, man. He LeBron caught uh caught our guy Luke Cornet slipping at the right for the white. Just another one by St. And look, me and Boogie were talking about this. This isn’t like a vintage LeBron elbow over the rim dunk, but it is crazy to see him get downhill. And that reaction says it all. No, that’s that’s pure listen that is pure excitement because he hadn’t been over the rim in this fashion in a very very long time. By the way, blowing by Vel is almost more impressive than Duncan on Cornet in this that he still got that. Well, that ain’t a blow by. It took him two dribbles to get past. Listen, in the in the in the past, this LeBron James, that’s one dribble and I’m on top of the rim and I’m dunking on whoever’s there. It took him two dribbles to get there and about a 25 in vert to get over the fact that he’s just doing that still at this age. I can’t do that right now. Yeah, it’s amazing. Uh, all right. Well, there was another game kind of last night. Suns at Thunder and this one got ugly and it got ugly quick. Thunder blew out the suns.

On December 11, 2025 episode of ‘Run It Back’ on FanDuel TV, co-hosts Boogie Cousins, Chandler Parsons, and Lou Williams react to San Antonio Spurs vs Los Angeles Lakers. Were the Los Angeles Lakers Exposed against the Wembanyama-less Spurs?

FULL EPISODE HERE: https://youtube.com/live/Y647JIJTp_g

CHAPTERS
0:00 SPURS ADVANCE IN NBA CUP VS LAKERS
6:25 SPURS SHUT THE DOOR ON GIANNIS TRADE?
8:37 LAKERS PROVE RICH PAUL RIGHT?

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