May 2, 2025 • 31 mins
How will the Lakers regroup after their early playoff exit?
The best for last: The top 5 NBA players you want to take the game winning shot
Guest: Jovan Buha
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Welcome back. This guy was so good last time we
were on the show. We had to bring him back.
Jovon Buhaf for the athletic covers the Lakers totally knows
all the ins and outs. He was there at the
Rehddick press conference where Reddick.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Kind of dropped the mic and left.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
I was asking during the commercial break, so how heavy
is Luca and He's like, well, you can't. Can't ask
a guys. Wait, I know, I know, but all right, Yovan.
So disappointing end of the Lakers season. Not a lot
of people saw it coming. I'm curious after that Game
five loss, just another depressing close one. Did the Lakers
really address what the hell happened in the final four
(01:00):
minutes of the last three games, like they could not
close out any of those.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
No, they didn't.
Speaker 6 (01:06):
I mean I think JJ Reddick's comments yesterday at the
exit interview of them needing to get into championship shape
what we're telling, and.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
I think there's an element of that.
Speaker 6 (01:15):
I believe they were outscored one twenty seven to eighty
five in the five fourth quarters in this series, so
an average of about eight points per game in the
fourth quarter. Even the game they won they only scored
it was actually their worst fourth quarter. They scored thirteen
points and let Minnesota back into it. And like, there
are several moments in that game where if Minnesota just
hits a three, wide open three that they had a
(01:36):
lot of them, they win that game, or you potentially
push it into like a one possession game. So they
just ran out of gas in all fourth quarter or
five fourth quarters. And we saw specially in Game four,
backs against the Wall, facing a three to one series deficit,
JJ Reddick goes with five guys down the stretch and
it was.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
Like, I think they just kind of ran out of guys.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
So here's my thing, Like let's say I think they
led by ten or something like that in the third
heading into the fourth of that game. This idea that like, hey,
we could do Gabe Vincent steal two minutes like that,
that's just not realistic, is it? Like? What are two
minutes going to do for a breather for Lebron or Luca?
Do you think do you think Reddick botched it? I don't.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
I think it's it's semi defensible.
Speaker 6 (02:16):
Now, when whenever you do something that no one has
done in NBA history and you lose, then you got
the backlash.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
But they were thirty seconds awa.
Speaker 6 (02:23):
I remember Luca gets tripped by Jada McDaniels and we
can debate whether that was actually a trip or not.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
The NBA ruled that it was a trip. It was
a mistake.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
It was the only incorrect call on the NBA's last
two minute report for that game. So if Luca gets tripped,
the Lakers don't lose that timeout, they don't turn the
ball over on the next possession. He goes to the
free throw line for two free throws. They're down one.
He makes at least one. I think he probably makes both.
Now they're up one thirty seconds left. They just need
to get a stop to even the series at two too,
(02:50):
So that was a sliding doors moment for that series.
But yeah, I mean, obviously did not go like down
the stretch of that one that they had several just
Game five. Also, yeah, Minnesota went seven for forty seven
from three. It was the worst three point percentage in
a win in playoff history. The Lakers still couldn't win
that game.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
So does that lead credence to the point that hey,
JJ messed up and they should have rested their guys
or is it like, hey, man, if they put in
Vanderbilt for five minutes, Yeah, the lead's gonna not only evaporate,
they're gonna be trailing anyway.
Speaker 6 (03:23):
Yeah, I think he probably should have found a spot
to get a breather for some of those guys. Now,
if they played twenty minutes or twenty one minutes each,
I don't think we're talking about this. We're just saying
he played his guy's heavy minutes, and that typically happened.
Like Tom Timodeau is known for playing his guys heavy minutes.
It's just he did it and it didn't work. So
now we're talking about it, we're looking at it. Also,
he's coaching the Lakers, where there's just an extra level
(03:45):
of scrutiny. Now, he did try to go to Gabe
Vinson late in the third quarter. That's something that that
kind of doesn't get talked about. Was Gabe was at
the scorers table. Then there was no dead ball for
a while, so like a minute left, he was like,
all right, just go back to the bench, let's close
it out. I think you could have done something where
Gabe's in there for like four or five minutes, You're
rotating Luca and Lebron and Austin, maybe getting them each
(04:07):
like one to two minutes of rest. But I don't
know if that ultimately was the difference with I.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Mean, we don't want to get too nitty gritty, but
was Conley off the floor? Who's Gabe? Vincent Garding? You
can't say in front of Ant they can't guard Jade
McDaniels or any Randall killed him. So how much of
this is the Lakers were hot in the regular season
with Luca Lebron, they killed some bad teams, and we
got just too excited being while they couldn't execute down
(04:31):
the stretch. Because how many times did Dorian Finney Smith,
Lebron and Luca share the floor during the season, Like,
it couldn't have been that many minutes.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
Right, So the pushback I'll have with This is just
that I think the Lakers that there was some legitimacy,
like second best home record in the West that matters, right,
second best record against the conference, both only behind ok
See in terms of home record and conference records. So
like they had plenty of big wins. They beat oka See,
remember that that doubleheader a ok See they beat, They
(04:59):
blew them out the first time, and they were up
when Luca got ejected, which that was also rescinded. Remember
that the Tech got rescinded. He shouldn't have been ejected.
So they have a couple of these losses here where
like something happens with Luca that's a little controversial and
it goes against them. But they also had they beat
Houston down the stretch, they beat Memphis, they beat Dallas,
and the Luca return games. So like there were some
(05:19):
kernels there of them having some statement wins down the stretch.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
They earned the number three seed. They won fifty games.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
So like while I think it's easy now in retrospect
to pick at some of the weaknesses, like they did
have a successful regular season, it just I think they
ranted to a team that had all the things that
they didn't have in terms of size, athleticism, and depth,
and they lost them five.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
So a lot of people are making jokes, now, hey,
Lebron's gonna take Luca's passport, cannot go overseas, Gotta say.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Here, be healthy and set up to a fat farm.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
All these jokes. I listen, I don't want to go overboard.
He did look a little overweight, but I didn't think
his defense was that bad. I mean, it was a
great binding stretch. Wasn't really boxing out. Is it possible
he just wasn't healthy or am I making excuses?
Speaker 6 (06:03):
I think there's several elements here of I don't know
if you ever got fully right from talking people around
him and just around the team.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
In terms of that.
Speaker 6 (06:09):
Calf strain that he suffered that caused him to miss
six weeks, which is the longest injury he's had in.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
His basketball career, you know.
Speaker 6 (06:17):
Between him going from Dallas to LA I think clearly
from a conditioning perspective, he needs to get in better
shape and the defense needs to be better.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
I think JJ. I mean many.
Speaker 6 (06:27):
People took that championship shape comment at as a dig
at Luca. I think it goes beyond that. I think
there are several guys that could have been in better shape.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
Gonna refrain from Navy any days. But you can watch it.
You can watch it, not Lebron, you can watch it
and see No.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
I think really was Austin.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Austin's shot was short sometimes. I think like his legs
have sometimes, like last year he struggled in the playoffs
in terms of shooting threes. This year that that was
a bit of an issue. Like I think with him,
his legs sometimes go out later in the season, so
maybe that was a actor as well. But I also
think it's like it goes beyond physical shape to me,
it goes to mental shape and emotional shape, because winning
a championship, it's not just about being in condition, it's
(07:08):
about mental and emotional condition. And I don't think they
were right, Like they were not ready for Game one.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Game five.
Speaker 6 (07:14):
You look at the urgency that first quarter was kind
of embarrassing. They came out lacks of daisical, So like,
I don't know if they were ever fully right mentally
in this series.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Neon Eastern non a em Pacific.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
The whole Hey, why is he playing Maxi Kleeber, who
hasn't played since January, Well, clearly he doesn't trust Jackson Hayes.
A lot of people think Jackson hay is going to
be playing in China next year.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
That's how bad he was. Like, he's like unplayable.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Reddick doesn't trust him, and I understand that like Vanderbilt,
he can't give you anything offensively. He's just board's a hustle.
Did you have an issue with Maxie Kleeber getting dusted
off five minutes left in a close game?
Speaker 6 (07:50):
A little bit, I'll be honest, just because it was
more so about he hadn't played in three months, and
this is an elimination game, and it's new team, new city,
new system, new teammates, the coaching staff, all that stuff,
So like to throw a guy in that moment, I think,
I think it really was another sign of desperation, like
in back to back games, playing five guys for a
(08:11):
full second half, and then you play a guy who
has yet to play.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
With your team all season.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
However, I will say, like the alternatives weren't great, Jackson
Hayes had a rough series and clearly JJ Reddick won,
but anything, I think he should have gone away from
him a little bit earlier. I think by Game two
in that series, it was clear it was just not
Jackson series.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
No.
Speaker 6 (08:32):
I mean that's another thing that I think they kind
of watched that situation of they had a couple two
way bigs Christian Colloco trade Jemison.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
What happened to Coloco?
Speaker 5 (08:40):
They never converted them, so they were playoff ineligible.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I mean, he looked okay at times, but again, I
don't know if he'd have been ready.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
I don't know if it makes a different.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
Like I think the thing even even with Game four,
let's say the Lakers won that game, I still think
they probably lose the series.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
I would I don't, just with the way that those
fourth quarters went.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
So let me ask, where are you with Lebron's chances
of not being on a Laker next year? Can you
put a number on it? Five percent chance he's on
Golden State or Dallas or whatever, any percentage that he's
not with the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
I put it low, like ten to fifteen percent. So
I think he's going to be back.
Speaker 6 (09:12):
I think it's probably going to be one of two things.
Either he opts into that fifty two point six million
dollar player option or he signs a one plus one,
opts out and then re signs for one plus one
to give himself some flexibility and see if he wants
to play an additional season. But last year at the
Athletic we reported that he was likely going to play
two more seasons that would take him through next season
(09:32):
when his contract is up. So nothing has really changed
on that front in terms of that being the most
likely scenario. But of course, with Bryce, you'd ever know
if he's going to want to continue to extend his career.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
So I think I saw that the All Star Game
and is in LA next year?
Speaker 5 (09:46):
It is, but it is It's with the Clippers though,
so it's at.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Into it, so it's it into it. So it probably
wouldn't be something Lebron's send off.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
I mean maybe, but it could be, but I don't
know if it's going to be celebrated the same way
as if it was a crazy.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Right, right, that makes sense. So if you're of a
below the belief that the Lakers were kind of close,
they keep Reeves, keep Lebron obviously, and Luca's under contract.
Is there any way to make this team better? Because
the parallel to Dallas is Dallas got Kyrie, missed the playoffs,
retooled with Lively in the draft, gafferd PJ. Washington at
(10:18):
the deadline, and they went to the finals. Couldn't the
Lakers do something similar to that?
Speaker 5 (10:23):
I think so. I think so.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
And a big thing with that too, was Luca talked
about this after the elimination, was that he and Kyrie
like didn't really fit together that first half season after
Kyrie got traded there as we saw with them missing
the playoffs, and then they needed an offseason and they
needed a training camp in a preseason to figure out
how to play together offensively, and I think there was
(10:44):
elements of that with the Lakers and Luca and Lebron
in Austin, and I think it just never clicked offensively
like we thought when they made the trade. The questions
would be on the defensive end, and their defense was
not great to be clear in the series, but they
were barely cracking one hundred points consistently, and with the
firepower that they had offensively that needs to be better,
(11:05):
and again running out of gas in the fourth quarter,
couldn't score. So I think having an offseason with those
three to figure things out will be good. But I
think the big thing is that they needed to get bigger.
They need more size, they need more athleticism. A big
key for Dallas making that finals run was Daniel Gafford
and Derek Lively and their pick and roll chemistry with Luca.
They had that in the regular season with Jackson Hayes,
(11:27):
but clearly it was a bit of fools goals. So
they need to go out and get a high level
starting center who can be a pick and roll partner
and protect the rim.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
The physicality in these playoffs, I gotta be honest. You
play some pick up I play a lot. I didn't
like Aunt just shoving Lebron. That's not basketball. That's impeding
someone trying to get to a spot. And we're seeing
it around the league. Steve Curse can play. All the
coaches are complaining. I'm just curious. From being on the
ground level, it looked a lot more physical than we
saw the regular season.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
I just felt like the pendulum swung too far.
Speaker 5 (11:57):
I enjoy it. I'm a bit of a dirty.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
These NBA guy.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Okay, no, no, because I like I like threes, I
like the modern game, I like spacing. I don't like
these paint slug fests per se. But I think there
has been like I think they're starting to find a
bit of a balance, and maybe it has swung too
much in the physicality direction, but I think people complain
during the regular season that there's not enough of that,
So maybe they still have to swing it back a
(12:22):
little bit to find that sweet spot. But you give
me spacing and three point shooting and modern concepts on
both sides of the ball. With the physicality and the
toughness of the eighties and nineties, I think that's like
the sweet spot for like the modern game.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I don't know how much you're able to watch the
other series, but like Field, Curry is getting bodied by
Thompson Brooks every he's on the floor. He's got this
big thing on his hand. They're actually not calling when
you release. They're touching his hand every time. They're not
really calling that and cursed. Really I rate, So you
don't mind the physicality.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
I don't like within reason, right, So I think that
there's some like Luca gets his back taken out by Dante.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Evencenzo I thought that was ala.
Speaker 6 (13:02):
I thought this first, like, oh, shoulder, and then he
checks Lebron and we got the news right before, right
as I'm driving here, that Lebron now has a Grade
two MCL sprain in his left knee from that direct hit.
So like, I agree that it can go a little
in steph with his hand, like it can go a
little bit too far. I'm not advocating for like no
(13:23):
flagrance and injuries and whatnot, but I think in general,
I'd rather see more.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Competitive, physical basketball than in the regular season.
Speaker 6 (13:30):
It can be like, like, you know, the antithesis is
the All Star Game, right, and the lack of defense,
the lack of physicality, the lack of care. Like, I
feel like this year there's been an extra emphasis with
that that I've really enjoyed.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
But don't you think that the players now are the
most skilled we've ever seen in NBA history. Let them cook,
let them go to work. And I feel like we're
not totally letting that happen with the way. I mean,
the Thompson Twins really great defenders, but man, what they
were doing at Brunson.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
He's on the ground every time he drives to the
basket every time.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
Well, that I think is just part of Brunston flopping
a little bit.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
He's a flopper. Now, okay, I think so you pay
for that billboard in Detroitler, No, I'm not a Detroit guy.
Speaker 5 (14:10):
I just I think he flops a little bit.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
All right, we'll wrap up Clippers Nuggets Game seven. I
don't know how. I haven't seen a ton of this series,
except the endings have been pretty good. We had Ryan
Hollins on earlier saying, hey, probably Kawhi. I don't know
who do you? Who do you got in this one?
Speaker 5 (14:26):
It's off. So my series prediction was Clippers and six.
Speaker 6 (14:30):
I think they have been the better team up to
this point in the series, but I don't like betting
against nikolay Oki at home.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Game seven. Nuggets championship pedigree.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
They still have last year it did against Minnesota fifteen
point halftime. I think they led by as many as
twenty fifteen point halftime lead, and then they lost that
at home.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
So I'm probably leading.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
I'd probably lean Nuggets like fifty two to forty eight
in terms of percentage, but I think it's pretty close.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Last one, do you have a hot take for where
Giannis is playing at the beginning of next season? Anything's
in play.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
I think anything is in play. Uh, I'll say Houston.
If I had it, I think they have both the
draft capital and the young players to get it done.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
You would you give up a Thompson in a package?
Would you give up shind?
Speaker 6 (15:17):
I mean, if it really came down to Thompson, I
would strongly consider it, But that would be the.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
One guy I would prioritize keeping.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Jaalen Green pick. Yes, interesting, Kevin direct to the Lakers.
Any chance that happened zero.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
I mean one percent. There's always there's always Look, it's
the Lakers. I didn't think they were going to get Lucas,
so there's always a chance.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
But I mean it's almost impossible to do it without
giving up like Lebron, and I'd have.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
To consider it.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Yeah, but I mean like the salary, it doesn't so
you have to.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
I mean, like Katie is.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
A better player, but but obviously with the contract and
seems to ever be happy anywhere.
Speaker 5 (15:56):
And all right, Yo, that's why I.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
See the good stuff covers the Lakers for the athletic
great stuff. As usual, Let's go to Alex Furry with
the news.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Turns this is the herd Line news.
Speaker 7 (16:12):
All right, j Mac, We're gonna go back to the
NFL and start in Vegas because Ashin Genty became the
highest drafted running backs in Saquon in twenty eighteen when
the Raiders drafted him with the sixth overall pick in
the draft. He currently has the shortest offensive the year
odds at plus two thirty. And we know Carol likes
to likes to run the ball, so we know Jeny's
(16:32):
going to get the balls. He also Raiders don't have
a ton of weapons, so he's going to be he
should be an immediate impact player. He also has the confidence,
right we heard him say, if you pick me, it's simple.
I'm coming to your franchise to do what Saquon did
with the Eagles, which you know again I said this
(16:53):
earlier with Shudor Sanders. I love confidence coming into especially
a completely new league, and if you want to be
a leader. But they're O line, yeah, like it's it's okay,
it's improving. I don't know if it's gonna allow him
to again Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Cam Ward is gonna be slinging it starting for Tennessee.
Usually the quarterback has the edge, but Jenz should put
up big numbers.
Speaker 7 (17:19):
He should, He's I think he's gonna be their probably
most valuable of bours.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
The tight end is good, but yeah, they're gonna I
think they'll lean on him a lot. Interesting that he's
favored over them. Yeah, Travis Hunter, if he does play
two ways, I think that'll bump him.
Speaker 7 (17:35):
Up significantly, definitely.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
So uh, you know, I like underdogs, so I would
probably go elsewhere besides genty. But he's gonna be good.
Speaker 7 (17:42):
Oh, you wouldn't go with any of these any I
would go.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
I would probably go Hunter on that list plus nine
to fifty. Yeah, I mean I could take another trip
to Japan if that thing gets jeez.
Speaker 7 (17:51):
All right, back to the NBA. The Pistons lost a
hard fought six game series against your next yesterday, so
a lot of focus is on New York right now,
but we sh she take him minute to acknowledge Detroit.
This team won fourteen games last year and this year
nearly tripled its win total and made the playoffs. And
Kate Cunningham spoke about the Piston's future after the loss. Okay,
(18:16):
so we prove to ourselves that we have what we
have in the room works, and we can be very
successful in the NBA. I think at the same time,
we prove that to the rest of the league as well,
that we have come to play. This is a dogfight
and we're gonna have to come to play the full
forty eight. Like when you think about it, they won
fourteen wins last year, thanks j Mac, forty four this year.
(18:39):
That is a thirty win improvement. That is the sixth
best in NBA history. That's ridiculous, it's kind of insane.
So they put up they put up a great fight.
I think they have a bright future. There were you know,
de penning which side you're on, There are some questionable
calls in the game.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
That Celtics forty two win team is that when they
got peers some help in like KG and Ray Allen.
Speaker 7 (19:04):
So that was the largest this is the largest win improvement.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Yeah. And then the Spurs, I think when they drafted
David Robinson or you're looking.
Speaker 7 (19:11):
Like there were big there were big guys who can't
Detroit didn't swing.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
No, you didn't have anything.
Speaker 7 (19:16):
Yeah, No, they just kind of figured it out.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Oh that's impressive, right, were you?
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (19:24):
Okay, two thousand and seven to eight.
Speaker 7 (19:25):
Was Garnett impress with Pistons than you expected at the
start of the series.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Oh, definitely.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Now I get excited about NBA off season, right, Yeah,
So I'm looking at their salaries.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Tim Hardaway junior free agent.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
They let him go. Dennis Shruder, he's gone. Watch for
him to land in Dallas. Maybe is like a Kyrie
replacement testing Malik Beasley's deals up? Is there a world?
We got a Detroit guy on staff, Martin Isaac Kevin
Durant to the Pistons, Does that make sense? I mean
they're close and in the East, much easier than that,
but like.
Speaker 7 (19:56):
Kind of towards the end of your career going to
like you're still like building to get to that point
you think Katie's gonna go to me.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
I don't know a.
Speaker 7 (20:06):
Place that's not like a ready win. Now we can
do this?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Well, yeah, that that might been his.
Speaker 7 (20:12):
That's been his like that, that's been his whole career.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
When Jade and Ivy was out injured. He's good for
Purdue kid, he'll come back. So their back court's fine.
They just need that a soart get a bucket guy
like Kate Cunningham is really good.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
He bricked a lefty layup with the game on.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
The line, oh for eight from three, Like they they
could use Kevin Durant in Detroit, and then it's like,
maybe they're not in the class of Celtics, but they're
there with like Cleveland and the Knicks, and then there's
the Pacers are up there as well. Okay, I think
I would consider.
Speaker 7 (20:42):
Katie if they definitely need a big start. Yeah, they
need need you need the big Stark.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
No, I don't know.
Speaker 7 (20:50):
Joannis is going to go to I think a big,
a big market.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Johann's prediction. Jovann's prediction was Houston. What was your prediction?
Speaker 7 (20:57):
Have you shared that I had.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Celtics a couple months ago? Really, you know, a little
too hot of a take, Alex.
Speaker 7 (21:03):
It's well, I mean there's a lot of talk with
the new ownership. There's going to be a lot of
movement coming up this offseason, also pending how they do
in this run. Yeah, it's what moves get made after
the end of this season. The trade. Yeah interesting. Okay,
(21:23):
last story back to the NFL. The Eagles won the
Super Bowl, but have made a ton of offseason moves,
especially on the defensive side of the ball, and GM
Howie Roseman knows he's got his work cut out from
despite the Championship.
Speaker 8 (21:36):
I see the attitude and the energy. We understand. We
understand that we that twenty twenty five is a new year.
We haven't won a game yet in twenty twenty five.
We're gonna have to do our best and work our
hardest to have the kind of season that we're looking for.
And nothing in the past is going to guarantee future success.
Speaker 7 (21:54):
Yeah. I mean, you now have the biggest target on
your back this year. That's the attitude that you have
to have. Last year is like let me prove you wrong.
This year it's like, oh, well you won, so now
we're all coming for you. And if you look at
the last ten super Bowl seasons, there's only two teams
that have made it back to the super Bowl after
winning the super Bowl in the last ten years, and
(22:16):
it's the Chiefs twice and then Tom Brady's Patriots. So
it's not an easy feat after you win to even
get back.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Yeah, that's hard to the super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (22:25):
And the Chiefs in the last ten years are the
only ones.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
To actually win.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
That was their back to back win and then obviously
missed the three feet this year, but yeah, they're the
only ones to actually go back and win it.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
So I'm looking at the Eagles depth chart.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Yeah, it looks like to my untrained eye, they will
return ten of eleven starters on offense. Defense, it looks
like they're going to have three new two or three
new starters. Okay, so that's returning a lot of talent.
The defense won that game.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
They should be in the mix.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Who do we have on NFL earlier that it was
a Jeff Schwartz said, Eagles back to the Super Bowl.
I don't know you bet against them, but the keep
an eye on the rams. Remember the gambling guy we
had on of you.
Speaker 7 (23:06):
I know you're around sneaky, sneaky.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
They're gonna be dangerous sneaky.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (23:11):
Yeah, they tacked up a lot of depth.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
All right. Alex Curry with the news, Well that's the news,
and thanks for stopping by the Herd Line news.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
All right, so we got a good one.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Next, what is the player in the NBA that you
would pick the most clutch?
Speaker 4 (23:27):
You got a last second shot?
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Who's taking it? We'll do that list next year on
the Herd.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noone easternn AM Pacific.
Speaker 9 (23:36):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David, and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 10 (23:42):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm
Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
of course the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 9 (23:49):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 10 (23:50):
We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 9 (23:55):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture.
Story is that well other shows don't seem to have
the time to discuss.
Speaker 10 (24:03):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together, I mean that says something, right.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
So check us out. We like to get you involved too,
take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say,
I'd say, the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio,
maybe the.
Speaker 10 (24:17):
Most interactive show on planet Earth.
Speaker 9 (24:18):
Be sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to
seven pm Eastern, two to four Pacific, And if you
miss any of the live show, just search Covin on
Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on
social media. That's Cavino and Rich.
Speaker 7 (24:34):
With just two races left before the Indy five hundred,
the IndyCar Series hits barber for the Children's of Alabama
Indy Grand Prix, the fastest racing on Earth, continues live
from Birmingham Sunday at one thirty Eastern on Fox.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Show's just absolutely flown by Alex. I mean goodness, gracious,
I can't believe it's almost over.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
So the staff, you know, we never know.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
We're gonna do it. At the end of the show. It's
a grab bag. We could do anything, Alex and I. I
could just rant about life, liberty in the pursuit of happiness.
In the final eight minutes. However, my guy Scott hands
me a piece of paper. Jay rank the players left
in the playoffs as your top five closers. You get
a shot final ten seconds, fifteen seconds. That's your guy. Now,
I did ask could I put myself on the list
(25:18):
Because I am clutch, I only drink coffee. Because I'm
a closer, I'm not allowed to put myself on the list.
So here we go. Let's roar with number five, Jamal Murray.
I mean listen. Murray is super clutch. Lakers fans remember
last year Hit two game winning shots against them to
knock them out. He did have a forty piece I
think forty three against the paper Clips. And you know
(25:42):
Game seven is gonna be big. Obviously it's Joki Kawhi.
But I trust Jamal Murray way more than I do
James Harden. You know, game seven, James Harden turns into
Jim Harden. So I think Jamal Murray number five left
in the playoffs on my clutch list, number four.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
Let's go with the ant man, Anthony Edwards listen.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
He finished third in clutch player voting this season, led
the NBA in clutch point and clutch threes this season.
He's a big time player man. We saw it in
the Lakers series. He's tough to stop when he gets
going downhill. I don't know how you stop him. Like
you see they put Ruey on him, too slow, Austin
Rad's on him, no, too skinny, like they had no
matchup for Anthony Edwards. I know it's gonna be a shocker.
(26:23):
SGA did not make my list. Anthony Edwards did so.
Anthony Edwards number four, number three. This one's easy. Jason Tatum.
I don't know how this happened, folks, I disliked Boston
teams my entire life. Born in New York, we are
conditioned to dislike Boston sports teams. But I love me
some Jason Tatum. Maybe because he went to Duke, Maybe
(26:44):
because he's a baller, dunked on Lebron. I think at
nineteen in the playoffs, Listen, how good are these He
is the second leading scorer in the fourth quarter in
the playoffs. Jason Tatum, when it's winning time, get him
the rock.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
He's awesome.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
He hit the game winning Cuttings spinning lay up. Everybody
remembers that against the Nets in twenty twenty two, and
Tatum has the highest scoring average in the fourth quarter
this season. He's clutch. Jason Tatum number three. Let's go
to number two, my goat from Shooting Territory, Steph Curry.
I mean he's already won the Clutch Award once. He
(27:19):
won it, I believe last season. Yes, and he leads
the NBA and clutch points in the playoffs since twenty fifteen.
Now you could say, well, he's played in more playoff games. Yeah,
because he's.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Great and when the game's on.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
The line, Listen, I can hear an argument for Jimmy Butler,
but I think it's got to undeniably be Steph Curry
on the Warriors.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
Now.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
The thing is the Rockets are roughing him up.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Ryan Hollins was reluctant to admit it, but the Rockets
are playing have some goony prison rules basketball and Curry
I don't like that, but I still trust him in
the clutch and number one, the most clutch player.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Left in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
There's there's nobody else, guys, It's Jalen Brunson. By the way.
So last night series clincher, they're down seven, okay, with
like two and a half left, and Brunson just takes over.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
They put Dennis.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Shrewder on him.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
What a mistake that was. Brunson cooks him for five
quick ones and then they bring back on Star Thompson.
I'm not kidding, guys. I could work on this move
that won the game for the next two months every day,
for an hour with any private trainer you wanted. I
could never pull that off. It is the level of skill.
It's just breathtaking. I'm a huge Jalen Brunson fan. I mean, hell,
(28:31):
he might be my favorite player in the league.
Speaker 5 (28:35):
Is Curry.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
Number two, Luca or Lebron. I think Jalen Brunson might
be three. He is just breathtaking to watch. Won the
Clutch Player of the Year award, lead the playoffs in
fourth quarter scoring and clutch time scoring. And he's diminutive.
You know, he's six to one. You're thinking, Oh, we
can get a body out of No, he's too quick
and shifty get to the mid range. I mean, what's
(28:59):
not to love, you know who? It kind of reminds
me of Joe Dumars without the defense. Joe Dumars was
a big time scorer. I mean, you got to go
back to the eighties. But a little Joe Dumars plus
Isaiah Thomas. Although he doesn't have quite the swagger, he
did tell the fans who were cursing him all night,
say goodbye.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
Here's a kiss.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Jalen Brunson most clutch player left in these NBA Playoffs.
I can't wait for the games, Alex. Who you got tonight?
Warriors Rockets Game six?
Speaker 7 (29:30):
I think I got Warriors.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Well, selfishly, I would love the game seven, wouldn't you.
Speaker 7 (29:34):
Yeah? Everyone loves the Game seven. But I think the
Warriors turn it on and take it a home. You
could tell they kind of just like took their foot
off the gas in the last game. It was like, Okay,
that's okay, we'll go win it back at home. And
I know you had them at number two, but Steph
Curry is still like the most clutch shooter in the league, Like,
hands down, if game on the line, if there's one
(29:57):
person I'm gonna trust, it's Curry, hands out.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
And what about Game seven, paper Clips and Nuggets.
Speaker 7 (30:02):
It's so hard just because like Clippers really haven't proven
anything in the playoffs and it's back in Denver. Yeah,
Denver's just so good in Game seven, especially at home.
But if again it's gonna come down to Justes Kawhi
and James Harden show up and have the best game
of the season so far because they were getting hot
at the right time. They're healthy, which hasn't been kind
(30:24):
of years past for the Clippers.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Oh, let's wait to make sure Kawhi plays, you know,
like how many times have we seen him in the playoffs.
Alec Dour's like, yeah, Kawhi, Leonard's out tonight, me.
Speaker 7 (30:33):
And direct, And that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
It's like the next day down to ka it's an acl.
Speaker 7 (30:37):
Is he is he healthy? Is he going to play?
Is he going to show up? But also like Denver's
gonna let to play for right now, like they've they've
kind of been stepping up since firing their head coach.
And it's.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
The other big sports thing this weekend is the uh
Kentucky Derby. I'm pretty sure is that this weekend. I
think it is because I feel like some of them,
I've never been. You've never been.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
No, that's definitely on the bucket list because I've covered
baseball for the first ten years of my career and
it's right in the middle of the season, so I
never never had a chance to go.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Definitely fun. I worked it in.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
I worked at a magazine one a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
I became buddies with Jerry O'Connell, the actor, very randomly
at some party and then like we started texting and
he's just a night he's a big Jets fan, so
we kind of commiserate over the crappy Jets.
Speaker 7 (31:23):
Yeah, a show, pretty quick show, fun.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Friday, Frisky Friday, Frisky fun Friday. I don't know the
way have you guys picked out a name yet?
Speaker 7 (31:31):
I'm not sharing that, of course, see it Monday,
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Welcome back. This guy was so good last time we
were on the show. We had to bring him back.
Jovon Buhaf for the athletic covers the Lakers totally knows
all the ins and outs. He was there at the
Rehddick press conference where Reddick.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Kind of dropped the mic and left.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
I was asking during the commercial break, so how heavy
is Luca and He's like, well, you can't. Can't ask
a guys. Wait, I know, I know, but all right, Yovan.
So disappointing end of the Lakers season. Not a lot
of people saw it coming. I'm curious after that Game
five loss, just another depressing close one. Did the Lakers
really address what the hell happened in the final four
(01:00):
minutes of the last three games, like they could not
close out any of those.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
No, they didn't.
Speaker 6 (01:06):
I mean I think JJ Reddick's comments yesterday at the
exit interview of them needing to get into championship shape
what we're telling, and.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
I think there's an element of that.
Speaker 6 (01:15):
I believe they were outscored one twenty seven to eighty
five in the five fourth quarters in this series, so
an average of about eight points per game in the
fourth quarter. Even the game they won they only scored
it was actually their worst fourth quarter. They scored thirteen
points and let Minnesota back into it. And like, there
are several moments in that game where if Minnesota just
hits a three, wide open three that they had a
(01:36):
lot of them, they win that game, or you potentially
push it into like a one possession game. So they
just ran out of gas in all fourth quarter or
five fourth quarters. And we saw specially in Game four,
backs against the Wall, facing a three to one series deficit,
JJ Reddick goes with five guys down the stretch and
it was.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
Like, I think they just kind of ran out of guys.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
So here's my thing, Like let's say I think they
led by ten or something like that in the third
heading into the fourth of that game. This idea that like, hey,
we could do Gabe Vincent steal two minutes like that,
that's just not realistic, is it? Like? What are two
minutes going to do for a breather for Lebron or Luca?
Do you think do you think Reddick botched it? I don't.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
I think it's it's semi defensible.
Speaker 6 (02:16):
Now, when whenever you do something that no one has
done in NBA history and you lose, then you got
the backlash.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
But they were thirty seconds awa.
Speaker 6 (02:23):
I remember Luca gets tripped by Jada McDaniels and we
can debate whether that was actually a trip or not.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
The NBA ruled that it was a trip. It was
a mistake.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
It was the only incorrect call on the NBA's last
two minute report for that game. So if Luca gets tripped,
the Lakers don't lose that timeout, they don't turn the
ball over on the next possession. He goes to the
free throw line for two free throws. They're down one.
He makes at least one. I think he probably makes both.
Now they're up one thirty seconds left. They just need
to get a stop to even the series at two too,
(02:50):
So that was a sliding doors moment for that series.
But yeah, I mean, obviously did not go like down
the stretch of that one that they had several just
Game five. Also, yeah, Minnesota went seven for forty seven
from three. It was the worst three point percentage in
a win in playoff history. The Lakers still couldn't win
that game.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
So does that lead credence to the point that hey,
JJ messed up and they should have rested their guys
or is it like, hey, man, if they put in
Vanderbilt for five minutes, Yeah, the lead's gonna not only evaporate,
they're gonna be trailing anyway.
Speaker 6 (03:23):
Yeah, I think he probably should have found a spot
to get a breather for some of those guys. Now,
if they played twenty minutes or twenty one minutes each,
I don't think we're talking about this. We're just saying
he played his guy's heavy minutes, and that typically happened.
Like Tom Timodeau is known for playing his guys heavy minutes.
It's just he did it and it didn't work. So
now we're talking about it, we're looking at it. Also,
he's coaching the Lakers, where there's just an extra level
(03:45):
of scrutiny. Now, he did try to go to Gabe
Vinson late in the third quarter. That's something that that
kind of doesn't get talked about. Was Gabe was at
the scorers table. Then there was no dead ball for
a while, so like a minute left, he was like,
all right, just go back to the bench, let's close
it out. I think you could have done something where
Gabe's in there for like four or five minutes, You're
rotating Luca and Lebron and Austin, maybe getting them each
(04:07):
like one to two minutes of rest. But I don't
know if that ultimately was the difference with I.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Mean, we don't want to get too nitty gritty, but
was Conley off the floor? Who's Gabe? Vincent Garding? You
can't say in front of Ant they can't guard Jade
McDaniels or any Randall killed him. So how much of
this is the Lakers were hot in the regular season
with Luca Lebron, they killed some bad teams, and we
got just too excited being while they couldn't execute down
(04:31):
the stretch. Because how many times did Dorian Finney Smith,
Lebron and Luca share the floor during the season, Like,
it couldn't have been that many minutes.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
Right, So the pushback I'll have with This is just
that I think the Lakers that there was some legitimacy,
like second best home record in the West that matters, right,
second best record against the conference, both only behind ok
See in terms of home record and conference records. So
like they had plenty of big wins. They beat oka See,
remember that that doubleheader a ok See they beat, They
(04:59):
blew them out the first time, and they were up
when Luca got ejected, which that was also rescinded. Remember
that the Tech got rescinded. He shouldn't have been ejected.
So they have a couple of these losses here where
like something happens with Luca that's a little controversial and
it goes against them. But they also had they beat
Houston down the stretch, they beat Memphis, they beat Dallas,
and the Luca return games. So like there were some
(05:19):
kernels there of them having some statement wins down the stretch.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
They earned the number three seed. They won fifty games.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
So like while I think it's easy now in retrospect
to pick at some of the weaknesses, like they did
have a successful regular season, it just I think they
ranted to a team that had all the things that
they didn't have in terms of size, athleticism, and depth,
and they lost them five.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
So a lot of people are making jokes, now, hey,
Lebron's gonna take Luca's passport, cannot go overseas, Gotta say.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Here, be healthy and set up to a fat farm.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
All these jokes. I listen, I don't want to go overboard.
He did look a little overweight, but I didn't think
his defense was that bad. I mean, it was a
great binding stretch. Wasn't really boxing out. Is it possible
he just wasn't healthy or am I making excuses?
Speaker 6 (06:03):
I think there's several elements here of I don't know
if you ever got fully right from talking people around
him and just around the team.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
In terms of that.
Speaker 6 (06:09):
Calf strain that he suffered that caused him to miss
six weeks, which is the longest injury he's had in.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
His basketball career, you know.
Speaker 6 (06:17):
Between him going from Dallas to LA I think clearly
from a conditioning perspective, he needs to get in better
shape and the defense needs to be better.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
I think JJ. I mean many.
Speaker 6 (06:27):
People took that championship shape comment at as a dig
at Luca. I think it goes beyond that. I think
there are several guys that could have been in better shape.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
Gonna refrain from Navy any days. But you can watch it.
You can watch it, not Lebron, you can watch it
and see No.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
I think really was Austin.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Austin's shot was short sometimes. I think like his legs
have sometimes, like last year he struggled in the playoffs
in terms of shooting threes. This year that that was
a bit of an issue. Like I think with him,
his legs sometimes go out later in the season, so
maybe that was a actor as well. But I also
think it's like it goes beyond physical shape to me,
it goes to mental shape and emotional shape, because winning
a championship, it's not just about being in condition, it's
(07:08):
about mental and emotional condition. And I don't think they
were right, Like they were not ready for Game one.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Game five.
Speaker 6 (07:14):
You look at the urgency that first quarter was kind
of embarrassing. They came out lacks of daisical, So like,
I don't know if they were ever fully right mentally
in this series.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Neon Eastern non a em Pacific.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
The whole Hey, why is he playing Maxi Kleeber, who
hasn't played since January, Well, clearly he doesn't trust Jackson Hayes.
A lot of people think Jackson hay is going to
be playing in China next year.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
That's how bad he was. Like, he's like unplayable.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Reddick doesn't trust him, and I understand that like Vanderbilt,
he can't give you anything offensively. He's just board's a hustle.
Did you have an issue with Maxie Kleeber getting dusted
off five minutes left in a close game?
Speaker 6 (07:50):
A little bit, I'll be honest, just because it was
more so about he hadn't played in three months, and
this is an elimination game, and it's new team, new city,
new system, new teammates, the coaching staff, all that stuff,
So like to throw a guy in that moment, I think,
I think it really was another sign of desperation, like
in back to back games, playing five guys for a
(08:11):
full second half, and then you play a guy who
has yet to play.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
With your team all season.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
However, I will say, like the alternatives weren't great, Jackson
Hayes had a rough series and clearly JJ Reddick won,
but anything, I think he should have gone away from
him a little bit earlier. I think by Game two
in that series, it was clear it was just not
Jackson series.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
No.
Speaker 6 (08:32):
I mean that's another thing that I think they kind
of watched that situation of they had a couple two
way bigs Christian Colloco trade Jemison.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
What happened to Coloco?
Speaker 5 (08:40):
They never converted them, so they were playoff ineligible.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I mean, he looked okay at times, but again, I
don't know if he'd have been ready.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
I don't know if it makes a different.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
Like I think the thing even even with Game four,
let's say the Lakers won that game, I still think
they probably lose the series.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
I would I don't, just with the way that those
fourth quarters went.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
So let me ask, where are you with Lebron's chances
of not being on a Laker next year? Can you
put a number on it? Five percent chance he's on
Golden State or Dallas or whatever, any percentage that he's
not with the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
I put it low, like ten to fifteen percent. So
I think he's going to be back.
Speaker 6 (09:12):
I think it's probably going to be one of two things.
Either he opts into that fifty two point six million
dollar player option or he signs a one plus one,
opts out and then re signs for one plus one
to give himself some flexibility and see if he wants
to play an additional season. But last year at the
Athletic we reported that he was likely going to play
two more seasons that would take him through next season
(09:32):
when his contract is up. So nothing has really changed
on that front in terms of that being the most
likely scenario. But of course, with Bryce, you'd ever know
if he's going to want to continue to extend his career.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
So I think I saw that the All Star Game
and is in LA next year?
Speaker 5 (09:46):
It is, but it is It's with the Clippers though,
so it's at.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Into it, so it's it into it. So it probably
wouldn't be something Lebron's send off.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
I mean maybe, but it could be, but I don't
know if it's going to be celebrated the same way
as if it was a crazy.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Right, right, that makes sense. So if you're of a
below the belief that the Lakers were kind of close,
they keep Reeves, keep Lebron obviously, and Luca's under contract.
Is there any way to make this team better? Because
the parallel to Dallas is Dallas got Kyrie, missed the playoffs,
retooled with Lively in the draft, gafferd PJ. Washington at
(10:18):
the deadline, and they went to the finals. Couldn't the
Lakers do something similar to that?
Speaker 5 (10:23):
I think so. I think so.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
And a big thing with that too, was Luca talked
about this after the elimination, was that he and Kyrie
like didn't really fit together that first half season after
Kyrie got traded there as we saw with them missing
the playoffs, and then they needed an offseason and they
needed a training camp in a preseason to figure out
how to play together offensively, and I think there was
(10:44):
elements of that with the Lakers and Luca and Lebron
in Austin, and I think it just never clicked offensively
like we thought when they made the trade. The questions
would be on the defensive end, and their defense was
not great to be clear in the series, but they
were barely cracking one hundred points consistently, and with the
firepower that they had offensively that needs to be better,
(11:05):
and again running out of gas in the fourth quarter,
couldn't score. So I think having an offseason with those
three to figure things out will be good. But I
think the big thing is that they needed to get bigger.
They need more size, they need more athleticism. A big
key for Dallas making that finals run was Daniel Gafford
and Derek Lively and their pick and roll chemistry with Luca.
They had that in the regular season with Jackson Hayes,
(11:27):
but clearly it was a bit of fools goals. So
they need to go out and get a high level
starting center who can be a pick and roll partner
and protect the rim.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
The physicality in these playoffs, I gotta be honest. You
play some pick up I play a lot. I didn't
like Aunt just shoving Lebron. That's not basketball. That's impeding
someone trying to get to a spot. And we're seeing
it around the league. Steve Curse can play. All the
coaches are complaining. I'm just curious. From being on the
ground level, it looked a lot more physical than we
saw the regular season.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
I just felt like the pendulum swung too far.
Speaker 5 (11:57):
I enjoy it. I'm a bit of a dirty.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
These NBA guy.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Okay, no, no, because I like I like threes, I
like the modern game, I like spacing. I don't like
these paint slug fests per se. But I think there
has been like I think they're starting to find a
bit of a balance, and maybe it has swung too
much in the physicality direction, but I think people complain
during the regular season that there's not enough of that,
So maybe they still have to swing it back a
(12:22):
little bit to find that sweet spot. But you give
me spacing and three point shooting and modern concepts on
both sides of the ball. With the physicality and the
toughness of the eighties and nineties, I think that's like
the sweet spot for like the modern game.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I don't know how much you're able to watch the
other series, but like Field, Curry is getting bodied by
Thompson Brooks every he's on the floor. He's got this
big thing on his hand. They're actually not calling when
you release. They're touching his hand every time. They're not
really calling that and cursed. Really I rate, So you
don't mind the physicality.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
I don't like within reason, right, So I think that
there's some like Luca gets his back taken out by Dante.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Evencenzo I thought that was ala.
Speaker 6 (13:02):
I thought this first, like, oh, shoulder, and then he
checks Lebron and we got the news right before, right
as I'm driving here, that Lebron now has a Grade
two MCL sprain in his left knee from that direct hit.
So like, I agree that it can go a little
in steph with his hand, like it can go a
little bit too far. I'm not advocating for like no
(13:23):
flagrance and injuries and whatnot, but I think in general,
I'd rather see more.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Competitive, physical basketball than in the regular season.
Speaker 6 (13:30):
It can be like, like, you know, the antithesis is
the All Star Game, right, and the lack of defense,
the lack of physicality, the lack of care. Like, I
feel like this year there's been an extra emphasis with
that that I've really enjoyed.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
But don't you think that the players now are the
most skilled we've ever seen in NBA history. Let them cook,
let them go to work. And I feel like we're
not totally letting that happen with the way. I mean,
the Thompson Twins really great defenders, but man, what they
were doing at Brunson.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
He's on the ground every time he drives to the
basket every time.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
Well, that I think is just part of Brunston flopping
a little bit.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
He's a flopper. Now, okay, I think so you pay
for that billboard in Detroitler, No, I'm not a Detroit guy.
Speaker 5 (14:10):
I just I think he flops a little bit.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
All right, we'll wrap up Clippers Nuggets Game seven. I
don't know how. I haven't seen a ton of this series,
except the endings have been pretty good. We had Ryan
Hollins on earlier saying, hey, probably Kawhi. I don't know
who do you? Who do you got in this one?
Speaker 5 (14:26):
It's off. So my series prediction was Clippers and six.
Speaker 6 (14:30):
I think they have been the better team up to
this point in the series, but I don't like betting
against nikolay Oki at home.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Game seven. Nuggets championship pedigree.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
They still have last year it did against Minnesota fifteen
point halftime. I think they led by as many as
twenty fifteen point halftime lead, and then they lost that
at home.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
So I'm probably leading.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
I'd probably lean Nuggets like fifty two to forty eight
in terms of percentage, but I think it's pretty close.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Last one, do you have a hot take for where
Giannis is playing at the beginning of next season? Anything's
in play.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
I think anything is in play. Uh, I'll say Houston.
If I had it, I think they have both the
draft capital and the young players to get it done.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
You would you give up a Thompson in a package?
Would you give up shind?
Speaker 6 (15:17):
I mean, if it really came down to Thompson, I
would strongly consider it, But that would be the.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
One guy I would prioritize keeping.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Jaalen Green pick. Yes, interesting, Kevin direct to the Lakers.
Any chance that happened zero.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
I mean one percent. There's always there's always Look, it's
the Lakers. I didn't think they were going to get Lucas,
so there's always a chance.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
But I mean it's almost impossible to do it without
giving up like Lebron, and I'd have.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
To consider it.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Yeah, but I mean like the salary, it doesn't so
you have to.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
I mean, like Katie is.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
A better player, but but obviously with the contract and
seems to ever be happy anywhere.
Speaker 5 (15:56):
And all right, Yo, that's why I.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
See the good stuff covers the Lakers for the athletic
great stuff. As usual, Let's go to Alex Furry with
the news.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Turns this is the herd Line news.
Speaker 7 (16:12):
All right, j Mac, We're gonna go back to the
NFL and start in Vegas because Ashin Genty became the
highest drafted running backs in Saquon in twenty eighteen when
the Raiders drafted him with the sixth overall pick in
the draft. He currently has the shortest offensive the year
odds at plus two thirty. And we know Carol likes
to likes to run the ball, so we know Jeny's
(16:32):
going to get the balls. He also Raiders don't have
a ton of weapons, so he's going to be he
should be an immediate impact player. He also has the confidence,
right we heard him say, if you pick me, it's simple.
I'm coming to your franchise to do what Saquon did
with the Eagles, which you know again I said this
(16:53):
earlier with Shudor Sanders. I love confidence coming into especially
a completely new league, and if you want to be
a leader. But they're O line, yeah, like it's it's okay,
it's improving. I don't know if it's gonna allow him
to again Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Cam Ward is gonna be slinging it starting for Tennessee.
Usually the quarterback has the edge, but Jenz should put
up big numbers.
Speaker 7 (17:19):
He should, He's I think he's gonna be their probably
most valuable of bours.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
The tight end is good, but yeah, they're gonna I
think they'll lean on him a lot. Interesting that he's
favored over them. Yeah, Travis Hunter, if he does play
two ways, I think that'll bump him.
Speaker 7 (17:35):
Up significantly, definitely.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
So uh, you know, I like underdogs, so I would
probably go elsewhere besides genty. But he's gonna be good.
Speaker 7 (17:42):
Oh, you wouldn't go with any of these any I
would go.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
I would probably go Hunter on that list plus nine
to fifty. Yeah, I mean I could take another trip
to Japan if that thing gets jeez.
Speaker 7 (17:51):
All right, back to the NBA. The Pistons lost a
hard fought six game series against your next yesterday, so
a lot of focus is on New York right now,
but we sh she take him minute to acknowledge Detroit.
This team won fourteen games last year and this year
nearly tripled its win total and made the playoffs. And
Kate Cunningham spoke about the Piston's future after the loss. Okay,
(18:16):
so we prove to ourselves that we have what we
have in the room works, and we can be very
successful in the NBA. I think at the same time,
we prove that to the rest of the league as well,
that we have come to play. This is a dogfight
and we're gonna have to come to play the full
forty eight. Like when you think about it, they won
fourteen wins last year, thanks j Mac, forty four this year.
(18:39):
That is a thirty win improvement. That is the sixth
best in NBA history. That's ridiculous, it's kind of insane.
So they put up they put up a great fight.
I think they have a bright future. There were you know,
de penning which side you're on, There are some questionable
calls in the game.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
That Celtics forty two win team is that when they
got peers some help in like KG and Ray Allen.
Speaker 7 (19:04):
So that was the largest this is the largest win improvement.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Yeah. And then the Spurs, I think when they drafted
David Robinson or you're looking.
Speaker 7 (19:11):
Like there were big there were big guys who can't
Detroit didn't swing.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
No, you didn't have anything.
Speaker 7 (19:16):
Yeah, No, they just kind of figured it out.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Oh that's impressive, right, were you?
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (19:24):
Okay, two thousand and seven to eight.
Speaker 7 (19:25):
Was Garnett impress with Pistons than you expected at the
start of the series.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Oh, definitely.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Now I get excited about NBA off season, right, Yeah,
So I'm looking at their salaries.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Tim Hardaway junior free agent.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
They let him go. Dennis Shruder, he's gone. Watch for
him to land in Dallas. Maybe is like a Kyrie
replacement testing Malik Beasley's deals up? Is there a world?
We got a Detroit guy on staff, Martin Isaac Kevin
Durant to the Pistons, Does that make sense? I mean
they're close and in the East, much easier than that,
but like.
Speaker 7 (19:56):
Kind of towards the end of your career going to
like you're still like building to get to that point
you think Katie's gonna go to me.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
I don't know a.
Speaker 7 (20:06):
Place that's not like a ready win. Now we can
do this?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Well, yeah, that that might been his.
Speaker 7 (20:12):
That's been his like that, that's been his whole career.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
When Jade and Ivy was out injured. He's good for
Purdue kid, he'll come back. So their back court's fine.
They just need that a soart get a bucket guy
like Kate Cunningham is really good.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
He bricked a lefty layup with the game on.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
The line, oh for eight from three, Like they they
could use Kevin Durant in Detroit, and then it's like,
maybe they're not in the class of Celtics, but they're
there with like Cleveland and the Knicks, and then there's
the Pacers are up there as well. Okay, I think
I would consider.
Speaker 7 (20:42):
Katie if they definitely need a big start. Yeah, they
need need you need the big Stark.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
No, I don't know.
Speaker 7 (20:50):
Joannis is going to go to I think a big,
a big market.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Johann's prediction. Jovann's prediction was Houston. What was your prediction?
Speaker 7 (20:57):
Have you shared that I had.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Celtics a couple months ago? Really, you know, a little
too hot of a take, Alex.
Speaker 7 (21:03):
It's well, I mean there's a lot of talk with
the new ownership. There's going to be a lot of
movement coming up this offseason, also pending how they do
in this run. Yeah, it's what moves get made after
the end of this season. The trade. Yeah interesting. Okay,
(21:23):
last story back to the NFL. The Eagles won the
Super Bowl, but have made a ton of offseason moves,
especially on the defensive side of the ball, and GM
Howie Roseman knows he's got his work cut out from
despite the Championship.
Speaker 8 (21:36):
I see the attitude and the energy. We understand. We
understand that we that twenty twenty five is a new year.
We haven't won a game yet in twenty twenty five.
We're gonna have to do our best and work our
hardest to have the kind of season that we're looking for.
And nothing in the past is going to guarantee future success.
Speaker 7 (21:54):
Yeah. I mean, you now have the biggest target on
your back this year. That's the attitude that you have
to have. Last year is like let me prove you wrong.
This year it's like, oh, well you won, so now
we're all coming for you. And if you look at
the last ten super Bowl seasons, there's only two teams
that have made it back to the super Bowl after
winning the super Bowl in the last ten years, and
(22:16):
it's the Chiefs twice and then Tom Brady's Patriots. So
it's not an easy feat after you win to even
get back.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Yeah, that's hard to the super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (22:25):
And the Chiefs in the last ten years are the
only ones.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
To actually win.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
That was their back to back win and then obviously
missed the three feet this year, but yeah, they're the
only ones to actually go back and win it.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
So I'm looking at the Eagles depth chart.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Yeah, it looks like to my untrained eye, they will
return ten of eleven starters on offense. Defense, it looks
like they're going to have three new two or three
new starters. Okay, so that's returning a lot of talent.
The defense won that game.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
They should be in the mix.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Who do we have on NFL earlier that it was
a Jeff Schwartz said, Eagles back to the Super Bowl.
I don't know you bet against them, but the keep
an eye on the rams. Remember the gambling guy we
had on of you.
Speaker 7 (23:06):
I know you're around sneaky, sneaky.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
They're gonna be dangerous sneaky.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (23:11):
Yeah, they tacked up a lot of depth.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
All right. Alex Curry with the news, Well that's the news,
and thanks for stopping by the Herd Line news.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
All right, so we got a good one.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Next, what is the player in the NBA that you
would pick the most clutch?
Speaker 4 (23:27):
You got a last second shot?
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Who's taking it? We'll do that list next year on
the Herd.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noone easternn AM Pacific.
Speaker 9 (23:36):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David, and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 10 (23:42):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm
Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
of course the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 9 (23:49):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 10 (23:50):
We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 9 (23:55):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture.
Story is that well other shows don't seem to have
the time to discuss.
Speaker 10 (24:03):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together, I mean that says something, right.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
So check us out. We like to get you involved too,
take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say,
I'd say, the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio,
maybe the.
Speaker 10 (24:17):
Most interactive show on planet Earth.
Speaker 9 (24:18):
Be sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to
seven pm Eastern, two to four Pacific, And if you
miss any of the live show, just search Covin on
Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on
social media. That's Cavino and Rich.
Speaker 7 (24:34):
With just two races left before the Indy five hundred,
the IndyCar Series hits barber for the Children's of Alabama
Indy Grand Prix, the fastest racing on Earth, continues live
from Birmingham Sunday at one thirty Eastern on Fox.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Show's just absolutely flown by Alex. I mean goodness, gracious,
I can't believe it's almost over.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
So the staff, you know, we never know.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
We're gonna do it. At the end of the show. It's
a grab bag. We could do anything, Alex and I. I
could just rant about life, liberty in the pursuit of happiness.
In the final eight minutes. However, my guy Scott hands
me a piece of paper. Jay rank the players left
in the playoffs as your top five closers. You get
a shot final ten seconds, fifteen seconds. That's your guy. Now,
I did ask could I put myself on the list
(25:18):
Because I am clutch, I only drink coffee. Because I'm
a closer, I'm not allowed to put myself on the list.
So here we go. Let's roar with number five, Jamal Murray.
I mean listen. Murray is super clutch. Lakers fans remember
last year Hit two game winning shots against them to
knock them out. He did have a forty piece I
think forty three against the paper Clips. And you know
(25:42):
Game seven is gonna be big. Obviously it's Joki Kawhi.
But I trust Jamal Murray way more than I do
James Harden. You know, game seven, James Harden turns into
Jim Harden. So I think Jamal Murray number five left
in the playoffs on my clutch list, number four.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
Let's go with the ant man, Anthony Edwards listen.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
He finished third in clutch player voting this season, led
the NBA in clutch point and clutch threes this season.
He's a big time player man. We saw it in
the Lakers series. He's tough to stop when he gets
going downhill. I don't know how you stop him. Like
you see they put Ruey on him, too slow, Austin
Rad's on him, no, too skinny, like they had no
matchup for Anthony Edwards. I know it's gonna be a shocker.
(26:23):
SGA did not make my list. Anthony Edwards did so.
Anthony Edwards number four, number three. This one's easy. Jason Tatum.
I don't know how this happened, folks, I disliked Boston
teams my entire life. Born in New York, we are
conditioned to dislike Boston sports teams. But I love me
some Jason Tatum. Maybe because he went to Duke, Maybe
(26:44):
because he's a baller, dunked on Lebron. I think at
nineteen in the playoffs, Listen, how good are these He
is the second leading scorer in the fourth quarter in
the playoffs. Jason Tatum, when it's winning time, get him
the rock.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
He's awesome.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
He hit the game winning Cuttings spinning lay up. Everybody
remembers that against the Nets in twenty twenty two, and
Tatum has the highest scoring average in the fourth quarter
this season. He's clutch. Jason Tatum number three. Let's go
to number two, my goat from Shooting Territory, Steph Curry.
I mean he's already won the Clutch Award once. He
(27:19):
won it, I believe last season. Yes, and he leads
the NBA and clutch points in the playoffs since twenty fifteen.
Now you could say, well, he's played in more playoff games. Yeah,
because he's.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Great and when the game's on.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
The line, Listen, I can hear an argument for Jimmy Butler,
but I think it's got to undeniably be Steph Curry
on the Warriors.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
Now.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
The thing is the Rockets are roughing him up.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Ryan Hollins was reluctant to admit it, but the Rockets
are playing have some goony prison rules basketball and Curry
I don't like that, but I still trust him in
the clutch and number one, the most clutch player.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Left in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
There's there's nobody else, guys, It's Jalen Brunson. By the way.
So last night series clincher, they're down seven, okay, with
like two and a half left, and Brunson just takes over.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
They put Dennis.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Shrewder on him.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
What a mistake that was. Brunson cooks him for five
quick ones and then they bring back on Star Thompson.
I'm not kidding, guys. I could work on this move
that won the game for the next two months every day,
for an hour with any private trainer you wanted. I
could never pull that off. It is the level of skill.
It's just breathtaking. I'm a huge Jalen Brunson fan. I mean, hell,
(28:31):
he might be my favorite player in the league.
Speaker 5 (28:35):
Is Curry.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
Number two, Luca or Lebron. I think Jalen Brunson might
be three. He is just breathtaking to watch. Won the
Clutch Player of the Year award, lead the playoffs in
fourth quarter scoring and clutch time scoring. And he's diminutive.
You know, he's six to one. You're thinking, Oh, we
can get a body out of No, he's too quick
and shifty get to the mid range. I mean, what's
(28:59):
not to love, you know who? It kind of reminds
me of Joe Dumars without the defense. Joe Dumars was
a big time scorer. I mean, you got to go
back to the eighties. But a little Joe Dumars plus
Isaiah Thomas. Although he doesn't have quite the swagger, he
did tell the fans who were cursing him all night,
say goodbye.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
Here's a kiss.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Jalen Brunson most clutch player left in these NBA Playoffs.
I can't wait for the games, Alex. Who you got tonight?
Warriors Rockets Game six?
Speaker 7 (29:30):
I think I got Warriors.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Well, selfishly, I would love the game seven, wouldn't you.
Speaker 7 (29:34):
Yeah? Everyone loves the Game seven. But I think the
Warriors turn it on and take it a home. You
could tell they kind of just like took their foot
off the gas in the last game. It was like, Okay,
that's okay, we'll go win it back at home. And
I know you had them at number two, but Steph
Curry is still like the most clutch shooter in the league, Like,
hands down, if game on the line, if there's one
(29:57):
person I'm gonna trust, it's Curry, hands out.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
And what about Game seven, paper Clips and Nuggets.
Speaker 7 (30:02):
It's so hard just because like Clippers really haven't proven
anything in the playoffs and it's back in Denver. Yeah,
Denver's just so good in Game seven, especially at home.
But if again it's gonna come down to Justes Kawhi
and James Harden show up and have the best game
of the season so far because they were getting hot
at the right time. They're healthy, which hasn't been kind
(30:24):
of years past for the Clippers.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Oh, let's wait to make sure Kawhi plays, you know,
like how many times have we seen him in the playoffs.
Alec Dour's like, yeah, Kawhi, Leonard's out tonight, me.
Speaker 7 (30:33):
And direct, And that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
It's like the next day down to ka it's an acl.
Speaker 7 (30:37):
Is he is he healthy? Is he going to play?
Is he going to show up? But also like Denver's
gonna let to play for right now, like they've they've
kind of been stepping up since firing their head coach.
And it's.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
The other big sports thing this weekend is the uh
Kentucky Derby. I'm pretty sure is that this weekend. I
think it is because I feel like some of them,
I've never been. You've never been.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
No, that's definitely on the bucket list because I've covered
baseball for the first ten years of my career and
it's right in the middle of the season, so I
never never had a chance to go.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Definitely fun. I worked it in.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
I worked at a magazine one a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
I became buddies with Jerry O'Connell, the actor, very randomly
at some party and then like we started texting and
he's just a night he's a big Jets fan, so
we kind of commiserate over the crappy Jets.
Speaker 7 (31:23):
Yeah, a show, pretty quick show, fun.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Friday, Frisky Friday, Frisky fun Friday. I don't know the
way have you guys picked out a name yet?
Speaker 7 (31:31):
I'm not sharing that, of course, see it Monday,
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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