June 29, 2021 • 38 mins
Jason Smith and Mike Harmon react live to Reggie Jackson and Paul George helping the Clippers stave off elimination against the Suns. Damian Lillard needs to own wanting out of Portland instead of hiding behind the coaching hire and Tyronn Lue deserves more credit for how good of a job he's doing with the Clippers.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
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(00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Fox Sports Radio The
Jason Smith Show with My bas friend Mike Harmon. We
are headed to the fourth quarter in Phoenix. The Clippers
with a ninety one seventy nine lead over the Suns.
(00:44):
It was a big third quarter for Paul Georgie now
has thirty one to go along with eight rebounds and
five assists, and I guess as long as doesn't have
to take free throws at the end, it could be okay. Meanwhile,
the Sun's trying to hang in at twenty five out
of Devin Booker, but after a hot start, they have
not shot well. Patrick Beverley doing his thing. It's got
(01:05):
seven points, five rebounds, but Devin Booker, even though he's
got twenty five, has not been able to take over
the game. He's had a lot of his damage from
the free throw line. So the Clippers, Look, I didn't
know that we'd see this game from them, but because look,
it's the NBA Playoffs and there's no such thing as momentum.
Nobody can win two games in a row. Uh, this
is kind of what we get the Clippers now, trying
(01:25):
to protect the ten point lead with eleven minutes to
go and trying to send this thing back to l
A for game six. Well, and with the margin of
victory being waffer thin and a couple of those games
controversy ensues, what have you. Uh, I'm not terribly shocked.
And let's face it, Chris Paul hasn't looked like Chris Paul,
(01:47):
the guy that was the arguing argumentative favorite for He's
not gonna win the m v people, let's talk about him,
right kind of guy along the way, knowing that Devin
Booker in his twenty five per game was gonna mute
any of that discussion. But yeah, for the Clippers, big effort,
And and Morris is really the one I just keep
(02:07):
circling in the box score and watching him. He got
off to that hot start night of fourteen. Now on
the game twenty two points plus thirteen a guy who
is limited by a knee injury, and then they don't
have zoobots who's been so good at battling DeAndre eaton
DeAndre Ayton defensively and then certainly from the offense. Offense
(02:28):
society has been a double double guy game after game,
a nice you know rounding out. Hey, remember he was
once a Laker, because you gotta throw that back at
Laker fans, especially the guys in the building, because they
hate me for it. But no, they've been game a
big effort and now we'll see if they can close
it out. Uh eight three a twelve point lead for
the Clippers right now again, just under eleven minutes left
(02:52):
to go in this one where look, we thought we'd
see a coronation. We thought we'd see the Suns win
this game in a blowout. But like I said, this
is why I say there's no elite teams in the NBA.
There's no great teams in this there's only the best
of what's left and their fun games, and and they're
close games, and we got superstars, but this is a
(03:13):
season where people are fighting against their own injuries and
taking advantage of teams that are injured and finding a
way when their star players aren't playing well and not
taking games over. It's just one of those crazy years. Look,
and you can blame it a lot of it on
being the first year post COVID, a full year. It's tough.
You know, players are getting injured because the off season
wasn't as long and and there's many different factors at
(03:35):
play here that the NBA is gonna do a lot
of time investigating looking into. But you know, it is
it is kind of a crazy year. But in the end,
I mean, look, you look at these teams here that
we're seeing that that are in the final four, and it's, yeah,
one of these teams is gonna win. And it's it's
really really strange because none of these teams are gonna
be looked at as as saying, hey, they'd be able
to compete in any era. You know, we're not even
(03:56):
gonna say, hey, can they go back in two thousand
and six and beat the Spurt Now they couldn't even
and do that. I mean, look, we're not going to
confuse any of these teams with the Lakers of last
year or the the Warriors in their in their dynasty
years or even the Cavaliers team with Lebron and and
and Kyrie Irving. We're not going to confuse with any
of them. We're gonna have a champion this year. It's
(04:16):
gonna be a great story. It's gonna be great players,
people getting to celebrate. But I mean, look, you're seeing
in the NBA playoffs, we're not seeing incredible basketball at
the highest level every single night. As long as the
games are close and the series are close, that's all
we need. All right, It's you know, it'd be nice
to have a great game, but as long as it's close,
that's really all we need. But just to delineate, you know,
you know, we're not seeing basketball be reinvented here over
(04:39):
the course of the past month or so. No, no,
no at all. And even going back to the last
game right eight eight the scoring droughts. Listen to a
little bit on the radio and and the Clipper broadcast
here in l A on eleven fifty am uh am,
five seventy depending on Dodger schedule, that kind of thing.
It would have been on eleven fifty the other night.
And it's like, look, all you guys that complained that
(05:01):
you know, this isn't your nineties knicks basketball. This game's
for you, and that's exactly what it was. It wasn't
aesthetically pleasing, no, but it was close and you're battling,
and and to your point about the injuries, it'd be
interesting if we really did a deep dive of, all, right,
how many of these injuries do you really a tribute
to the shortened offseason versus and then also taken too
(05:25):
into account some of the guys that got hurt and
their own physical conditioning history and rumors of how they
treat things, James harden Uh and all of those things
that that factored in versus freak incidents of guys getting
their footstepped on Trey Young the other night, running into
the referee right and the referee taking him out. All
(05:47):
of those things happen. And we've had injuries every year,
so we could do that. And even with the Lakers
last year, I mean, the biggest part wasn't necessarily physical,
but you had the a couple of veterans that led
the way what other teams couldn't deal with, you know,
the the isolation. I mean, it became as much a
mental game as it did physical in terms of that
(06:08):
attrition along the way, and then everybody started finger pointing,
and we famously talked about all of the stuff from
the Clipper locker room that led uh and all the
fingers pointing at Doc Rivers as he was on the outs.
But I think for for these teams, we will celebrate
just a you got through a season, however it was.
Whoever the stars had to be. Uh. Some guys are
(06:30):
gonna make some big checks out of this. I know
there's been a lot of talk of hey, wait, wait,
do you see the contract Reggie Jackson signs in a
normal years he has If Kauai is playing every game
as he is important to this squad, is he getting
these shots up? Probably not, So you probably got to
add some money, right. It's the inverse of what happened
to Shrewder when once the playoffs began and you realized
(06:53):
that he gave up that eighty four million dollars that
ain't coming back. He'll get an ice check, but he
ain't getting that. So you know, it's the they fall
out of that as well that I think is gonna
be really interesting to watch and and seeing next year
when we get back to a normal schedule, whether the
the injury talk normalizes as well. One thing is for sure,
(07:13):
someone will be crowded. Champion. And you have claimed everybody
but the Sons at some point in this season, so
they just can't win. Smith. I claimed them early on.
They were my team to start the year. Let me
remind everybody that I picked the Hawks to go to
the East Finals before the season started. I said it
was gonna be Bucks Hawks in the East Finals. I
(07:35):
picked the Bucks and the Clippers to go to the
NBA Finals before the playoffs started. Not want everybody to
know because I don't mention that that often. I mean,
I know, I know, I'm kind of humble with that.
You know, you make you, you bring that out of me.
You make me say. I don't want to, but I
kind of say that. But I want people to know.
You know, hey, we gotta be right about that. Well,
we gotta be keey cocky about ourselves. We need more promotion,
(07:55):
a little more love, a little more handshakes and applause. Yeah. So,
but I'm okay. Look, the one team I didn't pick
with us, that's okay. I think I think that shows
that I had a pretty good beat on the NBA season.
If I told her it's gonna be Hawks, Bucks, and
Clippers were going to the finals, I feel pretty good
about that. I'm replacing the Lakers with the Sons. And
I would have had I would have batted the thousand.
(08:15):
It would have been amazing. I'd have been the Jacob
deGrom of NBA prognostication. But instead I went three for four.
So I'm the Mike Trout, I mean a healthy Mike Trout.
Not have gotten not on the sixty D D That
means you're not gonna win. That means the Sons are winning.
But I will tell you this one thing, and again
this goes into my point about how the NBA playoffs.
(08:36):
You you you know we're not seeing the elite great teams.
Look at the playoffs that Paul George is having. There
is no player that stands for the NBA playoffs this
year more than Paul George. There is no player who's
because he'll go one game, he'll have thirty seven and
sixteen in a huge game to beat Utah and forced
(08:58):
game seven, and then a levin game like he had
against Phoenix on Saturday, where he goes five for twenty
from the floor for twenty three points, he misses six
free throws, and he's the absolute goat of the game.
And I mean goat meaning the bad goat, not the
good goat. There there is no player who stands for
these playoffs and how up and down and uneven they are,
more than more than Paul George. He is the they
(09:20):
should build us. If they built a statue for the
NBA Playoffs, it would be Paul George with one hand
like he's making a basket and the other hand like
he's turning the ball over. That that would be that.
That would be you know that, like like the Scales
of Justice, one hand with a basket that he's dunking
and one where he's losing it out of bounds. That
would be the statue of the NBA Playoffs. I dig
(09:41):
that scale Ajustice statue reference that is that is fantastic.
We start thinking of the Metallica and Justice for All album,
as we do as well. I think when you look
at Paul George, I think you're right. There's been a
lot of moments where it's been hugely successful and it's
the right he's shedding this, and then there's the all right, well,
(10:03):
who else is with him becomes the arguments like, no,
you play who's on the court right, And if you
shoot five for twenty three, shot five for twenty three,
whether you're supposed to be the first or second guy,
if you're taking twenty three shots, you gotta have a
better shooting percentage. I'm sorry. These guys have been competent
enough around you to where it's not you know, you're
not playing one on five. Reggie Jackson has played well,
(10:24):
Morrison Spurts has played well, Terrence Man has been a
nice revelation for them, Beverly has been fantastic. So you know,
you don't get to just say, oh, well he had
a bad game. That's too bad. Uh no, no, no,
it all it all counts when you're supposed to be
a superstar and you're on that that billboard that says,
you know, spotlights over street lights. You know what the
the our street lights over spotlights. I should say, uh,
(10:46):
the spotlight is on you now because the Lakers are
home and because you had that asinine marketing campaign. But
he he is like we always talk about playoffs and
sports in general, is the best live for it or
that we get right because on a night tonight you're
not supposed to know. Isn't that what Paul George has
given us? Isn't he the best thespian we could possibly
(11:08):
ask for? Because that's no idea what the result is
gonna be. You know, that's the best thing? Is is? Is? Uh? Is?
You know? Give me something I don't know. Don't give
me something predictable, Give me something I have no idea
how it's going to turn out. Paul George and an
NBA court, Yes, I have no idea how this is
gonna turn out well. But even if he gets to
his final numbers right, that doesn't mean anything because he
(11:29):
could have played terribly and still gone for thirty you know,
fifteen and four or five or whatever the numbers are right.
You can you shoot five for twenty three, but you
get to the file line enough and two of those
five makes or three point shots look at all of
a sudden, your point totals just fine. It doesn't mean
you played well. No, no, but it doesn't matter as
long as I don't know. Paul George can make a
(11:51):
game winning shot as just as easy. He can miss
all the free throws and and and be someone who
can't make a shot when it comes down to it,
I'd be really just give me something thing. I don't know,
I don't don't give me some four. This is you know,
this is you know, honestly, this is why network television
has been in the toilet for the past seven or
eight years, because every show is the same, Right, It's
(12:12):
all people out of Central Casting that all look good
and chiseled. But the shows aren't really edgy, they're not
really threatening. They're just about really good looking people and
it tries to look slick and everything is is solved
in an hour, right, I mean that no one watches
no well, you know, listen, you could get back. Can
(12:33):
you imagine a show, Oh my god, if NYPD Blue
came out now, it would be like all the c
s I S rolled into one. You mean, they can
get the same exact show for for ten seasons and
this it's the same show where they arrest a guy
and he won't confess, then they bully him a little
bit and then he confesses. I could get that. Oh
my god. They would have all kinds of NYPD Blue
rip offs on the air right now. But I mean,
that's why that's why network television people don't watch, right,
(12:56):
because like, Okay, I get this. I've seen this a
thousand times. You're not giving me anything. I don't know,
But give me a show on cable or give me
a streaming show where, hey, maybe you go in a
direction I can't stand. But I'm still watching the show
that's Paul George. Now they'll look I want Paul George
to be the hero. Oh, but he's the goat. It
doesn't matter. I'm still watching. Oh. I want Paul George
to fade out. Ah, but he succeeds. Oh, but I'm
(13:17):
still watching. That's the thing. Paul George is like that
television show that's on cable or streaming that Oh my,
I have no idea where this is going. And I
don't care if I love the end or if I
hate the end. I'm gonna watch till the end. That's
Paul George. That's all you need. I dig that the
wild ride. That is Paul George. I'm in. Let's go
uh so that that is George. In the NBA playoffs
(13:40):
so far, and speaking of the Sun's and the Clippers,
the Sons have cut it and they've made it a
four point lead right now with seven minutes to go.
On the fourth quarter. The Sun start the fourth quarter
on fire. Devin Booker just hit a jumper with two
defenders on him, falling away on the baseline. He now
has thirty one for the Sons, and again in the
(14:04):
close out games, on the most difficult ones, you have
to rely on your stars, and Booker has come through
in the past few minutes, be able to lose Patrick
Beverley a bunch. I'm been able to come through me
while the third quarter belonged to Paul George. Right thirty
ten and five, He's having a big night. I got
a sneaking suspicion. This last seven minutes is going to
be Paul George versus Devin Booker, and the winner of
(14:24):
that battle is going to be the winner of this game.
And either we're talking about the Sons in the finals
or the Clippers are going on and making it one
more game. Let's look at the roller coaster that Paul
George's man. I'm telling you it's it, really he stands
for everything we're seeing now in the playoffs. Paul George.
Paul George is the NBA hero we didn't know we needed,
but he's the NBA hero that we deserve because he's
(14:45):
he's he's fallible. Right. It's you know when we see
when we see television shows and movies about heroes now right,
the old the old stereotype of heroes has now gone. Right,
like the Superman and all the old uh superhero shows
was here's a boring guy, and he stands for truth
justice in the American way. Yeah, okay, yeah, that's kind
of boring. That's why Superman, that's why there so many
(15:08):
problems supermerk Superman is boring, right, what's he He's the
greatest guy in the world. Oh yeah, that's compelling. No,
look at the Avengers. They hate each other and Tony
hated Cap sorry spoiler alert, and all these things going on,
and they were fighting each other and his eye. No,
you gotta give me superheroes that have some kind of
depth to them. And maybe that not always the superheroes.
Maybe they're they're bad guys, like in The Boys, where
the good guys are the bad guys and the good
(15:29):
guys are fighting the good guys. Now you gotta give
me something where Okay, it's not so simple as that.
Paul George is like one of those shows, he's not
quite that simple. He's the most complicated guy in the league.
You don't understand why things happen one way or another.
He is the playoff hero we deserve. That's what I
call good writing. Twittering out about a Fresca Mike gets
(15:52):
swollen Dome The Jason Smith Show with my best friend
Mike Harmon. So the last seven minutes of this one's
gonna be a big one. Will keep you updated on this,
of course, but coming up next, we didn't know that
this could wind up being the prize of this summer's class,
maybe not free agent wise, but maybe in a trade
because suddenly a big superstar might really want out. That's
(16:16):
coming up next right here, Jason Smith, Mike Harmon Fox.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart
Radio app Fox Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show with
My bas friend Mike Harmon. Everybody, and I ask you this,
(16:37):
Mike Carmen. Four minutes ago, in the fourth quarter, Clippers
lead the Sons by twelve one oh eight to nine six.
Reggie Jackson with a three and a thunderous dunk Phoenix
takes time out after they had just cut it to five.
Now they're down twelve. So I ask you this, bigger
performance by Reggie Jackson tonight or Game six of the
(17:01):
nineteen seventies seven World Series. Three swings three home runs
off the Dodgers to win the World Series. Bigger Reggie
Jackson performance. Well, at the risk of upsetting all of uh,
well all my good friends and colleagues there in the
Fox Sports radio studios, I'm gonna have to say. It's
Reggie Jackson hitting home runs. I mean, this is a
big performance, don't get me wrong. Four out of six
(17:23):
from three point range, eight of thirteen, twenty three points,
looking like they want to stave off elimination. One of
the great words and sports um and and it's a
fantastic performance. And the fact that he rocks the headband
and and and glasses and all that. It's a good look.
But now, Mr October, because then he was salty about
(17:44):
it when I asked about it after the game. Reggie
Jackson would be happy. I neediness and sports talk radio.
We need that. You gotta know that millennials and generation
see we go. Wait, there's another Reggie Jackson besides the
Clippers guy. Really, but but no, he's the same guy
that played for the thunder right, Yes, yes, but now
he's there's another guy, Reggie Jackson. Really, there's another guy
with the guy in the place. He he was the
(18:06):
guy that was in the naked gun. They don't know
what that is either. You gotta explain that to millennials
and generations. They don't. He just commemorated the anniversary of
shooting that scene a couple of weeks ago. Was a
picture of him with Leslie Nielson with their arms around
each other. Must kill the queen. Must kill the queen?
(18:26):
Because you you would ask them in millennials will go, yeah,
Reggie Jackson. They call him Mr June because he's big
in the in this month the playoffs. Yeah, when they
call the other Reggie Jackson Mr. October. Oh, that's interesting.
I wonder cover Yeah, I wonder why they do that.
Mr June is a great nick. Do they do that?
Because I don't understand the other Reggie Jackson? Why why
did that come from? Uh? So? Yeah, so Mr June
(18:49):
has the Clippers. Now it is a one ten, nine
six lead. As Paul George at the free throw line
shooting free throws after Jake Crowder hidden in the face
as Paul George followed through on a jumper. Crowder leaped
at him and Paul George put the shot up and
Crowder continued toward him and hit him in the face
(19:09):
with his hand that they ruled it a flagrant one.
So now Paul George had the two free throws, and
now it's gonna be the ball out of bounds. And
now it looks like that's gonna be it for the
Sons because it's one twelve, nine six, with just under
four minutes left to go in this game. Uh, Paul
George has just hit another jumper, so make it six
points in a row for him. It's been a four
(19:30):
points in a row for him. It has been a
big swing in the course of the past couple of
minutes because the Suns had cut it close. It made
and things were happening. And then Reggie Jackson, it's a three.
Reggie Jackson, it's another three. Reggie Jackson has a dunk,
Paul George gets fouled, makes the free throws, makes a jumper,
and now it looks like we're heading to game six.
(19:51):
Just remember Paul George only had nine points at halftime
thirty nine now eleven boards, six assists on the night.
And I don't think I've ever seen somewhe hitting the
face as often as he's been tonight, like he has
been roughed up. They took an elbow at the end
of the third quarter. Uh Cam Cameron Johnson went and
did one of the elbow swings and on that he
(20:13):
didn't get him with the front elbow, but rushing the
cheek with the second one flying through, and they didn't
review it. They reviewed again, They reviewed every damn thing
and run over to that to the sideline. This guy's
sitting there going, you know, you could see my cheek
puffing up, and you're not gonna stop it. What are
we doing? Scott Foster says, we don't have to review it.
(20:36):
If it's a twelve point lead, all right, we're not
gonna do it. The man is taking a beating and
keeps going and that that's that's what I do now.
So it's a twelve point Clipper lead with three minutes
left to go. We'll keep you updating this and of
course a full breakdown following the game. But big headlines
over the course of the past couple of days involving
Damian Lillard and that he could be on his way
(20:57):
out of Portland. Chris Haynes NBA, Yeah who inside A
used appear on the show with Us All the Time,
had a big report over the weekend that because of
the backlash behind the Blazers hiring Chauncey Billips and their
inability to build a title contending roster, could push Damian
Lillard out of Portland. Now, remember Chris Haynes is the
(21:19):
guy that had the report that Damian Lillard wanted Jason
Kidd to be his next head coach. Jason gets Hi, Look,
this is not a good situation for me coming in
because you're asking for me. So he went, Now he's
coaching a different team. But here's the thing you want
to want to know, Now, does Damian Lillard really want out?
What does he want? He has talked about wanting to
stay with the Blazers for a long time. Remember he
(21:39):
and Billips had a relationship and it was, you know,
it was it was okay, well, if we can't get
Jason Kidd, we're getting Billups. We like him, but you know,
a backlash for him, and now with all these reports
going on. I don't doubt for a second that Lillard
is talking to Chris Haynes or Chris Haynes has his
inner circle in there. No, I don't doubt for a
second that Damian Lillard wants out. And if he wants out,
(22:02):
the only thing I can say, because look, Lillards someone
who I've said for a long time he should leave
because clearly Portland's not gonna be able to build a
title contending team around him. They've had him there now
it's been it's been eight years and the Blazers got
out of the second round of the playoffs once and
then they got smacked around and they and they got
swept in the conference finals. You have some talent there,
(22:22):
you have not been able to make it happen. And
now Lillard's like, dude, I only got like three or
four years left as a star. I gotta go somewhere.
I gotta figure out a way to win. And now
you see these stories. If Damian Lillard wants out, I
want to just tell him, this is my dude, Just
say you want out, man, don't hide behind this. Well
I was okay, but then the coaching change, which oh,
by the way, you wanted a coaching change. You need
(22:45):
a coaching change because Terry Stotts couldn't get anybody to
play any defense they wanted. Terry Stoughts out, you wanted
a new head coach, And now don't hide behind the
well the changes. We can't build a roster. Now I
want out. I get you want to look like a
good guy. But just own it if you want out, man,
just say you know what. I want out. I want
to go play someplace else. I feel the need to
get there if I want to win a championship. Portland's
(23:07):
always going to be home for me. All the things
you say, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Just
say you want out, all right. You haven't one yet,
need a bigger stage, you need more talent, you need
all these things, I understand. Just say you want out,
all right. Just own it and don't try to sit
here and go well, all these things going on, I'm
not really a fan of no. No, just just admit it.
Just own it and stand up, and people will respect
you more for that than this whole Yeah. I kind
(23:29):
of want to just back my way out of the
door and go Yeah, I don't know that I want
to be here, So I'm just gonna kinda fade away. No,
go all, James Harden, this isn't this is not fixable.
I'm dropping the mic. I'm walking away, and I'm walking
into Brooklyn. All right, did do something like that? Don't
hide behind this though. Yeah, you know, I was okay
up until all these things happened. What's happened? You wanted
(23:51):
a new head coach, They fired the head coach. They
hired a guy they thought you would like. And now
I don't know, and I don't know. I don't know
if we can build a roster around me. What happened
to you? I love things. He was great, It is great.
Now just own it, own it, own it, own it well.
And that and that's the hard part of this, right,
And going into Billups and Kid the past, you know,
allegations and and different incidences ahead of their head coaching,
(24:14):
just always remember the head coach is looked at differently
than a guy at the end of the bench, and
certainly a guy behind a microphone. And that and that's
for for the purpose of this argument, that's where we
leave it. But Billups was one of the guys he
wanted and he got stepped in it a little bit,
did Lillard, you know, and and the back and forth
that happened in the social media severe right as he
(24:37):
went to the look how old I was and everything
else at the time of the Billups allegations. So perhaps
he's just feeling, you know what, this is now gonna
be a thing here, uh that I don't want to be.
I don't I don't want this to be an ever
present force in in what we're trying to do here
and in my career and being asked about this all
(24:57):
the time. So maybe there's some of that. He'd always
been priding himselves being the one team guy and not
leaving and and all that. So I think that's that's
where the biggest um, I guess chasm has now been
crossed is it was never on the table. There was
a conversation. We've had a lot of speculation as McCollum
(25:19):
gonna get dealt how do you build because you're not Look,
free agents haven't been rushing there. That's nothing new to him, right,
He's he's not a third year guy thinking about signing
a max deal. No, the guy guy's been there a decade.
He knows exactly how things have to be built, uh,
and for things to go right and everything else. Uh,
it related to that organization. It's kind of like when
(25:41):
you're doing the college recruiting thing in basketball or football. Hey,
you want to come here? Now I can go to
the beach. How about here? Nah, they're a juggernaut. You
sure it's pretty nice out here, Like, nah, you're you're okay.
And that's where Portland is. They're they're good, and everybody
liked Dame and and seemingly might want to play with him,
(26:03):
But the rest of it doesn't pass. And it's no
slight to the folks of Portland. Just where you're at
on the map in terms of being able to draw
perspective free agents. It's it's a tougher sell and we've
seen that, and Damian Lillard seen that he suddenly changed
his mind in twenty four hours. Bad business. But to
(26:24):
your point, I think he does have to pull a
James Harden. He won't have a press conference to do
it in season. I think he would like to. He
had it done in the off season. So maybe he'll
just have to show up at a random, random spot,
alert some local press and then have someone planted to
ask him that question once and for all and be done. Hey,
(26:44):
Chris Haynes, I'm gonna call on you. You ask me
the question, and I'm gonna answer it. Okay, that's how
it's gonna here's your script, here's my script, and that's
how we're going to figure this out between you and me.
I mean, look, if if he had said for a while, hey,
I may want to if you can't build a team,
I want to go. He's always been why would I leave?
I love it here, I never want to leave. I'm here,
I'm here, I'm here, I'm here. Okay, you had a
(27:05):
season with some really big talent there in Portland and
it didn't work out. He made a big trade at
the deadline, gotta really talent, the guy in Norman Powell,
and it didn't work out. But still no, No, I
love it. I want Jason Kidd here to be my
next head coach. And now suddenly, oh, I'm not confident
in the coaching situation and the roster. That's a load
of crap. This is he's figured, he knows that he
wants out, he's favoring But now how do I do it?
(27:27):
And still I don't want to look like a bad
guy now, Just people have more respect for you if
you own it, if you say, look, people are gonna
not like you. It's gonna happen when you make a
big decision that involves you leaving a team you've been
with for a decade. All right, people aren't gonna like that.
They're gonna burn your jersey, They're gonna be upset. It's
going to happen. Own it. Be a stand up guy,
and not try to just backdoor your way out of town.
(27:49):
I mean call the Knicks. I mean, really call the Knicks,
because everybody is available except for Randall and maybe r. J.
Barrett quickly could go the other way if we had to.
But I mean just own it. I own it. What
you want to say going out, and that's how it'll
wind up for you. But really call the Knicks. Had
to bring the Knicks back into it to well, I'm
just saying that he couldn't just let it be. Here's
one of many teams that would really salivate and needs
(28:12):
to figure out the best offer now because the market
is now open now, I just went straight to the Knicks.
He is good. Trust, I'll get no I'll give you
this Bowl prediction, him wanting out. He will be somehow
linked to the Knicks within the next seventy two hours.
Of course, he will be linked to the Knicks by
basketball insiders. Sometimes that's the destination form because all the
(28:35):
other teams that are playing right now, Boy, the Bucks
could use uh Damian Lilli, not because they're still playing. Boy,
the Clippers, you know, they're still playing the sund He
will be linked with the Knicks number one sometime next
seventy two. Our sources Nicks I Lillard in deal, and
that's going to happen. Trust trust me, trust me, trust me,
that's the team. Or you could see some kind of
(28:56):
seventy six er situation where hey, Lillard for Ben Simmons,
then Nick's or the Sixes will be late. Maybe both
teams will be linked with him sometime in the next
seventy two hours. And you know what, Rick Buker's gonna
join us after this game is done and about I
don't know, about half hour from now. Uh maybe maybe
that's where you plant your nefarious seeds. Oh, he's gonna
say you're right because because I know, look, I've done
(29:17):
everything about the NBA this year. Mike I've known everything,
and yet I'm still still sitting here waiting to cash tickets.
I bet you never you never offered you never just
say that. You know what, here's a line, Mike, I
think in my sports Almanact that I'm drawing from we
could really do well? Or did you decide you could
use it for your own good? Maybe? Like I said,
(29:41):
maybe I have and I'm waiting to shower you with
like a maserati for Christmas this year. Now I'm taking
to pick up the know you're gonna pick up the insurance.
Maybe I'm gonna but now maybe I'm not gonna do it.
And instead I'm gonna give tie Shirt a car that
doesn't use any gas or or any any carbon fuels
at all. It's just gonna be four tires, the seat,
and that's gonna be the car he drives. There you
(30:03):
go say, no, I would get you a car that
you have to put fruit in, like in Back to
the Future when he puts you would have to put
fruit and vegetables and that would power your car. I
eat the fruit. I can't give it the fruit. You
could do both. You could eat the fruit and put
the fruit in the car. Can't you just use one
with water. Really, I'm giving you a car that you
could feed with fruit and healthy food, and you're saying,
(30:23):
no seawater. How about seawater? Just what? What? What are
you talking about? Man? This is my car that I'm
give that I'm gonna gift to you that has these
things in it, plastic if it can exists. No, I'm not.
I'm not gonna give you bad things. You don't want
that one. You want to give me carbs you can
put in all the dates. No, you don't like carbs
if it's good. You know. I was gonna offer one
(30:45):
other type of car, the um the one that Ed
Begley Jr. Was using in The Simpsons that was powered
by his own cells of sense of self satisfaction. Ah,
that's a good one. That's a good one. And the
car that that Homer Simpson created, the extra large Herb.
Twitter it out about a Fresco Mike getting swollen down
(31:06):
the Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon. Uh yeah, Damian
Lollard own it and trust me sixers or nix. He'll
be linked with them in the next seventy two hours.
Be sure to catch live editions of the Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harman weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific. Hey, what's up everybody? It's me three time
pro bowler Lavarrington and I couldn't be more excited to
(31:27):
announce a new podcast called Up on Game? What is
Up on Game? You asked, along with my fellow pro
bowler t J. Hudshman's Otta and Super Bowl champion. That's right,
Plexico Birds. You can only name a show with that
type of talent on it. Up on Game We're going
to be sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments.
(31:49):
Listen to Up on Game with Me, LaVar Arrington, t
J Hudgmans Otta, and Plexico Birds on the I Heart
Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get pure podcast from.
This might be my favorite led Zeppelin song. I know
that's like herresy right, It's not Stairway to Heaven, it's
not Rock and Run. No, this might be my favorite
(32:09):
led Zeppelin. No, this is a classic. Absolutely, Oh just
so good? Is this one? That that bird sings? That
lock and for a was loving so much. No, I
don't know where Ti Shirt found this because there's no
way he knows who this is. I have no idea. Actually,
I thought it said rain. I thought it was no
Rain by Blind Melon, that old song, that throwback song.
(32:30):
I like that one, and this seems like an old
German flying machine a Zeppelin. I thought it was Blame
it on the Rain by Milli Vanillia. They we're gonna
have that. Gotta blame it on something because the rain
Fox Sports Radio, that Jason Smith show with the bass
friend Mike Rman. Well, guess what. The Western Conference Finals
(32:51):
are going to continue another day because of Paul George
and Reggie Jackson. Paul George forty one points, thirteen rebounds,
and six assists. Reggie Jackson goes for twenty three, including
two huge threes and a big dunk in the fourth
quarter that help the Clippers pull away to win this game.
And here's what the sounds of victory sounded like for
(33:13):
your Los Angeles Clippers, the Clippers one tonight. Why why
are we playing that? I like ten He's not quite salty,
but you know, I'm I'm just sick of the fact
people are talking Clippers. I want to play some of
the player things show them not doing well because I
don't like to Jason keeps saying he picked the Clippers
(33:36):
to go to the finals before the playoffs started. I
can't stand that guy. Let it be noted that neither
I nor the Fox Sports Radio Enterprise agree with the
UH suggestion as was that a half be No, I
don't know what that was. That was questions because now
(34:00):
it's it's it's tight shot, you know, get a little
loose with behind the controls. Now, this is what the
end of the game really sounded. Every time this team
has been counted out, they have shown that they are
tougher than imaginable and they look to do the impossible
first step in the books as the Clippers win a
must win on the road once again, Game five to
(34:21):
l A one sixteen and one oh two, and this
series is back to three to going back to l
A for Game six, Clippers Radio Network on the call.
And here's the thing about this game tonight, right and
this is why you know, we talked about it the
other night and now we're gonna say it again tonight
and tomorrow you're gonna see this take everywhere. Just like
all the things we do on the show, We've given
(34:42):
you three topics tonight that we've talked about at least
you know, a couple of months ago where oh, hey,
guess what I think. Guess what I think would tell
you how good a head coach? To Ron Lewis, Okay,
tonight was a game going into it. The Sons are
at home, They're going for a clincher and no zoobots
in the game tonight. DeAndre Ayton, who has been dominant
(35:02):
throughout the playoffs and been the one guy that teams
haven't had an answer for. He was gonna dominate tonight,
wasn't he. This was gonna be a fraid and this
is gonna be at Sons were gonna roll. What happens?
Clippers trot out a small line. They looked like U
c l A. They had four guards in the starting lineup,
just like U c l A did getting to the
Final four this past year. They go with four guards
and Marcus Morris and they all play a ton of minutes.
(35:24):
And what happens. The Clippers win by fourteen and Eighton
is not a factor, alright, ten points, eleven rebounds, and
you know, okay, but not nearly what he has been
and the Sun's never really threatened. After they get it
to four. I mean you again, I keep going back
to what Doc Rivers have the Clippers here? Would he
have found a way to win this game? Would he
be sitting around talking right now, going, I don't know.
(35:45):
You know, you know we tried. Not my fault. These
guys just didn't make shots. You know, I give him
the basketball tear chop to make shots. You know the
other team is good these guys aren't, you know. I
don't know what to say. We gotta get rid of
some guys, but not me, because you know, on the coach,
I can only coach team. I can't can't make him
make shots, right. I can't make Old George make free throws,
not turn the ball over. I can't make the NBA
go and look at things I don't want to look at.
I just can't do it. You just gotta can't blame me,
(36:06):
right if you do one of those things where, hey,
let's do a poll about why the Clippers didn't win
this series, don't put my name on it because I
don't want people clicking on my name because it's not
my fault. Uh. Doc Rivers would not have this team here,
and Tohron Lou has been able to make changes on
the fly. Again, this is not a great team. They're
not a great basketball team, none of the team's left are.
(36:27):
But we talk about the resiliency of this team that
we've talked about for a couple of weeks and being
able to adjust and overcome losing Kawhi Leonard and here
are the Clippers. Still a long way to go. But
they could have just you know, put their tail between
their legs and not even got off the plane. But
instead we're going back to l A one sixteen one
oh two, and the Clippers found a way in Toronto
lou going with a small lineup. Everything work tonight. Man
(36:50):
Toronto lou is a terrific head coach. Well they the
other thing that you didn't mention. I I tweeted it
out a few minutes ago saying, don't be fooled by
the score. Normally, when a big man goes for uh
ten and eleven, folks, folks get excitable, going I did
his job. No nine shot attempts from Eton is unacceptable.
And you know what, from an offensive standpoint, he was
(37:12):
bested by DeMarcus Cousins fifteen just two boards, three assists,
but fifteen points to your ten when Zoo Botch isn't
there that you can continue to settle for mid range
jumpers jack in threes today nine six from three point
range and with Morris in that meant Eton couldn't live
(37:35):
in the lane, which opened things up for the Clippers
to have better a passing lanes, more spacing in the floor.
But certainly you didn't have the big man waiting as
you drove to to force the issue. Now, tylu is
ten and two when facing elimination in the playoffs in
his head coaching tenure, fantastic effort. I had to make
(37:58):
sure we we got a little bit of love for
DeMarcus Cousins in because that's the other factor in this
and why Monty Williams and particularly DeAndre Ayton should be
absolutely ashamed of the effort put forth in this one.
But I'm telling you, man, look at what every time
the Clippers need an answer to Ron Lou has the answer.
(38:19):
And that's part of the confidence they can come back
from any kind of situation. I mean, really, he does
not get the credit he deserves. Twitter at how about
a fresca Mike gets swollen dome? So can the Clippers
complete the comeback? What did Rick buchercy all time NBA
Insider extraordinarire stops by with us next for all the
latest on this huge win by l A. This is
(38:39):
Fox
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
ten pm to two a m Eastern seven to eleven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station
for The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon at Fox
Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every night
on the I Heart Radio app by searching fs R.
(00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Fox Sports Radio The
Jason Smith Show with My bas friend Mike Harmon. We
are headed to the fourth quarter in Phoenix. The Clippers
with a ninety one seventy nine lead over the Suns.
(00:44):
It was a big third quarter for Paul Georgie now
has thirty one to go along with eight rebounds and
five assists, and I guess as long as doesn't have
to take free throws at the end, it could be okay. Meanwhile,
the Sun's trying to hang in at twenty five out
of Devin Booker, but after a hot start, they have
not shot well. Patrick Beverley doing his thing. It's got
(01:05):
seven points, five rebounds, but Devin Booker, even though he's
got twenty five, has not been able to take over
the game. He's had a lot of his damage from
the free throw line. So the Clippers, Look, I didn't
know that we'd see this game from them, but because look,
it's the NBA Playoffs and there's no such thing as momentum.
Nobody can win two games in a row. Uh, this
is kind of what we get the Clippers now, trying
(01:25):
to protect the ten point lead with eleven minutes to
go and trying to send this thing back to l
A for game six. Well, and with the margin of
victory being waffer thin and a couple of those games
controversy ensues, what have you. Uh, I'm not terribly shocked.
And let's face it, Chris Paul hasn't looked like Chris Paul,
(01:47):
the guy that was the arguing argumentative favorite for He's
not gonna win the m v people, let's talk about him,
right kind of guy along the way, knowing that Devin
Booker in his twenty five per game was gonna mute
any of that discussion. But yeah, for the Clippers, big effort,
And and Morris is really the one I just keep
(02:07):
circling in the box score and watching him. He got
off to that hot start night of fourteen. Now on
the game twenty two points plus thirteen a guy who
is limited by a knee injury, and then they don't
have zoobots who's been so good at battling DeAndre eaton
DeAndre Ayton defensively and then certainly from the offense. Offense
(02:28):
society has been a double double guy game after game,
a nice you know rounding out. Hey, remember he was
once a Laker, because you gotta throw that back at
Laker fans, especially the guys in the building, because they
hate me for it. But no, they've been game a
big effort and now we'll see if they can close
it out. Uh eight three a twelve point lead for
the Clippers right now again, just under eleven minutes left
(02:52):
to go in this one where look, we thought we'd
see a coronation. We thought we'd see the Suns win
this game in a blowout. But like I said, this
is why I say there's no elite teams in the NBA.
There's no great teams in this there's only the best
of what's left and their fun games, and and they're
close games, and we got superstars, but this is a
(03:13):
season where people are fighting against their own injuries and
taking advantage of teams that are injured and finding a
way when their star players aren't playing well and not
taking games over. It's just one of those crazy years. Look,
and you can blame it a lot of it on
being the first year post COVID, a full year. It's tough.
You know, players are getting injured because the off season
wasn't as long and and there's many different factors at
(03:35):
play here that the NBA is gonna do a lot
of time investigating looking into. But you know, it is
it is kind of a crazy year. But in the end,
I mean, look, you look at these teams here that
we're seeing that that are in the final four, and it's, yeah,
one of these teams is gonna win. And it's it's
really really strange because none of these teams are gonna
be looked at as as saying, hey, they'd be able
to compete in any era. You know, we're not even
(03:56):
gonna say, hey, can they go back in two thousand
and six and beat the Spurt Now they couldn't even
and do that. I mean, look, we're not going to
confuse any of these teams with the Lakers of last
year or the the Warriors in their in their dynasty
years or even the Cavaliers team with Lebron and and
and Kyrie Irving. We're not going to confuse with any
of them. We're gonna have a champion this year. It's
(04:16):
gonna be a great story. It's gonna be great players,
people getting to celebrate. But I mean, look, you're seeing
in the NBA playoffs, we're not seeing incredible basketball at
the highest level every single night. As long as the
games are close and the series are close, that's all
we need. All right, It's you know, it'd be nice
to have a great game, but as long as it's close,
that's really all we need. But just to delineate, you know,
you know, we're not seeing basketball be reinvented here over
(04:39):
the course of the past month or so. No, no,
no at all. And even going back to the last
game right eight eight the scoring droughts. Listen to a
little bit on the radio and and the Clipper broadcast
here in l A on eleven fifty am uh am,
five seventy depending on Dodger schedule, that kind of thing.
It would have been on eleven fifty the other night.
And it's like, look, all you guys that complained that
(05:01):
you know, this isn't your nineties knicks basketball. This game's
for you, and that's exactly what it was. It wasn't
aesthetically pleasing, no, but it was close and you're battling,
and and to your point about the injuries, it'd be
interesting if we really did a deep dive of, all, right,
how many of these injuries do you really a tribute
to the shortened offseason versus and then also taken too
(05:25):
into account some of the guys that got hurt and
their own physical conditioning history and rumors of how they
treat things, James harden Uh and all of those things
that that factored in versus freak incidents of guys getting
their footstepped on Trey Young the other night, running into
the referee right and the referee taking him out. All
(05:47):
of those things happen. And we've had injuries every year,
so we could do that. And even with the Lakers
last year, I mean, the biggest part wasn't necessarily physical,
but you had the a couple of veterans that led
the way what other teams couldn't deal with, you know,
the the isolation. I mean, it became as much a
mental game as it did physical in terms of that
(06:08):
attrition along the way, and then everybody started finger pointing,
and we famously talked about all of the stuff from
the Clipper locker room that led uh and all the
fingers pointing at Doc Rivers as he was on the outs.
But I think for for these teams, we will celebrate
just a you got through a season, however it was.
Whoever the stars had to be. Uh. Some guys are
(06:30):
gonna make some big checks out of this. I know
there's been a lot of talk of hey, wait, wait,
do you see the contract Reggie Jackson signs in a
normal years he has If Kauai is playing every game
as he is important to this squad, is he getting
these shots up? Probably not, So you probably got to
add some money, right. It's the inverse of what happened
to Shrewder when once the playoffs began and you realized
(06:53):
that he gave up that eighty four million dollars that
ain't coming back. He'll get an ice check, but he
ain't getting that. So you know, it's the they fall
out of that as well that I think is gonna
be really interesting to watch and and seeing next year
when we get back to a normal schedule, whether the
the injury talk normalizes as well. One thing is for sure,
(07:13):
someone will be crowded. Champion. And you have claimed everybody
but the Sons at some point in this season, so
they just can't win. Smith. I claimed them early on.
They were my team to start the year. Let me
remind everybody that I picked the Hawks to go to
the East Finals before the season started. I said it
was gonna be Bucks Hawks in the East Finals. I
(07:35):
picked the Bucks and the Clippers to go to the
NBA Finals before the playoffs started. Not want everybody to
know because I don't mention that that often. I mean,
I know, I know, I'm kind of humble with that.
You know, you make you, you bring that out of me.
You make me say. I don't want to, but I
kind of say that. But I want people to know.
You know, hey, we gotta be right about that. Well,
we gotta be keey cocky about ourselves. We need more promotion,
(07:55):
a little more love, a little more handshakes and applause. Yeah. So,
but I'm okay. Look, the one team I didn't pick
with us, that's okay. I think I think that shows
that I had a pretty good beat on the NBA season.
If I told her it's gonna be Hawks, Bucks, and
Clippers were going to the finals, I feel pretty good
about that. I'm replacing the Lakers with the Sons. And
I would have had I would have batted the thousand.
(08:15):
It would have been amazing. I'd have been the Jacob
deGrom of NBA prognostication. But instead I went three for four.
So I'm the Mike Trout, I mean a healthy Mike Trout.
Not have gotten not on the sixty D D That
means you're not gonna win. That means the Sons are winning.
But I will tell you this one thing, and again
this goes into my point about how the NBA playoffs.
(08:36):
You you you know we're not seeing the elite great teams.
Look at the playoffs that Paul George is having. There
is no player that stands for the NBA playoffs this
year more than Paul George. There is no player who's
because he'll go one game, he'll have thirty seven and
sixteen in a huge game to beat Utah and forced
(08:58):
game seven, and then a levin game like he had
against Phoenix on Saturday, where he goes five for twenty
from the floor for twenty three points, he misses six
free throws, and he's the absolute goat of the game.
And I mean goat meaning the bad goat, not the
good goat. There there is no player who stands for
these playoffs and how up and down and uneven they are,
more than more than Paul George. He is the they
(09:20):
should build us. If they built a statue for the
NBA Playoffs, it would be Paul George with one hand
like he's making a basket and the other hand like
he's turning the ball over. That that would be that.
That would be you know that, like like the Scales
of Justice, one hand with a basket that he's dunking
and one where he's losing it out of bounds. That
would be the statue of the NBA Playoffs. I dig
(09:41):
that scale Ajustice statue reference that is that is fantastic.
We start thinking of the Metallica and Justice for All album,
as we do as well. I think when you look
at Paul George, I think you're right. There's been a
lot of moments where it's been hugely successful and it's
the right he's shedding this, and then there's the all right, well,
(10:03):
who else is with him becomes the arguments like, no,
you play who's on the court right, And if you
shoot five for twenty three, shot five for twenty three,
whether you're supposed to be the first or second guy,
if you're taking twenty three shots, you gotta have a
better shooting percentage. I'm sorry. These guys have been competent
enough around you to where it's not you know, you're
not playing one on five. Reggie Jackson has played well,
(10:24):
Morrison Spurts has played well, Terrence Man has been a
nice revelation for them, Beverly has been fantastic. So you know,
you don't get to just say, oh, well he had
a bad game. That's too bad. Uh no, no, no,
it all it all counts when you're supposed to be
a superstar and you're on that that billboard that says,
you know, spotlights over street lights. You know what the
the our street lights over spotlights. I should say, uh,
(10:46):
the spotlight is on you now because the Lakers are
home and because you had that asinine marketing campaign. But
he he is like we always talk about playoffs and
sports in general, is the best live for it or
that we get right because on a night tonight you're
not supposed to know. Isn't that what Paul George has
given us? Isn't he the best thespian we could possibly
(11:08):
ask for? Because that's no idea what the result is
gonna be. You know, that's the best thing? Is is? Is? Uh? Is?
You know? Give me something I don't know. Don't give
me something predictable, Give me something I have no idea
how it's going to turn out. Paul George and an
NBA court, Yes, I have no idea how this is
gonna turn out well. But even if he gets to
his final numbers right, that doesn't mean anything because he
(11:29):
could have played terribly and still gone for thirty you know,
fifteen and four or five or whatever the numbers are right.
You can you shoot five for twenty three, but you
get to the file line enough and two of those
five makes or three point shots look at all of
a sudden, your point totals just fine. It doesn't mean
you played well. No, no, but it doesn't matter as
long as I don't know. Paul George can make a
(11:51):
game winning shot as just as easy. He can miss
all the free throws and and and be someone who
can't make a shot when it comes down to it,
I'd be really just give me something thing. I don't know,
I don't don't give me some four. This is you know,
this is you know, honestly, this is why network television
has been in the toilet for the past seven or
eight years, because every show is the same, Right, It's
(12:12):
all people out of Central Casting that all look good
and chiseled. But the shows aren't really edgy, they're not
really threatening. They're just about really good looking people and
it tries to look slick and everything is is solved
in an hour, right, I mean that no one watches
no well, you know, listen, you could get back. Can
(12:33):
you imagine a show, Oh my god, if NYPD Blue
came out now, it would be like all the c
s I S rolled into one. You mean, they can
get the same exact show for for ten seasons and
this it's the same show where they arrest a guy
and he won't confess, then they bully him a little
bit and then he confesses. I could get that. Oh
my god. They would have all kinds of NYPD Blue
rip offs on the air right now. But I mean,
that's why that's why network television people don't watch, right,
(12:56):
because like, Okay, I get this. I've seen this a
thousand times. You're not giving me anything. I don't know,
But give me a show on cable or give me
a streaming show where, hey, maybe you go in a
direction I can't stand. But I'm still watching the show
that's Paul George. Now they'll look I want Paul George
to be the hero. Oh, but he's the goat. It
doesn't matter. I'm still watching. Oh. I want Paul George
to fade out. Ah, but he succeeds. Oh, but I'm
(13:17):
still watching. That's the thing. Paul George is like that
television show that's on cable or streaming that Oh my,
I have no idea where this is going. And I
don't care if I love the end or if I
hate the end. I'm gonna watch till the end. That's
Paul George. That's all you need. I dig that the
wild ride. That is Paul George. I'm in. Let's go
uh so that that is George. In the NBA playoffs
(13:40):
so far, and speaking of the Sun's and the Clippers,
the Sons have cut it and they've made it a
four point lead right now with seven minutes to go.
On the fourth quarter. The Sun start the fourth quarter
on fire. Devin Booker just hit a jumper with two
defenders on him, falling away on the baseline. He now
has thirty one for the Sons, and again in the
(14:04):
close out games, on the most difficult ones, you have
to rely on your stars, and Booker has come through
in the past few minutes, be able to lose Patrick
Beverley a bunch. I'm been able to come through me
while the third quarter belonged to Paul George. Right thirty
ten and five, He's having a big night. I got
a sneaking suspicion. This last seven minutes is going to
be Paul George versus Devin Booker, and the winner of
(14:24):
that battle is going to be the winner of this game.
And either we're talking about the Sons in the finals
or the Clippers are going on and making it one
more game. Let's look at the roller coaster that Paul
George's man. I'm telling you it's it, really he stands
for everything we're seeing now in the playoffs. Paul George.
Paul George is the NBA hero we didn't know we needed,
but he's the NBA hero that we deserve because he's
(14:45):
he's he's fallible. Right. It's you know when we see
when we see television shows and movies about heroes now right,
the old the old stereotype of heroes has now gone. Right,
like the Superman and all the old uh superhero shows
was here's a boring guy, and he stands for truth
justice in the American way. Yeah, okay, yeah, that's kind
of boring. That's why Superman, that's why there so many
(15:08):
problems supermerk Superman is boring, right, what's he He's the
greatest guy in the world. Oh yeah, that's compelling. No,
look at the Avengers. They hate each other and Tony
hated Cap sorry spoiler alert, and all these things going on,
and they were fighting each other and his eye. No,
you gotta give me superheroes that have some kind of
depth to them. And maybe that not always the superheroes.
Maybe they're they're bad guys, like in The Boys, where
the good guys are the bad guys and the good
(15:29):
guys are fighting the good guys. Now you gotta give
me something where Okay, it's not so simple as that.
Paul George is like one of those shows, he's not
quite that simple. He's the most complicated guy in the league.
You don't understand why things happen one way or another.
He is the playoff hero we deserve. That's what I
call good writing. Twittering out about a Fresca Mike gets
(15:52):
swollen Dome The Jason Smith Show with my best friend
Mike Harmon. So the last seven minutes of this one's
gonna be a big one. Will keep you updated on this,
of course, but coming up next, we didn't know that
this could wind up being the prize of this summer's class,
maybe not free agent wise, but maybe in a trade
because suddenly a big superstar might really want out. That's
(16:16):
coming up next right here, Jason Smith, Mike Harmon Fox.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart
Radio app Fox Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show with
My bas friend Mike Harmon. Everybody, and I ask you this,
(16:37):
Mike Carmen. Four minutes ago, in the fourth quarter, Clippers
lead the Sons by twelve one oh eight to nine six.
Reggie Jackson with a three and a thunderous dunk Phoenix
takes time out after they had just cut it to five.
Now they're down twelve. So I ask you this, bigger
performance by Reggie Jackson tonight or Game six of the
(17:01):
nineteen seventies seven World Series. Three swings three home runs
off the Dodgers to win the World Series. Bigger Reggie
Jackson performance. Well, at the risk of upsetting all of uh,
well all my good friends and colleagues there in the
Fox Sports radio studios, I'm gonna have to say. It's
Reggie Jackson hitting home runs. I mean, this is a
big performance, don't get me wrong. Four out of six
(17:23):
from three point range, eight of thirteen, twenty three points,
looking like they want to stave off elimination. One of
the great words and sports um and and it's a
fantastic performance. And the fact that he rocks the headband
and and and glasses and all that. It's a good look.
But now, Mr October, because then he was salty about
(17:44):
it when I asked about it after the game. Reggie
Jackson would be happy. I neediness and sports talk radio.
We need that. You gotta know that millennials and generation
see we go. Wait, there's another Reggie Jackson besides the
Clippers guy. Really, but but no, he's the same guy
that played for the thunder right, Yes, yes, but now
he's there's another guy, Reggie Jackson. Really, there's another guy
with the guy in the place. He he was the
(18:06):
guy that was in the naked gun. They don't know
what that is either. You gotta explain that to millennials
and generations. They don't. He just commemorated the anniversary of
shooting that scene a couple of weeks ago. Was a
picture of him with Leslie Nielson with their arms around
each other. Must kill the queen. Must kill the queen?
(18:26):
Because you you would ask them in millennials will go, yeah,
Reggie Jackson. They call him Mr June because he's big
in the in this month the playoffs. Yeah, when they
call the other Reggie Jackson Mr. October. Oh, that's interesting.
I wonder cover Yeah, I wonder why they do that.
Mr June is a great nick. Do they do that?
Because I don't understand the other Reggie Jackson? Why why
did that come from? Uh? So? Yeah, so Mr June
(18:49):
has the Clippers. Now it is a one ten, nine
six lead. As Paul George at the free throw line
shooting free throws after Jake Crowder hidden in the face
as Paul George followed through on a jumper. Crowder leaped
at him and Paul George put the shot up and
Crowder continued toward him and hit him in the face
(19:09):
with his hand that they ruled it a flagrant one.
So now Paul George had the two free throws, and
now it's gonna be the ball out of bounds. And
now it looks like that's gonna be it for the
Sons because it's one twelve, nine six, with just under
four minutes left to go in this game. Uh, Paul
George has just hit another jumper, so make it six
points in a row for him. It's been a four
(19:30):
points in a row for him. It has been a
big swing in the course of the past couple of
minutes because the Suns had cut it close. It made
and things were happening. And then Reggie Jackson, it's a three.
Reggie Jackson, it's another three. Reggie Jackson has a dunk,
Paul George gets fouled, makes the free throws, makes a jumper,
and now it looks like we're heading to game six.
(19:51):
Just remember Paul George only had nine points at halftime
thirty nine now eleven boards, six assists on the night.
And I don't think I've ever seen somewhe hitting the
face as often as he's been tonight, like he has
been roughed up. They took an elbow at the end
of the third quarter. Uh Cam Cameron Johnson went and
did one of the elbow swings and on that he
(20:13):
didn't get him with the front elbow, but rushing the
cheek with the second one flying through, and they didn't
review it. They reviewed again, They reviewed every damn thing
and run over to that to the sideline. This guy's
sitting there going, you know, you could see my cheek
puffing up, and you're not gonna stop it. What are
we doing? Scott Foster says, we don't have to review it.
(20:36):
If it's a twelve point lead, all right, we're not
gonna do it. The man is taking a beating and
keeps going and that that's that's what I do now.
So it's a twelve point Clipper lead with three minutes
left to go. We'll keep you updating this and of
course a full breakdown following the game. But big headlines
over the course of the past couple of days involving
Damian Lillard and that he could be on his way
(20:57):
out of Portland. Chris Haynes NBA, Yeah who inside A
used appear on the show with Us All the Time,
had a big report over the weekend that because of
the backlash behind the Blazers hiring Chauncey Billips and their
inability to build a title contending roster, could push Damian
Lillard out of Portland. Now, remember Chris Haynes is the
(21:19):
guy that had the report that Damian Lillard wanted Jason
Kidd to be his next head coach. Jason gets Hi, Look,
this is not a good situation for me coming in
because you're asking for me. So he went, Now he's
coaching a different team. But here's the thing you want
to want to know, Now, does Damian Lillard really want out?
What does he want? He has talked about wanting to
stay with the Blazers for a long time. Remember he
(21:39):
and Billips had a relationship and it was, you know,
it was it was okay, well, if we can't get
Jason Kidd, we're getting Billups. We like him, but you know,
a backlash for him, and now with all these reports
going on. I don't doubt for a second that Lillard
is talking to Chris Haynes or Chris Haynes has his
inner circle in there. No, I don't doubt for a
second that Damian Lillard wants out. And if he wants out,
(22:02):
the only thing I can say, because look, Lillards someone
who I've said for a long time he should leave
because clearly Portland's not gonna be able to build a
title contending team around him. They've had him there now
it's been it's been eight years and the Blazers got
out of the second round of the playoffs once and
then they got smacked around and they and they got
swept in the conference finals. You have some talent there,
(22:22):
you have not been able to make it happen. And
now Lillard's like, dude, I only got like three or
four years left as a star. I gotta go somewhere.
I gotta figure out a way to win. And now
you see these stories. If Damian Lillard wants out, I
want to just tell him, this is my dude, Just
say you want out, man, don't hide behind this. Well
I was okay, but then the coaching change, which oh,
by the way, you wanted a coaching change. You need
(22:45):
a coaching change because Terry Stotts couldn't get anybody to
play any defense they wanted. Terry Stoughts out, you wanted
a new head coach, And now don't hide behind the
well the changes. We can't build a roster. Now I
want out. I get you want to look like a
good guy. But just own it if you want out, man,
just say you know what. I want out. I want
to go play someplace else. I feel the need to
get there if I want to win a championship. Portland's
(23:07):
always going to be home for me. All the things
you say, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Just
say you want out, all right. You haven't one yet,
need a bigger stage, you need more talent, you need
all these things, I understand. Just say you want out,
all right. Just own it and don't try to sit
here and go well, all these things going on, I'm
not really a fan of no. No, just just admit it.
Just own it and stand up, and people will respect
you more for that than this whole Yeah. I kind
(23:29):
of want to just back my way out of the
door and go Yeah, I don't know that I want
to be here, So I'm just gonna kinda fade away. No,
go all, James Harden, this isn't this is not fixable.
I'm dropping the mic. I'm walking away, and I'm walking
into Brooklyn. All right, did do something like that? Don't
hide behind this though. Yeah, you know, I was okay
up until all these things happened. What's happened? You wanted
(23:51):
a new head coach, They fired the head coach. They
hired a guy they thought you would like. And now
I don't know, and I don't know. I don't know
if we can build a roster around me. What happened
to you? I love things. He was great, It is great.
Now just own it, own it, own it, own it well.
And that and that's the hard part of this, right,
And going into Billups and Kid the past, you know,
allegations and and different incidences ahead of their head coaching,
(24:14):
just always remember the head coach is looked at differently
than a guy at the end of the bench, and
certainly a guy behind a microphone. And that and that's
for for the purpose of this argument, that's where we
leave it. But Billups was one of the guys he
wanted and he got stepped in it a little bit,
did Lillard, you know, and and the back and forth
that happened in the social media severe right as he
(24:37):
went to the look how old I was and everything
else at the time of the Billups allegations. So perhaps
he's just feeling, you know what, this is now gonna
be a thing here, uh that I don't want to be.
I don't I don't want this to be an ever
present force in in what we're trying to do here
and in my career and being asked about this all
(24:57):
the time. So maybe there's some of that. He'd always
been priding himselves being the one team guy and not
leaving and and all that. So I think that's that's
where the biggest um, I guess chasm has now been
crossed is it was never on the table. There was
a conversation. We've had a lot of speculation as McCollum
(25:19):
gonna get dealt how do you build because you're not Look,
free agents haven't been rushing there. That's nothing new to him, right,
He's he's not a third year guy thinking about signing
a max deal. No, the guy guy's been there a decade.
He knows exactly how things have to be built, uh,
and for things to go right and everything else. Uh,
it related to that organization. It's kind of like when
(25:41):
you're doing the college recruiting thing in basketball or football. Hey,
you want to come here? Now I can go to
the beach. How about here? Nah, they're a juggernaut. You
sure it's pretty nice out here, Like, nah, you're you're okay.
And that's where Portland is. They're they're good, and everybody
liked Dame and and seemingly might want to play with him,
(26:03):
But the rest of it doesn't pass. And it's no
slight to the folks of Portland. Just where you're at
on the map in terms of being able to draw
perspective free agents. It's it's a tougher sell and we've
seen that, and Damian Lillard seen that he suddenly changed
his mind in twenty four hours. Bad business. But to
(26:24):
your point, I think he does have to pull a
James Harden. He won't have a press conference to do
it in season. I think he would like to. He
had it done in the off season. So maybe he'll
just have to show up at a random, random spot,
alert some local press and then have someone planted to
ask him that question once and for all and be done. Hey,
(26:44):
Chris Haynes, I'm gonna call on you. You ask me
the question, and I'm gonna answer it. Okay, that's how
it's gonna here's your script, here's my script, and that's
how we're going to figure this out between you and me.
I mean, look, if if he had said for a while, hey,
I may want to if you can't build a team,
I want to go. He's always been why would I leave?
I love it here, I never want to leave. I'm here,
I'm here, I'm here, I'm here. Okay, you had a
(27:05):
season with some really big talent there in Portland and
it didn't work out. He made a big trade at
the deadline, gotta really talent, the guy in Norman Powell,
and it didn't work out. But still no, No, I
love it. I want Jason Kidd here to be my
next head coach. And now suddenly, oh, I'm not confident
in the coaching situation and the roster. That's a load
of crap. This is he's figured, he knows that he
wants out, he's favoring But now how do I do it?
(27:27):
And still I don't want to look like a bad
guy now, Just people have more respect for you if
you own it, if you say, look, people are gonna
not like you. It's gonna happen when you make a
big decision that involves you leaving a team you've been
with for a decade. All right, people aren't gonna like that.
They're gonna burn your jersey, They're gonna be upset. It's
going to happen. Own it. Be a stand up guy,
and not try to just backdoor your way out of town.
(27:49):
I mean call the Knicks. I mean, really call the Knicks,
because everybody is available except for Randall and maybe r. J.
Barrett quickly could go the other way if we had to.
But I mean just own it. I own it. What
you want to say going out, and that's how it'll
wind up for you. But really call the Knicks. Had
to bring the Knicks back into it to well, I'm
just saying that he couldn't just let it be. Here's
one of many teams that would really salivate and needs
(28:12):
to figure out the best offer now because the market
is now open now, I just went straight to the Knicks.
He is good. Trust, I'll get no I'll give you
this Bowl prediction, him wanting out. He will be somehow
linked to the Knicks within the next seventy two hours.
Of course, he will be linked to the Knicks by
basketball insiders. Sometimes that's the destination form because all the
(28:35):
other teams that are playing right now, Boy, the Bucks
could use uh Damian Lilli, not because they're still playing. Boy,
the Clippers, you know, they're still playing the sund He
will be linked with the Knicks number one sometime next
seventy two. Our sources Nicks I Lillard in deal, and
that's going to happen. Trust trust me, trust me, trust me,
that's the team. Or you could see some kind of
(28:56):
seventy six er situation where hey, Lillard for Ben Simmons,
then Nick's or the Sixes will be late. Maybe both
teams will be linked with him sometime in the next
seventy two hours. And you know what, Rick Buker's gonna
join us after this game is done and about I
don't know, about half hour from now. Uh maybe maybe
that's where you plant your nefarious seeds. Oh, he's gonna
say you're right because because I know, look, I've done
(29:17):
everything about the NBA this year. Mike I've known everything,
and yet I'm still still sitting here waiting to cash tickets.
I bet you never you never offered you never just
say that. You know what, here's a line, Mike, I
think in my sports Almanact that I'm drawing from we
could really do well? Or did you decide you could
use it for your own good? Maybe? Like I said,
(29:41):
maybe I have and I'm waiting to shower you with
like a maserati for Christmas this year. Now I'm taking
to pick up the know you're gonna pick up the insurance.
Maybe I'm gonna but now maybe I'm not gonna do it.
And instead I'm gonna give tie Shirt a car that
doesn't use any gas or or any any carbon fuels
at all. It's just gonna be four tires, the seat,
and that's gonna be the car he drives. There you
(30:03):
go say, no, I would get you a car that
you have to put fruit in, like in Back to
the Future when he puts you would have to put
fruit and vegetables and that would power your car. I
eat the fruit. I can't give it the fruit. You
could do both. You could eat the fruit and put
the fruit in the car. Can't you just use one
with water. Really, I'm giving you a car that you
could feed with fruit and healthy food, and you're saying,
(30:23):
no seawater. How about seawater? Just what? What? What are
you talking about? Man? This is my car that I'm
give that I'm gonna gift to you that has these
things in it, plastic if it can exists. No, I'm not.
I'm not gonna give you bad things. You don't want
that one. You want to give me carbs you can
put in all the dates. No, you don't like carbs
if it's good. You know. I was gonna offer one
(30:45):
other type of car, the um the one that Ed
Begley Jr. Was using in The Simpsons that was powered
by his own cells of sense of self satisfaction. Ah,
that's a good one. That's a good one. And the
car that that Homer Simpson created, the extra large Herb.
Twitter it out about a Fresco Mike getting swollen down
(31:06):
the Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon. Uh yeah, Damian
Lollard own it and trust me sixers or nix. He'll
be linked with them in the next seventy two hours.
Be sure to catch live editions of the Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harman weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific. Hey, what's up everybody? It's me three time
pro bowler Lavarrington and I couldn't be more excited to
(31:27):
announce a new podcast called Up on Game? What is
Up on Game? You asked, along with my fellow pro
bowler t J. Hudshman's Otta and Super Bowl champion. That's right,
Plexico Birds. You can only name a show with that
type of talent on it. Up on Game We're going
to be sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments.
(31:49):
Listen to Up on Game with Me, LaVar Arrington, t
J Hudgmans Otta, and Plexico Birds on the I Heart
Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get pure podcast from.
This might be my favorite led Zeppelin song. I know
that's like herresy right, It's not Stairway to Heaven, it's
not Rock and Run. No, this might be my favorite
(32:09):
led Zeppelin. No, this is a classic. Absolutely, Oh just
so good? Is this one? That that bird sings? That
lock and for a was loving so much. No, I
don't know where Ti Shirt found this because there's no
way he knows who this is. I have no idea. Actually,
I thought it said rain. I thought it was no
Rain by Blind Melon, that old song, that throwback song.
(32:30):
I like that one, and this seems like an old
German flying machine a Zeppelin. I thought it was Blame
it on the Rain by Milli Vanillia. They we're gonna
have that. Gotta blame it on something because the rain
Fox Sports Radio, that Jason Smith show with the bass
friend Mike Rman. Well, guess what. The Western Conference Finals
(32:51):
are going to continue another day because of Paul George
and Reggie Jackson. Paul George forty one points, thirteen rebounds,
and six assists. Reggie Jackson goes for twenty three, including
two huge threes and a big dunk in the fourth
quarter that help the Clippers pull away to win this game.
And here's what the sounds of victory sounded like for
(33:13):
your Los Angeles Clippers, the Clippers one tonight. Why why
are we playing that? I like ten He's not quite salty,
but you know, I'm I'm just sick of the fact
people are talking Clippers. I want to play some of
the player things show them not doing well because I
don't like to Jason keeps saying he picked the Clippers
(33:36):
to go to the finals before the playoffs started. I
can't stand that guy. Let it be noted that neither
I nor the Fox Sports Radio Enterprise agree with the
UH suggestion as was that a half be No, I
don't know what that was. That was questions because now
(34:00):
it's it's it's tight shot, you know, get a little
loose with behind the controls. Now, this is what the
end of the game really sounded. Every time this team
has been counted out, they have shown that they are
tougher than imaginable and they look to do the impossible
first step in the books as the Clippers win a
must win on the road once again, Game five to
(34:21):
l A one sixteen and one oh two, and this
series is back to three to going back to l
A for Game six, Clippers Radio Network on the call.
And here's the thing about this game tonight, right and
this is why you know, we talked about it the
other night and now we're gonna say it again tonight
and tomorrow you're gonna see this take everywhere. Just like
all the things we do on the show, We've given
(34:42):
you three topics tonight that we've talked about at least
you know, a couple of months ago where oh, hey,
guess what I think. Guess what I think would tell
you how good a head coach? To Ron Lewis, Okay,
tonight was a game going into it. The Sons are
at home, They're going for a clincher and no zoobots
in the game tonight. DeAndre Ayton, who has been dominant
(35:02):
throughout the playoffs and been the one guy that teams
haven't had an answer for. He was gonna dominate tonight,
wasn't he. This was gonna be a fraid and this
is gonna be at Sons were gonna roll. What happens?
Clippers trot out a small line. They looked like U
c l A. They had four guards in the starting lineup,
just like U c l A did getting to the
Final four this past year. They go with four guards
and Marcus Morris and they all play a ton of minutes.
(35:24):
And what happens. The Clippers win by fourteen and Eighton
is not a factor, alright, ten points, eleven rebounds, and
you know, okay, but not nearly what he has been
and the Sun's never really threatened. After they get it
to four. I mean you again, I keep going back
to what Doc Rivers have the Clippers here? Would he
have found a way to win this game? Would he
be sitting around talking right now, going, I don't know.
(35:45):
You know, you know we tried. Not my fault. These
guys just didn't make shots. You know, I give him
the basketball tear chop to make shots. You know the
other team is good these guys aren't, you know. I
don't know what to say. We gotta get rid of
some guys, but not me, because you know, on the coach,
I can only coach team. I can't can't make him
make shots, right. I can't make Old George make free throws,
not turn the ball over. I can't make the NBA
go and look at things I don't want to look at.
I just can't do it. You just gotta can't blame me,
(36:06):
right if you do one of those things where, hey,
let's do a poll about why the Clippers didn't win
this series, don't put my name on it because I
don't want people clicking on my name because it's not
my fault. Uh. Doc Rivers would not have this team here,
and Tohron Lou has been able to make changes on
the fly. Again, this is not a great team. They're
not a great basketball team, none of the team's left are.
(36:27):
But we talk about the resiliency of this team that
we've talked about for a couple of weeks and being
able to adjust and overcome losing Kawhi Leonard and here
are the Clippers. Still a long way to go. But
they could have just you know, put their tail between
their legs and not even got off the plane. But
instead we're going back to l A one sixteen one
oh two, and the Clippers found a way in Toronto
lou going with a small lineup. Everything work tonight. Man
(36:50):
Toronto lou is a terrific head coach. Well they the
other thing that you didn't mention. I I tweeted it
out a few minutes ago saying, don't be fooled by
the score. Normally, when a big man goes for uh
ten and eleven, folks, folks get excitable, going I did
his job. No nine shot attempts from Eton is unacceptable.
And you know what, from an offensive standpoint, he was
(37:12):
bested by DeMarcus Cousins fifteen just two boards, three assists,
but fifteen points to your ten when Zoo Botch isn't
there that you can continue to settle for mid range
jumpers jack in threes today nine six from three point
range and with Morris in that meant Eton couldn't live
(37:35):
in the lane, which opened things up for the Clippers
to have better a passing lanes, more spacing in the floor.
But certainly you didn't have the big man waiting as
you drove to to force the issue. Now, tylu is
ten and two when facing elimination in the playoffs in
his head coaching tenure, fantastic effort. I had to make
(37:58):
sure we we got a little bit of love for
DeMarcus Cousins in because that's the other factor in this
and why Monty Williams and particularly DeAndre Ayton should be
absolutely ashamed of the effort put forth in this one.
But I'm telling you, man, look at what every time
the Clippers need an answer to Ron Lou has the answer.
(38:19):
And that's part of the confidence they can come back
from any kind of situation. I mean, really, he does
not get the credit he deserves. Twitter at how about
a fresca Mike gets swollen dome? So can the Clippers
complete the comeback? What did Rick buchercy all time NBA
Insider extraordinarire stops by with us next for all the
latest on this huge win by l A. This is
(38:39):
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