May 9, 2024 • 35 mins
Chris and Rob tell us if the stellar play by the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves proves that parity is good for the NBA, discuss Byron Scott’s assertion that the Los Angeles Lakers should consider hiring LeBron James as the player-coach since they let him run everything else within the organization and explain why Jalen Brunson's foot injury is just as bad for the the NBA at-large as it is for the New York Knicks.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brusa and Ron Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Last night, of course, uh you know, we have more
NBA action and the Oklahoma City thunder who Let's give
them their respect. They were the number one seed in
the Western Conference. They beat up on the Dallas Mavericks
so badly that at the end of the game the
(00:51):
reserves werent. So they beat a boy over twenty and
the night before Minnesota took a commanding or I don't
know it was the night before, but maybe two nights before,
but they took a commanding two o lead over the
Denver Nuggets. And Rob We've got a lot of different,
(01:13):
you know, things to talk about regarding this topic, but
I want to give Colin Cowherd our friend, and then
of course the personality of the Herd props on this
because he was talking about, are we entering a period
(01:33):
in the NBA ROB where it could be like the
nineteen seventies, And if you remember, in the nineteen seventies,
it was a and it was the most parody ever
in the NBA. I believe eight teams won championships in
(01:56):
that decade. Eight teams won championship in that decade. And
I actually know them off the top of my head,
but just it might take me a minute, but I'll
read them off. The Knicks won it ROB in nineteen seventy,
the Bucks in seventy one, led by Leu al Sender
and Oscar Robertson. Of course, now kream Abdul jabbar in
(02:18):
Oscar Robertson. The Lakers won it in seventy two. That
was the year they won thirty three straight games, is
still an NBA record. The Knicks won it again in
seventy three, the Celtics in seventy four, the Warriors led
by Rick Berry in seventy five, the Celtics again in
(02:39):
seventy six, the Bullets, I remember that in seventy eight,
Elvin Hayes, Wes Unsel, Bobby Dandrich and then in nineteen
seventy nine, the Seattle Super Signings. I know you remember that, Rob,
they beat the Bullets, great series, Dennis Johnson, Gus Williams
and all that, Jackson, Sigma, Downtown, Freddie Brown. And then
(03:03):
in nineteen.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Eighty that's a new decade, but that was the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
So you had eight teams in the seventies win it,
Rob and if you look now, we haven't had like
the last what five champions have been It's all been
different teams. You had Toronto in twenty nineteen, the Lakers
(03:26):
in twenty the Bucks in twenty one, the Warriors twenty two,
last year, Denver, and if Denver doesn't win it this
year and they look like they're in big trouble right
now down oh two, we would have six straight different
champions and Rob. That has not happened since the seventies
(03:48):
because obviously Jordan had his run. The Lakers and the
Celtics alternated championships.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
In the eighties. The Lakers then had the.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Three peat Spurs Heat you know, Lakers like I'm looking
at let me look into early four four you had Detroit,
San Antonio, Miami and then San Antonio won it again.
So yeah, we haven't seen this since the seventies. And
here's the question I throw out to you. It's two
of them, Rob One, do you think we are about
(04:17):
to see that type of parody?
Speaker 4 (04:19):
It might not.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
I mean we've already seen six. It may be six
in a row. So I guess we're already in the
midst of it because it wasn't like ten straight years
in the seventies.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
It was eight teams in the total decade. So do
you think.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
That's the type of run we're in where it's parody
and you're going to have a lot of different champions,
maybe no repeat champion. And secondly, Rob, is that good
for the NBA because as we all know, in the seventies.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Rob, the game's were on tape delay.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Despite having many great players Kareem, Doctor J and all
these great players, George Gervin, Moses Malone, the games were
on tape delay.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
So what are your thoughts on those two questions?
Speaker 5 (05:08):
First, I'm gonna say the reason the games were on
tape delay isn't because different teams were winning championships. That
league was drug infested. A lot of people were turned
off by the NBA in the seventies, and the ratings
weren't good and CBS.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
It was about the ratings not being good, and that
was the reason.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
Why they just decided that that was the reason they
decided not all the games were on tape to lay.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
I think nine of the seventeen. I think a lot
of it was racial. Okay, it could have been, but
I'm just saying that.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
You say the league was that's when the league became
overwhelmingly black. Yeah, and this was the seventies, so you know,
it was a different time period.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
It was just yeah, the league.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
I just I just remember a lot of issues with
the league and all the stuff that was going on.
But anyway, you know, parody can be good, and and
I think parody's good from this standpoint, Chris, you want
to mix it around. You don't want it to be
the same teams over and over. But that doesn't mean
(06:09):
you can exclude a Every once in a while, you'll
have a dynasty. Dynasties are good every once in a
while where you have a really great team that wins
and and they're put together right and you go, wow,
they really you know, had a great team and a
great run. But most of the time, you would like
for more teams to be included and involved. I think
(06:32):
it makes it better for the league where other teams
don't feel like it's just the same two or three
teams every year.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
And I've seen this and kind of tired of it.
So the NBA has a very interesting now.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
Now if somebody comes along, Chris and is it Minnesota
or if it's Okay, see, I'm just throwing them out
and they can put together a string that you know,
and win two or three in a row or whatever,
three out of four. That I think people could appreciate that.
But I don't think parody is a bad thing for
a league. You can get burnt out from the same old,
(07:06):
same old, or the same conversations and the same players,
but you can appreciate. So I'm not totally against you know,
I'm not totally against a dynasty that comes. But if
there's only two or three teams that win all the time,
I think that can be Tarzan.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
Well.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
It's interesting because think of the Golden era that resurrected
the NBA. That was rob the least amount of parody
that the league has ever seen. I mean, I guess
the nineties you had Jordan winning six and then Elijah
Wyn won two.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
So I mean that was you know, but there were
different teams in the finals in the nineties.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Rob the only teams to make the finals, I'm not
even talking about winning it.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
The only teams to make the finals in the nineties.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Were the Lakers, the Celtics, the Rockets, the seventies six ers,
and the Pistons.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
That's it. Those only teams that made it.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
May yet that was the yeah, in the nineteen eighties,
and yet that was the best decade, you know, that
resurrected the league. Nineties again, you had a lot of
dominance with Jordan and then he on, you had a lot.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
But also Jordan is a different case, and I hear
what you're saying, But Jordan was that different thing that
moved the needle the same way Tiger Woods moved the
needle for golf. Michael was love him, hate him. People
wanted to see him, and he's a big reason why
the NBA, you know, win another level. It was Michael
(08:53):
Jordan and his But what about the eighties, I'm just
talking about the nineties.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I'm just saying was even less parody than the nineties.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
The nineties, even though Jordan was winning at all, he
was facing a bunch of different teams, the Blazers, the Sonics,
the Jazz, the Elijah.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
And Beat, the Knicks and the Magic. You know, you
had a lot of.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Different teams making it, the Suns, Jordan Beat. Here's I'm
kind of with you, Rob. I think parody is really good.
It's great to you know when you there are a
number of teams that could win it. Like if let's
say Minnesota or even Boston wins it this year, I
(09:40):
think next year when we start the season, I mean,
there will be a number of teams that you think
can win it because difference not like that's the thing, right,
It's not like, oh, we didn't win it this year,
we're done.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Bird never repeat it, you know.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
I Mean we went twenty years without a repeat champion
until the Lakers did it in eighty seven eight eight.
So I'm just like, there's this panic when your team
doesn't win it, like, oh my gosh, we're done, we
gotta rebuild. No, you might add a piece or two,
or you might run it back for the most part
and you still could win it. But I think here's
(10:16):
what I'll say this quickly because I know you got
something to say. I think parody is great for the
hardcore fans. I think the hardcore fans love the parody,
the ones that are gonna watch no matter what. And
now you got all these different teams that could win.
You can get into the styles and you know who's matchups,
who's favored in different matchups. I think for the casual fan,
(10:41):
dynasties are better. Dynasties bring in the casual.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
I agree with that.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
If somebody's on the run, we said it, Chris in baseball,
the Yankees was at the late nineties, early two thousands,
Like that's the last time. Yeah, you know, that's twenty
five years ago, right, it's been almost that.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
I'm trying to think when you talk about other teams,
I mean sach Kobe, yeah in you know, casual fans
wanted to check them out.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Yeah, I think that's the case. But the every was
in the dynasty. But you know they got their four
straight years and won two. You know, so people want
to see that. So all right, let's throt out to
the listeners. Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. Looks
like the NBA is in a a an era of parody.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Which is great.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
I think Yanni's got one, Jokic got one. Maybe somebody
new will get one. This year, Steph got another one,
you know, Kawhi of course, but that wasn't new.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
Anthony Davis got his first.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (12:02):
Hey, I'm Doug Gottlieb. The podcast is called All Ball.
We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's
more about the stories about what made these people love
their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way.
We talked to coaches, we talked to players, We tell
you stories.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
You download it, you listen to it. I think you
like it.
Speaker 7 (12:22):
Listen to All Ball with Doug Gottlieb on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Obviously, the Los Angeles Lakers have fired their coach, Darvin Ham,
and it came up. I don't know if it was
a caller or how we got into it, but why
don't they just make Lebron the player coach?
Speaker 4 (12:44):
And I don't think.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
That's possible today. I think there's too many has been
done over, you know, it used to be. It used
to be commonplace to something.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
You know it was. It was commonplace enough where it
wasn't that big of a deal. In the sixties the seventies.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
When you when you hear that player coach, the first
one you think of Bill, think of Bill Russell.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Yeah, yeah, I think but yeah, Bill Russell. He he
also won the championship, if not to doing as a
player coach. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
I always think of Joe Tory because I grew up,
you know, as a Mets fan in New York and
he was.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Chris, I didn't even know it happened.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
Yeah, Joe Tory. Joe Tory was a player coach who
was like his last year as a player and they
made him the manager. Frank Robinson, Chris, did you.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Know that with the T Like I said, I didn't.
I wasn't even thinking of any baseball. Yeah. Those are
the only two that I remember in baseball, those two.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
But anyway, rob none other than Friend of the Show,
NBA champion as a player, part of the Showtime Lakers, uh.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
And and the way it was Hall of Fame could
be in the Hall of Fame. He's better. Look. With
all due respect of Michael Cooper. Would you agree with that?
Speaker 5 (14:04):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I'm saying the way it's
going on. I'm sure when Cooper got in, he didn't
think to himself, how am I not?
Speaker 3 (14:10):
At No, he's better than Michael Cooper, there's no question.
And Cooper's good at what he did, but Byron Scott
was better and a former Coach of the Year. Yeah,
Byron Scott. So he's you know, he's done it all
in this league for the most part. And so Byron,
believe it or not, said this on Undisputed today, would
(14:33):
skip Bayless.
Speaker 8 (14:35):
My recommendation the next Laker coaching out of the eight
or nine names that I've heard, his name wasn't on
there is make Lebron the coach. I got nothing but
love and respectful Lebron. I love him. I think he's
one of the greatest players that ever played this game.
But it's obvious to me at least that he's making
a lot of decisions just going on in this organization,
no doubt, from a coaching standpoint to a player standpoint.
(14:57):
So if you're going to allow him to make those decisions,
sit on the bench and make those decisions as well.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
Beat the head coach. JJ ready you mean player coach
player head coach. Yeah, well it's Bill Ross, Lady Wilkins.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Rob what are your thoughts? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
I did not hear the clip originally, Chris on the show.
You know what I mean because I asked Robber you
about context and that makes sense. Byron Scott was a coach.
He's seen what has happened, right with all the coaches
with Lebron. That was a coach talking out of frustration
about Oh, that's that's.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
What I took from it. Chris, No, I gotta be honest.
It did kind of he he tried to hide it,
but he did just make like, can we hear it again?
Because I agree with you it. See there's a little
something in there that was like, why don't you just
be the coach? Did right? You got everybody run out
of town or whatever, and we might be wrong, but
(15:54):
go ahead, Rob, you play it just one more time.
Speaker 8 (15:57):
My recommendation the next Laker coaching out of the eight
or nine names that I've heard, his name wasn't on there,
is make Lebron the coach. I got nothing but love
and respectful Lebron. I love him. I think he's one
of the greatest players that ever played this game. But
it's obvious to me at least that he's making a
lot of decisions just going on in this organization, no doubt,
from a coaching standpoint to a player standpoint. So if
(16:20):
you're going to allow him to make those decisions, sit
on the bench and make those decisions as well, be
the head coach, JJ Reddy, you.
Speaker 6 (16:26):
Mean player coach player head coach? Yeah, Well, to Bill Wilkins.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I felt like there was we could be wrong, Rob,
but I tend to agree with you.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
Yeah, And I'm not mad at him, you know, I'm
just saying there's a there's a degree of frustration in that.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
You know, every time they lose.
Speaker 5 (16:47):
You know, somebody's got to lose their job no matter what.
So what if Darvinham won the end season tournament? So
what if Frank Vogel won a championship?
Speaker 2 (16:56):
So what?
Speaker 4 (16:56):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Like that, that's that's what it seems to be, like,
it doesn't make any sense. I'm just curious, Chris. I'm
kind of with you that times have changed so much.
I'm not so sure a guy can do both. It
was a times were simpler back then, Like when they had.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
That's that's an understatement, am I right?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Like just that's an understand you know, but you know
what I mean, Yes, it's my gosh, it's not even
they used.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
To be Chris, there used to be a head coach
and two coaches. They got nine coaches now and sitting
on the.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Bench more than that. Yeah, you got five on the bench,
five behind the bench.
Speaker 8 (17:34):
You got it.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
I mean, it's ridiculous. There used to be two coaches,
one coach, coach, yes, and that was it. I just like, like, like,
it's just so much going on.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
And Chris, we used to watch practice and shoot around
and you know what I mean, Like, my god, like
like seriously, so I don't know if a player, even
if Lebron's ilk could do it.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
I'm just not sure that it's doable.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
I count rob forty guys in the history of the
NBA that were player coaches. It was, like I said,
it was commonplace in the fifties, sixties, and seventies. Yes,
here's some of the names. You might be surprised as
some of these ants. Bob Pettitt not just one year,
but still Slater Martin, who you know, I think he
(18:26):
dunk from the free throw line. I'm not mistaken. I
might be mixing him up with somebody else. Red Holtzman
for a year Milwaukee Hawks, Alex Hannam, who's a legendary coach,
one year with the Saint Louis Hawks as a player coach.
Dick McGuire with the Pistons, Drive for two years, wow
or one year?
Speaker 4 (18:43):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Dave Cowens. I think Cowens was the last one. And
he did it in the seventy eight seventy nine season. Now, Rob,
that was the year before Larry Bird went. So Cowens
is the last player coach ever. And Rob that team
was the Lay didn't. They were a little older, but
(19:07):
still Lay didn't with Hall of famers and they won
twenty seven games.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
And here here's something else we just need to throw.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Dalph Shays, Bob Coozy, Bill Russell, Dave de Busher quickly,
I'm gonna throw the Lenny Wilkins, Richie Garrett, Lenny Wilkins.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
So a lot of these guys were, you know, household
names that were player coaches.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
And here here's why Lebron can't be a player coach.
So the current NBA players can no longer Chris be
player coaches. After the salary cap was instituted in nineteen
eighty four eighty five, the NBA prohibited teams from employing
a player coach.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
So that's why.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
So it's not even possible now. But I just think
it's a fun conversation. I just want to make sure
that people know that, right, you can't do it. I'm
gonna keep it real. I don't think as possible today,
Sure you could do. I mean, let's say it wasn't
against the rules. Somebody could try, Rob. I think it
would be a disaster because there is so you said it.
(20:14):
What was film study like in the sixties, right, you know,
compared to today? I mean coaches after the game, they're
on the plane looking at film, breaking it down for
the film study the next day. Now you could It
is true that you could just have your crew, right,
you got your staff and they break down the film
(20:37):
and then you leave the film session. But Rob, I
would the coaches look at the film before they show
it to the team. You gotta know what you want
to emphasize and highlight. Is a player really gonna do
all that? Is a player gonna break down a full
(20:57):
half of basketball?
Speaker 4 (20:59):
To say that, Rob, when I was in film sessions
in college.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
We would go it would take us an hour to
get through six minutes of the game.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
Coaches just stop every there's always a missage.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
Right here, stop right here, stop right here's a player
doing that, and then.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Here's the other thing.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
And this is why, the real reason why I don't
think it's possible. What about the egos. Egos are bigger
than ever. I don't say that like we're worse than
the previous generation, but I mean because of the money,
rob because of the branding, because of the endorsements.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
If a player.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Gets in the way of my like he benches me,
and I'm upset, and now my endorsements are are falling off,
or I'm in a contract year I need.
Speaker 9 (21:54):
To play and put up numbers, and a teammate, a
teammates making sure I don't. I'm mad at the coach,
but if a teammate is doing it, I'm really ticked off.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
You see. The egos is too much. Yeah, I just
I think it would be very very difficult.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
But but Byron Scott, I got his sentiment. I really
did like like it ate as easy Byron Scott. We
remember Chris, what happened with him with the nets. I mean,
they went to the championship twice, right and he didn't.
He he got fired and he got fired from there.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
I just think Rob, it's you said it. It was
such a simpler time the NBA. I mean, every like
you said, they had two coaches, they had two coaches, Chris.
And you know where they were after the games, the coaches,
they were at the hotel bar with the.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
Sports teams, Chris, that's what they weren't breaking down film.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
I was on those uh uh, you know, I was
on those flights. They weren't private planes or whatever. They
were just standard.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
And that was nearly a decade essentially a decade after.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
Oh yeah, when I was flying commercial Chris with teams
with the nets and the knicks. You know, that was
in the eighties, you know what I mean, in the
early nineties and what the Pistons were the first team
to have a private I mean, and I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Keep it real too, there's some really good coaches out there,
and they are really I mean, you look at look
at Oklahoma City Mark dagnav Coach of the Year. Rob
that dude, I mean, he's a big part of why
that team is so good. Tom Thibodeaux, He's a big
(23:39):
part of why the New York Knicks are doing what
they're doing. You you know how some of these dudes
are now they maybe they're doing it a little more
than they have to, because some of these guys will
get in at six am, Rob and leave it, you know,
seven to eight pm.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Me, they just don't want to be at home something, right, But.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
They living on watching film. And you mean to tell
me you think a player who may want to still
kick it.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Now.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Lebron's married, he's got kids, so he might be different.
But Rob, I'm sorry, I don't think a player is
trying to break down that.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Type of stuff.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
No, they watching the film. Lebron, I know, watches films,
but he ain't watching film like a coach.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
I don't believe.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
Yeah, I'd be surprised if that kind of effort was
put in because it just it just doesn't seem like
the effort that these guys put in with there, all
of the chuse he talked about, all the assistant for
the more video people, right, yeah, the coach video coacher. Yeah, yeah,
I mean it's incredible what they're looking at. They don't
(24:46):
have the same feed that we watch on television. Is
a different feed right to see different things and what
you're looking for. It's it's it's it's very intense, and
it's very thorough and rob.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
It rubbed some players the wrong way, some teammates or
Lebron the wrong way.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
That he actually has that type of power with the
front office or the coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
Imagine if he is the coaching staff or you know,
the coach.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
It's just too I just think in today's world where
these players, even if I'm not a star, I still
am probably making some money away, you know what I mean.
I got things going on that I'm benefiting from because
of my position in the game that a coach could
keep me from getting if he doesn't play me as
(25:37):
much as I think he should.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Or whatever.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
So I just think it could lead to a lot
of turmoil. Players don't like you anymore. You know, they
might not like the coach, but at least they can
bind with some of the teammates. The coach is not
out there with me playing, you know, we can bind
(26:01):
together against our coach to something. I mean, honestly, if
we all think the coach can't coach we can still
bind together against him and try to win in spite
of him. Right, what if that coach is a teammate.
Now the team is with half the dudes are his boys.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
They with him. The other half are like, man, this dude,
come on, man, I gotta get paid.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
I need to make this All Star team so I
can get the Supermax or whatever it is.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
I need.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
I'm up for a contract after this. I need to impress.
I need to put up numbers. And you standing in
my way. I just think it would be there's all
types of land minds for a player coach, and I'm
actually glad it's not possible today that they.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
It is against the rules.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
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to listen live.
Speaker 6 (27:02):
Man.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
Sad update.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
I mean, it's always sad when a player gets injured,
but sad update from the Indiana Pacers New York Knicks game.
Rob in the first quarter, Jalen Brunson injured his foot.
He's only played or it's he's only played eight minutes
(27:28):
in the game. They're just a few minutes before halftime,
three minutes to about two and a half minutes left
before halftime.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
He's only played eight minutes rob.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
And now he is questionable to return with a sore
right foot. So a playoffs that has just been i.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
Mean defined essentially by injuries now has the press, the prussing.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Just just I mean, let me go down the line
and it Boston Chris STAPs porzingis he'll be back, but
out now. You got the Knicks Jalen Brunson, Julius Ramdle,
of course not their second best player last year. Was
their best player was all NBA. He is out for
the playoffs. Mitchell Robinson out for the playoffs of Philadelphia.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Joe LMB was hampered Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Jared Allen, their all star center, is out right now.
He should be back, but he's out, thankfully. Tyrese Halliburton
has been playing, but remember he was questionable for Game one.
The back spasms. Johannis in Milwaukee obviously out.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
Damey some games.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Miami had Jimmy Butler out. That's just going through the
East Rod, I mean, unbelievable. Dallas Luca now has a
spraying need that he's playing.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
He doesn't look good.
Speaker 5 (28:55):
Chris, Like, if he's gonna be hobbling like that, how
they gonna win? They could be in Trumple. You're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Zion missed for the Pelicans in their first round series.
Phoenix was hold. The Lakers were essentially Oh. They had
a few role players out Clippers of course, Kawhi Leonard out,
Oklahoma City thunder route healthy, and that's been one of
the big things for them this season. Healthy Minnesota healthy, Denver.
(29:23):
Jamal Murray's dealing with a cashtrain that he is playing through.
So Rob, We've said it before, We've never seen anything
like this, and I think this is where and I
don't know, We don't know, but we have to wonder, Rob.
Is it too much training? We've talked about that before.
(29:44):
Is it the style of play with the game to
spread out.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
You're covering too much ground? I don't know, but something
needs to be like investigated. I think it's a combination, Chris.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
But I really do believe like the over training, you
know what I mean, Like, I do believe your body
needs to heal and it's okay to put on a
paunch or eight pounds, Chris, you know what I mean
in the off season and then get back at it.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
No, I'm not.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
And they used to be out of shape and come
back and get back into shape during training camp and
be ready for the season. These guys never get out
of shape. And I just wonder how much of that
personal trainers, you know, everybody has their own team, and
they're doing all these things and trying to figure out
you know, you see them onst on social media, Chris
(30:39):
with the workout sessions, you know, and all that stuff.
Speaker 8 (30:42):
Like is that good?
Speaker 4 (30:44):
I don't know if that's good.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
I mean you would think, but Rob, there is no
question it is not working. There is no question it
is not. I mean again, it's working in terms of
making them look like adonicis right right and being all
this incredible shape with their shirt off, But as far
as being available to play staying healthy, I don't know's
(31:07):
it's unfortunate. And now Rob, predictably, Indiana's up ten.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
I mean New York.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
And the thing is this, Rob, and look we you
and I even though we both worked in New York,
You're from New York.
Speaker 4 (31:21):
We are certainly not New York Knicks homers.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
No.
Speaker 4 (31:24):
If anything, people are mad at us. They think that
we hate the Knicks.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Okay, right, but there can be no denying that having
the Knicks not only play this deep. I mean that
in of itself is good, but having a player do
what the things that Jalen Brunson has done, Rob that's.
Speaker 4 (31:45):
Good for the NBA. Rob G correct me if I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Highest rated playoff game this season the Knicks, correct, Rob G,
that is correct.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
Yeah right, I mean so.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
But that's what you know when they talk about Chris,
like the TV waitings and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (32:02):
You know, New York is a big city.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
If you can get people, and we talk about all
the time, New Yorkers are everywhere in LA all over.
You know, it's just so many people and if there's
an interest, and that's why, you know, leagues love to
have the big teams, Chris, the big TV markets right
in the mix. They want La, they want Chicago, they do.
(32:25):
And it's not a knock on okcor or the Spurs.
As great as the Spurs are Chris, I think that
they before you know, the pandemic and the numbers of
television you know, drastically dropped.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
But the Spurs had two of the worst.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
TV waitings for finals ever, like the last two were
the Spurs and they were a great team.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
No, there's no TV size, yep. And so it's unfortunate.
Hopefully he'll be able to play, you know, games three
and onward. But my goodness, this is a blow not
only to the Knicks. I think it's probably a death
knell for the next.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
Rob But well, I'm not playing, he's not playing. Yeah yeah,
and here you know this.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
I mean the Knicks already were I mean, they were
going seven deep, and then Mitchell Robinson gets hurt, so
they entered the game pretty much going six deep, and
now you're pretty much five deep. It's crazy Jalen Brunson,
Robin And look, I mean I can't even I mean,
(33:38):
it's logical to say, is this contributed to his injury
the load he's.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
Had to bear?
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Sure, but we just pointed out Robbed there are a
lot of guys playing a lot of less minutes who
are also getting hurt. So I don't want to put
it on that, but rob he was averaging forty three
point seven minutes a game in these playoffs, and we
know how intense their games were.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
Josh Hart, rob forty six point six minutes a game.
I mean, come on, you gotta give them a blow, Chris,
come on, let's just sw.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
Og Anu Nobi forty one points up. So they got
three players over forty minutes a game, but they can
hurt you if they were making gonna make a long run.
Do you know what I meant? Thinking you've talked about
him before. Tip of those players break down, don't they Yep?
Speaker 4 (34:27):
And that's the thing, Like I wasn't hoping.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
I certainly wasn't hoping for it, but I wasn't even
necessarily expecting an injury like this. But I was thinking, Rob,
that their lack of depth was going to come back
to bite them, and possibly in this series. That was why,
Possibly in this series it could bite them.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
So Rob, now, let let let me ask you this. Uh,
we are in a we are this is wow, unprecedented
situation for the NBA
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brusa and Ron Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Last night, of course, uh you know, we have more
NBA action and the Oklahoma City thunder who Let's give
them their respect. They were the number one seed in
the Western Conference. They beat up on the Dallas Mavericks
so badly that at the end of the game the
(00:51):
reserves werent. So they beat a boy over twenty and
the night before Minnesota took a commanding or I don't
know it was the night before, but maybe two nights before,
but they took a commanding two o lead over the
Denver Nuggets. And Rob We've got a lot of different,
(01:13):
you know, things to talk about regarding this topic, but
I want to give Colin Cowherd our friend, and then
of course the personality of the Herd props on this
because he was talking about, are we entering a period
(01:33):
in the NBA ROB where it could be like the
nineteen seventies, And if you remember, in the nineteen seventies,
it was a and it was the most parody ever
in the NBA. I believe eight teams won championships in
(01:56):
that decade. Eight teams won championship in that decade. And
I actually know them off the top of my head,
but just it might take me a minute, but I'll
read them off. The Knicks won it ROB in nineteen seventy,
the Bucks in seventy one, led by Leu al Sender
and Oscar Robertson. Of course, now kream Abdul jabbar in
(02:18):
Oscar Robertson. The Lakers won it in seventy two. That
was the year they won thirty three straight games, is
still an NBA record. The Knicks won it again in
seventy three, the Celtics in seventy four, the Warriors led
by Rick Berry in seventy five, the Celtics again in
(02:39):
seventy six, the Bullets, I remember that in seventy eight,
Elvin Hayes, Wes Unsel, Bobby Dandrich and then in nineteen
seventy nine, the Seattle Super Signings. I know you remember that, Rob,
they beat the Bullets, great series, Dennis Johnson, Gus Williams
and all that, Jackson, Sigma, Downtown, Freddie Brown. And then
(03:03):
in nineteen.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Eighty that's a new decade, but that was the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
So you had eight teams in the seventies win it,
Rob and if you look now, we haven't had like
the last what five champions have been It's all been
different teams. You had Toronto in twenty nineteen, the Lakers
(03:26):
in twenty the Bucks in twenty one, the Warriors twenty two,
last year, Denver, and if Denver doesn't win it this
year and they look like they're in big trouble right
now down oh two, we would have six straight different
champions and Rob. That has not happened since the seventies
(03:48):
because obviously Jordan had his run. The Lakers and the
Celtics alternated championships.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
In the eighties. The Lakers then had the.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Three peat Spurs Heat you know, Lakers like I'm looking
at let me look into early four four you had Detroit,
San Antonio, Miami and then San Antonio won it again.
So yeah, we haven't seen this since the seventies. And
here's the question I throw out to you. It's two
of them, Rob One, do you think we are about
(04:17):
to see that type of parody?
Speaker 4 (04:19):
It might not.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
I mean we've already seen six. It may be six
in a row. So I guess we're already in the
midst of it because it wasn't like ten straight years
in the seventies.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
It was eight teams in the total decade. So do
you think.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
That's the type of run we're in where it's parody
and you're going to have a lot of different champions,
maybe no repeat champion. And secondly, Rob, is that good
for the NBA because as we all know, in the seventies.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Rob, the game's were on tape delay.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Despite having many great players Kareem, Doctor J and all
these great players, George Gervin, Moses Malone, the games were
on tape delay.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
So what are your thoughts on those two questions?
Speaker 5 (05:08):
First, I'm gonna say the reason the games were on
tape delay isn't because different teams were winning championships. That
league was drug infested. A lot of people were turned
off by the NBA in the seventies, and the ratings
weren't good and CBS.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
It was about the ratings not being good, and that
was the reason.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
Why they just decided that that was the reason they
decided not all the games were on tape to lay.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
I think nine of the seventeen. I think a lot
of it was racial. Okay, it could have been, but
I'm just saying that.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
You say the league was that's when the league became
overwhelmingly black. Yeah, and this was the seventies, so you know,
it was a different time period.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
It was just yeah, the league.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
I just I just remember a lot of issues with
the league and all the stuff that was going on.
But anyway, you know, parody can be good, and and
I think parody's good from this standpoint, Chris, you want
to mix it around. You don't want it to be
the same teams over and over. But that doesn't mean
(06:09):
you can exclude a Every once in a while, you'll
have a dynasty. Dynasties are good every once in a
while where you have a really great team that wins
and and they're put together right and you go, wow,
they really you know, had a great team and a
great run. But most of the time, you would like
for more teams to be included and involved. I think
(06:32):
it makes it better for the league where other teams
don't feel like it's just the same two or three
teams every year.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
And I've seen this and kind of tired of it.
So the NBA has a very interesting now.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
Now if somebody comes along, Chris and is it Minnesota
or if it's Okay, see, I'm just throwing them out
and they can put together a string that you know,
and win two or three in a row or whatever,
three out of four. That I think people could appreciate that.
But I don't think parody is a bad thing for
a league. You can get burnt out from the same old,
(07:06):
same old, or the same conversations and the same players,
but you can appreciate. So I'm not totally against you know,
I'm not totally against a dynasty that comes. But if
there's only two or three teams that win all the time,
I think that can be Tarzan.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
Well.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
It's interesting because think of the Golden era that resurrected
the NBA. That was rob the least amount of parody
that the league has ever seen. I mean, I guess
the nineties you had Jordan winning six and then Elijah
Wyn won two.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
So I mean that was you know, but there were
different teams in the finals in the nineties.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Rob the only teams to make the finals, I'm not
even talking about winning it.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
The only teams to make the finals in the nineties.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Were the Lakers, the Celtics, the Rockets, the seventies six ers,
and the Pistons.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
That's it. Those only teams that made it.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
May yet that was the yeah, in the nineteen eighties,
and yet that was the best decade, you know, that
resurrected the league. Nineties again, you had a lot of
dominance with Jordan and then he on, you had a lot.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
But also Jordan is a different case, and I hear
what you're saying, But Jordan was that different thing that
moved the needle the same way Tiger Woods moved the
needle for golf. Michael was love him, hate him. People
wanted to see him, and he's a big reason why
the NBA, you know, win another level. It was Michael
(08:53):
Jordan and his But what about the eighties, I'm just
talking about the nineties.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I'm just saying was even less parody than the nineties.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
The nineties, even though Jordan was winning at all, he
was facing a bunch of different teams, the Blazers, the Sonics,
the Jazz, the Elijah.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
And Beat, the Knicks and the Magic. You know, you
had a lot of.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Different teams making it, the Suns, Jordan Beat. Here's I'm
kind of with you, Rob. I think parody is really good.
It's great to you know when you there are a
number of teams that could win it. Like if let's
say Minnesota or even Boston wins it this year, I
(09:40):
think next year when we start the season, I mean,
there will be a number of teams that you think
can win it because difference not like that's the thing, right,
It's not like, oh, we didn't win it this year,
we're done.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Bird never repeat it, you know.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
I Mean we went twenty years without a repeat champion
until the Lakers did it in eighty seven eight eight.
So I'm just like, there's this panic when your team
doesn't win it, like, oh my gosh, we're done, we
gotta rebuild. No, you might add a piece or two,
or you might run it back for the most part
and you still could win it. But I think here's
(10:16):
what I'll say this quickly because I know you got
something to say. I think parody is great for the
hardcore fans. I think the hardcore fans love the parody,
the ones that are gonna watch no matter what. And
now you got all these different teams that could win.
You can get into the styles and you know who's matchups,
who's favored in different matchups. I think for the casual fan,
(10:41):
dynasties are better. Dynasties bring in the casual.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
I agree with that.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
If somebody's on the run, we said it, Chris in baseball,
the Yankees was at the late nineties, early two thousands,
Like that's the last time. Yeah, you know, that's twenty
five years ago, right, it's been almost that.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
I'm trying to think when you talk about other teams,
I mean sach Kobe, yeah in you know, casual fans
wanted to check them out.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Yeah, I think that's the case. But the every was
in the dynasty. But you know they got their four
straight years and won two. You know, so people want
to see that. So all right, let's throt out to
the listeners. Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. Looks
like the NBA is in a a an era of parody.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Which is great.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
I think Yanni's got one, Jokic got one. Maybe somebody
new will get one. This year, Steph got another one,
you know, Kawhi of course, but that wasn't new.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
Anthony Davis got his first.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
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Speaker 7 (12:02):
Hey, I'm Doug Gottlieb. The podcast is called All Ball.
We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's
more about the stories about what made these people love
their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way.
We talked to coaches, we talked to players, We tell
you stories.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
You download it, you listen to it. I think you
like it.
Speaker 7 (12:22):
Listen to All Ball with Doug Gottlieb on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Obviously, the Los Angeles Lakers have fired their coach, Darvin Ham,
and it came up. I don't know if it was
a caller or how we got into it, but why
don't they just make Lebron the player coach?
Speaker 4 (12:44):
And I don't think.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
That's possible today. I think there's too many has been
done over, you know, it used to be. It used
to be commonplace to something.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
You know it was. It was commonplace enough where it
wasn't that big of a deal. In the sixties the seventies.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
When you when you hear that player coach, the first
one you think of Bill, think of Bill Russell.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Yeah, yeah, I think but yeah, Bill Russell. He he
also won the championship, if not to doing as a
player coach. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
I always think of Joe Tory because I grew up,
you know, as a Mets fan in New York and
he was.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Chris, I didn't even know it happened.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
Yeah, Joe Tory. Joe Tory was a player coach who
was like his last year as a player and they
made him the manager. Frank Robinson, Chris, did you.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Know that with the T Like I said, I didn't.
I wasn't even thinking of any baseball. Yeah. Those are
the only two that I remember in baseball, those two.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
But anyway, rob none other than Friend of the Show,
NBA champion as a player, part of the Showtime Lakers, uh.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
And and the way it was Hall of Fame could
be in the Hall of Fame. He's better. Look. With
all due respect of Michael Cooper. Would you agree with that?
Speaker 5 (14:04):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I'm saying the way it's
going on. I'm sure when Cooper got in, he didn't
think to himself, how am I not?
Speaker 3 (14:10):
At No, he's better than Michael Cooper, there's no question.
And Cooper's good at what he did, but Byron Scott
was better and a former Coach of the Year. Yeah,
Byron Scott. So he's you know, he's done it all
in this league for the most part. And so Byron,
believe it or not, said this on Undisputed today, would
(14:33):
skip Bayless.
Speaker 8 (14:35):
My recommendation the next Laker coaching out of the eight
or nine names that I've heard, his name wasn't on
there is make Lebron the coach. I got nothing but
love and respectful Lebron. I love him. I think he's
one of the greatest players that ever played this game.
But it's obvious to me at least that he's making
a lot of decisions just going on in this organization,
no doubt, from a coaching standpoint to a player standpoint.
(14:57):
So if you're going to allow him to make those decisions,
sit on the bench and make those decisions as well.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
Beat the head coach. JJ ready you mean player coach
player head coach. Yeah, well it's Bill Ross, Lady Wilkins.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Rob what are your thoughts? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
I did not hear the clip originally, Chris on the show.
You know what I mean because I asked Robber you
about context and that makes sense. Byron Scott was a coach.
He's seen what has happened, right with all the coaches
with Lebron. That was a coach talking out of frustration
about Oh, that's that's.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
What I took from it. Chris, No, I gotta be honest.
It did kind of he he tried to hide it,
but he did just make like, can we hear it again?
Because I agree with you it. See there's a little
something in there that was like, why don't you just
be the coach? Did right? You got everybody run out
of town or whatever, and we might be wrong, but
(15:54):
go ahead, Rob, you play it just one more time.
Speaker 8 (15:57):
My recommendation the next Laker coaching out of the eight
or nine names that I've heard, his name wasn't on there,
is make Lebron the coach. I got nothing but love
and respectful Lebron. I love him. I think he's one
of the greatest players that ever played this game. But
it's obvious to me at least that he's making a
lot of decisions just going on in this organization, no doubt,
from a coaching standpoint to a player standpoint. So if
(16:20):
you're going to allow him to make those decisions, sit
on the bench and make those decisions as well, be
the head coach, JJ Reddy, you.
Speaker 6 (16:26):
Mean player coach player head coach? Yeah, Well, to Bill Wilkins.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I felt like there was we could be wrong, Rob,
but I tend to agree with you.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
Yeah, And I'm not mad at him, you know, I'm
just saying there's a there's a degree of frustration in that.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
You know, every time they lose.
Speaker 5 (16:47):
You know, somebody's got to lose their job no matter what.
So what if Darvinham won the end season tournament? So
what if Frank Vogel won a championship?
Speaker 2 (16:56):
So what?
Speaker 4 (16:56):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Like that, that's that's what it seems to be, like,
it doesn't make any sense. I'm just curious, Chris. I'm
kind of with you that times have changed so much.
I'm not so sure a guy can do both. It
was a times were simpler back then, Like when they had.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
That's that's an understatement, am I right?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Like just that's an understand you know, but you know
what I mean, Yes, it's my gosh, it's not even
they used.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
To be Chris, there used to be a head coach
and two coaches. They got nine coaches now and sitting
on the.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Bench more than that. Yeah, you got five on the bench,
five behind the bench.
Speaker 8 (17:34):
You got it.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
I mean, it's ridiculous. There used to be two coaches,
one coach, coach, yes, and that was it. I just like, like, like,
it's just so much going on.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
And Chris, we used to watch practice and shoot around
and you know what I mean, Like, my god, like
like seriously, so I don't know if a player, even
if Lebron's ilk could do it.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
I'm just not sure that it's doable.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
I count rob forty guys in the history of the
NBA that were player coaches. It was, like I said,
it was commonplace in the fifties, sixties, and seventies. Yes,
here's some of the names. You might be surprised as
some of these ants. Bob Pettitt not just one year,
but still Slater Martin, who you know, I think he
(18:26):
dunk from the free throw line. I'm not mistaken. I
might be mixing him up with somebody else. Red Holtzman
for a year Milwaukee Hawks, Alex Hannam, who's a legendary coach,
one year with the Saint Louis Hawks as a player coach.
Dick McGuire with the Pistons, Drive for two years, wow
or one year?
Speaker 4 (18:43):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Dave Cowens. I think Cowens was the last one. And
he did it in the seventy eight seventy nine season. Now, Rob,
that was the year before Larry Bird went. So Cowens
is the last player coach ever. And Rob that team
was the Lay didn't. They were a little older, but
(19:07):
still Lay didn't with Hall of famers and they won
twenty seven games.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
And here here's something else we just need to throw.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Dalph Shays, Bob Coozy, Bill Russell, Dave de Busher quickly,
I'm gonna throw the Lenny Wilkins, Richie Garrett, Lenny Wilkins.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
So a lot of these guys were, you know, household
names that were player coaches.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
And here here's why Lebron can't be a player coach.
So the current NBA players can no longer Chris be
player coaches. After the salary cap was instituted in nineteen
eighty four eighty five, the NBA prohibited teams from employing
a player coach.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
So that's why.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
So it's not even possible now. But I just think
it's a fun conversation. I just want to make sure
that people know that, right, you can't do it. I'm
gonna keep it real. I don't think as possible today,
Sure you could do. I mean, let's say it wasn't
against the rules. Somebody could try, Rob. I think it
would be a disaster because there is so you said it.
(20:14):
What was film study like in the sixties, right, you know,
compared to today? I mean coaches after the game, they're
on the plane looking at film, breaking it down for
the film study the next day. Now you could It
is true that you could just have your crew, right,
you got your staff and they break down the film
(20:37):
and then you leave the film session. But Rob, I
would the coaches look at the film before they show
it to the team. You gotta know what you want
to emphasize and highlight. Is a player really gonna do
all that? Is a player gonna break down a full
(20:57):
half of basketball?
Speaker 4 (20:59):
To say that, Rob, when I was in film sessions
in college.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
We would go it would take us an hour to
get through six minutes of the game.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
Coaches just stop every there's always a missage.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
Right here, stop right here, stop right here's a player
doing that, and then.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Here's the other thing.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
And this is why, the real reason why I don't
think it's possible. What about the egos. Egos are bigger
than ever. I don't say that like we're worse than
the previous generation, but I mean because of the money,
rob because of the branding, because of the endorsements.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
If a player.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Gets in the way of my like he benches me,
and I'm upset, and now my endorsements are are falling off,
or I'm in a contract year I need.
Speaker 9 (21:54):
To play and put up numbers, and a teammate, a
teammates making sure I don't. I'm mad at the coach,
but if a teammate is doing it, I'm really ticked off.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
You see. The egos is too much. Yeah, I just
I think it would be very very difficult.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
But but Byron Scott, I got his sentiment. I really
did like like it ate as easy Byron Scott. We
remember Chris, what happened with him with the nets. I mean,
they went to the championship twice, right and he didn't.
He he got fired and he got fired from there.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
I just think Rob, it's you said it. It was
such a simpler time the NBA. I mean, every like
you said, they had two coaches, they had two coaches, Chris.
And you know where they were after the games, the coaches,
they were at the hotel bar with the.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
Sports teams, Chris, that's what they weren't breaking down film.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
I was on those uh uh, you know, I was
on those flights. They weren't private planes or whatever. They
were just standard.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
And that was nearly a decade essentially a decade after.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
Oh yeah, when I was flying commercial Chris with teams
with the nets and the knicks. You know, that was
in the eighties, you know what I mean, in the
early nineties and what the Pistons were the first team
to have a private I mean, and I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Keep it real too, there's some really good coaches out there,
and they are really I mean, you look at look
at Oklahoma City Mark dagnav Coach of the Year. Rob
that dude, I mean, he's a big part of why
that team is so good. Tom Thibodeaux, He's a big
(23:39):
part of why the New York Knicks are doing what
they're doing. You you know how some of these dudes
are now they maybe they're doing it a little more
than they have to, because some of these guys will
get in at six am, Rob and leave it, you know,
seven to eight pm.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Me, they just don't want to be at home something, right, But.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
They living on watching film. And you mean to tell
me you think a player who may want to still
kick it.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Now.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Lebron's married, he's got kids, so he might be different.
But Rob, I'm sorry, I don't think a player is
trying to break down that.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Type of stuff.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
No, they watching the film. Lebron, I know, watches films,
but he ain't watching film like a coach.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
I don't believe.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
Yeah, I'd be surprised if that kind of effort was
put in because it just it just doesn't seem like
the effort that these guys put in with there, all
of the chuse he talked about, all the assistant for
the more video people, right, yeah, the coach video coacher. Yeah, yeah,
I mean it's incredible what they're looking at. They don't
(24:46):
have the same feed that we watch on television. Is
a different feed right to see different things and what
you're looking for. It's it's it's it's very intense, and
it's very thorough and rob.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
It rubbed some players the wrong way, some teammates or
Lebron the wrong way.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
That he actually has that type of power with the
front office or the coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
Imagine if he is the coaching staff or you know,
the coach.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
It's just too I just think in today's world where
these players, even if I'm not a star, I still
am probably making some money away, you know what I mean.
I got things going on that I'm benefiting from because
of my position in the game that a coach could
keep me from getting if he doesn't play me as
(25:37):
much as I think he should.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Or whatever.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
So I just think it could lead to a lot
of turmoil. Players don't like you anymore. You know, they
might not like the coach, but at least they can
bind with some of the teammates. The coach is not
out there with me playing, you know, we can bind
(26:01):
together against our coach to something. I mean, honestly, if
we all think the coach can't coach we can still
bind together against him and try to win in spite
of him. Right, what if that coach is a teammate.
Now the team is with half the dudes are his boys.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
They with him. The other half are like, man, this dude,
come on, man, I gotta get paid.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
I need to make this All Star team so I
can get the Supermax or whatever it is.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
I need.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
I'm up for a contract after this. I need to impress.
I need to put up numbers. And you standing in
my way. I just think it would be there's all
types of land minds for a player coach, and I'm
actually glad it's not possible today that they.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
It is against the rules.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
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Speaker 6 (27:02):
Man.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
Sad update.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
I mean, it's always sad when a player gets injured,
but sad update from the Indiana Pacers New York Knicks game.
Rob in the first quarter, Jalen Brunson injured his foot.
He's only played or it's he's only played eight minutes
(27:28):
in the game. They're just a few minutes before halftime,
three minutes to about two and a half minutes left
before halftime.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
He's only played eight minutes rob.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
And now he is questionable to return with a sore
right foot. So a playoffs that has just been i.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
Mean defined essentially by injuries now has the press, the prussing.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Just just I mean, let me go down the line
and it Boston Chris STAPs porzingis he'll be back, but
out now. You got the Knicks Jalen Brunson, Julius Ramdle,
of course not their second best player last year. Was
their best player was all NBA. He is out for
the playoffs. Mitchell Robinson out for the playoffs of Philadelphia.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Joe LMB was hampered Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Jared Allen, their all star center, is out right now.
He should be back, but he's out, thankfully. Tyrese Halliburton
has been playing, but remember he was questionable for Game one.
The back spasms. Johannis in Milwaukee obviously out.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
Damey some games.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Miami had Jimmy Butler out. That's just going through the
East Rod, I mean, unbelievable. Dallas Luca now has a
spraying need that he's playing.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
He doesn't look good.
Speaker 5 (28:55):
Chris, Like, if he's gonna be hobbling like that, how
they gonna win? They could be in Trumple. You're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Zion missed for the Pelicans in their first round series.
Phoenix was hold. The Lakers were essentially Oh. They had
a few role players out Clippers of course, Kawhi Leonard out,
Oklahoma City thunder route healthy, and that's been one of
the big things for them this season. Healthy Minnesota healthy, Denver.
(29:23):
Jamal Murray's dealing with a cashtrain that he is playing through.
So Rob, We've said it before, We've never seen anything
like this, and I think this is where and I
don't know, We don't know, but we have to wonder, Rob.
Is it too much training? We've talked about that before.
(29:44):
Is it the style of play with the game to
spread out.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
You're covering too much ground? I don't know, but something
needs to be like investigated. I think it's a combination, Chris.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
But I really do believe like the over training, you
know what I mean, Like, I do believe your body
needs to heal and it's okay to put on a
paunch or eight pounds, Chris, you know what I mean
in the off season and then get back at it.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
No, I'm not.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
And they used to be out of shape and come
back and get back into shape during training camp and
be ready for the season. These guys never get out
of shape. And I just wonder how much of that
personal trainers, you know, everybody has their own team, and
they're doing all these things and trying to figure out
you know, you see them onst on social media, Chris
(30:39):
with the workout sessions, you know, and all that stuff.
Speaker 8 (30:42):
Like is that good?
Speaker 4 (30:44):
I don't know if that's good.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
I mean you would think, but Rob, there is no
question it is not working. There is no question it
is not. I mean again, it's working in terms of
making them look like adonicis right right and being all
this incredible shape with their shirt off, But as far
as being available to play staying healthy, I don't know's
(31:07):
it's unfortunate. And now Rob, predictably, Indiana's up ten.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
I mean New York.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
And the thing is this, Rob, and look we you
and I even though we both worked in New York,
You're from New York.
Speaker 4 (31:21):
We are certainly not New York Knicks homers.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
No.
Speaker 4 (31:24):
If anything, people are mad at us. They think that
we hate the Knicks.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Okay, right, but there can be no denying that having
the Knicks not only play this deep. I mean that
in of itself is good, but having a player do
what the things that Jalen Brunson has done, Rob that's.
Speaker 4 (31:45):
Good for the NBA. Rob G correct me if I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Highest rated playoff game this season the Knicks, correct, Rob G,
that is correct.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
Yeah right, I mean so.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
But that's what you know when they talk about Chris,
like the TV waitings and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (32:02):
You know, New York is a big city.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
If you can get people, and we talk about all
the time, New Yorkers are everywhere in LA all over.
You know, it's just so many people and if there's
an interest, and that's why, you know, leagues love to
have the big teams, Chris, the big TV markets right
in the mix. They want La, they want Chicago, they do.
(32:25):
And it's not a knock on okcor or the Spurs.
As great as the Spurs are Chris, I think that
they before you know, the pandemic and the numbers of
television you know, drastically dropped.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
But the Spurs had two of the worst.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
TV waitings for finals ever, like the last two were
the Spurs and they were a great team.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
No, there's no TV size, yep. And so it's unfortunate.
Hopefully he'll be able to play, you know, games three
and onward. But my goodness, this is a blow not
only to the Knicks. I think it's probably a death
knell for the next.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
Rob But well, I'm not playing, he's not playing. Yeah yeah,
and here you know this.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
I mean the Knicks already were I mean, they were
going seven deep, and then Mitchell Robinson gets hurt, so
they entered the game pretty much going six deep, and
now you're pretty much five deep. It's crazy Jalen Brunson,
Robin And look, I mean I can't even I mean,
(33:38):
it's logical to say, is this contributed to his injury
the load he's.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
Had to bear?
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Sure, but we just pointed out Robbed there are a
lot of guys playing a lot of less minutes who
are also getting hurt. So I don't want to put
it on that, but rob he was averaging forty three
point seven minutes a game in these playoffs, and we
know how intense their games were.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
Josh Hart, rob forty six point six minutes a game.
I mean, come on, you gotta give them a blow, Chris,
come on, let's just sw.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
Og Anu Nobi forty one points up. So they got
three players over forty minutes a game, but they can
hurt you if they were making gonna make a long run.
Do you know what I meant? Thinking you've talked about
him before. Tip of those players break down, don't they Yep?
Speaker 4 (34:27):
And that's the thing, Like I wasn't hoping.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
I certainly wasn't hoping for it, but I wasn't even
necessarily expecting an injury like this. But I was thinking, Rob,
that their lack of depth was going to come back
to bite them, and possibly in this series. That was why,
Possibly in this series it could bite them.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
So Rob, now, let let let me ask you this. Uh,
we are in a we are this is wow, unprecedented
situation for the NBA
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