June 17, 2021 • 38 mins
Chris and Rob give props to the Clippers for being able to pull off an impressive win, led by Paul George, against the Jazz in Game 5. John Hollinger from The Athletic lends a GM perspective on the Sixers and an anonymous source calls out Aaron Rodgers for being selfish.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
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(00:25):
You're listening to Fox Sports RADIOAU. It is The I Couple.
I am Chris Bruce Hard alongside my partner Rob Parker,
(00:47):
and we're coming to you live from the Fox Sports
Radio studios. Good Live, and we got a heck of
a show. I mean the NBA. Look, I get it.
Everybody's talking about the injuries and all the stars that
are out, and Lebron's tweeting up a frenzy about it.
I get it, and I hate to see these guys injured.
(01:09):
I wish every team, every star was healthy. But I
gotta say this, the NBA playoffs have still been great, fantastic, terrific, tremendous.
I am enjoying these games to no end. Who's paying you, nobody, Okay,
(01:34):
I'm just enjoying it. The game. I mean to come
back from Atlanta last night, the upset by the Clippers
yesterday and now we got the nets and you know
the Bucks tonight and all the drama. Who wouldn't love this?
I know, I sound like Rob talking about MLB. I
(01:57):
never talked about it from the heart. I'm enjoyed it.
Sound like you sound like you need a little baby oil,
and uh, you know, goodness speak for yourself. Yeah, so
we would get into all of this, and uh, of
course we got guests and starting with John Hollingder our
(02:18):
former colleague, ribbed back at the old place and uh,
he now works for the Athletic, used to be the
GM of the Memphis Grizzlies. He went from writing to
a GM. And uh, I'm tapping to a number of guys.
You know that that's happened to a number of guys
in baseball, especially Fred Claire Chris was a longtime general
manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was a sportswriter, and uh,
(02:43):
Frank Cashion with the Mets was a sportswriter I think
in Baltimore. But he had it happened to any brothers.
Uh No, I'm just saying that. I know, I'm just
you know what I'm saying. David Cohn, remember all the
great things he did in Minnesota, like drafting Ricky Ruby.
They draft Rickie Rubro. Yeah, I think he drafted the
(03:04):
kid out of Syracuse, the little point guard ahead oft
was that ahead of Steph. It was bad though, but
he was a sportswriter. Let's start with all right, so
let's welcome into our couple of crew. We got DJ
Alex Tyshert a k A. Alex the Vegan, a k
A time crazy, getting ready seen. He is on the
(03:25):
ones and the twos. And we have, of course, not
the super producer Rob. You know, I mean it's just
that time. You know, he's been working for like ten
straight days. We had to take a vacation day. But
we got superproducer lead the lap instead and we are
in good hands there and on the updates mister David
(03:47):
Gascon the second. All right, Rob, let's get into it,
and let me start this out by saying it, because um,
I know you just waiting, So I'm gonna give you
your props. You said yesterday, and we'll get into it
in detail and later in the show. But you said
yesterday you were going with the Clippers. Now I said
(04:11):
they had no chance, not no way, no how right,
and I said it without trepidation, and I was wrong.
Props to the Clippers, great performance. As I said, we'll
get into it in detail. And props to you. I
know it was luck, but still props to you for
(04:31):
your pick of the Clippers last night. Good good, good job. Hey,
I appreciate it. But as I told you before, Chris,
you know, like we do this right. It's about trying
to be right. Look at a situation and I know,
like you look at it and go Kawhi's not planning.
They can't win. This team has been through so much
and it was just one of those opportunities for Paul
(04:54):
George Right to step up and play. We know he's
talented obviously, Lee Right, but he's been disappointing a lot.
But he played really well last night and got them
a much needed win. They've done it two times now
in two series. Where I consider this, Chris, you know,
franchise turning, You know what I mean. We talked about
(05:14):
it with Dallas when they were down thirty to eleven
in Game three. You remember about to get buried. They
won that game on the road. Here's another one, all right.
It was nice they tied it two two they get
the bad news. They could go like, well, if that's
all season, Kauhi's hurt, you don't know if he's gonna play,
We don't know. And they went out and they played
a good ball game, and obviously other players contributed as well,
(05:36):
but it was, it was it was refreshing to see
like it wasn't automatic that they couldn't beat them, you know,
on the road. That's all. So we'll talk about it
in detail. Well, I don't know what, let's let's stay here.
I mean, the Clippers is a worthy story. You know,
we're gonna leave with it in a later hour, but
let's just go ahead and stay here and talk about it.
(05:57):
I was on with Colin today and Kyle heard and
he said this, and I did tend to agree with it.
He said that last night's game he thinks can be
argued as the best basketball moment in franchise history. And
I said, I would say there's two moments that would
(06:21):
be the best moments in Clippers history. When Kawhi Leonard
and and you know with him, Paul George went to
the Clippers, I agree, and Kawhi chose them over the Lakers,
and last night, now that that speaks to the futility
the organization because we know that be to the Western
Conference finals, Chris, So we do know where they've been.
(06:44):
But but it's hard to argue. I mean, I just
brought up that other game three in Dallas obviously just
the first round, but they were in serious trouble because
we talked about it. Had they lost, right, Chris, this
franchise wouldn't look the same. The people might have stopped
building that state him an ingle one, you know what
I mean, could you stop production trying to coax the
Lakers to move there? I'm serious, like, like what do
(07:08):
we building this for? It would have been bad? I mean,
are we keep bringing him up? But you know he's
our man, stephen A. Stephen Ay, did you hear what
he said? No, they lost. I don't know if it
was if they lost the Dallas series or if it
was that they if they lost this series to Utah,
you know, before Kauai's injury, right, he said he'd move
(07:28):
on from Kauai. That's just yeah, I think that's an overstatement.
I Mean, his thing was, you can't build around this
Guy's not gonna win for us, and we gotta build
around somebody who's in the low management. It's tough. I
get what he's talking about with the low management. But
the thing is this, rob even if you don't win
a championship, Utah is a great franchise. They've never won
(07:50):
a championship, right, No, you know they had they had
two Hall of famers play together, Christpoher what thirteen fourteen?
Oh no, from almost twenty was it the same about eighteen?
Stock think got drafted eighty five Malone I believe was
eighty four. Right, So yeah, I mean they had two
(08:11):
Hall of famers played together for that long. They went
to the finals a couple of times. You know, Michael
Jordan was in a way. It ain't no, no total shame, Chris.
You know, like the greatest player ever was in their
way and they couldn't get past them. Uh, a lot
of players couldn't get past them, So it ain't just them.
And uh they were the number one seed this year
(08:34):
and they played well. It got to a pair of Jordans.
You remember Martin Wie thought they were gonna drop out
of the top four. Help but that we were like
I wanted to bet him something else. Well, you know,
I've been all over him on our podcast because uh
the Lemon Pepper Parlay podcast because Martin has been uh
not having a good postseason. But anyway, uh, last night
(08:55):
was it was a was a moment. It really was,
Chris and there was just the field there, you know,
like I know, probably did you ever get I didn't
get the sense that they were gonna lose. I know
Utah made a run and made it close when they
cut it down to four or six or something like that,
I think four four, And that was the moment, you
(09:15):
know what I mean, that was like the moment right
there for six. But one of those two when and
this is one of the things I give Paul George
great credit for his twenty two first half points were
huge because man, Rob, I don't know if I've seen
the team that on fire from three. I guess the
one time, remember when Cleveland got there one win in
(09:37):
the finals against Golden State. Oh, they made every name. Yes,
it was ridiculous. That's how Utah was doing last night.
They hit seventeen threes in the first run in the
first quarter. If you had ten in a quarter, that's
forty So imagine having forty threes in the game. They
hit ten in the first quarter, and yet they were
up by a point after the first quarter. They had
(10:00):
half right right right, when I saw that, that did
make me think, now I did feel like Utah was
gonna win. But that was, you know, scary if you
were thinking the Jazz, we're gonna win, because it's like, oh,
they they it's doubtful they'll keep shooting this well, and
they're only the game is close. If they just cool
(10:24):
off a little bit, then you gotta think the Clippers
are gonna be able to take command. Right, And that's
what happened. You always gotta remember that there is Chris
and that's not every one. In the while, the team
will be hot, and they'll just be hot the whole game.
But for the most part, that's those things even out,
you know what I mean, It corrects itself. And you
(10:45):
were anybody looking at that said, how did they hit
ten threes in the first quarter? They only leave by one? Right, right,
they didn't bury them? And and and ribe I thought, now,
Donovan Mitchell didn't have it going and and in a
in a strange twist, I think they're three points shooting.
He never really got in a rhythm because everybody was
(11:07):
draining three so much, you know that that he just
really never got his game going. I know, the ankles
there and all that, but he never really got it going.
And typically you'll say, well, hey, we'll take them hitting
threes like that, yeah, because usually if you're hitting at
that rate, you'd be up big and you wouldn't need
Donovan to be at his best right But last night,
(11:28):
because they didn't have the big league when they needed
him to take over, because everybody else cooled off, he couldn't.
He couldn't. And so props to the Clippers man. They
showed hard and again ty Lou Rob he had Reggie
Jackson hunting the defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert
(11:50):
in the picking roll, and so they get it switched.
So where Gobert was on Reggie Jackson, and obviously Gobert
is not comfortable out there at the three point line
or or at at seventeen feet or whatever it was,
and Jackson was braining threes on him. And that was
a big another great adjustment and moved by Tyler. They
(12:11):
went small rob And yeah, tylu has made moves. Chris
made no doubt changes, not afraid to say, you know what,
this ain't working or we need to do this and
you ain't playing this game, you know, to some of
the big names. Rondo, he's unleashed, Terrence Man, he's playing, well,
(12:34):
why not play the kid? Right? Yep? Yep, yep. So
props to the Clippers. Um, you think they close it
out tomorrow? Obviously we'll talk about it in depth tomorrow.
But you've got that feeling. I do, I really, I
really really do. I think that this isn't They don't
want to make it any harder, you know, trying to
win a game seven. I think this is their game
(12:55):
to to just finally break through, you know what I mean,
Like they've had enough. Last was nothing but hard break
and this year has been nothing but resiliency. I mean,
I just can't get over what they've been able to do.
The four road playoff wins, Chris, so far, you know,
they haven't played nearly as well as they need to
(13:15):
at home. So I think here's their opportunity just to
to win it, bust through, get to the Western Conference finals.
I really think that they can get it done. I'm
not that far. Really, yeah, I mean, they obviously they
could win. I mean, they're they're in you know, they have,
They're in the driver's seat, let's put it that way.
But I would not be surprised, and I think the
(13:39):
Jazz still has a good chance to win this series.
I don't think it's a travesty. If they lose. Obviously,
they're up three two, they're going home. You you you know,
you hope they can pull it off. If they don't,
I won't kill them. I won't be like, oh, you're
up three two, how do you blow this? I mean
they are under man they are without that. I still
got good players, obvious, but they are without their top player.
(14:04):
If they wouldness without Kawhar these last two games, my god,
that right. And if they win it, Rob, I'll see
who I'm a pick. I'm not sure With Kawhi, I
would have definitely picked the Clippers. But I do definitely
think the Clippers have a good shot. Okay, like against
the Suns if they get you know, obviously you got
(14:25):
the issue with Chris Paul. But if the if the
Clippers beat Utah, particularly either way, but particularly if they
beat them in six, then they're gonna feel great going
into that series. Can they not? Yeah? I mean you
gotta give them a legitimate chance because in addition to
Chris Paul's injury, Rob Phoenix is young, they are haven't
(14:46):
been there and they've beaten well. It would be the
same with the Clippers without Kawhi, but you know they
Denver wasn't healthy, the Lakers weren't healthy. So it'll be
a good when I make my pick before that series
if it happens. But props to the Clippers and great
job on them. Eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox
eight seven seven nine ninety six sixty three sixty nine.
(15:09):
Your thought on the Clippers performance last night? Were you surprised?
Remember Rob, most of our callers were with me. They
know nobody was with me, right, right? So were you surprised?
And do you think they close them out tomorrow night?
In six eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox, You'll
turn away in with the Be sure to catch live
editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob
(15:31):
Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern, four pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. All right,
it's the Eye Couple. And this song, of course, is
letting all y'all know that this is a TV theme
song Thursday and it's the Golden Girls in full effect.
That's right, all right. I guess he played that because
(15:52):
Rob was right on his Clippers predictions. Yes, I was,
thank you for being the Frank Chris Broussard. Did I
text you I want to walk in the morning? I think, yeah,
I was. So, you know what, It's nothing like receiving
the text from a friend saying I told you. I
told you nothing else I told you you. But that
(16:13):
was a but that was a big one because you
just had You were like, no, they'd not winning, Like no,
that move. You didn't budge, You were like no, man,
you know what, Rob. It's one of those things. I
don't even regret it because I felt so strongly about it,
you know what I mean, because you had conviction, right Yeah. Yeah,
I really was like, no way, and but they were
I was wrong. They were right. So all right eight seven,
(16:35):
seven ninety nine or Fox, you're turning the way in
on the Clippers. Great upset last night. What do you think?
All right, let's kick it off with Trent in Arizona.
You're on the couple of Fox Sports Radio What Up, Trent?
What's Up? By a couple of first time caller love
the show good, Thank you, Thank you, Rob. That was
(16:57):
gonna make do take yesterday. I love the cantrarian point
of you. You're looking for playoff Paul to come out
and have a big game. He did it. The Clippers
shoot and forty from three. Wow, that's not happening again
the series. Oh, Donovan, Mitchell and the boys are gonna
take care of business in seven. Mark, Okay, it's very possible,
(17:20):
I think, Rob. I think it's fifty fifty. I really do.
I think I think it's like I don't think the
Clippers obviously have the upper hand, but I don't think
they're in control. I'm gonna tell you why. I think
it's it's not and the Clippers are gonna win. They've
been through unbelievable hell, being down O two and both
being basically counted out. I really think that this is
(17:42):
turned the franchise what they Chris, because you said that
if they win, they're gonna do something that nobody has
ever done. That's like, that's like what you need to
to be able to have an exorcism, right, Chris, and
get rid of the demons. Like I think that this
hard road. Remember last year was supposed to be Oh,
they're going to the finals. They got everything and all
(18:03):
that and this ship right away and they get in
the hole to Dallas look bad at home and people
are ready to trash them, and they fought back. I
just think they're resilient. That's really what I'm with you
on that, because we talked about that in the Dallas
series that if they somehow come back and win this, yeah,
(18:23):
it could really just kind of remove the cloud from
over the franchise. But that's when Kawhi was there. That's thing.
He's not there, and that's something. Now, look, with the injuries,
it's not out of the Can you imagine if they
won the championship without because what who knows what can
(18:43):
happen with Brooklyn. I mean, you don't know who's coming
out of the East Heck. I mean I can't say
see it being Atlanta. But I mean the way injuries are,
all it takes is an injury and you don't know
who you're gonna face, and I guess it's not out
of the realm of possibility, but that would be shocking
all it would be? All right? Rob in Atlanta, you're
on the couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Rob Hey,
(19:07):
what's going on, guys? You good good? So I just
want to say I'm not surprised that the Clippers won
because they have much better role players this year. And
if you go back to the off season, the whole media,
you know, FS ONE, ESPN, everybody, Twitter, Oh, the Lakers,
and I have to talk about the Lakers a little
bit because that's who the Clippers are always compared against. Oh,
(19:27):
the Lakers have the deepest team, the best off season,
blah blah blah. But you saw what happened when Aid
went down and Lebron had to rely on his role players.
He had mine trads. I call him mine trash. He's unplayable.
He was the reason why the Clippers lost last year.
This is the vindication year of the Clippers. You see
was his plus finally blowing well? His plus was an
(19:51):
issue in the locker room too. Yeah, his plus minus
was bad for the Clippers last year. That's why they
didn't fight to keep them. He didn't exactly. And then
you think Rivers blowing leaves just like the Clippers blue
multiple digit, double digit leads. This is a vindication year
for the Clippers. Everybody who defended the Clippers, like myself,
was saying anything last year. Oh, you're making excuses Kawhi
(20:13):
and PGR chokers, even though Kauai is the two times
final finals MVP. Everybody's been writing off the Clippers all years.
They got no chance. Now everybody's trying to act like,
oh what, they're supposed to make the finals. No, y'all
have been saying they have no chance in their chokers.
So I just want to say that I'm not surprised.
I know why everyone else is surprised because they overhyped
the Lakers. They went off the bubble and they didn't
(20:33):
blame the right people for the reasons why the Clippers lost.
And that sais thanks, thanks, he got his chest out.
That's in his voice. I hear you. Just back if
they don't win, it back. If they win, they wrap. Yeah,
I'll call back with that same, no doubt. What about Shelton,
who's in Utah. I can just imagine you're on the
(20:55):
odd couple of Fox sportuaded. What's up? Shelton? Hey, what's up?
And Chris love to tell you, thank you, thank you.
M Yeah, I'm a lifetime, lifetime jazz fan. But you
can stick a fork in them. They're done. Really really
tell me why? Yeah, writing, I think writing is all
(21:16):
over the walls. I've watched them, you know, they had
this was the perfect opportunity for them to seize the
moment and win the game, try to get to the
Sun series without Chris Paul. I mean, they had it
all all right there, get back rap for him, and
they just they folded. And uh, I think you're going
to see him give up on the first quarter of
(21:36):
the game tomorrow and after that. Wow, Shelton, if you're right,
you better call back tomorrow the next after they play.
When they play, is it Friday, Friday? Friday, Friday, Friday, Sunday, Yeah, Friday. Yeah?
Why Faith kle No, But I understand a little bit.
Why if you're a Jazz fan you're bummed out Chris
(21:57):
because because no Kauwai at home? Right, Seriously, I gotta
win that game. But do you think they're gonna throw
in the town if the Clippers jump all over him
and they're up by twenty five. I mean, that's one thing,
and even then you keep fighting. But I don't I
don't see them in a tough, tough game, close game.
(22:18):
I don't see them throwing in the town. They might
get beat, you know, but I don't see him throwing
in the side. Hey, let's squeeze in Omar real quick
in DC. You're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio.
What's up, Omar? You know what's going on? Fella's how
y'all doing doing good? Are you all right? I'm good?
Thank you? Hey man, I think it's still a toss up, man.
I mean, you know, I know playoff p had a virtuo,
(22:40):
so he does that every now and then the playoffs,
So I'm not surprised about that. But more so I
thought it was more Reggie Jackson and more man. I
think and and and also you know, the insertion of
man getting more minutes. I think it was more the
role players. I don't think Paul George is gonna be
able to carry that load. But Chris. One thing Chris said, though,
(23:07):
is right that he kept him in that game when
they were knocking down all those threes, right, Chris, uh,
And he hit the big shot as Utah was closing
what with about a minute and a half left over
Royce O'Neil and got fouled. That was the big shot.
And but I hear the call, like you know, I
don't know if you saw this. Rob Surgeon Baka came
out with the tweet demanding everybody apologized, signing an apology form.
(23:32):
Oh I saw it. I saw that on social media too.
You had seen it. But he got ripped because people
are and I get it. Look as great as Paul
George was last night, and he was tremendous. Rob, the
series ain't over, no, I know. And if they don't
win this thing, yeah, people be like, Oh, he showed up,
but if he doesn't play that well in the next
(23:53):
two games and they lose, that's gonna be forgotten. There's
no doubt. But but the only thing I'm gonna say is,
had he like turned in a stinker with no Kawhi yesterday, Chris,
he would have been killed today. Okay, no doubt. So
so so that's why you gotta make you gotta give him.
You gotta give him credit. When he showed up thirty seven,
(24:13):
everyone like, and I've got to give credit. I'm just saying,
don't expect people to all you how I get that. Yeah,
I get that. I win this series and people, I
think we'll give him they win tomorrow again without Kawi
Love Game six, it'll be something to talk about. Fox
Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
(24:34):
Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio dot com
and within the iHeartRadio app. Search f SR to listen live. Hey,
this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on
my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your
typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your
throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on
(24:57):
all the biggest sports headlines. Accurate. That's to help you
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Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with
Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever
you get your podcasts. The I Couple coming to you
live from the Fox Sports Radio studios. Our next guest
(25:19):
was a colleague of ours back at ESPN, went on
to make a major move and become the vice president
of basketball Operations for the Memphis Grizzlies and now back
in the media business as a senior NBA columnist for
The Athletic John Hollinger, What is up, man, It's been years, Yes, man,
(25:43):
how are you how are you. I'm doing great, great
talking to you. How let me ask you this. I mean,
I mentioned you went from media into the front office
back to the media. Which is there a preference for you?
I mean, obviously be open to general manager making more
money than money I guess. But but it's pure field, right,
(26:04):
Like what is that life? So you you have an
easier life on the media side, And it's not that
you don't work as hard. It's more that your brain
can shut off. Uh, it's just it just never stops
on the team side. Um, and even even when there's
quote unquote a break like your your brain just never
(26:25):
stops churning. So I'd say that's probably that's probably the
biggest difference, is that you can you can kind of
you can kind of xhil more on on the media side.
So anyway, they're both. They're both fun and in in
their own way. Uh So it's hard to for me
to say like one is better than the other. But uh,
(26:48):
in terms of uh kind of having a balanced life, Yeah,
the media side is probably a little better. Yeah, I
can see that. Ye see, Hey John helped me out
with the Philadelphia seventy sixers. Is this a coach thing
or general manager thing. And what I mean is, you know,
(27:08):
do they have the right personnel the right people, or
do they have the right coach? How do you blow
a twenty six point lead at home after you blew
at eighteen point lead the game before. H it's just
you got yeah, like, yeah, obviously, what's wrong with the
(27:30):
Sixers because okay, so I think it's a few different
things going on at once. I do think they made
some interesting strategic choices let's say that probably weren't beneficial,
like when when the when the Hawks are doing hack
of Ben, Like the Sixers had an entirely offensive line
about there. But if they're hacking Simmons, that's your offense
(27:51):
every play, right, so just put your best put your
best defensive players on the court with them, then uh so,
so you can stop the Hawks. And they didn't really
do that. But I think the largest issues that though,
is just Simmons with MBID and I think they, you know,
they've really tried to put in different pieces to make
this work, and I think it's really at the point
(28:14):
where you say, in the one, you get to the
playoffs and teams can scheme for you and do different
two different things, like it's just hard to have great
half court offense with a dominant post player with the
guy who's playing with him who is never gonna shoot
from from the perimeter. I mean, these last two games
in the second half, he's to be taking like two
shots and they were both out of the oops. Is
(28:35):
that right? Like ridiculous? Ridiculous? And then the foul the
foul shooting too, obviously is a is another layer too.
It's a shame because with Simmons and mbid there there, well,
they ought to be dominant defensively annually. They got torched
at the end of the game last night. But uh,
but just offensively the way the NBA set up, right,
(28:57):
if if you can't, if you can't play offense with
at least four guys out, you just can't. You just
can't score enough, no matter what you have at the
other end. So I think that's something they really have
to look at, is just do they need to go
in a different direction with this partnership, because I think
Simmons is a guy who on a different team could
(29:18):
actually be a lot more valuable if there were four
other guys around him who could shoot, and you could
play him like as a as a kind of you know,
junk ball five and certain lineups and stuff. I think
you'd see his value go up, but it doesn't really
work doing that with him on this team, with Mbad
already there. No. I agree, you could actually kind of
(29:38):
play him like Milwaukee does with Yannis. Yeah. So let
me ask you, if you were running the Sixers, and
let's say they lose this series or lose in the
next round, what would be your offseason priority, Like, what
would you do with Simmons or Embad or what. I
think you have to figure out if you can convert
Simmons into another perimeter player who's I would say, like
(30:06):
a more traditional perimeter player where it's you know, the shooting,
the passing, the offense. Maybe he isn't a dominant defender,
but that that type of player. And it's always hard
when you when you talk about trading a start, you're
trying to get another star back, and there's not that
many of them, and most of them are not on
the trade market, so it's it's a difficult ask. But
(30:27):
at the same time, I think I think the Sixers
owe it to themselves to figure out if this is
really the best pairing for Embiid, and I think and
I think it has to go that way because Embiid
is the dominant player of the two. So I think
you have to look at what is the best we
can do around MBAD And I just don't think the
Simmons piece of it fits as well as it needs
(30:48):
to fit to win a championship. How about talking about
winning a championship? Brooklyn has a shot? What did you
make of durance I mean performance? No kywee hardened one
for ten, you know, just was out there and facilitating,
but couldn't that didn't have his legs, couldn't make any shots.
How big of a performance was that? Down by what
(31:10):
were they down by seventeen in the third quarter and
come back and win that game? Unbelievable, unbelievable performance us
as much as the Bucks has been criticized and some
of the things I think could be criticized that they did,
Like you go back and look like Durant hit some
pretty tough shots, I mean and in some pretty difficult situation,
(31:32):
shots that normally you'd probably be okay with, you know,
kipping up if you're a defense. But he's he's so
big and he's such a good shooter. He just gets
it off right over the top of the defense and
it and for him it is not a difficult shot,
especially the one three part he made right towards the
end at the end of the shot clock, just stop
one dribble and chucked it up going to his right.
(31:54):
And yeah, I mean that was that was like the
Sherry on the Sunday right. But and all time performance,
I would say, probably the definitive durant performance in his career. Quickly, John,
if you can within a minute, um, what do you
make of the injuries? You saw Lebron James tweeting about
the condensed offseason? You buy that or what your thoughts?
(32:16):
I mean, it was about the Benjamin's right, That's why
they did this. When you when you go into October
of the previous season, you have to squeeze the next
off season, the next two off seasons really like an accordion,
just to just to get in another season in between.
I don't know what other choice they had. They had
to pull the time out of somewhere. So unless they
(32:36):
were going to play a massively shorter season and lose
out on a lot of money because of that, this
was the best alternative, the least bad alternative, basically right.
And the players bought in and I don't blame them,
but they were gonna lose what between five hundred billion
and or five hundred million and a billion a billion? Yeah,
saw a lot of money. I get it. Yeah, I
get it. John, great stuff. Ye bring you back on
(33:01):
the show. We'll get you on in the future. Man,
keep up the yep all right? Aaron Rodgers is being
called selfish? Is that right? Keep it locked? A couple
of Fox Sports Radio You Aaron Rodgers. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar
then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm
(33:24):
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
It sounds like some type of show out of Compton
or something. What is it? What show is this? TV? Theme?
So a couple of brothers? Yes, sir Kell, Yeah, I
never watched that. I only saw the one. I mean
(33:46):
I saw bits and pieces, but I saw yeah, and
obviously the one was Is it kl Keenan? Which one
was on Saturday Night? Keenan Keenan is the one, right
running dude I've ever seen on Saturday Night? Love right, No,
he's he had a show on NBC. But but yeah,
he's been on for a long time. You know who
(34:08):
is that? It sounds noo. Don't tell me, Come on
coolio No, no, no, no, keep going DJ quick all dirty,
baldy b yes, sir, Okay, okay, yeah, all right, it's
a TV theme. So on Thursday with the Eye Couple
coming you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios. Let's
go to the NFL quickly, Rob, we keep bringing this
up Aaron Rodgers, and an anonymous former GM ROB said this.
(34:35):
He told I'm sorry, I don't know who it was,
but uh, he said this about Aaron Rodgers. The guys selfish.
Teammates don't like him, coaches don't like him. It's all
about Aaron. They all deal with him because he's a superstar.
He helps guys make money and put food on the
(34:56):
table for their kids, and people respect him for that. Look,
I don't know whether that's the case or not. I'm
sure obviously there's probably some people that don't like him
in the locker room others that do. But I'll say this, right,
I don't know if he's a selfish person or not.
I do think this is becoming selfish. I really this
whole situation because if it was about the money, I
(35:21):
would get that, and I know you think it may be,
but you know, there's indications it's not right. They're willing
to go contract extension. He's not really hearing that. You
just keep hearing he wants out. It's it's really the
way he's treated. And I just think you're under contract.
If it's not about the money, then it really just
seems the ball down. Your feelings are hurt, and you're
(35:44):
putting an entire team of players, forget the front office.
I'm talking about your teammates, the dude you go to
battle with. They're counting on you, and I think they
you know, I understand it. Again, if it's the money
and it's your time to get paid and they're not
trying to do you right, that's one thing. But just
(36:05):
because your feelings are hurt because they didn't pick up
the phone they call, you're not getting your upset, speak
your piece, let them know what you feel whatever. But
and if Rob it's like I'm out, I don't care,
didn't say it. Stop playing the games because and maybe
you're talking to guys off the you know, off the
(36:26):
record or you're talking to him privately. But does Davante
Adams know what's really going on? Does Aaron Jones know
what's really going on? Do his teammates know what's really
going on. I'd like to see him just come out
and say, look, I want out. I've had a great
run with the Packers. I'm bothered by the way the
organizations run. I don't like the way they've treated me
(36:48):
and just some other things they've done. I want out.
So your teammates at least, no, All right, we gotta
move on. I think it's becoming a selfish act. Well,
any time it is about you and it is about him,
it's selfish. Whether whether uh that you know, it's still
by definition is selfish because it is about him and
(37:11):
he's on a team and thinking about anybody else. Right, yeah,
and and and that's really what it is, what the
problem is. And has he addressed it, Chris, I'm gonna
assume because the only things I've seen from his teammates
is that they're in full support of him. So I'm
assuming he's communicated with those guys. I mean, right, haven't
you seen those quotes? I've seen those quotes. Um, some
(37:33):
guys he's talked to. I mean, Adam, Yeah, I've seen it.
But you know, I would think I would think I
would hope Rob that they've talked. Yeah, I would think so,
because at some point then if he's not communicating with them,
then they would turn on him. I mean, you know
that we talk about it all the time. You can
tell because when there came a point in Kawai's career
(37:54):
in San Antonio where they was sticking the dogs on him.
Am I right, Chris to remember he wasn't he wasn't
that star that he is now. But Tony Parker went
public against him, and so does men. Do you never
hear that? That's what I mean. Yeah, I just think
(38:18):
if I'm one of his teammates, and again, if it's
happening behind the scenes, didn't fine. But I want to know, Rob.
I want to Just like you said, it's a team sport.
There's certain situations where it just affects you, you know,
and you can be all you have to worry about
is yourself. But this is a team sport and you
are the quarterback and there are other guys depending on you,
(38:40):
you know. So I do think it's becoming a selfish act.
All right eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox, You'll
be the call in next hour. Keep it locked, We
got two hours to go. I couple Fox Sports Radio
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from seven pm
to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R.
(00:25):
You're listening to Fox Sports RADIOAU. It is The I Couple.
I am Chris Bruce Hard alongside my partner Rob Parker,
(00:47):
and we're coming to you live from the Fox Sports
Radio studios. Good Live, and we got a heck of
a show. I mean the NBA. Look, I get it.
Everybody's talking about the injuries and all the stars that
are out, and Lebron's tweeting up a frenzy about it.
I get it, and I hate to see these guys injured.
(01:09):
I wish every team, every star was healthy. But I
gotta say this, the NBA playoffs have still been great, fantastic, terrific, tremendous.
I am enjoying these games to no end. Who's paying you, nobody, Okay,
(01:34):
I'm just enjoying it. The game. I mean to come
back from Atlanta last night, the upset by the Clippers
yesterday and now we got the nets and you know
the Bucks tonight and all the drama. Who wouldn't love this?
I know, I sound like Rob talking about MLB. I
(01:57):
never talked about it from the heart. I'm enjoyed it.
Sound like you sound like you need a little baby oil,
and uh, you know, goodness speak for yourself. Yeah, so
we would get into all of this, and uh, of
course we got guests and starting with John Hollingder our
(02:18):
former colleague, ribbed back at the old place and uh,
he now works for the Athletic, used to be the
GM of the Memphis Grizzlies. He went from writing to
a GM. And uh, I'm tapping to a number of guys.
You know that that's happened to a number of guys
in baseball, especially Fred Claire Chris was a longtime general
manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was a sportswriter, and uh,
(02:43):
Frank Cashion with the Mets was a sportswriter I think
in Baltimore. But he had it happened to any brothers.
Uh No, I'm just saying that. I know, I'm just
you know what I'm saying. David Cohn, remember all the
great things he did in Minnesota, like drafting Ricky Ruby.
They draft Rickie Rubro. Yeah, I think he drafted the
(03:04):
kid out of Syracuse, the little point guard ahead oft
was that ahead of Steph. It was bad though, but
he was a sportswriter. Let's start with all right, so
let's welcome into our couple of crew. We got DJ
Alex Tyshert a k A. Alex the Vegan, a k
A time crazy, getting ready seen. He is on the
(03:25):
ones and the twos. And we have, of course, not
the super producer Rob. You know, I mean it's just
that time. You know, he's been working for like ten
straight days. We had to take a vacation day. But
we got superproducer lead the lap instead and we are
in good hands there and on the updates mister David
(03:47):
Gascon the second. All right, Rob, let's get into it,
and let me start this out by saying it, because um,
I know you just waiting, So I'm gonna give you
your props. You said yesterday, and we'll get into it
in detail and later in the show. But you said
yesterday you were going with the Clippers. Now I said
(04:11):
they had no chance, not no way, no how right,
and I said it without trepidation, and I was wrong.
Props to the Clippers, great performance. As I said, we'll
get into it in detail. And props to you. I
know it was luck, but still props to you for
(04:31):
your pick of the Clippers last night. Good good, good job. Hey,
I appreciate it. But as I told you before, Chris,
you know, like we do this right. It's about trying
to be right. Look at a situation and I know,
like you look at it and go Kawhi's not planning.
They can't win. This team has been through so much
and it was just one of those opportunities for Paul
(04:54):
George Right to step up and play. We know he's
talented obviously, Lee Right, but he's been disappointing a lot.
But he played really well last night and got them
a much needed win. They've done it two times now
in two series. Where I consider this, Chris, you know,
franchise turning, You know what I mean. We talked about
(05:14):
it with Dallas when they were down thirty to eleven
in Game three. You remember about to get buried. They
won that game on the road. Here's another one, all right.
It was nice they tied it two two they get
the bad news. They could go like, well, if that's
all season, Kauhi's hurt, you don't know if he's gonna play,
We don't know. And they went out and they played
a good ball game, and obviously other players contributed as well,
(05:36):
but it was, it was it was refreshing to see
like it wasn't automatic that they couldn't beat them, you know,
on the road. That's all. So we'll talk about it
in detail. Well, I don't know what, let's let's stay here.
I mean, the Clippers is a worthy story. You know,
we're gonna leave with it in a later hour, but
let's just go ahead and stay here and talk about it.
(05:57):
I was on with Colin today and Kyle heard and
he said this, and I did tend to agree with it.
He said that last night's game he thinks can be
argued as the best basketball moment in franchise history. And
I said, I would say there's two moments that would
(06:21):
be the best moments in Clippers history. When Kawhi Leonard
and and you know with him, Paul George went to
the Clippers, I agree, and Kawhi chose them over the Lakers,
and last night, now that that speaks to the futility
the organization because we know that be to the Western
Conference finals, Chris, So we do know where they've been.
(06:44):
But but it's hard to argue. I mean, I just
brought up that other game three in Dallas obviously just
the first round, but they were in serious trouble because
we talked about it. Had they lost, right, Chris, this
franchise wouldn't look the same. The people might have stopped
building that state him an ingle one, you know what
I mean, could you stop production trying to coax the
Lakers to move there? I'm serious, like, like what do
(07:08):
we building this for? It would have been bad? I mean,
are we keep bringing him up? But you know he's
our man, stephen A. Stephen Ay, did you hear what
he said? No, they lost. I don't know if it
was if they lost the Dallas series or if it
was that they if they lost this series to Utah,
you know, before Kauai's injury, right, he said he'd move
(07:28):
on from Kauai. That's just yeah, I think that's an overstatement.
I Mean, his thing was, you can't build around this
Guy's not gonna win for us, and we gotta build
around somebody who's in the low management. It's tough. I
get what he's talking about with the low management. But
the thing is this, rob even if you don't win
a championship, Utah is a great franchise. They've never won
(07:50):
a championship, right, No, you know they had they had
two Hall of famers play together, Christpoher what thirteen fourteen?
Oh no, from almost twenty was it the same about eighteen?
Stock think got drafted eighty five Malone I believe was
eighty four. Right, So yeah, I mean they had two
(08:11):
Hall of famers played together for that long. They went
to the finals a couple of times. You know, Michael
Jordan was in a way. It ain't no, no total shame, Chris.
You know, like the greatest player ever was in their
way and they couldn't get past them. Uh, a lot
of players couldn't get past them, So it ain't just them.
And uh they were the number one seed this year
(08:34):
and they played well. It got to a pair of Jordans.
You remember Martin Wie thought they were gonna drop out
of the top four. Help but that we were like
I wanted to bet him something else. Well, you know,
I've been all over him on our podcast because uh
the Lemon Pepper Parlay podcast because Martin has been uh
not having a good postseason. But anyway, uh, last night
(08:55):
was it was a was a moment. It really was,
Chris and there was just the field there, you know,
like I know, probably did you ever get I didn't
get the sense that they were gonna lose. I know
Utah made a run and made it close when they
cut it down to four or six or something like that,
I think four four, And that was the moment, you
(09:15):
know what I mean, that was like the moment right
there for six. But one of those two when and
this is one of the things I give Paul George
great credit for his twenty two first half points were
huge because man, Rob, I don't know if I've seen
the team that on fire from three. I guess the
one time, remember when Cleveland got there one win in
(09:37):
the finals against Golden State. Oh, they made every name. Yes,
it was ridiculous. That's how Utah was doing last night.
They hit seventeen threes in the first run in the
first quarter. If you had ten in a quarter, that's
forty So imagine having forty threes in the game. They
hit ten in the first quarter, and yet they were
up by a point after the first quarter. They had
(10:00):
half right right right, when I saw that, that did
make me think, now I did feel like Utah was
gonna win. But that was, you know, scary if you
were thinking the Jazz, we're gonna win, because it's like, oh,
they they it's doubtful they'll keep shooting this well, and
they're only the game is close. If they just cool
(10:24):
off a little bit, then you gotta think the Clippers
are gonna be able to take command. Right, And that's
what happened. You always gotta remember that there is Chris
and that's not every one. In the while, the team
will be hot, and they'll just be hot the whole game.
But for the most part, that's those things even out,
you know what I mean, It corrects itself. And you
(10:45):
were anybody looking at that said, how did they hit
ten threes in the first quarter? They only leave by one? Right, right,
they didn't bury them? And and and ribe I thought, now,
Donovan Mitchell didn't have it going and and in a
in a strange twist, I think they're three points shooting.
He never really got in a rhythm because everybody was
(11:07):
draining three so much, you know that that he just
really never got his game going. I know, the ankles
there and all that, but he never really got it going.
And typically you'll say, well, hey, we'll take them hitting
threes like that, yeah, because usually if you're hitting at
that rate, you'd be up big and you wouldn't need
Donovan to be at his best right But last night,
(11:28):
because they didn't have the big league when they needed
him to take over, because everybody else cooled off, he couldn't.
He couldn't. And so props to the Clippers man. They
showed hard and again ty Lou Rob he had Reggie
Jackson hunting the defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert
(11:50):
in the picking roll, and so they get it switched.
So where Gobert was on Reggie Jackson, and obviously Gobert
is not comfortable out there at the three point line
or or at at seventeen feet or whatever it was,
and Jackson was braining threes on him. And that was
a big another great adjustment and moved by Tyler. They
(12:11):
went small rob And yeah, tylu has made moves. Chris
made no doubt changes, not afraid to say, you know what,
this ain't working or we need to do this and
you ain't playing this game, you know, to some of
the big names. Rondo, he's unleashed, Terrence Man, he's playing, well,
(12:34):
why not play the kid? Right? Yep? Yep, yep. So
props to the Clippers. Um, you think they close it
out tomorrow? Obviously we'll talk about it in depth tomorrow.
But you've got that feeling. I do, I really, I
really really do. I think that this isn't They don't
want to make it any harder, you know, trying to
win a game seven. I think this is their game
(12:55):
to to just finally break through, you know what I mean,
Like they've had enough. Last was nothing but hard break
and this year has been nothing but resiliency. I mean,
I just can't get over what they've been able to do.
The four road playoff wins, Chris, so far, you know,
they haven't played nearly as well as they need to
(13:15):
at home. So I think here's their opportunity just to
to win it, bust through, get to the Western Conference finals.
I really think that they can get it done. I'm
not that far. Really, yeah, I mean, they obviously they
could win. I mean, they're they're in you know, they have,
They're in the driver's seat, let's put it that way.
But I would not be surprised, and I think the
(13:39):
Jazz still has a good chance to win this series.
I don't think it's a travesty. If they lose. Obviously,
they're up three two, they're going home. You you you know,
you hope they can pull it off. If they don't,
I won't kill them. I won't be like, oh, you're
up three two, how do you blow this? I mean
they are under man they are without that. I still
got good players, obvious, but they are without their top player.
(14:04):
If they wouldness without Kawhar these last two games, my god,
that right. And if they win it, Rob, I'll see
who I'm a pick. I'm not sure With Kawhi, I
would have definitely picked the Clippers. But I do definitely
think the Clippers have a good shot. Okay, like against
the Suns if they get you know, obviously you got
(14:25):
the issue with Chris Paul. But if the if the
Clippers beat Utah, particularly either way, but particularly if they
beat them in six, then they're gonna feel great going
into that series. Can they not? Yeah? I mean you
gotta give them a legitimate chance because in addition to
Chris Paul's injury, Rob Phoenix is young, they are haven't
(14:46):
been there and they've beaten well. It would be the
same with the Clippers without Kawhi, but you know they
Denver wasn't healthy, the Lakers weren't healthy. So it'll be
a good when I make my pick before that series
if it happens. But props to the Clippers and great
job on them. Eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox
eight seven seven nine ninety six sixty three sixty nine.
(15:09):
Your thought on the Clippers performance last night? Were you surprised?
Remember Rob, most of our callers were with me. They
know nobody was with me, right, right? So were you surprised?
And do you think they close them out tomorrow night?
In six eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox, You'll
turn away in with the Be sure to catch live
editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob
(15:31):
Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern, four pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. All right,
it's the Eye Couple. And this song, of course, is
letting all y'all know that this is a TV theme
song Thursday and it's the Golden Girls in full effect.
That's right, all right. I guess he played that because
(15:52):
Rob was right on his Clippers predictions. Yes, I was,
thank you for being the Frank Chris Broussard. Did I
text you I want to walk in the morning? I think, yeah,
I was. So, you know what, It's nothing like receiving
the text from a friend saying I told you. I
told you nothing else I told you you. But that
(16:13):
was a but that was a big one because you
just had You were like, no, they'd not winning, Like no,
that move. You didn't budge, You were like no, man,
you know what, Rob. It's one of those things. I
don't even regret it because I felt so strongly about it,
you know what I mean, because you had conviction, right Yeah. Yeah,
I really was like, no way, and but they were
I was wrong. They were right. So all right eight seven,
(16:35):
seven ninety nine or Fox, you're turning the way in
on the Clippers. Great upset last night. What do you think?
All right, let's kick it off with Trent in Arizona.
You're on the couple of Fox Sports Radio What Up, Trent?
What's Up? By a couple of first time caller love
the show good, Thank you, Thank you, Rob. That was
(16:57):
gonna make do take yesterday. I love the cantrarian point
of you. You're looking for playoff Paul to come out
and have a big game. He did it. The Clippers
shoot and forty from three. Wow, that's not happening again
the series. Oh, Donovan, Mitchell and the boys are gonna
take care of business in seven. Mark, Okay, it's very possible,
(17:20):
I think, Rob. I think it's fifty fifty. I really do.
I think I think it's like I don't think the
Clippers obviously have the upper hand, but I don't think
they're in control. I'm gonna tell you why. I think
it's it's not and the Clippers are gonna win. They've
been through unbelievable hell, being down O two and both
being basically counted out. I really think that this is
(17:42):
turned the franchise what they Chris, because you said that
if they win, they're gonna do something that nobody has
ever done. That's like, that's like what you need to
to be able to have an exorcism, right, Chris, and
get rid of the demons. Like I think that this
hard road. Remember last year was supposed to be Oh,
they're going to the finals. They got everything and all
(18:03):
that and this ship right away and they get in
the hole to Dallas look bad at home and people
are ready to trash them, and they fought back. I
just think they're resilient. That's really what I'm with you
on that, because we talked about that in the Dallas
series that if they somehow come back and win this, yeah,
(18:23):
it could really just kind of remove the cloud from
over the franchise. But that's when Kawhi was there. That's thing.
He's not there, and that's something. Now, look, with the injuries,
it's not out of the Can you imagine if they
won the championship without because what who knows what can
(18:43):
happen with Brooklyn. I mean, you don't know who's coming
out of the East Heck. I mean I can't say
see it being Atlanta. But I mean the way injuries are,
all it takes is an injury and you don't know
who you're gonna face, and I guess it's not out
of the realm of possibility, but that would be shocking
all it would be? All right? Rob in Atlanta, you're
on the couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Rob Hey,
(19:07):
what's going on, guys? You good good? So I just
want to say I'm not surprised that the Clippers won
because they have much better role players this year. And
if you go back to the off season, the whole media,
you know, FS ONE, ESPN, everybody, Twitter, Oh, the Lakers,
and I have to talk about the Lakers a little
bit because that's who the Clippers are always compared against. Oh,
(19:27):
the Lakers have the deepest team, the best off season,
blah blah blah. But you saw what happened when Aid
went down and Lebron had to rely on his role players.
He had mine trads. I call him mine trash. He's unplayable.
He was the reason why the Clippers lost last year.
This is the vindication year of the Clippers. You see
was his plus finally blowing well? His plus was an
(19:51):
issue in the locker room too. Yeah, his plus minus
was bad for the Clippers last year. That's why they
didn't fight to keep them. He didn't exactly. And then
you think Rivers blowing leaves just like the Clippers blue
multiple digit, double digit leads. This is a vindication year
for the Clippers. Everybody who defended the Clippers, like myself,
was saying anything last year. Oh, you're making excuses Kawhi
(20:13):
and PGR chokers, even though Kauai is the two times
final finals MVP. Everybody's been writing off the Clippers all years.
They got no chance. Now everybody's trying to act like,
oh what, they're supposed to make the finals. No, y'all
have been saying they have no chance in their chokers.
So I just want to say that I'm not surprised.
I know why everyone else is surprised because they overhyped
the Lakers. They went off the bubble and they didn't
(20:33):
blame the right people for the reasons why the Clippers lost.
And that sais thanks, thanks, he got his chest out.
That's in his voice. I hear you. Just back if
they don't win, it back. If they win, they wrap. Yeah,
I'll call back with that same, no doubt. What about Shelton,
who's in Utah. I can just imagine you're on the
(20:55):
odd couple of Fox sportuaded. What's up? Shelton? Hey, what's up?
And Chris love to tell you, thank you, thank you.
M Yeah, I'm a lifetime, lifetime jazz fan. But you
can stick a fork in them. They're done. Really really
tell me why? Yeah, writing, I think writing is all
(21:16):
over the walls. I've watched them, you know, they had
this was the perfect opportunity for them to seize the
moment and win the game, try to get to the
Sun series without Chris Paul. I mean, they had it
all all right there, get back rap for him, and
they just they folded. And uh, I think you're going
to see him give up on the first quarter of
(21:36):
the game tomorrow and after that. Wow, Shelton, if you're right,
you better call back tomorrow the next after they play.
When they play, is it Friday, Friday? Friday, Friday, Friday, Sunday, Yeah, Friday. Yeah?
Why Faith kle No, But I understand a little bit.
Why if you're a Jazz fan you're bummed out Chris
(21:57):
because because no Kauwai at home? Right, Seriously, I gotta
win that game. But do you think they're gonna throw
in the town if the Clippers jump all over him
and they're up by twenty five. I mean, that's one thing,
and even then you keep fighting. But I don't I
don't see them in a tough, tough game, close game.
(22:18):
I don't see them throwing in the town. They might
get beat, you know, but I don't see him throwing
in the side. Hey, let's squeeze in Omar real quick
in DC. You're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio.
What's up, Omar? You know what's going on? Fella's how
y'all doing doing good? Are you all right? I'm good?
Thank you? Hey man, I think it's still a toss up, man.
I mean, you know, I know playoff p had a virtuo,
(22:40):
so he does that every now and then the playoffs,
So I'm not surprised about that. But more so I
thought it was more Reggie Jackson and more man. I
think and and and also you know, the insertion of
man getting more minutes. I think it was more the
role players. I don't think Paul George is gonna be
able to carry that load. But Chris. One thing Chris said, though,
(23:07):
is right that he kept him in that game when
they were knocking down all those threes, right, Chris, uh,
And he hit the big shot as Utah was closing
what with about a minute and a half left over
Royce O'Neil and got fouled. That was the big shot.
And but I hear the call, like you know, I
don't know if you saw this. Rob Surgeon Baka came
out with the tweet demanding everybody apologized, signing an apology form.
(23:32):
Oh I saw it. I saw that on social media too.
You had seen it. But he got ripped because people
are and I get it. Look as great as Paul
George was last night, and he was tremendous. Rob, the
series ain't over, no, I know. And if they don't
win this thing, yeah, people be like, Oh, he showed up,
but if he doesn't play that well in the next
(23:53):
two games and they lose, that's gonna be forgotten. There's
no doubt. But but the only thing I'm gonna say is,
had he like turned in a stinker with no Kawhi yesterday, Chris,
he would have been killed today. Okay, no doubt. So
so so that's why you gotta make you gotta give him.
You gotta give him credit. When he showed up thirty seven,
(24:13):
everyone like, and I've got to give credit. I'm just saying,
don't expect people to all you how I get that. Yeah,
I get that. I win this series and people, I
think we'll give him they win tomorrow again without Kawi
Love Game six, it'll be something to talk about. Fox
Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
(24:34):
Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio dot com
and within the iHeartRadio app. Search f SR to listen live. Hey,
this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on
my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your
typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your
throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on
(24:57):
all the biggest sports headlines. Accurate. That's to help you
win big at the sports book and all the best guests.
Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with
Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever
you get your podcasts. The I Couple coming to you
live from the Fox Sports Radio studios. Our next guest
(25:19):
was a colleague of ours back at ESPN, went on
to make a major move and become the vice president
of basketball Operations for the Memphis Grizzlies and now back
in the media business as a senior NBA columnist for
The Athletic John Hollinger, What is up, man, It's been years, Yes, man,
(25:43):
how are you how are you. I'm doing great, great
talking to you. How let me ask you this. I mean,
I mentioned you went from media into the front office
back to the media. Which is there a preference for you?
I mean, obviously be open to general manager making more
money than money I guess. But but it's pure field, right,
(26:04):
Like what is that life? So you you have an
easier life on the media side, And it's not that
you don't work as hard. It's more that your brain
can shut off. Uh, it's just it just never stops
on the team side. Um, and even even when there's
quote unquote a break like your your brain just never
(26:25):
stops churning. So I'd say that's probably that's probably the
biggest difference, is that you can you can kind of
you can kind of xhil more on on the media side.
So anyway, they're both. They're both fun and in in
their own way. Uh So it's hard to for me
to say like one is better than the other. But uh,
(26:48):
in terms of uh kind of having a balanced life, Yeah,
the media side is probably a little better. Yeah, I
can see that. Ye see, Hey John helped me out
with the Philadelphia seventy sixers. Is this a coach thing
or general manager thing. And what I mean is, you know,
(27:08):
do they have the right personnel the right people, or
do they have the right coach? How do you blow
a twenty six point lead at home after you blew
at eighteen point lead the game before. H it's just
you got yeah, like, yeah, obviously, what's wrong with the
(27:30):
Sixers because okay, so I think it's a few different
things going on at once. I do think they made
some interesting strategic choices let's say that probably weren't beneficial,
like when when the when the Hawks are doing hack
of Ben, Like the Sixers had an entirely offensive line
about there. But if they're hacking Simmons, that's your offense
(27:51):
every play, right, so just put your best put your
best defensive players on the court with them, then uh so,
so you can stop the Hawks. And they didn't really
do that. But I think the largest issues that though,
is just Simmons with MBID and I think they, you know,
they've really tried to put in different pieces to make
this work, and I think it's really at the point
(28:14):
where you say, in the one, you get to the
playoffs and teams can scheme for you and do different
two different things, like it's just hard to have great
half court offense with a dominant post player with the
guy who's playing with him who is never gonna shoot
from from the perimeter. I mean, these last two games
in the second half, he's to be taking like two
shots and they were both out of the oops. Is
(28:35):
that right? Like ridiculous? Ridiculous? And then the foul the
foul shooting too, obviously is a is another layer too.
It's a shame because with Simmons and mbid there there, well,
they ought to be dominant defensively annually. They got torched
at the end of the game last night. But uh,
but just offensively the way the NBA set up, right,
(28:57):
if if you can't, if you can't play offense with
at least four guys out, you just can't. You just
can't score enough, no matter what you have at the
other end. So I think that's something they really have
to look at, is just do they need to go
in a different direction with this partnership, because I think
Simmons is a guy who on a different team could
(29:18):
actually be a lot more valuable if there were four
other guys around him who could shoot, and you could
play him like as a as a kind of you know,
junk ball five and certain lineups and stuff. I think
you'd see his value go up, but it doesn't really
work doing that with him on this team, with Mbad
already there. No. I agree, you could actually kind of
(29:38):
play him like Milwaukee does with Yannis. Yeah. So let
me ask you, if you were running the Sixers, and
let's say they lose this series or lose in the
next round, what would be your offseason priority, Like, what
would you do with Simmons or Embad or what. I
think you have to figure out if you can convert
Simmons into another perimeter player who's I would say, like
(30:06):
a more traditional perimeter player where it's you know, the shooting,
the passing, the offense. Maybe he isn't a dominant defender,
but that that type of player. And it's always hard
when you when you talk about trading a start, you're
trying to get another star back, and there's not that
many of them, and most of them are not on
the trade market, so it's it's a difficult ask. But
(30:27):
at the same time, I think I think the Sixers
owe it to themselves to figure out if this is
really the best pairing for Embiid, and I think and
I think it has to go that way because Embiid
is the dominant player of the two. So I think
you have to look at what is the best we
can do around MBAD And I just don't think the
Simmons piece of it fits as well as it needs
(30:48):
to fit to win a championship. How about talking about
winning a championship? Brooklyn has a shot? What did you
make of durance I mean performance? No kywee hardened one
for ten, you know, just was out there and facilitating,
but couldn't that didn't have his legs, couldn't make any shots.
How big of a performance was that? Down by what
(31:10):
were they down by seventeen in the third quarter and
come back and win that game? Unbelievable, unbelievable performance us
as much as the Bucks has been criticized and some
of the things I think could be criticized that they did,
Like you go back and look like Durant hit some
pretty tough shots, I mean and in some pretty difficult situation,
(31:32):
shots that normally you'd probably be okay with, you know,
kipping up if you're a defense. But he's he's so
big and he's such a good shooter. He just gets
it off right over the top of the defense and
it and for him it is not a difficult shot,
especially the one three part he made right towards the
end at the end of the shot clock, just stop
one dribble and chucked it up going to his right.
(31:54):
And yeah, I mean that was that was like the
Sherry on the Sunday right. But and all time performance,
I would say, probably the definitive durant performance in his career. Quickly, John,
if you can within a minute, um, what do you
make of the injuries? You saw Lebron James tweeting about
the condensed offseason? You buy that or what your thoughts?
(32:16):
I mean, it was about the Benjamin's right, That's why
they did this. When you when you go into October
of the previous season, you have to squeeze the next
off season, the next two off seasons really like an accordion,
just to just to get in another season in between.
I don't know what other choice they had. They had
to pull the time out of somewhere. So unless they
(32:36):
were going to play a massively shorter season and lose
out on a lot of money because of that, this
was the best alternative, the least bad alternative, basically right.
And the players bought in and I don't blame them,
but they were gonna lose what between five hundred billion
and or five hundred million and a billion a billion? Yeah,
saw a lot of money. I get it. Yeah, I
get it. John, great stuff. Ye bring you back on
(33:01):
the show. We'll get you on in the future. Man,
keep up the yep all right? Aaron Rodgers is being
called selfish? Is that right? Keep it locked? A couple
of Fox Sports Radio You Aaron Rodgers. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar
then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm
(33:24):
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
It sounds like some type of show out of Compton
or something. What is it? What show is this? TV? Theme?
So a couple of brothers? Yes, sir Kell, Yeah, I
never watched that. I only saw the one. I mean
(33:46):
I saw bits and pieces, but I saw yeah, and
obviously the one was Is it kl Keenan? Which one
was on Saturday Night? Keenan Keenan is the one, right
running dude I've ever seen on Saturday Night? Love right, No,
he's he had a show on NBC. But but yeah,
he's been on for a long time. You know who
(34:08):
is that? It sounds noo. Don't tell me, Come on
coolio No, no, no, no, keep going DJ quick all dirty,
baldy b yes, sir, Okay, okay, yeah, all right, it's
a TV theme. So on Thursday with the Eye Couple
coming you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios. Let's
go to the NFL quickly, Rob, we keep bringing this
up Aaron Rodgers, and an anonymous former GM ROB said this.
(34:35):
He told I'm sorry, I don't know who it was,
but uh, he said this about Aaron Rodgers. The guys selfish.
Teammates don't like him, coaches don't like him. It's all
about Aaron. They all deal with him because he's a superstar.
He helps guys make money and put food on the
(34:56):
table for their kids, and people respect him for that. Look,
I don't know whether that's the case or not. I'm
sure obviously there's probably some people that don't like him
in the locker room others that do. But I'll say this, right,
I don't know if he's a selfish person or not.
I do think this is becoming selfish. I really this
whole situation because if it was about the money, I
(35:21):
would get that, and I know you think it may be,
but you know, there's indications it's not right. They're willing
to go contract extension. He's not really hearing that. You
just keep hearing he wants out. It's it's really the
way he's treated. And I just think you're under contract.
If it's not about the money, then it really just
seems the ball down. Your feelings are hurt, and you're
(35:44):
putting an entire team of players, forget the front office.
I'm talking about your teammates, the dude you go to
battle with. They're counting on you, and I think they
you know, I understand it. Again, if it's the money
and it's your time to get paid and they're not
trying to do you right, that's one thing. But just
(36:05):
because your feelings are hurt because they didn't pick up
the phone they call, you're not getting your upset, speak
your piece, let them know what you feel whatever. But
and if Rob it's like I'm out, I don't care,
didn't say it. Stop playing the games because and maybe
you're talking to guys off the you know, off the
(36:26):
record or you're talking to him privately. But does Davante
Adams know what's really going on? Does Aaron Jones know
what's really going on? Do his teammates know what's really
going on. I'd like to see him just come out
and say, look, I want out. I've had a great
run with the Packers. I'm bothered by the way the
organizations run. I don't like the way they've treated me
(36:48):
and just some other things they've done. I want out.
So your teammates at least, no, All right, we gotta
move on. I think it's becoming a selfish act. Well,
any time it is about you and it is about him,
it's selfish. Whether whether uh that you know, it's still
by definition is selfish because it is about him and
(37:11):
he's on a team and thinking about anybody else. Right, yeah,
and and and that's really what it is, what the
problem is. And has he addressed it, Chris, I'm gonna
assume because the only things I've seen from his teammates
is that they're in full support of him. So I'm
assuming he's communicated with those guys. I mean, right, haven't
you seen those quotes? I've seen those quotes. Um, some
(37:33):
guys he's talked to. I mean, Adam, Yeah, I've seen it.
But you know, I would think I would think I
would hope Rob that they've talked. Yeah, I would think so,
because at some point then if he's not communicating with them,
then they would turn on him. I mean, you know
that we talk about it all the time. You can
tell because when there came a point in Kawai's career
(37:54):
in San Antonio where they was sticking the dogs on him.
Am I right, Chris to remember he wasn't he wasn't
that star that he is now. But Tony Parker went
public against him, and so does men. Do you never
hear that? That's what I mean. Yeah, I just think
(38:18):
if I'm one of his teammates, and again, if it's
happening behind the scenes, didn't fine. But I want to know, Rob.
I want to Just like you said, it's a team sport.
There's certain situations where it just affects you, you know,
and you can be all you have to worry about
is yourself. But this is a team sport and you
are the quarterback and there are other guys depending on you,
(38:40):
you know. So I do think it's becoming a selfish act.
All right eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox, You'll
be the call in next hour. Keep it locked, We
got two hours to go. I couple Fox Sports Radio
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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