May 23, 2025 • 31 mins
Rob and Kelvin tell us if the New York Knicks have the mental fortitude to bounce back after blowing Game 1 and win this series against the Indiana Pacers, explain why the Oklahoma City Thunder – even if they win the championship – won’t be remembered as an all-time great team in NBA history, and take LeBron James to task for saying that he doesn’t appreciate the era of the ‘old heads’ as much as he used to.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
You're listening to the best of the Odd COUPLEY.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I don't know how they overcome what happened in Game one.
And I know it's only one game. You gotta win
for all that kind of stuff, and I've heard all
the stuff that goes with it, but that is one
for the ages. Like when you talk about losing a
game that's not a twenty point lead in the second half,
(00:45):
do you like there's a big difference between the two.
And you know in the NBA with the three point shot,
it makes a difference on how some of these games
can turn on a dome. And I know, you know,
you talked about how great the Pacers were, but I
just I still think and I'm just bringing this up
because I still think while you were praising the Pacers
(01:07):
and I get what they did as far as the
shots and all that, I mean Jalen Brunson when they
did the breakdown, he was one for three and three
turnovers in crunch time of that game. Like, that's what like, like,
that's your guy, you know you were talking about like
(01:28):
doing something, and what did the Knicks do wrong? They
shot fifty. Well, that three turnovers in crunch time when
it's ball game winning time is what happened. But my
point is if the Pacers didn't already have confidence in
beating the Knicks, they beat him last year in Game
seven at Madison Square Garden. I don't know what else.
(01:50):
They have been unbelievable. No game is out of reach
for them. Every time you think that, well, if they're
gonna lose or they gonna whatever, we talk out their
road record everything. I'm picking the Pacers tonight. I am,
even though everybody and their uncle expects to nay, oh, well,
the Knicks, I'm gonna lose another game. There's no way
(02:11):
they're gonna do that again. I'm gonna pick the Pacers
because I believe this series is over. I do not
believe the Knicks are going to rebound from this. And
I'm not saying they're gonna get swept or whatever. Maybe
they might win a game or whatever, maybe two, but
I think that that was so demoralizing and it also
energizes Indiana and knowing, man, we won one for the
(02:37):
Ages and we accomplished what we needed. Now they could
go for the juggular tonight.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Well, I so I think we're on the same page.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
I picked the Pacers to win this series prior to
because I just think the offense, the pace they're playing,
which the confidence they're playing.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I just thought you were mad at the Knicks because
they beat the Pistols.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
No, but watch watch I'll flip it about the Simone
Bile with the flip, But this is where I don't
agree with you. I don't think if they lose a series,
which I predict them to lose a series, it will
have anything to do with the loss two nights ago.
I think just the Pacers, I think are playing better
brand of basketball. I think their offense, and I think
(03:18):
the legs will eventually give out, as they usually do.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
With a Tom Thibodeau led team.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
So I think those things will weigh heavier into the
factor why they lose a series. To me, the reason
I don't count the Knicks out yet. Eventually, I think
they will lose. But the reason why it won't because
of that, and why don't count them out is because
of what I seen from the postseason, rob the whole
postseason from everybody. I'm talking about the Pacers coming back
against Cleveland, being down big, being down twenty, they stole
(03:46):
a couple of games.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
I'm talking about what the Knicks did to the Pistons.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Pistons thinking they're gonna win and the Knicks go on
a twenty ozero run.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
The Knicks won three in Detroit.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
The Knicks go to Boston, win the first two in Boston,
then they win game as well. So to me, I'm
looking at a Knicks team that has known nothing other
than to just keep chugging along, to just keep chugging along,
to just keep chugging along. And I think they're built
that way because when you look at the roster, there
(04:15):
are a bunch of Ironman type dudes. Josh Hart, mkhil Bridges,
literally the Ironmen of the NBA right now, Jalen Brunson,
just keep going, keep chugging, Mitchell Robinson, just go do
the dirty work. And I think they find themselves in
positions where they can just keep going. And you look
up and you're like, why is the series three to two?
In the end up one? But we're going in a
six where you never know. And so I look at
(04:37):
them the way they've come back from games with twenty
points down against the Ranny Champs, the way they were
able to come in and out of games. You'd be
disappointed in them a game with versus Pistons, and in
that same game they can find a way to close
it out and be clutched.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
And they have the clutch player of the year.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Obviously, the Pacers have one as well who's been spectacular
in Halliburton, which, by the way, I just saw you
said you got his video.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Hilarious video of him.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I'm playing basketball like Steve Erkele in that episode where
he could really hoop. It's freaking hilarious. But I don't
think the Knicks are out because of that game. If
they lose, I just think they lose to a better team.
I think if there's a team that can just stay
in it and find a way to scrap and claw
and make it a real series, it's the Knicks. They've
shown that literally all playoffs long. In all playoffs long,
(05:21):
we've seen series after series even on the West Coast,
teams come back when you think the game's over, when
you think the series is over. So to me, this
was just can be par for the course if we're
in for a six or seven game series.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
See where I'm disagreeing with you is they got the
game they've been waiting for from their stars at home
when they combined for seventy eight points a forty three
piece with a biscuit and a thirty five piece, like
you're supposed to win that game. This is my point.
I don't know if they're gonna have better games than
(05:55):
they had in Game one, combined seventy eight from their
two two stars, and that was an l And that's
what you're afraid of. I don't look at the Piston
series as anything because the Pistons hadn't made the playoffs
in years their first go round. Okay, they did win
the two games in Boston, I'll give you that. That
was more of an indicator of them coming back in
(06:17):
those games. But also, as you talked about before, was
it the Knicks or was it Boston missing seventy five threes? Okay,
because we talked about it, the Knicks didn't play that
great in that series in the first few games, would
you admit that until the last game when they closed
it out?
Speaker 4 (06:34):
But yeah, but yes.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
So that's part of what I'm saying, is Indiana, what
you gave all the praise for and how great they played.
I just feel like they have a mental edge here now.
They really do going forward and giving up home court
when New York was a buzz was a buzz. Oh
(07:00):
my god, guess who's standing in the way of us
going to the NBA Finals for the first time in
twenty four Indiana. Oh, Indiana, you know what we just did.
We just knocked off the the the NBA cham So
you kidding, there's no way we're not going to the championship. Really,
and then you have a great game, a fourteen point lead,
(07:24):
and that thing go up in flames. Uh, that is
tough to overcome.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
The thing is they literally have been better on the road.
That's the crazy party again. They got three in Detroit
and those were all tight ball, the big you know,
tight games they were going.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
But the Pistons hadn't played a playoff game in six
or eight nights. But what I'm saying is like, like
to me that that's not an indication that the.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Buses And this is where I think I get what
you're saying.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
But why I think it is an indication is because
those are easy games to give up and say and
let them sneak up on y'all.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
We didn't see him coming. They were able to close
those things out.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
They go to the Celtics, They're able to close those
things out, and I just think they're built that way
where they just keep coming, they just keep fighting, and
I think they look at this series as the same
way they like to be the back against the wall.
I also think them paying at that high pace where
you got seventy eight from your top two players is
not the way they play and would rather not play
(08:20):
that way.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
We boo up by fourteen with two minutes to go.
How is that not a bad How is that a
bad game plan?
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Because they can't sustain that for to win a four
out of seven. I don't think they can beat the Pacers.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
But I'm not saying the whole way through. But when
you say, if I told you before the game started
that those two would combat for seventy eight.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
You no, no, you want that.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
But I think the lesson learned after that is the
pace of play, the way we play, we can't do
that again. So I just don't think it series over
simply because of that. I take the Pacers to win
in six or seven. But I think the Knicks are
the team right now that can just find their way
in the game six or seven. You go, well, act
did that come from? And they just have the guys
(09:02):
that are just gonna keep their head down and keep fighting.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
And I give them a lot of credit for that.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
They're not an overly most skilled team, the most you know,
deep team like everybody else is kind of deep in
the in the playoffs right now, they're the least deep,
They have the least depth, but they just keep fighting.
And a lot of that comes from their leader in
Jalen Bronson, he doesn't quit give up, and the makeup
of the Villanova Boys and Josh Hart and Michael Bridges
as well.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
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Speaker 3 (09:38):
Rob Do, you have a lot of numbers on the
thunder here, and you could probably paint the picture of
just what they've put together I mean, I just it's
almost like hard to watch their games because they're so lopsided.
It just doesn't even And I know it sounds ridiculous,
but what.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
You want me to do? Rob, No, everybody by three oh,
I don't want them.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
To but I'm saying from a viewers stand point, you
know what I mean. I just like every game is
a blowout. Like just I'll just be like what Okay,
But they put together some impressive numbers this year, and
it's hard not to argue that they, arguably, numbers wise,
one of the best teams in the NBA all time.
Speaker 5 (10:18):
Guys, I'm gonna I'm gonna read you some facts and
I'm gonna let you get in your feelings.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Okay, Okay, So the Oklahoma City do the OKC Thunder.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
First off, they got the MVP SGA just won yesterday,
First Team All NBA. They also have a thirty team
All NBA guy on their roster, Jalen William J. Dubb
named thirteen All NBA today. Those are the two big guns,
big stars in their team.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
During the regular season, we all knew this.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
OKC had the largest point differential in NBA history twelve
point nine. They had the best record any team has
ever had against an opposing conference. They were twenty nine
to one. They broke the record for the most double
digit wins in a season.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Why that's that's what up. This is what I'm talking
about about the type of games and wins.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
That they had the fifth most wins total in a
regular season at sixty eight.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Okay, that was in the regular season.
Speaker 5 (11:10):
But even still, I know you guys, I personally wasn't
weren't real big believers in them coming into the playoffs, right,
we all had other teams that we would have picked before.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Oka. See in the postseason.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Now they have already outscored their opponents by one and
thirty eight points. Okay, the in the concluding the regular
seaton in the postseason. That is the most by any
team through ninety five games of a season, any team.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Ever.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
After beating the Wolves in Game two by fifteen points,
they now have accumulated sixty wins this season by at
least fifteen points. That ties Steph Cady Warriors for the
most in a history. And they have at least six
games to go. All right, and here's the last one
(11:59):
in the playoffs. Of course, this number can go up
and down. Obviously they got more games to play. They
currently own the best point differential plus one thousand, two
thirty eight of any team in NBA history, not just
this decade, not just in the two thousands. Ever, Guys,
(12:22):
when you have a resume like that, here's the question.
If they continue on this track, they win at the
clip that they've been winning, nothing more, nothing less, They're
just doing what they've always done. This season they win
the championship, will they be remembered as one of the
greatest teams in NBA History's This is.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Simple, No way, no how, I don't even care. You
can read numbers till the cows come home, Rob G
and I hear them, and they're impressible on paper. But
when you look at the team and other than SGA,
and you know, you're like, like who else? Who?
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Like?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Seriously, Kelvin, I just wouldn't be able to endorse that
that this team is the greatest team in NBA history.
I just could. I think it's has more to do
with where we are and what kind of game that's played,
you know what I mean, Like the style of play
which has helped them of course in threes and when
(13:26):
you make threes and the kind of scores and all that.
But I don't know. I don't have that feel for
that team to think I'm watching the greatest team in
NBA history. I don't know, do you not at all?
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Rob Parker?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
As matter of fact, I'm going Professor Washington on y'all
butts on this one here, and Roger stop killing me
with analytics. All right, I don't want you. I don't
want to take that for data. I don't want that.
Right now, Let's talk about a few things on my
checklist which would make you an iconic or a memorable team,
all right, number one, And they don't check many, really
any of these boxes. You gotta have a star on
(13:59):
your team who has a real nickname, not just some initials. Okay, SGA,
that's easy. I need some nicknames up, and I need
some air. Jordan's up in there, Okay. I need a
Haqueen the Dream up in there. Okay, I need something.
I need a big Ben Wallace. You gotta give me something.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
He's from Canada. He wears some soft, comfortable shoes. What
do you want from them?
Speaker 4 (14:18):
That's what that?
Speaker 1 (14:19):
He better give me something else, Rob, If he's trying
to be with Rob z is trying to sell us on.
Let me continue. You gotta have also a team that
has an identifier. What I mean is you gotta be
the bad Boys. You gotta be the showtime Lakers. You
gotta be the Detroit Basketball. You gotta give me the heatles.
You gotta give me something. They're just the thunder.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
They're just the thunder that that's nothing member about. Remember Bro,
I remember that one tea, well, the Thunder. Like what
Usually great teams have some type of moniker, some type
of name around them, all right, and then what Rob
was saying, you gotta have a Batman and a Robin. Okay,
you gotta have two great players. They have sga and
and Jalen.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
I guess he's Jalen. I guess he's pretty good. You know,
you gotta have.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
A Shock in Kobe, a Kareem in Magic a Bird
and McHale. You gotta have something like that on your team.
They got it's like McDonald's right, they got the big Mac.
They ain't got no quarter ponder matter of fact, Rob,
you know how you go there and they only got
the two cheeseburg option meal like you, I guess. But
you came in for the big Mac, you came in
for the quarter ponder with jeez, they ain't even got it.
And then also you have to have iconic moments. The
(15:26):
problem is what Rob was saying. You can't just keep
blowing everybody up. I need close games, close finishes, Robert,
or hit some big shots to push you to the
next round. You gotta have iconic moments, iconic wins. They
don't have them. Or you have to at least beating
all time great team right, that would make you. You
see that even in college basketball, when villanov will beat Georgetown,
(15:48):
when NC State beat Houston, right, you're like, oh, no
way this can happen. When Dallas beat the Heatles, wait dirt,
You're like, their way, they're beating them. So you have
to have some iconic moments, some big game. You gotta
have big names on the team. You gotta have a
team that hasn't identifier what you are show time Heatles,
bad boys.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
They don't have any of that. They just got a
bunch of really good.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Basketball players that are deep, and you're like, they do
line changes. Just four or five different guys come in
and they're great and they're good basketball they're probably gonna
win it all, but nothing will make it iconic or memorable.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
And here's the other thing. They have another team in
front of them that people would identify with or idolize
even more. And they didn't win anything. Remember the Thunder
had three young players who all wind up going to
(16:43):
win MVPs in Westbrook, Harden and KD. They went to
a finals. Let's not forget that. They did go to
a fun They didn't win, but they went to the finals,
and that's legendary that they had those three players there
at one time. Think about it. I completely agree, right like,
that team is more identifiable, more acclaimed, even though there's
(17:10):
no champion and obviously, okayse hasn't won yet, you know,
don't We don't know what's gonna happen. But I think
there's a team in front of them, I really know.
It reminds me of it.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
It reminds me of that OKC team being kind of
like the Fab Five, where they never won anything but iconic.
You know them, You remember, remember they did this, Remember
they had this, Oh man, what could have been?
Speaker 4 (17:30):
What could have been?
Speaker 1 (17:31):
And at least there's something that's why the Fab five
still is so endeared like there's something there you what
never won and what could have been?
Speaker 4 (17:38):
And that Thunder team is like that. You had three
mv future MVPs.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
You had this great team six Man of the Year
and Harden and Westbrook is an All Star top ten
player at the time, and Katie and MVP man what
could have been? But at least again they had the
Batman in the robbin. They even had another one, you
know what I mean, and six Man of the Year.
So you had so many things that you know, is
unbelievable without a doubt. Like I was like, who is
(18:02):
this guy like on the bench right?
Speaker 4 (18:05):
So that's a good pull there.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
They remind me of the Fab five, and at least
you still think about them talk about them. Whereas this
team if they win this year, I don't know why
you would bring it up.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
It could be a one off. It really, it really
could be. And I know that's unfair because they've had
such a great year, but I could see them being
a one off where you know, everything kind of worked
out and they play really well together and they won
a championship, but they don't string any other you know
what I mean, any other championships, and that.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
That's the issue to me, that's the issue with this
seven years of a different champ.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
Everybody go, oh periody period.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Man, it's that Bucks series was not memorable, right this
what could potentially not be and you just kind of
go down the line of what we had and it's like, okay,
you kind of need that star power that you kind
of need those rivalries to make it.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Man, remember they big the Wood that was crazy that coming.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Right now, it's just their buck saw on everybody with
a bunch of really nice guys who are not identifiable.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
They could walk in Walmart and you'd be like, I
don't know who was that.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Oh that's oh, that's okay, that's that one. Yeah that's
career lift. Caruso put a hat on you. But you
wouldn't even know. So, yea, they gotta have to have
what They're gonna have to have a couple crazy games
in this Western Conmence finals, and then if they get
to the finals, they're gonna have to have a crazy
finish with the Knicks or the Pacers, you know what
I mean. Where it became epic because as of right now,
(19:28):
it's like.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Oh yeah the Thunder, that one Thunder team that won.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
But rob G, he's still on board with the thunder
you got issues with us? Yeah, and I was late
to the party immediately. No, I know I've seen your Twitter.
Of course they.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
As for following me, rob I appreciate it. Follow Yeah, Dubb,
don't follow.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Me, follow you.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
I what's funny is you guys are saying they're blowing
everybody out and that's the problem. No, I'm just like
they're so good and that nothing's competitive, and because of
that I can view him as a great tea.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I know. It just feels weird, like rob G, like,
give me they have a big win that they had
over somebody where you were like, well, how impressible because
even the Game seven against Denver was a blowout, so
you didn't even have that moment where Shaye Right had
to make a great shot. So they know what I'm making.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Like seriously, they are that they are absolutely a victim
of their own success because their buzz saw and everybody
there is nothing compelling.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
Prob G.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Don't come in here with these stats and facts and
then don't forget the statue just told us a couple
of days ago, twenty four percent uh drop in the Western.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
There you go, that's that's an indictment of this team
because nobody cares about right when you're watching something that's
so great and fantastic, you're like, I gotta watch them.
Oh my god, I got what This team is unbelievable, right,
and you don't have that.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
And I feel bad because they're they're exactly if I'm
an organization, I got a bunch of young, hungry dogs.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
They all love each other.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
They after every interview, it could be one player and
the other ten are behind them, and they're just and
they're they're exactly what you want. They come to work,
they play hard, nose, they play defense. They are all unselfish.
But man, go ahead and hit the snooze on my
alarm clockers.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Oh all right, so let me put a bow on
this then, So before we get to the calls, we
got a lot of cars went away in on this.
If this season ends like we expect, like we're saying,
before they continue on this trend, they have the highest
point differential, regulars and posting and they win the championship.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
You guys don't think they're all time grades.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
But if they come back the second year and they struggle,
but they end up beating Luka Doncs in round one,
they beat Steph Curry. In round two, they beat who
I don't know, and that again, don't say.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
The Lakers whatever. Okay, so they beat them and then
they go and beat uh I don't know.
Speaker 5 (21:39):
They bought it with Cleveland, you know, they beat Donovan
Mitchell or they be Yiannis, whoever. But they struggle. Every
series is a grinding out. Every series of six games.
There's nothing, there's no blowouts. You would be more impressed
by that run than you have been by this.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Yes, because not only it would be two things twofold
that it wasn't a one off, right, because I even
think even though the Pistons didn't win the second year
in two thousand and five, them getting back to the finals,
I think made people point. Would you agree with me,
like like this was a good team. No, it wasn't
just Shaq and Kobe were fighting, because they they went
the next year.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
And almost took out that Spurs team who was yes
and lost.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
In game They went back to them, went back to
San Antonio, won a game six. After that heartbreaking loss,
right with Robert Lorri, they won game six, force to
game seven and lost by four points or whatever it was,
four or five points in Game seven on the road.
I think that that would help them if they did
a second year.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
And I would argue even in losses that O fourteen
had epic losses, like Lebron had to go crazy twenty
five straight. You know, they had battles with that Boston team.
So you need those, Rob g because they make you
their endearing. If not, it's just this one random team
that just came in out the blue and won something.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
You're like, oh yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Rob Parker and kelvin Washington weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (23:05):
Lebron is lucky that these comments came in the middle
of the Conference finals, because if this was like the
middle of February, this may have been a big story. Now,
Lebron's been having this war against the old heads, as
he calls them, for a couple of years now. Specifically,
it seems like with Chuck and Shack.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
And all, yeah, those guys, because they have a big
platform and everybody watches, so that's why it has an
issue with.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
Charl shor So on the last on the latest episode
of Mind the Game that the latest season with him
and Steve Nash, they did this whole miss mine again, Okay,
I know you don't. And that podcast or that video
podcast is meant to celebrate the game of basketball, which
is interesting because at the end of the last episode
they'd already finished what they were going to talk about
(23:50):
and the creativity of guys like Yogtcha Bruns and this
on and so forth. And after they're done recording or
they're done with the episode, Steve Nash says something to
Lebron like, had love what you said about the beauty
of the game, and you know how.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
We should appreciate what we're seeing.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
For whatever reason, they stuck this at the end of
the podcast. You know again they've finished recording, and here's
what Lebron said about the quote unquote old heads and
the way they view today's game of basketball.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
And then like the generation they talk so much about today,
and it makes you go back and watch the game
back then and it makes you not even want to
appreciate it no more like I did with another kid,
like it was like.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
It's a great points. Let you go back and watch now.
It doesn't feel as good as it did at the time.
It does not, but it was great. It was the
best on the planet.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Hey, it was great.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
Or you know these guys here say what can befriend?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
You got your friends with that?
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Where are you smiling on the court?
Speaker 6 (24:44):
And then someone goes to find a clip of like
you standing next to this guy during the finals smiling
and laughing.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
It's like, can we just be honest with everyone?
Speaker 4 (24:53):
Just be honest.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
It's just typical lebron because if they were singing his praises,
he wouldn't have an issue with the old heads. And
that's really what it boils down to. He can make it.
But the idea that you wouldn't appreciate what other people
have done previous is mind boggling to me because it's
only the NBA. We've talked about this before. It's only
(25:20):
the NBA. The jealousy factor is through the roof. I
just don't like, I really like it is in the
era that was played right, But you don't need to
bash that like the JJ Reddick right, everybody's a plumber
and a butcher to make this era feel better to you.
That's what I don't understand that was the best that
(25:42):
was there at the time. There were only eight teams
in the NBA. There wasn't a loaded rosters with guys
who really couldn't play like I don't understand because I
don't believe Lebron would say the same thing if they
were saying he's the and he's the best player they
ever saw. I don't believe he would be going back.
(26:04):
He just doesn't like when people aren't on board with him,
So that's why he didn't like Charles Barkley and he
went after him because of the stuff that they've said.
It's always a war against everybody who's just not on board.
Everybody's not going to like you. Everybody's not going to
be on your team. Everybody's not gonna think you're the
(26:26):
greatest player ever. It's okay, it's okay. People say I'm
a Lebron hater. I think he's the second best player
of all time. That's a hater. A hater is Paul
Pierce who says he's not in the top ten.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
Do you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Like, how do you say somebody's second greatest of all time?
And I'm a hater?
Speaker 4 (26:45):
No?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I watch both, and I do have that is that
I actually watched both players career. Okay, and a lot
of the guys who are now you know, got shows
and taught they didn't watch Michael Jordan. They didn't.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Yeah, so a couple a bunch of things.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
Actually, one thing I'll disagree with you on as I
actually agree with quite a bit of what you said.
One thing I'll disagree is I do think a part
of Lebron isn't just mad that they hate on him.
I do believe absolutely that plays a part of it.
He's got an ego he want you know, he knows
where he is and wants to be considered the greatest.
But I also do believe that he hates that they
(27:25):
talk about this current game, whether it's they shoot too
mey threes or they fratnize. And I do think because
he views himself as the statement statesman, as the elder statesman,
as the face of the league.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
On Lebron himself said that they shoot too many three.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
No, no, no, I hear you.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
What I'm saying is I think so if I make
an indictment on the game, if I say the game
ain't this, or the game ain't that under my leadership,
right under my tenure as the face of the league. Well,
that's an indictment on me, and I think that's a
part of it is. I think he looking at himself
as the governor of the league.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Also came out against the nd season tournament. Who didn't
want that? I'm just saying, these are things like you
know that, these are some of the things that people
don't like about the game, and the threes particularly, That's all.
I didn't play that kind of basketball.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
But this is what I mean.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
But Lebron, where I will give him credit is that
we all know he's an extreme student of the game, right,
So he has that old he respace comes right. Oh man,
what Larry Birdy used to do. He's one of those
I go out of my way to praise the older
guys to talk about what I studied, what I saw.
He shows them respect and he praises the younger guys.
Go and man, all I love with Katie's art.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Not Katie. I love what Sga is doing.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I love what Amen he So he kind of is
that person who bridges honor and respected all ushering in
the new So I do think there's an element in
him It's like, if I feel like I'm doing it
the right way, why are we getting crapped on him?
Speaker 4 (28:48):
But here's what he has to understand. And this is
where I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Everybody ain't gonna like you, Yes, and watch this Rob.
What he's dealing with is what Rob Parker kelvin Washington
and everyone else is dealing with.
Speaker 4 (29:02):
Everybody's got a microphone.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Now see, he don in the era where there was
a Rob Parker and a somebody else covering the beat
and then a ride an art and that was pretty
much it. And then they have a one weekly show
maybe of some reporters and that's it. Buddy, we got
twenty four to seven all over the place. Everybody. You
have literally food brands that have networks. Do you know
there's a Chick fil A network? Like everybody has a network,
(29:25):
Everybody has a microphone, everyone has a podcast, including one.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Of his good friends, Draymond Green.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
So my point is, I think he's paying attention too
much to the volume out there, too much to what
people are saying, too much to what everybody is, you know,
had their ideas, and I think he's over even exposing himself.
Where we have sometimes less is more it's okay to
be a jay Z and Michael Jordan a Beyonce in
that they don't do every interview, rob they don't do
(29:52):
every podcast. And I think Lebron shares his thoughts almost
too much at times where it's like, you don't have
to jump into every conversation. You don't have to jump
on this pod and jump on this interview and tweet
this and instagram net because you open yourself up when
you always have an opinion that we got to go
back on your opinion, then we got to talk about
it all those sports debate shows.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
So I think there is a little bit of Lebron.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I will say, you know, one of his big homies,
jay Z, maybe he's kind of fall back a little
bit on always telling us what you think you're projecting
and doing every interview, every pod, you know what I mean,
because then it comes to becomes back and forth and
some of that can be eliminated. But I just think
we have more access to any and everyone's thoughts, and
he needs to understand people are just getting their thoughts off,
people are just getting their opinions off.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
Everybody's not gonna like you.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Everybody's not gonna like the game, and you can tune
some of that out. And last point where I strongly
disagree with him. When I go back and watch those
eighties and nineties, I love it, boy, I love it.
I go back and watch Lakers versus Celtics once a year.
I go back and watch Last Dance once a year.
I go back and watch Miller Time thirty for thirty
with Reggie in the Knicks once a year. I watched
(30:58):
The Bad Boys Dot twice here. So I strongly disagree.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
That makes me Steve, that's gonna agree with him.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
Yes, Steve, you gotta relax.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Come on, Steve, Really, that was some fun hoops then,
and it's fun hoops now to watch. And I can understand.
Maybe I don't know these people. I don't know all
of them personally like Lebron does. Maybe he takes it
personal because he knows them, but dang it, I love it.
I go get my chips and squat, get me some chili, cheese,
friedos or whatever I'm having that day, and I enjoy it.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to check us out live every weekday from
four to seven pm Pacific seven to ten pm Eastern
on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The
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us every day on the iHeartRadio by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
You're listening to the best of the Odd COUPLEY.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I don't know how they overcome what happened in Game one.
And I know it's only one game. You gotta win
for all that kind of stuff, and I've heard all
the stuff that goes with it, but that is one
for the ages. Like when you talk about losing a
game that's not a twenty point lead in the second half,
(00:45):
do you like there's a big difference between the two.
And you know in the NBA with the three point shot,
it makes a difference on how some of these games
can turn on a dome. And I know, you know,
you talked about how great the Pacers were, but I
just I still think and I'm just bringing this up
because I still think while you were praising the Pacers
(01:07):
and I get what they did as far as the
shots and all that, I mean Jalen Brunson when they
did the breakdown, he was one for three and three
turnovers in crunch time of that game. Like, that's what like, like,
that's your guy, you know you were talking about like
(01:28):
doing something, and what did the Knicks do wrong? They
shot fifty. Well, that three turnovers in crunch time when
it's ball game winning time is what happened. But my
point is if the Pacers didn't already have confidence in
beating the Knicks, they beat him last year in Game
seven at Madison Square Garden. I don't know what else.
(01:50):
They have been unbelievable. No game is out of reach
for them. Every time you think that, well, if they're
gonna lose or they gonna whatever, we talk out their
road record everything. I'm picking the Pacers tonight. I am,
even though everybody and their uncle expects to nay, oh, well,
the Knicks, I'm gonna lose another game. There's no way
(02:11):
they're gonna do that again. I'm gonna pick the Pacers
because I believe this series is over. I do not
believe the Knicks are going to rebound from this. And
I'm not saying they're gonna get swept or whatever. Maybe
they might win a game or whatever, maybe two, but
I think that that was so demoralizing and it also
energizes Indiana and knowing, man, we won one for the
(02:37):
Ages and we accomplished what we needed. Now they could
go for the juggular tonight.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Well, I so I think we're on the same page.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
I picked the Pacers to win this series prior to
because I just think the offense, the pace they're playing,
which the confidence they're playing.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I just thought you were mad at the Knicks because
they beat the Pistols.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
No, but watch watch I'll flip it about the Simone
Bile with the flip, But this is where I don't
agree with you. I don't think if they lose a series,
which I predict them to lose a series, it will
have anything to do with the loss two nights ago.
I think just the Pacers, I think are playing better
brand of basketball. I think their offense, and I think
(03:18):
the legs will eventually give out, as they usually do.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
With a Tom Thibodeau led team.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
So I think those things will weigh heavier into the
factor why they lose a series. To me, the reason
I don't count the Knicks out yet. Eventually, I think
they will lose. But the reason why it won't because
of that, and why don't count them out is because
of what I seen from the postseason, rob the whole
postseason from everybody. I'm talking about the Pacers coming back
against Cleveland, being down big, being down twenty, they stole
(03:46):
a couple of games.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
I'm talking about what the Knicks did to the Pistons.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Pistons thinking they're gonna win and the Knicks go on
a twenty ozero run.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
The Knicks won three in Detroit.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
The Knicks go to Boston, win the first two in Boston,
then they win game as well. So to me, I'm
looking at a Knicks team that has known nothing other
than to just keep chugging along, to just keep chugging along,
to just keep chugging along. And I think they're built
that way because when you look at the roster, there
(04:15):
are a bunch of Ironman type dudes. Josh Hart, mkhil Bridges,
literally the Ironmen of the NBA right now, Jalen Brunson,
just keep going, keep chugging, Mitchell Robinson, just go do
the dirty work. And I think they find themselves in
positions where they can just keep going. And you look
up and you're like, why is the series three to two?
In the end up one? But we're going in a
six where you never know. And so I look at
(04:37):
them the way they've come back from games with twenty
points down against the Ranny Champs, the way they were
able to come in and out of games. You'd be
disappointed in them a game with versus Pistons, and in
that same game they can find a way to close
it out and be clutched.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
And they have the clutch player of the year.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Obviously, the Pacers have one as well who's been spectacular
in Halliburton, which, by the way, I just saw you
said you got his video.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Hilarious video of him.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I'm playing basketball like Steve Erkele in that episode where
he could really hoop. It's freaking hilarious. But I don't
think the Knicks are out because of that game. If
they lose, I just think they lose to a better team.
I think if there's a team that can just stay
in it and find a way to scrap and claw
and make it a real series, it's the Knicks. They've
shown that literally all playoffs long. In all playoffs long,
(05:21):
we've seen series after series even on the West Coast,
teams come back when you think the game's over, when
you think the series is over. So to me, this
was just can be par for the course if we're
in for a six or seven game series.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
See where I'm disagreeing with you is they got the
game they've been waiting for from their stars at home
when they combined for seventy eight points a forty three
piece with a biscuit and a thirty five piece, like
you're supposed to win that game. This is my point.
I don't know if they're gonna have better games than
(05:55):
they had in Game one, combined seventy eight from their
two two stars, and that was an l And that's
what you're afraid of. I don't look at the Piston
series as anything because the Pistons hadn't made the playoffs
in years their first go round. Okay, they did win
the two games in Boston, I'll give you that. That
was more of an indicator of them coming back in
(06:17):
those games. But also, as you talked about before, was
it the Knicks or was it Boston missing seventy five threes? Okay,
because we talked about it, the Knicks didn't play that
great in that series in the first few games, would
you admit that until the last game when they closed
it out?
Speaker 4 (06:34):
But yeah, but yes.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
So that's part of what I'm saying, is Indiana, what
you gave all the praise for and how great they played.
I just feel like they have a mental edge here now.
They really do going forward and giving up home court
when New York was a buzz was a buzz. Oh
(07:00):
my god, guess who's standing in the way of us
going to the NBA Finals for the first time in
twenty four Indiana. Oh, Indiana, you know what we just did.
We just knocked off the the the NBA cham So
you kidding, there's no way we're not going to the championship. Really,
and then you have a great game, a fourteen point lead,
(07:24):
and that thing go up in flames. Uh, that is
tough to overcome.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
The thing is they literally have been better on the road.
That's the crazy party again. They got three in Detroit
and those were all tight ball, the big you know,
tight games they were going.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
But the Pistons hadn't played a playoff game in six
or eight nights. But what I'm saying is like, like
to me that that's not an indication that the.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Buses And this is where I think I get what
you're saying.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
But why I think it is an indication is because
those are easy games to give up and say and
let them sneak up on y'all.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
We didn't see him coming. They were able to close
those things out.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
They go to the Celtics, They're able to close those
things out, and I just think they're built that way
where they just keep coming, they just keep fighting, and
I think they look at this series as the same
way they like to be the back against the wall.
I also think them paying at that high pace where
you got seventy eight from your top two players is
not the way they play and would rather not play
(08:20):
that way.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
We boo up by fourteen with two minutes to go.
How is that not a bad How is that a
bad game plan?
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Because they can't sustain that for to win a four
out of seven. I don't think they can beat the Pacers.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
But I'm not saying the whole way through. But when
you say, if I told you before the game started
that those two would combat for seventy eight.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
You no, no, you want that.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
But I think the lesson learned after that is the
pace of play, the way we play, we can't do
that again. So I just don't think it series over
simply because of that. I take the Pacers to win
in six or seven. But I think the Knicks are
the team right now that can just find their way
in the game six or seven. You go, well, act
did that come from? And they just have the guys
(09:02):
that are just gonna keep their head down and keep fighting.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
And I give them a lot of credit for that.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
They're not an overly most skilled team, the most you know,
deep team like everybody else is kind of deep in
the in the playoffs right now, they're the least deep,
They have the least depth, but they just keep fighting.
And a lot of that comes from their leader in
Jalen Bronson, he doesn't quit give up, and the makeup
of the Villanova Boys and Josh Hart and Michael Bridges
as well.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
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listen live.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Rob Do, you have a lot of numbers on the
thunder here, and you could probably paint the picture of
just what they've put together I mean, I just it's
almost like hard to watch their games because they're so lopsided.
It just doesn't even And I know it sounds ridiculous,
but what.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
You want me to do? Rob, No, everybody by three oh,
I don't want them.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
To but I'm saying from a viewers stand point, you
know what I mean. I just like every game is
a blowout. Like just I'll just be like what Okay,
But they put together some impressive numbers this year, and
it's hard not to argue that they, arguably, numbers wise,
one of the best teams in the NBA all time.
Speaker 5 (10:18):
Guys, I'm gonna I'm gonna read you some facts and
I'm gonna let you get in your feelings.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Okay, Okay, So the Oklahoma City do the OKC Thunder.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
First off, they got the MVP SGA just won yesterday,
First Team All NBA. They also have a thirty team
All NBA guy on their roster, Jalen William J. Dubb
named thirteen All NBA today. Those are the two big guns,
big stars in their team.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
During the regular season, we all knew this.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
OKC had the largest point differential in NBA history twelve
point nine. They had the best record any team has
ever had against an opposing conference. They were twenty nine
to one. They broke the record for the most double
digit wins in a season.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Why that's that's what up. This is what I'm talking
about about the type of games and wins.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
That they had the fifth most wins total in a
regular season at sixty eight.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Okay, that was in the regular season.
Speaker 5 (11:10):
But even still, I know you guys, I personally wasn't
weren't real big believers in them coming into the playoffs, right,
we all had other teams that we would have picked before.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Oka. See in the postseason.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Now they have already outscored their opponents by one and
thirty eight points. Okay, the in the concluding the regular
seaton in the postseason. That is the most by any
team through ninety five games of a season, any team.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Ever.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
After beating the Wolves in Game two by fifteen points,
they now have accumulated sixty wins this season by at
least fifteen points. That ties Steph Cady Warriors for the
most in a history. And they have at least six
games to go. All right, and here's the last one
(11:59):
in the playoffs. Of course, this number can go up
and down. Obviously they got more games to play. They
currently own the best point differential plus one thousand, two
thirty eight of any team in NBA history, not just
this decade, not just in the two thousands. Ever, Guys,
(12:22):
when you have a resume like that, here's the question.
If they continue on this track, they win at the
clip that they've been winning, nothing more, nothing less, They're
just doing what they've always done. This season they win
the championship, will they be remembered as one of the
greatest teams in NBA History's This is.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Simple, No way, no how, I don't even care. You
can read numbers till the cows come home, Rob G
and I hear them, and they're impressible on paper. But
when you look at the team and other than SGA,
and you know, you're like, like who else? Who?
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Like?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Seriously, Kelvin, I just wouldn't be able to endorse that
that this team is the greatest team in NBA history.
I just could. I think it's has more to do
with where we are and what kind of game that's played,
you know what I mean, Like the style of play
which has helped them of course in threes and when
(13:26):
you make threes and the kind of scores and all that.
But I don't know. I don't have that feel for
that team to think I'm watching the greatest team in
NBA history. I don't know, do you not at all?
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Rob Parker?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
As matter of fact, I'm going Professor Washington on y'all
butts on this one here, and Roger stop killing me
with analytics. All right, I don't want you. I don't
want to take that for data. I don't want that.
Right now, Let's talk about a few things on my
checklist which would make you an iconic or a memorable team,
all right, number one, And they don't check many, really
any of these boxes. You gotta have a star on
(13:59):
your team who has a real nickname, not just some initials. Okay, SGA,
that's easy. I need some nicknames up, and I need
some air. Jordan's up in there, Okay. I need a
Haqueen the Dream up in there. Okay, I need something.
I need a big Ben Wallace. You gotta give me something.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
He's from Canada. He wears some soft, comfortable shoes. What
do you want from them?
Speaker 4 (14:18):
That's what that?
Speaker 1 (14:19):
He better give me something else, Rob, If he's trying
to be with Rob z is trying to sell us on.
Let me continue. You gotta have also a team that
has an identifier. What I mean is you gotta be
the bad Boys. You gotta be the showtime Lakers. You
gotta be the Detroit Basketball. You gotta give me the heatles.
You gotta give me something. They're just the thunder.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
They're just the thunder that that's nothing member about. Remember Bro,
I remember that one tea, well, the Thunder. Like what
Usually great teams have some type of moniker, some type
of name around them, all right, and then what Rob
was saying, you gotta have a Batman and a Robin. Okay,
you gotta have two great players. They have sga and
and Jalen.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
I guess he's Jalen. I guess he's pretty good. You know,
you gotta have.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
A Shock in Kobe, a Kareem in Magic a Bird
and McHale. You gotta have something like that on your team.
They got it's like McDonald's right, they got the big Mac.
They ain't got no quarter ponder matter of fact, Rob,
you know how you go there and they only got
the two cheeseburg option meal like you, I guess. But
you came in for the big Mac, you came in
for the quarter ponder with jeez, they ain't even got it.
And then also you have to have iconic moments. The
(15:26):
problem is what Rob was saying. You can't just keep
blowing everybody up. I need close games, close finishes, Robert,
or hit some big shots to push you to the
next round. You gotta have iconic moments, iconic wins. They
don't have them. Or you have to at least beating
all time great team right, that would make you. You
see that even in college basketball, when villanov will beat Georgetown,
(15:48):
when NC State beat Houston, right, you're like, oh, no
way this can happen. When Dallas beat the Heatles, wait dirt,
You're like, their way, they're beating them. So you have
to have some iconic moments, some big game. You gotta
have big names on the team. You gotta have a
team that hasn't identifier what you are show time Heatles,
bad boys.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
They don't have any of that. They just got a
bunch of really good.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Basketball players that are deep, and you're like, they do
line changes. Just four or five different guys come in
and they're great and they're good basketball they're probably gonna
win it all, but nothing will make it iconic or memorable.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
And here's the other thing. They have another team in
front of them that people would identify with or idolize
even more. And they didn't win anything. Remember the Thunder
had three young players who all wind up going to
(16:43):
win MVPs in Westbrook, Harden and KD. They went to
a finals. Let's not forget that. They did go to
a fun They didn't win, but they went to the finals,
and that's legendary that they had those three players there
at one time. Think about it. I completely agree, right like,
that team is more identifiable, more acclaimed, even though there's
(17:10):
no champion and obviously, okayse hasn't won yet, you know,
don't We don't know what's gonna happen. But I think
there's a team in front of them, I really know.
It reminds me of it.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
It reminds me of that OKC team being kind of
like the Fab Five, where they never won anything but iconic.
You know them, You remember, remember they did this, Remember
they had this, Oh man, what could have been?
Speaker 4 (17:30):
What could have been?
Speaker 1 (17:31):
And at least there's something that's why the Fab five
still is so endeared like there's something there you what
never won and what could have been?
Speaker 4 (17:38):
And that Thunder team is like that. You had three
mv future MVPs.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
You had this great team six Man of the Year
and Harden and Westbrook is an All Star top ten
player at the time, and Katie and MVP man what
could have been? But at least again they had the
Batman in the robbin. They even had another one, you
know what I mean, and six Man of the Year.
So you had so many things that you know, is
unbelievable without a doubt. Like I was like, who is
(18:02):
this guy like on the bench right?
Speaker 4 (18:05):
So that's a good pull there.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
They remind me of the Fab five, and at least
you still think about them talk about them. Whereas this
team if they win this year, I don't know why
you would bring it up.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
It could be a one off. It really, it really
could be. And I know that's unfair because they've had
such a great year, but I could see them being
a one off where you know, everything kind of worked
out and they play really well together and they won
a championship, but they don't string any other you know
what I mean, any other championships, and that.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
That's the issue to me, that's the issue with this
seven years of a different champ.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
Everybody go, oh periody period.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Man, it's that Bucks series was not memorable, right this
what could potentially not be and you just kind of
go down the line of what we had and it's like, okay,
you kind of need that star power that you kind
of need those rivalries to make it.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Man, remember they big the Wood that was crazy that coming.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Right now, it's just their buck saw on everybody with
a bunch of really nice guys who are not identifiable.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
They could walk in Walmart and you'd be like, I
don't know who was that.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Oh that's oh, that's okay, that's that one. Yeah that's
career lift. Caruso put a hat on you. But you
wouldn't even know. So, yea, they gotta have to have
what They're gonna have to have a couple crazy games
in this Western Conmence finals, and then if they get
to the finals, they're gonna have to have a crazy
finish with the Knicks or the Pacers, you know what
I mean. Where it became epic because as of right now,
(19:28):
it's like.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Oh yeah the Thunder, that one Thunder team that won.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
But rob G, he's still on board with the thunder
you got issues with us? Yeah, and I was late
to the party immediately. No, I know I've seen your Twitter.
Of course they.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
As for following me, rob I appreciate it. Follow Yeah, Dubb,
don't follow.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Me, follow you.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
I what's funny is you guys are saying they're blowing
everybody out and that's the problem. No, I'm just like
they're so good and that nothing's competitive, and because of
that I can view him as a great tea.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I know. It just feels weird, like rob G, like,
give me they have a big win that they had
over somebody where you were like, well, how impressible because
even the Game seven against Denver was a blowout, so
you didn't even have that moment where Shaye Right had
to make a great shot. So they know what I'm making.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Like seriously, they are that they are absolutely a victim
of their own success because their buzz saw and everybody
there is nothing compelling.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
Prob G.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Don't come in here with these stats and facts and
then don't forget the statue just told us a couple
of days ago, twenty four percent uh drop in the Western.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
There you go, that's that's an indictment of this team
because nobody cares about right when you're watching something that's
so great and fantastic, you're like, I gotta watch them.
Oh my god, I got what This team is unbelievable, right,
and you don't have that.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
And I feel bad because they're they're exactly if I'm
an organization, I got a bunch of young, hungry dogs.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
They all love each other.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
They after every interview, it could be one player and
the other ten are behind them, and they're just and
they're they're exactly what you want. They come to work,
they play hard, nose, they play defense. They are all unselfish.
But man, go ahead and hit the snooze on my
alarm clockers.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Oh all right, so let me put a bow on
this then, So before we get to the calls, we
got a lot of cars went away in on this.
If this season ends like we expect, like we're saying,
before they continue on this trend, they have the highest
point differential, regulars and posting and they win the championship.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
You guys don't think they're all time grades.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
But if they come back the second year and they struggle,
but they end up beating Luka Doncs in round one,
they beat Steph Curry. In round two, they beat who
I don't know, and that again, don't say.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
The Lakers whatever. Okay, so they beat them and then
they go and beat uh I don't know.
Speaker 5 (21:39):
They bought it with Cleveland, you know, they beat Donovan
Mitchell or they be Yiannis, whoever. But they struggle. Every
series is a grinding out. Every series of six games.
There's nothing, there's no blowouts. You would be more impressed
by that run than you have been by this.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Yes, because not only it would be two things twofold
that it wasn't a one off, right, because I even
think even though the Pistons didn't win the second year
in two thousand and five, them getting back to the finals,
I think made people point. Would you agree with me,
like like this was a good team. No, it wasn't
just Shaq and Kobe were fighting, because they they went
the next year.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
And almost took out that Spurs team who was yes
and lost.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
In game They went back to them, went back to
San Antonio, won a game six. After that heartbreaking loss,
right with Robert Lorri, they won game six, force to
game seven and lost by four points or whatever it was,
four or five points in Game seven on the road.
I think that that would help them if they did
a second year.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
And I would argue even in losses that O fourteen
had epic losses, like Lebron had to go crazy twenty
five straight. You know, they had battles with that Boston team.
So you need those, Rob g because they make you
their endearing. If not, it's just this one random team
that just came in out the blue and won something.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
You're like, oh yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Rob Parker and kelvin Washington weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (23:05):
Lebron is lucky that these comments came in the middle
of the Conference finals, because if this was like the
middle of February, this may have been a big story. Now,
Lebron's been having this war against the old heads, as
he calls them, for a couple of years now. Specifically,
it seems like with Chuck and Shack.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
And all, yeah, those guys, because they have a big
platform and everybody watches, so that's why it has an
issue with.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
Charl shor So on the last on the latest episode
of Mind the Game that the latest season with him
and Steve Nash, they did this whole miss mine again, Okay,
I know you don't. And that podcast or that video
podcast is meant to celebrate the game of basketball, which
is interesting because at the end of the last episode
they'd already finished what they were going to talk about
(23:50):
and the creativity of guys like Yogtcha Bruns and this
on and so forth. And after they're done recording or
they're done with the episode, Steve Nash says something to
Lebron like, had love what you said about the beauty
of the game, and you know how.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
We should appreciate what we're seeing.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
For whatever reason, they stuck this at the end of
the podcast. You know again they've finished recording, and here's
what Lebron said about the quote unquote old heads and
the way they view today's game of basketball.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
And then like the generation they talk so much about today,
and it makes you go back and watch the game
back then and it makes you not even want to
appreciate it no more like I did with another kid,
like it was like.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
It's a great points. Let you go back and watch now.
It doesn't feel as good as it did at the time.
It does not, but it was great. It was the
best on the planet.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Hey, it was great.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
Or you know these guys here say what can befriend?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
You got your friends with that?
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Where are you smiling on the court?
Speaker 6 (24:44):
And then someone goes to find a clip of like
you standing next to this guy during the finals smiling
and laughing.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
It's like, can we just be honest with everyone?
Speaker 4 (24:53):
Just be honest.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
It's just typical lebron because if they were singing his praises,
he wouldn't have an issue with the old heads. And
that's really what it boils down to. He can make it.
But the idea that you wouldn't appreciate what other people
have done previous is mind boggling to me because it's
only the NBA. We've talked about this before. It's only
(25:20):
the NBA. The jealousy factor is through the roof. I
just don't like, I really like it is in the
era that was played right, But you don't need to
bash that like the JJ Reddick right, everybody's a plumber
and a butcher to make this era feel better to you.
That's what I don't understand that was the best that
(25:42):
was there at the time. There were only eight teams
in the NBA. There wasn't a loaded rosters with guys
who really couldn't play like I don't understand because I
don't believe Lebron would say the same thing if they
were saying he's the and he's the best player they
ever saw. I don't believe he would be going back.
(26:04):
He just doesn't like when people aren't on board with him,
So that's why he didn't like Charles Barkley and he
went after him because of the stuff that they've said.
It's always a war against everybody who's just not on board.
Everybody's not going to like you. Everybody's not going to
be on your team. Everybody's not gonna think you're the
(26:26):
greatest player ever. It's okay, it's okay. People say I'm
a Lebron hater. I think he's the second best player
of all time. That's a hater. A hater is Paul
Pierce who says he's not in the top ten.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
Do you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Like, how do you say somebody's second greatest of all time?
And I'm a hater?
Speaker 4 (26:45):
No?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I watch both, and I do have that is that
I actually watched both players career. Okay, and a lot
of the guys who are now you know, got shows
and taught they didn't watch Michael Jordan. They didn't.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Yeah, so a couple a bunch of things.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
Actually, one thing I'll disagree with you on as I
actually agree with quite a bit of what you said.
One thing I'll disagree is I do think a part
of Lebron isn't just mad that they hate on him.
I do believe absolutely that plays a part of it.
He's got an ego he want you know, he knows
where he is and wants to be considered the greatest.
But I also do believe that he hates that they
(27:25):
talk about this current game, whether it's they shoot too
mey threes or they fratnize. And I do think because
he views himself as the statement statesman, as the elder statesman,
as the face of the league.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
On Lebron himself said that they shoot too many three.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
No, no, no, I hear you.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
What I'm saying is I think so if I make
an indictment on the game, if I say the game
ain't this, or the game ain't that under my leadership,
right under my tenure as the face of the league. Well,
that's an indictment on me, and I think that's a
part of it is. I think he looking at himself
as the governor of the league.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Also came out against the nd season tournament. Who didn't
want that? I'm just saying, these are things like you
know that, these are some of the things that people
don't like about the game, and the threes particularly, That's all.
I didn't play that kind of basketball.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
But this is what I mean.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
But Lebron, where I will give him credit is that
we all know he's an extreme student of the game, right,
So he has that old he respace comes right. Oh man,
what Larry Birdy used to do. He's one of those
I go out of my way to praise the older
guys to talk about what I studied, what I saw.
He shows them respect and he praises the younger guys.
Go and man, all I love with Katie's art.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Not Katie. I love what Sga is doing.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I love what Amen he So he kind of is
that person who bridges honor and respected all ushering in
the new So I do think there's an element in
him It's like, if I feel like I'm doing it
the right way, why are we getting crapped on him?
Speaker 4 (28:48):
But here's what he has to understand. And this is
where I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Everybody ain't gonna like you, Yes, and watch this Rob.
What he's dealing with is what Rob Parker kelvin Washington
and everyone else is dealing with.
Speaker 4 (29:02):
Everybody's got a microphone.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Now see, he don in the era where there was
a Rob Parker and a somebody else covering the beat
and then a ride an art and that was pretty
much it. And then they have a one weekly show
maybe of some reporters and that's it. Buddy, we got
twenty four to seven all over the place. Everybody. You
have literally food brands that have networks. Do you know
there's a Chick fil A network? Like everybody has a network,
(29:25):
Everybody has a microphone, everyone has a podcast, including one.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Of his good friends, Draymond Green.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
So my point is, I think he's paying attention too
much to the volume out there, too much to what
people are saying, too much to what everybody is, you know,
had their ideas, and I think he's over even exposing himself.
Where we have sometimes less is more it's okay to
be a jay Z and Michael Jordan a Beyonce in
that they don't do every interview, rob they don't do
(29:52):
every podcast. And I think Lebron shares his thoughts almost
too much at times where it's like, you don't have
to jump into every conversation. You don't have to jump
on this pod and jump on this interview and tweet
this and instagram net because you open yourself up when
you always have an opinion that we got to go
back on your opinion, then we got to talk about
it all those sports debate shows.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
So I think there is a little bit of Lebron.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I will say, you know, one of his big homies,
jay Z, maybe he's kind of fall back a little
bit on always telling us what you think you're projecting
and doing every interview, every pod, you know what I mean,
because then it comes to becomes back and forth and
some of that can be eliminated. But I just think
we have more access to any and everyone's thoughts, and
he needs to understand people are just getting their thoughts off,
people are just getting their opinions off.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
Everybody's not gonna like you.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Everybody's not gonna like the game, and you can tune
some of that out. And last point where I strongly
disagree with him. When I go back and watch those
eighties and nineties, I love it, boy, I love it.
I go back and watch Lakers versus Celtics once a year.
I go back and watch Last Dance once a year.
I go back and watch Miller Time thirty for thirty
with Reggie in the Knicks once a year. I watched
(30:58):
The Bad Boys Dot twice here. So I strongly disagree.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
That makes me Steve, that's gonna agree with him.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
Yes, Steve, you gotta relax.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Come on, Steve, Really, that was some fun hoops then,
and it's fun hoops now to watch. And I can understand.
Maybe I don't know these people. I don't know all
of them personally like Lebron does. Maybe he takes it
personal because he knows them, but dang it, I love it.
I go get my chips and squat, get me some chili, cheese,
friedos or whatever I'm having that day, and I enjoy it.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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