June 12, 2025 • 30 mins
Rob and Kelvin tell us why it’s a fool’s errand trying to make sense of the Indiana Pacers’ Cinderella run through the NBA Finals, explain why they had a big problem with Tyrese Haliburton’s Game 3 postgame comments taking aim at sports media talking heads, and discuss how the Oklahoma City Thunder are having their ‘Mike Tyson Moment’ after losing their aura of invincibility in these NBA Finals.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
And you know what happened last night? Again, I tried
to tell you what happened. And the Windiana Pacers all
they do is.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Win, win, win, and win some more.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
And I know all you guys, including you, you had
the thunder and five or whatever it was. Everybody in
their uncle had the thunder and five. Never thought they'd
win another game. Oh, they won their one game.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
They got lucky.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
They were only leading by point of for point three
of the game, right, and that was just a fluke.
And last night they got there. I remember, I kept
to you, I'm waiting. I'm waiting for them to have
a good game, play a good game, and they're at home.
The bench feels good. You got Halliburton is aggressive. They
(01:11):
you know, I know we will they limit Shade and
make make him work for his twenty shots, and he
has a little bit of an off night and he had,
you know, more turnovers in the bakery six and they
were sloppy with the ball or whatever, and they were
able to capitalize. I think I saw the stat seventeen
(01:31):
fast break points in that game, nineteen in the first
two games total. So that's a big turnaround when you're
getting fast break and you're and the defense can't get back.
And his easy buckets, layups, dunks, that's what you want
on the fast break points. So all those good things.
But I'm here to tell you if you still can't
(01:52):
figure it out how the pacers are where they are,
don't try to figure it out.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
It won't be figured out.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
This is what happens when the slipper fits Cinderella. You
can't make sense of it. You can't look at it
and go, how how are they winning? What are they doing?
None of it makes sense, Rob g We talked about
this earlier, like the the percentage of them winning all
those games that they won in the earlier rounds, and
(02:26):
they were underdogs one in seventy five million, and here.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
They Wow, sounds like the lottery.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
They're right on the verge. They're two wins away. I
picked them in six Windyana and six. I feel great
about the pick. That was the game that they needed.
And you remember I told you those Game seven because
they're not trying to go back to Oka See and
try to win a game seven on I'm serious. But
(02:53):
can they win this thing?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Now?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Do they have OKAYC on the heels? I know everybody think,
next game Okay s, he's gonna win by two. That's
their m This team is different and the stats and
the figures and the numbers they don't add up. That's
how good the Thunder have been all year. Can I
give you another team that was an all time great
(03:15):
team that didn't win a championship that did not Yes,
all time great team that did not win a championship?
Speaker 5 (03:23):
Patriots, no, NBA, Yes, Warriors, the Warriors.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Whop bablue moms. It didn't work on that.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Series didn't because they went up three to one. And
guess what they did not win. They had lost more
than two games in a row all year. What did
they do to lose the finals? They lost the last three,
including two at home and Game seven. Okay, this can
happen when a team can put it together and Kelvin,
(03:52):
I'm just gonna step up my last six. Don't try
to figure it out. Look at what you're watching. I
said it before that they're a team of destiny. Every
time I watch I keep saying, yes, they're getting contributions
from people to one off.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
It won't happen again, but they don't need it to
happen again. It need to happen in this game.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
They get to win in game three, a huge win
after getting beat up in game two.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
And okay, so let's talk about how he was just
winn was I'm going back to Windy? Yeah, no, windy
Y hada hero I come, I'll tell you what man.
So the massive the severity of that game, right, Game
three winners go on to win eighty percent of the
time to win a series. So that game was huge.
(04:37):
Now obviously, really is that the number? Eighty percent of
people who win game three win that series.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
So that was huge.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
Now, obviously twenty percent is still a large chunk of
folks who've had a shot at winning it. You just
brought up one down three to one, and three one
had never never happening in the finals. R I still
hasn't happened so a couple of things to note. I
actually and to the point now where I go, I
throw my hands in the and that goes for a
lot of this postseason because we had this postseason so
(05:04):
many teams, even the Knicks. What are the Knicks doing
beating the Celtics down twenty twice in Boston and they
come back and win. This has been the wildest playoffs.
The Knicks do that to the Pistons where they going
to twenty zero run and win the game. We we
got the Pacers going on beating Cleveland and Cleveland, and
in Cleveland had set a franchise record and wins like
nothing is made since its entire postseason. And now the
(05:27):
Pacers are doing things that are improbable. You start to
look at some more of these numbers and things, it
is actually laughable. As you were mentioning, look at this
number right here. They are now nine to one in
clutch time games, which this season the most clutch wins
in a single postseason since the Heat did it back
in the bubble when they were eleven and three. So
whenever they're in these clutch games, they just win it.
(05:49):
And you know what has helped in this series. They
keep winning the fourth quarter. So this team has done
things they're not supposed to do. They keep coming back
from when down. They've been down fifteen points in multiple
games and have come back to win those games. This
has made no sense. The only thing I will say
that has made since And I think we just ignored
and I brought this up a bunch, but they've been
(06:11):
the second best team in the NBA since January first.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
There you go, there is another forty four and sixteen.
People make it like they came out of nowhere.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Since January first, and you and I joked and laughed,
we gave them credit. You know, we apologized, we didn't
talk about you, We didn't give you any love.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And you know who.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
Has been the best team since January first, The Oklahoma
City Thunder. It's the only team ahead of them. So
the NBA has the two best teams since the turn
of the year in the NBA Finals. Forty four and
sixteen is crazy. So I just think, again, you look
at this Pacer team. They got back to their identity,
putting pace, They got aggressive, and they got a bunch
(06:49):
of contributions from guys on the bench. And really, maybe
it is no secret that they're this good, and maybe
I've underestimated my Still I picked the Thunder to win,
so I'm riding this out. But maybe we've underestimated them
because they don't have superstars and they weren't sexy. But
they've been incredible this all since again January first, forty
four and.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Sixteen, and here we go.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
They're Buster Douglas knocking down, beating Mike Tyson. Their Kurt
Warner going from bagging groceries to then winning the super
Bowl that same year he was bagging groceries. They're the
two thousand and three Marlins had no business winning the
World Series, the two thousand and four Pistons beating the Lakers,
(07:29):
who had won three championships in four years coming into
that finals.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
I mean, that's who they are.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I really, I'm starting to look at him and I'm
starting to say team of Destiny, Cinderella team. But they
have all the makings of all these other themes that
we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
One quick, one.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Quick thing, though, I don't are we overstating the Cinderella win.
They've went to the Eastern Conerence Finals last year, not
the Thunder. Yeah, you know what I mean? They like,
they've been to the Eastern Conference Finals. They're right back.
So maybe we just ignored them. Maybe we just thought
they flew because they started off rough this season.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
But I'll get I'll give you this. Okay, here's why
it is big if they do win. The longest odds
of winning an NBA five ever, Like, that's how big.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
The odds were sixty six to one.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So that's telling you like nobody believed that they had
a shot. That's why you can say Destiny and Cinder Robb.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
It's still six to one.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
As a current I was six and a half spread
in favor of the Thunder and.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
It was on the road.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
It's the biggest road spread ever since like ninety one
or something like that.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Could we just saw this last game, it was five
and a half. Remember I was like, oh, five, I'm
taking I.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Think Vega, Like you can keep looking at it saying
the Thunder is supposed to win. Last point for me,
the Thunder are six and oh after a loss or
five and oh, I'm sorry trying to go six and
oh they're five and oh guess who else is five
and oh after a loss?
Speaker 4 (08:58):
The Patsy.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
So these two teams are just so evenly matched that
I think, including myself, maybe underestimated. When you really look
at the numbers and the data, it says that the
Pacers are really this good. Both teams five and AH
after lost the thunder and now is their job to
go six and Oh.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
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 3 (09:25):
Coming up Chris Plank from the Sooner Sports networking of
course Fox Sports Radio Weekend. Yep, Twitter at Plank Show.
You know listening sometimes you want to walk the plank,
but that's a good thing.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
No.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
I will put Plank and Span you up against the
Odd Couple any day of the week.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Whatever smoke, are you kidding me? Whatever you trying to
put people up?
Speaker 5 (09:48):
I know, first of all we are already good. But
then when you really you get us in our bag,
it's a wrap.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
See he was on Ben Mallor show. They worked with Jonas.
He he loves everybody show except for our facts, but
he makes the most money.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Pros and a cup of Joe. I would have been
shutting down that hotel bar. You guys to go back
to my nose, not like somebody else. Somebody else shut
it down.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
First of all, I have to say to all this
stuff you're talking over, there is and the words of
Larry June for all my hip hop fans numbers, and.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
They got saying, well, you know what the streets are saying.
At least the next show gets their staff food a
couple of days a week.
Speaker 7 (10:26):
But that's okay.
Speaker 6 (10:30):
I can't afford the food because I got a two
thousand dollars car payment, Mike.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Hey, Rob, g is the biggest pocket watcher I know?
Is your car course two thousand dollars? Really, I'm talking
about you like I switched on you. I think both
of y'all.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
Both of y'all got my mortgage right around Mine is
not mine?
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Is not Robs not my eye not that? Would you stop?
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (10:55):
I look like Jet Magazine when you pull up together.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Hey, hey, Rob, why we could be Rolling Stone? Why
we had to be black magazine?
Speaker 3 (11:02):
I know we can't see that's the Why are we
going to be limited to black? And exactly Alex magazine?
I had a Ford pinto. I mean, what do you
believe that I had a Ford Pinto when Dick was
a guppy.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
That's our first car, a nineteen eighty seven white Pontiac Sunbird.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
How did you like to in the nineties?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
By the way that I said that on MLB network,
did you see I've sent it to you?
Speaker 4 (11:26):
And they and they posted it. They said what.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
Of course was so mad was like, oh that's so clever.
We got to put that on social and then you
send it to us like we ain't got it twenty
four hundred and ninety six times.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Some things never changed, all right.
Speaker 6 (11:43):
I told Rob I was mad when he said He's like,
Rob Gi, you're not the demographic.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
You've heard this joke.
Speaker 7 (11:47):
Already, right, I'm just trying to somebody.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Else who hasn't heard it. That's it's funny to other people.
Why why you send it to us? I want you
to hear it every day three times at least.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
I want to see how MLB network was like, oh,
we got to get this on social.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
They didn't go, oh god, you know what happens that
we have all these TVs up through Spectrum and I'll
be in there doing work, doing my thing, and then
I'll turn over and I'll see you it's too early
in the morning.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
I got to see him later. We don't want to
see him at eight forty two am.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
I got Do you know how many pictures I've gotten
when I was doing first take from friends in sports
bars or whatever, and they do that all the time.
Speaker 5 (12:24):
Man, if you don't get out of my face right now,
there's like twelve TVs and on all of them.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Okay, it's the worst. Did you eat a poppy sea
bagel earlier?
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Get out? Get out of my face right now? All right,
where were at?
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yeah, let's do that. Okay, So Tyree's Halliburton, rob g
little news of the day, can you?
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Yeah, Tyree Haliburton bounce back in a big way. Game three.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
We guys even, he said to himself coming off of
Game two when they lost, He's like, hey man, I've
been really bad in the first half of both of
these games.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Now.
Speaker 7 (12:54):
Game one was saved because he had that game winning jumper.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
And then when you win the gamer like that, that's all.
I don't care what you did earlier.
Speaker 6 (13:01):
But he was very upfront like, hey man, I gotta
I gotta play better because we can't win.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Apparently it can't, but he said it's not sustainable.
Speaker 6 (13:08):
To win games the way that we want a game one,
and apparently they keep doing it anyways, But one of
the big talking points heading into Game three was, Hey,
Tyre's Halliburton, you're the best player on the team. You're
the engine that drives his car. We need you to
be more aggressive for Indiana. And after the game, after
they wanted game three and he had his best game
of the series, Tyre's Halliburton took aim at the talking heads.
Speaker 7 (13:29):
He wanted to see more out of them.
Speaker 8 (13:30):
Think the commentary is always going to be what it is.
You know, most of the time, the talking heads on
the major platforms, I couldn't care less, honestly, Like, what
do they really know about basketball?
Speaker 4 (13:41):
The commentary is what it is.
Speaker 8 (13:43):
At this point, you know, it doesn't matter. You know,
we're here the NBA Finals, two wins away from an
NBA championship. So you just got to stay with it,
put my head down and keep working and as a group,
we just got to keep learning from our mistakes, seeing
where we can get better and take.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
It to day at time. You know, that's my guy.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I like Tom Halliburton, but I'm gonna tell you something good, Yeah,
cause you know that.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
This is unfortunately one time we're about to agree. That
is called deflection. You ever had a moment where you
actually knew there's something you needed to do better, but
you want to blame.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Everybody's always asking me to tell me? Now what you
do you talk about the host in their cars? Yeah?
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 7 (14:21):
Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Rob.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
I love how he turned to look at me. I
was like, what I said? That said?
Speaker 5 (14:28):
Oh, rob G, what the helly is what I'm saying
right now? What the helly is he talking about? Let's
break this. Let's break this down number one. He himself
has said, Oh man, I gotta be more aggressive. He
himself said it, let's go back even further because I
did a little research, rob G. You know what this
trader who was said to him before he would agree
(14:50):
to train him. He said, tonight, we said hey, he
and his managers, Hey man, we really love love you
to train Tyrese. He said, well, tonight, I need you
to take nineteen field goal attempts, specifically said that they're
like whyd whyt that doesn't very specific, he said, because
I need you to be more aggressive.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
This has been the thing for him.
Speaker 5 (15:10):
I would understand if he's random talking, hands were making
up stuff. He needs to do twenty threes, he needs
to have eleven steals, he needs to have fifteen rebounds.
It has been known that because you're such a team player,
such a great passer, such a let me feel the
game out and I applaud his usage rate is so
low for how prolific he is, But there are times
(15:32):
when he needs to be more aggressive. His trainer said it.
He said it before, I've been saying it throughout the postseason,
so to me, he knows it. He's just more upset
to me that he didn't do it earlier and finally
did it in Game three. So I think he was
really mad at himself and in turn happy that he
got the job done and finally did it. And he
was almost one of those eight mile remember an eight
mile what he did. Let me talk about I'm from
(15:54):
trailer trash and my mom ain't this, and let me
let me get to ahead of everything. I'm gonna make
fun of myself, bring Obama flaws so then you can't.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
So I think this was him trying to jump ahead
of it.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
They're all gonna say I was more aggressive to night
so that you know he can jump in front of
that thing and say I already know what you're gonna say,
like a like uh b Rabbit did in eight mile
aka eminem.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
This is my issue and if I was at the
press conference, I would do it. Excuse me, who are
you talking about? Who is it? Who is the talking
heads who don't know anything about basketball? Youre talking about
Charles Barkley, talking about Kenny Smith? Are you talking about
Steven at Who are you talking about? Okay, but but
(16:34):
my point would be who guys who covered the NBA
for thirty five years or whatever? Like when people were
praising you, did you also think that talking heads knew
anything about basketball? It's so ridiculous, so lame, and these
guys they just throw anything out because they don't want
to be criticized.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
That's where we are.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
It's it's first when you know it was like, hey,
you guys never played whatever? Didn I always go to
these guys said the same thing over and over. Can
you show me the film of Bill Belichick in the NFL.
I'll wait, can you show me that, Oh he didn't
play in the league, but he's considered one of the
great guy Okay, getting it in aball pop on the NBA.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
When did he play? Can you show me that tape?
What what team did he play for? Oh? He didn't
play in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Okay, so he didn't know anything about basketball, correct, because
that's what you said. If you don't play, it's not
possible that you know anything about it because you're not
out there. Then when you know, Uh, but Charles, because
Charles was the one that they all hated first because
he was critical.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
They all hate Charles and players MVP all this went
to the fire. So he doesn't know anything about basketball?
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Like stop, just say that you your your your paper
thin with your feelings. Everybody's a big baby. Nobody wants
to be criticized. This whole notion that you lump everybody
together and nobody knows what they're talking about is the
most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Again, these guys, I
admire him as a player, but when guys say stuff
(18:03):
like this, I lose a lot of respect for him.
I'm gonna tell you, because the whole notion that you
could just lump everybody together and just say the talk
the talking heads who it's a stronger argument if you
want to go and do that and undress somebody. I'm
that serious. So and so today said on the ESPN
(18:23):
first take, blah blah blah. No, that's not we have
not run that defense. We don't do that. But I'm listening.
I am listening. Okay, if you can make that case,
make that argument, but to just lump everybody together and
god forbid, you know, can can a reporter in Washington,
DC cover the White House?
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Because they were never president? There's a minithing.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
I always talk about business writer, you know, Entrepreneur magazine,
this journal.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
They didn't know how to run a business. I'm a
writer about businesses just doesn't make any sense.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
It's illogical, it's dumb, it's stupid. And now every time
I hear it, I cringe because there's no reason for that,
and because you don't do it. When you do something
great and you make a shot and everybody's going crazy
about you.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Tell me that.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
And most people have been singing his praises all postseason long,
about the fact that he was the most overrated and
he's kind of superseded that, and I think giving him credit,
giving him credit, wile you and I raise our hand,
what do we say our apologies we ain't even talk
about the Pacers. There are other bigger storylines in the East.
And so my my and my thing is too, dude,
(19:34):
of all the things to be critical about in saying
all the talking heads, it's something that is your thing,
big aggressive, that's oh my god, is that the worst
thing in the world.
Speaker 4 (19:45):
I spent this.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
Every player you name the sport is going to have
a thing or two that they just have to work on, right.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
And and if it's Shack the most dominant player in
the last forty fifty years, But what was Shack's issue?
Free throws? So if all of a sudden we were
critical of his free throws, he made it. You know
what I'm saying. I already know he's talking hands on.
Say you know about me shooting free? Yeah, that's your
itch issue, that's your achilles heel. Guys have it. There
were times Kobe Bryant with four shots, and we knew
(20:12):
that Lebron James sometimes we wanted to be more aggressive
as well, go ahead and close the thing out, go
crazy like you did in the other There are certain
things to me that you can't act as though it's
asinine being brought up and aggression for him is one
of those if we all of a sudden said I
don't like tarbes Helliberd not shooting twenty threes. Okay, that's
not his game, so that's being ridiculous. But him being
(20:33):
a little more certive, a little more aggressive and seem
needs it, dude, when he has twenty points and ten assister, like,
what is it twenty and fifteen and one or something crazy?
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Right, it's just obvious stuff. It's not even like rocket
science stuff. And that's the part that is ridiculous, that
they're so bent out of shape or the whole notion
that it is the end of the world.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
You know what I mean for just saying.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Being more aggressive is all the things I mean it
could have been withn't a personal attacker, just being a
more and more aggress same thing your trainer told you
before he would bring you on a board. So there's
a lot more to me that it could have been
worked like that would give him issues than that.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 5 (21:19):
We know Game three obviously the Pacers able to get
the job done.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
What a big one.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
And I told you earlier stat man, eighty percent of
the teams that win Game three go on to win
the NBA Finals. So that's a crazy stat and obviously
in favor of the Pacers. But is what made this
playoff so crazy and you and wild is that so
many things that don't make sense continue to happen, and
the Thunder are looking and not go six and oh
after loss. They're five and oh. Right now, you got
(21:45):
the Pacers who've been five and oh after a loss.
So that's why we're sitting here two and one. But
when I walk at this series, rob and one of
the things that we were worried about that I was
keeping an eye on going into this was the Thunder
have the biggest point differential all season. They're blowing everybody
out by an average of what was it like, twelve
points a game, twelve thirteen points a game.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
That is crazy.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
They've beaten people by double digits in sixty one games.
They're just demolishing everybody. We know what the defense has done,
a historical defense as well, so they've gotten used to
blowing people out. They've got used to going with the
massive double digit leads in the fourth quarter. They've got
used to the game being out of hand for them early.
(22:27):
And what I wanted to keep an eye on was
when things got a little tight, when games got a
little closer, how would they fare. And what's made it
interesting is they're doing it against the team who has
been the most clutch and clutch games nine to one
of the Pacers in clutch games, games are within a
handful of points in the final minutes of a game.
(22:47):
The Pacers, we know what they're doing. Tyrese Halliburton has
made all of the clutch shots. He's four to four
with under two seconds. So you got a team who
blows everybody out going up against a team who has
been uber clutch.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
And I think what we're seeing is.
Speaker 5 (23:02):
The Oklahoma City Thunder being Mike Tyson that run he
had in the mid and late eighties. I'm knocking everybody
out as soon as the bell ring, bing bingo boo,
bot bamboo, knocking them out. And this is what I do.
And all of a sudden, things get a little tight
for Mike Tyson when he has to go into those
championship rounds or in the NBA version, the fourth quarter,
(23:24):
and I think that's what we're starting to see. If
I can knock you out, I'm good. If I can
knock you out with this riz uppercut, this right hook,
I'm good.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
That's a Thunder.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
But when things get tight, we gotta go in those
championship rounds and I gotta joust it out and I
gotta box you through the fourth quarter. I might have
to switch the game plan. I might have to switch
the South Paul. I don't know that the Thunder have
had to do that a lot, and I think they
clinch up a little bit. They had a bunch of turnovers.
They had five turnovers, and their shots got blocked five times,
three of them from a seven footer, and Ched Holger
(23:55):
got a shot blocked three times. So I think what
we have witnesses them trying to figure it out in
the fourth quarter. And I don't know if they've they've
had to do that a lot, and so I think
we're seeing them be tight and try to figure this out.
Whether the Pacers this is what they've done all postseason long.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
We have been in it.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
We've come back from fifteen points plenty of times, We've
made clutch shots Tyler Rey's Halliburn has made a whole
career of it in one postseason. And I think that's
where we're witnessing a team that if they hit you
with the knockout blow, this is what they do. But
when the knockout blow doesn't work, they don't know what
to do and how to close the game.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
Well, you should be.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Afraid if you're a thunderfan, because this is that part
and that you talk about where now you might face
these moments and situations and you can't close them out,
and that that's that could be the reason that they
lose because they weren't able to close out game one.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
Game one.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
You'll look back, I'm telling you a loss like that
where you're leading all the way up until point three
second point three, not three seven seconds point three, like
almost no time left, put up a shot almost do
you know what I mean? Like like when you think
back to that, you go, oh my god, how in
the world did we lose that game? They would be
(25:11):
right where they're supposed to be right if they won
that game. You expected this week.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Indiana went in for first game at home.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Okay, you win game four and then you go back
home home and you win Game five, series over, that's
we ain't there no more. Anybody thinks that we're in
the same place. Is when this thing first started, no way,
and not after the way the Pacers played in Game three.
You hear even Eddie House was talking about it. He
(25:40):
does sound as confident.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
Am I right?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Like if you watched this just being I know you
want your pick to be right or whatever, but just
watching it as an observer, ain't no way.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
You don't feel the same way.
Speaker 5 (25:50):
These teams so evenly match, and I think we not
necessarily you had the Pacers and six, but I think
we forgot so many things in favor of the Pacers.
Rob I mentioned earlier forty four and sixty second only
one team was ahut of them and gainst Thunder. And
you look at their offensive rate and they were third
in assists. When you watch them play, what do they do?
Move the ball, Move the ball, move the ball. So
(26:11):
I think we just overstated how great defensively the Thunder
were and maybe forgot at how magical the Pacers have
been even in this postseason. They just don't quit, and
they've come back from so many downs. Now, I still
think the Thunder have enough to win because they've won
most of these quarters in this game, this series, they
just haven't won the most important is the fourth and
(26:33):
the two that they lost the fourth quarters are the
two games that's This.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Is the scary part of Game four. The Pacers are up,
they can go for it, like do you know what
I mean? Like like they're they're not playing from their
down to one and can't afford to lose that game.
There's a different mindset if you go out there and
you can't be uptight up, tight up, you're up. Worst
case scenario is you lose is two to two and
(27:00):
it's the best two out of three. That that's so
you can't go on if you're the thunder and y'all
played well in the fourth quarters and all that, you're like, dude,
we're on the brink. If we don't win this game,
we'd have to win three in a run. There's almost
no way we're gonna do that. You like, like it,
really there is the team up. And that's why I
(27:20):
think you're right when you talk about.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
The statin Game three.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Yeah, the finals, because there is something there that allows
you not that you care free and you gonna throw
the ball around and you don't care, but you ain't
under the same pressure as somebody.
Speaker 7 (27:35):
Who can go down.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
There's a huge difference between two to two and three
to one. That's why, you know, it's funny. Huge.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
I've always start game out all my life. I hear
if you all game three. Everybody has their game that
they think. I just feel game one, you want to
start from game two. To me, game four has always
been the most important to me because okay, after game two,
one in one, or I'm up two, okay, well three,
game four because you either got swept, or you're down
three to one, or you tie the thing back up
(28:03):
and you're two too. Game four is the one to
me that always just tells how it's gonna be. I
just think that's because if the Pacers win, they're up
three to one. If you're the Thunder, it's two two,
were good, baby, we got the home court advantage again,
we're back, We're good. Game four to me is always
the one I just feel like because that's the one
that can make or break you. But the Thunder again
five and oh after losses, trying to make it six
(28:25):
to oh with this one six and a half point
favorites already Rob that Vegas is like, no, no, this
is the thunder. They gotta figure this thing out because
they keep being big favorites. Doesn't matter if it's on
the road. It's the biggest road favorite since I believe
it was nineteen ninety one. They are with this six
and a half point spread. So they didn't get to
(28:46):
get a get a good game from Sgaight. He was
nine for twenty, He had six turnovers. He had more
turnovers than he had assist. So I credit the Pacers
for that. So I expect him to do what he does.
Just put thirty thirty five on the board. That's what
he does. But they're gonna have to They're gonna have
to play better. They're definitely gonna have to play better.
And uh but maybe Tyre's Halliburton, who mister said, I
(29:08):
don't want to hear the criticism about me being aggressive.
Maybe he goes back to me not being aggressive again
and then we're back tied up to two in this game.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
But they gotta smell it though, I mean, you know
what I mean, Like that was the turning point that
game last night, because remember they were down there Dow ten,
so that could have been right there this season could
have been on the brink right there. And for them
to come back win that game the way that they did,
even after the Thunder you know, came back in the
third quarter and they're tired or whatever.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
I mean, that's a big that's a big deal. They
finally had a good first half the Pacers. That it
was halftime with sixty four to sixty in favor of
the Thunder, and that was finally a good half for
the Pacers because they've gotten out to such slow start.
They're always down twelve, thirteen to eight, down six, down twelve.
They got out like we're in this game. We're right there,
and then at the pace of the game. Shout out
to t J mc McConnell as well, because if you
(29:57):
watch that game, in that first half, the Thunder at
a couple of point where they were about to break
that thing open, and he would hit an annoying three.
Remember he got a steal, then hit it three again.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
He just was an.
Speaker 5 (30:07):
Annoying little pest, little a better version of Matthew Della vdova,
and he kept them in it. He had a nice
stretch for them that you could argue he was almost
the MVP or at least unsung in me P because
his little stretch in the second quarter and stuff. He
kept them in it and was kept the spirit of
the Pacers up like Bumpau to getting the crowd into it.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
And you need that guy for every team.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us 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 Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
And you know what happened last night? Again, I tried
to tell you what happened. And the Windiana Pacers all
they do is.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Win, win, win, and win some more.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
And I know all you guys, including you, you had
the thunder and five or whatever it was. Everybody in
their uncle had the thunder and five. Never thought they'd
win another game. Oh, they won their one game.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
They got lucky.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
They were only leading by point of for point three
of the game, right, and that was just a fluke.
And last night they got there. I remember, I kept
to you, I'm waiting. I'm waiting for them to have
a good game, play a good game, and they're at home.
The bench feels good. You got Halliburton is aggressive. They
(01:11):
you know, I know we will they limit Shade and
make make him work for his twenty shots, and he
has a little bit of an off night and he had,
you know, more turnovers in the bakery six and they
were sloppy with the ball or whatever, and they were
able to capitalize. I think I saw the stat seventeen
(01:31):
fast break points in that game, nineteen in the first
two games total. So that's a big turnaround when you're
getting fast break and you're and the defense can't get back.
And his easy buckets, layups, dunks, that's what you want
on the fast break points. So all those good things.
But I'm here to tell you if you still can't
(01:52):
figure it out how the pacers are where they are,
don't try to figure it out.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
It won't be figured out.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
This is what happens when the slipper fits Cinderella. You
can't make sense of it. You can't look at it
and go, how how are they winning? What are they doing?
None of it makes sense, Rob g We talked about
this earlier, like the the percentage of them winning all
those games that they won in the earlier rounds, and
(02:26):
they were underdogs one in seventy five million, and here.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
They Wow, sounds like the lottery.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
They're right on the verge. They're two wins away. I
picked them in six Windyana and six. I feel great
about the pick. That was the game that they needed.
And you remember I told you those Game seven because
they're not trying to go back to Oka See and
try to win a game seven on I'm serious. But
(02:53):
can they win this thing?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Now?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Do they have OKAYC on the heels? I know everybody think,
next game Okay s, he's gonna win by two. That's
their m This team is different and the stats and
the figures and the numbers they don't add up. That's
how good the Thunder have been all year. Can I
give you another team that was an all time great
(03:15):
team that didn't win a championship that did not Yes,
all time great team that did not win a championship?
Speaker 5 (03:23):
Patriots, no, NBA, Yes, Warriors, the Warriors.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Whop bablue moms. It didn't work on that.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Series didn't because they went up three to one. And
guess what they did not win. They had lost more
than two games in a row all year. What did
they do to lose the finals? They lost the last three,
including two at home and Game seven. Okay, this can
happen when a team can put it together and Kelvin,
(03:52):
I'm just gonna step up my last six. Don't try
to figure it out. Look at what you're watching. I
said it before that they're a team of destiny. Every
time I watch I keep saying, yes, they're getting contributions
from people to one off.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
It won't happen again, but they don't need it to
happen again. It need to happen in this game.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
They get to win in game three, a huge win
after getting beat up in game two.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
And okay, so let's talk about how he was just
winn was I'm going back to Windy? Yeah, no, windy
Y hada hero I come, I'll tell you what man.
So the massive the severity of that game, right, Game
three winners go on to win eighty percent of the
time to win a series. So that game was huge.
(04:37):
Now obviously, really is that the number? Eighty percent of
people who win game three win that series.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
So that was huge.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
Now, obviously twenty percent is still a large chunk of
folks who've had a shot at winning it. You just
brought up one down three to one, and three one
had never never happening in the finals. R I still
hasn't happened so a couple of things to note. I
actually and to the point now where I go, I
throw my hands in the and that goes for a
lot of this postseason because we had this postseason so
(05:04):
many teams, even the Knicks. What are the Knicks doing
beating the Celtics down twenty twice in Boston and they
come back and win. This has been the wildest playoffs.
The Knicks do that to the Pistons where they going
to twenty zero run and win the game. We we
got the Pacers going on beating Cleveland and Cleveland, and
in Cleveland had set a franchise record and wins like
nothing is made since its entire postseason. And now the
(05:27):
Pacers are doing things that are improbable. You start to
look at some more of these numbers and things, it
is actually laughable. As you were mentioning, look at this
number right here. They are now nine to one in
clutch time games, which this season the most clutch wins
in a single postseason since the Heat did it back
in the bubble when they were eleven and three. So
whenever they're in these clutch games, they just win it.
(05:49):
And you know what has helped in this series. They
keep winning the fourth quarter. So this team has done
things they're not supposed to do. They keep coming back
from when down. They've been down fifteen points in multiple
games and have come back to win those games. This
has made no sense. The only thing I will say
that has made since And I think we just ignored
and I brought this up a bunch, but they've been
(06:11):
the second best team in the NBA since January first.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
There you go, there is another forty four and sixteen.
People make it like they came out of nowhere.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Since January first, and you and I joked and laughed,
we gave them credit. You know, we apologized, we didn't
talk about you, We didn't give you any love.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And you know who.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
Has been the best team since January first, The Oklahoma
City Thunder. It's the only team ahead of them. So
the NBA has the two best teams since the turn
of the year in the NBA Finals. Forty four and
sixteen is crazy. So I just think, again, you look
at this Pacer team. They got back to their identity,
putting pace, They got aggressive, and they got a bunch
(06:49):
of contributions from guys on the bench. And really, maybe
it is no secret that they're this good, and maybe
I've underestimated my Still I picked the Thunder to win,
so I'm riding this out. But maybe we've underestimated them
because they don't have superstars and they weren't sexy. But
they've been incredible this all since again January first, forty
four and.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Sixteen, and here we go.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
They're Buster Douglas knocking down, beating Mike Tyson. Their Kurt
Warner going from bagging groceries to then winning the super
Bowl that same year he was bagging groceries. They're the
two thousand and three Marlins had no business winning the
World Series, the two thousand and four Pistons beating the Lakers,
(07:29):
who had won three championships in four years coming into
that finals.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
I mean, that's who they are.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I really, I'm starting to look at him and I'm
starting to say team of Destiny, Cinderella team. But they
have all the makings of all these other themes that
we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
One quick, one.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Quick thing, though, I don't are we overstating the Cinderella win.
They've went to the Eastern Conerence Finals last year, not
the Thunder. Yeah, you know what I mean? They like,
they've been to the Eastern Conference Finals. They're right back.
So maybe we just ignored them. Maybe we just thought
they flew because they started off rough this season.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
But I'll get I'll give you this. Okay, here's why
it is big if they do win. The longest odds
of winning an NBA five ever, Like, that's how big.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
The odds were sixty six to one.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So that's telling you like nobody believed that they had
a shot. That's why you can say Destiny and Cinder Robb.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
It's still six to one.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
As a current I was six and a half spread
in favor of the Thunder and.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
It was on the road.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
It's the biggest road spread ever since like ninety one
or something like that.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Could we just saw this last game, it was five
and a half. Remember I was like, oh, five, I'm
taking I.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Think Vega, Like you can keep looking at it saying
the Thunder is supposed to win. Last point for me,
the Thunder are six and oh after a loss or
five and oh, I'm sorry trying to go six and
oh they're five and oh guess who else is five
and oh after a loss?
Speaker 4 (08:58):
The Patsy.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
So these two teams are just so evenly matched that
I think, including myself, maybe underestimated. When you really look
at the numbers and the data, it says that the
Pacers are really this good. Both teams five and AH
after lost the thunder and now is their job to
go six and Oh.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
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 3 (09:25):
Coming up Chris Plank from the Sooner Sports networking of
course Fox Sports Radio Weekend. Yep, Twitter at Plank Show.
You know listening sometimes you want to walk the plank,
but that's a good thing.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
No.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
I will put Plank and Span you up against the
Odd Couple any day of the week.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Whatever smoke, are you kidding me? Whatever you trying to
put people up?
Speaker 5 (09:48):
I know, first of all we are already good. But
then when you really you get us in our bag,
it's a wrap.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
See he was on Ben Mallor show. They worked with Jonas.
He he loves everybody show except for our facts, but
he makes the most money.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Pros and a cup of Joe. I would have been
shutting down that hotel bar. You guys to go back
to my nose, not like somebody else. Somebody else shut
it down.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
First of all, I have to say to all this
stuff you're talking over, there is and the words of
Larry June for all my hip hop fans numbers, and.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
They got saying, well, you know what the streets are saying.
At least the next show gets their staff food a
couple of days a week.
Speaker 7 (10:26):
But that's okay.
Speaker 6 (10:30):
I can't afford the food because I got a two
thousand dollars car payment, Mike.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Hey, Rob, g is the biggest pocket watcher I know?
Is your car course two thousand dollars? Really, I'm talking
about you like I switched on you. I think both
of y'all.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
Both of y'all got my mortgage right around Mine is
not mine?
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Is not Robs not my eye not that? Would you stop?
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (10:55):
I look like Jet Magazine when you pull up together.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Hey, hey, Rob, why we could be Rolling Stone? Why
we had to be black magazine?
Speaker 3 (11:02):
I know we can't see that's the Why are we
going to be limited to black? And exactly Alex magazine?
I had a Ford pinto. I mean, what do you
believe that I had a Ford Pinto when Dick was
a guppy.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
That's our first car, a nineteen eighty seven white Pontiac Sunbird.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
How did you like to in the nineties?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
By the way that I said that on MLB network,
did you see I've sent it to you?
Speaker 4 (11:26):
And they and they posted it. They said what.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
Of course was so mad was like, oh that's so clever.
We got to put that on social and then you
send it to us like we ain't got it twenty
four hundred and ninety six times.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Some things never changed, all right.
Speaker 6 (11:43):
I told Rob I was mad when he said He's like,
Rob Gi, you're not the demographic.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
You've heard this joke.
Speaker 7 (11:47):
Already, right, I'm just trying to somebody.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Else who hasn't heard it. That's it's funny to other people.
Why why you send it to us? I want you
to hear it every day three times at least.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
I want to see how MLB network was like, oh,
we got to get this on social.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
They didn't go, oh god, you know what happens that
we have all these TVs up through Spectrum and I'll
be in there doing work, doing my thing, and then
I'll turn over and I'll see you it's too early
in the morning.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
I got to see him later. We don't want to
see him at eight forty two am.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
I got Do you know how many pictures I've gotten
when I was doing first take from friends in sports
bars or whatever, and they do that all the time.
Speaker 5 (12:24):
Man, if you don't get out of my face right now,
there's like twelve TVs and on all of them.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Okay, it's the worst. Did you eat a poppy sea
bagel earlier?
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Get out? Get out of my face right now? All right,
where were at?
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yeah, let's do that. Okay, So Tyree's Halliburton, rob g
little news of the day, can you?
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Yeah, Tyree Haliburton bounce back in a big way. Game three.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
We guys even, he said to himself coming off of
Game two when they lost, He's like, hey man, I've
been really bad in the first half of both of
these games.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Now.
Speaker 7 (12:54):
Game one was saved because he had that game winning jumper.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
And then when you win the gamer like that, that's all.
I don't care what you did earlier.
Speaker 6 (13:01):
But he was very upfront like, hey man, I gotta
I gotta play better because we can't win.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Apparently it can't, but he said it's not sustainable.
Speaker 6 (13:08):
To win games the way that we want a game one,
and apparently they keep doing it anyways, But one of
the big talking points heading into Game three was, Hey,
Tyre's Halliburton, you're the best player on the team. You're
the engine that drives his car. We need you to
be more aggressive for Indiana. And after the game, after
they wanted game three and he had his best game
of the series, Tyre's Halliburton took aim at the talking heads.
Speaker 7 (13:29):
He wanted to see more out of them.
Speaker 8 (13:30):
Think the commentary is always going to be what it is.
You know, most of the time, the talking heads on
the major platforms, I couldn't care less, honestly, Like, what
do they really know about basketball?
Speaker 4 (13:41):
The commentary is what it is.
Speaker 8 (13:43):
At this point, you know, it doesn't matter. You know,
we're here the NBA Finals, two wins away from an
NBA championship. So you just got to stay with it,
put my head down and keep working and as a group,
we just got to keep learning from our mistakes, seeing
where we can get better and take.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
It to day at time. You know, that's my guy.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I like Tom Halliburton, but I'm gonna tell you something good, Yeah,
cause you know that.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
This is unfortunately one time we're about to agree. That
is called deflection. You ever had a moment where you
actually knew there's something you needed to do better, but
you want to blame.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Everybody's always asking me to tell me? Now what you
do you talk about the host in their cars? Yeah?
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 7 (14:21):
Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Rob.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
I love how he turned to look at me. I
was like, what I said? That said?
Speaker 5 (14:28):
Oh, rob G, what the helly is what I'm saying
right now? What the helly is he talking about? Let's
break this. Let's break this down number one. He himself
has said, Oh man, I gotta be more aggressive. He
himself said it, let's go back even further because I
did a little research, rob G. You know what this
trader who was said to him before he would agree
(14:50):
to train him. He said, tonight, we said hey, he
and his managers, Hey man, we really love love you
to train Tyrese. He said, well, tonight, I need you
to take nineteen field goal attempts, specifically said that they're
like whyd whyt that doesn't very specific, he said, because
I need you to be more aggressive.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
This has been the thing for him.
Speaker 5 (15:10):
I would understand if he's random talking, hands were making
up stuff. He needs to do twenty threes, he needs
to have eleven steals, he needs to have fifteen rebounds.
It has been known that because you're such a team player,
such a great passer, such a let me feel the
game out and I applaud his usage rate is so
low for how prolific he is, But there are times
(15:32):
when he needs to be more aggressive. His trainer said it.
He said it before, I've been saying it throughout the postseason,
so to me, he knows it. He's just more upset
to me that he didn't do it earlier and finally
did it in Game three. So I think he was
really mad at himself and in turn happy that he
got the job done and finally did it. And he
was almost one of those eight mile remember an eight
mile what he did. Let me talk about I'm from
(15:54):
trailer trash and my mom ain't this, and let me
let me get to ahead of everything. I'm gonna make
fun of myself, bring Obama flaws so then you can't.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
So I think this was him trying to jump ahead
of it.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
They're all gonna say I was more aggressive to night
so that you know he can jump in front of
that thing and say I already know what you're gonna say,
like a like uh b Rabbit did in eight mile
aka eminem.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
This is my issue and if I was at the
press conference, I would do it. Excuse me, who are
you talking about? Who is it? Who is the talking
heads who don't know anything about basketball? Youre talking about
Charles Barkley, talking about Kenny Smith? Are you talking about
Steven at Who are you talking about? Okay, but but
(16:34):
my point would be who guys who covered the NBA
for thirty five years or whatever? Like when people were
praising you, did you also think that talking heads knew
anything about basketball? It's so ridiculous, so lame, and these
guys they just throw anything out because they don't want
to be criticized.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
That's where we are.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
It's it's first when you know it was like, hey,
you guys never played whatever? Didn I always go to
these guys said the same thing over and over. Can
you show me the film of Bill Belichick in the NFL.
I'll wait, can you show me that, Oh he didn't
play in the league, but he's considered one of the
great guy Okay, getting it in aball pop on the NBA.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
When did he play? Can you show me that tape?
What what team did he play for? Oh? He didn't
play in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Okay, so he didn't know anything about basketball, correct, because
that's what you said. If you don't play, it's not
possible that you know anything about it because you're not
out there. Then when you know, Uh, but Charles, because
Charles was the one that they all hated first because
he was critical.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
They all hate Charles and players MVP all this went
to the fire. So he doesn't know anything about basketball?
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Like stop, just say that you your your your paper
thin with your feelings. Everybody's a big baby. Nobody wants
to be criticized. This whole notion that you lump everybody
together and nobody knows what they're talking about is the
most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Again, these guys, I
admire him as a player, but when guys say stuff
(18:03):
like this, I lose a lot of respect for him.
I'm gonna tell you, because the whole notion that you
could just lump everybody together and just say the talk
the talking heads who it's a stronger argument if you
want to go and do that and undress somebody. I'm
that serious. So and so today said on the ESPN
(18:23):
first take, blah blah blah. No, that's not we have
not run that defense. We don't do that. But I'm listening.
I am listening. Okay, if you can make that case,
make that argument, but to just lump everybody together and
god forbid, you know, can can a reporter in Washington,
DC cover the White House?
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Because they were never president? There's a minithing.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
I always talk about business writer, you know, Entrepreneur magazine,
this journal.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
They didn't know how to run a business. I'm a
writer about businesses just doesn't make any sense.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
It's illogical, it's dumb, it's stupid. And now every time
I hear it, I cringe because there's no reason for that,
and because you don't do it. When you do something
great and you make a shot and everybody's going crazy
about you.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Tell me that.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
And most people have been singing his praises all postseason long,
about the fact that he was the most overrated and
he's kind of superseded that, and I think giving him credit,
giving him credit, wile you and I raise our hand,
what do we say our apologies we ain't even talk
about the Pacers. There are other bigger storylines in the East.
And so my my and my thing is too, dude,
(19:34):
of all the things to be critical about in saying
all the talking heads, it's something that is your thing,
big aggressive, that's oh my god, is that the worst
thing in the world.
Speaker 4 (19:45):
I spent this.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
Every player you name the sport is going to have
a thing or two that they just have to work on, right.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
And and if it's Shack the most dominant player in
the last forty fifty years, But what was Shack's issue?
Free throws? So if all of a sudden we were
critical of his free throws, he made it. You know
what I'm saying. I already know he's talking hands on.
Say you know about me shooting free? Yeah, that's your
itch issue, that's your achilles heel. Guys have it. There
were times Kobe Bryant with four shots, and we knew
(20:12):
that Lebron James sometimes we wanted to be more aggressive
as well, go ahead and close the thing out, go
crazy like you did in the other There are certain
things to me that you can't act as though it's
asinine being brought up and aggression for him is one
of those if we all of a sudden said I
don't like tarbes Helliberd not shooting twenty threes. Okay, that's
not his game, so that's being ridiculous. But him being
(20:33):
a little more certive, a little more aggressive and seem
needs it, dude, when he has twenty points and ten assister, like,
what is it twenty and fifteen and one or something crazy?
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Right, it's just obvious stuff. It's not even like rocket
science stuff. And that's the part that is ridiculous, that
they're so bent out of shape or the whole notion
that it is the end of the world.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
You know what I mean for just saying.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Being more aggressive is all the things I mean it
could have been withn't a personal attacker, just being a
more and more aggress same thing your trainer told you
before he would bring you on a board. So there's
a lot more to me that it could have been
worked like that would give him issues than that.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
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Speaker 5 (21:19):
We know Game three obviously the Pacers able to get
the job done.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
What a big one.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
And I told you earlier stat man, eighty percent of
the teams that win Game three go on to win
the NBA Finals. So that's a crazy stat and obviously
in favor of the Pacers. But is what made this
playoff so crazy and you and wild is that so
many things that don't make sense continue to happen, and
the Thunder are looking and not go six and oh
after loss. They're five and oh. Right now, you got
(21:45):
the Pacers who've been five and oh after a loss.
So that's why we're sitting here two and one. But
when I walk at this series, rob and one of
the things that we were worried about that I was
keeping an eye on going into this was the Thunder
have the biggest point differential all season. They're blowing everybody
out by an average of what was it like, twelve
points a game, twelve thirteen points a game.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
That is crazy.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
They've beaten people by double digits in sixty one games.
They're just demolishing everybody. We know what the defense has done,
a historical defense as well, so they've gotten used to
blowing people out. They've got used to going with the
massive double digit leads in the fourth quarter. They've got
used to the game being out of hand for them early.
(22:27):
And what I wanted to keep an eye on was
when things got a little tight, when games got a
little closer, how would they fare. And what's made it
interesting is they're doing it against the team who has
been the most clutch and clutch games nine to one
of the Pacers in clutch games, games are within a
handful of points in the final minutes of a game.
(22:47):
The Pacers, we know what they're doing. Tyrese Halliburton has
made all of the clutch shots. He's four to four
with under two seconds. So you got a team who
blows everybody out going up against a team who has
been uber clutch.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
And I think what we're seeing is.
Speaker 5 (23:02):
The Oklahoma City Thunder being Mike Tyson that run he
had in the mid and late eighties. I'm knocking everybody
out as soon as the bell ring, bing bingo boo,
bot bamboo, knocking them out. And this is what I do.
And all of a sudden, things get a little tight
for Mike Tyson when he has to go into those
championship rounds or in the NBA version, the fourth quarter,
(23:24):
and I think that's what we're starting to see. If
I can knock you out, I'm good. If I can
knock you out with this riz uppercut, this right hook,
I'm good.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
That's a Thunder.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
But when things get tight, we gotta go in those
championship rounds and I gotta joust it out and I
gotta box you through the fourth quarter. I might have
to switch the game plan. I might have to switch
the South Paul. I don't know that the Thunder have
had to do that a lot, and I think they
clinch up a little bit. They had a bunch of turnovers.
They had five turnovers, and their shots got blocked five times,
three of them from a seven footer, and Ched Holger
(23:55):
got a shot blocked three times. So I think what
we have witnesses them trying to figure it out in
the fourth quarter. And I don't know if they've they've
had to do that a lot, and so I think
we're seeing them be tight and try to figure this out.
Whether the Pacers this is what they've done all postseason long.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
We have been in it.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
We've come back from fifteen points plenty of times, We've
made clutch shots Tyler Rey's Halliburn has made a whole
career of it in one postseason. And I think that's
where we're witnessing a team that if they hit you
with the knockout blow, this is what they do. But
when the knockout blow doesn't work, they don't know what
to do and how to close the game.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
Well, you should be.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Afraid if you're a thunderfan, because this is that part
and that you talk about where now you might face
these moments and situations and you can't close them out,
and that that's that could be the reason that they
lose because they weren't able to close out game one.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
Game one.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
You'll look back, I'm telling you a loss like that
where you're leading all the way up until point three
second point three, not three seven seconds point three, like
almost no time left, put up a shot almost do
you know what I mean? Like like when you think
back to that, you go, oh my god, how in
the world did we lose that game? They would be
(25:11):
right where they're supposed to be right if they won
that game. You expected this week.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Indiana went in for first game at home.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Okay, you win game four and then you go back
home home and you win Game five, series over, that's
we ain't there no more. Anybody thinks that we're in
the same place. Is when this thing first started, no way,
and not after the way the Pacers played in Game three.
You hear even Eddie House was talking about it. He
(25:40):
does sound as confident.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
Am I right?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Like if you watched this just being I know you
want your pick to be right or whatever, but just
watching it as an observer, ain't no way.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
You don't feel the same way.
Speaker 5 (25:50):
These teams so evenly match, and I think we not
necessarily you had the Pacers and six, but I think
we forgot so many things in favor of the Pacers.
Rob I mentioned earlier forty four and sixty second only
one team was ahut of them and gainst Thunder. And
you look at their offensive rate and they were third
in assists. When you watch them play, what do they do?
Move the ball, Move the ball, move the ball. So
(26:11):
I think we just overstated how great defensively the Thunder
were and maybe forgot at how magical the Pacers have
been even in this postseason. They just don't quit, and
they've come back from so many downs. Now, I still
think the Thunder have enough to win because they've won
most of these quarters in this game, this series, they
just haven't won the most important is the fourth and
(26:33):
the two that they lost the fourth quarters are the
two games that's This.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Is the scary part of Game four. The Pacers are up,
they can go for it, like do you know what
I mean? Like like they're they're not playing from their
down to one and can't afford to lose that game.
There's a different mindset if you go out there and
you can't be uptight up, tight up, you're up. Worst
case scenario is you lose is two to two and
(27:00):
it's the best two out of three. That that's so
you can't go on if you're the thunder and y'all
played well in the fourth quarters and all that, you're like, dude,
we're on the brink. If we don't win this game,
we'd have to win three in a run. There's almost
no way we're gonna do that. You like, like it,
really there is the team up. And that's why I
(27:20):
think you're right when you talk about.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
The statin Game three.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Yeah, the finals, because there is something there that allows
you not that you care free and you gonna throw
the ball around and you don't care, but you ain't
under the same pressure as somebody.
Speaker 7 (27:35):
Who can go down.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
There's a huge difference between two to two and three
to one. That's why, you know, it's funny. Huge.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
I've always start game out all my life. I hear
if you all game three. Everybody has their game that
they think. I just feel game one, you want to
start from game two. To me, game four has always
been the most important to me because okay, after game two,
one in one, or I'm up two, okay, well three,
game four because you either got swept, or you're down
three to one, or you tie the thing back up
(28:03):
and you're two too. Game four is the one to
me that always just tells how it's gonna be. I
just think that's because if the Pacers win, they're up
three to one. If you're the Thunder, it's two two,
were good, baby, we got the home court advantage again,
we're back, We're good. Game four to me is always
the one I just feel like because that's the one
that can make or break you. But the Thunder again
five and oh after losses, trying to make it six
(28:25):
to oh with this one six and a half point
favorites already Rob that Vegas is like, no, no, this
is the thunder. They gotta figure this thing out because
they keep being big favorites. Doesn't matter if it's on
the road. It's the biggest road favorite since I believe
it was nineteen ninety one. They are with this six
and a half point spread. So they didn't get to
(28:46):
get a get a good game from Sgaight. He was
nine for twenty, He had six turnovers. He had more
turnovers than he had assist. So I credit the Pacers
for that. So I expect him to do what he does.
Just put thirty thirty five on the board. That's what
he does. But they're gonna have to They're gonna have
to play better. They're definitely gonna have to play better.
And uh but maybe Tyre's Halliburton, who mister said, I
(29:08):
don't want to hear the criticism about me being aggressive.
Maybe he goes back to me not being aggressive again
and then we're back tied up to two in this game.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
But they gotta smell it though, I mean, you know
what I mean, Like that was the turning point that
game last night, because remember they were down there Dow ten,
so that could have been right there this season could
have been on the brink right there. And for them
to come back win that game the way that they did,
even after the Thunder you know, came back in the
third quarter and they're tired or whatever.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
I mean, that's a big that's a big deal. They
finally had a good first half the Pacers. That it
was halftime with sixty four to sixty in favor of
the Thunder, and that was finally a good half for
the Pacers because they've gotten out to such slow start.
They're always down twelve, thirteen to eight, down six, down twelve.
They got out like we're in this game. We're right there,
and then at the pace of the game. Shout out
to t J mc McConnell as well, because if you
(29:57):
watch that game, in that first half, the Thunder at
a couple of point where they were about to break
that thing open, and he would hit an annoying three.
Remember he got a steal, then hit it three again.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
He just was an.
Speaker 5 (30:07):
Annoying little pest, little a better version of Matthew Della vdova,
and he kept them in it. He had a nice
stretch for them that you could argue he was almost
the MVP or at least unsung in me P because
his little stretch in the second quarter and stuff. He
kept them in it and was kept the spirit of
the Pacers up like Bumpau to getting the crowd into it.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
And you need that guy for every team.
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