May 14, 2024 • 37 mins
Chris and Rob explain why this series against Oklahoma City is a real ‘fork in the road’ moment for Luka Doncic, tell us what we can learn from Bronny James’ performance at the NBA Draft Combine and take a trip out to Shekel City for Rob’s nightly bets. Plus, former NFL offensive lineman and FOX Sports Radio Weekend host Ephraim Salaam swings by to discuss his expectations for Caitlin Clark in her rookie season, how the Denver Nuggets were able to crawl out of their 0-2 series hole against the Minnesota Timberwolves, whether or not the Los Angeles Lakers should draft Bronny James and much more!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from seven pm
to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Let's give this you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Ah, yeah, it is The Odd Couple.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I'm Chris Bruceard alongside my partner Rob Parker, and we're
coming to you live from the tire rack dot Com studios.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Tyrak dot com will help you get there. Ty Rak
has an unmatched selection, fast reshipping, free row hazard protection,
and more than ten thousand recommended installers. Tyereck dot com
is the way tyrebine should be in this right here,
The Odd Couple is the way sports talk radio should be.
So keep it locked here on Fox Sports Radio, the
(01:13):
iHeartRadio app, or Serious.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
XM channel eighty three.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
However you may be listening for the next three hours,
you will not be sorry with that saying. Let me
welcome in my partner on this trash talking Tuesday, mister
Rod Parker.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
What's up man?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
What's happened? To mister Chris Bushaw, how are you?
Speaker 4 (01:34):
I'm great, man, I am outstanding.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Trash talking Tuesday, Yes, indeed.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yes, so who you trashing?
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I'm trashing your gud Luca? Wow, come on, Luca. You
gonna make those free throws at the end, don't you.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Chris yep, absolutely does.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Gotta make those free throws. That's what you're up there for.
Can't let that happen in that situation. That's a chance
to put your foot on the uh that I'm saying
to win that, you know what I mean, tie it
and win it, because you go up three one. That's
what I mean. You can't lose it like that. That's
what you can't do. That's what I mean.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
Well, we're gonna get into Luca and uh. He wasn't
the only Maverick though missing free throw they robbed. They
were twelve for twenty three from the foul line fifty
and they lost by four. So they're not a great
frile shooting team. They shoot seventy five percent for the
regular season. But even if they would have shot seventy
five percent yesterday, they win that game, and as you said,
(02:38):
they're in major control of the series.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
It's huge Chris City, and you can't you can't do
that with those are the teams in the postseason. You
gotta make your free throws like.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
They come back. Okase made twenty three of twenty four,
so that was the difference right there.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
That's all right.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
Well, we're gonna get into Luca in more detail. Rob
Let's introduce the Odd Couple crew. We got the super
producer Rob g in the house. On the updates, who
is it?
Speaker 4 (03:09):
I didn't here earlier?
Speaker 5 (03:12):
Ryan Finley, the loquacious one, And on the social media
are man Elijah Sebuna and on this trash talking Tuesday
on the ones.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
And the twos, it's none other than.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Why you buging?
Speaker 6 (03:30):
Ugh?
Speaker 5 (03:30):
Mary and Mary that's right, she ain't bugging. She doing
her thing, all right, rob Let's get into it.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
And we talked. You just talked about him and you're
trash and Luca.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
He did rob With ten seconds left in that game
last night, he gets to the foul line for two
free throws, but misses the first. They were down two
at the time. Hits the second, but that kept him
down a point. And rob it is a whole different
game if he makes both and ties the game with
(04:03):
ten seconds left versus now you're still down one and
you gotta try to play get a steal or play
a foul shooting contest. So they end up losing one
hundred to ninety six to Oklahoma.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
City in Dallas.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
So that series, Rob returns to OKC where they now
have the home court advantage.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
It's the best of three.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Now I still think Dallas wins the series, Rob, but
maybe not.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
We'll see.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
I think they'll get them, but it's it's gonna be
a close one. And one of the interesting storylines to
me Rob in this series.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
And you know, I think Luka Donci is just tremendous.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
I called him years ago, Luca Legend obviously after Larry Bird.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Larry Legend.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
I think he can be kind of that, you know,
next version of Larry Bird.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
I mean y Yo Kitchen.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
I'm not just saying this because they're white, but Yokich
has a lot of you know, similarities to Bird in
his dominance and passing ability and you know, ability to
kind of control the game even without scoring all the time.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
But Luca does as well.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
And Rob I would say this now, Luka doncis, tell
me if this surprises you, Rob he's only twenty five
years old.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
He looks older. He just does. He looks like he's thirty. See.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I don't think it's the look. I think it's just
the fact.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
In my opinion, it is just the fact that he's
been dominant from day one, and now in his.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Sixth year, it feels like he should be older.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Now he's younger than Shae Gilders Alexander, I mean by
like two hundred days or something like that. But you,
Shaye is still kind of viewed as a really young
guy because he wasn't a star right away.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Remember he's with the Clippers and he's kind of a
role player.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Lucas Sade And the way he looks to Chris, not
to me.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
I don't think you look I don't think he looks
at me. I mean, in particular, I look at him.
He just looks older to me.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
You did they check his birth certificate? I just want
to make sure. I mean they might have said he
was nineteen or whatever, but he's really twenty five when
he came in.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
You know, you never yeah out of I mean that's
you can figure that out with your guys. But I'm
gonna take it that he's twenty five. I don't think
he looks older than twenty five. I'm just my thing
is his dominance in the sport started from day one,
and so it feels to me like he's a bit older,
but he's still young.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
But here's the thing, Rob, I believe that this series.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
Is kind of Luka Doncic's first fork in the road moment.
That's the best term I could think of to describe it.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
But where like, he has.
Speaker 5 (06:53):
Been terrific in the playoffs all right, even though he's
never been to the finals. His first year in the playoffs,
he's facing the Clippers of Kawhi and Paul George. They
lose in six, but his numbers are phenomenal. That's when
those two were two of the greatest perimeter defenders in
the league. Twenty twenty one, he does the same thing,
(07:14):
takes them seven again, puts up phenomenal numbers, and then
Rob the next year in twenty twenty two, they get
to the to the Western Conference Finals. They surprised Phoenix,
which had been to the finals the year before I
believe it was, and beat them in the second round,
and then Golden State beats them in five. But that
(07:36):
was viewed as Wow, he got this team no other stars.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
We didn't know.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
Jalen Brunton was at a start in the making at
that time, and so that was.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Another feather, if you will, in Lucas cap.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
Of course, the following year twenty twenty three, when they
first get Kyrie, they missed the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (07:52):
That was bad.
Speaker 5 (07:54):
But then this year Robed they beat the Clippers and
now they are favored. Now I shouldn't say favorite because
Okac is the higher seed, but I think in most
people's eyes, I certainly feel this way, and I think
most people feel like Dallas should win this series because
(08:14):
they are the more veteran team. Luca, even though he's
younger than Shae, has been better for a longer time
than Shae.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Kyrie is there, He's obviously.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
Won a championship, hit big Shots, and they got some
other vests, Tim Hardaway Junior and a few others.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
And if this.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Would be rob the first series where Luca one plays poorly,
or I should say the first postseason where he plays
poorly by his standards and two loses a series that
most people feel they should win. And for a guy
that we think is on this historically great trajectory, that
(08:58):
would be a not on his resume.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Now you can come back from it.
Speaker 8 (09:03):
Rob.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
We could go on and on about superstars and all
time greats who have blemishes on their resume, but this
would be the first I think up until this point, Rob,
other than last year they don't make the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Some people blamed it on Kyrie because they were flowing
before that trade, but.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
This would kind of be that first thing where you're like, oh, well,
will he win?
Speaker 4 (09:27):
He failed to deliver this time?
Speaker 5 (09:30):
And so Rob, his playoff numbers going into this postseason
were historically great. I'm talking Jordan numbers, and now they
aren't because he hasn't been as good, particularly in this series.
And so what is your take on Luca? Like you said,
he did fail in the big moment last night where
he missed the free throw. What is your take on
(09:52):
kind of Luke and what this series means for him?
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah? Going forward? I mean, you look at it. You
got Kyrie, You're rolling. Some people thought you were the
MVP of the league, right, including your right, I mean
there was more than just you had no issue with that, yeah, right,
But that was a feeling for some people that he
was MVP. A bad moment. You don't want to do
that in a game where you could take a commanding
(10:16):
three to one lead, or at least put yourself in
position to do that against Okac Chris, even with Okac
being a higher seed. It doesn't matter. As you talked about,
Luca's been to a Western Conference finals, right, Uh, Luca
Uh has a guy who's won a championship in his
back pocket, Like those are big Kyrie's made big shots
(10:40):
and big moments. Those are the things you need. You
don't always need. Three people, two big stars and a
great supporting cast could get you where you want to go. Ye,
plain and simple. You can't get there with that, and
he has all that lined up. And if this comes
back to bite him, then you will start to wonder.
No way they should have missed the player last year,
(11:00):
they just shouldn't have. They're too good. And if you remember,
they played poorly at down the stretch and didn't make it. Okay,
that happened, so they had a chance to get there
and they didn't. And this year if he doesn't, if
that is the beginning of the end, you know that
misfree throw Chris and they somehow lose this series. Even
though Okasee has the better had the better record coming in,
(11:25):
they have home court, whatever, it'll still be a blemish
that he'll have to recover from. No one's gonna throw
dirt on him and say he can't win at twenty
five and all that, because sometimes you don't win until
you win.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
Okay, right, Lebron didn't win until his ninth season, right
in his seventh season.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
But also we know that there are other great players
who never won, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller. We
could go on and on and on great players Chris
who never won. So what category is he gonna fall into?
And it's not again, guarantee you're gonna win. It's so
hard to win.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
It just is.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
I know everybody thinks everybody wins. No, most guys play
a long time, Chris, and they never get to taste
the championship champagne. They just don't.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
And I think Rob during the playoffs, at some point
all the great ones in the league realize, my goodness,
this is this is hard to win.
Speaker 5 (12:31):
To win four to seven game series, it is so difficult.
I think Lebron realized that. I think that's part of
why he went to Miami. I think Durant realized that,
which is part of why he went to Golden State.
I'm sure Yokis Rob during his struggle to get over
to the top of the mountain last year, realized it
(12:54):
at some point.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
It is tough, and Luca, I think is realizing it.
Speaker 7 (12:59):
Rob.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Now he's playing with a bad knee. We'll acknowledge it.
I do think he's legitimately hurt. We're not gonna give
him an excuse though he's playing forty two minutes a night.
A lot of guys banged up this postseason in particular,
and so no excuse. But you're absolutely right, he needs
to deliver.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
Kyrie has not had a great series either.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
He's played a good floor game, but he's had two
nine point games in these playoffs. Drop in this series.
Two of the four games, you know, he scored nine points.
He's not shooting enough, in my opinion, I mean, he's
averaging twelve shots a game in these playoffs in that
leader that I don't think that's Luca.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
I think Kyrie needs to be shooting more. He got
the green light.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
I'm surprised he right, who's defense is trying to give PJ.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Washington shots and he's delivering. I mean, he's gift there.
But Okayse is like, we'll live with him in hitting
threes and scoring twenty five points, but we're gonna try
to do our best to slow down Luca and Kyrie,
and of their credit, they have done it. Rob, here's
the last thing I say before we go to the callers.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Rob is not only that Luca would lose a series
that he is supposed to win in most people's eyes,
but Rob, it would also be old. Is he getting surpassed?
Speaker 7 (14:18):
Right?
Speaker 5 (14:18):
He's supposed to be that next guy if he loses
to Jokic. Okay, fine, nobody's gonna kill him for that.
But if you if Shae, who I get it is older.
But as I said, Shae is a new star. Shae
is a new star. If you lose to Shae, when
you have the better supporting cast, you at least have
(14:40):
the second star that Shaye doesn't. And then Rob, you
got Anthony Edwards who is younger twenty two years old,
three years younger than Luca.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
If he passes you, and.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Then you still got Youngin's on the other side, Jason
Tatum and Jaylen Brown. So the older guys are out
Durant Lebron's step. Now it's supposed to be you after Jokic,
and if you get surpassed by sg A or Anthony Edwards,
then now it's like, okay, where is Luca on the
(15:11):
pecking order?
Speaker 4 (15:13):
So this is a huge series.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
This series is huge for him. I agree because.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Because Rob, if they lose, if he gets the next
round and they lose to Denver, it's not nobody's gonna know,
even in Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
I mean years of defending chimps and and Chris. They
will be coming off of losing the first two games
at home, right and righting a series?
Speaker 9 (15:35):
Right?
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Nobody rolling?
Speaker 5 (15:36):
Absolutely all right A seven seven ninety nine on Fox
Your turn to way in this series, Like I said,
I think it's Luka Doncic's first kind of forking the
road moment. If you will, uh do you think he'll deliver?
Or are you Do you think maybe Luca's been overrated?
I don't. I think it's terrific, but maybe you do
(15:59):
think he's being been over rated. It's turning away in
next with Chris and Rob The A Couple on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (16:17):
Hey, it's Ben hosting The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller
along with my trustee sidekick David Gascon. Would mean a
lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey.
You're asking, what in God's name is the Fifth Hour?
I'll tell you it's a spin off of it. Ben
Maler Show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should
you listen? Picture if you will? A world where we
chat with captains of industry in media, sports, and more
(16:39):
every week. Explore some amazing facts about human nature and more.
Listen to The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller on the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
All right, it's the Oye Couple live from ntire rag
dot com studio star Robred Racing has a new independent
regulator called HEISA. Heis is implementing comprehens of reforms and
the sport is combining hands on care with cutting edge
technology to keep athletes safe. To learn more, visit Safety
(17:09):
Runs First dot Com. That Safety Runs First dot Com
eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
We're talking Luca.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Your thoughts all right? Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox, Chris,
I didn't get it, Rob G. I don't know why.
Matt in Ohio. Sorry, Matt and Ohio. You're on the
odd couple of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Hey, what's up?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
What's up?
Speaker 9 (17:33):
Man?
Speaker 10 (17:33):
Hey, Hey, hey Brew. I'm I'm driving from Akron back
to my home in Dayton. So I know there's areas
you're familiar with.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Oh yeah, yeah, well now where you're from Dayton?
Speaker 10 (17:44):
Yeah, I'm from just south of Dayton at gall Conference
of Center, MIAs versus out.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Of the conversation. I used to live in Ohio or
the northern Kentucky over the four seventy one bridge. Did
you live or I live in Northern Kentucky?
Speaker 4 (18:01):
Yeah, I did, so that's why I left.
Speaker 7 (18:03):
I don't.
Speaker 10 (18:04):
I don't spend a whole lot of time in Akron,
but I do business there now. So I've been doing
this driving lately, so I get a lot of sports
radio to listen to. Oh yeah, yes, so uh, I
just think. And it's funny because I was listening when
I was on hold.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
I heard Colin.
Speaker 10 (18:18):
Say it from his show, But I think it's just
style of play. I don't necessarily think it means it's
he's taking a step back. We've got so many of
these good young players that have to have the ball
all the time, like Brunson and Luca and uh, you know,
we've seen it before with Harden and Westbrook and you
know Collin's sayings of this stuff. But if you don't
have a proper ball movement, these guys they just wear down.
(18:38):
So yeah, Luca one year might might get it done,
but can he do that year after year? I mean,
dynasties aren't really built like that. I look at Popovich
and Spolstra and Phil Jackson, these guys they get bald
movement involved, and you don't wear out your best player's
legs to the point where you can't get a good
game out of them consistently.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
I think that's a great point. I think that's a
great point.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
And Rob that's also probably why Jalen Brunson and Luca,
even though they had their moments, they obviously didn't click
because Jalen needed the rock. Now, Kyrie obviously can handle
the rock, I mean better than I think anybody in
history in the NBA, but he also rob is such
a great jump shooter that he can play off the ball,
(19:21):
so he's been able to play with Lebron and Luca.
But I think that is the question. I mean, we
haven't seen somebody winning this way, James Harden. I think
I think one reason Lebron hasn't won more is because
he has been throughout his prime he was so ball
dominant and it's just harder to.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
Win that way. And you're right, you remember Jordan.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
When Phil Jackson first went there, it was a battle
because he wanted Jordan to pass and share the ball
and playing more of an egalitarian offense called the triangle.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
And that's how things turned around. Yep.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
So that's a good ca I mean, they may have
to go back to the drawing board, especially if they
lose this series.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Thanks, Matt, appreciate it is that Swayed Swayed Swayed in Memphis.
You're on the odd couple Fox Sports.
Speaker 9 (20:14):
Absolutely, Man, it's been a while since I called in.
What's up? Chris Man? What's to survive?
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Man?
Speaker 9 (20:18):
You got there two of my favorites. The last caller Man,
you know he hit it, Uh, you know how it
was supposed to be Man's I just wish Jason Kidd
would let Kyrie play point guard. Man, just let him
play point guard. It's almost those first couple of games,
(20:39):
it's like he's been playing possum. It's like the defenders
are like, oh, man, Kyrie's having a bad game. Then
all of a sudden, he reels off eighteen straight, you know,
he reels off fourteenth straight, or he gets fourteen points
in the fourth quarter. So I think that worked the
first couple of games. But they need to really let
him play point guard.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
But I think, what, so, what are you gonna do
with Luca, because right now, play off the ball.
Speaker 9 (21:05):
But but the thing is, but Luca, man, it's like
he's wearing sound like they're saying, you know, with all
of this, you know, he's had all this responsibility to
have the ball. So I think maybe they need to
go opposite because when you look at it, it's like, hey,
when you go to McDonald's, do you want medium fries?
Do you want to launch right? You want to supersize it?
(21:26):
They're really the same type of ball dominic kind of guys.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
But they need to see of the two, Kyrie is
better suited to play off the ball. He can't you're right,
he can handle the rocket and either way, right, I
don't know he's standing there, Luca's gonna be standing there
kind of watching if Kyrie's just doing this thing and
(21:52):
Rob last year when they didn't make the playoffs, that
was the issue. It was kind of my turn, your
turn and obviously didn't work out. From Salam around on
the corner.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
But first, 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 (22:13):
Former NFL offensive lineman now Fox Sports Radio week In
Superstar our man, Ephram Salim, What up, Ephraim?
Speaker 7 (22:21):
What's happening? Brothers doing good year? Now?
Speaker 5 (22:24):
Now as we speak, I'm watching h ESPN two. Yeah,
and they are getting ready, ready for Caitlin Clark to
start her you know, her her w NBA career. This
is our opening night. It's already sold out, first sellout
up in Connecticut in twenty years for opening night. What
(22:45):
do you expect her to?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
You know, I don't.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
They're never gonna be on the level of the NBA,
so I'm not saying that, But do you expect her
to really revitalize the w n b A and have
is it.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Real or vitalized period?
Speaker 7 (23:00):
Right?
Speaker 4 (23:00):
No, Right, that's fine, but you know what I'm saying,
do you expect her to have that type of impact
on the WNBA?
Speaker 7 (23:08):
Well, I hope she does. And I was just talking
to my wife about it, and I was like, we
were I was like, the game is on, and I
was like, it's the crazy Part's gonna be on the
same time as you know, NBA playoffs. And she was like, well,
why would they do that? Why would they even start
the season during you know, the NBA playoffs. You know,
most people don't even watch the NBA, but they watched
the NBA playoffs. And I was like, I don't know.
(23:29):
I don't have the answer to that. And I said,
you know, I hope the best for Kaitlyn Clark and
the WNBA, but she's gonna have to come out and
be special, like thirty five forty points, right, because if
she comes away with twelve and six and four, right,
like everybody's expecting this this phenom to take over. But
(23:54):
you know, she's playing against the best women in the
world now, not the college that maybe has one top
player or so on. And so forth. So there's a
lot of pressure and a lot of weight on her
shoulder to carry a league, and that's not fair to her.
But she's gonna have to come out and she's gonna
have to put up like crazy numbers for it even
(24:15):
to make a difference. Because he comes out and scores twelve,
how many more people are tuning in for her second game?
Second game she comes out scores ten and eleven twelve?
How many people are tuning into third? They're tuning in
for something special, and that's a lot of trin and they.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Want the logo threes and all that other stuff that
they saw in college. And if they're not getting that,
they might come out initially to see her first time
around from but that, but that'll be it.
Speaker 7 (24:41):
I'm call and say, America, right there, you go. You
go what I'm saying. In order for to get people
to stick and stay, you gotta be special every night.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
There's gotta be something entertaining. All right, let's go here.
You were down on the Denver Nuggets. You if I'm
not putting words in your mouth, but I believe you
thought they would be swept and thought they didn't have
any answers where are you now? On Denver? They got they.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
Stole the test man, they got all the answers and
what you know, what what they're doing is they're exposing
Rudy Gobert. And I think on a large scale, this
has always been his thing. His deficiencies offensively were kind
of overlooked because of his strong defensive presence. But now
(25:32):
jokers just backing the man and just shooting over them.
So you're not even getting the defensive uh, you know,
defensive player of the year type of games for him.
And when you throw them the ball after the screen
and roll, are they come up and double uh? Anthony Edwards,
he travels or he doesn't know what seemed like he
(25:52):
knows what to do with the ball and not developing
some sort of of of post game or some type
of offense of edge. At his age and as long
as he's been in the Korea, it serves him. It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
There are a lot of players they make to him
where he used to be able to score and he's
just fumbling the ball or just missing the shot. Yeah, well,
let me ask you this because obviously the game he
sat out, Game two was their best game.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
I mean heck, maybe of the season. Right, they blew
out deliver, So do you think.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
They should?
Speaker 5 (26:33):
I mean, you don't bench him necessarily, but I would
think that their coaching staff is really looking at Okay,
let's see how we can play without him, and if
we're rolling like that, then maybe we gotta go go
that way more of the game.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
I don't say it a panic. This is reputation every
postseason dating back to Utah. I'm not saying bench him.
I'm just saying, do you do you say anymore?
Speaker 7 (27:02):
This is what I'll tell you. I think they tell him, Hey,
go out and be it as aggressive defensively as you
possibly can be. Right, go out, beat up on Nicola
jokicch and be as gressive as you can possibly be.
Don't worry about the fouls, don't worry about anything like that.
Go out be aggressively aggressive defense and rebound. If he
(27:25):
ends up getting in foul trouble and fouling out, okay,
you know you can play without him, right, but you
do take his services. You use what he has, and
you got six hard fouls that you can put on him.
On Nicola jokicch, but don't let him back you down
underneath the rim. Just you a little look over you, right,
that's my message to him. You have to go be physical,
(27:48):
don't worry about foul trouble, don't worry about any of that.
That's what I would say.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
Let me ask you this, Brownie James impressed yesterday with
his three point shooting at the Combine in Chicago. You
obviously played in the NFL. You have a son, yes,
can you? I mean, obviously you're not gonna play professional
ball with him, but can you just imagine like being
(28:15):
having been a professional athlete, and Lebron really wants to
play with with or against Bronnie, but he wants to
be in the NBA with him.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
Can you talk.
Speaker 5 (28:23):
About just how much you think that the feeling that
Lebron probably has if he does get the chance to
play with his son on a professional level yourself, having been.
Speaker 7 (28:36):
A pro athlete, I may be amazing. Man. I mean,
that's something that you don't one gets to do that, right,
you could talk about it. It could be what you
want to do, and until it actually happens or has
an opportunity to happen, it seems like a far fat thing. Now, look, look,
Lebronni James went out and he showed out at the combine.
That's what you wanted him to do coming off you know,
(28:59):
I can't even call it subpar uh college this season
it was non existent pretty much. But we get it
coming off the heart attack, you know. But he tests well, right,
He nice vertical, he can shoot the ball well, handle
the ball. And I was talking about this early on
our on our shower this weekend. You what was the twelfth,
(29:23):
eleven through thirteen on an NBA roster? What are you
expecting from those guys? What are you expecting? Right?
Speaker 5 (29:32):
If you don't know, if you have to play, don't
hurt us.
Speaker 7 (29:36):
Right right, that's but that's it. You're not coming in.
You're not You're not. They're not putting you in to
make it, you know, to make it the decision to
affect the outcome of the basketball game. So if there's
a scenario where Lebron can be on the same team
with his son and help him develop and learn how
to be a pro for a year, why would I
(29:57):
mean that's as a dad, I would want to do that.
I would want to do that.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Before you go, we got about a minute. That's fine
with the Lakers though, That's fine I'm gonna go to boxing.
What are your thoughts on this Tyson Jake Paul fight?
If if you think it's a real fighting and just what.
Speaker 7 (30:15):
Are your thoughts? It's sanctioned as a real fight. But
I think Mike Tyson believes it is a real fight,
especially after the comments Jake Paul said about burying him
next to his daughter. If I know anything about Mike Tyson,
that ain't gonna go over well, so can you?
Speaker 5 (30:30):
I mean you obviously, yeah, you played football. But dude's
gonna as great as Tyson was. He's gonna be fifty eight.
Speaker 7 (30:40):
I mean how much it should hit like a brick?
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Yeah, the power that got Tyson's last fight.
Speaker 7 (30:46):
Yeah, But what what what I'm saying is Tyson, you
he can give you all he got for three minutes?
Can you withstand that? Three minutes? Even at this age.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
And they're only two minute rounds?
Speaker 1 (30:58):
There?
Speaker 7 (30:59):
You can you staying let's say two rounds, so four
minutes total of Mike Tyson really wanting to displace your
head from your body. And if you can, kudos to that,
because the longer goals, the easier it to be. But
I tell you what, man, the first two rounds good
and it's gracious.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
I want to see Mike Tyson knocked into the stands.
Speaker 4 (31:20):
I want to see you want to know, Rob, Rob
gonna gonna lose? Is you know what card this?
Speaker 9 (31:29):
Come on?
Speaker 7 (31:30):
Man, that may be in questioned already.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
What are you.
Speaker 11 (31:37):
Really starting an all black sports talk radio stations Detroit
that you every every black dude on your.
Speaker 7 (31:49):
Station to get your card back?
Speaker 4 (31:51):
That's alrighty, some good stuff man.
Speaker 7 (31:57):
All right, brother, y'all say Kayling Clark's mister first three shot,
first shot?
Speaker 4 (32:01):
Yeah, washed up.
Speaker 5 (32:03):
I want to read a nice little behind the back
pass though I want to refund, all.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
Right, just saying all right, all right, uh Briannie, we
just touched on it.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
We'll talk about him at the combine next a couple
of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
All right, Chris, here we go two and one. Last night.
You know the Celtics and I would have had the
hat trick on Shekel City, but they gave up a
two pointer in the final two seconds of the game
that would have given me a nine point Celtics win.
It was eight and a half to spread. Instead, they
won by seven, so I lost. No, I'm just saying
(32:50):
I had almost a hat trick last night. Here we go,
let's get a hat trick tonight. I'm gonna go with
the Pacers. Chris plus one and a half at Madison
the Square Guard. I just think the Knicks are on fumes,
banged up. I'm really losing the series. Yeah, I think
they lose the series in six games. In fact, Chris,
(33:10):
I think that they lose the next two. I really do.
I'm feeling the same way about Denver, and I think
that this is the six game series as well, and
Minnesota doesn't win again. I got Denver minus three and
a half Chris at home back in the Rocky Mountains,
I got Denver minus three and a half. And in
(33:32):
a baseball one we throw away in the Nationals or
in Chicago, they won game one of the of the doubleheader.
But I got the Nats minus one and a half
runs at the White Sox best bet again, Pacers plus
one and a half Madison Square Garden, Denver minus three
and a half. They got the ship righted and the
Nationals minus one and a half runs at the White Sox.
(33:53):
And remember, I'm not telling you who to bet on.
I'm telling you who I bet on.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
All right, Ron mentioned Bronnie James.
Speaker 5 (34:01):
He's in Chicago at the pre draft camp and was
impressive yesterday had a forty inch vertical, forty point five
inch vertical. I wonder what Rob g look up what
Lebron's is or was you know when he was see
see if you can find Lebron's vertical online. I'll be
interested in hearing what that is. But forty is impressive.
(34:21):
And then he shot the ball well from three. Rob
measured six to one and a half without shoes, So
he's gonna have to be a point guard. And Rob
I talked to somebody who's out there, who works, you know,
in the NBA today he's out in Chicago, and he
was saying, you know, BRONI looked good, but you know
(34:43):
today everybody wants to see what he did in the
actual play.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
And they played the game. He started for his.
Speaker 5 (34:51):
Team, which won eighty nine eighty one, but Brianni in
nineteen minutes and forty seconds, Rob two for eight from
the field.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
Zero for four from three four points, uh four rebounds,
three turnovers, no assist.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Wait a minute, so from or from the was this
a stats from USC? Because yeah, it wasn't.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
It wasn't an impressive showing.
Speaker 5 (35:18):
And Rob, remember, you know, I've been to Chicago for
the pre draft and all that, and it used to
even be different back in the nineties and early two thousands.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Now the top players don't even.
Speaker 5 (35:28):
Go this is most of these guys in Chicago won't
get drafted, Rob, most of them won't get drafted, and
and and those that do, most of them will be in.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
The second round.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
And so you got guys scored fourteen, sixteen, fourteen, seventeen.
You know, guys put up numbers, and Briannie wasn't one
of them.
Speaker 4 (35:51):
So he's gonna have to really, you know, pick it up.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
The guy talk to Rob. He said a lot of
people around the league felt like when they those he
said that watched Briani in high school felt like, okay,
USC was not a good situation for him. And then,
as you mentioned, he also is coming off the cardiac arrest, right,
and so they didn't really you know, they're not saying, Okay,
(36:19):
that's who he is, but he is going to have
to show a little more apparently than he showed in
this first game.
Speaker 7 (36:27):
Though.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
No, that's that's not a good look, especially when we
saw Chris him knocking down the twelve three pointers in
a row. You know, when on drills, and you know,
drills are different from playing no drills, nobody's there.
Speaker 5 (36:42):
You know, Rob, you've seen NBA player shooting. I mean shoot, yeah,
they're they're hitting everything everything. That's the that's what they
that's their money maker.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Chris. If you can't make shots with nobody guarding you, right,
you're gonna be in trouble. I mean, I like seriously,
I used to watch with Sheeed Wallace. I think he
was the most ridiculous player, Chris. I don't know if
you ever saw his ritual and routine before games, and
he would take two balls, one in each hand, Chris
(37:11):
and launch him from half court and swiss swish one
in each hand.
Speaker 5 (37:16):
Well, you think about what was going to be the day, Rob,
because he was a even in that day, he was
a great three point shooter for a big man and
had game inside compost very Rob, you had something quickly
that about.
Speaker 8 (37:29):
It, just quickly and if you're not expecting Brownie to
be a start. It doesn't sound like he's expecting to
be a star either, because he was asked what kind
of players he would, you know, comp himself to in
the NBA, and the guys he mentioned Davion Mitchell, Derek White,
Drew Holliday, So guys who are good players, but they're
more connecting, supporting pieces rather than stars.
Speaker 5 (37:46):
So maybe even he's yep, yeah, absolutely absolutely, all right,
we got two hours left to the eye.
Speaker 4 (37:53):
Couple, keep it lot, Fox Sports Radio,
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from seven pm
to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Let's give this you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Ah, yeah, it is The Odd Couple.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I'm Chris Bruceard alongside my partner Rob Parker, and we're
coming to you live from the tire rack dot Com studios.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Tyrak dot com will help you get there. Ty Rak
has an unmatched selection, fast reshipping, free row hazard protection,
and more than ten thousand recommended installers. Tyereck dot com
is the way tyrebine should be in this right here,
The Odd Couple is the way sports talk radio should be.
So keep it locked here on Fox Sports Radio, the
(01:13):
iHeartRadio app, or Serious.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
XM channel eighty three.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
However you may be listening for the next three hours,
you will not be sorry with that saying. Let me
welcome in my partner on this trash talking Tuesday, mister
Rod Parker.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
What's up man?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
What's happened? To mister Chris Bushaw, how are you?
Speaker 4 (01:34):
I'm great, man, I am outstanding.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Trash talking Tuesday, Yes, indeed.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yes, so who you trashing?
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I'm trashing your gud Luca? Wow, come on, Luca. You
gonna make those free throws at the end, don't you.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Chris yep, absolutely does.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Gotta make those free throws. That's what you're up there for.
Can't let that happen in that situation. That's a chance
to put your foot on the uh that I'm saying
to win that, you know what I mean, tie it
and win it, because you go up three one. That's
what I mean. You can't lose it like that. That's
what you can't do. That's what I mean.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
Well, we're gonna get into Luca and uh. He wasn't
the only Maverick though missing free throw they robbed. They
were twelve for twenty three from the foul line fifty
and they lost by four. So they're not a great
frile shooting team. They shoot seventy five percent for the
regular season. But even if they would have shot seventy
five percent yesterday, they win that game, and as you said,
(02:38):
they're in major control of the series.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
It's huge Chris City, and you can't you can't do
that with those are the teams in the postseason. You
gotta make your free throws like.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
They come back. Okase made twenty three of twenty four,
so that was the difference right there.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
That's all right.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
Well, we're gonna get into Luca in more detail. Rob
Let's introduce the Odd Couple crew. We got the super
producer Rob g in the house. On the updates, who
is it?
Speaker 4 (03:09):
I didn't here earlier?
Speaker 5 (03:12):
Ryan Finley, the loquacious one, And on the social media
are man Elijah Sebuna and on this trash talking Tuesday
on the ones.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
And the twos, it's none other than.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Why you buging?
Speaker 6 (03:30):
Ugh?
Speaker 5 (03:30):
Mary and Mary that's right, she ain't bugging. She doing
her thing, all right, rob Let's get into it.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
And we talked. You just talked about him and you're
trash and Luca.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
He did rob With ten seconds left in that game
last night, he gets to the foul line for two
free throws, but misses the first. They were down two
at the time. Hits the second, but that kept him
down a point. And rob it is a whole different
game if he makes both and ties the game with
(04:03):
ten seconds left versus now you're still down one and
you gotta try to play get a steal or play
a foul shooting contest. So they end up losing one
hundred to ninety six to Oklahoma.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
City in Dallas.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
So that series, Rob returns to OKC where they now
have the home court advantage.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
It's the best of three.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Now I still think Dallas wins the series, Rob, but
maybe not.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
We'll see.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
I think they'll get them, but it's it's gonna be
a close one. And one of the interesting storylines to
me Rob in this series.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
And you know, I think Luka Donci is just tremendous.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
I called him years ago, Luca Legend obviously after Larry Bird.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Larry Legend.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
I think he can be kind of that, you know,
next version of Larry Bird.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
I mean y Yo Kitchen.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
I'm not just saying this because they're white, but Yokich
has a lot of you know, similarities to Bird in
his dominance and passing ability and you know, ability to
kind of control the game even without scoring all the time.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
But Luca does as well.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
And Rob I would say this now, Luka doncis, tell
me if this surprises you, Rob he's only twenty five
years old.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
He looks older. He just does. He looks like he's thirty. See.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I don't think it's the look. I think it's just
the fact.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
In my opinion, it is just the fact that he's
been dominant from day one, and now in his.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Sixth year, it feels like he should be older.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Now he's younger than Shae Gilders Alexander, I mean by
like two hundred days or something like that. But you,
Shaye is still kind of viewed as a really young
guy because he wasn't a star right away.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Remember he's with the Clippers and he's kind of a
role player.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Lucas Sade And the way he looks to Chris, not
to me.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
I don't think you look I don't think he looks
at me. I mean, in particular, I look at him.
He just looks older to me.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
You did they check his birth certificate? I just want
to make sure. I mean they might have said he
was nineteen or whatever, but he's really twenty five when
he came in.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
You know, you never yeah out of I mean that's
you can figure that out with your guys. But I'm
gonna take it that he's twenty five. I don't think
he looks older than twenty five. I'm just my thing
is his dominance in the sport started from day one,
and so it feels to me like he's a bit older,
but he's still young.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
But here's the thing, Rob, I believe that this series.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
Is kind of Luka Doncic's first fork in the road moment.
That's the best term I could think of to describe it.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
But where like, he has.
Speaker 5 (06:53):
Been terrific in the playoffs all right, even though he's
never been to the finals. His first year in the playoffs,
he's facing the Clippers of Kawhi and Paul George. They
lose in six, but his numbers are phenomenal. That's when
those two were two of the greatest perimeter defenders in
the league. Twenty twenty one, he does the same thing,
(07:14):
takes them seven again, puts up phenomenal numbers, and then
Rob the next year in twenty twenty two, they get
to the to the Western Conference Finals. They surprised Phoenix,
which had been to the finals the year before I
believe it was, and beat them in the second round,
and then Golden State beats them in five. But that
(07:36):
was viewed as Wow, he got this team no other stars.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
We didn't know.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
Jalen Brunton was at a start in the making at
that time, and so that was.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Another feather, if you will, in Lucas cap.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
Of course, the following year twenty twenty three, when they
first get Kyrie, they missed the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (07:52):
That was bad.
Speaker 5 (07:54):
But then this year Robed they beat the Clippers and
now they are favored. Now I shouldn't say favorite because
Okac is the higher seed, but I think in most
people's eyes, I certainly feel this way, and I think
most people feel like Dallas should win this series because
(08:14):
they are the more veteran team. Luca, even though he's
younger than Shae, has been better for a longer time
than Shae.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Kyrie is there, He's obviously.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
Won a championship, hit big Shots, and they got some
other vests, Tim Hardaway Junior and a few others.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
And if this.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Would be rob the first series where Luca one plays poorly,
or I should say the first postseason where he plays
poorly by his standards and two loses a series that
most people feel they should win. And for a guy
that we think is on this historically great trajectory, that
(08:58):
would be a not on his resume.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Now you can come back from it.
Speaker 8 (09:03):
Rob.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
We could go on and on about superstars and all
time greats who have blemishes on their resume, but this
would be the first I think up until this point, Rob,
other than last year they don't make the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Some people blamed it on Kyrie because they were flowing
before that trade, but.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
This would kind of be that first thing where you're like, oh, well,
will he win?
Speaker 4 (09:27):
He failed to deliver this time?
Speaker 5 (09:30):
And so Rob, his playoff numbers going into this postseason
were historically great. I'm talking Jordan numbers, and now they
aren't because he hasn't been as good, particularly in this series.
And so what is your take on Luca? Like you said,
he did fail in the big moment last night where
he missed the free throw. What is your take on
(09:52):
kind of Luke and what this series means for him?
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah? Going forward? I mean, you look at it. You
got Kyrie, You're rolling. Some people thought you were the
MVP of the league, right, including your right, I mean
there was more than just you had no issue with that, yeah, right,
But that was a feeling for some people that he
was MVP. A bad moment. You don't want to do
that in a game where you could take a commanding
(10:16):
three to one lead, or at least put yourself in
position to do that against Okac Chris, even with Okac
being a higher seed. It doesn't matter. As you talked about,
Luca's been to a Western Conference finals, right, Uh, Luca
Uh has a guy who's won a championship in his
back pocket, Like those are big Kyrie's made big shots
(10:40):
and big moments. Those are the things you need. You
don't always need. Three people, two big stars and a
great supporting cast could get you where you want to go. Ye,
plain and simple. You can't get there with that, and
he has all that lined up. And if this comes
back to bite him, then you will start to wonder.
No way they should have missed the player last year,
(11:00):
they just shouldn't have. They're too good. And if you remember,
they played poorly at down the stretch and didn't make it. Okay,
that happened, so they had a chance to get there
and they didn't. And this year if he doesn't, if
that is the beginning of the end, you know that
misfree throw Chris and they somehow lose this series. Even
though Okasee has the better had the better record coming in,
(11:25):
they have home court, whatever, it'll still be a blemish
that he'll have to recover from. No one's gonna throw
dirt on him and say he can't win at twenty
five and all that, because sometimes you don't win until
you win.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
Okay, right, Lebron didn't win until his ninth season, right
in his seventh season.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
But also we know that there are other great players
who never won, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller. We
could go on and on and on great players Chris
who never won. So what category is he gonna fall into?
And it's not again, guarantee you're gonna win. It's so
hard to win.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
It just is.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
I know everybody thinks everybody wins. No, most guys play
a long time, Chris, and they never get to taste
the championship champagne. They just don't.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
And I think Rob during the playoffs, at some point
all the great ones in the league realize, my goodness,
this is this is hard to win.
Speaker 5 (12:31):
To win four to seven game series, it is so difficult.
I think Lebron realized that. I think that's part of
why he went to Miami. I think Durant realized that,
which is part of why he went to Golden State.
I'm sure Yokis Rob during his struggle to get over
to the top of the mountain last year, realized it
(12:54):
at some point.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
It is tough, and Luca, I think is realizing it.
Speaker 7 (12:59):
Rob.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Now he's playing with a bad knee. We'll acknowledge it.
I do think he's legitimately hurt. We're not gonna give
him an excuse though he's playing forty two minutes a night.
A lot of guys banged up this postseason in particular,
and so no excuse. But you're absolutely right, he needs
to deliver.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
Kyrie has not had a great series either.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
He's played a good floor game, but he's had two
nine point games in these playoffs. Drop in this series.
Two of the four games, you know, he scored nine points.
He's not shooting enough, in my opinion, I mean, he's
averaging twelve shots a game in these playoffs in that
leader that I don't think that's Luca.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
I think Kyrie needs to be shooting more. He got
the green light.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
I'm surprised he right, who's defense is trying to give PJ.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Washington shots and he's delivering. I mean, he's gift there.
But Okayse is like, we'll live with him in hitting
threes and scoring twenty five points, but we're gonna try
to do our best to slow down Luca and Kyrie,
and of their credit, they have done it. Rob, here's
the last thing I say before we go to the callers.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Rob is not only that Luca would lose a series
that he is supposed to win in most people's eyes,
but Rob, it would also be old. Is he getting surpassed?
Speaker 7 (14:18):
Right?
Speaker 5 (14:18):
He's supposed to be that next guy if he loses
to Jokic. Okay, fine, nobody's gonna kill him for that.
But if you if Shae, who I get it is older.
But as I said, Shae is a new star. Shae
is a new star. If you lose to Shae, when
you have the better supporting cast, you at least have
(14:40):
the second star that Shaye doesn't. And then Rob, you
got Anthony Edwards who is younger twenty two years old,
three years younger than Luca.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
If he passes you, and.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Then you still got Youngin's on the other side, Jason
Tatum and Jaylen Brown. So the older guys are out
Durant Lebron's step. Now it's supposed to be you after Jokic,
and if you get surpassed by sg A or Anthony Edwards,
then now it's like, okay, where is Luca on the
(15:11):
pecking order?
Speaker 4 (15:13):
So this is a huge series.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
This series is huge for him. I agree because.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Because Rob, if they lose, if he gets the next
round and they lose to Denver, it's not nobody's gonna know,
even in Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
I mean years of defending chimps and and Chris. They
will be coming off of losing the first two games
at home, right and righting a series?
Speaker 9 (15:35):
Right?
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Nobody rolling?
Speaker 5 (15:36):
Absolutely all right A seven seven ninety nine on Fox
Your turn to way in this series, Like I said,
I think it's Luka Doncic's first kind of forking the
road moment. If you will, uh do you think he'll deliver?
Or are you Do you think maybe Luca's been overrated?
I don't. I think it's terrific, but maybe you do
(15:59):
think he's being been over rated. It's turning away in
next with Chris and Rob The A Couple on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (16:17):
Hey, it's Ben hosting The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller
along with my trustee sidekick David Gascon. Would mean a
lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey.
You're asking, what in God's name is the Fifth Hour?
I'll tell you it's a spin off of it. Ben
Maler Show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should
you listen? Picture if you will? A world where we
chat with captains of industry in media, sports, and more
(16:39):
every week. Explore some amazing facts about human nature and more.
Listen to The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller on the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
All right, it's the Oye Couple live from ntire rag
dot com studio star Robred Racing has a new independent
regulator called HEISA. Heis is implementing comprehens of reforms and
the sport is combining hands on care with cutting edge
technology to keep athletes safe. To learn more, visit Safety
(17:09):
Runs First dot Com. That Safety Runs First dot Com
eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
We're talking Luca.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Your thoughts all right? Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox, Chris,
I didn't get it, Rob G. I don't know why.
Matt in Ohio. Sorry, Matt and Ohio. You're on the
odd couple of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Hey, what's up?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
What's up?
Speaker 9 (17:33):
Man?
Speaker 10 (17:33):
Hey, Hey, hey Brew. I'm I'm driving from Akron back
to my home in Dayton. So I know there's areas
you're familiar with.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Oh yeah, yeah, well now where you're from Dayton?
Speaker 10 (17:44):
Yeah, I'm from just south of Dayton at gall Conference
of Center, MIAs versus out.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Of the conversation. I used to live in Ohio or
the northern Kentucky over the four seventy one bridge. Did
you live or I live in Northern Kentucky?
Speaker 4 (18:01):
Yeah, I did, so that's why I left.
Speaker 7 (18:03):
I don't.
Speaker 10 (18:04):
I don't spend a whole lot of time in Akron,
but I do business there now. So I've been doing
this driving lately, so I get a lot of sports
radio to listen to. Oh yeah, yes, so uh, I
just think. And it's funny because I was listening when
I was on hold.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
I heard Colin.
Speaker 10 (18:18):
Say it from his show, But I think it's just
style of play. I don't necessarily think it means it's
he's taking a step back. We've got so many of
these good young players that have to have the ball
all the time, like Brunson and Luca and uh, you know,
we've seen it before with Harden and Westbrook and you
know Collin's sayings of this stuff. But if you don't
have a proper ball movement, these guys they just wear down.
(18:38):
So yeah, Luca one year might might get it done,
but can he do that year after year? I mean,
dynasties aren't really built like that. I look at Popovich
and Spolstra and Phil Jackson, these guys they get bald
movement involved, and you don't wear out your best player's
legs to the point where you can't get a good
game out of them consistently.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
I think that's a great point. I think that's a
great point.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
And Rob that's also probably why Jalen Brunson and Luca,
even though they had their moments, they obviously didn't click
because Jalen needed the rock. Now, Kyrie obviously can handle
the rock, I mean better than I think anybody in
history in the NBA, but he also rob is such
a great jump shooter that he can play off the ball,
(19:21):
so he's been able to play with Lebron and Luca.
But I think that is the question. I mean, we
haven't seen somebody winning this way, James Harden. I think
I think one reason Lebron hasn't won more is because
he has been throughout his prime he was so ball
dominant and it's just harder to.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
Win that way. And you're right, you remember Jordan.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
When Phil Jackson first went there, it was a battle
because he wanted Jordan to pass and share the ball
and playing more of an egalitarian offense called the triangle.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
And that's how things turned around. Yep.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
So that's a good ca I mean, they may have
to go back to the drawing board, especially if they
lose this series.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Thanks, Matt, appreciate it is that Swayed Swayed Swayed in Memphis.
You're on the odd couple Fox Sports.
Speaker 9 (20:14):
Absolutely, Man, it's been a while since I called in.
What's up? Chris Man? What's to survive?
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Man?
Speaker 9 (20:18):
You got there two of my favorites. The last caller Man,
you know he hit it, Uh, you know how it
was supposed to be Man's I just wish Jason Kidd
would let Kyrie play point guard. Man, just let him
play point guard. It's almost those first couple of games,
(20:39):
it's like he's been playing possum. It's like the defenders
are like, oh, man, Kyrie's having a bad game. Then
all of a sudden, he reels off eighteen straight, you know,
he reels off fourteenth straight, or he gets fourteen points
in the fourth quarter. So I think that worked the
first couple of games. But they need to really let
him play point guard.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
But I think, what, so, what are you gonna do
with Luca, because right now, play off the ball.
Speaker 9 (21:05):
But but the thing is, but Luca, man, it's like
he's wearing sound like they're saying, you know, with all
of this, you know, he's had all this responsibility to
have the ball. So I think maybe they need to
go opposite because when you look at it, it's like, hey,
when you go to McDonald's, do you want medium fries?
Do you want to launch right? You want to supersize it?
(21:26):
They're really the same type of ball dominic kind of guys.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
But they need to see of the two, Kyrie is
better suited to play off the ball. He can't you're right,
he can handle the rocket and either way, right, I
don't know he's standing there, Luca's gonna be standing there
kind of watching if Kyrie's just doing this thing and
(21:52):
Rob last year when they didn't make the playoffs, that
was the issue. It was kind of my turn, your
turn and obviously didn't work out. From Salam around on
the corner.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
But first, 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 (22:13):
Former NFL offensive lineman now Fox Sports Radio week In
Superstar our man, Ephram Salim, What up, Ephraim?
Speaker 7 (22:21):
What's happening? Brothers doing good year? Now?
Speaker 5 (22:24):
Now as we speak, I'm watching h ESPN two. Yeah,
and they are getting ready, ready for Caitlin Clark to
start her you know, her her w NBA career. This
is our opening night. It's already sold out, first sellout
up in Connecticut in twenty years for opening night. What
(22:45):
do you expect her to?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
You know, I don't.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
They're never gonna be on the level of the NBA,
so I'm not saying that, But do you expect her
to really revitalize the w n b A and have
is it.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Real or vitalized period?
Speaker 7 (23:00):
Right?
Speaker 4 (23:00):
No, Right, that's fine, but you know what I'm saying,
do you expect her to have that type of impact
on the WNBA?
Speaker 7 (23:08):
Well, I hope she does. And I was just talking
to my wife about it, and I was like, we
were I was like, the game is on, and I
was like, it's the crazy Part's gonna be on the
same time as you know, NBA playoffs. And she was like, well,
why would they do that? Why would they even start
the season during you know, the NBA playoffs. You know,
most people don't even watch the NBA, but they watched
the NBA playoffs. And I was like, I don't know.
(23:29):
I don't have the answer to that. And I said,
you know, I hope the best for Kaitlyn Clark and
the WNBA, but she's gonna have to come out and
be special, like thirty five forty points, right, because if
she comes away with twelve and six and four, right,
like everybody's expecting this this phenom to take over. But
(23:54):
you know, she's playing against the best women in the
world now, not the college that maybe has one top
player or so on. And so forth. So there's a
lot of pressure and a lot of weight on her
shoulder to carry a league, and that's not fair to her.
But she's gonna have to come out and she's gonna
have to put up like crazy numbers for it even
(24:15):
to make a difference. Because he comes out and scores twelve,
how many more people are tuning in for her second game?
Second game she comes out scores ten and eleven twelve?
How many people are tuning into third? They're tuning in
for something special, and that's a lot of trin and they.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Want the logo threes and all that other stuff that
they saw in college. And if they're not getting that,
they might come out initially to see her first time
around from but that, but that'll be it.
Speaker 7 (24:41):
I'm call and say, America, right there, you go. You
go what I'm saying. In order for to get people
to stick and stay, you gotta be special every night.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
There's gotta be something entertaining. All right, let's go here.
You were down on the Denver Nuggets. You if I'm
not putting words in your mouth, but I believe you
thought they would be swept and thought they didn't have
any answers where are you now? On Denver? They got they.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
Stole the test man, they got all the answers and
what you know, what what they're doing is they're exposing
Rudy Gobert. And I think on a large scale, this
has always been his thing. His deficiencies offensively were kind
of overlooked because of his strong defensive presence. But now
(25:32):
jokers just backing the man and just shooting over them.
So you're not even getting the defensive uh, you know,
defensive player of the year type of games for him.
And when you throw them the ball after the screen
and roll, are they come up and double uh? Anthony Edwards,
he travels or he doesn't know what seemed like he
(25:52):
knows what to do with the ball and not developing
some sort of of of post game or some type
of offense of edge. At his age and as long
as he's been in the Korea, it serves him. It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
There are a lot of players they make to him
where he used to be able to score and he's
just fumbling the ball or just missing the shot. Yeah, well,
let me ask you this because obviously the game he
sat out, Game two was their best game.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
I mean heck, maybe of the season. Right, they blew
out deliver, So do you think.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
They should?
Speaker 5 (26:33):
I mean, you don't bench him necessarily, but I would
think that their coaching staff is really looking at Okay,
let's see how we can play without him, and if
we're rolling like that, then maybe we gotta go go
that way more of the game.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
I don't say it a panic. This is reputation every
postseason dating back to Utah. I'm not saying bench him.
I'm just saying, do you do you say anymore?
Speaker 7 (27:02):
This is what I'll tell you. I think they tell him, Hey,
go out and be it as aggressive defensively as you
possibly can be. Right, go out, beat up on Nicola
jokicch and be as gressive as you can possibly be.
Don't worry about the fouls, don't worry about anything like that.
Go out be aggressively aggressive defense and rebound. If he
(27:25):
ends up getting in foul trouble and fouling out, okay,
you know you can play without him, right, but you
do take his services. You use what he has, and
you got six hard fouls that you can put on him.
On Nicola jokicch, but don't let him back you down
underneath the rim. Just you a little look over you, right,
that's my message to him. You have to go be physical,
(27:48):
don't worry about foul trouble, don't worry about any of that.
That's what I would say.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
Let me ask you this, Brownie James impressed yesterday with
his three point shooting at the Combine in Chicago. You
obviously played in the NFL. You have a son, yes,
can you? I mean, obviously you're not gonna play professional
ball with him, but can you just imagine like being
(28:15):
having been a professional athlete, and Lebron really wants to
play with with or against Bronnie, but he wants to
be in the NBA with him.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
Can you talk.
Speaker 5 (28:23):
About just how much you think that the feeling that
Lebron probably has if he does get the chance to
play with his son on a professional level yourself, having been.
Speaker 7 (28:36):
A pro athlete, I may be amazing. Man. I mean,
that's something that you don't one gets to do that, right,
you could talk about it. It could be what you
want to do, and until it actually happens or has
an opportunity to happen, it seems like a far fat thing. Now, look, look,
Lebronni James went out and he showed out at the combine.
That's what you wanted him to do coming off you know,
(28:59):
I can't even call it subpar uh college this season
it was non existent pretty much. But we get it
coming off the heart attack, you know. But he tests well, right,
He nice vertical, he can shoot the ball well, handle
the ball. And I was talking about this early on
our on our shower this weekend. You what was the twelfth,
(29:23):
eleven through thirteen on an NBA roster? What are you
expecting from those guys? What are you expecting? Right?
Speaker 5 (29:32):
If you don't know, if you have to play, don't
hurt us.
Speaker 7 (29:36):
Right right, that's but that's it. You're not coming in.
You're not You're not. They're not putting you in to
make it, you know, to make it the decision to
affect the outcome of the basketball game. So if there's
a scenario where Lebron can be on the same team
with his son and help him develop and learn how
to be a pro for a year, why would I
(29:57):
mean that's as a dad, I would want to do that.
I would want to do that.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Before you go, we got about a minute. That's fine
with the Lakers though, That's fine I'm gonna go to boxing.
What are your thoughts on this Tyson Jake Paul fight?
If if you think it's a real fighting and just what.
Speaker 7 (30:15):
Are your thoughts? It's sanctioned as a real fight. But
I think Mike Tyson believes it is a real fight,
especially after the comments Jake Paul said about burying him
next to his daughter. If I know anything about Mike Tyson,
that ain't gonna go over well, so can you?
Speaker 5 (30:30):
I mean you obviously, yeah, you played football. But dude's
gonna as great as Tyson was. He's gonna be fifty eight.
Speaker 7 (30:40):
I mean how much it should hit like a brick?
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Yeah, the power that got Tyson's last fight.
Speaker 7 (30:46):
Yeah, But what what what I'm saying is Tyson, you
he can give you all he got for three minutes?
Can you withstand that? Three minutes? Even at this age.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
And they're only two minute rounds?
Speaker 1 (30:58):
There?
Speaker 7 (30:59):
You can you staying let's say two rounds, so four
minutes total of Mike Tyson really wanting to displace your
head from your body. And if you can, kudos to that,
because the longer goals, the easier it to be. But
I tell you what, man, the first two rounds good
and it's gracious.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
I want to see Mike Tyson knocked into the stands.
Speaker 4 (31:20):
I want to see you want to know, Rob, Rob
gonna gonna lose? Is you know what card this?
Speaker 9 (31:29):
Come on?
Speaker 7 (31:30):
Man, that may be in questioned already.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
What are you.
Speaker 11 (31:37):
Really starting an all black sports talk radio stations Detroit
that you every every black dude on your.
Speaker 7 (31:49):
Station to get your card back?
Speaker 4 (31:51):
That's alrighty, some good stuff man.
Speaker 7 (31:57):
All right, brother, y'all say Kayling Clark's mister first three shot,
first shot?
Speaker 4 (32:01):
Yeah, washed up.
Speaker 5 (32:03):
I want to read a nice little behind the back
pass though I want to refund, all.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
Right, just saying all right, all right, uh Briannie, we
just touched on it.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
We'll talk about him at the combine next a couple
of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
All right, Chris, here we go two and one. Last night.
You know the Celtics and I would have had the
hat trick on Shekel City, but they gave up a
two pointer in the final two seconds of the game
that would have given me a nine point Celtics win.
It was eight and a half to spread. Instead, they
won by seven, so I lost. No, I'm just saying
(32:50):
I had almost a hat trick last night. Here we go,
let's get a hat trick tonight. I'm gonna go with
the Pacers. Chris plus one and a half at Madison
the Square Guard. I just think the Knicks are on fumes,
banged up. I'm really losing the series. Yeah, I think
they lose the series in six games. In fact, Chris,
(33:10):
I think that they lose the next two. I really do.
I'm feeling the same way about Denver, and I think
that this is the six game series as well, and
Minnesota doesn't win again. I got Denver minus three and
a half Chris at home back in the Rocky Mountains,
I got Denver minus three and a half. And in
(33:32):
a baseball one we throw away in the Nationals or
in Chicago, they won game one of the of the doubleheader.
But I got the Nats minus one and a half
runs at the White Sox best bet again, Pacers plus
one and a half Madison Square Garden, Denver minus three
and a half. They got the ship righted and the
Nationals minus one and a half runs at the White Sox.
(33:53):
And remember, I'm not telling you who to bet on.
I'm telling you who I bet on.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
All right, Ron mentioned Bronnie James.
Speaker 5 (34:01):
He's in Chicago at the pre draft camp and was
impressive yesterday had a forty inch vertical, forty point five
inch vertical. I wonder what Rob g look up what
Lebron's is or was you know when he was see
see if you can find Lebron's vertical online. I'll be
interested in hearing what that is. But forty is impressive.
(34:21):
And then he shot the ball well from three. Rob
measured six to one and a half without shoes, So
he's gonna have to be a point guard. And Rob
I talked to somebody who's out there, who works, you know,
in the NBA today he's out in Chicago, and he
was saying, you know, BRONI looked good, but you know
(34:43):
today everybody wants to see what he did in the
actual play.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
And they played the game. He started for his.
Speaker 5 (34:51):
Team, which won eighty nine eighty one, but Brianni in
nineteen minutes and forty seconds, Rob two for eight from
the field.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
Zero for four from three four points, uh four rebounds,
three turnovers, no assist.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Wait a minute, so from or from the was this
a stats from USC? Because yeah, it wasn't.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
It wasn't an impressive showing.
Speaker 5 (35:18):
And Rob, remember, you know, I've been to Chicago for
the pre draft and all that, and it used to
even be different back in the nineties and early two thousands.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Now the top players don't even.
Speaker 5 (35:28):
Go this is most of these guys in Chicago won't
get drafted, Rob, most of them won't get drafted, and
and and those that do, most of them will be in.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
The second round.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
And so you got guys scored fourteen, sixteen, fourteen, seventeen.
You know, guys put up numbers, and Briannie wasn't one
of them.
Speaker 4 (35:51):
So he's gonna have to really, you know, pick it up.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
The guy talk to Rob. He said a lot of
people around the league felt like when they those he
said that watched Briani in high school felt like, okay,
USC was not a good situation for him. And then,
as you mentioned, he also is coming off the cardiac arrest, right,
and so they didn't really you know, they're not saying, Okay,
(36:19):
that's who he is, but he is going to have
to show a little more apparently than he showed in
this first game.
Speaker 7 (36:27):
Though.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
No, that's that's not a good look, especially when we
saw Chris him knocking down the twelve three pointers in
a row. You know, when on drills, and you know,
drills are different from playing no drills, nobody's there.
Speaker 5 (36:42):
You know, Rob, you've seen NBA player shooting. I mean shoot, yeah,
they're they're hitting everything everything. That's the that's what they
that's their money maker.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Chris. If you can't make shots with nobody guarding you, right,
you're gonna be in trouble. I mean, I like seriously,
I used to watch with Sheeed Wallace. I think he
was the most ridiculous player, Chris. I don't know if
you ever saw his ritual and routine before games, and
he would take two balls, one in each hand, Chris
(37:11):
and launch him from half court and swiss swish one
in each hand.
Speaker 5 (37:16):
Well, you think about what was going to be the day, Rob,
because he was a even in that day, he was
a great three point shooter for a big man and
had game inside compost very Rob, you had something quickly
that about.
Speaker 8 (37:29):
It, just quickly and if you're not expecting Brownie to
be a start. It doesn't sound like he's expecting to
be a star either, because he was asked what kind
of players he would, you know, comp himself to in
the NBA, and the guys he mentioned Davion Mitchell, Derek White,
Drew Holliday, So guys who are good players, but they're
more connecting, supporting pieces rather than stars.
Speaker 5 (37:46):
So maybe even he's yep, yeah, absolutely absolutely, all right,
we got two hours left to the eye.
Speaker 4 (37:53):
Couple, keep it lot, Fox Sports Radio,
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
Popular Podcasts
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes present: Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial
Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Betrayal: Season 4
Karoline Borega married a man of honor – a respected Colorado Springs Police officer. She knew there would be sacrifices to accommodate her husband’s career. But she had no idea that he was using his badge to fool everyone. This season, we expose a man who swore two sacred oaths—one to his badge, one to his bride—and broke them both. We follow Karoline as she questions everything she thought she knew about her partner of over 20 years. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-3 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.