Kevin Durant's Worst Nightmare

Episode Transcript
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(01:33):
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(02:18):
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So with Chris and New York and me sitting here
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kick some mash. All right, all right, we are already
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without our superstar right now, Rob Parker. It kind of

(03:03):
reminds me of the Golden State Warriors. And I'm gonna
tell you, Jonas. Look first, let me let me set
the record straight. Kevin Durant is tremendous, arguably the best
player in the world, deserving of the last two NBA

(03:24):
Finals MVP Awards. He was that good and he is tremendous. However,
right now, Kevin Durant's worst nightmare is coming to pass.
We'll see if it continues. They may lose to Portland
for all we know. I doubt it, but possible, or

(03:45):
they may lose to Milwaukee for all we know in
the NBA Finals or Toronto if they get there, doubt it.
I'm picking Golden State to go all the way with
or without Kevin Durant. But here's why. It's his worst nightmare.
And look, I'm sure that on a certain level, Kevin
Durant is pulling for Golden State. His teammates are the

(04:10):
last three years to win every single game. I really
believe that. But he's a human being. And as much
as I love you, Jonas, will you filled in for
me before? And if I was off for three weeks
for whatever reason, I was sick for three weeks and

(04:33):
you filled in with Rob and the show just took
off right, And callers were calling in Jonas, it's better
with you. We don't need Chris, you know you and
Rob it should be you, guys that would hurt ye.
I want you to do well, but I don't want

(04:54):
you to do better without me. I want to be missed.
I want to be needed. And that's because I'm a
human being and so is Kevin Durant. And so when
you see the Golden State Warriors go out there and
what is it now? They won the last three playoff

(05:15):
games without Kevin Durant. They're more fun to watch. Steph
Curry and Draymond Green are playing their best basketball of
the year, and they are overall thirty two and four
without Kevin Durant in his three years there. That's a
seventy three win pace over an eighty two games season.

(05:38):
Sound familiar. Now people are wondering do they even need KD.
And here's my main point, Jonas, before you weigh in,
this is why it's Kd's worst nightmare because even no
and I and I might say this like, there is

(06:00):
no basketball person, let alone player on the planet that
doesn't respect Kevin Durant's game. Every player in the league
knows he's a bad boy, that he is arguably the
best player on the planet, arguably a top ten player

(06:20):
of all time, arguably one of the top three or
four offensive players scores we've ever seen. However, in talking
to some players in this cancer who happens to be
playing for Portland's he came on the eye couple a
couple of weeks ago and said, players around the league

(06:44):
really do put in asterix by Kevin Durand's two championships.
I talked to another player today who said the exact
same thing. He said, players around the league, I'm telling you, Oh,
they respect this game, they know we tough, they know
he's awesome, but they looking at those championships a little

(07:04):
bit funny because they know I could have went there
and got those rings with that team and Jonas as
we heard Clyde Frazier say the same thing. There's an
asterix by him. And if people were already belittling to
a degree the two championships that Kevin Durant has won

(07:28):
with Golden State, what in the world do you think
they're gonna think of those two championships if and it
may be a big if, if the Golden State Warriors
win it all without him. Yeah, and that's and to
your point, it is his worst nightmare. And here's why.
Because they won one previously without him. If there was

(07:51):
just the seventy three and nine season and they lost
and then they added him and won two more, no
big deal. But because we saw this in twenty fifteen,
twenty six teen, and if you can look, if you
really tried hard enough, maybe you could diminish that title
for the Warriors because there were some injuries the Calves
were dealing with. Cleveland had a two one series lead
at one point in that series, to Kevin Durant because

(08:14):
he is so sensitive and because he knows the narrative
and he's watching and he's listening and he hears everything.
Oh yeah, you bet your assess his worst nightmare, of course.
I mean, this is a guy who's had to deal
with this the past couple of years. He chased rings
because he was tired of hearing a narrative. He got
to Golden State and all he's heard is a narrative.
And now he gets injured and they're about to win

(08:36):
possibly another championship with him missing the final back end
of the of the entire playoff run. And what's he
gonna hear? The narrative? So he can't escape this. And
while you say, look, it's human nature, not only is
it human nature, it's Kevin Durant nature. He's already given
you example after example of this. Bothers me. I know

(08:58):
what's being said, and I'm tired of it, and I
just go back to something that he said, and it's
similar to something that Aaron Rodgers said after he won
a Super Bowl. I think these guys build up championships
in their minds so much and then sometimes you get
it and it's not really all that great, Like you
think something out there, you know, the brass ring, whatever
you want to call it, is the end all be

(09:19):
all of the discussion, and then you get it and
you go is this it? And there's been two times
as that's happened recently in sports. One of them was
Aaron Rodgers acknowledging on a plane after they won the
Super Bowl Lombardi Trophy, sitting right next to him and
thinking to himself, is this all it is? That's it?
You know? He just sort of now having to recalibrate
and think about what he really what his mission really is.

(09:42):
And Kevin Durant has said as much at the same
thing a couple of different times. He finally got that
championship and he just didn't feel the validation that he
thought he would. So now he's going to be defending himself.
He's going to be hearing the naysayers. He's going to
be hearing the conversation. The whole argument for are the
Warriors better with without Kevin Durant. Here's what I say

(10:02):
to that. I don't think that they're better. They are
not better without Kevin Durant. The problem is they're still
better than almost everybody else, right, right, And that's that's
the discussion. And so when you go on and you
are able to accomplish this without him, all it is
is going to knock him down another peg. And that's Look,
we can have the debate, we can have the conversation

(10:22):
all we want. It doesn't even come close to the
internal debate that he's had within himself the past several years.
And this is a guy who's already got two rings,
no question, And you hit it on the head like
whether they're better with him without him or not? And
I agree with you. I mean, what he does is
give them the safety value. Oh yeah, Draymond Green alluded
to it in his comments today. You know, look, they

(10:44):
don't have to be perfect in their execution when Kevin durantsting,
because you know, you can just give it to the
seven footer and he can go get a bucket whenever
he wants. So that's great. Without him, though, their execution
does have to be close to perfect, and they're able
to do it and they roll. But to your point,

(11:04):
what if they're not better without him? So what if
they're still better than everybody else in the league. That's
the point. That's why people are looking funny at him,
because they're say, there, nobody cares if they're better without you.
They're just saying, dude, they don't need you. Yeah. It's like,
let me ask you this, do you think he's better

(11:25):
than Larry Bird? Would you put would you put him
up higher than Larry Bird? Because here's the I would
right now. No, And here's why. Because the one thing
we do know about Bird is that he could lead
his own team. Now if you just I do think
he has the potential, Like I'm gonna leave it open

(11:48):
that he could one day pass Larry Bird, But right
now I would give Bird the age just because, like Bird,
I know, we know he had Robert Parish and Kevin
McHale and Dennis Johns. He has some great teammates. But
when he went to Boston, that team had won twenty
nine games the year before he got there. Check that
for me, rob G. But I'm pretty positive it was

(12:10):
twenty nine games. He gets there, and they had some
old Hall of fame like Tiny Archibald, but they were
older by then. They weren't you know, what they used
to be. And when he gets there, they win sixty
or close to sixty games, some sixty ish games. They
don't win the championship, but it was an immediate turnaround.

(12:30):
Rob g you got that twenty nine and then his
rookie year, they were around sixty right, sixty one. Yeah, yeah,
So Larry Bird, he I would put Bird ahead of
Durant right now, but give Durant the chance to pass
him if and this, this is the crux of the matter,

(12:51):
if he goes somewhere in shows he can lead his
own team to a championship. Here's here's why I say that.
So when you're in the conversation and it's it's a
reasonable conversation with Larry Bird, means you kind of done
something so far in your career. He's only thirty years old.
He's got two championships, he's got two mbps, he outplayed
Lebron in both of those. He's got millions upon millions

(13:13):
and millions of dollars. He's got more coming this offseason.
He might win a third ring. And he's sitting at
home having a drink while everybody else is celebrating because
they don't need him. He's got everything he could possibly want,
and yet somebody like Katino Mobile posts something like we're
having a conversation about right now on Twitter, and Katino
Mobile says a minute later, Kevin Durant responds in his

(13:36):
DMS like, if you're not happy at this point with
all of that already, and you're only thirty and you've
got more of your career to go, you're probably never
going to be satisfied or happy. So this is this
conversation and this battle that everybody has, like we're having
about Kevin Durant. I'm telling you, as I said before,
it's going on inside him worse than any of us.

(13:56):
And he's still struggling to find what's going to make
him make this life, whatever, this career is happy for him. No,
that's a great way to put it. And the one shining,
you know, the light at the end of the tunnel,
I guess for KD. And this is obviously they may
not win it without him, and that would certainly validate
the last two years that he's done. But if they

(14:18):
do win it, it does get like nobody will be
able to criticize him for leaving. Yeah, Like it'll be
completely understandable if he goes to New York and everybody
will will get it like they win it without you
you need to leave, and so it's gonna be very
fascinating how this thing plays out. All right, let's throw

(14:40):
it out to the callers. Eight seven seven ninety nine
on Fox eight seven seven nine six sixty three sixty nine.
Does Kevin Durant privately which the Warriors were less successful
without him? Will continue the conversation with you. Next, it's
The Eye Couple with Jonas Knox in for Rod Parker
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is this Kevin Durant's worst nightmare, that the Warriors are rolling,

(16:52):
rolling hard without he maybe rolling all the way to
their third straight title, fourth in five years. Let's hear
what the callers say eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox.
All right, let's get to it. Evan is in Virginia. Evan,
you're on the Odd Couple. What's going on? Man? Are
you guys doing great? Man? How are you? I'm doing fine?

(17:13):
Listen man. When Kevin first signed with the Warriors, the
first thing he said was he wanted to go there
because they played the game the right way. I don't
know people took that as a knock against Russell, but
they're playing the right way is the reason why they're
winning right now. And they're playing the right way without him. Now,

(17:34):
he might have got caught up in that. He wanted
to be in the gold conversation and whenever Steps is
not in the game, he goes into that isoball stuff
and they get away from that playing the right way.
So then when he's off the court, they go back
to playing the right way and that's what makes them great.
But they really it's really not a knock on he's

(17:56):
skilled because his skilled lover was so good that he
can do that. But they're so great as the team
because the reason he said, they played by the right way,
and that's why nobody can touch him when they get
ruling like that. Yeah, he takes away from that when
he goes that io stuff because he wants to be
noted as the best player in the game. Now, that's

(18:18):
a great point. I think that's a great synopsis of
the situation there. And look, let me give Kevin Durant
props in this regard. He has fit in for the
most part, like I don't know a superstar that would
go there and fit in as well or better than
he has, right, But there are times where he gets
away from it, and that's when they're just not quite

(18:42):
as good. Like if you put Lebron there, Lebron would
not fit in nearly as well as Kevin Durant has. Well,
it's look, you tend to overcompensate, or you tend to
sort of pay sort of lock in more, I guess,
is what I'm trying to say. And I do think
there's an element to Golden State understanding. They don't have
that bailout plan. I mean when you're when when just

(19:04):
at your disposal you can pull out of your back pocket.
It's like somebody walks around with like one hundred dollar
bill all the time and they're looking for a change, like, oh,
I have been to have a hundred here. Look at that,
they're one hundred dollar bills, Kevin Durant, and they can
when they can pull that out at any time, you
tend to get a little bit maybe lacks of days ago,
or maybe you just sort of kind of, you know,
take take a breather and say, well, listen, we've got
all this, you know, all this here, We're good. And

(19:27):
when him with him out of the lineup, they realize
we've got a lock in. More there is no margin
of air. And I do think that's something that plays
into this to a certain extent as well too. No question,
Jamie is in Cincinnati listening here on Fox Sports Radio, Jamie,
What's happening? What's up? Fellas, What's going on? What's Happening? Best?
The best show in the in the United States. I

(19:48):
love it so especially today. Man. What I want to
say is it Dan should not be like that. Man.
You know, they went the gear him to beat Lebron James.
They couldn't beat Lebron without him, and then he stepped
up at the critical task and made them big shot

(20:09):
when they needed it these last two years. So Kevin,
I think, like what Jorge was saying, it's something with
inside here. Man, I don't know what he's dealing with.
But even when doctor jam him couldn't beat Magic and
they couldn't be Bird and then they went to get
Moses below did they fell us right? And they won?
They swept right. No, Look, I'll give this. Obviously they

(20:35):
did beat Lebron, but he didn't have his wingman Kyrie
Irvy and Kevin Love. And then I don't take anything
away from the Calves Titland twenty sixteen, but I do
think it's very likely that if Draymond Green isn't suspended
for Game five, which completely changed the momentum and games,

(20:57):
leaving some hope, they probably win that series Golden State.
But I do think those last two years where Durant
was the MVP, if Durant's not there, I think you
have a bird Magic Celtics Lakers type rivalry between Cleveland
and Golden State, and I could definitely see Cleveland at

(21:17):
least winning one of these last two. So again, they
Kevin Durant was brilliant in those finals, and nobody can
take that away from him. But it's just that when
you begin nitpicking at the careers of the all time greats,
that's one thing you're gonna say about Kevin Durant that
you wouldn't you can't say about any other player. Yeah,

(21:38):
he isn't in a weird spot. It's like nobody looks
at John Elway's career and nobody diminishes his Super bowls
at the end because all of a sudden, Terrell Davis
joined him right like, they just call him a Super
Bowl champion for whatever reason. Durant has drawn the ire
of a lot of people, and he gets criticized in
a way that sometimes maybe isn't the most fair, but
nonetheless that's where he's at at this point in his career. Khalil,

(21:59):
You're in Jersey here on Fox Sports trading. What's going on? Man? Yo?
What's going on? Fellas potential happening? Man? Hey, let's I'm
gonna make it real simple. The beginning of the end
is when the general manager made that comment about how
not you Kevin, you don't count because you ain't being
here since the beginning, like stuff and Clay any cat

(22:21):
that if you are such a beautiful basketball situation, why
would you want to bounce? Why the comments that you
made on the podcast with j McCullough, the comments that
you've made on podcasts about calling the entire media fan boys,
you having all the burner accounts, arguing would dudes that
work in Amazon warehouses Unfortunately, he's a he's a negative dude,

(22:41):
and he's just let you just had that, let that
chip on the shoulder fester into just being a hater.
And I and part of I agreeable with you with
the topic likes hit up them falling short is going
to validate the impact and what he's done to that team. Otherwise,
Bobby to be trying to bounce right and you you
might you right, Like maybe we'll never know, but maybe

(23:05):
the seed for him to go to New York was
initially planned it by that Bob Myers comment. And Myers
is a great guy. He meant it as a joke. Yeah,
but we all see how sensitive Kevin Durant is and
I could definitely see that role in him and making
him think, okay, all right, I'm not part of this.

(23:26):
All right, we'll see. Yeah, he just he is not
found for whatever reason, to this point in his career
at thirty years old and everything that he's got, like
we were talking about earlier, he hasn't found I guess
his happy place for lack of a better term to
call it. And if he hasn't found it at this point,
I just don't know what the hell it's gonna be
but he's still gonna search. Yeah yeah, and we will

(23:47):
be there for the search. Of course. Let's let's switch
gears a little bit here. How in the world does
someone become a Detroit Lions and a Dallas Cowboys fans?
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(24:08):
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(24:29):
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(25:14):
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(25:37):
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(25:58):
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(26:44):
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thanks Steve. It is the Odd Couple. Jonas knocks in
for Rob Parker. I'm Chris Bruce. Are we're coming you
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(27:06):
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eight hundred nine four seven Auto. The only hard part
is figuring out which way is easier. Jones. Let's get
to a few more calls. Yeah, let's go to Minneapolis.
Lavert is listening here on Fox Sports Radio. Lavert, you're
on the odd Couple. What's going on? What's going on?
How you doing? Critis? Man? I respect what you're doing,

(27:27):
my brother. You do a beautiful job. You know you're
you're one of the you're one of the most objective commentators. Man,
there is. Man, I really respect you for that. I
really really do. I appreciate that. Man. Oh yeah, so
so so this this is what I want to say, right,
come on, now, we have to cheap it real here, right, Chris,

(27:50):
And that's what I want to say now, hear me out.
Seven Dot came over the Golden Study. The way they play,
they the rights Calabasketball right now, the GM from the
owner all the way down. You got great coaching who
you respect. You got great teammates who you respect. They
put they put winning over their egos. Right, She's not

(28:11):
the only one place in dak or Steph Curry could
have easy won three more MVPs or at least in
the conversation for him. Yeah, right now, what I'm saying
is people said, oh, he just wanted to jump on
the bandwagon, win some championships and take the easy way.
I disagree. But if you're leaving this already perfect situation
with everything you want because the nay Slayers, you're that

(28:33):
soft where you're gonna leave everything you love about this organization.
You're going to leave because the name slayers Michael Jordan
when he left Chicago, right, they made it to the
Eastern Conference finals. And if it wasn't the tip and
taking itself out to play, they probably do the one
to the finals. I rejected, What does that mean, that's
not it looks I'll give you this. When Kevin Durant

(28:56):
went to Golden State, one person close to him told
me it's the first time he's ever made a decision
for himself, not for what other people were gonna say
or think. So you are right, he would be going
away from that if he left, although, as Jonas pointed
out earlier, the biggest naysayer might be in his own head. Yeah, yeah,

(29:16):
all right, it's time for Celebrity Corner. Oh my god,
I know for the Odd Couple Celebrity Corner. Alright. Joining
us for this week's Celebrity Corner is one of my
favorite musical artists and he really his music really inspired

(29:40):
me throughout much of my life, so I'm excited to
have him more. And he is Grammy Award winning gospel
artist Fred Ham and Fred Welcome to the Odd Couple. Chris,
what's up? What's up? I'm great, man? How are you man?
I'm good. I am so good. It's great to have

(30:03):
you on Man. And that song that was playing in
the background, We are blessed. That's one of my all
time favorites man, which you did with ra for Christ.
So I thank you for all the music you've put out.
I appreciate that, man, I appreciate that. Nineteen nineties six, Yeah,
thank you when that song was written. So amen. Yep. Well, look,

(30:24):
we got Jonas Knox on my partner with me and
he's gonna be joining us in this interview. But the
first thing I want to get to we see, I
know you're from Detroit and you're a Lions fan. I
get that, But you're also a Cowboys fan. What's up
with that? How? You know what? I've only lived in

(30:46):
two cities, really Detroit and then Dallas. I try to
support the team, you know that I'm in the city
that I'm in, trying to give him a little up,
you know, and so kind of always been on the
fence with you know, back to the day when it
was Pittsburgh and Dallas going hit up at it, and
I kind of just rode with Dallas, so it made

(31:06):
it easy. And Fred, let me ask you this. Nineteen
ninety five, nineteen ninety six, the Cowboys just win their
third Super Bowl in like four or five years, and
you're probably thinking to yourself, Man, thank god I still
got the Cowboys, because the Lions haven't done anything for me. Man,
did you think it was gonna be this long and
you still wouldn't see another from either franchise? You know,

(31:27):
I hope not. You know, the year that I don't
know what year was a year that my man and
everybody was down on you. But Tony Romo muffed the
extra point. Man gone, bro, I gotta wait a whole
year to get back to football. Oh my god, man,
I was that was done for a minute. I was.

(31:48):
I said, something's wrong with this. You need to consider
moving to Boston so you can root for the pay now,
kidning on, here's the deal, here's the deal. Patriots. I'm yeah,
it is what they're they're dying to see. But I'm
a Tom Babe Brady fan because he's from Michigan. Okay, okay,
you got that time. I'll give you that. I'll give

(32:11):
you that. You know. It's like, go ahead, go ahead.
You know it's like now I want to see him
win because of the age now, because of the age. Now,
I want to see him, man, go ahead. Do I
want him to be the George Foreman of football? You know,
just the old cat just still letting him have it.
He's doing that for sure, for sure. I see you

(32:32):
also are huge Lebron James fan. Now what is it like?
What makes you? What is it you like about Lebron? Well,
you gotta understand, coming from Detroit, Cleveland's right up the street.
So back when he was in Saint Mary's in the
tenth grade, somebody would bring tape of him and they
we pop in the VHS and they said, man, you
gotta see this young kid. He is the next you know,

(32:55):
Daryl Dawkins. He's gonna come. He probably gonna go straight,
you know, straight out, you know, to the pros. And
they popped him in and I looked at him. I said, oh,
he's gone, He's gone. And then we would get news
they would say, hey, this young kid in Cleveland has
really turning it int blah blah blah blah. And we
just watched him all the way through. So I kind
of followed his career all the way through. So yeah,

(33:17):
I'm a Lebron fan. Wherever he go, I'm with him. Fred,
I got to ask you this. So we've talked about
the Michael Jordan Flew game, Like the last twenty years,
Joel Embiid had an issue, like we hear all these
stories about athletes that are going out there and performing
when they're dealing with some sort of a sickness or
an injury or an illness in your entire career, what
was the most sick you ever were for a performance?

(33:40):
And how'd you got through it? Man? You know, I've
got to think about that the Lord had blessed me, man,
that I have not had to really endure a whole lot.
When I got my knee surgery, I had double knee replacement,
and I went on tour with Donnie McClerkin and he
and I. He had lost his voice and I couldn't
walk here, but man, but it was painful. But when

(34:02):
we got out there, we sat on stools, the people
blessed us, and then that was that was really cool.
But when I got off stage, my back was so
tensed up. I had to stop before I got to
the bottom of the stage, and they, you know, dinning him,
started praying and that I just said, I just need
to sit for a second. You know, this is that
So I gotta bless me, man, And I'm de scrateful
for that. It's the eye. Couple were joined by Grammy

(34:24):
O War winning gospel artist Fred Hamm and Fred were
you an athlete when you were younger. Absolutely, I was.
I was a double. I played basketball in um in
junior high and I played you know, AAU up in Detroit.
But I was a baseball player and I was a
football player. I got I got a scholarshipball for to

(34:46):
Olivet College for football, and I was scouted by some
pro teams. And I played baseball. Yeah, I played right field,
first base, and I had a gun on me, but
I had a sick I always batted clean up, and
I had decent speed. But if you hit the bar
far enough, you don't have to run fast. You know.
That's where I looked at it. So but I loved it, man,

(35:07):
I loved it. Fred Hammond last one for me. And
I'm curious, have you worked with athletes before or played
music with athletes? If so, who's the best musician slash
former athlete or athlete that you've worked with? I know
Bernie Williams is a guy who people talk about, very accomplished.
Who is it for you? Well? I can get emotional
on this one because Waymon Tisa was my very best friend.

(35:29):
You know, the day that he we buried him, like
two days ago, ten years and I put the shroud
on his feet and I helped close the casket. That's
how close I was to win. And Wayman Tissier was
the best musician friend that I ever had, and he
took he took his musician's skills to another another level.

(35:51):
I would go see him pay at the pacers, I
would go see him play out at a Sacramento and
we lost a great one. But that is the greatest,
hands down musician athlete that I've ever played. It. Well,
that's a great way to end it. Fred Man, we
appreciate you for the stories and for joining us on
our celebrity corner with the Eye Couple. Thank you man,

(36:13):
Thank you, Jonas, Thank you Chris. Thanks for love you man. Chris.
We gotta hook up, man, we ain't been together in
a minute. Yes, definitely, give give my producer your number
and I'll be in touch. Excellent. We will do all right, Jonas,
see if Fred. Thanks Man. All right, Fred, all right,
it's not all bad news in laker Land. We'll explain next.
It's the Eye Couple with Jonas Knox and for Roy

(36:33):
Parker on Fox Sports Radio at Farmer's Insurance. We know
the sound of a perfect hot air balloon landing and
a Leston perfect one. She covered it. Doctor Farmers, we
are under written. My Farmers took fire insurance exchanges and
affiliates products unavailable in every state. All right, it's the

(36:57):
eye couple. Chris, Bruce, Sorry and Joe on this Knox
in for Roy Parker and Wow Jonas, there was some
big news. Rob Parker still around, still makes his presence
felt rack them. Come on, Chris, we can't get away
from you. You gotta have the bones, you gotta have
the structure. Well Jonas, speaking of structure, I guess the

(37:24):
Lakers disagree with Rob because they don't think you gotta
have the structure. News coming out today that the Lakers
will not hire a president of basketball operations to replace
Magic Johnson. Instead, Rob Polinka will remain as the general
manager and report directly to the owner, Jeanie Buss. Now,

(37:47):
if you were doing a job and they don't replace you,
what does that say about what Magic was doing? Oh?
Remember back in two thousand and nine when there was
a recession, all these jobs got axed all over the place,
not just in radio but everywhere because the country was
really hurting financially. And I remember having conversations with people

(38:08):
and them just saying, yeah, you know, they're just gonna
wait until, you know, the economy comes back, and then
the high are a bunch of people back on. And
I said, listen, if they figure out during this time
period that they can do it and they don't really
need that position, they're gonna go ahead and do it
and not spend what they needed to spend. If the
Lakers have figured out that they can pretty much do
whatever Magic was doing without having to even pay anybody

(38:28):
like Magic Johnson and avoid the drama, they're gonna do it.
And that seems to be what they're going in the
direction they're going in this time right, no question. Now,
this news doesn't surprise me at all. No. I knew
this was what was happening, because it would have been
idiotic to go any other way when you go ahead
and hire a coach before having your front office in place.

(38:48):
So we knew that Rob Pelinka was gonna run basketball operations,
whatever title they gave him. Kurt Rambas will remain a
special advisor, is I believe the title they're gonna give him.
But he's essentially second in charge. He's essential essentially Rob
Pelinka is the president and Kurt Rambas is the general manager.

(39:09):
My thing is, you should just give them those titles.
It's crazy because this looks look I know, nothing would
be different structurally, but this looks like you're still flying
by the seat of our your parents. We're not doing
anything differently. We don't have a president. We just got
a GM. And Kurt Rambas is a friend, so he'll

(39:31):
he'll advise and he'll be in the interviews for free
agents and coaches and all that. But he doesn't really
have any title, you know, I mean, like, give it
structure President, Rob Polinka, general manager, Kurt Rambas. So you
look like you're organized, even if you aren't. Can you
believe the fact that as it stands right now, all

(39:51):
the stuff we heard and talked about Dan Gilbert, that
the Cleveland Calves are a more well round organization than
the Lakers. If you're right. If you ask Lebron Games
a year ago, hey, who's gonna be a more while
we're on organization in a year from now Cleveland or LA,
he'd laugh in your face and said, don't trust me.
I was just here. I know how bad it is
right disaster in LA at least Cleveland has some sort

(40:13):
of a plan. Be critical all you want, but you
don't hear half the drama and half the crap coming
out of Cleveland that you've heard coming out of LA.
No question. Now, it obviously could be rectified to a
certainty because you got a great player in Lebron if
they can get Anthony Davis. When I'm told I was
talking to some people today Jonas, I'm told we know
that the owner of the Saints came out. There's a

(40:35):
report that she's like, under no circumstances are we dealing
with the Lakers in the trade for Anthony Davis. She
has come out and disputed that report. I'm told General
manager David Griffin did not want to deal with the Lakers. However,
Alvin Gentry, the head coach, who's very close with Griffin,
and he was Griffin respects him. Gentry really likes Linzo Ball,

(40:57):
he really likes branding him. Gentry's thinking a lineup of
Lonzo Ball, Drew Holliday, brandon Ingram, what's Zion Williamson, and
Kyle Kuzmas could do some damage on both sides of
the floor. So that's good news for the Lakers. Maybe
they'll be able to pull off that trade. Odd Couple.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple

(41:19):
with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific. Yes, it is Chris and Jonas
Jonas of course in for Rob Parker and we are
the Odd Couple, coming you live from the Guy cooed
Fox Sports Radio Studios. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen

(41:41):
percent or more on your current yours. Visit Guy called
dot com for a free rate quote. In less than
thirty minutes, we will be joined by Bleacher Reports senior
writer Rick Bucker, so stay tuned for that. He'll have
some great insight for us into all things INBA. And
let's stick with the NBA. Jonas, we got a big

(42:02):
game two in the Eastern Conference Finals coming up and
starting in about thirty minutes, it'll be the Milwaukee Bucks
hosting the Toronto Raptors. Milwaukee of course up one to nothing.
Kind of a must win for Toronto. You never you
don't always feel that way, because you know, if you

(42:24):
lose to it home two on the road, you can
go back and win two at home. But when you
think about it in terms of you got to be
the team four out of five games. That gives you
a different perspective on being down two. Oh yeah, I'm
fascinated to see how Toronto comes out in this game,
because that was a just a terrible loss. And look

(42:45):
at it. It showed in the fourth quarter they looked
like a team that had the shorter rest than Milwaukee did.
Milwaukee and Reggie Miller said it on the broadcast towards
the end of that game. He said, they caught Milwaukee rusty,
just like the Boston Celtics Milwaukee rusty in Game one
of their series. They caught him rusty, but they couldn't
capitalize and they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter.

(43:07):
So now a game that you had, and you've got
to get one of these games on the road if
you want to win. If you're the team who doesn't
have home court advantage, now you come into this game.
But I would agree with you it probably is as
close to a must one as you can get in
this spot. Yeah, no question, I'll tell you this. If
Milwaukee blows them out, and remember Milwaukee now nine and
one in the playoffs, I believe eight of those victories.

(43:30):
Rob g correct me. If I'm wrong. I believe eight
of those victories have been blowouts. Yeah, and so if
they blowout Toronto tonight, that will mean you are right
on the money, you and Kenny Smith with what you
just said. That means the game one was only close
because Milwaukee was rusty. And if I'm not mistaken, there
was or seven blowouts. Seven of the nine victories blowout.

(43:53):
If I'm not mistaken, it was either thirty one I
think it was thirty one games this regular season won
by double digits or more. Milwaukee did. I mean they
were a juggernaut. I mean that's like you can't do
you can't look at it in the other way. They
were a really, really dominant team during the course of
the regular season. I just think they didn't get maybe
the exposure that other teams did, or maybe people were

(44:16):
too focused on what's going to happen in the off
season and not paying attention to Hey, guys, we got
like a really good thing going on. I know it's
in the Midwest. I know we want to focus on
the coast and everything that's gonna happen in July during
free agency. But they were outstanding all year long, right,
we were far more focused on the tragedy that was
the Los Angeles Lake. Oh yes, yeah, then we were

(44:37):
on the best story, at least on the court, the
best on court story in the league this season, which
was the Milwaukee Bucks. I want to ask you this,
Jonas when I the East, in my opinion, was way
better this year. Philadelphia sally they immature, but they were
a really talented team. Obviously Boston is pretty good. I

(44:59):
still think with all of their problems, was better than
it was last year when they just had more talent
with Hayward and Kyrie. Obviously Milwaukee's much better, and I
think Toronto is much better with Kawhi Leonard in exchange
for Demard de Rosen. I would even go as stars
to say, I don't think if Lebron had stayed in

(45:20):
Cleveland and that team had remained intact, I don't think
they would have won the East this year. Now, maybe
I'm wrong because Milwaukee and Toronto are essentially won superstar
teams and Cleveland was that too, But I just think
it would have been different this year because the East
is tougher. What's your view on that. I totally agree,

(45:41):
and look, Lebron getting out of the East I'm not
saying that he knew what was coming, okay, but I
just think that, you know, there were other opportunities for him.
But people forgetting a year ago. Didn't Indiana take Lebron
in the calv seven games? Yep? Okay, the Celtics without
Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving took Lebron seven games. And
I got news for you. If Jalen Brown or somebody
in that backcourt could hit two more shots, we're having

(46:04):
a whole different conversation about what the finals were last
year and what Lebron's legacy in Cleveland was because Boston
wins that game seven. So I think the East is
better this year. I think Milwaukee took the right steps.
Like everyone's talking about Ben Simmons, he didn't do enough
in the off season to improve his game in certain spots.
You know who did do enough in the off season, Jannis,

(46:27):
Because it showed this year he has taken a step
that you assume other players take during the course of
their career, during the embryotic stages of their career. Ben
Simmons didn't take that. Yannis did. So how did Philly
counteract that? Oh, we'll just add Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler.
The East was way better than it was a year ago,
no question, And of course Lebron left the East having

(46:49):
gone to eight straight finals, eight straight Eastern Conference championships,
four in Miami, four in Cleveland. But Yannis thinks now
that with Lebron gone, it's his time here. He is.
I'm not gonna let to you. When the city started,
I didn't know who's gonna be, So I'm nah, I'm
not gonna let you. I just know that he's a

(47:10):
tough player that we oh, it's our problem against him
and against the Cavs. And now he's not playing with
the Cavs, so he's gonna be a little bit easier.
I didn't see that as opening, but now that I
looked back and and I saw everything went, he's definitely opening,
you know, not having LEBRONI days and not trying to
go through him. Now, look, Yannis, we're gonna get into it.

(47:31):
It sky's the limit with this guy, obviously, But I
don't see anyone going on the type of run Lebron
did as far as eight straight finals. I mean, even
Michael Jordan didn't do that. He took you know the
two years off, he was a bit exhausted mentally and
maybe even physically after each three peat, and it is

(47:54):
taxing to go to eight straight finals. I think that's
why Lebron didn't mind. That's part of it. Why didn't
mind going to a Lakers team that he knew wasn't
ready to compete for a championship this year because I
think he you know, while he wanted to win, I
think part of him welcomed, like, look, it's been exhausting,
and if I don't get back to the finals, I'm

(48:15):
cool with it for a year, and especially if what
happens this summer, what we think will happen this summer happens, Jonas,
If Kevin Durant goes to New York, Philadel, New York's
gonna get better, Philadelphia is going to get better. Those
two teams. I think Milwaukee's gonna be awesome for the

(48:37):
next decade as long as Yannis is still there. But
with Philadelphia and Joe lmb Ben Simmons, assuming he improves,
and then Kevin Durant and Kyrie or somebody else going
to New York, it is not going to be easy
for Yannis to go to finals, after finals, after finals.

(48:58):
I think he'll go to some including this year, but
I don't think it'll be anything close to eight straight,
maybe not even four straight or three straight. Yeah, and look,
you know this, you've covered sports long enough. Any great team,
any team that wins the championship, any team that wins
multiple championships or goes on a long title run. You
know what comes with being really great getting a lot

(49:19):
of things to go your way. You need things to
kind of break your way from time to time. It's
not that you're lucky. Things just happen to go your way.
A bounce here, a loose ball here, a missshot there.
I mean, it's a fraction of an inch, and you
need certain things to go your way during that time,
and you've got to be able to capitalize on them.
You just can't expect that somebody's going to be able

(49:41):
to capitalize on a week conference or other things that
have gone wrong in the East, like Lebron did and
like the Calves did during the course of his time there.
And then we also, I mean, look, if Kawhi Leonard
can hit a free throw at the end of that
game in the finals, what are we really saying about
that run in Miami. We're talking one in three in
the NBA Finals as opposed to the two and two

(50:02):
that they win. I just think that the East got better. Yes,
this was the year or last year was the year
rather for the Celtics to win a title. Last year
was the year, but unfortunately injuries didn't go your way.
Kyrie Irving got injured and so did Gordon Hayward. So
last year was the year for the Celtics to win
the East and really take advantage of a weaker Calves

(50:25):
team that had to make all sorts of moves and
basically put band aids over the roster to try and
get into the finals. Much like I said, this year,
this was the year for the Houston Rockets to make
a run because you had a weekend Warriors team, you
had injury concerns when you had DeMarcus Cousins and Kevin
Durant go out and they couldn't capitalize. So now for

(50:47):
sure Milwaukee's in the mix. And then depending on what
happens with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and who matches
up where. Look, Brooklyn looks a lot better. Philadelphia will
wait and see how much those guys progressed during the
course of the season. Oladipo if he comes back and
he's healthy, Indiana looked really good for a long time.
So I think the East is getting stronger. Lebron getting

(51:08):
out just in time out having to deal with everything
he was dealing with the past eight nine years, no
question about it. And look if Milwaukee and some people
actually think now they're the favorites to win it all,
if they win this championship, it will be virtually unprecedented
what they're doing to go from an eighth seed the
sixteenths best record in the NBA last year without any

(51:33):
major additions to the roster. Now Brook Lopez, they had it,
but I'm talking about like an All star type addition.
The coach was the major addition, Mike Budenholzer. But to
do what they've done, that's virtually unprecedent. We think of
Isaiah Thomas's Pistons getting beaten by Birds Celtics time and

(51:54):
time again and then finally getting over the hump, Jordan
being beaten by the Piston and then finally getting over
the hump. Lebron individually suffering his setbacks before finally getting
over the hump, Kobe and Shock even having their bad
losses before finally getting over the hump. There is really

(52:14):
none of that for these Milwaukee Bucks. If they win
this championship, I mean, it will be incredible and really
speak holly of Janizant Zakoumpo. Yeah, you know, it's funny.
When Jason Kidd got fired, there were I was a
little bit surprised because they looked like they were an
improving team, a developing team, and then for some reason

(52:35):
they just decided as an organization, yeah, Jason Kidd's gotta go.
And you thought him taking a team like that and
sort of rebuilding them and getting young players to play well.
You figured that he had some job security and he didn't.
And then they bring in this Mike Budenholzer guy, and
now they're better than they were before. So credit to
the Milwaukee Bucks for recognizing that they had a flaw

(52:55):
there that maybe some people didn't see on the outside,
and they made the change kind of similar to what
Golden State did with Mark Jackson to where we were
all super Wait a second, you're firing Mark Jackson. He's
got these guys playing well and they're winning fifty games,
and you've kind of been historically a bad franchise, and
you're getting rid of him and you're bringing in Steve
Kurru was last seen on TNT. I don't get it.

(53:17):
They recognize something that maybe we didn't on the outside.
There was a coaching flaw and that could have just
been all that they really needed to push him over
the edge, and maybe that's why they're playing so well.
What do you think is Jannis's ceiling? I mean, I'm
looking at this guy. He's twenty four years old. You
mentioned it, the improvements his three point shot. I mean,

(53:39):
it's not great, but it's a much improved over it
last year and the years before. I think in two
years he'll be a very competent through outside shooter. I
gotta be honest, this kid might might, especially if they
win it this year, he might be able to insert
himself down the road into the gold conversation. That's a

(54:01):
long way from now, but I'm just thinking Scott's the
limit for this guy. You know what I love about him,
He actually wants to polish his game. Jason Terry told
a story yesterday on Fox Sports or Fox Sports one Slash,
Fox Sports Radio in which he was a teammate with Jannis.
I believe was last year the year before and there

(54:22):
was a regular season loss, and before Jason Kidd could
come in and talk to the team, Jannis had already
taken off and did a three hour workout in the
gym because he was so upset with how he played
just a regular season game, not a big deal at all.
He actually cares. There's some athletes out there who are
so gifted, and he is so gifted that they don't
feel the need to nurture or polish their game and

(54:43):
the adage I always give people, Yeah, Ben Simmons is
one of them. But in boxing, you remember how dominant
Roy Jones was. Remember Roy Jones. Roy Jones could go
out no joke, could play a three hour pickup basketball game,
then four hours later go to the arena and knock
somebody out on a body shot on HBO. That's how
good Roy Jones was. Guess who was still at that

(55:04):
same time still fighting but didn't have the talent naturally
that Roy Jones did, and that was Bernard Hopkins. Guests
who was fighting still into their fifties and guests who
was just taking whatever fights they could get to try
and pad their record. Later in their career, Bernard Hopkins
figured out how to fight. He fought smart, he polished
his game, and he aged better than Roy Jones did
because of that. I think Jannis is going to age well.

(55:26):
If he's a guy who says, look, I know I
can get to the basket anytime I want and I
can outpower people, but I want to work on my skill.
And if he does that, I think we're talking all
time great potential with Yannis. I really really do, no question,
no question. All right, let's let you guys, the listeners
way in eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox eight seven, seven,

(55:48):
nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. Assuming the Milwaukee
Bucks make a finals run this season, what is the
ceiling for Jannis and the Bucks in the years to come?
We will continue this conversation with you. Next, it's The
Eye Couple with Jonas Knox in for Rob Parker on
Fox Sports Radio. That's Big Daddy. Fox Sports Radio has

(56:09):
the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all
of our shows at Foxsports Radio dot com and within
the iHeartRadio app search f SR to listen live at
Farmers Insurance. We know every windshield collision has a unique
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(56:33):
and affiliates proucts unavailable in every state. Are you tuned
into the Eye Couple. I'm Chris Broussard alongside my partner
Jonas Knox, who is in for Rob Parker. We've got
great news for you. There's a quicken and easy way
you could save money. Switch to Geico. It only takes
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or more on your car insurance. Go to Geico dot

(56:54):
com and see how much you can save. All right,
we threw it out to you. How far can these
bucks go? With Yannis onto the Kumbo leading the way
not only this year but in the future. Eight seven,
seven ninety nine on Fox Your Turn to weigh In.
Aaron is in Tampa listening here on a Fox Sports radio. Aaron,

(57:16):
what's going on? It's not my Thanks for taking my call.
I know it may sound crazy with Yannis, but it
could be a Tom Brady moment with this guy as
far as potential. I mean, we all remember when he
got drafted. People are saying, oh, he should be You
shouldn't be spending a top fifteen pick on this guy,
a development guy that you're gonna stash and Greece that

(57:37):
wasn't even playing at the first level of Greek basketball.
He comes over, does all right, starts to develop. He's
got that chip on his shoulder. He wants to be
the greatest. You can tell from the way that he
talks that the man wants to be the greatest because
people have said, oh, f grade on that draft by
the Bucks. He looks at that. He sees that. So

(57:58):
we could be looking at like a I'm brady kind
of person that wants to be great to just to
carry that throughout the rest of his NBA career. No,
there's a lot of truth there. I mean, Janis has
said he's not concerned with a lot of the stuff
that a lot of our American superstars are. I don't
think he's concerned with, you know, social media to a

(58:18):
large extent. He said he doesn't want to be Hollywood.
He's not worried about going to a big market. He
just wants the ball and continue to improve as a player.
And when you couple that mindset with his talent and
his height. I mean, like I said, Sky's the limit. Yeah,
but yeah, he's saying that though he's saying that he

(58:39):
doesn't want all that. But Chris Man, I can look
back and I can say, oh, Man, at twenty two
or twenty three years old, I would have done things
this way. And the reality is I wouldn't have. If
I made eighty bucks at work a bartending I was
going to go out and spend it that night. So
when athletes get in trouble and they come across stuff
that they didn't imagine or didn't expect, I'm never critical
of how they act. He's saying all the right things

(59:01):
right now, but he's never been on the stage that
he's going to be on. If they continue to play
well against Toronto and they wipe out the Raptors and
then they're in the finals, I really want to see
because I stay that way. Yes, I want to see
whether or not that would change him. Because we've seen
athletes coming to the league in their humble and they
really appreciate the opportunity and look, fame and money changes people,

(59:23):
and that's just the reality of it, no question, that's
one of the obstacles who have to overcome, no doubt
about it. Mitch is in Chicago listening here on a
Fox sport trading Mitchell's happening. You guys got a great show. Yeah.
I've been a Bucks fan all my all my life,
but raised in Milwaukee, so this is exciting for us.

(59:44):
And Jannce is definitely the real deal. His family, His
family keeps them grounded. He just wants to focus on
being great. You've got the right attitude, Andy and Joints
being in Milwaukee and embracing the small market. So I
think can go all the way. But we'll spin enough
to Milwaukee and cautious enough to not overlook Toronto. So

(01:00:05):
game two and thick for us tonight. We're taking it
one game at a time. But it's definitely exciting. In
Sky's the limit for this for this player in this tendency.
Is there a fear there in Milwaukee kind of among
the fan base, among the city that some big market
team is gonna come along and snatch him up, even
if it's just him, you know, like ex Jonie said,

(01:00:28):
kind of changing as he becomes this super star celebrity
and wanting the bigger market. Is that fear kind of
exists there. Well all, that's why it's the boarding to
win a championship. I think if ye, if he has
the dynasty, I think you'll stay just like a Golden State.
If you have a dynasty, I think you'll say but
if we don't get the championship, and that continue path

(01:00:50):
and I can see him being just like Lebron and
moving on to get championships. So it's very important for
the organization to continue to build around him and give
him the need to much championships where we have a
kind of the elements right and no doubt and we
appreciate the call and listen. It's the same with the
Zion conversation when people were talking about, oh Man, that

(01:01:11):
was really bad for the NBA that Zion went to
New Orleans. Listen. The NBA, of course, would love to
maximize those big markets. You know what. The NBA likes
also having big names in a bunch of different markets.
And the only way you can get a big name
and a lot of these markets is through the draft.
So Milwaukee hit a home run in the draft, good

(01:01:31):
for them. New Orleans may end up hitting a home
run in the draft if they take Zion Williamson. I
get news for you. Even Boston. Boston's first big name
free agent was Al Horford. They always landed through the
draft or had to make trades to get players there.
So when a guy gets to a small market and
he hits like like Zion may hit New Orleans and

(01:01:53):
like Giannis has hit, I think the MBA, despite what
everybody says about big markets in New York and LA,
I think the NBA is quietly thrilled to have a
bunch of big names and a lot of places as
opposed to super teams where you got four powerhouse names
in one market. Now, I'm with you on that. I'm
with you, And I thought it was so irresponsible, without

(01:02:14):
any reason to think, for everyone to say Zion might
go back to Duke. Oh, I mean, come on, you know,
I'm glad his stepdad came out and squashed that. Yeah. Look,
if you would have gone back to Duke now selfishly
and would have given us a lot to talk about,
because if you thought the Zion should he play? Should
he not play when his shoe exploded, was a conversation

(01:02:35):
that one would have carried on throughout the off season
and all into next season. But there was no chance,
like people act like New Orleans is Siberia, Like, oh
my god, why would anyone want to go there. I've
lived in the South for a short time. It's a
lot of fun, man, and that's a loyal fan base.
And no matter what anybody says about the Knicks or
New York compared to New Orleans, nobody is gonna like

(01:02:59):
Zion as much as New Orleans. Well, because it's a
small market, and when you go to New York, you
just kind of blend in with all the other grades
that have been there and all the other big names
and celebrities are there. I think it's I think it's fast.
I think it's fine that he's in New Orleans. I'm
looking forward to it if they end up making that pick.
And I think New Orleans and I think Zion should
both be excited for it, no question about it, no

(01:03:21):
question about it. And look, he's from Spartansburg, South Carolina. Yes,
and all the talk about New York as much. And
I wanted to see him in New York. I wanted
to see him on the big stage. I thought it
would have been great for the NBA. However, New Orleans
may very well be the best thing for him or
some other small market it could have been. But look,

(01:03:43):
you go to New York and you mentioned it. You
were just talking about it with Jannis. Now, Zion wouldn't
have been at a championship level right away, but he
was already at that level of superstardom. And in New
York that has been the death knell of many an athlete,
and Zion will get to avoid that now, and so

(01:04:05):
it could be the best thing for him to be
in a small market. Yeah. I look, I don't know
what the chances are of them keeping Zion and Anthony
Davis together, but if not much, I mean, if Alvin Gentry,
I mean off the bat without winning a game, if
he can sell Anthony Davis on sticking around in New Orleans,
you should just give him Coach of the Year next year.
If you've got to vote, just give it to him

(01:04:26):
next year. Even if they win four games. If he
can convince Anthony Davis that spectacle Davis and Zion coming
to a town near you, that big business, no question.
All Right, we got a game about to start, and
if Toronto has any chance of tying this series up,
Kawhi is going to need a big night from one
Rapper in particular FS one. NBA analyst Rick Buker will

(01:04:49):
tell us who next, but first let's get to Steve
the Seger for the latest in sports. Steve yuh See.
Finalist lists is out for the NBA Awards late June.
We'll get to the golf Tiger Woods missed the cut,
and of course we have an NBA game a game
two of these finals coming up in a few minutes
Toronto at Milwaukee. Before the game, they've announced finalists for MVP.
For example, Jhanna Setenat Cumpo, James Harden and Paul George.

(01:05:12):
Finalists for Defensive Player of the Year. Jhanna Setena Cumpo,
Rudy Coobert and Paul George. Finalists for NBA Coach of
the Year Mike Budenholzer Milwaukee, Michael Malone, Denver and Doc
Rivers of the Clippers, and the finalist for Rookie of
the Year Luca don Sich Dallas, Trey Young Atlanta, and
DeAndre Ayton of Phoenix. As your check engine light come
on recently, then check out the free AutoZone Fixed Finder service.

(01:05:35):
It'll help you troubleshoot the likely cause, get in the
zone auto Zone. Tiger Woods missed the cut at PGA
Championship at five overpar. Also missing the cut, just missing
John rom Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, and others. Brooks Kepka
leads the PGA by seven strokes. That's a record leading
margin after two rounds at that event. Tied for second
placer Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott. In the NHL, they're

(01:05:57):
underway in the West Final Game four. San Jose up
two games to one. Playing at Saint Louis. The Blues
within an early goal lead one nothing tonight about eight
minutes ago in the first period. That is our discovered
card key matchup. Discover alerts you if they find your
sole security number on any one of thousands of risky websites.
It's free for card members. Just sign up online at
discover dot com slash free alerts limitations apply. The Dodgers

(01:06:20):
are leading at Cincinnati, but Justin Turner of La is
left after fouling a ball off his leg. Dodgers go
to the six with a four nothing advantage against the
Reds starter Rich Hill with nine strikeouts already in five
scoreless stings, and it's raised at Yankees tied one one
in the bottom of the fifth. Back to the show
in ten seconds, But first a word from farmers at
Farmers Insurance. We know a roof can withstand a lot

(01:06:42):
rid exception being an airborne car seen it covered it
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and the first place. Cubs are up three two in
the fifth at Washington against Max Scherz or Cole Hamil's
three and o on the mound for the Bees. Tonight,
Jonas knocks Chris Bruce hared back to you. Thank you, Steve.

(01:07:04):
It is the I couple. Jonas Knox in for Rod Parker.
I'm Chris bruss Are. We're coming to you live from
the Geico Fox Sports Radio studios. It is easy to
say fifteen percent or more on your car insurance with Geico.
Go to Geico dot com or call eight hundred and
nine four seven Auto. The only hard part is figuring
out which way is easier. We're just moments away from

(01:07:25):
the start of game to an Eastern Conference finals Milwaukee
and Yannis onto the Kumpo against Toronto and Kawhi Leonard Jonas,
who you got tonight. I think Milwaukee's gonna win. I
think Game one was a bad loss for Toronto. I
think Milwaukee wins, and then it all comes down to
Game three. If they lose, Toronto loses Game three, I
think it's a rap. Let me can I want to
ask you this, though, have you been more? I think

(01:07:48):
at the beginning, we all fought and I kind of
equate this too. Everybody's gone through a breakup where in
the moment it feels like the worst thing in the world,
and then you look back later on in life and go, God,
that was the best thing that could have happened to
me when Lebron. When Lebron was knocked out of the playoffs,
everybody assumed that it's a bad thing with no Lebron
in the playoffs. I think we're gonna look back at
this year and we're gonna go that could have been

(01:08:09):
the best thing that ever happened. Because you've seen names
be made because of this playoff run, whether it's Lillard
in the first round, Jannie Yokich, the Bucks in general.
I just I don't think it's the worst thing in
the world to not have Lebron in the postseason. No,
that's a great point because even if Lebron makes it
next year, now you're gonna be like, Okay, what does
he do against Yokich? What did you do against? Yeah? So,

(01:08:30):
no question, that's a great point. All right, let's bring
in the Bleacher Report senior writer also in FS one,
NBA analyst, longtime friend and colleague of mine, Rick Buker.
What's up, man? What's happening? Are we We're great? Man?
We are great. Now we got Toronto Milwaukee just underway?

(01:08:51):
What has to happen for Toronto? Who in particular has
to step up for them to win this game tonight?
For me, it's got to be either Mark Saw or Sergebaca.
They've got to minimize the impact of Brook Lopez. I
just feel as if times have you ever said that
statement all his years in the league. Probably never. Yeah. Well,

(01:09:16):
and here's the thing though, I said it last series
when it came to playing Joel Mbat that it was
key that uh that that they minimize the impact of
of Mbad in terms of if he's not going to
play well, or he's sick or whatever, you can't just
play him ease. And even you got to exploit that

(01:09:38):
and the games in which Abaca and UM and Gasol
did have games, those were the games that Toronto controlled
and dominated. So um, but yeah, you got to stop
brook Lopez from three point ra like what world are
we living? Indeed, that's that's where we you are. And

(01:10:00):
it wasn't just his three point shooting. Obviously they got
to contest those a little bit better, but he was
getting work done inside two little finger falls, little step right.
I mean, you just can't haven't dominating like that. Rick
Buger with us here on Fox Sports Radio. Rick, we're
talking about the zion potential to go to New Orleans
and also kind of tied it into Janis as their

(01:10:22):
underway in Game two in small market Milwaukee. And my
thought is, if I'm the NBA, yeah, I would love
to capitalize on a name like either of those guys
in a big market. But I also like the idea
of having big names spread out throughout the course of
my league. So when a New Orleans comes to town,
it's now a big deal. When a Milwaukee's on TV,

(01:10:43):
it's now a big deal. What do you think the
overall opinion is or what's your opinion? Rather of sort
of having names spread out as opposed to the super
team crazy that we've had in several years. Well, you
might like them spread out, but the market teers would
say we were having the big names in the big markets.

(01:11:04):
Because what we've seen traditionally with the NBA is that
when big markets and and actually it doesn't even have
to necessarily be a big market, it helps it it's
the big market. But what you really need is you
need teams that are's the stocking horse. Everybody can complain
all they want about the Golden State Warriors dominating, just

(01:11:27):
like they complained about the Chicago Bulls dominating. But the
numbers say that when you have a team that everybody
is gunning for, the NBA is more successful than when
you have a diverse everybody's got a shot that may
work as far as you know, parody in the NFL.

(01:11:49):
The NBA just doesn't function like that. At least that's
what the numbers say. The numbers say that you've got
to have those those big stars. Now, I think the
interesting dynamic from me when it comes to those the
spread stars is that you don't see the European stars
looking to move and go to big markets. They're just
grateful that they're in the NBA and that they're stars

(01:12:12):
of NBA teams. Pagosol wasn't barking to get out of Memphis.
Marc Gasol never really barked to get out of Memphis.
I don't expect Janis to bark to get out of Milwaukee,
Dirk in Dallas. I really think it's a it's a
function of more of American stars want, you know, being

(01:12:33):
a little bit spoiled. I don't. I'm already in the US,
I already know that I already expected to go to
the NBA. I want to be in the city that
I want to play in. And maybe some of that
is a function of the whole aau mentality too, where
guys just get accustomed to playing with who they want,
where they want. Well, the point you just made, I mean,

(01:12:55):
that's the whole story of the year about Kevin Durant,
and a lot of us do think he's indeed going
to New York. But I'm sure on a certain level,
Kevin Durant wants his Golden State teammates to keep winning
and win it all even if he's not there. But
he's a human being and it's gotta hurt and we

(01:13:16):
think even this could be his worst nightmare if this
team were to win the championship without him. Are we
off base in thinking that area that it would be
his worst nightmare? It would be his worst nightmare if
Golden State won the championship without him. Actually, you know,
I feel as if it would alleviate some of the

(01:13:42):
bad feeling in the Bay Area about him leaving. I
think in some way he's sitting it'd be easier to leave,
for sure, Yes, And so it wouldn't look would it
would it bother him? I think it would only underscore
the reason that he wants to go in the first place,

(01:14:03):
which is and look, I live in the Bay Area.
I know this. Yeah, I've Warrior fans contest me every
once in a while on this. No, we love Kad.
I'm like, yeah, but you don't love him like you
love step You don't love him like you love Clay
or Draymond. And that's the problem because this is a
this is a two time NBA Finals m MVP, and

(01:14:25):
you're glad to have him, but you've never fully embraced him.
And I don't know that they ever that they ever will,
or they ever would, And so I think that's the
driving the driving force there, um as far as it's
just an interesting thing because I'm I'm not still not

(01:14:48):
totally convinced that if Katie doesn't play again this year
that they do win, that it's that it's a lock
that they do win without him. And I certainly don't
think if they're a better team without him, not not over.
I mean, in stretches, they can get back to who
they were, But I don't know that they would be
in this position right now if they didn't have KDE

(01:15:12):
on the team. So Rick, let me, And this is
just hypothetical. I don't even I don't even know if
it'll come down to this, but you being in the
Bay Area, if the fans had their vote and you
could keep either Clay or Kevin Durant, who would they keep.
I would imagine it would be it would be Clay.
I really do. And it's and that's crazy because from

(01:15:33):
a basketball standpoint, and I love Clay, but and he's
a great compliment to Steph. I mean, they are a
perfect duo. But um, look, I've had people tell me
in the organization have told me if KD goes championship
runs over like we can't expect that we're going to

(01:15:56):
continue to go the way we've gone. They their sincere
in feeling that KD is the reason that they continued
on They needed him these last couple of years. And
any Warriors fan in particular, an NBA fan in general
who thinks that the Warriors could have done would be

(01:16:19):
on the verge of a three peat without Kevin Durant,
you are sadly mistaken. That would not have happened. How
are the Warriors in the organization, and maybe the fans
have coupled into this as well too, are they kind
of are they kind of worn out by the Kad
drama that there always seems to whether he whether he's
the guy responsible for it or not, there just seems

(01:16:40):
to be baggage that is there. And you don't have
any of that with Clay Well, and that might be
part of the love loss too, is you've never had
that with Steph. You've never had that with Clay. You've
never had that. That just the questions or the you know,
uh Kerr saying you know, we need to play with

(01:17:00):
joy and Kad saying I think we need to play
with anger. You just you never had any backing anybody up.
That's that's new, and for Kade to be kind of
the new guy on the block and not to be
doing it the quote unquote warriors way. I think that's
what it only adds to this. We really like having

(01:17:23):
you here because you've been part of the championship run,
but you know that you're really not one of us,
are you? You're really not. We like having you, but
you're not really one of us. Rick Buker, Bleacher Reports
seeing your writer joining us on the eye couple. Rick,
we got about a minute left. What really is the
deal with the Pelicans and whether or not they'll trade

(01:17:46):
Anthony Davis or at least, you know, be open to
trading him to the Lakers. We're here, they won't deal
with the Lakers. They will deal with the Lakers. What's
the deal with that? And who do you think is
the front runner? My my understanding is is that it
is personal for Gail Benson, the owner of the Pelicans.

(01:18:07):
I think it was up to David Griffin independently. He
would do whatever the best deal was. And I don't
know that the Lakers can actually present the best deal.
But the talk about Benson saying we'll trade him anywhere,
but to the Lakers, I think that is legit on

(01:18:28):
a number of levels and so and I think that
there's going to be other opportunities for them to make
a deal and move him to the Eastern Conference. I
don't know that it's going to be Boston. I don't
think Boston can afford to give up assets for Anthony
Davis with the anticipation that Kate Kyrie is going to

(01:18:49):
leave and they're not going to get anything back for him.
But I still think that New York is a very
is a very good possibility utilizing that that number three pick.
And I do think there is a distinction. While it's
only one spot, I do think there's a distinction between
number three and number four. I do put I don't

(01:19:11):
know if I put RJ on the level of John
Morant and and Zion, but he's the next best. I
don't think there's a tier of four or five. I
think if you don't get one of those first two,
the next guy that you'd like to get is RJ.
All Right, Rick Bucker, great stuff, as always, man, We

(01:19:32):
appreciate the knowledge, my pleasure fellas. All right, man, enjoy
the game. All right, it's a bad time to be
a football fan in New York. We will explain next.
It's the Eye Couple with Jonas Knox in for Rob
Parker on Fox Sports Radio. At Farmer's Insurance. We know
the sound of a perfect hot air balloon landing and

(01:19:52):
a Leston perfect one covered. Doctor, Farmers, we are farmers
and you're written pharmast took fire insurance exchanges and affiliates
product unavlable in every state. It's the Eye Couple. Chris Brussard,
my man, Jonas knocks in for Rob Parker and Jonas
quickly this. John Clayton of ESPN came out it said

(01:20:18):
today that he wouldn't be surprised if the Jets actually
traded Leavian Bell before the start of next season. What
is your take on this? It's just like, is this possible? No,
it's not possible. Look, I wouldn't be surprised. I mean, look,
I wouldn't be surprised if I walked outside and I
was in New Jersey, not here in Sherman Oaks. I mean,

(01:20:38):
come on, man, it's not it's not happening. I get
it. It It suggests they looked dysfunctional, but at a certain
point we start to embellish some of these stories just
because of the name attached to it. They fired their
GM who wasn't getting along with people in the organization,
in particular the head coach. The head coach said something
about a running back, not that he didn't like his game,
but that he didn't like the price. Once once they

(01:21:02):
get into camp and start playing games, everything's gonna be fine.
I think I think we're overreacting to this jet stuff. Yeah,
I agree. I mean, look, I think they did overpaid
for Leveon Bell. He still didn't get what he wanted,
but they do need him, that's the bottom line. Like
they Sam, Darnald desperately needs a playmaker, and the fact

(01:21:23):
that Levion Bell is not only a great runner of
the football but also catcher, that's gonna be huge for Darnold.
I don't know that he'll give you four great years.
I don't know that he'll be ninety percent of what
he was, you know in Pittsburgh, but he still should
be a very productive running back for at least a
couple of years, and that'll help Darnald get his feet

(01:21:45):
wet in NFL. You ask anybody in the NFL who's
got more upside Sam Darnold or Dak Prescott eleven out
of ten. I'll tell you, Sam Darnold, look what Ezekiel
Elliott did for Dak Prescott. Same thing, and you can
argue Levion Bell might be better than Ezekiel Elliott. I see,
we got you. You are filling in for Rob Parker
as the Dak Prescott hater, the resident do I like that?

(01:22:08):
I like that? But there already you can't make the
argument that because of Zeke it's sort of a maybe
embellished his career bit, that's all. No, he definitely has helped.
But he's won more games than anyone not named Tom
Brady since he's been in the league. You know that,
I know. Be sure to catch live editions of The
Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at

(01:22:29):
seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeartRadio app. It is The Couple Couple. I'm Chris,
He's Jonas, and we are coming you live from the
Geico Fox Sports Radio studios. Fifteen minutes could save you
fifteen percent or more on your car insurance. Visit Geico
dot com for a free rate quote and Game two

(01:22:52):
of the Eastern Conference Finals is underway, and I'll tell
you what the Milwaukee Bucks are putting it on the
Toronto rapp It's very similar to the beginning of the
series with Boston in the second round, where Boston beat
a rusty Milwaukee team in Game one, and then Milwaukee
got its bearing straight and rolled all over Boston in

(01:23:15):
the next four games. Toronto caught a rusty Milwaukee team
in Game one, couldn't finish the deal, lost that game,
and now the Bucks seemed to be flowing and they
are up fourteen points already thirty five twenty one at
the end of the first quarter. They only shot twenty
five percent from three in Game one and still one.
I thought that was a bad sign for Toronto, and

(01:23:38):
sure enough, Milwaukee is five of twelve forty two percent
already from three point land and it is not looking
good for the Raptors Jonas at all. You know who
I feel bad for after Game one, Kyle Lowry, And
not not because he played better than anybody else on
the Raptors, but because the narrative after Game one was
you can't waste a good game like that. The guy

(01:24:00):
finally had a good game he can't waste it. I
was noticing Kawhi Leonard in this game, and it's totally
understandable considering what happened last series, how it ended, and
how they played in Game one. But it wasn't even
halfway through the period and Kawhi Leonard was getting back
on defense and he looked exhausted already. First quarter, six
minutes into this game, and he looked like he was winded.

(01:24:23):
He had his hands on his shorts. Marcus All trying
to get back looked winded as well too. That just
spells of a team that put a lot into winning
their series previously, and Milwaukee was able to house Boston
in five games, and they just look like the fresher
team up and down the court. No, there's no question
about it. And if they go up two oh, obviously

(01:24:44):
they will be on par with the Golden State Warriors,
who are up two oh in the West over Portland
without Kevin Durant, their best player, arguably the best player
in the world. That makes the Warriors now five and
oh in the playoffs without Kevin Durant. This is since
he joined the team three years ago. Jonas thirty two

(01:25:04):
and four overall without Kevin Durant. That's a seventy three
win pace in an eighty two game regular season, which, oh,
that sounds for billion. They won seventy three before Durant
got there. And I'm telling you, Jonas, look, it remains
to be seen if they can beat Milwaukee or even
Toronto in the finals without KD. But I'm telling you

(01:25:26):
what if they are able to win a title without
Kevin Durant. Now, maybe he'll come back, but if he
doesn't and they win the title, this is the worst
nightmare for Kevin Durant. Be sure to catch live editions
of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar then Rob Parker
weekdays at seven pm Eastern, four pm Pacific at Farmers Insurance.

(01:25:54):
We know every windshield collision has a unique sound beatle
bird boop drone seen it covered it, Doctor Farmers underwritten,
My Farmers took fire. Insurance exchanges and affiliates proucts unavailable
in every state. You're tuned into The Eye Couple, Chris

(01:26:14):
Brussar Jonas knocks in for Rod Parker. We brought to
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you're making on the feast. You don't know how good
Little Caesars is. They're so good that Rob Parker took
off to go to Detroit, where the Little Caesar's arena
is located. Parker, Little Caesar's is wow. I grew up

(01:27:22):
on Little Caesar's, man. No, Little Caesar's is the trip
nuts in the way. Rob Parker's still making this presence
on tonight's show, even though Jonas Knox is sitting in
for him. All Right, you know who's not making his presence,
felt Kevin Durant because the Warriors are rolling without him.

(01:27:43):
With all due respects for his great talent, but it's
the listeners time the way in we're talking KD and
what could be his worst nightmare eight seven, seven ninety
nine on Fox eight seven seven nine nine six sixty
three sixty nine. Well, you know Kevin Durant did grow up.
He group in Maryland? Correct, yes, all right, Well Daquan
is in Maryland right now here on Fox Sports Radio. Daquan,

(01:28:05):
what's happening? Man? Only what's going on? How y'all doing good?
Were great? Man? What's up? And So I just want
to say it's definitely an asterist on Keevin Durant's career,
only because the team that he joined, he had them
down three one and he let them come back. He
couldn't close. So you left your man, Hi Andrew, and

(01:28:25):
you go join the Warriors. I didn't. I wasn't mad,
because you know, we're human. You can do what you
want to do. But it's just the fact that you
had this team three to one, lass you show you know,
and then you go join them, and now you know
they're taking over the NBA, and I like the dynasty,
but it will always be an astris by his career
until he proves he can do it by himself or

(01:28:47):
at least without another MVP and another Defensive Player of
the Year on his team. That's just how optail personally. Yeah,
do you know it's amazing about the NBA and all
the tap in the past couple of years, we forget
that Golden State was down three one to Oklahoma City, Like, right,
there's so much that has happened, and the three one
Cleveland come back in the finals just superseds the three

(01:29:10):
one Golden State comeback to Kevin Durant and Oklahoma City,
And I almost even forgot about that myself until he
just said, like, oh, yeah, that's right. So much has
happened that I completely forgot about that one. No, you're right,
and all of the criticism, if you will, of k
D it's usually just that he joined a seventy three
win team that had already won a title. People have

(01:29:31):
kind of forgotten that. No, it's even worse. You had
that team down three one, right, and I was covering
that series for ESPN at the time. They should have
won that series. I mean look, obviously, when you have
a team down three one, you should win, and they
just folded. It wasn't just k D, but it was
him and Westbrook both just folded like tents, no question.

(01:29:52):
And the fact that Clay Thompson went off and was
a game five, He's the game six. Yeah. He was
un believable in that game. And I believe they were
trailing at one point. And I remember I was watching that.
It was a Friday, if I'm not mistaken. I was
watching that getting ready for my show and just thinking
to myself, Oh, well, that show's written. Okay, we're good here.

(01:30:14):
Yeah like that. That was content for days, just how
well he played, and that was a crazy series. Stephen
is in South Carolina listening here on Fox Sports Radio. Steven,
what's happening. We're taking my call, guys. I really enjoy
listening to your show. Thank you. What I wanted to
say was, I think Katie is absolutely thinking that, but

(01:30:34):
I'll take it a step further. I wouldn't surprise me
in the least if some of his teammates aren't thinking
the same thing to validate that, Hey, we can absolutely
win without this guy. I mean, it hasn't been all
roses in Golden State this season. I mean, with the
spat between him and Draymond Green earlier this year. And
also Klay Thompson's kind of been the forgotten guy in

(01:30:55):
all this too, and I think people forget that before
Katie got the Klay Thompson in a game dropped thirty
seven and a quarter. I mean, and he's kind of
I don't want to say he's disappearance Katie's got there,
but it might help validate it. Well yeah, well look
we've been talking about KD being human. Well yeah, the
other Warriors are human too, and part of their feeling

(01:31:17):
probably is, yeah, you know, we want to prove we
can do it without the Draymond sasion. Draymond sating during
that spat, So if he's saying it out loud, if
he's saying it out loud, that means it's been said
privately when Kevin Durant wasn't there. Yep. And you know, look,
when you get in an argument or you're inebriated, the
truth comes. Yeah, and it's something you've been sitting on
for a little while. You just couldn't sit on it

(01:31:39):
any longer. And Draymond let it out on the sideline,
so that they were clearly sitting on that. And here's
the other part of this last year after they won,
David West afterwards, and I think Sean Livingston was the
other guy that kind of echoed his sentiments. But David
West said, Man, if you only knew what we went
through this year to be able to pull this off.
So there's been issues there that never came out, and

(01:32:01):
nobody's ever really gotten into what happened a year ago.
But there was something going on there a year ago
that they spoke about after the fact and it just
bled into this year. Well here's the other thing, Jonas.
Look for all the scuttle but that we've heard about
Kevin Durant going to New York, it's a done deal.
I was talking to a player today who told me

(01:32:23):
that Durant is recruiting players to New York right now,
like during the playoffs. He's recruiting guys to New York,
telling them come to New York with me. If we've
heard that in the media, yeah, you can't tell me.
Some of those Warriors players aren't hearing the same thing.
And maybe and much more like if we if we're

(01:32:46):
hearing it's a done deal. You know they're hearing it. Yeah,
and it just needs there just needs to be a
little part of it to be true for one of
those players on that team to go, all, right, where's
your where's your motivation? Here are you with us? Do
you want do you want to just recruits? The same
thing happened in the in the NFL where after Eric
Mangini took the Jets job leaving the Patriots. The reason

(01:33:08):
why Belichick and Mangini have have sort of a bad
and rough relationship since that time is because while he
was still a member of the Patriots, he was recruiting
guys to join him in New York as a member
of the Jets, and that bothered Belichick at the time.
So if you're one of these Golden State players and
you find out to your point that while we're doing

(01:33:28):
this and he's supposed to be on this team, he's
recruiting guys for his next stop, whoever he ends up
with New York or whatever it's gonna be. Until we
get into that game before things get heated and somebody
drops that bomb when they see Kevin Durant across across
the floor for the first time. Next year, oh yeah, nah,
no question. And I look, and again I'm assuming that

(01:33:49):
the Warriors of her even more than we have to.
And so I give them credit because you listen to
the quotes right now, they're saying all the right things.
We need Kate d we're winning it for him. Anyone's
an idiot that thinks we're better without him. And obviously
they do genuinely know how great of a player he is.
But if they've heard these things that we're talking about,

(01:34:12):
then they're just saying the right thing. But inside they're like, look,
we're gonna show that we can win this thing without him,
and that that's a heck of a lot of motivation.
So and I'll tell you what the way the Bucks
are rolling Johns what we say, if they blow them out,
it's over for the round. Though they're up twenty one already,
fifty nine thirty eight. This could I mean what you

(01:34:34):
could potentially have two sweeps going into the finals, or
maybe two five game series or one five one sweep,
you know, whatever the case. It looks like it's lining
up for a really huge NBA final. Now, look, people
may not like Milwaukee Golden State in the final. If
you're a casual fan, You're probably thinking, Oh, I don't

(01:34:54):
want to watch the Bucks and the Warriors again playing
the Bucks. But for guys to do this for a
living basketball nerds who have watched it their entire lives.
I'm fascinated by that matchup next round. In fact, I'm
even more fascinated if Kevin Duranton not on the team
next round. I think that adds more intrigue, too, right,
I hate to say I don't want I really don't

(01:35:15):
even feel right saying I don't want him to play.
First of all, First of all, I'm glad that it
was just a you know, it wasn't that series of
an injury. That's certainly the most important thing. Yeah, But
no question, Jonas, it is far more compelling if KD
does not play, And this is a fact. Whether the
Warriors are better without him or not, they're certainly more exciting.

(01:35:39):
They're certainly more fun to watch because even if they
blow a team out, it's fun to watch because Steph
might pull up from thirty five with two people him,
or he might go do some crazy dribbling exhibition and
finish over a six ten guy in the lane. Like
they're more fun to watch without KD, and they moved

(01:36:01):
the ball better, that pick and roll play to Draymond
down the stretch. The steal by Iguodala, it was like
the twenty fifteen Golden State Warriors again. It was It
was really fun. And if he's not their next round
and it is Milwaukee and it looks like we're trending
towards that way, that's going to be a really really
interesting matchup, no doubt. All Right, the Warrior is really

(01:36:21):
a better team without k D. Fifteen year NBA vet
Old Apolonies, who never bites his tongue, has the answer next.
But first, let's bring it Steve to Saga for the
latest in sports. Steve absolute dominance at Milwaukee. By the
Bucks final minute before halftime, sixty two thirty nine the lead.
Milwaukee is shooting fifty one percent, the Raptors thirty eight percent.

(01:36:44):
Milwaukee only has two turnovers in this first staff ready
to go up two games to none in the East Finals.
Pacers guard Tyreek Evans was kicked out of the NBA
for a drug violation. He can apply for a reinstatement
in two years. The Lakers will not hire a replacement
for team president Mad Johnson. ESPN says General manager Rob
Polinka heads the front office. Finalists for MVP Jannis Attendant Coompo,

(01:37:06):
James Harden, Paul George. Finalists for Defensive Player of the
Year Jannis Attendant Coompo, Rudy Gobert, and Paul George for
six Man of the Year. Montrez Harrold Clippers, lou Williams Clippers,
and Demontis Sabonis Indiana. In the NHL at Saint Louis
under seven minutes to go second period. Blues up two
nothing over San Jose in the West Final, trying to
even it at two games apiece. Clint Boyer has earned

(01:37:28):
the poll for tomorrow Night's NASCAR All Star Race on
FS one from Charlotte. The Major League Baseball, the Rays
have taken the lead at Yankee Stadium two one over
New York in the top of the eighth. Dodgers lead
bottom of the ninth six nothing at Cincinnati. Great start
from Rich Hill, six scoreless innings and ten strikeouts also
in progress. The Cubs holding on three two at Washington.

(01:37:49):
This was Cole Hamils against back Scherzer. The games in
the top of the seventh inning to the eighth at
Miami Marlins eight three over the Mets. They pounded New
York starter Jacob deGrom. The DROs have taken a two
one lead at Boston in the top of the eighth
on a two run homer from George Springer, his seventeenth
of the year. And at Atlanta it's now Braves over
to Milwaukee ten nothing in the bottom of the six.

(01:38:12):
We're back to the show in ten seconds. But first
a word from Farmers at Farmers Insurance. We know all
roof con one exception being an airborne car. Seen it
covered it doctor Farmers, we are Farmers underwritten my Farmers
Struck Fire Insurance Exchange. Then affiliates product unavailable in every state.
It is halftime, mercifully for the Raptors. At Milwaukee sixty

(01:38:34):
four thirty nine. The Bucks are in the lead, ready
to take a two games to none lead, and the
Yeast Finals Nicolomeritis with fifteen points and Urson Iliosilva fifteen
off the bench. Guys, thanks Steve Yan. It's not Yan
is necessarily doing it all. They're getting a lot of
production from their role players. All right. It's the eye
couple Jonas Knox and for Ray Parker I'm Chris Bruce Hard.

(01:38:56):
We're coming to you live from the Guico Fox Sports
Radio studios. It's easy to say fifteen percent or more
on your car insurance with Geico. Go to Geico dot
com or call eight hundred and nine four seven Auto.
The only hard party is figuring out which way is easier.
Joining us now is fifteen year NBA veteran Fox Sports
radio NBA analysts, and a man who said if he

(01:39:20):
had been with the Bulls instead of Scottie Pippen, he
and Michael Jordan more championship. I believe that's a direct quote,
Am I right? It's a very direct quote. I told
him I didn't get I didn't get migrains right, right,
That's right, that's right, that's old and polonies, all right.
So we know you you speak your mind old and

(01:39:41):
you tell it like it is. Are we and I'm not?
Neither Jonas or I is saying the Warriors are better
without Kevin Durant. But is it a possibility? I mean
they clearly look very good without him. What's your take
on this? Well, you know, playing at home, you know
there's a lot of advantages to um They bottom line

(01:40:04):
is this, They've won the championship, and Draymond said it
to him, you know, but he added the airms afterwards.
But you know, he said, he we won without you,
and so we know they've won. They brought back Boga,
which was part of that crew, and so I understand
the mentality of the Warriors, and that's the problem for
the rest of the league. They do believe they can win,

(01:40:25):
whether Durant or not. What Durant does is he makes
them unbeatable. That's the difference. You know. Now now without
him they can win, but you know it's a little
bit more evenly match, you know, like them and pauland
them in Milwaukee. So but Durant just takes them over

(01:40:47):
the top. Durant there icing and you know, everything on
the cage. He's just that guy. You know, he's arguably
the best player in the league right now. So that's
what he does. They're not a better team without him.
By fly, I mean, they can't go. You know, they're
not gonna try and go the whole season. Well, they're
gonna try and find They're gonna find that next year.

(01:41:07):
But you know, he just he takes them over the top.
And that's what he does. And you know that's a
luxury of having the best player or one or the
best on your team. But again, right now, Steph stepping
back up, you know, And that's why I was angry
with Rob Parker. And you know, I'm not surprised he's
not there today. I'm not surprised. Calling that man, Calling

(01:41:29):
that man, Steph Curry overrated is the most His new
nickname is A nine okay, A nine? Yes, with that
s I taken out, I've never heard that's his nickname.

(01:41:51):
N that old let me ask you, and just being
honest because Chris and I were talking about this. Although
Kevin Durant look one success for his teammates, he wants
him to do well. If you were Kevin Durant, how
bothered would you be if they were to go on
and win a title without you knowing the narrative surrounding
your arrival in Golden State when he got there? Well, no,
knowing Kevin, he's actually ruling for his teammates. But I've

(01:42:15):
been with guys that w's bad on it all right,
let's hear those. I've been enough situation, so I know
there's been guys, like I said, knowing Kevin and knowing
his mentality. He wants to win, he wants them to
do well, and so I'll let it be that. But

(01:42:36):
I don't think he's wish you bad on that. But
you gotta understand, Steph Curry is a dangerous player. Clarry Thomas,
they had well four. They had four guys that could
automatically get forty points on any given night. You know, Katie, DeMarcus, Clay,
and Steph. So DeMarcus and Katie are out, but they

(01:42:58):
still have two element guys that can go out and
get forty in a game each. And so to me
and you put Draymond. Draymond's playing great right now. You know,
he got he finally got himself in shape, you know,
I mean last night he showed me something five files
in the third period and he doesn't fill out. I mean,
that's impressive. But he's a heart and start of that team.

(01:43:20):
So everybody's game is picking up because Kevin Durant's out.
They had that luxury of we can clown around because
we can always give the ball to Kevin. But now
that luxury is gone, So everybody's picking up their game.
Old and Polini's joining us here on the odd couple
of Fox Sports Radio Old and we're watching the Bucks.
They're rolling over the Raptors sixty four thirty nine at

(01:43:43):
the half. Looks like they're gonna go up two Old.
When you watch the Bucks and more importantly, Yannis, what
do you see as the ceiling for Yannis and this
Bucks team? I'm talking about not just this year, but
going forward in the years following. Oh, there's a team
to be there's no ceiling right now. And you gotta
remember they did a lot of this stuff with brogten

(01:44:04):
out and so to me, you know, now you're bringing
him off the bench Rookie of the Year. I mean,
he's he's a heck of a player. But the Meritage
pickup was so awesome because he's a guy that can
pull the defense and stretch him. You know, he's just
a stretched poor And so to me, they added to

(01:44:26):
all the right pieces and it looks like these guys
are kind of like the Warriors. They look like they're
having fun, and it's not when they winning. You know,
you always got to look at teams when they lose it.
That's what I do. You know, everybody want to look
at people when they win it. You know, anybody can
be happy when they win it, but hard your mentality
when you lose. And that's why I called it middle
of the season. I'm like, Boston cannot go anywhere because

(01:44:49):
they were in such disarray. You can't just automatically get
that back. That camaraderie, you know, it has to be
built and it has to be felt. Milwaukee has the
same attitude as the Golden State Warriors. And that's my
matchup for the finals is the Warriors and the Bucks.
So the ceiling for the Bucks is extremely high, especially

(01:45:11):
with Ghanis. He doesn't go anywhere. Can Golden State beat
them without KD? It'll be it'll be tough, but I
believe they can because the bottom line in the finals,
what's gonna hurt Milwaukee is the fact they've never been
there before, all the media and everything they you know, again,

(01:45:32):
like I said the other night, they're gonna be the
deer in the headlight for real. You know, it's gonna
be like you know, it's gonna be intense. They've never
been to the finals, so and so that's gonna be
that's gonna be the de sime fact that how do
they handle that atmosphere If they're able to overcome that
then yet they can win. But if they don't, Golden State,
who's always been there and done that, they'll win. Olden

(01:45:54):
balanies with this year on Fox Sports Radio. So this
lead is at twenty five at half Milwaukee over to Toronto. Olden,
what was the earliest into an NBA game during your
career that you knew all this one's over? He was
on some bad team. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. When
they walked in the locker room. Oh man, A lot

(01:46:26):
of my teammates, now we had a chance. I mean
I never you know, saw it like, but you know
Jordan's teams. You know they were like, Okay, if we
can get I'm in. If we can beat them, then
people are gonna talk about us. That's how to approach
my teammates before the game. But I got looking at eyes,
all right, what are you as high on Zion Williamson

(01:46:46):
is everybody else? No? Okay, I saw him play. I
mean I was coaching a you two years ago, and
you know I'm sitting there watching him play against six
six seven guys his height, couldn't post up, couldn't score.
And so I'm saying to myself, Okay, so you can't

(01:47:08):
score on these high school kids here, but you're gonna
score in the NBA. Granted, now he had a heck
of a season, you know with Duke. But at the
same time, I just don't think that his shot and
his game is gonna you know, like be unless he's
in the gym working on his shot and transforming his game.

(01:47:28):
But that blue ball and all that, that's not gonna
work every night in the NBA. Again, around game forty,
when that's the end of your friend your freshman year
in college. Oh yeah, after all subbreak, Yeah, he's gonna
start feeling I say this all the time about rookies
and that Sean Camp, you know, just trying to kill

(01:47:49):
the rim. That's that takes a toll after a while.
All right, that's the great old and polonies. Man. You
always bring it. Oh, you guys are very welcome. I'll
take care, all right, A man peace. There's a difference
between being great and being the greatest. We'll explain next.
It's the eye couple. Jonas Knox in for Rob Parker

(01:48:11):
on Fox Sports Radio. Rob Parker at Farmer's Insurance. We
know the sound of a perfect hot air balloon landing
and a Leston perfect one. She covered it to farmers.
We are farmers underwritten my farmers truck fire insurance exchanges
and affiliates product unavailable in every state. All Right, it's

(01:48:35):
The Odd Couple. Chris brus Sard and Jonas Knox in
for Rob Parker, wrapping up another three hour show. Look,
make sure you go to iTunes, Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud or
Fox Sports Radio dot com and subscribe to The Odd
Couple podcast downloaded. Leave us some stars hopefully five and

(01:48:56):
the comment hopefully favorable. But if not, leave that anyway
and tell your friends, your family, your co workers, even
your enemies, your neighbors, everybody about The Odd Couple because
we want as many people as possible checking it out.
Calling in, giving your takes the whole nine yards and

(01:49:16):
Jonas Knox, Jonas go tell them about your show. Because
Jonas Knox is a rising star in this business. If
you don't know, now you know you gotta check out
his show. Jonas, tell him about it. Yeah, So I
normally am and I will not be on tonight but
normally overnights Friday into Saturday here on Fox Sports Radio.
But back tomorrow at four Eastern time, four to eight pm.
Eastern Time with Katino Mobile and that guy is out

(01:49:39):
of his mind and it is blast. I love Katino Mobile,
So that's gonna be a lot of fun. And that
I work with Brady Quinn on Sunday nights, so lots
to get to this weekend. Well, the great thing about
Katino And you notice, like athletes that move into this business,
the key for them and I hope some of them
are listening, because the key for you to move into
media is that you have to speak your mind. Yeah,

(01:50:01):
you can't worry about well, what is my old team
gonna think, my old coach, my old teammates, some of
my friends that are still in the league. I mean,
you have to say what you believe the truth is. Otherwise,
if you're just gonna be brown nosing and giving the
company line and saying all the favorable stuff about guys,

(01:50:22):
then what use is it to have you on? Yeah
it's and look it's I get why it's a tough thing. Yeah,
it's like. Look, if you're a beat reporter and you've
worked the local beat for teams, do you imagine being
the beat reporter in Tuscaloosa having to be critical of Alabama?
That's that's that's tough. It's hard to do both. You know.
I was kind of when I was at ESPN. I

(01:50:43):
was obviously a reporter dealing with players and execs in
the whole nine yards, and there were times, you know,
I'll be on first take what's get bayless, And it
does get difficult when you're critical or you're giving your opinion.
When you have to go to that guy or those
execus or those coach or whatever that you may have
just ripped for information or for an interview, it can

(01:51:05):
be tough, you know what I mean, And it makes
it it's tough to wear both hats, no doubt. I
do think though, that they respect like if you're if
it's a respectful criticism, and with Katino, it's always a
respectful criticism. It's not you know, you're not taking personal shots.
Some guys do, but that's not you know, we don't
really get into all that because that's not part of
the part of the gig. But if it's a respectful

(01:51:26):
criticism and then you see that person and you have
an upfront conversation and you're not changing who you are
on the mic as opposed to who you are in person.
I think they actually respect that. I think they can respect. Okay,
you're doing your job and I'm doing mine, no, no
question about it. Now, you you almost gotten a fight
with Brandon Marshall over something like this, right, that little

(01:51:47):
bit a little bit overblown. But no, I was just
knock him out. I know that's what I heard. Rob
told me I absolutely did not. Brandon Marshall's a big dude,
a wide receiver or not. That guy that is a
massive human being in shape, and that fight wouldn't go
real well for me. But no, we had we had
a disagreement. I remembered some things that he had done
that he did when he first got to Chicago with

(01:52:08):
the Bears, and then I kind of called him on
what he said was not true. And then afterwards we
shook hands and it wasn't a big deal because he respected.
I wasn't making a personal attack. We were just having
a disagreement. No big deal at all. So was he
was he on the show with you? And you say, yeah,
he was on Fox Sports Radio. I was called on
to Mike because I had said some things about, hey, listen,

(01:52:29):
this happened. I knew that it happened, and I referenced
exactly the moment that it happened. When he said that
it didn't happen. Kind of a he said, he said,
but ultimately he has no idea who the hell I am.
So we're good. It's all good. But yeah, it wouldn't
have gone well for me. Well look, man, hey, don't
sell yourself short. He'll sell yourself short. You did a
great job today filling in for Rod Parker. I mean it, folks.

(01:52:51):
Jonas definitely a rising star. I listened to him before
I even got to Fox Sports, and you do it.
You do a terrific job, and I'm gipping. I'm just
glad you didn't break out the phone book on me.
That's all. I'll see you inside joke, I couple peers

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