September 23, 2020 • 37 mins
It's The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker! Chris and Rob shares their thoughts on a few advanced stats that seem to show that LeBron James has shown his age in these playoffs, and explain why they have a big problem with something that Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said at his press conference earlier today. Plus, Los Angeles Times Lakers beat writer Brad Turner checks in to discuss whether or not the Lakers should be worried after dropping Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals to the Denver Nuggets.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from seven pm
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Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
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(00:24):
Party starts you're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All yeah,
it is the I Couple. I'm Chris Bruce Ard alongside
(00:45):
my partner Rob Parker, and we're coming to you live
from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studios. Live fifteen minutes
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Visit Geico dot com for a free rate quote. Let
me welcome in my partner, mister Rob Parker on this
worship Wednesday. How are you, brother? What's happening? Amen? You
(01:11):
gotta meet it. When you say that, I mean it.
I'm just amen, say amen, no doubt about it? All right?
All right, that's my man. I'm happy. I'm I'm You're
black exactly. That's how I feel like. I don't know
how this world works out, but for right now, things
are good. Things are going crazy? Right all right? Well,
(01:33):
we got our man, Brad Turner, LA Times Beat writer,
does a great job covering the Lakers. Only known them
for a hundred years. Man, he is, mister la he
is to cover the Dodgers. I don't think we're a
brief or something. Maybe briefly, but he's been out here
and covering LA sports forever and basketball. Of course, we
(01:54):
know I've known him since the eighties, Chris something, you know,
it's been a long time. Yeah, all right, So we
got him coming up at the bottom of the hour
to talk about these Lakers and who suddenly possibly find
themselves in a series. And we'll get to that in
very short order. Let's introduce the R Couple crew DJ
Alex Tyshon on the ones and the twos aka Alex
(02:17):
above Vegan. We also have a super producer, Rob G
running things and then on the updates. Hey, that's right,
the low quacious mister Brian Finley. All right, Rob, let's
get right into it. That's not waste any time. We
got a big audience out there in Cali. I think
(02:41):
they might be a bit worried. They might be a
tad worried because Rob G in our pre show meeting
usually talking all that jazz, all that smack, all that
trash about his Lakers. He was very low key, shall
I say, in our meeting. Because some think the Lakers
(03:06):
may be in trouble. They are. They lost one fourteen
to one oh six last night to Denver. Let me
just stay for the record, I don't think they're in trouble.
I think they're in the series. Yes, and I'm glad
they're in a series. I actually hope Denver wins the
next game. Then we really got some spice, and I
(03:27):
picked the Lakers to win in six. That means they're
gonna lose twice, according to me, and so I firmly
believe they're the better squad. I firmly believe they'll be
in the NBA Finals. I firmly believe they'll win the championship.
But they are in a series. Rob it's not supposed
to be easy. It's not supposed to be a cake walk.
(03:52):
You're supposed to have challenges. You're supposed to have to
look inside yourself and see what you're made of. And
now up to one, some would argues, particularly Jamal Murray,
the star guard for the Nuggets, he thinks Denver should
be up to one so let's see what the Lakers
(04:12):
are in d made of? Rob am, I am I
off you think they're in deep trouble or where you
I'm not saying deep trouble, but to pooh pooh Denver.
Given their track record and how they play when they're
behind and no lead seems to bother them. And let's
let's face it now, it's not just this playoff series
(04:33):
where they came back from three to one against Utah
and the Clippers. Last year. They also played two series
seven games as well, just mister Western Conference Finals. So
this they're they're used to doing this. They they play
this way. And all I'm saying is for people to
act as if you know this is no big deal
(04:56):
or or like to yeah, well they'll win their game
or two. Just be careful because this team doesn't seem
to go away. Chris. They were down to old. Some
people were saying Anthony Davids stole their hearts right after
that shot, that they might come out and be like
it was ridiculous, No I did two. Given the history
right with some people, that's what they were like, Oh right,
(05:19):
oh they're done. Oh yeah, they're just gonna stick a fork.
They know they can't win now. Really, it didn't look
like that. When they were up by eighteen or twenty,
looked pretty good to me. And I know the Lakers
made a closer game and made a run in the fourth,
but they never overtook them. And I'm just saying it's
so I cannot discount Denver and two people extinguish them,
(05:45):
because that's how that's their m O. Chris for two
years now that they were tough out And you know
what you said, six might go seven. I don't know, um,
but I think you know, if the seven rob all
bets are off, if it goes seven, right, you would
say like they have a shot, right, big shot. That's
(06:05):
why when I grew up last week, George Reichster I
call him George Rongster was in for you. And that's fine.
It's kind of the same thing I was arguing. We
argued that. And I know in most cases, the overwhelming
majority of cases, the best team wins a seven game series.
(06:28):
But I do think every now and then the best
team doesn't. Like I think the Clippers were still better
than Denver, no doubt, you know, And when the series
goes seven, it's anybody's ball game. If you want to
tell me the best team always wins when it goes five.
Obviously when it goes five, when it goes six, I
(06:49):
don't even go with that. But once it goes seven,
we've each won three. You know, who's hot that night,
who's not? You know, uh, the lights aren't too big?
Who doesn't feel the pressure? You know what I mean? Like,
there's so many other factors that come into play, because
then it becomes like March madness, rob right, then it's
like one and done and anything can happen. So and
(07:12):
the pressure to me, wouldn't be on Denver would be
all on. The Lakers would be They would be the
ones that, Oh my god, or are they gonna lose?
They were up two wall in this series? Do you
know what I mean? They have Lebron James, Oh, Anthony
Davis never made this next step? Oh my god, Lebron
looks old. Is he gonna make shot? I mean, all
of a sudden, all these things come into play. And
(07:34):
if you're the Lakers, I mean, if you're the Nuggets,
house money high house money. Absolutely well, interesting you mentioned that,
you know, you kind of just threw it out there.
Lebron looks old, like, you know, well, some people are
thinking that Rob, and I gotta admit when I was
watching that game last night, let's give him his props.
(07:56):
Thirty points, eleven assists, ten rebounds the first Laker. This
is huge. I mean, I don't want to make too
much out of it, but this is a big deal
when you're considering that you're playing for the franchise of
Magic Johnson. Lebron is the first player in Lakers history
to have two thirty point triple doubles in the same postseason.
(08:21):
That's impressive, and last night was the second one. So
given props for that. But if you watch the game. Now,
if you wake up in the morning, you didn't watch
the game, you're watching billions or you know whatever last
night instead of the game, like Rob was no But
you wake up, you look at the box score, you think, Okay,
(08:41):
Lebron did his thing. You know it wasn't Lebron's fault.
But when you watch the game, you'll see Rob. I
don't know if you saw this one undisputed this morning.
This is how misleading those numbers are. Shannon Shark you
to guess what grade he gave Lebron for the game,
(09:03):
C minus Shannon sharp right the exactly so, Yeah, I
thought it would be the other way around. I'm stunned
by the old Skip actually gave him a C plus.
Shannon gave m C mis I probably would have gave
him a C or C plus. Yeah, because he played.
(09:24):
He was tremendous in spurts, you know, third quarter had
a big spurt. They kind of they closed the gap
some fourth quarters, tremendous early and midway through the fourth
and he based almost closed the gap completely because he
was him to close the deal and finish it off.
He couldn't do it. He didn't do it. And Rob
(09:45):
at times at times, and I don't know, I may
have never thought this about Lebron at this point. He
looked like he was showing his age at times. And
usually Lebron puts his imprint on the game. He controls
the tempo, he controls the pace. He didn't do that
(10:06):
last night. And I don't know, I'm not gonna call it.
I'm not gonna that later though, right, Like the bigger
picture with Lebron is that what we're getting into that now.
We're getting into that now. Yeah, like he I'm not
gonna say after one game even three games in this series,
that he's the age is caught up with him. I'm not.
(10:29):
There's no way I'm saying that after just a few games.
But CBS Sports, it's kind of saying that. They wrote
an article. Here's what they're saying. In the last four postseasons,
Lebron's played at least forty minutes a game fourteen times.
(10:49):
He's played forty minutes or more fourteen times per postseason
this seasons, He's only done it once. Now, some of that,
you could argue, they've only had you know, they haven't
had they haven't really been pushed. They had two five
games series, so that made I'd say, I'd argue that
could be a factor more so than Lebron's age. But
(11:09):
they all here's here's a telling one. Rob Lebron is
they he seems to be like the second halfs he struggled.
He's shooting sixty five percent in the first half, but
only forty two percent in the second half. Drop off.
Just not that, not that he's gonna stay at sixty
(11:31):
five I get that, but to play that well and
then all of a sudden up trouble scoring, you know,
like not six in clutch time, moments. So last five
minutes of the game closed, game over six? Right, So
do you like I said, there's no way I'm I'm
(11:53):
saying that right now. It's just too quickly. I mean, Houston,
he looked great, portlandy looked great. The regular season, he
looked great. Maybe it's a tough matchup. Jeremy Grant's athlete.
I'm not saying he's Scottie Pippen, but he's long, he's athletic,
he's young, you know, so that could be. He is
a tough defender. Mike Malone's coming up with some nice schemes. Heck,
(12:15):
Mike Malone came up with the scheme that made Kauhi
look pedestrian, Paul George look mediocre, you know what I mean? Like, so,
Denver played some good defenses that they throw at you.
I'm not ready to say Lebron's feeling his age yet,
are you. I think it can happen overnight. I don't
think it's a gradual procedure. I think I think it
(12:38):
can happen. I think there are when you look at it.
I'm just saying autely, it's usual, That's all I'm saying.
It's not normally like a three year erosion, do you
know what I mean, It's just one day. It usually
kind of happens, though, Like you had a good season
last year, you come back and you're just way worse,
(12:58):
you know what I mean. Like I don't know what
I'm saying in the middle of a seat. You know
what happened though, So I don't know. I'm just those
numbers should be worrisome, those numbers, And that's what you
gotta look at because, um, because he's put up some
big numbers in the playoffs, but these other numbers say
something else. Are are as happening? So I just wonder
(13:21):
when the game's come down to it, does he have
enough energy? Is he? Is he still all the way there?
I don't know if the focus you know, to not
be I don't think there's a focus problem. I'm just saying,
what could it be, uh that he's not when they
need him most, especially after putting up such big numbers
(13:42):
early and they needed them, They needed him to finish
out the job last night. Right you know this rob
one thing one tell tale sign of age, Like when
you get older, what you can't be anymore is consistently great,
Right you can I have great night? Had Kobe Bryant
scored sixty points in his last game? Now the uninformed
(14:05):
might look at that say what Kobe should have kept
playing shots? Right? Well, then, yeah, I left that little
detail I was. You know what I'm saying, like, you can,
you can have a great You could bring the Wayne
way back and once every two weeks he might be
able to have a really nice game, you know what
I mean. But he can't do it consistently. And that's
(14:27):
the day. And again, I'm not saying Lebron's reached that point,
but obviously he hasn't been the consistent dominator in this
series thus far. Maybe that we've grown accustomed to see it.
Maybe Lebron needs a brand muffin in the morning and
that don't keep him where. You know, Alex, you know
what I'm waiting for. You know, I'm he can't find
(14:52):
it everything right? Oh my god? That good. It's definitely
time to It's definitely the first. That's only the thirty
fourth time on the show that Rob said that. Joe.
That's a funny Joe. That's just here in every three days. Yes,
if there's a spot, I gotta fit it in. I'm
(15:13):
gonna fit it in. Oh, all right, here we go
eight seven seven ninety nine or Fox eight seven seven
nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. What do you
think is Lebron beginning to show his age during these playoffs?
Or really during this series with Denver? Is he starting
to look old? We'll continue the conversation with you. Next,
it's Chris and Rob The Odd Couple. But first, be
(15:36):
sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with
Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern,
four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
That's right, we are blessed the soulful, spiritual Silends and
mister Fred Hammond in the Hissy in the house with
(15:59):
the couple on the worship Wednesday? Did you know that
right now Geico is offering an extra fifteen percent credit
on car, motorcycle, and RV policies. That's fifteen percent on
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(16:21):
learn more. All right, Rob, let's get to these cars.
Eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox. Is Lebron showing
his age this postseason? That's Lebron's quote after the game
on Skype, I mean, not Skype on Zoom. That was Lebron.
All right, let's kick it off with uh, let's go
(16:43):
with Marty in Kentucky on the odd couple of Fox
Sports Radio. What's up Marty? Hey, guys, I've been missing y'all.
Guy to talk to you this worship Wednesday. Yes, that's
all I got. I have been on a on a
night shift. I had to change if so I could
be Rivers online teacher help him learn online fur the day.
(17:05):
So I haven't been able to listen live very often
that I would say every three days. I thank God
that my kids are older and like, I don't have
to teach him at home. It is hard. People have
no idea what teachers have to go through. And when
you're working full time and you still got to teach him,
Like God, yeah, I'm just you know, I'm blessed to
(17:29):
have him, and I you know, regardless of the situation,
you know, I got a lot to be thankful for.
Oh yeah, but I just I don't catch the show
live very often. But I'm listening to the podcast, and
I'm glad to talk on this subject because I think
Lebron's the way he's taking care of himself is going
to cause his decline on age to be more slow
(17:53):
than most people. Most people fall off a cliff. His
is gonna be gradual because he takes great care of himself.
And I do believe that when that he's really great
when he's well arrested, and he's only great when he's
not well arrested. And I think that shows his age
because used to he was really great every game. What
(18:13):
do you make of the numbers, Marty oh for six
and crunch time? What do you make of those? I mean,
that can happen to anybody. Yeah, I think that's just
what is that just just just be off even I've
missed six shots in a row before in my life.
I mean, that's what a conversation has stretches similar during
(18:37):
his prime, you know what I mean, Like that can happen.
I don't think that's age. Now. If you want to say,
maybe is that fatigue? Okay, well, but that's that's that's
that's that's the part of it. Yeah, the fatigue part.
What about Max and Georgia. You're on the odd couple
of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Max? Hey, what's up? Guys,
gonna talk to you. This for me is kind of
(18:59):
one of those things. I think we've been seeing it,
we're just now really seeing it. The bubbles really kind
of expose a lot of things about the league and
a lot of things about Lebron in particular. And I
think when you look at even the early games against
the Raptors, against the Thunder, teams that have athletic long
and guys that want to get in the paint and
stop him from that freight train to the basket, if
(19:20):
he doesn't have that anymore, his athletic ability, he can't.
He can't do those things. And he doesn't have a
set shot. Really, if he's not hitting it from threes,
he's in trouble. And I think if he doesn't get
a nice mid range game here soon, I don't know
what he's going to be doing. I've said all year
he should retire at the end of this year. He
won't really that, Yeah, I think so, Chris. I think
(19:41):
he can run the point. He doesn't have to be
the old Lebron James to run the point, and give
you twenty points, and you know Tener eleven assist the
night and ads the main like ads. Now, if ADB
is your best player next year and Lebron's running the
point giving you twenty and ten, I think that's enough
for the Lakers to contend. All right, that's not old,
(20:04):
that's not typical Lebron James, you know what I'm saying.
But that's still good enough. That appreciate it. Mart. No,
I'm not there yet, not yet, Market Sacramento. You're the
A couple of Fox Sports Radio was up. Hey, what's
going on, gentlemen? What's up? Real quick? Before I get
into Lebron, I just want to pay a little respects
to the great Gail Sayers, who was my dad's favorite player,
(20:26):
and I just want to say God rest uh Gail
says soul. You know what, Mark twenty twenty has been awful.
You know many legends we've lost this year, just can't count.
Just it's unbelievable. I know, it's yeah, yeah, yeah, Real quick,
I'll tell you what I saw. Denver decided, first of all,
after that emotion, will win two days ago. The Lakers
(20:47):
couldn't get that high again that quickly, and Denver came
out and Jezz ran like road runners. And remember Lebron
had to score the first ten or twelve points just
to keep them in the game. And then Denver kept
that pace. So I think that I took an awful
lot of it and it got behind by twenty points
and then cut into three. Yeah he was tired. Yeah, yeah,
I agree. They took it, took it out of them
(21:09):
trying to just come back, and Denver just put the
pace on him. And they were desperate team who didn't
want to go down three. Oh, and they're not gonna
die them in Miami or like Freddy krueger Man, you
gotta kill those dudes because coming at you can you
imagine can you imagine if it's a Miami, Uh Denver
NBA Finals. It's not great for ratings, none of that.
(21:30):
But I'm just saying, but it could be. It could be.
It could be out of the bubble, could you know
what I mean? Chris? Like, it could be because there's
non home court, you know, the neutralize other teams, and
that's another thing about and you know this ride Denver's
got one of the greatest home courts in the league,
Big ten sports just because of the You know the altitudes.
(21:51):
So all right, here we go. We got our man,
Brad Turner from the La Times coming up to continue
this conversation, But first be sure to catch editions of
The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays
at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio and the iHeartRadio app. We're coming to you live
from the Geico Fox Sports Radio studios. It is easy
(22:14):
to say fifteen percent of more on your car shoots
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. Friend of the show,
friend of mine, and Robs the great Brad Turner from
the La Times. What's up, Bra? What's up? Brad? Hey man, Hey, Chris,
(22:36):
you are right. I am a friend of yours for sure.
Oh wow, wow, I'm sorry man. After all these years, Brad,
I've known you since the eighties. You just knew Chris
like just two weeks ago, since the nineties, since two
weeks ago. We're not as old as as Rob. I
would say this though it Rob, I know We'll back
(22:58):
me up. Brad is true. League, one of the great
guys in sports writing, man like just great personality, uh great,
always ready to show you around. Yeah, does a great
job reporting. So so we were honored to have you, bro.
(23:18):
But let's get to it. Man, Um, are the Lakers
in I mean, should they be worried at this point? Um?
Are they in a series that they could potentially lose,
you know, beyond anything can happen phase Well, I'll say
that should they be worried? No? Should it be concerned? Concerned? Yes?
(23:39):
And I say concern because you always have to respect
your opponent. You always have to know that that appointent
can beat you. And we know the demon Nuggets can't
come back from a three one series deficit and winning series.
Having said all that, you guys know the Brian James,
especially you Chris as what as I do? I think
(24:00):
the Lakers are a better team. I am not surprised
they lost Game three, especially with the way they played it.
But if you look at that team, the Lakers as
a whole, I just think they're a little bit better
because they have two great players. Not to say that
the Nuggets do not, but I think the Lakers would
(24:21):
pull this serious out and it looks disrespected them. The Nuggets.
They have a good team and they've got two good
players and Jamal Murray. Well, Brad, what about the idea
that some people are saying, hey, it should be two
one Denver? I mean, you know, a d hit a
shot for the ages that that doesn't always go down.
He can take that shot nine more times and probably
(24:44):
not make it three times. But anyway, that would that
Denver was that close to maybe being up to one.
Does that you know, like, if you're Denver, you can't
feel demolished or that you're behind, because you can feel
to yourself or at least convince yourself we were right
there and we could have had a second win. Rob
(25:04):
the app point right. But I'll tell you that I
had a harder thing. NBA player told me. Anytime you
say we should have won that game, you know what
that means. You lost that game. Anytime you say we
could be up to one, you're down to one. So
I ain't buying that ball. They played a really good
(25:25):
game and they gave up look a shot that nowhere
in the world a d ship got that shot off.
You know why because one of their players made some
plumber didn't do his job, so you lose the game,
so take it. We could be up to one. Take
it back to Denver. I ain't buying that one now,
(25:48):
I hear you. And and look, of course yeah they
could if he misses that shot. But the Lakers can
also say, look, we were up fifteen in that same game,
so we should have never let them back in the game.
So I hear you on that, Brad. There was a
story CBS Sports today talking about they think Lebron starting
to show his age in the playoffs, and they bring
(26:09):
up some interest in stats. In the first half in
the playoffs, he shot sixty five and a half percent.
Second half he's forty two percent. He's over six and
clutch moments, which could that signify he's tired at the
end of games. Did you see any of this his
age showing in these playoffs? You know, that's a very
good point they brought out. And I think back to
(26:31):
when Shaquille was playing. He was later in the stages
of his career and his games were not quite as
forceful on one day's rest and the liquors are planning
every other day. So I've seen that happened to Lebron.
But it's just it's still hard to say. If he
can score twenty in the first half and in Ad
scores twenty in the second half, I think you'll take
(26:54):
that if you're Lebron James. But also I do believe
that the Nugget defense gets a little bit better against him.
They focused on him a little bit more, and they willing,
not so much willing, but they understand that. Now Ad
becomes a guy. Let's just sow Lebron James downmancause if
he slowed down something, then that means the other guy
that Danny Green and Tavia's car where poll they don't
(27:17):
get as many clean open looks, Brad. What about the
last night Lebron had a triple double? But if you
looked at most people, even a guy like Shannon Sharpoo
is the president of the Lebron James fan Club, he
created it a c minus that it just wasn't as
impactful his game. How did you view his triple double
(27:37):
last night? Well, if you lost the game, it wasn't
good enough, right, you needed triple double in a win.
Let's just go back to Nicole against the Clippers and
Game seven, he had a troop of double. They won
that game. They won that series. So that's the bottom
line of it all. Great, you got a triple double.
(27:59):
It looks good if you're playing fantasy basketball, but this
is real basketball. The Lakers lost the game, so it
rings hollow. If he had thirty five and two rebounds
and five assists and the Lakers win, you're happy. But
a triple double when you lose, you cannot be happy
with that. Brad, let's move forward a bit. I mean,
(28:23):
all of us on this line, myself, you and Rob
picked the Lakers to win this series. Expect him to
win this series. If they do get to the finals,
what matchup do you think in from the East would
give them the toughest, you know, the most problems in
the finals. Would it be Miami or would it be Boston?
(28:43):
I am going to say the Boston Celtics because they
just have a lot of weapons. Started with Jason Tatum,
who's incredible, and then he got Stealing Brown who gets
it done. And now you're starting to get a little
bit more or out of your point guard and Kimba Walker.
So they are the team that I think that and
(29:05):
they played pretty small basketball. The Lakers, Rother played big,
but they're two centers so that means Dwight Howard and
Jimmy oll McGee may not play as much. So the
sucers of the team the Heat are tough. I mean,
they don't back down to anyone. But they've got Jimmy Butler,
who had time doesn't really force his off home teams.
(29:29):
But Boston man, and as the Lakers in Boston, I
don't care if the game's aren't land though. You want
to see that series? All right, that's our man, Brad
Turner LUNs, long time writer. Thanks man, We appreciated brother
great stuff. Man back and tell Rob I'm waiting for
that dinner too. Yeah, I'm waiting too. I'm twenty twenty three.
(29:53):
We'll all go out and have that dinners, right whatever,
all right, brother piece, all right, Rob and I've got
a bone to pick with a certain Super Bowl champion coach.
We'll get into that next. It's The Eye Couple Fox
Sports Radio. Be sure to catch live editions of The
Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at
(30:15):
seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeart Radio app. It's The Eye Couple Chris
and a Rob on a worship Wednesday. All right, Rob,
Doug Peterson, coach of the struggling can I get a
Joe Namoth struggling Philadelphia Eagles. He he's getting a little testy,
(30:43):
you know that. You know the media in Philadelphia, Rob,
they they pulled no punches. Oh no, New York, Boston,
Philadelphia to me are the toughest cities media wise. Yeah,
I'm gree with that. Yes, I would those three cities
that no messing, Rob, no offense. But we used to
(31:04):
think the West Coast was just soft on it, you know,
media coverage. Yes, I know you said, you know, like
like no, it's just yeah, it just we just felt
that way. But anyway, Um, Doug Peterson was asked a
question about his struggling quarterback struggling Carson went struggling uh.
(31:27):
And he was asked this question, Rob, why is Carson
Wentz missing throws that are quote unquote layups? And here's
what Peterson said, Some of the throws that he's missing
are sort of like layups. What could be the reason
for for some of those easier misses that that he's missing.
Have you played quarterback in the National Football League? I
(31:47):
have not, Doug Okay, they're not layups. There ain't a
throw out here that's a layup. All right. I know,
I'm just gonna let you have first shot at this
because I know what I will say this that you
will fired you up. No, but I will say one thing.
I don't know if lay up is the right word.
That's the only thing I'll question. You could say easier throws,
(32:10):
makeable throws. You know what I mean? Lay up sound
a little weird, But uh, Peterson, you only saying that
because it's Carson Wentz. No, no, no, no, I just
don't think that lay up like like, there's certain things
you gotta be very careful. I can remember a guy
trying to use coach speak to Larry Brown after Pistons came.
(32:30):
It didn't go well. You remember, can you get some
specific And it was like something like, well, coach, when
you went into a zone and you know, he was
trying to do all about technical right, yes, and and
and he said, son, we never played zone tonight, So
I don't know what game you're watching, do you know
what I mean? Like, you don't do that to a coach, Chris.
I'm all right now, you get right, Because as much
(32:52):
as we may know as much as you know, you
don't know really what they're doing from that standpoint. So
I just remember that. I'm gonna say that, you know,
the whole idea that uh we gotta we we had
to play in order to talk about the sport or
know anything about the game is the biggest farce I've
ever heard. It's just this is like a crutch for athletes.
(33:14):
You know what My response always if I ever got
any kind of pushed back about something, or if I
said something or wrote something, I would just say to
the athletes straight to their face. Have you ever written
a column for major daily in this country? H No,
Well then you don't know what I do. How's that right?
So I don't know what you do, and you don't
know what I write exactly you if I can't say
(33:37):
anything about what have you been doing? Newspaper? Do you
know who writes the headline? Do you know d's the copy?
Do you For a lot of times they would jump
on you because a lot of times, you know this,
robe athletes only either saw the headline or somebody somebody
told him about it. Some of course, some read all
the story, but mostly, and we're talking about mainly when
(33:58):
we were covering. It was made the newspapers. But yeah,
most of them just see the headliner, hear about it.
And you're right, we don't even write those We never read.
Don't news paper reporters. Website writers and reporters do not
write the headlines. That's the editor's job. So you you
you're right on the money with that, Rob, And I
(34:20):
say this, I'm gonna put it like this. I don't
know the first thing about fixing automobiles, about auto repair, right,
but I know if you're screwed up my car, right,
I know if you didn't fix what you were supposed
(34:42):
to fix. And I've never right to say it if
I bring my car in to get the brakes fixed
and then I start driving, right right, I don't know
all the technicalities and and and how to fix the
breaks and all that, but I know you didn't do it.
(35:03):
I know you messed up, and I can say it.
That's all. It's the same thing with sports. No, none
of us, even if we played at some sort of level,
we're not as good as these guys. We're not claiming
to be. We're not saying we could play as well
as the last player in the NBA but but the
bottom line is, and and Chris, we have we could
(35:25):
talk more about sports. Even though we didn't play at
that level. We still have a game. Oftentimes, people like
us become our masters of the game from studying it
and watching it, you know what I mean. Like, that's
why some of the greatest And here's the other argument
that I used to always throw to them. No, and
(35:45):
neither did Bill Belichick. He didn't play up a down
in the NFL either, But you guys consider them the
greatest coach, So so tell me how does that? How
did that work? He didn't play absolutely all right, that's
a great point that week. And I and I'm not
even gonna say most, but I know a lot of players,
(36:05):
a lot of great basketball players did not grow up
watching and studying no like the gatting, you know, watching games,
reading about the games, reading sports illustrated religiously, the newspaper religiously.
A lot of them didn't grow up doing that. I
told you, just ball, you know what I mean? A
lot of them, right, they have they have the ability,
(36:26):
and they worked hard at it. It's hard to get there.
It's like the shock Lenny Wilkins famous quote Lenny Wilkins
was on the coach of one of the Olympic not
I don't know if his assistant or something that he said,
and Shack said to Lenny Wilkins, boy, you know a
lot about basketball. Did you ever play, which is what
came out of Shack's mouth. Lenny Wilkins is one of
(36:47):
the tough fifty players of all time. Right, so Shack
didn't even know it's basketball history. You didn't even know
who the players are. Absolutely, absolutely, I mean that that
says a lot. And here's the thing, too, right, you
can take that to the degree. So let's say a
guy that did play in the NBA is critical. You know,
(37:08):
you got all these guys on TV now and it's
critical of Lebron or critical of you know, Jamal Murray.
And when could they say, well, you never were an
All Star, right that you were? You were you were
of journeymen. Yeah, so stop it, stop it, Doug, stop it.
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from seven pm
to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R.
(00:24):
Party starts you're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All yeah,
it is the I Couple. I'm Chris Bruce Ard alongside
(00:45):
my partner Rob Parker, and we're coming to you live
from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studios. Live fifteen minutes
could save you fifteen percenter more on your car insurance.
Visit Geico dot com for a free rate quote. Let
me welcome in my partner, mister Rob Parker on this
worship Wednesday. How are you, brother? What's happening? Amen? You
(01:11):
gotta meet it. When you say that, I mean it.
I'm just amen, say amen, no doubt about it? All right?
All right, that's my man. I'm happy. I'm I'm You're
black exactly. That's how I feel like. I don't know
how this world works out, but for right now, things
are good. Things are going crazy? Right all right? Well,
(01:33):
we got our man, Brad Turner, LA Times Beat writer,
does a great job covering the Lakers. Only known them
for a hundred years. Man, he is, mister la he
is to cover the Dodgers. I don't think we're a
brief or something. Maybe briefly, but he's been out here
and covering LA sports forever and basketball. Of course, we
(01:54):
know I've known him since the eighties, Chris something, you know,
it's been a long time. Yeah, all right, So we
got him coming up at the bottom of the hour
to talk about these Lakers and who suddenly possibly find
themselves in a series. And we'll get to that in
very short order. Let's introduce the R Couple crew DJ
Alex Tyshon on the ones and the twos aka Alex
(02:17):
above Vegan. We also have a super producer, Rob G
running things and then on the updates. Hey, that's right,
the low quacious mister Brian Finley. All right, Rob, let's
get right into it. That's not waste any time. We
got a big audience out there in Cali. I think
(02:41):
they might be a bit worried. They might be a
tad worried because Rob G in our pre show meeting
usually talking all that jazz, all that smack, all that
trash about his Lakers. He was very low key, shall
I say, in our meeting. Because some think the Lakers
(03:06):
may be in trouble. They are. They lost one fourteen
to one oh six last night to Denver. Let me
just stay for the record, I don't think they're in trouble.
I think they're in the series. Yes, and I'm glad
they're in a series. I actually hope Denver wins the
next game. Then we really got some spice, and I
(03:27):
picked the Lakers to win in six. That means they're
gonna lose twice, according to me, and so I firmly
believe they're the better squad. I firmly believe they'll be
in the NBA Finals. I firmly believe they'll win the championship.
But they are in a series. Rob it's not supposed
to be easy. It's not supposed to be a cake walk.
(03:52):
You're supposed to have challenges. You're supposed to have to
look inside yourself and see what you're made of. And
now up to one, some would argues, particularly Jamal Murray,
the star guard for the Nuggets, he thinks Denver should
be up to one so let's see what the Lakers
(04:12):
are in d made of? Rob am, I am I
off you think they're in deep trouble or where you
I'm not saying deep trouble, but to pooh pooh Denver.
Given their track record and how they play when they're
behind and no lead seems to bother them. And let's
let's face it now, it's not just this playoff series
(04:33):
where they came back from three to one against Utah
and the Clippers. Last year. They also played two series
seven games as well, just mister Western Conference Finals. So
this they're they're used to doing this. They they play
this way. And all I'm saying is for people to
act as if you know this is no big deal
(04:56):
or or like to yeah, well they'll win their game
or two. Just be careful because this team doesn't seem
to go away. Chris. They were down to old. Some
people were saying Anthony Davids stole their hearts right after
that shot, that they might come out and be like
it was ridiculous, No I did two. Given the history
right with some people, that's what they were like, Oh right,
(05:19):
oh they're done. Oh yeah, they're just gonna stick a fork.
They know they can't win now. Really, it didn't look
like that. When they were up by eighteen or twenty,
looked pretty good to me. And I know the Lakers
made a closer game and made a run in the fourth,
but they never overtook them. And I'm just saying it's
so I cannot discount Denver and two people extinguish them,
(05:45):
because that's how that's their m O. Chris for two
years now that they were tough out And you know
what you said, six might go seven. I don't know, um,
but I think you know, if the seven rob all
bets are off, if it goes seven, right, you would
say like they have a shot, right, big shot. That's
(06:05):
why when I grew up last week, George Reichster I
call him George Rongster was in for you. And that's fine.
It's kind of the same thing I was arguing. We
argued that. And I know in most cases, the overwhelming
majority of cases, the best team wins a seven game series.
(06:28):
But I do think every now and then the best
team doesn't. Like I think the Clippers were still better
than Denver, no doubt, you know, And when the series
goes seven, it's anybody's ball game. If you want to
tell me the best team always wins when it goes five.
Obviously when it goes five, when it goes six, I
(06:49):
don't even go with that. But once it goes seven,
we've each won three. You know, who's hot that night,
who's not? You know, uh, the lights aren't too big?
Who doesn't feel the pressure? You know what I mean? Like,
there's so many other factors that come into play, because
then it becomes like March madness, rob right, then it's
like one and done and anything can happen. So and
(07:12):
the pressure to me, wouldn't be on Denver would be
all on. The Lakers would be They would be the
ones that, Oh my god, or are they gonna lose?
They were up two wall in this series? Do you
know what I mean? They have Lebron James, Oh, Anthony
Davis never made this next step? Oh my god, Lebron
looks old. Is he gonna make shot? I mean, all
of a sudden, all these things come into play. And
(07:34):
if you're the Lakers, I mean, if you're the Nuggets,
house money high house money. Absolutely well, interesting you mentioned that,
you know, you kind of just threw it out there.
Lebron looks old, like, you know, well, some people are
thinking that Rob, and I gotta admit when I was
watching that game last night, let's give him his props.
(07:56):
Thirty points, eleven assists, ten rebounds the first Laker. This
is huge. I mean, I don't want to make too
much out of it, but this is a big deal
when you're considering that you're playing for the franchise of
Magic Johnson. Lebron is the first player in Lakers history
to have two thirty point triple doubles in the same postseason.
(08:21):
That's impressive, and last night was the second one. So
given props for that. But if you watch the game. Now,
if you wake up in the morning, you didn't watch
the game, you're watching billions or you know whatever last
night instead of the game, like Rob was no But
you wake up, you look at the box score, you think, Okay,
(08:41):
Lebron did his thing. You know it wasn't Lebron's fault.
But when you watch the game, you'll see Rob. I
don't know if you saw this one undisputed this morning.
This is how misleading those numbers are. Shannon Shark you
to guess what grade he gave Lebron for the game,
(09:03):
C minus Shannon sharp right the exactly so, Yeah, I
thought it would be the other way around. I'm stunned
by the old Skip actually gave him a C plus.
Shannon gave m C mis I probably would have gave
him a C or C plus. Yeah, because he played.
(09:24):
He was tremendous in spurts, you know, third quarter had
a big spurt. They kind of they closed the gap
some fourth quarters, tremendous early and midway through the fourth
and he based almost closed the gap completely because he
was him to close the deal and finish it off.
He couldn't do it. He didn't do it. And Rob
(09:45):
at times at times, and I don't know, I may
have never thought this about Lebron at this point. He
looked like he was showing his age at times. And
usually Lebron puts his imprint on the game. He controls
the tempo, he controls the pace. He didn't do that
(10:06):
last night. And I don't know, I'm not gonna call it.
I'm not gonna that later though, right, Like the bigger
picture with Lebron is that what we're getting into that now.
We're getting into that now. Yeah, like he I'm not
gonna say after one game even three games in this series,
that he's the age is caught up with him. I'm not.
(10:29):
There's no way I'm saying that after just a few games.
But CBS Sports, it's kind of saying that. They wrote
an article. Here's what they're saying. In the last four postseasons,
Lebron's played at least forty minutes a game fourteen times.
(10:49):
He's played forty minutes or more fourteen times per postseason
this seasons, He's only done it once. Now, some of that,
you could argue, they've only had you know, they haven't
had they haven't really been pushed. They had two five
games series, so that made I'd say, I'd argue that
could be a factor more so than Lebron's age. But
(11:09):
they all here's here's a telling one. Rob Lebron is
they he seems to be like the second halfs he struggled.
He's shooting sixty five percent in the first half, but
only forty two percent in the second half. Drop off.
Just not that, not that he's gonna stay at sixty
(11:31):
five I get that, but to play that well and
then all of a sudden up trouble scoring, you know,
like not six in clutch time, moments. So last five
minutes of the game closed, game over six? Right, So
do you like I said, there's no way I'm I'm
(11:53):
saying that right now. It's just too quickly. I mean, Houston,
he looked great, portlandy looked great. The regular season, he
looked great. Maybe it's a tough matchup. Jeremy Grant's athlete.
I'm not saying he's Scottie Pippen, but he's long, he's athletic,
he's young, you know, so that could be. He is
a tough defender. Mike Malone's coming up with some nice schemes. Heck,
(12:15):
Mike Malone came up with the scheme that made Kauhi
look pedestrian, Paul George look mediocre, you know what I mean? Like, so,
Denver played some good defenses that they throw at you.
I'm not ready to say Lebron's feeling his age yet,
are you. I think it can happen overnight. I don't
think it's a gradual procedure. I think I think it
(12:38):
can happen. I think there are when you look at it.
I'm just saying autely, it's usual, That's all I'm saying.
It's not normally like a three year erosion, do you
know what I mean, It's just one day. It usually
kind of happens, though, Like you had a good season
last year, you come back and you're just way worse,
(12:58):
you know what I mean. Like I don't know what
I'm saying in the middle of a seat. You know
what happened though, So I don't know. I'm just those
numbers should be worrisome, those numbers, And that's what you
gotta look at because, um, because he's put up some
big numbers in the playoffs, but these other numbers say
something else. Are are as happening? So I just wonder
(13:21):
when the game's come down to it, does he have
enough energy? Is he? Is he still all the way there?
I don't know if the focus you know, to not
be I don't think there's a focus problem. I'm just saying,
what could it be, uh that he's not when they
need him most, especially after putting up such big numbers
(13:42):
early and they needed them, They needed him to finish
out the job last night. Right you know this rob
one thing one tell tale sign of age, Like when
you get older, what you can't be anymore is consistently great,
Right you can I have great night? Had Kobe Bryant
scored sixty points in his last game? Now the uninformed
(14:05):
might look at that say what Kobe should have kept
playing shots? Right? Well, then, yeah, I left that little
detail I was. You know what I'm saying, like, you can,
you can have a great You could bring the Wayne
way back and once every two weeks he might be
able to have a really nice game, you know what
I mean. But he can't do it consistently. And that's
(14:27):
the day. And again, I'm not saying Lebron's reached that point,
but obviously he hasn't been the consistent dominator in this
series thus far. Maybe that we've grown accustomed to see it.
Maybe Lebron needs a brand muffin in the morning and
that don't keep him where. You know, Alex, you know
what I'm waiting for. You know, I'm he can't find
(14:52):
it everything right? Oh my god? That good. It's definitely
time to It's definitely the first. That's only the thirty
fourth time on the show that Rob said that. Joe.
That's a funny Joe. That's just here in every three days. Yes,
if there's a spot, I gotta fit it in. I'm
(15:13):
gonna fit it in. Oh, all right, here we go
eight seven seven ninety nine or Fox eight seven seven
nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. What do you
think is Lebron beginning to show his age during these playoffs?
Or really during this series with Denver? Is he starting
to look old? We'll continue the conversation with you. Next,
it's Chris and Rob The Odd Couple. But first, be
(15:36):
sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with
Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern,
four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
That's right, we are blessed the soulful, spiritual Silends and
mister Fred Hammond in the Hissy in the house with
(15:59):
the couple on the worship Wednesday? Did you know that
right now Geico is offering an extra fifteen percent credit
on car, motorcycle, and RV policies. That's fifteen percent on
top of what Geico could already save you. I mean, really,
what are you waiting for saving extra fifteen percent when
you switched? By October seventh, visit Geico dot com to
(16:21):
learn more. All right, Rob, let's get to these cars.
Eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox. Is Lebron showing
his age this postseason? That's Lebron's quote after the game
on Skype, I mean, not Skype on Zoom. That was Lebron.
All right, let's kick it off with uh, let's go
(16:43):
with Marty in Kentucky on the odd couple of Fox
Sports Radio. What's up Marty? Hey, guys, I've been missing y'all.
Guy to talk to you this worship Wednesday. Yes, that's
all I got. I have been on a on a
night shift. I had to change if so I could
be Rivers online teacher help him learn online fur the day.
(17:05):
So I haven't been able to listen live very often
that I would say every three days. I thank God
that my kids are older and like, I don't have
to teach him at home. It is hard. People have
no idea what teachers have to go through. And when
you're working full time and you still got to teach him,
Like God, yeah, I'm just you know, I'm blessed to
(17:29):
have him, and I you know, regardless of the situation,
you know, I got a lot to be thankful for.
Oh yeah, but I just I don't catch the show
live very often. But I'm listening to the podcast, and
I'm glad to talk on this subject because I think
Lebron's the way he's taking care of himself is going
to cause his decline on age to be more slow
(17:53):
than most people. Most people fall off a cliff. His
is gonna be gradual because he takes great care of himself.
And I do believe that when that he's really great
when he's well arrested, and he's only great when he's
not well arrested. And I think that shows his age
because used to he was really great every game. What
(18:13):
do you make of the numbers, Marty oh for six
and crunch time? What do you make of those? I mean,
that can happen to anybody. Yeah, I think that's just
what is that just just just be off even I've
missed six shots in a row before in my life.
I mean, that's what a conversation has stretches similar during
(18:37):
his prime, you know what I mean, Like that can happen.
I don't think that's age. Now. If you want to say,
maybe is that fatigue? Okay, well, but that's that's that's
that's that's the part of it. Yeah, the fatigue part.
What about Max and Georgia. You're on the odd couple
of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Max? Hey, what's up? Guys,
gonna talk to you. This for me is kind of
(18:59):
one of those things. I think we've been seeing it,
we're just now really seeing it. The bubbles really kind
of expose a lot of things about the league and
a lot of things about Lebron in particular. And I
think when you look at even the early games against
the Raptors, against the Thunder, teams that have athletic long
and guys that want to get in the paint and
stop him from that freight train to the basket, if
(19:20):
he doesn't have that anymore, his athletic ability, he can't.
He can't do those things. And he doesn't have a
set shot. Really, if he's not hitting it from threes,
he's in trouble. And I think if he doesn't get
a nice mid range game here soon, I don't know
what he's going to be doing. I've said all year
he should retire at the end of this year. He
won't really that, Yeah, I think so, Chris. I think
(19:41):
he can run the point. He doesn't have to be
the old Lebron James to run the point, and give
you twenty points, and you know Tener eleven assist the
night and ads the main like ads. Now, if ADB
is your best player next year and Lebron's running the
point giving you twenty and ten, I think that's enough
for the Lakers to contend. All right, that's not old,
(20:04):
that's not typical Lebron James, you know what I'm saying.
But that's still good enough. That appreciate it. Mart. No,
I'm not there yet, not yet, Market Sacramento. You're the
A couple of Fox Sports Radio was up. Hey, what's
going on, gentlemen? What's up? Real quick? Before I get
into Lebron, I just want to pay a little respects
to the great Gail Sayers, who was my dad's favorite player,
(20:26):
and I just want to say God rest uh Gail
says soul. You know what, Mark twenty twenty has been awful.
You know many legends we've lost this year, just can't count.
Just it's unbelievable. I know, it's yeah, yeah, yeah, Real quick,
I'll tell you what I saw. Denver decided, first of all,
after that emotion, will win two days ago. The Lakers
(20:47):
couldn't get that high again that quickly, and Denver came
out and Jezz ran like road runners. And remember Lebron
had to score the first ten or twelve points just
to keep them in the game. And then Denver kept
that pace. So I think that I took an awful
lot of it and it got behind by twenty points
and then cut into three. Yeah he was tired. Yeah, yeah,
I agree. They took it, took it out of them
(21:09):
trying to just come back, and Denver just put the
pace on him. And they were desperate team who didn't
want to go down three. Oh, and they're not gonna
die them in Miami or like Freddy krueger Man, you
gotta kill those dudes because coming at you can you
imagine can you imagine if it's a Miami, Uh Denver
NBA Finals. It's not great for ratings, none of that.
(21:30):
But I'm just saying, but it could be. It could be.
It could be out of the bubble, could you know
what I mean? Chris? Like, it could be because there's
non home court, you know, the neutralize other teams, and
that's another thing about and you know this ride Denver's
got one of the greatest home courts in the league,
Big ten sports just because of the You know the altitudes.
(21:51):
So all right, here we go. We got our man,
Brad Turner from the La Times coming up to continue
this conversation, But first be sure to catch editions of
The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays
at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio and the iHeartRadio app. We're coming to you live
from the Geico Fox Sports Radio studios. It is easy
(22:14):
to say fifteen percent of more on your car shoots
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. Friend of the show,
friend of mine, and Robs the great Brad Turner from
the La Times. What's up, Bra? What's up? Brad? Hey man, Hey, Chris,
(22:36):
you are right. I am a friend of yours for sure.
Oh wow, wow, I'm sorry man. After all these years, Brad,
I've known you since the eighties. You just knew Chris
like just two weeks ago, since the nineties, since two
weeks ago. We're not as old as as Rob. I
would say this though it Rob, I know We'll back
(22:58):
me up. Brad is true. League, one of the great
guys in sports writing, man like just great personality, uh great,
always ready to show you around. Yeah, does a great
job reporting. So so we were honored to have you, bro.
(23:18):
But let's get to it. Man, Um, are the Lakers
in I mean, should they be worried at this point? Um?
Are they in a series that they could potentially lose,
you know, beyond anything can happen phase Well, I'll say
that should they be worried? No? Should it be concerned? Concerned? Yes?
(23:39):
And I say concern because you always have to respect
your opponent. You always have to know that that appointent
can beat you. And we know the demon Nuggets can't
come back from a three one series deficit and winning series.
Having said all that, you guys know the Brian James,
especially you Chris as what as I do? I think
(24:00):
the Lakers are a better team. I am not surprised
they lost Game three, especially with the way they played it.
But if you look at that team, the Lakers as
a whole, I just think they're a little bit better
because they have two great players. Not to say that
the Nuggets do not, but I think the Lakers would
(24:21):
pull this serious out and it looks disrespected them. The Nuggets.
They have a good team and they've got two good
players and Jamal Murray. Well, Brad, what about the idea
that some people are saying, hey, it should be two
one Denver? I mean, you know, a d hit a
shot for the ages that that doesn't always go down.
He can take that shot nine more times and probably
(24:44):
not make it three times. But anyway, that would that
Denver was that close to maybe being up to one.
Does that you know, like, if you're Denver, you can't
feel demolished or that you're behind, because you can feel
to yourself or at least convince yourself we were right
there and we could have had a second win. Rob
(25:04):
the app point right. But I'll tell you that I
had a harder thing. NBA player told me. Anytime you
say we should have won that game, you know what
that means. You lost that game. Anytime you say we
could be up to one, you're down to one. So
I ain't buying that ball. They played a really good
(25:25):
game and they gave up look a shot that nowhere
in the world a d ship got that shot off.
You know why because one of their players made some
plumber didn't do his job, so you lose the game,
so take it. We could be up to one. Take
it back to Denver. I ain't buying that one now,
(25:48):
I hear you. And and look, of course yeah they
could if he misses that shot. But the Lakers can
also say, look, we were up fifteen in that same game,
so we should have never let them back in the game.
So I hear you on that, Brad. There was a
story CBS Sports today talking about they think Lebron starting
to show his age in the playoffs, and they bring
(26:09):
up some interest in stats. In the first half in
the playoffs, he shot sixty five and a half percent.
Second half he's forty two percent. He's over six and
clutch moments, which could that signify he's tired at the
end of games. Did you see any of this his
age showing in these playoffs? You know, that's a very
good point they brought out. And I think back to
(26:31):
when Shaquille was playing. He was later in the stages
of his career and his games were not quite as
forceful on one day's rest and the liquors are planning
every other day. So I've seen that happened to Lebron.
But it's just it's still hard to say. If he
can score twenty in the first half and in Ad
scores twenty in the second half, I think you'll take
(26:54):
that if you're Lebron James. But also I do believe
that the Nugget defense gets a little bit better against him.
They focused on him a little bit more, and they willing,
not so much willing, but they understand that. Now Ad
becomes a guy. Let's just sow Lebron James downmancause if
he slowed down something, then that means the other guy
that Danny Green and Tavia's car where poll they don't
(27:17):
get as many clean open looks, Brad. What about the
last night Lebron had a triple double? But if you
looked at most people, even a guy like Shannon Sharpoo
is the president of the Lebron James fan Club, he
created it a c minus that it just wasn't as
impactful his game. How did you view his triple double
(27:37):
last night? Well, if you lost the game, it wasn't
good enough, right, you needed triple double in a win.
Let's just go back to Nicole against the Clippers and
Game seven, he had a troop of double. They won
that game. They won that series. So that's the bottom
line of it all. Great, you got a triple double.
(27:59):
It looks good if you're playing fantasy basketball, but this
is real basketball. The Lakers lost the game, so it
rings hollow. If he had thirty five and two rebounds
and five assists and the Lakers win, you're happy. But
a triple double when you lose, you cannot be happy
with that. Brad, let's move forward a bit. I mean,
(28:23):
all of us on this line, myself, you and Rob
picked the Lakers to win this series. Expect him to
win this series. If they do get to the finals,
what matchup do you think in from the East would
give them the toughest, you know, the most problems in
the finals. Would it be Miami or would it be Boston?
(28:43):
I am going to say the Boston Celtics because they
just have a lot of weapons. Started with Jason Tatum,
who's incredible, and then he got Stealing Brown who gets
it done. And now you're starting to get a little
bit more or out of your point guard and Kimba Walker.
So they are the team that I think that and
(29:05):
they played pretty small basketball. The Lakers, Rother played big,
but they're two centers so that means Dwight Howard and
Jimmy oll McGee may not play as much. So the
sucers of the team the Heat are tough. I mean,
they don't back down to anyone. But they've got Jimmy Butler,
who had time doesn't really force his off home teams.
(29:29):
But Boston man, and as the Lakers in Boston, I
don't care if the game's aren't land though. You want
to see that series? All right, that's our man, Brad
Turner LUNs, long time writer. Thanks man, We appreciated brother
great stuff. Man back and tell Rob I'm waiting for
that dinner too. Yeah, I'm waiting too. I'm twenty twenty three.
(29:53):
We'll all go out and have that dinners, right whatever,
all right, brother piece, all right, Rob and I've got
a bone to pick with a certain Super Bowl champion coach.
We'll get into that next. It's The Eye Couple Fox
Sports Radio. Be sure to catch live editions of The
Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at
(30:15):
seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeart Radio app. It's The Eye Couple Chris
and a Rob on a worship Wednesday. All right, Rob,
Doug Peterson, coach of the struggling can I get a
Joe Namoth struggling Philadelphia Eagles. He he's getting a little testy,
(30:43):
you know that. You know the media in Philadelphia, Rob,
they they pulled no punches. Oh no, New York, Boston,
Philadelphia to me are the toughest cities media wise. Yeah,
I'm gree with that. Yes, I would those three cities
that no messing, Rob, no offense. But we used to
(31:04):
think the West Coast was just soft on it, you know,
media coverage. Yes, I know you said, you know, like
like no, it's just yeah, it just we just felt
that way. But anyway, Um, Doug Peterson was asked a
question about his struggling quarterback struggling Carson went struggling uh.
(31:27):
And he was asked this question, Rob, why is Carson
Wentz missing throws that are quote unquote layups? And here's
what Peterson said, Some of the throws that he's missing
are sort of like layups. What could be the reason
for for some of those easier misses that that he's missing.
Have you played quarterback in the National Football League? I
(31:47):
have not, Doug Okay, they're not layups. There ain't a
throw out here that's a layup. All right. I know,
I'm just gonna let you have first shot at this
because I know what I will say this that you
will fired you up. No, but I will say one thing.
I don't know if lay up is the right word.
That's the only thing I'll question. You could say easier throws,
(32:10):
makeable throws. You know what I mean? Lay up sound
a little weird, But uh, Peterson, you only saying that
because it's Carson Wentz. No, no, no, no, I just
don't think that lay up like like, there's certain things
you gotta be very careful. I can remember a guy
trying to use coach speak to Larry Brown after Pistons came.
(32:30):
It didn't go well. You remember, can you get some
specific And it was like something like, well, coach, when
you went into a zone and you know, he was
trying to do all about technical right, yes, and and
and he said, son, we never played zone tonight, So
I don't know what game you're watching, do you know
what I mean? Like, you don't do that to a coach, Chris.
I'm all right now, you get right, Because as much
(32:52):
as we may know as much as you know, you
don't know really what they're doing from that standpoint. So
I just remember that. I'm gonna say that, you know,
the whole idea that uh we gotta we we had
to play in order to talk about the sport or
know anything about the game is the biggest farce I've
ever heard. It's just this is like a crutch for athletes.
(33:14):
You know what My response always if I ever got
any kind of pushed back about something, or if I
said something or wrote something, I would just say to
the athletes straight to their face. Have you ever written
a column for major daily in this country? H No,
Well then you don't know what I do. How's that right?
So I don't know what you do, and you don't
know what I write exactly you if I can't say
(33:37):
anything about what have you been doing? Newspaper? Do you
know who writes the headline? Do you know d's the copy?
Do you For a lot of times they would jump
on you because a lot of times, you know this,
robe athletes only either saw the headline or somebody somebody
told him about it. Some of course, some read all
the story, but mostly, and we're talking about mainly when
(33:58):
we were covering. It was made the newspapers. But yeah,
most of them just see the headliner, hear about it.
And you're right, we don't even write those We never read.
Don't news paper reporters. Website writers and reporters do not
write the headlines. That's the editor's job. So you you
you're right on the money with that, Rob, And I
(34:20):
say this, I'm gonna put it like this. I don't
know the first thing about fixing automobiles, about auto repair, right,
but I know if you're screwed up my car, right,
I know if you didn't fix what you were supposed
(34:42):
to fix. And I've never right to say it if
I bring my car in to get the brakes fixed
and then I start driving, right right, I don't know
all the technicalities and and and how to fix the
breaks and all that, but I know you didn't do it.
(35:03):
I know you messed up, and I can say it.
That's all. It's the same thing with sports. No, none
of us, even if we played at some sort of level,
we're not as good as these guys. We're not claiming
to be. We're not saying we could play as well
as the last player in the NBA but but the
bottom line is, and and Chris, we have we could
(35:25):
talk more about sports. Even though we didn't play at
that level. We still have a game. Oftentimes, people like
us become our masters of the game from studying it
and watching it, you know what I mean. Like, that's
why some of the greatest And here's the other argument
that I used to always throw to them. No, and
(35:45):
neither did Bill Belichick. He didn't play up a down
in the NFL either, But you guys consider them the
greatest coach, So so tell me how does that? How
did that work? He didn't play absolutely all right, that's
a great point that week. And I and I'm not
even gonna say most, but I know a lot of players,
(36:05):
a lot of great basketball players did not grow up
watching and studying no like the gatting, you know, watching games,
reading about the games, reading sports illustrated religiously, the newspaper religiously.
A lot of them didn't grow up doing that. I
told you, just ball, you know what I mean? A
lot of them, right, they have they have the ability,
(36:26):
and they worked hard at it. It's hard to get there.
It's like the shock Lenny Wilkins famous quote Lenny Wilkins
was on the coach of one of the Olympic not
I don't know if his assistant or something that he said,
and Shack said to Lenny Wilkins, boy, you know a
lot about basketball. Did you ever play, which is what
came out of Shack's mouth. Lenny Wilkins is one of
(36:47):
the tough fifty players of all time. Right, so Shack
didn't even know it's basketball history. You didn't even know
who the players are. Absolutely, absolutely, I mean that that
says a lot. And here's the thing, too, right, you
can take that to the degree. So let's say a
guy that did play in the NBA is critical. You know,
(37:08):
you got all these guys on TV now and it's
critical of Lebron or critical of you know, Jamal Murray.
And when could they say, well, you never were an
All Star, right that you were? You were you were
of journeymen. Yeah, so stop it, stop it, Doug, stop it.
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