May 6, 2026 • 48 mins
DP and the Danettes recap the latest from the NBA Playoffs. NBA analyst Tim Legler highlights Madison Square Garden's unmatched energy and shares what it's like to play against someone who is 7'6". NBA reporter Dave McMenamin offers a look into LeBron James and the Lakers' current mindset and shares just how little margin for error exists against Oklahoma City.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
For my birthday a week from this Friday, Rectech is
giving away a grill. You can go to rectech dot
com search the Dan Patrick Show for details. We will
give that grill away. By the way, one of the
grills is fired up today because we're making pizza. We
got the pizza insert so I said to Dylan, how
about a pizza Wednesday? And he went out and got
(00:27):
some dough, some ingredients. So in between like commercial breaks,
he's out there whipping up some pizzas. So we have
hot honey, suprisoda. Is that salami? It's yeah, basically okay,
pepperoni and onion. It's salami's spicy brother pesto, rugula brasute
(00:49):
and sausage and rugott. How did I do?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
You kind of nailed that? Actually all right after the
initial soapersada hump, you got it killed, dreath.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I thought we were saying we were having hot honey
super salad, and I go, why are we having super salad?
And then you go, no, it's pronounced differently.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Although salad pizza well no, no Greek salad pizza no no,
and no pineapple on there no not No, I'm out
on that, but salad pizza.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, who has it better than we do?
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Nobody?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Alright, Trouble Sleeping introducing z Kliner, or you could listen
to the toodcast revolutionary recliner designed by Flexity.
Speaker 5 (01:35):
I'm just not going to comment on that.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
It's three minutes and twenty one seconds in. Dang, I
was gonna take the over.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
That was unprovoked. You just started up.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
I know, I know, Pistons handled the Cavaliers, Thunder over
the Lakers. This is I'll start with the Lakers and
the Thunder because you had Shay Gilgis, Alexander held under
twenty points, he had seven turnovers. Okay, now we have
a recipe for maybe we can steal one.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Here.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
You got okc's second best player, Jayalen Williams, who is
not playing, and maybe you get some magic here. Austin
Reeves didn't play well, Lebron played well. They still they
miss Luca. It's hard to threaten OKC without Luca out there.
And Lebron even lamented that that, hey, we got a
guy who scores thirty points who's not out there. Luke
(02:24):
Canard's a nice role player. They just don't have the
weapons and OKC is deep. They are really you know,
they got guys who are coming off the bench. Might
be the tenth or eleventh guy on their bench, they
might be the fifth or a sixth player for another team.
But they're very deep, and they showed it last night.
They kind of went through the motions. This is one
(02:45):
of those where SGA didn't play well, Lebron played well,
and you still lose by twenty. Like that's the scary
part of this. But do I think they can win
a game here? Yes? I do, maybe two. I don't
think they'll be swept, yes, Marph.
Speaker 6 (03:00):
The Thunder last night they kind of looked like the
Steph Curry Spurs Spurs Warriors in their prime, whereas like, man,
we're trying to hold them off as long as we can,
and what if we take the ball out of Steph
Curry's hands? But guess what, Klay Thompson goes off, Leandro
Barbosa goes off, Andrea Iguidala goes off.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
That's how deep this Thunder team is. You don't know.
Speaker 6 (03:17):
Jared McCain, who's the ninth or tenth guy, came off.
It hit four to three pointers for them, last night.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I know it's one of those where you go, wait,
who's this guy, who's that guy?
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Former sixer?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, then you're going, okay, I had that's where I
saw him. Yeah, okay, yeah, paul.
Speaker 7 (03:33):
There was a point in the third quarter where it
felt like the Lakers could cut it to four, and
there was a replay that went against them, and then
instantly was eleven and it felt like that was their
shot and they were in striking distance and it never
got closer.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Dylan, what's the poll question for the first hour of
the program.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
All right, we got a couple, Dan. This one's from Paulie.
Which underdog would you have advancing the Cavaliers, seventy six ers, Lakers,
or Timberwolves, all dogs in their respective series.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Well, I don't know why Minnesota doesn't get more love,
more verbal bouquets. They've been to the Western Conference Finals
back to back years. So it's not a fluke that
they're here, and it's not a fluke that they won
Game one against San Antonio. Because the Spurs have minimal
playoff experience. You got Rudy Gobert, you got Anthony Edwards,
(04:21):
Julius Randall. They do have experience here, and that's what's
kind of surprising. It's you would think San Antonio would
be the underdog even though they had a better record,
they had a better regular season, but the fact that
maybe it's just you say Timberwolves, and maybe that doesn't
strike fear, but they've gone to the Western Conference Finals
(04:44):
back to back years, so I would say them.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
You know, the.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Cleveland Detroit series, that could be a seven game series.
Although James Harden looked old last night. Now he is old,
but he looked old. And for some reason, they had
him bringing the ball up and uh Osar Thompson was
guarding him and who he was all over James Harden
(05:12):
And this what I don't understand. How about you let
somebody else bring the ball up because I don't want
James Harden expending all that energy just getting the ball
to have court at seven turnovers and he looked old.
And Detroit you know that that was a great all
around team performance. But Kate Cunningham, you know, he's kind
(05:35):
of the right handed version of Jalen Brunson. It feels
like like he's just coming after he's going to continue
to score. I mean, they're different players. But because Cunningham
was leading the NBA and assists before he got hurt.
Uh so, but to see him this is what I love.
You see great players be great at this time of
the year, because that's really we focus on that, uh
(06:00):
bottom line sports society. What did you do in the playoffs?
What'd you do? You know, winning a championship, not winning
a championship the year you won your MVP. Those are
the kind of things Anthony Edwards. We didn't know if
he was going to play or when he was going
to play. Off the bench eighteen points. You love seeing that,
Caid Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, what he did, Like, that's what
you want. You know, SGA will be great in this series.
(06:23):
But it was almost one of those where he thought, uh,
don't need to tonight. Yes, Marvin and in.
Speaker 6 (06:30):
The playoffs Check usually calls them the others. You got
those guys like Duncan Robinson, our boy from the Heat.
He had a big game last night. You're always going
to need that man he's still in the league, or
who is that guy that comes up big in the
playoff series.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
The Cavs tied the game, they came back from what
were they down eighteen or something, and so five minutes
to go, Caid Cunningham comes back in the game, delivers
three straight possessions with perfect passes for six points, and
you know they're they're starting to crumble a little bit.
And then he comes back in and they go on
(07:05):
cruise to the victory. All right, what other poll question
are you thinking about here? Dyl?
Speaker 3 (07:11):
This is from Todd Lebron. Blaming the loss on Luca's
absence and lack of scoring is a very understandable and
reasonable point or a bad sign dot dot dot excuses
already after game one.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Well, I think he's reminding everybody of you know, Lebron,
ten years ago, you know, would would be approaching this differently.
Now it's he's forty one and he can't do it alone.
And he's reminding people of, hey, if we have Luca,
(07:43):
then maybe we can make this a series. Reminding them
and maybe Luca is going to be able to play.
I mean, I mean he's telling factually, he's telling you
the truth. If they had Luca, they have a chance
to win this series. They just don't have him. Maybe
you get at him when they go back to Los Angeles.
Dave McManamon, who will join us later on. He'll have
(08:06):
an update on that. I'm sure, yes, Marvin.
Speaker 6 (08:08):
Wait, so the NBA scoring leader has an effect on
a series. That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
I didn't look at it as Lebron as needs an excuse.
I think he was just reminding people of we got
to the second round. We weren't supposed to beat Houston.
We got to the second round. I'm out here on
an island just reminding you we don't have Luca and
if we do get now, I know there's going to
be people who parts this and say, Michael Jordan never
(08:36):
would have made an excuse like that. Do you think
that happens in Lebron's life, no matter what happens, like
if he drops the mail when he's you know, bringing in,
you know, Jordan never would have dropped them in. Now
he's not good at Parallel park Well, Michael pretty good
part of Paler Parker. Yes, Paulin, I don't know if it's.
Speaker 7 (08:58):
Fair to say Lebron made up an excuse for the loss.
He was asked about the Lakers offensive struggles last night
and he said, well, the offensive struggles, we have a
guy whoever's thirty seven a game? Thirty five this year.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
What are you asking?
Speaker 7 (09:11):
Yeah, and he was making the point that it's obvious
what the struggles are. It's not like they didn't actually
play that bad offensively over the course of the game.
They just don't have their main guy.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yeah. Yeah, I didn't view it as an excuse, But
then I don't see Lebron through the lens that people
do who don't like him, or they're just waiting for
him to say something.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Yes, Dilney, I mean I think you can still call
it an excuse, but like a valid one. Is that fair?
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Well, then it becomes a fact. Is it's not an excuse,
is it? It's just, hey, that these are the fact
you're going against one of the best defensive teams in
the NBA.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
I mean, I've made a lot of excuses that were true,
at least to me.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Once again, I'm not gonna, you know, dive down into
semantics here of what Lebron is saying, how he's saying
it is an excuse.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
I think he just reminding people we don't have Luca,
not that they needed to be reminded, but I think
he's pointing out, hey, this is a great team defending
champs and we're holding on for dear life. And by
the way, we don't have the leading score.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Jordan would have won with that Luca he did he.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Never played with Luca.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
That's true argument over my choice.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Uh okay, I.
Speaker 7 (10:29):
Love our take on this topic.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Yeah, worst take.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
Boy.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Did you see where Austin Rivers fired back at Draymond Green.
After Draymond Green fired at Austin Rivers, we got to
see if Austin Rivers will ever join us again because
I don't want to get him in trouble again. But
I didn't have to say much when I talked about
what Draymond's comments were about how he was used by
Steve Kerr. But then Draymond makes it personal and Austin
(10:58):
Rivers was never making it personal. Like he even complimented
Draymond Green. But Austin River it's a four minute clip.
I appreciate Austin Rivers mentioning the Dan Patrick Show, so
I'd listened to the whole thing after I heard that,
I'm like, okay, he complimented, give us credit. Ben Stiller
did reach out, apparently on social media after some of
(11:22):
the Dan Nettes or our poll question. Some of the
audience called him out for not going to the next game,
and I said, I don't have any problem with it.
The only problem I have is when he's walking up
the steps and he's going to the photographers Nixon six.
Meanwhile his wife is having her handheld by somebody to
help her get up the steps. That was the only
problem I had. He'll be there tonight front Row. Yes, Dylan.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
My real issue with that was that it's really Nixon four,
non Nixon six.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Oh okay, according to Rob in the back, okay, I
was going to say Nixon three the way they played,
if they could, they would Yeah, yeah, Paul.
Speaker 7 (11:58):
So the guys in back tweeted out the segment it's
about Ben Stiller and the met Gala, And minutes after
we tweeted it out, he responded saying, bring it. I
know who I am. Like he's not afraid of the
criticism anyway.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
But I think there's a commercial with Jalen Brunson, who
who says I know who I am. And I don't
know if Ben Stiller was quoting Jalen Brunson, but I
saw that yesterday and I heard, you know, when Brunson
said I know who I am. And then that match
with ben Stiller had to say, but I'm sure ben
Stiller will be. Now, how do the Knick fans treat
(12:33):
him tonight like they do? They boo that he shows
up and didn't show up for Game one? Yes, Mart, No, I.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Think they treat him the same.
Speaker 6 (12:44):
I think they show him more support because also a
lot of those people they're all New Yorkers and the
Met gala is a part of the fabric of New
York life.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Anyway, Oh, I say what, you didn't use fabric myself? Bloop? Yes, Dylan.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
If they lose Game two, though, are they gonna be
like go back to the metal?
Speaker 4 (13:01):
Ben?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Come on, Should the Mets have a Mets gala? No
where everybody shows up very you know, fashion friendly. A
Mets gala.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Or wearing garbage bags would be wow.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Okay, No, I told you you know what's going to happen.
The Mets second half of the season are going to
be crazy great, and then they're going to raise your
hopes and then it'll be a crashing fall.
Speaker 7 (13:31):
Yes, Paul ben Stiller was ahead of this. Right after
the Knicks one the other night. He tweeted out, I
guess I have to go to the Met ball again.
On Wednesday. Okay, don't mess with a streak.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Okay, he gets it showing a sense of humor there,
funny guy. But we did invite him on. But did
we get a response. We did not get a response.
We used to in the past when we've invited him on.
But he did respond and then liked some of our
social media things yesterday.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
Yes deal, would you go to the mac Alladan if
invited one time just to kind of see what it's
all about.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, yeah, but I would not know you know, what
to wear, how to dress when you go to that,
I'll help you. Well, guys can get by with not
crazy things. It's the women who have crazy outfits there.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah, it's they all I learned yesterday in my mcaller research.
They all all that people attending and outfits have to
be pre approved by Anna Windtor so she gets like
the final look, which is actually makes it even crazy when
you see some of the outfits where she's like, yeah,
that's good.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
But you're not allowed to have garlic or onions in
any of the dishes to prevent bad breath.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
That's good for you.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
No brushetta because it's messy. No parsley or chibes because
they get stuck in your teeth. Spouses are seated at
different tables from one another, phones are banned, and you
can greet a win tour for a maximum of twenty seconds. Yes,
(15:05):
what is that all about? It?
Speaker 7 (15:07):
That harkens back to like certain celebrities a host when
you're going there show, you can't look them right in
the eye or don't engage them if you see them
in the hall or in the elevator.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
I just we're all human beings.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
I hate when I hear those stories.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Thank you, Todd, welcome.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
Yes, well, I actually like the twenty second rules. Quick
small talk? How are you good to see you? What
are you wearing?
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I ice to meet you.
Speaker 5 (15:24):
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan
Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Hey is Covino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio Now.
Speaker 8 (15:38):
In addition to hearing us live weekdays from five to
seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,
We're excited to announce a brand new YouTube channel for
the show.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Yup, that's right.
Speaker 8 (15:48):
You can now watch Covino and Rich live on YouTube
every day.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
All you gotta do.
Speaker 8 (15:52):
Search Covino and rich FSR on YouTube again, go to
YouTube search Covino and rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube, Subscribe,
hit that thumbs up icon, comment away.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
He's Tim Legler ESPN NBA analyst. He'll be on the
call tonight. It's game two Sixers and the Knicks at
the Garden tip off seven Eastern on the mother Ship.
How you feeling deep?
Speaker 5 (16:18):
What's up? How are you man? Good to be with you?
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Everything's good? How should Nick fans be feeling after Game one.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
Right now?
Speaker 9 (16:26):
Not just because of Game one, but because of the
way they closed out the Atlanta series. Nobody in the
league is playing better than the Knicks. Of all the
teams left in the playoffs, this is the team right
now that is the most dominant on both ends of
the floor. So they should be feeling very, very confident. Look,
Philadelphia is probably gonna give them their best punch tonight.
I expected the Knicks to win that game rather handily,
(16:47):
just because you know, Philly went seven with Boston. They
that's their you know, their nemesis that continually knocks them
out of the playoffs. They overcame a three to one deficit.
You turn around forty eight hours later less than that,
and you're playing the Knicks in the garden who've been
sitting there waiting on you. So I kind of figured
that I didn't think it'd be as bad as it was.
I think now you find out what kind of series
(17:09):
this is going to be. Tonight, Philadelphi's gonna punch back.
But as I said, the Knicks are in the best
offensive rhythm they've been in all season, and they are
now combining that with a very physical, energized defense. And
this is what it looks like when you get a
team playing their absolute best basketball.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
But what changed? They were down two to one to
the Hawks and then what clicked? What was different from
then on to where we are now.
Speaker 9 (17:37):
For me, the biggest change was mid series, and Mike
Brown's alluded to.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
This, they had to unlock their offense.
Speaker 9 (17:45):
And to me, when their offense was unlocked, it that's
what's kind of energized their defense.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
And how do they unlock their offense?
Speaker 9 (17:51):
They sort of changed the way they were utilizing Karl
Anthony Towns and where he was catching the ball and
including him as more of a guy that they could
go to early in the offense and he could use
his passing a little bit more. And it wasn't just
the assist numbers, like it's easy to say that if
a guy gets more assisted, oh you know, they ran
the ball through him a little bit more. No, Like,
if you watch them, it was obvious they're like, hey, listen,
(18:14):
Carl Anthony Towns likes to catch the ball at the
top of the key and the elbows anyway, and he's
being guarded by a smaller guy in a congu who's
an undersized center. So Carl Anthony Towns has all these
passing windows available to him and if that's where he
wants the ball, and he's gonna feel more included and
we're not gonna worry about it shot attempts because it
wasn't like he was shooting more as his scoring numbers
weren't up. It was his inclusion and utilizing him from
(18:37):
that spot to start to like really.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
Run their offense and pick them apart.
Speaker 9 (18:42):
And it unlocked things for Ojananobi and Michale Bridges and
that's how they finished off that series. And then their
defense just was was, I said, more up on their
toes because things were going better on the other end,
and it's led to this.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
I give Mike Brown credit.
Speaker 9 (18:56):
Some guys are so married to how they want to
coach offensively, where guys should be, they know what's best
all the time.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
It takes, you know, a guy that's.
Speaker 9 (19:05):
Willing to really look at his team mid series and say,
you know what, we need to adjust something. Here they
did it. It unlocked everything and here we go. Man
four straight games and particularly these last two. You know,
it's it's almost perfect basketball that they're playing right now,
and it's going to see what Philadelphia could do.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
To disrupt it.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
When it comes to a home court advantage, you know
the Garden used to rock. It's still rocking now. But
you know we would single out Boston Garden, Madison Square Garden.
But what makes a true home court advantage? How does
that affect you as a player a visiting player.
Speaker 9 (19:42):
I think a big part of it is Number one,
you know, they're just they're ready at the tip and
most of most of the arenas you're talking about now,
and then you know teams that they are good teams
that were the fan base things.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
They really have a shot.
Speaker 9 (19:54):
That's typically the case in the playoffs, but it is
the lack of the peaks and valleys throughout the game,
you know what I mean, And that's staying with your
team when there is a ten to two run the
other way, and and staying in it understanding like just
the pulse of the game, and when they need a
little more from you as a crowd. For me, I know,
watching a game on television if you're not in the building,
(20:17):
I don't think there's any arena that pops off like
the Garden.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
When the Knicks are good and the Garden is.
Speaker 9 (20:22):
Rocking like nothing else quite looks like that visually and
in your city courts. I look, there are other great
environments in this league, Okay, see is incredible right now,
even Detroit like the environment that they have right now
going on. It's so loud, so thunderous. So there are
other arenas that you know, can match what the Knicks
crowd is bringing to the table. But I think right
(20:45):
now this fan base senses the path is there. It's
been laid like this is their year to get back
to the finals.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
And last year, last year, the path was there too.
They got rid of the Celtic's tasting tae them gets
hurt and all they had to do is get past
the Pacers, and everybody thought foregone conclusion. That's why if
I'm a Knicks fan, I'm like, okay, easy, one game,
this is probably going six or seven. You know, we've
got to slug it out here. You know, we're not
(21:14):
gonna win this in three. So I think having a
sense of reality would help.
Speaker 5 (21:21):
Yeah, well, I think that.
Speaker 9 (21:23):
Listen, Northeast Corridor cities New York, Philly, Boston similar in
this in this regard, right, So when when their teams
playing well like the Knicks are right now, it's like,
there's no way we can anybody can stop us. And
if they lose a couple of games in a row,
like they did in the Atlanta series, it's like, oh my,
here we go, and you're talking about off season personnel
changes already you're down two to one in a series.
Speaker 5 (21:44):
That's just kind of how those cities work.
Speaker 9 (21:46):
It's why, that's why there's just such great passionate you know,
fan base. It's not always the easiest places to play
as as an athlete, but when when things are going well,
there's nothing quite like it, like that support that you're
going to get. And I just think the way that
everybody's sort of looking at the landscape in the East.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
The Celtics are no longer there.
Speaker 9 (22:05):
You didn't have to deal with the Pacers, who were
in the finals last year because of the injury to
Halli Burton, you know, Tatum even missing most of the
year changed the Celtics regular season and they weren't able
to get it done at the end. You've got a
Detroit Pistons team that's a sixty win team and elite
defensive team. But I think, you know, the New York
Knicks feel like, hey, you know, we took care of
(22:26):
them a year ago. Now I know the Pistons beat
them up this year in a regular season, So that'll
be an interesting matchup if we get there. A lot
of basketball to be played. But right now, I'm telling you,
the Knicks are so confident. Everybody in their starting lineup
is playing well. They're getting great contributions X factor type
stuff from their bench. Seems like Mike Brown's pushing all
the right buttons right now. It's just this incredible momentum
(22:47):
surge for the New York Knicks right now, and somebody's
got to try to slow this down. Philadelphia's got to
try to make something happen to.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Night seventy six ers knicks at the garden on the
Mothership at seven Eastern watching the Lakers land. There's only
so much Lebron can do. The fact he's doing as
much as he's doing at his age is remarkable. And
then I know people are probably going to look at
his comment where it sounded like an excuse when he says, well,
(23:14):
we don't have Lucas. It's a fact and he was
asked about it, so it's not like he said, oh,
we lost Hey, keep in mind, I don't have Luca
out there. We're gonna probably turn it. So you know,
it's against it's anti Lebron because he's making excuses there.
What do you expect out of this series?
Speaker 5 (23:37):
I mean, look, he's listen.
Speaker 9 (23:38):
You can't deny the fact that you're talking about the
best defensive team in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (23:42):
And then you know, it's an argument that San Antonio
is right there. Detroit is a great defense.
Speaker 9 (23:46):
So but to me, Oklahoma City is the best defense
in the league because the number of guys that they
have on the perimeter with elite lateral speed, strength. They've
just got more of those guys than anybody and they've
also got chet Holmgrin back there as well. It's so
difficult to operate your offense against them because it's so
difficult to crack the outer shell and beat your guy,
(24:07):
whether it's picking roll or one on one and get
by them.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
Because they're so good defensively.
Speaker 9 (24:11):
So to take a guy like Luka Doncic that's that big,
that strong, that good offensively, the best probably in the
league at being able to collapse defenses and take.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
Him out of the series. It's not an excuse. It
is a reason. This is one of the best offensive
players in the game.
Speaker 9 (24:28):
And now you don't have him, you don't have an
in rhythm Austin Reeves, you know, so you know, credit
to him. He made it back. He's not close to
being at peak form. Austin Reeves is a major difference maker.
He's got a handle, he's got strength, he draws fouls.
He's really important in this series if the Lakers want
to have a chance. Austin Reeves really struggled last night
because he's only played a couple of games since he
(24:49):
came back from a very long layoff. It's a lot
to ask to be thrust into this environment and expect
him to be at his best. So, yeah, I was
watching the AAOS thing and you kind of did you
kind of empathize with Lebron.
Speaker 5 (25:00):
I mean, Lebron couldn't played much better than he did.
Speaker 9 (25:02):
If you take him and Ruey Hatcha Mura take their
shooting percentages out of the mix, the rest of their
team shot twenty nine percent. You just can't get it done.
You've got to make your share of threes. You cannot
turn the ball over the way they did against that team,
and they just didn't play a clean enough game. The
bad news for the Lakers actually is I thought Oklahoma
City was like a seven out of their ten.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Yeah, that's about what I would rate them. There's a
lot more there for them.
Speaker 9 (25:24):
It was almost like they could have been had last
night if Austin Reeves was like more capable to give
them a big night, and they weren't able to do it.
Oklahoma City, I think it's just going to get stronger
as the series goes on. Without Luka Doncic. I think
this is gonna be very difficult for the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
What is like to play against somebody who's seven to six, Well,
I never.
Speaker 5 (25:46):
Yeah, I guess did I play against seven six?
Speaker 9 (25:47):
Yeah, I guess Sean Bradley, I played with a seven
to seven. And I can tell you this, like neither
one of those guys looked like what Vicker Webberyama looks.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Like if you play those guys Arizona.
Speaker 5 (26:01):
Right, George meressoons seven to seven.
Speaker 9 (26:03):
And I remember the first time I had laid eyes
on Jerry Marasion when I joined the team, and it
was at Bouey State University where we were running like
pickup games before the season. And I actually this is
a true story. I was over getting like gatorade like
out of the cooler, the old style coolers, you know,
I used to press the little button where we were
getting gatorade, and and and I'm telling you, a massive
shadow approached me from from behind and it kind of
(26:26):
blocked out everything in front of me. And I turned
around and your your eyes were like basically in his
like solar plexus, like that's what you're looking at, and
you kind of just look up at this guy and
it's it's it's really jolting because you know, obviously tall
sc guy ever played in the league, but you know
he wasn't out in the perimeter jumping out on a
switch and like staying with a guard and then tracking
(26:48):
them all the.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
Way to the rim.
Speaker 9 (26:50):
If you brought the action right to George at the rim,
you were gonna have a problem scoring. But if you
gonna ask him to move around laterally a little bit,
there's a good chance he was gonna get off balance
and not get there in time. That's not the case here.
The league's never seen anything like this defensively. The length
we've seen, We've never seen the length combined with this
level of athleticism and agility. It's just it's just and
(27:10):
so for me, I've seen it. Sack Qurtz, I have
called games with women Yama. I don't know what that
would feel like to try to drive to the rim
on a half court defense with Wemban Yama's anywhere on
the floor. It's just a totally different approach mentally to
what you think you can do well.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
And I saw Anthony Edwards take a jumper over Wemban
Yama and I was like, oh my god, Like, you know,
Joker had a fade away shot over Wemby, But you know,
you're seeing Edwards, who's what six', three going up against
a guy who you know is seven to four and with,
that you know the you know what.
Speaker 9 (27:45):
Was amazing about that, Shot dan was you know that
play you're talking. About he iowed him and one on
one and he sort of tried to get him to back,
up but he backed up a little. Bit but it
wasn't like Women yama fell all the way back to the.
Paint he only backed up a little. Bit so when
he went up to contest that, shot telling you right,
now there's no Way Anthony edwards saw the basket because
Of Whemen yama has. Reached there's no way you can
(28:05):
stay with your shot all the way to see the
rim with that. Length so and he didn't hit anything
but net that. WAY i thought the same thing you.
DID i don't know how that shot went in because
there's no way his vision was. Clear good to talk to, You.
Legs we'll be listening. Tonight thank, You. Bud you got.
Speaker 8 (28:22):
It.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Damn That's Tim LEGLER ESPN nba analyst who said that
he could beat me in a three point shooting contest left,
handed many many years, ago and he was serious about.
It it's probably still serious about, it is that Right?
Legs you you said you were very serious that that.
AFTERNOON i, WAS i.
Speaker 9 (28:41):
WAS i was incredibly, serious particularly at that time in my.
LIFE i don't quite shoot as much AS i used,
to but i'd still Be, okay.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Could you Beat Greg anthony left? Handed Uh, no that's
AN nba.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
PLAYER i. CAN'T i.
Speaker 9 (28:55):
Can't you can't be disrespectful to a former colleague IN.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Nba will come, ON i could shoot that Than Greg anthony.
Speaker 5 (29:01):
Could, NO i can't go with him up with Ga, no.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Yeah, no we even. Laughed he was taking the little
Like Avery johnson eighteen. Footers you, know, yeah you, HEY i,
KNOW i know.
Speaker 9 (29:15):
THIS i used to shoot all the time BECAUSE i
was coaching AND i was in a gym with my you,
know my, guys my, son MY aau team THAT i
coached for years on the under armored. Circuit SO i.
WAS i was at a gym like two three times a.
WEEK i was getting up still a couple hundred jumpers.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
All the way till about what ten years, AGO i
THINK i.
Speaker 9 (29:32):
Stopped it's harder, now, man it's harder, now AND i
STILL i still get myself ready for my basketball camp
every summer SO i can SO i can wow the,
kids like that's my. Goal to not walk in there
as a guy that was a high level shooter and
told up a bunch of bricks for your shooting. Demonstration
that wouldn't go very well with my my. Camp SO
i get myself ready for that. Week other than, that,
(29:53):
MAN i don't spend a lot of time shooting.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Anymore Reggie miller can still, shoot, Man.
Speaker 5 (29:58):
Oh, yeah, Yeah i'm. Sure i'm.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Sure there's No and he's sixty like he's he.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
Has they gained one pounds. LATE i don't know how
he pulled that off. EITHER i don't know how that's.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Possible thank, You legs all, Right Dan.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Jennlegler Fox Sports radio has the best sports talk lineup
in the. Nation catch all of our shows At Foxsports
radio dot com and within The iHeartRadio. App SEARCH fsr
to listen. Live dave mcmanhamon was. There he witnessed the.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Kind OF i don't, know average game for ok, see
if you think about, it it just felt like this
was more of a, yeah all, right we got a game,
tonight nothing. SPECIAL sga didn't have a great game And
lebron showed. Up but anything that you didn't expect happened last.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
NIGHT i think The.
Speaker 10 (30:46):
Lakers if you told them you'd HOLD sga to eighteen
points with seven, turnovers you'd like to think that's a
pretty ideal circumstance.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
To steal one on the.
Speaker 10 (30:57):
Road but when you shoot ten for thirty off as a,
team And Austin reeve goes three through, sixteen and really
after two and a half, quarters The thunder look like
the team that beat the doors off you in the regular.
SEASON i don't. KNOW i, mean they're going to have
to find a way to turn the page and not
have this seep into what happens On.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Thursday i'm trying to figure this, out and you'll follow
it closer THAN i. Will but Did boston have a
different game plan when they're making their? Threes do The
celtics or The lakers have a different game plan when you're?
Not there's nice when you're just not going to make,
Shots but these teams keep shooting these. Shots AND i
just wonder how much adjustment happens in THE nba during
(31:42):
games when this.
Speaker 10 (31:43):
Happens it's a great, question and certainly anyone who watched
That Philly boston, GAME i, think had that thought come to.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
Mind i'll GIVE Jj reddick.
Speaker 10 (31:53):
CREDIT i don't think he's someone who just tries to
pound his head into the wall doing the same. Thing
he is someone who's shown whether it be with the,
rotations whether it be his defense that's gotten better this
year by throwing in some, zone by throwing in some
two men on the ball, action.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
And obviously the offensive.
Speaker 10 (32:11):
Sets but at the end of the, day if your
goal is to get into the paint and collapse the
defense and spread out to an open, shooter you are
a professional basketball player getting that. Shot and you, KNOW i,
understand you, know at some point you got to change,
things but you kind of trust the shots that you're
(32:32):
generating in that. Sense and The lakers from The All
Star break onward or a top ten three point shooting,
team and so you, know obviously the one guy missing
from that equation throughout these playoffs has Been, lukadacis who
is their most lethal three point.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Shooter AND i know it's going to be spun in
a different, way But lebron was asked, about you, know
you're not, scoring and he reminded the media, that, hey
we don't Have luca, here it's probably going to be
spun where he's making, excuses which isn't fair to. Him
he didn't, say, hey we, lost but keep in, MIND
i don't have any help out. Here so how did
(33:10):
you take that answer From? Lebron, yeah and you're totally.
Right you've been around it for.
Speaker 10 (33:16):
Forever you know that there'll be some who try to
turn it into him complaining or, saying well it was.
Speaker 4 (33:22):
Me to, me it was just addressing.
Speaker 10 (33:24):
The obvious elephant in the room that, HEY i know
it looked bad, tonight but we are playing the defending
champs and we have the leading scorer in THE nba
this season In Street Close, Still so if you're going
to honestly assess what you, saw if you don't take
those two pieces of context into, consideration then you're being
(33:48):
a little disingenuous about your expectations for what the series could.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Be what's the time? Frame any update On?
Speaker 10 (33:54):
Luca no, Update And i'm just QUOTING Jj reddick by
sharing that with. You he has been on the court light, form,
shooting not. Much movement hasn't progressed to one on, one
hasn't even run to my. Knowledge but the thing about
that is these things can change rather quickly once a
(34:18):
hurdle is. Cleared he's about thirty five days since he
suffered the, injury so we're talking about five.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Weeks these things can take as many as six to eight.
Speaker 10 (34:29):
Weeks Sean serania reported the other day that sources told
him he's being evaluated on a week to weeks, basis
which would Mean game two's out of the. Picture but
you could still theoretically have a shred of hope for
games three and four back In Los, angeles but that
remains to be.
Speaker 2 (34:47):
Seen talking To dave McManamon covers THE nba for The
Mother's ship is okayse.
Speaker 10 (34:52):
BEATABLE i, mean if you watched last year's, playoffs you
Saw denver pick them to, seven you Saw indiana take
them to, Seven so certainly they. Are and right now
When Jennen williams is out of the, lineup you would
say that that's by their second or third best, player
so they're more vulnerable.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
Now but then you watch the.
Speaker 10 (35:13):
Game last night and you see guys LIKE Aj, mitchell
you see the Other Jalen, williams you See jared McCain
come in and make. Plays you see the bench outscore
The lakers bench thirty four to, fifteen and you're, like,
man if they can do this on a night Where
shay literally has his worst scoring game in two.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Years they do seem like in a class of their
own right.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Now you hear athletes at the end of their careers, say,
WELL i don't want to go out like, this but
you can't decide what's going to happen By, OH i
don't want to go out this. Way i'll come back next.
Year there's no guarantee next year is better than this.
Year but is there a scenario you see For lebron
where this is how he wants to go out or
(36:01):
this is how he will go.
Speaker 10 (36:02):
Out there was a time this year WHERE i really
believed it was this last, season and it was Early,
december after he had made his, comeback and he's doing
things like scoring twelve points on the road in the
fourth quarter Against philadelphia seventy six ers and afterwards waxing
poetic about how much it meant to him to soak
(36:23):
in the road crowd because that's a place he's always.
Appreciated that kind of narrative coming from him changed around
The All star, break AND i would be pretty shocked
at this point if this was his last. Season his
game is still, elite not what it was in his,
(36:45):
prime but it's still all star. Caliber he has found
a way to play winning basketball with this team that
went sixteen to two with him taking a kind of
a supporting role Through march in Early, april and if
they make some adjustments to this, roster they should be right,
there up with the top echelon of The Western. Conference
(37:08):
so to, me it doesn't make sense because he still
loves the game for him to walk away from the,
game and quite, frankly it doesn't really make sense for
him to look for another team to play. FOR i
think The lakers offer him pretty much everything he'd want
at this stage of his.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Career does he ever talk and this is probably not
the way to phrase, it but just patting his stats
like he may not win another, title but the longevity
that he's, showing like he's doing something that nobody has
done at this. LEVEL i don't know how important those things.
Are if you say you're not going to win another
(37:44):
title in the next two, years but you're still going
to be able to play and. Contribute how much does
he care about the final numbers of his career.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
In the STAT i.
Speaker 10 (37:56):
Can tell you that he cares about is he has
two assists To Bronnie james as far in his, career
he wants to add to, that and he's had one
assistants received From Bronnie.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
James like that's certainly accounting stat that he.
Speaker 10 (38:10):
Wants but it's about doing all the things he does
to keep his body and mind sharp to still be
doing the same thing he's been doing all these years
later with the context of. Winning if there was not
a chance to, CONTEND i really believe he would walk.
(38:31):
Away he doesn't need, it but so long as that
sliver of a window is, Open and, Truly i've been
told by people within the organization when they were putting
together that run in the second half of the, season
he really. Believed he bought in on. Everything you saw
the best version of Lebron. James if he can stay
in that, mode why would you walk? Away because that's
(38:54):
the type of stuff that's going to gnaw at you
and eat at you when you're only have golf as
you're out for years to, come and you'll think back
that you, know, THERE i almost squeezed everything out of,
that but there was a little bit more.
Speaker 4 (39:07):
Juice left to be.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Squeezed explain to the audience that you had an opportunity
to Ask lebron twenty three, questions questions you've never asked him.
Speaker 10 (39:18):
Before, Yeah so the idea was and AS i was
talking to you briefly, BEFORE i thought this was going
to be the last, year it was kind of feeling
that way and kind of the same. DEAL i wanted
to squeeze all the juice out of it as, well
and SO i approached him after his season debut In,
utah after he missed the first fourteen games With. SATIKA
(39:38):
i was, Like i've been kind of thrown around this
idea in my. HEAD i just loved to kind of
empty the notebook of the stuff that EITHER i didn't
ask you because it was kind of a one off throwaway,
question like why does he wear the same quarters that
every game that The nike he came out with in
twenty twenty one and he doesn't wear the new warm.
(39:59):
UPS i just always wanted to ask him that to
like way more basketball, centric like what haves and and
antagonators antagonistic players Like Lance stevenson And Dylan brooks.
Speaker 4 (40:18):
Meant to your.
Speaker 10 (40:19):
Career he, said let's try, it and so over the
course of the season it would be mostly always a
post game, window more often on the road because we're
not trying to get home to our, families and you,
know you can linger a little bit longer in the locker.
Room and, yeah it's just kind of peppered him with these.
Questions then to his, credit he played ball like there
(40:41):
wasn't one of them that he, said, No i'm not
going to answer, That and for the most, PART i
think there was some insightful.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Answers what surprised you the, MOST.
Speaker 10 (40:55):
I think that WHEN i asked him about guys THAT
i know he Respects, Carmelo, Anthony Dwayne, Wade Richard, jefferson
Guys tracy, McGrady his peers in the, game several of
his teammates and that have gone on to broadcasting. Careers
WHEN i was asking, him does he look to them
(41:16):
as an example of how you fill your time in,
Retirement he's.
Speaker 2 (41:21):
Like F, No.
Speaker 4 (41:24):
He's, like it's not because there's anything.
Speaker 10 (41:26):
To do with them or, broadcasting JUST i just don't
look at my life that, Way LIKE i have my own,
journey AND i just found LIKE i think IF i
was in his, SHOES i would probably look to my
friends and my peers as they DID xx and, Next
And i'm going to try to DO xx AND x
as a way to kind of have what we all
(41:47):
know to be a really awkward and difficult time of your.
Life you, know athletes suffer, too deaths when they retire
and when they. Expire that would be SOMETHING i would
do to try to like maybe have a little bit
of a head start on. It and he flatly rejected
that he puts his mind through what they're going through at.
Speaker 4 (42:08):
ALL i thought that was pretty.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Revealing when do you think not everybody turned on, him
but when do you think there was THIS i don't
know if it was fatigue that people had with him social.
Media mike didn't go through social. Media so it just felt,
like was there a time where this went from a
feel good, story local kid without a, Dad, leeds you,
(42:33):
know goes with The, cavaliers does everything they possibly, can
and THEN i didn't know if it was when he
went To miami that all of a sudden it's, like, oh,
Okay michael never did. This you had to go you
want to wear twenty? Three you want to Be Michael
jordan has lebron ever or did you talk to him
about being the villain or how did he become a.
Speaker 10 (42:55):
VILLAIN i actually didn't talk to him about that BECAUSE
i feel like that's some that he kind of had
exercise those demons in His miami, tenure AND i didn't
start covering him day to day until twenty fourteen when
he Left miami go To. CLEVELAND i could tell you
from speaking to people within his kind of, orbit HIS
(43:18):
q score plummeted from the, decision and that was something.
Speaker 4 (43:24):
That was the reason why he hired a.
Speaker 10 (43:28):
Political strategist to be his publicist for many years and
tried to find a way to dig out from under
that just, nastiness and he became the poster child of
modern sports and you, know not enough athlete loyalty towards
the markets they play. For mind, you on the other,
(43:48):
SIDE i think if you walk away from his career
and take the thirty thousand foot, view the best part
of his athlete empowerment that he has been the kind
OF i guess the main advocate for is that these
organizations aren't going to care about. You you, Know Blake
(44:09):
griffin's going to go through a major free agency presentation
where they have him up on posters next to dignitaries
OF us history for The clippers and the next thing he,
knows he's traded to The Detroit. Pistons and so if
that's going to happen to, you while you wield the,
power you'd be the one kind of deciding that your own.
(44:31):
Future AND i think that is incredible AND i think
all power to.
Speaker 4 (44:37):
Him where we've seen some.
Speaker 10 (44:40):
Of the backlash that have led from that is too
many players who want to follow that first part of
that playbook but then not have the accountability on the back.
END i, Mean Lebron, james every franchise he's ever played,
for he's won a. Championship Four he's the only guy
IN nba history to do, that to win a championship
and at FINALS mvp on three differ.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
Franchises do you think deep?
Speaker 2 (45:02):
Down maybe not deep Down lebron thinks he's better Than Michael.
Speaker 4 (45:05):
Jordan so that was an interesting conversation we.
Speaker 10 (45:08):
Had AND i didn't want to talk about like goat
because that there's no way to really determine. It BUT
i wouldn't ask what parts of your game is better
than his game and what parts of his game are.
Speaker 4 (45:21):
Better than your? Game and he admitted to, me OR
i GUESS i don't. KNOW i don't know if he's
trying to.
Speaker 10 (45:29):
Had a problem admitting, it but he Said michael's mid post,
game his ability to get to his spot and arise
his fade away and then to me the part that
he wouldn't say it was, better but the punts he
admired about his game was his will to. WIN i
think that's What lebron was kind of knocked for for many,
(45:49):
years just not having the quote unquote killer. INSTINCT i,
mean from the Time i've covered, Him i've seen him
make a handful of game winners in THE nba. Playoffs to,
me that's a guy who can deal with the. Pressure
saw him lead a three to one comeback against the
seventy three win team in The Golden State. Wars, again
impervious to, pressure and SO i don't know how accurate
(46:13):
those knocks for him were on him at any, point
but that is the reputation Of jordan that's in the
ether that he'll probably never. Overcome AND i love that
he spoke to me candidly about the fact that he's
four and six in the finals and that's viewed as
(46:33):
a knock on his. Career there are people who would
if he lost in the first, round lost in the second,
round didn't make the, playoffs they would not bring that
up as much as him getting to THE Nba finals and.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
Losing, well then you say.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
They don't do that To Jerry. West, JERRY i think
it was one to. Nine and your nickname is mister
clutch and near the, Logo and, Look jerry was one
of my favorite. Players but it feels like getting they
are ten times to play for ten. Titles you have
to give credit to. THAT i Know mike was, six and,
OH i Know montana was four and, oh but Damn
(47:10):
brady got. There even if you, Lose lebron got. THERE i,
mean you can't win it if you don't get. There
AND i always thought that that was a shame that
it was viewed as a. Negative, well he can't win
the big. One Jerry, west as great as he, was
only won one.
Speaker 10 (47:24):
Title AND i, mean, yeah you're a golf, guy, right
and he's becoming a golf. Lager like we look at
all the second place finishes for guys like you, Know
tiger And arnold and yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
That's jack had nineteen second place.
Speaker 10 (47:38):
Finishes, there you, go, right that's something that should be
celebrated the fact that you were playing On sunday with
something to play. For lebron's been playing In june with
something to play. FOR i don't think we'll see another
player that to, me is as important of any stat.
Speaker 4 (47:56):
That he was able to kind of accomplish at this.
Speaker 2 (48:00):
Time thanks for spending. Time we appreciate. It thanks for the, Insights,
dave you got it. Anytime dave McManaman
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
For my birthday a week from this Friday, Rectech is
giving away a grill. You can go to rectech dot
com search the Dan Patrick Show for details. We will
give that grill away. By the way, one of the
grills is fired up today because we're making pizza. We
got the pizza insert so I said to Dylan, how
about a pizza Wednesday? And he went out and got
(00:27):
some dough, some ingredients. So in between like commercial breaks,
he's out there whipping up some pizzas. So we have
hot honey, suprisoda. Is that salami? It's yeah, basically okay,
pepperoni and onion. It's salami's spicy brother pesto, rugula brasute
(00:49):
and sausage and rugott. How did I do?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
You kind of nailed that? Actually all right after the
initial soapersada hump, you got it killed, dreath.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I thought we were saying we were having hot honey
super salad, and I go, why are we having super salad?
And then you go, no, it's pronounced differently.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Although salad pizza well no, no Greek salad pizza no no,
and no pineapple on there no not No, I'm out
on that, but salad pizza.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, who has it better than we do?
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Nobody?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Alright, Trouble Sleeping introducing z Kliner, or you could listen
to the toodcast revolutionary recliner designed by Flexity.
Speaker 5 (01:35):
I'm just not going to comment on that.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
It's three minutes and twenty one seconds in. Dang, I
was gonna take the over.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
That was unprovoked. You just started up.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
I know, I know, Pistons handled the Cavaliers, Thunder over
the Lakers. This is I'll start with the Lakers and
the Thunder because you had Shay Gilgis, Alexander held under
twenty points, he had seven turnovers. Okay, now we have
a recipe for maybe we can steal one.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Here.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
You got okc's second best player, Jayalen Williams, who is
not playing, and maybe you get some magic here. Austin
Reeves didn't play well, Lebron played well. They still they
miss Luca. It's hard to threaten OKC without Luca out there.
And Lebron even lamented that that, hey, we got a
guy who scores thirty points who's not out there. Luke
(02:24):
Canard's a nice role player. They just don't have the
weapons and OKC is deep. They are really you know,
they got guys who are coming off the bench. Might
be the tenth or eleventh guy on their bench, they
might be the fifth or a sixth player for another team.
But they're very deep, and they showed it last night.
They kind of went through the motions. This is one
(02:45):
of those where SGA didn't play well, Lebron played well,
and you still lose by twenty. Like that's the scary
part of this. But do I think they can win
a game here? Yes? I do, maybe two. I don't
think they'll be swept, yes, Marph.
Speaker 6 (03:00):
The Thunder last night they kind of looked like the
Steph Curry Spurs Spurs Warriors in their prime, whereas like, man,
we're trying to hold them off as long as we can,
and what if we take the ball out of Steph
Curry's hands? But guess what, Klay Thompson goes off, Leandro
Barbosa goes off, Andrea Iguidala goes off.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
That's how deep this Thunder team is. You don't know.
Speaker 6 (03:17):
Jared McCain, who's the ninth or tenth guy, came off.
It hit four to three pointers for them, last night.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I know it's one of those where you go, wait,
who's this guy, who's that guy?
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Former sixer?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, then you're going, okay, I had that's where I
saw him. Yeah, okay, yeah, paul.
Speaker 7 (03:33):
There was a point in the third quarter where it
felt like the Lakers could cut it to four, and
there was a replay that went against them, and then
instantly was eleven and it felt like that was their
shot and they were in striking distance and it never
got closer.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Dylan, what's the poll question for the first hour of
the program.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
All right, we got a couple, Dan. This one's from Paulie.
Which underdog would you have advancing the Cavaliers, seventy six ers, Lakers,
or Timberwolves, all dogs in their respective series.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Well, I don't know why Minnesota doesn't get more love,
more verbal bouquets. They've been to the Western Conference Finals
back to back years. So it's not a fluke that
they're here, and it's not a fluke that they won
Game one against San Antonio. Because the Spurs have minimal
playoff experience. You got Rudy Gobert, you got Anthony Edwards,
(04:21):
Julius Randall. They do have experience here, and that's what's
kind of surprising. It's you would think San Antonio would
be the underdog even though they had a better record,
they had a better regular season, but the fact that
maybe it's just you say Timberwolves, and maybe that doesn't
strike fear, but they've gone to the Western Conference Finals
(04:44):
back to back years, so I would say them.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
You know, the.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Cleveland Detroit series, that could be a seven game series.
Although James Harden looked old last night. Now he is old,
but he looked old. And for some reason, they had
him bringing the ball up and uh Osar Thompson was
guarding him and who he was all over James Harden
(05:12):
And this what I don't understand. How about you let
somebody else bring the ball up because I don't want
James Harden expending all that energy just getting the ball
to have court at seven turnovers and he looked old.
And Detroit you know that that was a great all
around team performance. But Kate Cunningham, you know, he's kind
(05:35):
of the right handed version of Jalen Brunson. It feels
like like he's just coming after he's going to continue
to score. I mean, they're different players. But because Cunningham
was leading the NBA and assists before he got hurt.
Uh so, but to see him this is what I love.
You see great players be great at this time of
the year, because that's really we focus on that, uh
(06:00):
bottom line sports society. What did you do in the playoffs?
What'd you do? You know, winning a championship, not winning
a championship the year you won your MVP. Those are
the kind of things Anthony Edwards. We didn't know if
he was going to play or when he was going
to play. Off the bench eighteen points. You love seeing that,
Caid Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, what he did, Like, that's what
you want. You know, SGA will be great in this series.
(06:23):
But it was almost one of those where he thought, uh,
don't need to tonight. Yes, Marvin and in.
Speaker 6 (06:30):
The playoffs Check usually calls them the others. You got
those guys like Duncan Robinson, our boy from the Heat.
He had a big game last night. You're always going
to need that man he's still in the league, or
who is that guy that comes up big in the
playoff series.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
The Cavs tied the game, they came back from what
were they down eighteen or something, and so five minutes
to go, Caid Cunningham comes back in the game, delivers
three straight possessions with perfect passes for six points, and
you know they're they're starting to crumble a little bit.
And then he comes back in and they go on
(07:05):
cruise to the victory. All right, what other poll question
are you thinking about here? Dyl?
Speaker 3 (07:11):
This is from Todd Lebron. Blaming the loss on Luca's
absence and lack of scoring is a very understandable and
reasonable point or a bad sign dot dot dot excuses
already after game one.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Well, I think he's reminding everybody of you know, Lebron,
ten years ago, you know, would would be approaching this differently.
Now it's he's forty one and he can't do it alone.
And he's reminding people of, hey, if we have Luca,
(07:43):
then maybe we can make this a series. Reminding them
and maybe Luca is going to be able to play.
I mean, I mean he's telling factually, he's telling you
the truth. If they had Luca, they have a chance
to win this series. They just don't have him. Maybe
you get at him when they go back to Los Angeles.
Dave McManamon, who will join us later on. He'll have
(08:06):
an update on that. I'm sure, yes, Marvin.
Speaker 6 (08:08):
Wait, so the NBA scoring leader has an effect on
a series. That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
I didn't look at it as Lebron as needs an excuse.
I think he was just reminding people of we got
to the second round. We weren't supposed to beat Houston.
We got to the second round. I'm out here on
an island just reminding you we don't have Luca and
if we do get now, I know there's going to
be people who parts this and say, Michael Jordan never
(08:36):
would have made an excuse like that. Do you think
that happens in Lebron's life, no matter what happens, like
if he drops the mail when he's you know, bringing in,
you know, Jordan never would have dropped them in. Now
he's not good at Parallel park Well, Michael pretty good
part of Paler Parker. Yes, Paulin, I don't know if it's.
Speaker 7 (08:58):
Fair to say Lebron made up an excuse for the loss.
He was asked about the Lakers offensive struggles last night
and he said, well, the offensive struggles, we have a
guy whoever's thirty seven a game? Thirty five this year.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
What are you asking?
Speaker 7 (09:11):
Yeah, and he was making the point that it's obvious
what the struggles are. It's not like they didn't actually
play that bad offensively over the course of the game.
They just don't have their main guy.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yeah. Yeah, I didn't view it as an excuse, But
then I don't see Lebron through the lens that people
do who don't like him, or they're just waiting for
him to say something.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Yes, Dilney, I mean I think you can still call
it an excuse, but like a valid one. Is that fair?
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Well, then it becomes a fact. Is it's not an excuse,
is it? It's just, hey, that these are the fact
you're going against one of the best defensive teams in
the NBA.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
I mean, I've made a lot of excuses that were true,
at least to me.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Once again, I'm not gonna, you know, dive down into
semantics here of what Lebron is saying, how he's saying
it is an excuse.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
I think he just reminding people we don't have Luca,
not that they needed to be reminded, but I think
he's pointing out, hey, this is a great team defending
champs and we're holding on for dear life. And by
the way, we don't have the leading score.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Jordan would have won with that Luca he did he.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Never played with Luca.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
That's true argument over my choice.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Uh okay, I.
Speaker 7 (10:29):
Love our take on this topic.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Yeah, worst take.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
Boy.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Did you see where Austin Rivers fired back at Draymond Green.
After Draymond Green fired at Austin Rivers, we got to
see if Austin Rivers will ever join us again because
I don't want to get him in trouble again. But
I didn't have to say much when I talked about
what Draymond's comments were about how he was used by
Steve Kerr. But then Draymond makes it personal and Austin
(10:58):
Rivers was never making it personal. Like he even complimented
Draymond Green. But Austin River it's a four minute clip.
I appreciate Austin Rivers mentioning the Dan Patrick Show, so
I'd listened to the whole thing after I heard that,
I'm like, okay, he complimented, give us credit. Ben Stiller
did reach out, apparently on social media after some of
(11:22):
the Dan Nettes or our poll question. Some of the
audience called him out for not going to the next game,
and I said, I don't have any problem with it.
The only problem I have is when he's walking up
the steps and he's going to the photographers Nixon six.
Meanwhile his wife is having her handheld by somebody to
help her get up the steps. That was the only
problem I had. He'll be there tonight front Row. Yes, Dylan.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
My real issue with that was that it's really Nixon four,
non Nixon six.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Oh okay, according to Rob in the back, okay, I
was going to say Nixon three the way they played,
if they could, they would Yeah, yeah, Paul.
Speaker 7 (11:58):
So the guys in back tweeted out the segment it's
about Ben Stiller and the met Gala, And minutes after
we tweeted it out, he responded saying, bring it. I
know who I am. Like he's not afraid of the
criticism anyway.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
But I think there's a commercial with Jalen Brunson, who
who says I know who I am. And I don't
know if Ben Stiller was quoting Jalen Brunson, but I
saw that yesterday and I heard, you know, when Brunson
said I know who I am. And then that match
with ben Stiller had to say, but I'm sure ben
Stiller will be. Now, how do the Knick fans treat
(12:33):
him tonight like they do? They boo that he shows
up and didn't show up for Game one? Yes, Mart, No, I.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Think they treat him the same.
Speaker 6 (12:44):
I think they show him more support because also a
lot of those people they're all New Yorkers and the
Met gala is a part of the fabric of New
York life.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Anyway, Oh, I say what, you didn't use fabric myself? Bloop? Yes, Dylan.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
If they lose Game two, though, are they gonna be
like go back to the metal?
Speaker 4 (13:01):
Ben?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Come on, Should the Mets have a Mets gala? No
where everybody shows up very you know, fashion friendly. A
Mets gala.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Or wearing garbage bags would be wow.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Okay, No, I told you you know what's going to happen.
The Mets second half of the season are going to
be crazy great, and then they're going to raise your
hopes and then it'll be a crashing fall.
Speaker 7 (13:31):
Yes, Paul ben Stiller was ahead of this. Right after
the Knicks one the other night. He tweeted out, I
guess I have to go to the Met ball again.
On Wednesday. Okay, don't mess with a streak.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Okay, he gets it showing a sense of humor there,
funny guy. But we did invite him on. But did
we get a response. We did not get a response.
We used to in the past when we've invited him on.
But he did respond and then liked some of our
social media things yesterday.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
Yes deal, would you go to the mac Alladan if
invited one time just to kind of see what it's
all about.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, yeah, but I would not know you know, what
to wear, how to dress when you go to that,
I'll help you. Well, guys can get by with not
crazy things. It's the women who have crazy outfits there.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah, it's they all I learned yesterday in my mcaller research.
They all all that people attending and outfits have to
be pre approved by Anna Windtor so she gets like
the final look, which is actually makes it even crazy when
you see some of the outfits where she's like, yeah,
that's good.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
But you're not allowed to have garlic or onions in
any of the dishes to prevent bad breath.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
That's good for you.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
No brushetta because it's messy. No parsley or chibes because
they get stuck in your teeth. Spouses are seated at
different tables from one another, phones are banned, and you
can greet a win tour for a maximum of twenty seconds. Yes,
(15:05):
what is that all about? It?
Speaker 7 (15:07):
That harkens back to like certain celebrities a host when
you're going there show, you can't look them right in
the eye or don't engage them if you see them
in the hall or in the elevator.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
I just we're all human beings.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
I hate when I hear those stories.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Thank you, Todd, welcome.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
Yes, well, I actually like the twenty second rules. Quick
small talk? How are you good to see you? What
are you wearing?
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I ice to meet you.
Speaker 5 (15:24):
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan
Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Hey is Covino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio Now.
Speaker 8 (15:38):
In addition to hearing us live weekdays from five to
seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,
We're excited to announce a brand new YouTube channel for
the show.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Yup, that's right.
Speaker 8 (15:48):
You can now watch Covino and Rich live on YouTube
every day.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
All you gotta do.
Speaker 8 (15:52):
Search Covino and rich FSR on YouTube again, go to
YouTube search Covino and rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube, Subscribe,
hit that thumbs up icon, comment away.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
He's Tim Legler ESPN NBA analyst. He'll be on the
call tonight. It's game two Sixers and the Knicks at
the Garden tip off seven Eastern on the mother Ship.
How you feeling deep?
Speaker 5 (16:18):
What's up? How are you man? Good to be with you?
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Everything's good? How should Nick fans be feeling after Game one.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
Right now?
Speaker 9 (16:26):
Not just because of Game one, but because of the
way they closed out the Atlanta series. Nobody in the
league is playing better than the Knicks. Of all the
teams left in the playoffs, this is the team right
now that is the most dominant on both ends of
the floor. So they should be feeling very, very confident. Look,
Philadelphia is probably gonna give them their best punch tonight.
I expected the Knicks to win that game rather handily,
(16:47):
just because you know, Philly went seven with Boston. They
that's their you know, their nemesis that continually knocks them
out of the playoffs. They overcame a three to one deficit.
You turn around forty eight hours later less than that,
and you're playing the Knicks in the garden who've been
sitting there waiting on you. So I kind of figured
that I didn't think it'd be as bad as it was.
I think now you find out what kind of series
(17:09):
this is going to be. Tonight, Philadelphi's gonna punch back.
But as I said, the Knicks are in the best
offensive rhythm they've been in all season, and they are
now combining that with a very physical, energized defense. And
this is what it looks like when you get a
team playing their absolute best basketball.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
But what changed? They were down two to one to
the Hawks and then what clicked? What was different from
then on to where we are now.
Speaker 9 (17:37):
For me, the biggest change was mid series, and Mike
Brown's alluded to.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
This, they had to unlock their offense.
Speaker 9 (17:45):
And to me, when their offense was unlocked, it that's
what's kind of energized their defense.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
And how do they unlock their offense?
Speaker 9 (17:51):
They sort of changed the way they were utilizing Karl
Anthony Towns and where he was catching the ball and
including him as more of a guy that they could
go to early in the offense and he could use
his passing a little bit more. And it wasn't just
the assist numbers, like it's easy to say that if
a guy gets more assisted, oh you know, they ran
the ball through him a little bit more. No, Like,
if you watch them, it was obvious they're like, hey, listen,
(18:14):
Carl Anthony Towns likes to catch the ball at the
top of the key and the elbows anyway, and he's
being guarded by a smaller guy in a congu who's
an undersized center. So Carl Anthony Towns has all these
passing windows available to him and if that's where he
wants the ball, and he's gonna feel more included and
we're not gonna worry about it shot attempts because it
wasn't like he was shooting more as his scoring numbers
weren't up. It was his inclusion and utilizing him from
(18:37):
that spot to start to like really.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
Run their offense and pick them apart.
Speaker 9 (18:42):
And it unlocked things for Ojananobi and Michale Bridges and
that's how they finished off that series. And then their
defense just was was, I said, more up on their
toes because things were going better on the other end,
and it's led to this.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
I give Mike Brown credit.
Speaker 9 (18:56):
Some guys are so married to how they want to
coach offensively, where guys should be, they know what's best
all the time.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
It takes, you know, a guy that's.
Speaker 9 (19:05):
Willing to really look at his team mid series and say,
you know what, we need to adjust something. Here they
did it. It unlocked everything and here we go. Man
four straight games and particularly these last two. You know,
it's it's almost perfect basketball that they're playing right now,
and it's going to see what Philadelphia could do.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
To disrupt it.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
When it comes to a home court advantage, you know
the Garden used to rock. It's still rocking now. But
you know we would single out Boston Garden, Madison Square Garden.
But what makes a true home court advantage? How does
that affect you as a player a visiting player.
Speaker 9 (19:42):
I think a big part of it is Number one,
you know, they're just they're ready at the tip and
most of most of the arenas you're talking about now,
and then you know teams that they are good teams
that were the fan base things.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
They really have a shot.
Speaker 9 (19:54):
That's typically the case in the playoffs, but it is
the lack of the peaks and valleys throughout the game,
you know what I mean, And that's staying with your
team when there is a ten to two run the
other way, and and staying in it understanding like just
the pulse of the game, and when they need a
little more from you as a crowd. For me, I know,
watching a game on television if you're not in the building,
(20:17):
I don't think there's any arena that pops off like
the Garden.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
When the Knicks are good and the Garden is.
Speaker 9 (20:22):
Rocking like nothing else quite looks like that visually and
in your city courts. I look, there are other great
environments in this league, Okay, see is incredible right now,
even Detroit like the environment that they have right now
going on. It's so loud, so thunderous. So there are
other arenas that you know, can match what the Knicks
crowd is bringing to the table. But I think right
(20:45):
now this fan base senses the path is there. It's
been laid like this is their year to get back
to the finals.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
And last year, last year, the path was there too.
They got rid of the Celtic's tasting tae them gets
hurt and all they had to do is get past
the Pacers, and everybody thought foregone conclusion. That's why if
I'm a Knicks fan, I'm like, okay, easy, one game,
this is probably going six or seven. You know, we've
got to slug it out here. You know, we're not
(21:14):
gonna win this in three. So I think having a
sense of reality would help.
Speaker 5 (21:21):
Yeah, well, I think that.
Speaker 9 (21:23):
Listen, Northeast Corridor cities New York, Philly, Boston similar in
this in this regard, right, So when when their teams
playing well like the Knicks are right now, it's like,
there's no way we can anybody can stop us. And
if they lose a couple of games in a row,
like they did in the Atlanta series, it's like, oh my,
here we go, and you're talking about off season personnel
changes already you're down two to one in a series.
Speaker 5 (21:44):
That's just kind of how those cities work.
Speaker 9 (21:46):
It's why, that's why there's just such great passionate you know,
fan base. It's not always the easiest places to play
as as an athlete, but when when things are going well,
there's nothing quite like it, like that support that you're
going to get. And I just think the way that
everybody's sort of looking at the landscape in the East.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
The Celtics are no longer there.
Speaker 9 (22:05):
You didn't have to deal with the Pacers, who were
in the finals last year because of the injury to
Halli Burton, you know, Tatum even missing most of the
year changed the Celtics regular season and they weren't able
to get it done at the end. You've got a
Detroit Pistons team that's a sixty win team and elite
defensive team. But I think, you know, the New York
Knicks feel like, hey, you know, we took care of
(22:26):
them a year ago. Now I know the Pistons beat
them up this year in a regular season, So that'll
be an interesting matchup if we get there. A lot
of basketball to be played. But right now, I'm telling you,
the Knicks are so confident. Everybody in their starting lineup
is playing well. They're getting great contributions X factor type
stuff from their bench. Seems like Mike Brown's pushing all
the right buttons right now. It's just this incredible momentum
(22:47):
surge for the New York Knicks right now, and somebody's
got to try to slow this down. Philadelphia's got to
try to make something happen to.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Night seventy six ers knicks at the garden on the
Mothership at seven Eastern watching the Lakers land. There's only
so much Lebron can do. The fact he's doing as
much as he's doing at his age is remarkable. And
then I know people are probably going to look at
his comment where it sounded like an excuse when he says, well,
(23:14):
we don't have Lucas. It's a fact and he was
asked about it, so it's not like he said, oh,
we lost Hey, keep in mind, I don't have Luca
out there. We're gonna probably turn it. So you know,
it's against it's anti Lebron because he's making excuses there.
What do you expect out of this series?
Speaker 5 (23:37):
I mean, look, he's listen.
Speaker 9 (23:38):
You can't deny the fact that you're talking about the
best defensive team in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (23:42):
And then you know, it's an argument that San Antonio
is right there. Detroit is a great defense.
Speaker 9 (23:46):
So but to me, Oklahoma City is the best defense
in the league because the number of guys that they
have on the perimeter with elite lateral speed, strength. They've
just got more of those guys than anybody and they've
also got chet Holmgrin back there as well. It's so
difficult to operate your offense against them because it's so
difficult to crack the outer shell and beat your guy,
(24:07):
whether it's picking roll or one on one and get
by them.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
Because they're so good defensively.
Speaker 9 (24:11):
So to take a guy like Luka Doncic that's that big,
that strong, that good offensively, the best probably in the
league at being able to collapse defenses and take.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
Him out of the series. It's not an excuse. It
is a reason. This is one of the best offensive
players in the game.
Speaker 9 (24:28):
And now you don't have him, you don't have an
in rhythm Austin Reeves, you know, so you know, credit
to him. He made it back. He's not close to
being at peak form. Austin Reeves is a major difference maker.
He's got a handle, he's got strength, he draws fouls.
He's really important in this series if the Lakers want
to have a chance. Austin Reeves really struggled last night
because he's only played a couple of games since he
(24:49):
came back from a very long layoff. It's a lot
to ask to be thrust into this environment and expect
him to be at his best. So, yeah, I was
watching the AAOS thing and you kind of did you
kind of empathize with Lebron.
Speaker 5 (25:00):
I mean, Lebron couldn't played much better than he did.
Speaker 9 (25:02):
If you take him and Ruey Hatcha Mura take their
shooting percentages out of the mix, the rest of their
team shot twenty nine percent. You just can't get it done.
You've got to make your share of threes. You cannot
turn the ball over the way they did against that team,
and they just didn't play a clean enough game. The
bad news for the Lakers actually is I thought Oklahoma
City was like a seven out of their ten.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Yeah, that's about what I would rate them. There's a
lot more there for them.
Speaker 9 (25:24):
It was almost like they could have been had last
night if Austin Reeves was like more capable to give
them a big night, and they weren't able to do it.
Oklahoma City, I think it's just going to get stronger
as the series goes on. Without Luka Doncic. I think
this is gonna be very difficult for the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
What is like to play against somebody who's seven to six, Well,
I never.
Speaker 5 (25:46):
Yeah, I guess did I play against seven six?
Speaker 9 (25:47):
Yeah, I guess Sean Bradley, I played with a seven
to seven. And I can tell you this, like neither
one of those guys looked like what Vicker Webberyama looks.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Like if you play those guys Arizona.
Speaker 5 (26:01):
Right, George meressoons seven to seven.
Speaker 9 (26:03):
And I remember the first time I had laid eyes
on Jerry Marasion when I joined the team, and it
was at Bouey State University where we were running like
pickup games before the season. And I actually this is
a true story. I was over getting like gatorade like
out of the cooler, the old style coolers, you know,
I used to press the little button where we were
getting gatorade, and and and I'm telling you, a massive
shadow approached me from from behind and it kind of
(26:26):
blocked out everything in front of me. And I turned
around and your your eyes were like basically in his
like solar plexus, like that's what you're looking at, and
you kind of just look up at this guy and
it's it's it's really jolting because you know, obviously tall
sc guy ever played in the league, but you know
he wasn't out in the perimeter jumping out on a
switch and like staying with a guard and then tracking
(26:48):
them all the.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
Way to the rim.
Speaker 9 (26:50):
If you brought the action right to George at the rim,
you were gonna have a problem scoring. But if you
gonna ask him to move around laterally a little bit,
there's a good chance he was gonna get off balance
and not get there in time. That's not the case here.
The league's never seen anything like this defensively. The length
we've seen, We've never seen the length combined with this
level of athleticism and agility. It's just it's just and
(27:10):
so for me, I've seen it. Sack Qurtz, I have
called games with women Yama. I don't know what that
would feel like to try to drive to the rim
on a half court defense with Wemban Yama's anywhere on
the floor. It's just a totally different approach mentally to
what you think you can do well.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
And I saw Anthony Edwards take a jumper over Wemban
Yama and I was like, oh my god, Like, you know,
Joker had a fade away shot over Wemby, But you know,
you're seeing Edwards, who's what six', three going up against
a guy who you know is seven to four and with,
that you know the you know what.
Speaker 9 (27:45):
Was amazing about that, Shot dan was you know that
play you're talking. About he iowed him and one on
one and he sort of tried to get him to back,
up but he backed up a little. Bit but it
wasn't like Women yama fell all the way back to the.
Paint he only backed up a little. Bit so when
he went up to contest that, shot telling you right,
now there's no Way Anthony edwards saw the basket because
Of Whemen yama has. Reached there's no way you can
(28:05):
stay with your shot all the way to see the
rim with that. Length so and he didn't hit anything
but net that. WAY i thought the same thing you.
DID i don't know how that shot went in because
there's no way his vision was. Clear good to talk to, You.
Legs we'll be listening. Tonight thank, You. Bud you got.
Speaker 8 (28:22):
It.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Damn That's Tim LEGLER ESPN nba analyst who said that
he could beat me in a three point shooting contest left,
handed many many years, ago and he was serious about.
It it's probably still serious about, it is that Right?
Legs you you said you were very serious that that.
AFTERNOON i, WAS i.
Speaker 9 (28:41):
WAS i was incredibly, serious particularly at that time in my.
LIFE i don't quite shoot as much AS i used,
to but i'd still Be, okay.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Could you Beat Greg anthony left? Handed Uh, no that's
AN nba.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
PLAYER i. CAN'T i.
Speaker 9 (28:55):
Can't you can't be disrespectful to a former colleague IN.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Nba will come, ON i could shoot that Than Greg anthony.
Speaker 5 (29:01):
Could, NO i can't go with him up with Ga, no.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Yeah, no we even. Laughed he was taking the little
Like Avery johnson eighteen. Footers you, know, yeah you, HEY i,
KNOW i know.
Speaker 9 (29:15):
THIS i used to shoot all the time BECAUSE i
was coaching AND i was in a gym with my you,
know my, guys my, son MY aau team THAT i
coached for years on the under armored. Circuit SO i.
WAS i was at a gym like two three times a.
WEEK i was getting up still a couple hundred jumpers.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
All the way till about what ten years, AGO i
THINK i.
Speaker 9 (29:32):
Stopped it's harder, now, man it's harder, now AND i
STILL i still get myself ready for my basketball camp
every summer SO i can SO i can wow the,
kids like that's my. Goal to not walk in there
as a guy that was a high level shooter and
told up a bunch of bricks for your shooting. Demonstration
that wouldn't go very well with my my. Camp SO
i get myself ready for that. Week other than, that,
(29:53):
MAN i don't spend a lot of time shooting.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Anymore Reggie miller can still, shoot, Man.
Speaker 5 (29:58):
Oh, yeah, Yeah i'm. Sure i'm.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Sure there's No and he's sixty like he's he.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
Has they gained one pounds. LATE i don't know how
he pulled that off. EITHER i don't know how that's.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Possible thank, You legs all, Right Dan.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Jennlegler Fox Sports radio has the best sports talk lineup
in the. Nation catch all of our shows At Foxsports
radio dot com and within The iHeartRadio. App SEARCH fsr
to listen. Live dave mcmanhamon was. There he witnessed the.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Kind OF i don't, know average game for ok, see
if you think about, it it just felt like this
was more of a, yeah all, right we got a game,
tonight nothing. SPECIAL sga didn't have a great game And
lebron showed. Up but anything that you didn't expect happened last.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
NIGHT i think The.
Speaker 10 (30:46):
Lakers if you told them you'd HOLD sga to eighteen
points with seven, turnovers you'd like to think that's a
pretty ideal circumstance.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
To steal one on the.
Speaker 10 (30:57):
Road but when you shoot ten for thirty off as a,
team And Austin reeve goes three through, sixteen and really
after two and a half, quarters The thunder look like
the team that beat the doors off you in the regular.
SEASON i don't. KNOW i, mean they're going to have
to find a way to turn the page and not
have this seep into what happens On.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Thursday i'm trying to figure this, out and you'll follow
it closer THAN i. Will but Did boston have a
different game plan when they're making their? Threes do The
celtics or The lakers have a different game plan when you're?
Not there's nice when you're just not going to make,
Shots but these teams keep shooting these. Shots AND i
just wonder how much adjustment happens in THE nba during
(31:42):
games when this.
Speaker 10 (31:43):
Happens it's a great, question and certainly anyone who watched
That Philly boston, GAME i, think had that thought come to.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
Mind i'll GIVE Jj reddick.
Speaker 10 (31:53):
CREDIT i don't think he's someone who just tries to
pound his head into the wall doing the same. Thing
he is someone who's shown whether it be with the,
rotations whether it be his defense that's gotten better this
year by throwing in some, zone by throwing in some
two men on the ball, action.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
And obviously the offensive.
Speaker 10 (32:11):
Sets but at the end of the, day if your
goal is to get into the paint and collapse the
defense and spread out to an open, shooter you are
a professional basketball player getting that. Shot and you, KNOW i,
understand you, know at some point you got to change,
things but you kind of trust the shots that you're
(32:32):
generating in that. Sense and The lakers from The All
Star break onward or a top ten three point shooting,
team and so you, know obviously the one guy missing
from that equation throughout these playoffs has Been, lukadacis who
is their most lethal three point.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Shooter AND i know it's going to be spun in
a different, way But lebron was asked, about you, know
you're not, scoring and he reminded the media, that, hey
we don't Have luca, here it's probably going to be
spun where he's making, excuses which isn't fair to. Him
he didn't, say, hey we, lost but keep in, MIND
i don't have any help out. Here so how did
(33:10):
you take that answer From? Lebron, yeah and you're totally.
Right you've been around it for.
Speaker 10 (33:16):
Forever you know that there'll be some who try to
turn it into him complaining or, saying well it was.
Speaker 4 (33:22):
Me to, me it was just addressing.
Speaker 10 (33:24):
The obvious elephant in the room that, HEY i know
it looked bad, tonight but we are playing the defending
champs and we have the leading scorer in THE nba
this season In Street Close, Still so if you're going
to honestly assess what you, saw if you don't take
those two pieces of context into, consideration then you're being
(33:48):
a little disingenuous about your expectations for what the series could.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Be what's the time? Frame any update On?
Speaker 10 (33:54):
Luca no, Update And i'm just QUOTING Jj reddick by
sharing that with. You he has been on the court light, form,
shooting not. Much movement hasn't progressed to one on, one
hasn't even run to my. Knowledge but the thing about
that is these things can change rather quickly once a
(34:18):
hurdle is. Cleared he's about thirty five days since he
suffered the, injury so we're talking about five.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Weeks these things can take as many as six to eight.
Speaker 10 (34:29):
Weeks Sean serania reported the other day that sources told
him he's being evaluated on a week to weeks, basis
which would Mean game two's out of the. Picture but
you could still theoretically have a shred of hope for
games three and four back In Los, angeles but that
remains to be.
Speaker 2 (34:47):
Seen talking To dave McManamon covers THE nba for The
Mother's ship is okayse.
Speaker 10 (34:52):
BEATABLE i, mean if you watched last year's, playoffs you
Saw denver pick them to, seven you Saw indiana take
them to, Seven so certainly they. Are and right now
When Jennen williams is out of the, lineup you would
say that that's by their second or third best, player
so they're more vulnerable.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
Now but then you watch the.
Speaker 10 (35:13):
Game last night and you see guys LIKE Aj, mitchell
you see the Other Jalen, williams you See jared McCain
come in and make. Plays you see the bench outscore
The lakers bench thirty four to, fifteen and you're, like,
man if they can do this on a night Where
shay literally has his worst scoring game in two.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Years they do seem like in a class of their
own right.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Now you hear athletes at the end of their careers, say,
WELL i don't want to go out like, this but
you can't decide what's going to happen By, OH i
don't want to go out this. Way i'll come back next.
Year there's no guarantee next year is better than this.
Year but is there a scenario you see For lebron
where this is how he wants to go out or
(36:01):
this is how he will go.
Speaker 10 (36:02):
Out there was a time this year WHERE i really
believed it was this last, season and it was Early,
december after he had made his, comeback and he's doing
things like scoring twelve points on the road in the
fourth quarter Against philadelphia seventy six ers and afterwards waxing
poetic about how much it meant to him to soak
(36:23):
in the road crowd because that's a place he's always.
Appreciated that kind of narrative coming from him changed around
The All star, break AND i would be pretty shocked
at this point if this was his last. Season his
game is still, elite not what it was in his,
(36:45):
prime but it's still all star. Caliber he has found
a way to play winning basketball with this team that
went sixteen to two with him taking a kind of
a supporting role Through march in Early, april and if
they make some adjustments to this, roster they should be right,
there up with the top echelon of The Western. Conference
(37:08):
so to, me it doesn't make sense because he still
loves the game for him to walk away from the,
game and quite, frankly it doesn't really make sense for
him to look for another team to play. FOR i
think The lakers offer him pretty much everything he'd want
at this stage of his.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Career does he ever talk and this is probably not
the way to phrase, it but just patting his stats
like he may not win another, title but the longevity
that he's, showing like he's doing something that nobody has
done at this. LEVEL i don't know how important those things.
Are if you say you're not going to win another
(37:44):
title in the next two, years but you're still going
to be able to play and. Contribute how much does
he care about the final numbers of his career.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
In the STAT i.
Speaker 10 (37:56):
Can tell you that he cares about is he has
two assists To Bronnie james as far in his, career
he wants to add to, that and he's had one
assistants received From Bronnie.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
James like that's certainly accounting stat that he.
Speaker 10 (38:10):
Wants but it's about doing all the things he does
to keep his body and mind sharp to still be
doing the same thing he's been doing all these years
later with the context of. Winning if there was not
a chance to, CONTEND i really believe he would walk.
(38:31):
Away he doesn't need, it but so long as that
sliver of a window is, Open and, Truly i've been
told by people within the organization when they were putting
together that run in the second half of the, season
he really. Believed he bought in on. Everything you saw
the best version of Lebron. James if he can stay
in that, mode why would you walk? Away because that's
(38:54):
the type of stuff that's going to gnaw at you
and eat at you when you're only have golf as
you're out for years to, come and you'll think back
that you, know, THERE i almost squeezed everything out of,
that but there was a little bit more.
Speaker 4 (39:07):
Juice left to be.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Squeezed explain to the audience that you had an opportunity
to Ask lebron twenty three, questions questions you've never asked him.
Speaker 10 (39:18):
Before, Yeah so the idea was and AS i was
talking to you briefly, BEFORE i thought this was going
to be the last, year it was kind of feeling
that way and kind of the same. DEAL i wanted
to squeeze all the juice out of it as, well
and SO i approached him after his season debut In,
utah after he missed the first fourteen games With. SATIKA
(39:38):
i was, Like i've been kind of thrown around this
idea in my. HEAD i just loved to kind of
empty the notebook of the stuff that EITHER i didn't
ask you because it was kind of a one off throwaway,
question like why does he wear the same quarters that
every game that The nike he came out with in
twenty twenty one and he doesn't wear the new warm.
(39:59):
UPS i just always wanted to ask him that to
like way more basketball, centric like what haves and and
antagonators antagonistic players Like Lance stevenson And Dylan brooks.
Speaker 4 (40:18):
Meant to your.
Speaker 10 (40:19):
Career he, said let's try, it and so over the
course of the season it would be mostly always a
post game, window more often on the road because we're
not trying to get home to our, families and you,
know you can linger a little bit longer in the locker.
Room and, yeah it's just kind of peppered him with these.
Questions then to his, credit he played ball like there
(40:41):
wasn't one of them that he, said, No i'm not
going to answer, That and for the most, PART i
think there was some insightful.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Answers what surprised you the, MOST.
Speaker 10 (40:55):
I think that WHEN i asked him about guys THAT
i know he Respects, Carmelo, Anthony Dwayne, Wade Richard, jefferson
Guys tracy, McGrady his peers in the, game several of
his teammates and that have gone on to broadcasting. Careers
WHEN i was asking, him does he look to them
(41:16):
as an example of how you fill your time in,
Retirement he's.
Speaker 2 (41:21):
Like F, No.
Speaker 4 (41:24):
He's, like it's not because there's anything.
Speaker 10 (41:26):
To do with them or, broadcasting JUST i just don't
look at my life that, Way LIKE i have my own,
journey AND i just found LIKE i think IF i
was in his, SHOES i would probably look to my
friends and my peers as they DID xx and, Next
And i'm going to try to DO xx AND x
as a way to kind of have what we all
(41:47):
know to be a really awkward and difficult time of your.
Life you, know athletes suffer, too deaths when they retire
and when they. Expire that would be SOMETHING i would
do to try to like maybe have a little bit
of a head start on. It and he flatly rejected
that he puts his mind through what they're going through at.
Speaker 4 (42:08):
ALL i thought that was pretty.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Revealing when do you think not everybody turned on, him
but when do you think there was THIS i don't
know if it was fatigue that people had with him social.
Media mike didn't go through social. Media so it just felt,
like was there a time where this went from a
feel good, story local kid without a, Dad, leeds you,
(42:33):
know goes with The, cavaliers does everything they possibly, can
and THEN i didn't know if it was when he
went To miami that all of a sudden it's, like, oh,
Okay michael never did. This you had to go you
want to wear twenty? Three you want to Be Michael
jordan has lebron ever or did you talk to him
about being the villain or how did he become a.
Speaker 10 (42:55):
VILLAIN i actually didn't talk to him about that BECAUSE
i feel like that's some that he kind of had
exercise those demons in His miami, tenure AND i didn't
start covering him day to day until twenty fourteen when
he Left miami go To. CLEVELAND i could tell you
from speaking to people within his kind of, orbit HIS
(43:18):
q score plummeted from the, decision and that was something.
Speaker 4 (43:24):
That was the reason why he hired a.
Speaker 10 (43:28):
Political strategist to be his publicist for many years and
tried to find a way to dig out from under
that just, nastiness and he became the poster child of
modern sports and you, know not enough athlete loyalty towards
the markets they play. For mind, you on the other,
(43:48):
SIDE i think if you walk away from his career
and take the thirty thousand foot, view the best part
of his athlete empowerment that he has been the kind
OF i guess the main advocate for is that these
organizations aren't going to care about. You you, Know Blake
(44:09):
griffin's going to go through a major free agency presentation
where they have him up on posters next to dignitaries
OF us history for The clippers and the next thing he,
knows he's traded to The Detroit. Pistons and so if
that's going to happen to, you while you wield the,
power you'd be the one kind of deciding that your own.
(44:31):
Future AND i think that is incredible AND i think
all power to.
Speaker 4 (44:37):
Him where we've seen some.
Speaker 10 (44:40):
Of the backlash that have led from that is too
many players who want to follow that first part of
that playbook but then not have the accountability on the back.
END i, Mean Lebron, james every franchise he's ever played,
for he's won a. Championship Four he's the only guy
IN nba history to do, that to win a championship
and at FINALS mvp on three differ.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
Franchises do you think deep?
Speaker 2 (45:02):
Down maybe not deep Down lebron thinks he's better Than Michael.
Speaker 4 (45:05):
Jordan so that was an interesting conversation we.
Speaker 10 (45:08):
Had AND i didn't want to talk about like goat
because that there's no way to really determine. It BUT
i wouldn't ask what parts of your game is better
than his game and what parts of his game are.
Speaker 4 (45:21):
Better than your? Game and he admitted to, me OR
i GUESS i don't. KNOW i don't know if he's
trying to.
Speaker 10 (45:29):
Had a problem admitting, it but he Said michael's mid post,
game his ability to get to his spot and arise
his fade away and then to me the part that
he wouldn't say it was, better but the punts he
admired about his game was his will to. WIN i
think that's What lebron was kind of knocked for for many,
(45:49):
years just not having the quote unquote killer. INSTINCT i,
mean from the Time i've covered, Him i've seen him
make a handful of game winners in THE nba. Playoffs to,
me that's a guy who can deal with the. Pressure
saw him lead a three to one comeback against the
seventy three win team in The Golden State. Wars, again
impervious to, pressure and SO i don't know how accurate
(46:13):
those knocks for him were on him at any, point
but that is the reputation Of jordan that's in the
ether that he'll probably never. Overcome AND i love that
he spoke to me candidly about the fact that he's
four and six in the finals and that's viewed as
(46:33):
a knock on his. Career there are people who would
if he lost in the first, round lost in the second,
round didn't make the, playoffs they would not bring that
up as much as him getting to THE Nba finals and.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
Losing, well then you say.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
They don't do that To Jerry. West, JERRY i think
it was one to. Nine and your nickname is mister
clutch and near the, Logo and, Look jerry was one
of my favorite. Players but it feels like getting they
are ten times to play for ten. Titles you have
to give credit to. THAT i Know mike was, six and,
OH i Know montana was four and, oh but Damn
(47:10):
brady got. There even if you, Lose lebron got. THERE i,
mean you can't win it if you don't get. There
AND i always thought that that was a shame that
it was viewed as a. Negative, well he can't win
the big. One Jerry, west as great as he, was
only won one.
Speaker 10 (47:24):
Title AND i, mean, yeah you're a golf, guy, right
and he's becoming a golf. Lager like we look at
all the second place finishes for guys like you, Know
tiger And arnold and yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
That's jack had nineteen second place.
Speaker 10 (47:38):
Finishes, there you, go, right that's something that should be
celebrated the fact that you were playing On sunday with
something to play. For lebron's been playing In june with
something to play. FOR i don't think we'll see another
player that to, me is as important of any stat.
Speaker 4 (47:56):
That he was able to kind of accomplish at this.
Speaker 2 (48:00):
Time thanks for spending. Time we appreciate. It thanks for the, Insights,
dave you got it. Anytime dave McManaman
Hosts And Creators
Todd "Fritzy" Fritz
Dan Patrick
Patrick "Seton" O'Connor
Paul Pabst
Marvin Prince
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