April 5, 2023 • 39 mins
Chris and Rob debate whether or not Joel Embiid sewed up the NBA MVP award with his 52-point performance on Tuesday night and tell us if the NBA's new 65-game minimum to earn postseason awards will be enough to curb the load management epidemic. Plus, actor Emmanuel Lewis swings by our Celebrity Corner to tell us why he thinks the Golden State Warriors will win the next two NBA championship, why he thinks Michael Jordan is the GOAT and much more!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching fs R.
(00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Russ and Rod Harker. Interesting update on the Lakers.
We know that Lebron and Anthony Davis our game time
decisions tonight in their game against the Clippers, but coach
(00:42):
Darvin Ham had an interesting statement before the game. I'm
gonna let Rob g phill Us in. Yeah. According to
Fox Sports Radio NBA Insider, a friend of the show,
Mark Medina, who's there to cover tonight's game between the Clippers,
say nobody's playing. Oh I'm sorry no. So this is
what Darvin had said about Lebron James and Anthony Davis. Specifically,
(01:03):
he said that both players have the power to dictate
whether they play or not, before adding that it's quote
a group decision among medical and coaching staff that determines
whether or not they play. What does that mean. I
think it means he wants they don't want to play.
We don't think you guys should play, just you might
(01:23):
you need to rest. They're not robbed. The medical staff's
not gonna say you can play if you're in danger, right,
They're not gonna say that. So even if they say, well, look,
we gotta think you gottas to rest or a D.
You haven't played the back to back. We think we
should stick with that. They can say no, we want
to go. This game is important to us. I think
(01:46):
he put it on Lebron in a D. That's what
it sounds like like. But they can play if they
really want to. But it's telling them that they shouldn't play,
and if they really want to play and going out
there and play, well, they should play. I'm about to
just mind ball because Chris, we already know players have
that power. You can't tell LEBRONI can't play. You can't.
(02:08):
I don't care what This is not good for the organization.
And no, if Lebron says I'm playing tonight, are they
gonna stop them? If Steph wants to play, they're gonna stop. No,
they won't. They won't and they can so why not play? Right?
So I don't know that that's a weird statement because again,
robbed though, the doctors aren't gonna say you can play
(02:32):
if they really think you're in danger. They're not unless
they tell Anthony Davis that they cleared them for that game,
which was a travesty, that that was what game? Last? Yeah,
last one he played was that? Yeah, I do think that.
Remember that Phoenix? Yeah? Yeah, remember the Phoenix. I'm sorry, Yeah,
(02:53):
but they cleared them, you remember that, and we were
like cleared them? Yeah, I mean we could talk about
Kevin Durant. I mean that was we we I mean,
come on, we have no medical background and we were like,
come on, why are you playing Durant? Anybody can see
he shouldn't play. So I maybe I'm staying corrected, but
I still with all they have on the line, rob
(03:14):
I just think that I mean, I don't know. I
guess said it seems like it's their decision. That's that's
what I take. So what do you think? What do
you get from what he said? Are they playing Chris
tonight or no? I think it's their decision. Um, I
think they didn't they d say, Rob G what a
(03:36):
week or two ago that I'm not sitting down anymore
back to backs or something like that. No, he didn't say.
It was reported by A. Shan Shirani of The Athletic
that Anthony Davis was going to play the last back
to back, that he was playing it there you go.
I mean I didn't see him get hurt. I didn't
see him tweak anything. I saw him play forty two minutes. Uh,
(04:00):
he should be playing. I I don't know, right, I don't.
I just feel like they don't. They should be taking
this game really importantly. I'm not sure they are. But
why is it because of that not wanting to get
in the fifth spot? Is that is this? Possibly? Can?
(04:20):
Can they really be thinking on those terms, Chris? It
just seems inconceivable that that would be your motivation, you know, like, oh,
we don't want to get into five, so let's just
we'll just we'll lose this one and then right if
they were, I don't think it means they're scared of
the Suns. I don't think they're scared of anybody. I
(04:41):
do think it means we know, that's a heck of
a matchup that really could go either way, you know,
And I think the Suns. I don't think they're scared
of Lakers, but I'm sure if they had their choice,
they wouldn't want to meet LA in the first round.
Rob the Suns, no matter how it goes, especially Paul
George can come back, They're gonna likely get either the Lakers,
(05:05):
the Clippers, or the Warriors in the first round. That
but look, I shouldn't. I mean, they haven't been a
great team all year. They just happened to trade for
Kevin Durant. Before they traded for Durant, Rob, they weren't
gonna win the West now, so I guess I shouldn't,
you know, feel bad for him. Hey, and he got
(05:25):
hurt in warm up, so they weren't able to move
ahead of the forest By They probably would have, but
they won't now. But let's let's go to something, you know,
we Rob, We're gonna talk about it. Yesterday we didn't,
but we'll get to it now. In the new Collective
Bargaining Agreement, they put in a new clause or rule
(05:48):
that to be eligible, and it starts next year for
postseason awards all NBA Defensive Player of the Year, MVP,
so on and so forth, a player has to play
sixty five games and at minimum, and Draymond Green addressed it.
Do we have sound or you're just gonna read this quote?
Robbed you. Okay, here's Draymond addressing it. Sixty five minimum
(06:10):
games for awards. I can appreciate this, and everyone will
appreciate this until you got bums on the All NBA
team and winning awards because someone didn't qualify because they
missed ten games at some point of the season with
an ankle injury. All of a sudden, you don't have
to any of those guys on All NBA teams. And
(06:31):
then what NBA are we represented? When you look back
in history and you got a bum on All NBA
second team or All NBA First team because guys miss
some games, it won't be so appreciated then, and everybody
will be complaining now, and you know who else will
be complaining. I think I think owners are going to
(06:53):
end up complaining when they find a bum that they
have to give an extension to that made the All
NBA team and now they come in there asking you
for max and Supermax and blah blah blah because they
made the NBA team because guys weren't allowed that played
sixty three games. Then we'll get the complaining because you're
(07:13):
gonna have a guy making two hundred million dollars that
produces at an eighty million dollars level because they made
the our NBA team. Why because Steph Curry missed some games,
he got injured once, then got injured again and mixed
significant amount of games and both of those injuries this
year and doesn't qualify for our first first Team All
NBA or second team or thirteen and y'all pandem bumps salaries.
(07:38):
There's always another side to it. I just wanted to
quickly quick before you go right quick, I'm just gonna
be quick. It's interesting to me that he's calling players bums.
I'm with you one percent. And here is the other thing.
I mean, you couldn't have a more simplistic example that
because some guy like, first of all, that they're bums
(08:00):
in the NBA. Number two, if if a reporter said
that even they would they would be it would be fighting.
But what bums make it to the NBA. There are
only four hundred jobs right right, and rob Any, even
if you go with his logic of you know, some
of the top players won't be able to make it.
Anybody that makes all the NBA, they're still gonna be
(08:21):
like an All Star caliber player is thank you, thank you.
It's not gonna be some guy making all who would
go from an eighty million contract to two hundred million,
Like what logic is that, Chris really really like they're
gonna be the Owner's gonna be hoodwinked that some guys
stumbled into uh stumbled into a good season because somebody
(08:41):
else wasn't there, and then I'm gonna pay him two
hundred million and we vote for the All NBA. So again,
it's not gonna be just average or as the kids
Cam Newton's term randoms exactly making the All NBA. Even
if you take like Kyrie wouldn't be able to make
get this, y'all don't know if you make it anyway,
(09:02):
But let's say Kyrie Steph, I don't think it's played
enough games. Damian Lillard hasn't played enough games. But still
the guys I get it. I get to a degree
what he's saying, robbed. You will have some players that
I don't get made. I don't get the term bumling.
I think that's an extreme take that they're bumps. I'm
(09:23):
just saying guys that aren't all NBA caliber. But I
agree with you. I I just find it interesting that
he's actually using the term bumps. Isn't this what they
get mad at Charles Barkley for ye the players, that's
what they say. They claim like calling people names and
all that. But uh, I guess for some people. I
(09:44):
guess the new media, you could call people bums and
say whatever you want. It's just it's mind boggling. It's
just mind boggling. But again, when you don't have anybody
there Chris to push back, this is what you get.
Where's the pushback? Yeah, he's making this, he's for on
this podcast. I'm sure, but I just like you can't
(10:05):
get and you you would say, I guess, well, you
media guys never played in the NBA, but still please
please don't. But but they don't. They don't want to
hear from Kenny Smith or Shock or the play and
they played in the NBA, but they don't want to
hear from them at the highest level. They're old jealous men, right,
(10:27):
That's what they say when they when they criticize them.
I just I'm shot again, Rob, I'm stunned. He used
that language. I wouldn't be stunned, you know, I get
I get how guys talk, but for him to refer
to other players that way, that's that's surprising. That's surprising,
(10:47):
you know, because when Andrew Wiggins made the All Star Team.
As good as Wiggins is, people were like, come on,
they essentially were saying that about Wiggins, like he shouldn't
have made the All Star Team. They're essentially calling him name.
And I'm sure Draymond would have been against that and
defending this guy. But let me ask you this, right
do you think? Look, I still think that your idea
(11:12):
is one of the best I've heard that if you
miss a game, you gotta miss three the next three
and total of four, because that would change everything. I
really you don't need to do this, because I think
you would. You would have to be honest with yourself
that if if if Lebron and if they missed the night,
they can't play the rest of the season. Right, really, absolutely,
(11:34):
we wouldn't even be having this discussion. They would be
suited up and there's no debate because we can't afford
them to miss the last two yet. And I don't
think that that's hard you still pay them, so the
union can't argue Chris, and you're still getting paid. But
we're gonna give you four games to get healthy if
you're hurt, because if you really help, that's that gives
(11:55):
you a Really I need the four at least exactly
to get back and be right. So we're trying to
help you. And if you do that three times a year, Chris,
will you take a game and you have to miss
four total, that's twelve games. If you missed four game,
that's sixteen games. Ye. I don't know what you're doing
(12:15):
for it. I don't think the players would go for it.
But I love it. But this idea rob I'm gonna be.
I don't hate it. I mean there's no outside that
I think. Like I said, your suggestion, um, there's nothing
perfect um, And I do think that. Like, look, I'm
glad it's not this year because Steph's you know again,
(12:37):
I'm gonna sit down Saturday and really just dig in
and do all my awards. But right now I'm thinking
Steph's gonna make he gonna be all NBA. The dude's
been phenomenal. I know he hadn't and not gonna play
sixty five games. But still, um, but I think Rob, look,
I think guys are competitive. Some people you might say this,
(12:58):
some people might say they don't care about these postseason awards.
I think they do. You played Little League, Rob, I
want to make the All Star team. Every everybody you
can play, you want to be on the All Start
And I think and I and I think that spills
over two adults. I get that they're making million, hundreds
of millions of dollars now, but they you still are competitive.
(13:20):
You still want all the accolades you can get, especially
when you're that level of player. So I do think it, Rob,
if they got if you got some competitiveness in your body,
you're gonna want to play the requisite sixty five games
so you can be an MVP. I know only a
few players are even in that discussion, but all NBA
(13:41):
Defensive Player of the Year, um, whatever it might be.
I just think guys will those awards I think are
important to guys. Yeah. The only my only issue is
that when you when you put that rule up, Chris,
there aren't that many guys who are really up for MVP.
Like it's right, but if it's just the other awards
(14:02):
new but I'm just saying, but you're right, like Molten
is like it's a limited and I hear you, but
it's mostly a limited group of people, and it's more
about Stark a lot of the guys sitting out. Let's
keep it real that the Randoms, they're not the ones
sitting out. They're trying to get a contract and trying
(14:23):
to right. We're not talking about Austin. Austin Reeves isn't
like I don't know if I'm gonna be able to
go tonight. You know, it's it's a d and Lebron,
It's Kawhi, it's uh Luca. I mean, I'm just throwing
you know, it's the stars. It is the guys in
the MVP conversation that are the ones Lowe managing because
let's be honest, nobody really cares. I don't want to
(14:45):
be rude to him, but nobody cares if if Jared
Vanderbilt low managers. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Search f SR to listen live. Hey it's me Rob Parker.
(15:06):
Check out my weekly MLB podcast inside the Parker for
twenty two minutes of piping hot baseball talk, featuring the
biggest name to newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe
in analytics or the idcast, We've got all the basis cover.
New episodes drop every Thursday, So do yourself of favor
(15:26):
and listen to Inside the Partner with Rob Parker on
the iHeart Radio app or wherever you get your pot.
He put on a performance last night, Rob. They needed
every bit of it to beat the Boston Celtics one
oh three, one oh one, but mb was phenomenal. Rob
fifty two points, thirteen rebounds, six assists, shot get this,
(15:53):
twenty for twenty five from the field, twenty for twenty
five from the field, and Robed He became the first
center since Kareem Abdul Jabbar way back in nineteen seventy
two to score fifty points in three games in one season,
(16:17):
to have three fifty point games in one season. It
was a great performance and anyway, afterwards, Doc Rivers didn't
mince words. Here here was Doc. There's so many things
that we did wrong, but what we did right was
Joel Embi. The MVP race is over. I'm really right
(16:38):
tonight we had we couldn't make shots. We had guys
making shots with open shots. The men just scored half
our points in the NBA game. And I'm biased, but
the MVP race is over. I hope he didn't jinx
them because you better be careful telling voters who they're
going to vote for. Well, I think Rob Doc learned
(16:59):
his lesson Ben Simmons that that's in there. Remember when
he was just flight out honest about Ben Simmons when
he was asked, can you win a championship with him?
He was like, I don't know, right, and that I mean,
Ben was never the same and they never just save
even ever play for the sixers again. So now Doc's like, look,
I'm I'm just pubbing my guys, and I think Doc
(17:22):
means it. But yeah, that's interesting, Rob. I mean, if
you were a voter, and obviously you are a voter
for the Baseball Hall of Fame, right, would would it
bother you if a coach or I mean, guy's not
gonna tell me who I'm voting for or that it's
over or he doesn't have a vote. If I was,
if I was a writer there, I say, Doc, do
you have a vote? I would tell everybody next question
(17:44):
and then he didn't have to answer that. But Chris,
I'm gonna say here on the odd couple that Joel
Embiid will not n ot win the MVP, and neither
will Yannis. I still think the Joker is going to win.
And here are my reasons why. Now you're not saying
(18:06):
I'm just clarifying for the listeners, You're not saying he
should win. I'm saying he's going to win. Yes, I'm
saying he's going to win because he leads in all
of the most important analytical stats. He still does well.
Not all No, no, no no, Well, I'm just getting the
ones that I PR win shares, box plus minus and
(18:32):
value over replacement Okay PR thirty one point seven, win
shares fourteen point nine, box plus minus Chris thirteen point
one and value over replacement eight point seven and bat
PR thirty one point six win shares twelve point three
(18:53):
and what box plus what is yokas is fourteen point nine? No,
I mean his p are one point better thirty one
point seven to thirty one point six in B box
share box plus minus ninety two and value over replacement
(19:14):
six point four and Jannie's value over replacement Chris is
five point four. But here's my point, and I'm gonna
stick by this until they proved me wrong. I don't believe,
not the Chris Broussard's and the old heads who look
at basketball a little different, who've been covering a lot longer,
and who have decided that I test along with analytics
(19:39):
and the other stuff, and importance of games and points
and who you're playing, all that stuff factors in. But
I don't believe that that's the overwhelming majority of the
people who have the votes, especially since the race even
when Chris, you thought it was way closer the first
(20:02):
time that straw poll came out and the Joker had
seventy seven percent of the one hundred seventy seven votes
out of one hundred. Now remember the last edition MB one, right,
I'm just saying, I do believe that analytics will wear
(20:22):
its ugly head and will be the determining factors as
who is the MVP, and not the eye test, and
not based on your gut field or how important somebody is,
but the raw analytical numbers. Look, it's certainly possible that
(20:43):
yokih wins. I do think inb is going to win.
I don't agree with doctor it's over. It's over because,
as you said, there are a lot of writers who
still are going to vote for Yoki. And let's keep
it real. If any of these three win it, Yannis
mb or Yokich, they got a call having a phenomenal season.
(21:09):
My thing with Yoki, this would be his third straight
and a lot of people say this doesn't matter, and
it's fine, But to me, if you're going to be
put in that group that wins three straight, if you're
going to do something that the three players who are
most prominently in the Goat conversation, Jordan, lebron Kareem never did.
(21:37):
Those three never won three straight. They could have Rob.
I told you. They're analytics out there. They say Jordan
should have won nine MVPs. To put that in perspective,
b Blade eleven full seasons in Chicago, right, But the differences.
The writers didn't follow those analytics, and that's why Michael
and those guys. If you had the writers today, Chris,
(22:00):
and I'm not saying I think you're overestimating how many
because it's still a lot of older writers, uh and
broadcasters that vote. It's not like, I don't know. I
don't know. I mean, we could if we had. It's like,
it's not like sixty five percent of the voters or
these young analytics kids. Yeah, but most beat guys and
(22:22):
people travel and around. Those are the younger guys. Those
aren't They're not old guys. Bob Ryan isn't covering the
Celtics anymore. Yeah, but I don't know if Ryan votes.
But no, no, no. A lot of people saying, will
Bion has a vote? I have a vote. You know,
guys that haven't been beat writers for years still have votes.
Broadcasters get votes, you know. So I don't think it's
(22:46):
quite as like, oh, seventy percent of the guys are voting.
No analytics. Again, he might win, but I don't. I
just don't think it's gonna be that cut and dried
as far as guys that are just tied to the number.
And I think he's taking a hit Yoki. Not really
his fault, but just with them struggling down the stretch.
(23:07):
They've gone six and eight over their last fourteen games.
He missed some of those games, but that's hurt him that,
you know, he's missed some games because that was gonna
be a little slight advantage for him is that he's
played more games, but now it's very a small number.
He's only played three more games than Mbeat. And this
is why says even some of the analytics numbers don't
(23:30):
favor him. Yannis has the highest defensive rating in the
league according to the analytics one oh seven point five.
Mbeat is fifth and Yoki is ninth, So it's not
bad even though he's Yeah, but he that's the thing
rob about these numbers. And you did the box score
plus minus, you could do defensive wind shares or defensive
(23:54):
box score plus minus, and Yokish ranks high. But if
you just watched the game, you'll see he's not a
very good defender, he you know, and that shouldn't be
come as a surprise to anybody unless all you do
is look at the analytical numbers. And so that's where
I think a big advantage goes to Embiid and Yannis
(24:17):
over Yokish, which is why on my ballot, I'm looking
more at Embiid and Yannis for number one. Like to me,
it's more between those two. Yokish will be third, But
which one of those two I pick? I'm still not sure.
I you know, I've gone back and forth. They're both
having phenomenal seasons. Last night was a huge moment for MB,
(24:40):
and he's had some rob the forty seven point game
where he absolutely demolished Nicola Yokis, who was guarding him
earlier in the season. I think it might have been
February and last night in a huge win that they
needed against Boston. He does know. I know these aren't
(25:01):
the best indicators of defense, because I think Yannis is
clearly the best defender of the three. But Yoki, I mean,
MBI leads them both in steals and blocks and so
I I think he's got a great shot. But I
think Doc. I get Doc saying it, but it's not me.
(25:23):
It's his god. But right, it's his guy. But you
gotta be careful to throw. Do you got to just
be careful because it could come back to bite you.
Let me ask Rob g I don't know if you
have it. I'm just I think MB is going to win.
I do. I'm gonna sit down Saturday and do all
my my awards and everything. Uh, I'm an official voter,
but I do think MB is going to win. Right,
(25:44):
who did you vote for? A last I'm just curious
with your votes. I think I voted for Yannis okay
the year before that? Okay, yeah yeah, so okay, so
you voted from once? Um, Rob, G is there anyway
I'm knowing? Uh? Is there any stat or story out
there about uh Yoki and whether or not he can
(26:05):
still finish with a triple double? Is? Isn't he close
to one? I haven't seen anything like that, but I
have seen the latest odds in Vegas. Cur just needs
he just needs Uh he's nine point nine assists. Rob.
I hate to pour cold water on your argument, but
according to Lamar Mitchell and our friends at the bet MGM,
after last night's fifty two point performance, Joe lmbid is
(26:27):
now minus six hundred favorite. Yeah, but that's Vegas. They're
trying to six hundred. Is you know? Not nothing to
sneeze at me. I'll tell you this, Rob, if you
follow Vegas and some of the things that come out,
you'd be surprised. But yes, you've had like minus two
fifty three hundred. This is a big number. But they're
(26:48):
tyeven to one odds on Yoki to win. They're they're
trying to get people. Uh, They look after it because
of prisoner of the moment, what happened last night and
what Doc said. So they're scared. They think, oh my god,
we gotta we gotta h we gotta kick it up
because we don't want people to load up on h
on and beat after that game. They're just trying to protect.
(27:12):
According to this article, the implied odds for a minus
six hundred favorite and anything means that Vegas is projecting
eighty six percent chance that they win. Okay, but there's
fourteen percent chance that they don't. That's just accept just
accept the I'm just accept I'm not accepting it. I
refuse to accept it. Will you accept the al on
the Lakers that you said weren't gonna make the play? No,
(27:35):
they're They're in the playing, They're automatically. They they clinched
the playing already. Still, I'm not gonna admit it. Then,
don't even I mean, you never gonna admit the l
you long everybody takes a l I was wrong. There
you go. You gotta Chris, I just said that, you
see removed my lips. I was wrong. Fox Sports Radio
(27:57):
has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch
all of our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com
and within the iHeart Radio app search f SR to
listen live. God, I know for the odd couple celebrity
corners now Rob this week. I think it was over
(28:19):
the weekend. I'm just minding my own business, chilling, and
I get a text from my man, Emanuel Lewis talking
smack talking about Yo, wh why ain anybody talking about
a three peak for the Warriors. I was like, first
of all, did you know they didn't even win back
to back yet? Thank you? What are you doing now? Man?
(28:41):
You just like, nah, they're gonna win back to back
and then another one. So I was like, we gotta
get you on the show. You got your chest out,
you got base in your voice. So I said, I
want to hear you say it in public. So we
welcome our man, Emmanuel Lewis. Emmanuel, what's happening? What's put
off everybody? We're good, We're in our right mind. Look,
(29:03):
I like the Warriors, but three pet why are you
so confident? I'm just saying it's right now. I think
they're pretty much aboard until the dog on the playoffs
comes in the finals, I think they're like, okay, they
don't either done that shows something that's real. They got
(29:24):
some good looking pieces together, I think, and uh, all
they need to do is get to it all right,
I mean, so I hope you're right. Yeah, Chris is
hoping and praying. But I'm gonna say the road record
was atrocious this year. I know they've won a couple
of games of late, but aren't you afraid of that, Emmanuel,
(29:44):
Not at all? Not at all? Um, you know they were,
they were. Everybody was afraid of that last year and right,
and when it came to the business, they they gotta
handle and and that's why they're champs. And so now, uh,
I think is extremely crucial that we got some of
our ingredients back that you know, it is important. I
(30:09):
mean about think about making a an apple pie without sentiments.
I mean, come on, yeah, yeah, you got it. Ain't
working it, but you need the centiment man. And so
now you know, we gotta come to more ingredients back.
I think it's great. I'm excited for it. And all
I'm saying is, you know how time nobody is getting ahead.
(30:31):
I mean, anybody can say three feet after they want to,
but can you say it before it even houses? That's
the whole point you were trying to help me out, right,
you're trying to help out. Don't wasting you you know,
you know one sept me two games. Now you're hollering
if that ain't mean nothing, you know, get in front
(30:52):
of it all. I'm saying, well, look if they they
could end up meeting Phoenix in the first round with
Kevin Durant, you know Phoenix, I mean, how can are
you that confident? I think they can beat Phoenix, but
you're that confident? The front part was, uh yeah, I
am kind of confident in that. And and I say
(31:14):
that with the smile, because you know, does he need
The biggest threat is uh, you know, is a is
a friend. And as they always say, you know, you
keep the enemies closing. Uh. And so therefore they know
everything about the big man. They know what he likes,
(31:35):
they do what he doesn't like. So that's you know,
Chris Paul, you know, Firk got his number. As far
as I'm concerned, um and and and understanding what he
doesn't like. Draymond has already said what he didn't like
the double triple quadruple team. He can't stand that extra
(31:56):
heat on his shoulder. So that every said if you
if you remember closely what Draymond said that he don't like.
So they already know what they're gonna do to knock
him off his game. So the question is, you know,
let's get through it, let's see what they can do.
But you know, it's I don't think it's that far
as sense. They beat him when he was I mean Oaks,
(32:16):
I mean Oklahoma. You know, So what about Wiggins coming back?
Is that? Is that the Wiggins coming back? Well that
helped him or or you know he's been gone a
while now. Yeah, but you know, Wigins is just one
of those guys that he just needed someone to believe
in them, you know what I mean. And that's what
made him really and show him how, you know, believe
(32:39):
in me, but then give me something work with and
she'll let me get there. And they did that for him.
So Wikins being back and and GT. Three is that
other missing ingredient that is very understated. Uh you know
that that that is serious. Uh? And those two that
(33:00):
makes it a little different, you know, it makes for
a little difference. And that's what they needed because you know,
Ja don't even play like a little guy. He played
like you know, he's you know Kareem with somebody put
back the other night, but this, gracious, that was just
I was like, Yeah, that's what we're talking about. Babyin
(33:21):
that back right there, that's what we need. We need
that extra must Now now I Manuel one other uh
and we're speaking with a Manuel Lewis the actor. Um
one of your one of the big stories now in
the NBA is the MVP, and Nicole and Yogis from Denver,
Yanni Sandakompo from Milwaukee, and Joe lmbid. If you had
(33:43):
to vote, who would you vote for? You know, I
get it. You know for the regular season that they
have been doing great numbers. Um, you know, I get it.
If you say staff, then I'll just know you a
Warrior's Homer. No, no, no, no, step is not even
(34:03):
in that categoy this year. He's he's not, he's not.
He's not been in those numbers, although he's looking good.
You really have to have great team numbers to do that.
So by that definition that the industry has given, that
would go to Yanna. All right, ya, Look, I do
(34:25):
think he's being overlooked. It seems like you don't finish third.
It has to them because it goes to you goes
to not yes, it goes to the player, but it's
also how well you make the people around you better.
And so if that is the criteria that they've been
saying in the past and what they've been giving it,
like even if you did great as an individual but
(34:46):
your team is not, you know, in in better standings,
then then they didn't give it to you. So those
were the criterias. I don't make up the cristeris that's
what they said. So if that's the case, then that
goes to Yanna so well. And one last question for me, Chris, uh,
what about the Lakers? Where where do you have them?
(35:07):
Are you afraid of them? If you're if you're a
Warriors fan, are you open up the Warriors maker run?
Are you afraid if the Lakers play the Warriors? You know,
I hate to say it, but you know who's got
confidence in a D though? Right now? Like who really
has that level of confidence? I mean, you know, I'll
(35:28):
always be a Lakers fan? Who is it? But you know,
we all you know respect, you know what Lebron is
gonna do. But he puts a lot of he himself
puts a lot of stocks in a D and we
just ain't seeing it. Where are you at on the
gold conversation? Who's your goal? You know? Come on, I
(35:51):
mean I'm still You can stack numbers all you want,
but we all know dog On one well that you
know Jay Michael Jordan is the goat. Yes, if he
had a longer career, he would have had those numbers,
but he didn't. And and it wasn't even his fault.
The GM and all of them broke up the dogs
(36:13):
On team because they wouldn't bring back the coach. So
we already understand what that's like. You you broke up
the winning formula. How do you mess up a dog
on three peaks? How do you do that? Right? I'll
never forge I'll never forget that. I remember Michael said,
oh yeah, if you bring Phil's coming back, I'll be back.
The first thing they said was Phil's not coming back. Right.
(36:37):
Nobody else in the history of the NBA stupid enough
to break up a three peak. Is there anybody else
in the world that was stupid enough to do that? Yeah?
So if they were back together, you don't think they
they win another you know, a four peak, for God's sake.
I mean, like you know what I mean? So that's
(36:58):
just what it is. I tried to get a four
peak the other day at Popeyes, but they said only
three pieces. You just made this day, man, you know that.
Look I gotta say go ahead ahead. When you when
we were texting this weekend, you I asked you what
(37:18):
you were doing. You said you were in the woods
hunting Turkey, and you sent me a picture of you
and your camouflage. It scared me, man, I mean, my goodness,
you look like you were about to go to the
Middle Easter or something. I mean or what bro Oh,
I love hunting. They have great eyesight, you know what
(37:41):
I mean? And um, and yes they will start you
like extremely keenly and so obviously being a city boys
from Brooklyn, none of this was an option, right, Havings
and four wheelers and all of this stuff was never
an option. And then when I got a chance to
move down the Georgia, uh, you know, you get a
(38:02):
chance to do what those do here, you know, in
the shopping and part of that is hunting. So yeah,
I enjoy it. I catch, uh catching, clean and cook yeah,
all of that. Wow, I got a deal last year
and uh and they helped me dress it and all
of that chick it back and ate up and put
some of the freezer and we can rock and roll
(38:24):
whenever that comes. So I passed on a small jake
because I really wanted a time. I want my first
one to be a tim I and I passed on
a small jake. But it's okay. It was just the
beginning of christ and season here in Georgia, and I'm
looking forward to get back out there and and get
me a righteous one. So right, fun man, Well, look,
(38:46):
when win or lose with the Warriors, we're gonna get
you back on. Especially if they lose, Fun, we'll get
to beat you up. A matter of fact, I went
to the game when they were in Medsis and I
got a chance to talk to step afterwards. And you know,
I don't know where they were. He's I seemed a
little you know, they just he just exhausted. It looks
(39:08):
like we No. I've just got one question for you,
one question. Who's taller you or Steff. I'm just asking, Oh,
definitely Stef. But he's one hell of the nice guy
and looking forward to it. And I got to tell
him that, you know, um my side, so I can
get some more um some some some step gear. Yeah,
(39:29):
I hear you on that, all right. If Manuel lewis
great stuff, brother, We'll talk to you soon. Please do,
please do. Three break
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching fs R.
(00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Russ and Rod Harker. Interesting update on the Lakers.
We know that Lebron and Anthony Davis our game time
decisions tonight in their game against the Clippers, but coach
(00:42):
Darvin Ham had an interesting statement before the game. I'm
gonna let Rob g phill Us in. Yeah. According to
Fox Sports Radio NBA Insider, a friend of the show,
Mark Medina, who's there to cover tonight's game between the Clippers,
say nobody's playing. Oh I'm sorry no. So this is
what Darvin had said about Lebron James and Anthony Davis. Specifically,
(01:03):
he said that both players have the power to dictate
whether they play or not, before adding that it's quote
a group decision among medical and coaching staff that determines
whether or not they play. What does that mean. I
think it means he wants they don't want to play.
We don't think you guys should play, just you might
(01:23):
you need to rest. They're not robbed. The medical staff's
not gonna say you can play if you're in danger, right,
They're not gonna say that. So even if they say, well, look,
we gotta think you gottas to rest or a D.
You haven't played the back to back. We think we
should stick with that. They can say no, we want
to go. This game is important to us. I think
(01:46):
he put it on Lebron in a D. That's what
it sounds like like. But they can play if they
really want to. But it's telling them that they shouldn't play,
and if they really want to play and going out
there and play, well, they should play. I'm about to
just mind ball because Chris, we already know players have
that power. You can't tell LEBRONI can't play. You can't.
(02:08):
I don't care what This is not good for the organization.
And no, if Lebron says I'm playing tonight, are they
gonna stop them? If Steph wants to play, they're gonna stop. No,
they won't. They won't and they can so why not play? Right?
So I don't know that that's a weird statement because again,
robbed though, the doctors aren't gonna say you can play
(02:32):
if they really think you're in danger. They're not unless
they tell Anthony Davis that they cleared them for that game,
which was a travesty, that that was what game? Last? Yeah,
last one he played was that? Yeah, I do think that.
Remember that Phoenix? Yeah? Yeah, remember the Phoenix. I'm sorry, Yeah,
(02:53):
but they cleared them, you remember that, and we were
like cleared them? Yeah, I mean we could talk about
Kevin Durant. I mean that was we we I mean,
come on, we have no medical background and we were like,
come on, why are you playing Durant? Anybody can see
he shouldn't play. So I maybe I'm staying corrected, but
I still with all they have on the line, rob
(03:14):
I just think that I mean, I don't know. I
guess said it seems like it's their decision. That's that's
what I take. So what do you think? What do
you get from what he said? Are they playing Chris
tonight or no? I think it's their decision. Um, I
think they didn't they d say, Rob G what a
(03:36):
week or two ago that I'm not sitting down anymore
back to backs or something like that. No, he didn't say.
It was reported by A. Shan Shirani of The Athletic
that Anthony Davis was going to play the last back
to back, that he was playing it there you go.
I mean I didn't see him get hurt. I didn't
see him tweak anything. I saw him play forty two minutes. Uh,
(04:00):
he should be playing. I I don't know, right, I don't.
I just feel like they don't. They should be taking
this game really importantly. I'm not sure they are. But
why is it because of that not wanting to get
in the fifth spot? Is that is this? Possibly? Can?
(04:20):
Can they really be thinking on those terms, Chris? It
just seems inconceivable that that would be your motivation, you know, like, oh,
we don't want to get into five, so let's just
we'll just we'll lose this one and then right if
they were, I don't think it means they're scared of
the Suns. I don't think they're scared of anybody. I
(04:41):
do think it means we know, that's a heck of
a matchup that really could go either way, you know,
And I think the Suns. I don't think they're scared
of Lakers, but I'm sure if they had their choice,
they wouldn't want to meet LA in the first round.
Rob the Suns, no matter how it goes, especially Paul
George can come back, They're gonna likely get either the Lakers,
(05:05):
the Clippers, or the Warriors in the first round. That
but look, I shouldn't. I mean, they haven't been a
great team all year. They just happened to trade for
Kevin Durant. Before they traded for Durant, Rob, they weren't
gonna win the West now, so I guess I shouldn't,
you know, feel bad for him. Hey, and he got
(05:25):
hurt in warm up, so they weren't able to move
ahead of the forest By They probably would have, but
they won't now. But let's let's go to something, you know,
we Rob, We're gonna talk about it. Yesterday we didn't,
but we'll get to it now. In the new Collective
Bargaining Agreement, they put in a new clause or rule
(05:48):
that to be eligible, and it starts next year for
postseason awards all NBA Defensive Player of the Year, MVP,
so on and so forth, a player has to play
sixty five games and at minimum, and Draymond Green addressed it.
Do we have sound or you're just gonna read this quote?
Robbed you. Okay, here's Draymond addressing it. Sixty five minimum
(06:10):
games for awards. I can appreciate this, and everyone will
appreciate this until you got bums on the All NBA
team and winning awards because someone didn't qualify because they
missed ten games at some point of the season with
an ankle injury. All of a sudden, you don't have
to any of those guys on All NBA teams. And
(06:31):
then what NBA are we represented? When you look back
in history and you got a bum on All NBA
second team or All NBA First team because guys miss
some games, it won't be so appreciated then, and everybody
will be complaining now, and you know who else will
be complaining. I think I think owners are going to
(06:53):
end up complaining when they find a bum that they
have to give an extension to that made the All
NBA team and now they come in there asking you
for max and Supermax and blah blah blah because they
made the NBA team because guys weren't allowed that played
sixty three games. Then we'll get the complaining because you're
(07:13):
gonna have a guy making two hundred million dollars that
produces at an eighty million dollars level because they made
the our NBA team. Why because Steph Curry missed some games,
he got injured once, then got injured again and mixed
significant amount of games and both of those injuries this
year and doesn't qualify for our first first Team All
NBA or second team or thirteen and y'all pandem bumps salaries.
(07:38):
There's always another side to it. I just wanted to
quickly quick before you go right quick, I'm just gonna
be quick. It's interesting to me that he's calling players bums.
I'm with you one percent. And here is the other thing.
I mean, you couldn't have a more simplistic example that
because some guy like, first of all, that they're bums
(08:00):
in the NBA. Number two, if if a reporter said
that even they would they would be it would be fighting.
But what bums make it to the NBA. There are
only four hundred jobs right right, and rob Any, even
if you go with his logic of you know, some
of the top players won't be able to make it.
Anybody that makes all the NBA, they're still gonna be
(08:21):
like an All Star caliber player is thank you, thank you.
It's not gonna be some guy making all who would
go from an eighty million contract to two hundred million,
Like what logic is that, Chris really really like they're
gonna be the Owner's gonna be hoodwinked that some guys
stumbled into uh stumbled into a good season because somebody
(08:41):
else wasn't there, and then I'm gonna pay him two
hundred million and we vote for the All NBA. So again,
it's not gonna be just average or as the kids
Cam Newton's term randoms exactly making the All NBA. Even
if you take like Kyrie wouldn't be able to make
get this, y'all don't know if you make it anyway,
(09:02):
But let's say Kyrie Steph, I don't think it's played
enough games. Damian Lillard hasn't played enough games. But still
the guys I get it. I get to a degree
what he's saying, robbed. You will have some players that
I don't get made. I don't get the term bumling.
I think that's an extreme take that they're bumps. I'm
(09:23):
just saying guys that aren't all NBA caliber. But I
agree with you. I I just find it interesting that
he's actually using the term bumps. Isn't this what they
get mad at Charles Barkley for ye the players, that's
what they say. They claim like calling people names and
all that. But uh, I guess for some people. I
(09:44):
guess the new media, you could call people bums and
say whatever you want. It's just it's mind boggling. It's
just mind boggling. But again, when you don't have anybody
there Chris to push back, this is what you get.
Where's the pushback? Yeah, he's making this, he's for on
this podcast. I'm sure, but I just like you can't
(10:05):
get and you you would say, I guess, well, you
media guys never played in the NBA, but still please
please don't. But but they don't. They don't want to
hear from Kenny Smith or Shock or the play and
they played in the NBA, but they don't want to
hear from them at the highest level. They're old jealous men, right,
(10:27):
That's what they say when they when they criticize them.
I just I'm shot again, Rob, I'm stunned. He used
that language. I wouldn't be stunned, you know, I get
I get how guys talk, but for him to refer
to other players that way, that's that's surprising. That's surprising,
(10:47):
you know, because when Andrew Wiggins made the All Star Team.
As good as Wiggins is, people were like, come on,
they essentially were saying that about Wiggins, like he shouldn't
have made the All Star Team. They're essentially calling him name.
And I'm sure Draymond would have been against that and
defending this guy. But let me ask you this, right
do you think? Look, I still think that your idea
(11:12):
is one of the best I've heard that if you
miss a game, you gotta miss three the next three
and total of four, because that would change everything. I
really you don't need to do this, because I think
you would. You would have to be honest with yourself
that if if if Lebron and if they missed the night,
they can't play the rest of the season. Right, really, absolutely,
(11:34):
we wouldn't even be having this discussion. They would be
suited up and there's no debate because we can't afford
them to miss the last two yet. And I don't
think that that's hard you still pay them, so the
union can't argue Chris, and you're still getting paid. But
we're gonna give you four games to get healthy if
you're hurt, because if you really help, that's that gives
(11:55):
you a Really I need the four at least exactly
to get back and be right. So we're trying to
help you. And if you do that three times a year, Chris,
will you take a game and you have to miss
four total, that's twelve games. If you missed four game,
that's sixteen games. Ye. I don't know what you're doing
(12:15):
for it. I don't think the players would go for it.
But I love it. But this idea rob I'm gonna be.
I don't hate it. I mean there's no outside that
I think. Like I said, your suggestion, um, there's nothing
perfect um, And I do think that. Like, look, I'm
glad it's not this year because Steph's you know again,
(12:37):
I'm gonna sit down Saturday and really just dig in
and do all my awards. But right now I'm thinking
Steph's gonna make he gonna be all NBA. The dude's
been phenomenal. I know he hadn't and not gonna play
sixty five games. But still, um, but I think Rob, look,
I think guys are competitive. Some people you might say this,
(12:58):
some people might say they don't care about these postseason awards.
I think they do. You played Little League, Rob, I
want to make the All Star team. Every everybody you
can play, you want to be on the All Start
And I think and I and I think that spills
over two adults. I get that they're making million, hundreds
of millions of dollars now, but they you still are competitive.
(13:20):
You still want all the accolades you can get, especially
when you're that level of player. So I do think it, Rob,
if they got if you got some competitiveness in your body,
you're gonna want to play the requisite sixty five games
so you can be an MVP. I know only a
few players are even in that discussion, but all NBA
(13:41):
Defensive Player of the Year, um, whatever it might be.
I just think guys will those awards I think are
important to guys. Yeah. The only my only issue is
that when you when you put that rule up, Chris,
there aren't that many guys who are really up for MVP.
Like it's right, but if it's just the other awards
(14:02):
new but I'm just saying, but you're right, like Molten
is like it's a limited and I hear you, but
it's mostly a limited group of people, and it's more
about Stark a lot of the guys sitting out. Let's
keep it real that the Randoms, they're not the ones
sitting out. They're trying to get a contract and trying
(14:23):
to right. We're not talking about Austin. Austin Reeves isn't
like I don't know if I'm gonna be able to
go tonight. You know, it's it's a d and Lebron,
It's Kawhi, it's uh Luca. I mean, I'm just throwing
you know, it's the stars. It is the guys in
the MVP conversation that are the ones Lowe managing because
let's be honest, nobody really cares. I don't want to
(14:45):
be rude to him, but nobody cares if if Jared
Vanderbilt low managers. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Search f SR to listen live. Hey it's me Rob Parker.
(15:06):
Check out my weekly MLB podcast inside the Parker for
twenty two minutes of piping hot baseball talk, featuring the
biggest name to newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe
in analytics or the idcast, We've got all the basis cover.
New episodes drop every Thursday, So do yourself of favor
(15:26):
and listen to Inside the Partner with Rob Parker on
the iHeart Radio app or wherever you get your pot.
He put on a performance last night, Rob. They needed
every bit of it to beat the Boston Celtics one
oh three, one oh one, but mb was phenomenal. Rob
fifty two points, thirteen rebounds, six assists, shot get this,
(15:53):
twenty for twenty five from the field, twenty for twenty
five from the field, and Robed He became the first
center since Kareem Abdul Jabbar way back in nineteen seventy
two to score fifty points in three games in one season,
(16:17):
to have three fifty point games in one season. It
was a great performance and anyway, afterwards, Doc Rivers didn't
mince words. Here here was Doc. There's so many things
that we did wrong, but what we did right was
Joel Embi. The MVP race is over. I'm really right
(16:38):
tonight we had we couldn't make shots. We had guys
making shots with open shots. The men just scored half
our points in the NBA game. And I'm biased, but
the MVP race is over. I hope he didn't jinx
them because you better be careful telling voters who they're
going to vote for. Well, I think Rob Doc learned
(16:59):
his lesson Ben Simmons that that's in there. Remember when
he was just flight out honest about Ben Simmons when
he was asked, can you win a championship with him?
He was like, I don't know, right, and that I mean,
Ben was never the same and they never just save
even ever play for the sixers again. So now Doc's like, look,
I'm I'm just pubbing my guys, and I think Doc
(17:22):
means it. But yeah, that's interesting, Rob. I mean, if
you were a voter, and obviously you are a voter
for the Baseball Hall of Fame, right, would would it
bother you if a coach or I mean, guy's not
gonna tell me who I'm voting for or that it's
over or he doesn't have a vote. If I was,
if I was a writer there, I say, Doc, do
you have a vote? I would tell everybody next question
(17:44):
and then he didn't have to answer that. But Chris,
I'm gonna say here on the odd couple that Joel
Embiid will not n ot win the MVP, and neither
will Yannis. I still think the Joker is going to win.
And here are my reasons why. Now you're not saying
(18:06):
I'm just clarifying for the listeners, You're not saying he
should win. I'm saying he's going to win. Yes, I'm
saying he's going to win because he leads in all
of the most important analytical stats. He still does well.
Not all No, no, no no, Well, I'm just getting the
ones that I PR win shares, box plus minus and
(18:32):
value over replacement Okay PR thirty one point seven, win
shares fourteen point nine, box plus minus Chris thirteen point
one and value over replacement eight point seven and bat
PR thirty one point six win shares twelve point three
(18:53):
and what box plus what is yokas is fourteen point nine? No,
I mean his p are one point better thirty one
point seven to thirty one point six in B box
share box plus minus ninety two and value over replacement
(19:14):
six point four and Jannie's value over replacement Chris is
five point four. But here's my point, and I'm gonna
stick by this until they proved me wrong. I don't believe,
not the Chris Broussard's and the old heads who look
at basketball a little different, who've been covering a lot longer,
and who have decided that I test along with analytics
(19:39):
and the other stuff, and importance of games and points
and who you're playing, all that stuff factors in. But
I don't believe that that's the overwhelming majority of the
people who have the votes, especially since the race even
when Chris, you thought it was way closer the first
(20:02):
time that straw poll came out and the Joker had
seventy seven percent of the one hundred seventy seven votes
out of one hundred. Now remember the last edition MB one, right,
I'm just saying, I do believe that analytics will wear
(20:22):
its ugly head and will be the determining factors as
who is the MVP, and not the eye test, and
not based on your gut field or how important somebody is,
but the raw analytical numbers. Look, it's certainly possible that
(20:43):
yokih wins. I do think inb is going to win.
I don't agree with doctor it's over. It's over because,
as you said, there are a lot of writers who
still are going to vote for Yoki. And let's keep
it real. If any of these three win it, Yannis
mb or Yokich, they got a call having a phenomenal season.
(21:09):
My thing with Yoki, this would be his third straight
and a lot of people say this doesn't matter, and
it's fine, But to me, if you're going to be
put in that group that wins three straight, if you're
going to do something that the three players who are
most prominently in the Goat conversation, Jordan, lebron Kareem never did.
(21:37):
Those three never won three straight. They could have Rob.
I told you. They're analytics out there. They say Jordan
should have won nine MVPs. To put that in perspective,
b Blade eleven full seasons in Chicago, right, But the differences.
The writers didn't follow those analytics, and that's why Michael
and those guys. If you had the writers today, Chris,
(22:00):
and I'm not saying I think you're overestimating how many
because it's still a lot of older writers, uh and
broadcasters that vote. It's not like, I don't know. I
don't know. I mean, we could if we had. It's like,
it's not like sixty five percent of the voters or
these young analytics kids. Yeah, but most beat guys and
(22:22):
people travel and around. Those are the younger guys. Those
aren't They're not old guys. Bob Ryan isn't covering the
Celtics anymore. Yeah, but I don't know if Ryan votes.
But no, no, no. A lot of people saying, will
Bion has a vote? I have a vote. You know,
guys that haven't been beat writers for years still have votes.
Broadcasters get votes, you know. So I don't think it's
(22:46):
quite as like, oh, seventy percent of the guys are voting.
No analytics. Again, he might win, but I don't. I
just don't think it's gonna be that cut and dried
as far as guys that are just tied to the number.
And I think he's taking a hit Yoki. Not really
his fault, but just with them struggling down the stretch.
(23:07):
They've gone six and eight over their last fourteen games.
He missed some of those games, but that's hurt him that,
you know, he's missed some games because that was gonna
be a little slight advantage for him is that he's
played more games, but now it's very a small number.
He's only played three more games than Mbeat. And this
is why says even some of the analytics numbers don't
(23:30):
favor him. Yannis has the highest defensive rating in the
league according to the analytics one oh seven point five.
Mbeat is fifth and Yoki is ninth, So it's not
bad even though he's Yeah, but he that's the thing
rob about these numbers. And you did the box score
plus minus, you could do defensive wind shares or defensive
(23:54):
box score plus minus, and Yokish ranks high. But if
you just watched the game, you'll see he's not a
very good defender, he you know, and that shouldn't be
come as a surprise to anybody unless all you do
is look at the analytical numbers. And so that's where
I think a big advantage goes to Embiid and Yannis
(24:17):
over Yokish, which is why on my ballot, I'm looking
more at Embiid and Yannis for number one. Like to me,
it's more between those two. Yokish will be third, But
which one of those two I pick? I'm still not sure.
I you know, I've gone back and forth. They're both
having phenomenal seasons. Last night was a huge moment for MB,
(24:40):
and he's had some rob the forty seven point game
where he absolutely demolished Nicola Yokis, who was guarding him
earlier in the season. I think it might have been
February and last night in a huge win that they
needed against Boston. He does know. I know these aren't
(25:01):
the best indicators of defense, because I think Yannis is
clearly the best defender of the three. But Yoki, I mean,
MBI leads them both in steals and blocks and so
I I think he's got a great shot. But I
think Doc. I get Doc saying it, but it's not me.
(25:23):
It's his god. But right, it's his guy. But you
gotta be careful to throw. Do you got to just
be careful because it could come back to bite you.
Let me ask Rob g I don't know if you
have it. I'm just I think MB is going to win.
I do. I'm gonna sit down Saturday and do all
my my awards and everything. Uh, I'm an official voter,
but I do think MB is going to win. Right,
(25:44):
who did you vote for? A last I'm just curious
with your votes. I think I voted for Yannis okay
the year before that? Okay, yeah yeah, so okay, so
you voted from once? Um, Rob, G is there anyway
I'm knowing? Uh? Is there any stat or story out
there about uh Yoki and whether or not he can
(26:05):
still finish with a triple double? Is? Isn't he close
to one? I haven't seen anything like that, but I
have seen the latest odds in Vegas. Cur just needs
he just needs Uh he's nine point nine assists. Rob.
I hate to pour cold water on your argument, but
according to Lamar Mitchell and our friends at the bet MGM,
after last night's fifty two point performance, Joe lmbid is
(26:27):
now minus six hundred favorite. Yeah, but that's Vegas. They're
trying to six hundred. Is you know? Not nothing to
sneeze at me. I'll tell you this, Rob, if you
follow Vegas and some of the things that come out,
you'd be surprised. But yes, you've had like minus two
fifty three hundred. This is a big number. But they're
(26:48):
tyeven to one odds on Yoki to win. They're they're
trying to get people. Uh, They look after it because
of prisoner of the moment, what happened last night and
what Doc said. So they're scared. They think, oh my god,
we gotta we gotta h we gotta kick it up
because we don't want people to load up on h
on and beat after that game. They're just trying to protect.
(27:12):
According to this article, the implied odds for a minus
six hundred favorite and anything means that Vegas is projecting
eighty six percent chance that they win. Okay, but there's
fourteen percent chance that they don't. That's just accept just
accept the I'm just accept I'm not accepting it. I
refuse to accept it. Will you accept the al on
the Lakers that you said weren't gonna make the play? No,
(27:35):
they're They're in the playing, They're automatically. They they clinched
the playing already. Still, I'm not gonna admit it. Then,
don't even I mean, you never gonna admit the l
you long everybody takes a l I was wrong. There
you go. You gotta Chris, I just said that, you
see removed my lips. I was wrong. Fox Sports Radio
(27:57):
has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch
all of our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com
and within the iHeart Radio app search f SR to
listen live. God, I know for the odd couple celebrity
corners now Rob this week. I think it was over
(28:19):
the weekend. I'm just minding my own business, chilling, and
I get a text from my man, Emanuel Lewis talking
smack talking about Yo, wh why ain anybody talking about
a three peak for the Warriors. I was like, first
of all, did you know they didn't even win back
to back yet? Thank you? What are you doing now? Man?
(28:41):
You just like, nah, they're gonna win back to back
and then another one. So I was like, we gotta
get you on the show. You got your chest out,
you got base in your voice. So I said, I
want to hear you say it in public. So we
welcome our man, Emmanuel Lewis. Emmanuel, what's happening? What's put
off everybody? We're good, We're in our right mind. Look,
(29:03):
I like the Warriors, but three pet why are you
so confident? I'm just saying it's right now. I think
they're pretty much aboard until the dog on the playoffs
comes in the finals, I think they're like, okay, they
don't either done that shows something that's real. They got
(29:24):
some good looking pieces together, I think, and uh, all
they need to do is get to it all right,
I mean, so I hope you're right. Yeah, Chris is
hoping and praying. But I'm gonna say the road record
was atrocious this year. I know they've won a couple
of games of late, but aren't you afraid of that, Emmanuel,
(29:44):
Not at all? Not at all? Um, you know they were,
they were. Everybody was afraid of that last year and right,
and when it came to the business, they they gotta
handle and and that's why they're champs. And so now, uh,
I think is extremely crucial that we got some of
our ingredients back that you know, it is important. I
(30:09):
mean about think about making a an apple pie without sentiments.
I mean, come on, yeah, yeah, you got it. Ain't
working it, but you need the centiment man. And so
now you know, we gotta come to more ingredients back.
I think it's great. I'm excited for it. And all
I'm saying is, you know how time nobody is getting ahead.
(30:31):
I mean, anybody can say three feet after they want to,
but can you say it before it even houses? That's
the whole point you were trying to help me out, right,
you're trying to help out. Don't wasting you you know,
you know one sept me two games. Now you're hollering
if that ain't mean nothing, you know, get in front
(30:52):
of it all. I'm saying, well, look if they they
could end up meeting Phoenix in the first round with
Kevin Durant, you know Phoenix, I mean, how can are
you that confident? I think they can beat Phoenix, but
you're that confident? The front part was, uh yeah, I
am kind of confident in that. And and I say
(31:14):
that with the smile, because you know, does he need
The biggest threat is uh, you know, is a is
a friend. And as they always say, you know, you
keep the enemies closing. Uh. And so therefore they know
everything about the big man. They know what he likes,
(31:35):
they do what he doesn't like. So that's you know,
Chris Paul, you know, Firk got his number. As far
as I'm concerned, um and and and understanding what he
doesn't like. Draymond has already said what he didn't like
the double triple quadruple team. He can't stand that extra
(31:56):
heat on his shoulder. So that every said if you
if you remember closely what Draymond said that he don't like.
So they already know what they're gonna do to knock
him off his game. So the question is, you know,
let's get through it, let's see what they can do.
But you know, it's I don't think it's that far
as sense. They beat him when he was I mean Oaks,
(32:16):
I mean Oklahoma. You know, So what about Wiggins coming back?
Is that? Is that the Wiggins coming back? Well that
helped him or or you know he's been gone a
while now. Yeah, but you know, Wigins is just one
of those guys that he just needed someone to believe
in them, you know what I mean. And that's what
made him really and show him how, you know, believe
(32:39):
in me, but then give me something work with and
she'll let me get there. And they did that for him.
So Wikins being back and and GT. Three is that
other missing ingredient that is very understated. Uh you know
that that that is serious. Uh? And those two that
(33:00):
makes it a little different, you know, it makes for
a little difference. And that's what they needed because you know,
Ja don't even play like a little guy. He played
like you know, he's you know Kareem with somebody put
back the other night, but this, gracious, that was just
I was like, Yeah, that's what we're talking about. Babyin
(33:21):
that back right there, that's what we need. We need
that extra must Now now I Manuel one other uh
and we're speaking with a Manuel Lewis the actor. Um
one of your one of the big stories now in
the NBA is the MVP, and Nicole and Yogis from Denver,
Yanni Sandakompo from Milwaukee, and Joe lmbid. If you had
(33:43):
to vote, who would you vote for? You know, I
get it. You know for the regular season that they
have been doing great numbers. Um, you know, I get it.
If you say staff, then I'll just know you a
Warrior's Homer. No, no, no, no, step is not even
(34:03):
in that categoy this year. He's he's not, he's not.
He's not been in those numbers, although he's looking good.
You really have to have great team numbers to do that.
So by that definition that the industry has given, that
would go to Yanna. All right, ya, Look, I do
(34:25):
think he's being overlooked. It seems like you don't finish third.
It has to them because it goes to you goes
to not yes, it goes to the player, but it's
also how well you make the people around you better.
And so if that is the criteria that they've been
saying in the past and what they've been giving it,
like even if you did great as an individual but
(34:46):
your team is not, you know, in in better standings,
then then they didn't give it to you. So those
were the criterias. I don't make up the cristeris that's
what they said. So if that's the case, then that
goes to Yanna so well. And one last question for me, Chris, uh,
what about the Lakers? Where where do you have them?
(35:07):
Are you afraid of them? If you're if you're a
Warriors fan, are you open up the Warriors maker run?
Are you afraid if the Lakers play the Warriors? You know,
I hate to say it, but you know who's got
confidence in a D though? Right now? Like who really
has that level of confidence? I mean, you know, I'll
(35:28):
always be a Lakers fan? Who is it? But you know,
we all you know respect, you know what Lebron is
gonna do. But he puts a lot of he himself
puts a lot of stocks in a D and we
just ain't seeing it. Where are you at on the
gold conversation? Who's your goal? You know? Come on, I
(35:51):
mean I'm still You can stack numbers all you want,
but we all know dog On one well that you
know Jay Michael Jordan is the goat. Yes, if he
had a longer career, he would have had those numbers,
but he didn't. And and it wasn't even his fault.
The GM and all of them broke up the dogs
(36:13):
On team because they wouldn't bring back the coach. So
we already understand what that's like. You you broke up
the winning formula. How do you mess up a dog
on three peaks? How do you do that? Right? I'll
never forge I'll never forget that. I remember Michael said,
oh yeah, if you bring Phil's coming back, I'll be back.
The first thing they said was Phil's not coming back. Right.
(36:37):
Nobody else in the history of the NBA stupid enough
to break up a three peak. Is there anybody else
in the world that was stupid enough to do that? Yeah?
So if they were back together, you don't think they
they win another you know, a four peak, for God's sake.
I mean, like you know what I mean? So that's
(36:58):
just what it is. I tried to get a four
peak the other day at Popeyes, but they said only
three pieces. You just made this day, man, you know that.
Look I gotta say go ahead ahead. When you when
we were texting this weekend, you I asked you what
(37:18):
you were doing. You said you were in the woods
hunting Turkey, and you sent me a picture of you
and your camouflage. It scared me, man, I mean, my goodness,
you look like you were about to go to the
Middle Easter or something. I mean or what bro Oh,
I love hunting. They have great eyesight, you know what
(37:41):
I mean? And um, and yes they will start you
like extremely keenly and so obviously being a city boys
from Brooklyn, none of this was an option, right, Havings
and four wheelers and all of this stuff was never
an option. And then when I got a chance to
move down the Georgia, uh, you know, you get a
(38:02):
chance to do what those do here, you know, in
the shopping and part of that is hunting. So yeah,
I enjoy it. I catch, uh catching, clean and cook yeah,
all of that. Wow, I got a deal last year
and uh and they helped me dress it and all
of that chick it back and ate up and put
some of the freezer and we can rock and roll
(38:24):
whenever that comes. So I passed on a small jake
because I really wanted a time. I want my first
one to be a tim I and I passed on
a small jake. But it's okay. It was just the
beginning of christ and season here in Georgia, and I'm
looking forward to get back out there and and get
me a righteous one. So right, fun man, Well, look,
(38:46):
when win or lose with the Warriors, we're gonna get
you back on. Especially if they lose, Fun, we'll get
to beat you up. A matter of fact, I went
to the game when they were in Medsis and I
got a chance to talk to step afterwards. And you know,
I don't know where they were. He's I seemed a
little you know, they just he just exhausted. It looks
(39:08):
like we No. I've just got one question for you,
one question. Who's taller you or Steff. I'm just asking, Oh,
definitely Stef. But he's one hell of the nice guy
and looking forward to it. And I got to tell
him that, you know, um my side, so I can
get some more um some some some step gear. Yeah,
(39:29):
I hear you on that, all right. If Manuel lewis
great stuff, brother, We'll talk to you soon. Please do,
please do. Three break
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.