June 7, 2024 • 39 mins
Chris and Rob discuss why Kyrie Irving has struggled so mightily against the Boston Celtics over the last few seasons – including in the NBA Finals, and tell us why Caitlin Clark is going to be sorely disappointed if she has a problem with sports media networks focusing on WNBA drama rather than the play on the court. Plus, former NBA veteran and Bally Sports Southwest TV analyst Derek Harper swings by to discuss how the Mavs can get Kyrie Irving going, why the return of Kristaps Porzingis takes the Celtics offense to another level, the narrative that Luka Doncic is the greatest player in Mavericks history and much more!
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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
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Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brushaw and Rob Harker.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Our next guest former NBA veterans, starred with the Dallas Mavericks.
Now he's a Valley Sports Southwest MAVs TV analyst. We
welcome in Derek Harper. Derek, how are You's up?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Derek? What's up? So? How you guys doing?
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Man Man Great to have you on. Thank you for
joining us.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
And I know you were probably disappointed in last night.
Do you think MAVs Yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
Right, I know.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Do you think mass fans should be concerned?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
You know what, Chris, you always are going to be
concerned the way that and that's what I go to
how they lost. They didn't look like themselves in the loss.
But I think one thing to keep in mind is
that they've been the best back bounce back team in
the league this year. Very rarely do the Mavericks lose
(01:33):
two games in a row. They always find a way
to rebound when it comes to sub part games, and
that was certainly sub part last night that I looked
forward to the bounce back. You know, the series has
just begun. It doesn't really start until somebody loses on
their floors.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So well, they always say that, but that means series
couldn't start. Sometimes I've never understood that comment.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I don't agreed or.
Speaker 5 (02:02):
No, that's always what they said.
Speaker 6 (02:05):
Yeah you're let me let me ask you about Porzingis
though no one knew what to expect from him, and
he dominated, came out twenty points in twenty minutes. And
if you're the celt did you gotta feel great, Derek
when you see that?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Well they certainly that certainly gave him a shot in
the arm. I didn't even know what to expect KP.
I don't know how you guys thought about it.
Speaker 5 (02:28):
I didn't either. I don't think anybody did.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Yeah, you can't forget that. In spite of the injuries
and all the things that that's taking place with KP,
he's still pretty damn good as a player, especially in
the Gay's game where the game is all about Biggs
stretching the floor, he can do that. And I think
the other dynamic for him is he does a pretty
(02:53):
nice job if you guys would of protecting that paint man.
And I thought as good as he was offensively, he
it's equally as good on the defense. Yeah, yeah, it's
the block. He changed a lot of shots as well.
Kyrie can finish against anybody. I mean, you can put
two seven footers on the floor and Ki you guys
both know Kai has the ability to score no matter
(03:16):
what at will sometimes. But last night I thought he
had Kyrie's attention and that that played a very subtle
part in Boston's, uh, their win. People are talking about
the offense, and granted, the team shoots a lot of
threes and they make a lot of threes, so you
got to take that from them sometimes, but they are
(03:38):
good defensively, and I think all of a sudden people
forgot that.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Now why why didn't? I mean you look at Borzingis's game.
He obviously can shoot the three, can spread the floor,
as you said, can protect the room.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
He's athletic for his size.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
I mean you would think he would be a great
fit with Luca, but obviously it didn't work out.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Why do you think it didn't work out there?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Well, I golly that that's a good question. But it's
a difficult it's difficult to uh to figure that one out.
I was surprised. I'm I'm a KP fan. Of course,
we all love and respect what Luca is as a player,
but everybody Chris can't can't play with superstar guys. And
(04:24):
even though he's playing with a superstar, when it comes
to a Tatum and Brown and those guys there, I
just think he fits better with those guys because they're
a little bit more athletic than Luca. Luca is, Uh,
let's face it, his usage rate is higher than anybody
in the league, and you have to learn and grow
into learning how to play with guys like that, and
(04:47):
KP just didn't get that. The one thing that Boston
does for KP that they that the Mavericks didn't didn't
do when he was here, is you got to go
to him, you know, to take advantage of him as
a player. You gotta that ball in there sometime. If
you watch them in the Greens, he's getting a lot
of opportunities just isolated. When he gets a mismatch, they
(05:08):
go to him, and he's pretty good at taking advantage
of the defenders in that case, but here it was
just more about flowing Luca, and as he didn't get
to see he didn't have the same results.
Speaker 6 (05:21):
How about kyrie struggles against Boston, and we're going to
get into that later on in the show. But just
they did numbers on eleven, The numbers are way down.
He's really really scuffled against that team.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Is that?
Speaker 5 (05:37):
Is that?
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Just? What was Boston's defensive rating one or two this
all year? Yeah? And they played defense. Boston, Boston plays defense. Man.
They don't just they can switch everything. They just they
they screw you up a little bit with the switches.
(05:58):
I know when I was playing, man, I don't think
it's ever changes in the game. When teams switch on you,
it throws off your rhythm. And I thought Kyrie's rhythm
along with the Mavericks getting ready to play, not not
ready to play. He didn't get up to the kind
of start he needed to, even though he made his
(06:18):
first two buckets. I just thought they did a good
job against kay with the switching. Every shot that he
took basically was challenge, and you know it's the worst
time to go cold man is this time of the year,
because you lose and you start to doubt yourself a
little bit. Offensively and defensive.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
They single coverage Boston did Luca and Kyrie, and you
know they're going to try to do that as long
as they can. But I mean, I tend to think
if you single cover, they're too good not to really
exploit single coverage, and that's obviously a key to the
mass offense. Do you think that Kyrie and lou will
(07:01):
kind of bust out? More so Kyrie? I mean, Luca
had thirty, but you know, if Kyrie can't exploit Yeah, right,
right now, that's true. If Kyrie can't exploit the single coverage,
then I think they'll live with Luca getting thirty, forty
even maybe a little more and keep everybody else from
going off. So do you think that Kyrie in particular,
(07:24):
but also but him and Luca will be over the
course of this series just too good for Boston to
consistently guard with one man?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yeah? I do, Chris. I think both you and Rob
would agree that you don't stop Luca, you don't stop Kyrie.
You just hope to contain those guys, But I find
it hard to think that you're gonna hold both those
guys down in a seven game series. And I think
this series will be a long series. I don't think
(07:55):
it's gonna end quick. But stranger things have happened right
just too good man. I mean, off the balance, catch
and shoot transition. They can store too many different ways
in order for you to contain them. And the ticker
is they both have the ball a lot. You know
(08:15):
what what Boston did last night to Kyrie and all
those guys is that every time one of those guys
got around somebody, it was somebody there for him. They
just didn't give them the comfort that they have had
so far in the playoffs. I mean, they dominated the
first three series because both those guys were able to
(08:38):
break down their defenders and there was just gonna answer
for them. And the other thing I think, man, is
that we're missing the point on Boston. I keep saying it,
but Boston is a great defensive team. Like size guys.
Derek White underrated defensively. We know what Holiday is, all
(08:59):
defensive team all year long. Good size. They make you
shoot uncomfortable shots, and they're the one team in this
league that you can't get completely comfortable with. You see Brown,
When do you see Luca get picked on the perimeters?
Not very much and Rom was able to take the
(09:20):
ball from him. That kind of stuff plays with your
psyche man just a little bit, and it makes you
a little bit hesitant. And I just thought that both
those guys from an offensive standpoint, they were a little
bit hesitant and couldn't find their rhythm because of the
celtics s defense, as great as they are.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Derek, one last thing for me. When you can win
like that and be.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Impressive and then your one of your big guns and
your guy Tatum for the Celtics doesn't play that well,
what does that give to the rest of the team
going in knowing, Hey, ain't gonna play bad every night,
but you gotta feel good that you want but you
know your star can play better.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, of course, And I think he takes a lot
of unfair criticism. You know, you got to have somebody
that that you're gonna you're gonna be on on a
regular basis, Right, Tatum seems to be that guy that
the guy that everybody likes to put pressure on as
far as him being the guy that has to step up,
but you have to be confident about it. I think
(10:24):
Boston is a confident team mainly because there they have
the best starting five in the league. We agree with that, correct, right, yes? Yeah, yeah,
they have the best five starters in the NBA. I
think they've gotten to the point where Boston that is,
they don't have to have Jason Tatum to be their
(10:45):
number one guy. I think that. In fact, I think
Brown Brown is their guy. I really do, because when
he plays well, they win all the time. Tatum can
play well and they lose. So I mean, it's the playoffs, man,
you gotta you gotta roll with whatever it's going. There's
no time to uh what what do you say? There's
(11:09):
no time to to worry about one guy. You gotta
you gotta make sure everybody collectively is tuned in and
ready to go, and Boston clearly did that last night
in spite of Tatum struggling.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Before you Go, Derek Jason Kidd is saying, if they
win this series, lucas the best math ever. You know
as much about this franchise as anybody you saw the
Dirk's career.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
Uh, you agree, with Jason I.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
Do, I do, I do, I don't.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
I just think, you know, first of all, I just
don't think you need to say that before the series.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
That's me.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
I don't know. I mean some stuff you're You're right, I.
Speaker 6 (11:51):
Mean just just saying just hold Derek, just hold on
to it, you know what I mean, like before now you've.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Heard him say it before, dear, I mean he said
it must.
Speaker 6 (12:03):
Yeah, but but this is right before the series. I
just thought it wasn't the right place.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
I just right right where he didn't think it wasn't
the right place. So that's all about right. But I'm
gonna say this, man, and I know you guys, I'm
gonna be able to relate to what I'm gonna say
best Maverick Effort. You know, I think I would agree
with Jason Kidds because all that Luca, all that Dirk had,
(12:30):
that Luca doesn't have is a ring, right right, Dirk's
career average twenty points a game. I think Lucas, when
it's all said and done, Luca's gonna have the best
stats of just about everybody that's ever put the NBA uniform.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
On right right right now.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
We we we we gotta run. You know how it
works there, You know how we pay these bills. Thank
you and great stuff.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
I got the MAVs in six, so let's.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
Celtics in six.
Speaker 6 (13:05):
I'm feeling good, all right, Derek, all right, Deck, thanks,
Matt all right.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
See.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
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Speaker 3 (13:25):
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Speaker 5 (13:25):
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Speaker 4 (13:58):
And Rob Kyrie Irving, who.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Has been praised to High Heaven over the last three weeks.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
And Kyrie we.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Both know, we all know is a an outstanding player,
first ballot Hall of Famer, I know, the NBA Hall
of Fame or Basketball Hall of Fame. You know it
gets a lot of criticism. Well, everybody's a Hall of Famer.
This dude is a legitimate first time Hall of Fame.
Would you agree with that?
Speaker 8 (14:29):
Rob?
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Yes, But I'm not so sure he's gonna get there.
Oh gosh.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
I'm just saying, especially now because he you know, we'll
see if he has any others, you know.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
No, but that you know what I'm saying, right right,
he's been a player.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
As a player, he should get in.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
But I also think like he is enjoyed what I'll
call a reputation renaissance over this past it's really this
whole season because he hasn't you know, he hasn't had
any issues off the court. He's been showing up, been
playing every game when he's healthy, and obviously he's played
to it.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
That's all that's never been an issue, is batt right.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
I'm not talking about.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
The fact I think he I think you know, he's
viewed Rob as the leader of this team, the leader
of a team that.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Could get to that got to the finals, not the
best player.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
But the elite, the leader, the elder statesman, if you will,
And I do think that's you.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
Know, some some The only reason why I made his image,
if you will.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Yeah, the only reason why I you know.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Dennis Robin got in.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
I flinch though, is that they didn't put him in
the top seventy five. And that was during his stuff, right,
And that's what I'm saying. And I think, because he
should be a top seventy five talking my first ballot
Hall of Famer, but but they kept him out of that,
And that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
But I don't even know if he was the first parton,
like Clay Thompson has to be in before him, and
Clay didn't make it. I just think, but I think
there's an argument for Kyrie, But I don't think it
was like slam Dunk, Oh my gosh.
Speaker 6 (15:58):
Well when they put in another guy, Dame Dolla, who
hadn't won anything or yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Dame Look, I'm not saying no, I think it's arguable.
I think you could argue that accolades, but.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
I think he would have been in there.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
He might have, but that's different than the Hall of Fame. Obviously,
it's just more stringent than the Hall of Fame. But anyway, Rob,
last night, Kyrie shoots six for nineteen, zero for five
from three, and Rob, it didn't look like Kyrie irving
out there. He dribbled the ball off his foot. It's
(16:38):
the best ball handler in the history of the NBA.
Dribbled the ball off his foot. Was stumbling at one
point a few times. On one possession, hit the side
of the backboard on a corner three. That's the easiest
three point shot in the league, the side of the backboard.
And then just one pass, just just threw out a
(16:59):
back just I mean, I don't know what he was doing,
just threw it out of bounds. And Rob, he was
back in Boston, and Kyrie has lost his last eleven
games against the Celtics.
Speaker 6 (17:16):
That's incredible. I mean, remember that show. That's incredible.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
Right.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Here's his numbers in those games.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Rob twenty points a game, which you know that's fine,
But for Kyrie, he's averaged twenty three in his career
forty one percent shooting. He's a forty six forty seven
percent career shooter, twenty eight percent from three.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
He's high thirties in three point percentage.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Rob here it gets even worse the last four playoff.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Games for Kyrie.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Now, you remember that when Brooklyn got swept with Kyrie
and Durant and they made Durant and Kyrie look bad.
But the first game, Game one, they barely lose, Kyrie
is awesome, drops thirty nine on him those remaining three games,
and then last night.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
So his last four playoff games.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
He's averaging fourteen points a game against the Celtics or
thirty five percent shooting and twelve and a half percent
from three.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
Rob What do you make of this?
Speaker 6 (18:20):
You know a lot of people don't want to believe
in curses or anything like that. I always remember, when
are you actually about to go there? I'm going there?
Really like the curse of the Bambino?
Speaker 5 (18:31):
You know what that is? Right?
Speaker 6 (18:32):
Because the Red Sox sol Babe route to the Yankees,
and that was a long standing Chris whatever.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
They went eighty some odd years without won.
Speaker 6 (18:42):
Five eighty six, yeah whatever, you know, they went over
eighty somebody years and that was always the curse of
the Bambino.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Is there some sort of curse here? Are we looking at?
Speaker 3 (18:51):
What?
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Kyrie's a great player?
Speaker 6 (18:53):
Why is he scuffling and playing so poorly against this team,
his former team, when he stood up there and said,
I'll be back if you guys don't have me, and
then he ditched and ran and he was out Chris,
and I just wonder, and you know, we've heard him,
but the heck out of him last night?
Speaker 5 (19:11):
I missed that, did we How bad?
Speaker 4 (19:14):
He even said it wasn't as bad, So.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
It wasn't as bad as normal. You remember before it
used to be really bad.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't think it was as bad
as like when he played in Brooklyn.
Speaker 6 (19:24):
But you know what I mean, I'm Josh and half Josh,
but it just he's won in eleven.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Right, you remember when he stomped on Lucky.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
You know.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Since then?
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Yeow, but everybody runs on Luck. He's on the court.
Speaker 6 (19:40):
Everybody spt on him at some point, right.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
I think rob.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
That.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Look, first of all, they're a great defensive team, and
not just this year, so that's part of it. Right,
They've they got great defenders. They have Marcus Smart, they've
had Derek White, now they got Drew Holliday. Any of
those guys on him, plus Tatum and Brown defend with like.
That's one thing is they legitimately some of that, and
(20:08):
they got length, like they're all bigger than Kyrie.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
So there's that. Then I do Rob.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Now, I'll say this as a guy that picked the Maveriges,
Kyrie's got to play better if they're gonna win. I
did like his demeanor in the postgame press conference, like
he he did not seem frazzle, did not seem shook.
He was calm, he was smarting, like he seemed fine,
which is a good I took it as a good sign.
But Rob, I'm not so certain that they might not
(20:41):
get in his head. They might be in his head
a little like what you said it, Rob, how do
you explain it?
Speaker 4 (20:49):
He's too good?
Speaker 1 (20:50):
But he went against Minnesota, which was a top defensive team,
and had his way o case.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
He didn't play great.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
He averaged fifteen and a half points a game in
that series, and they are a great defensive team.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
So I guess if somebody.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Wants to say that's evidence that some you know, really
tough teams can bottle him up. Okay, but I personally
think he's too good. And I'm gonna say this Rob,
whatever it is, Rob, kind of like I start off
the segment, Kyrie needs the ball, and I don't mean
just for the Celtics to win. Obviously that has to happen.
(21:27):
But Rob, we've talked about it. Kyrie over the past
few weeks has been called the most gifted player in
NBA history. He's been called for a few years now,
the most skilled player in NBA.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
History, the best finisher at the basket, best.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Finisher at the realm, a part of the greatest offensive
backcourt in NBA history, and I missing oh.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Bron called.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
The Wizard the best wingman in history. So you can't
come out here and get shut down.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
And I get it.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Drew Holliday is a great defender, and he's bigger and
stronger than Kyrie. But Rob, we watched Jimmy Butler make
minced meat out of Drew Holliday a year ago. Missed me,
all right, And I know Jimmy's stronger and bigger, but
he don't have two thirds of the skill that Kyrie's got.
If you that guy, and I'm not even out, you know,
(22:37):
I like Kyrie. I'm not trying to like mock him.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
Are you calling him out?
Speaker 4 (22:41):
No, I'm not trying to mock him at all.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
I'm just saying with these accolades showering down on you.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
You can't go out there like this.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
You gotta come out there and ball your handle, your jay.
You're finishing nobility, your mid range, your floater, your three.
They should not be able to stop you. And Robbed
last night he missed five threes. Three of them were
wide One of them I was closer to you right
(23:15):
now than any defender was to Kyrie. I mean one
of them, rob He must have had fifteen feet between
him and the nearest defender and missed it.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
And that happened. Look, shooters, you missed sometimes.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
But three of them were wide open. And one of
them hit the side of the backboard. That wasn't a
wide open one, but he hit the side of the
back rod. I think it was Peyton. Pritchard was in
his face.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
So I'm just saying, am I wrong? Robbed?
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I mean you you like Kyrie too, but you've seen
the accolades. Maybe they've gotten a little a little bit
out of hand.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
But whatever the case, you can't.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
You gotta go out there and play better than this
when people are showering you with this kind of praise.
Speaker 6 (23:56):
Oh yeah, I mean right now, Luca did his thing.
Kyrie was uh m, I A Chris and and uh
people will be looking at it if this repeats on Sunday,
or if he continues to struggle, because then you could
keep If they lose that game and he struggles and
he's own twelve, you know, in his last twelve against
the Celtics, then you're going to start, yeah, it.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Will be talking about it and asking him questions about it.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
Well, how come you can't beat this team?
Speaker 6 (24:25):
How come you're when you start throwing that number out
there like I don't know if anybody has bought it
up yet, but but that'll happen, you know, and and
it'll be rightfully so that you could ask that, Chris,
that's a big enough sample size, that's not that's not
oh and three in your last three games against that
twelve games or eleven eleven in counting absolutely.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Rob and and you know if it gets to o
and twelve, then no smiling, no, no, no joke, no,
you know that's not gonna be the answer. I don't
how calm you look, how comfortable you look, what you say,
people are gonna be like you, oh to twelve and
you're shooting below forty percent against them in your last
(25:09):
half of what's going on.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
So yeah, so I think he's capable.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
I mean, look, I picked Dallas to win, and part
of that was that Kyrie's gonna do his thing. And
you're right, Luca wasn't awesome, but he was, you know,
he played well enough for them to win. He bought
needed some help, and so Kyrie's got to give it
to him.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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Speaker 1 (25:40):
We have an interesting conversation here. I mean, you're talking
about me giving an update. We about to do a
whole segment on it. But Kayln Clark was talking rob
It's been obviously, the WNBA has been in the news
race gender broadcasters being called out assault.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Charge right right right, assault claims.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
I mean, the Chicago Tribune has been, you know, called
on the carpet, and they should be by us, but
also by others come on assault. So yeah, it's a
lot of drama right now surrounding Indiana Fever, Caitlyn Clark
and the w NBA as a whole.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
Here's what Kitlyn Clark said about it.
Speaker 9 (26:25):
Sometimes it stinks how much, you know, the conversation is
outside of basketball and not the product on the floor
and amazing players that are on the floor and how
good they are for their teams and how great the
season has been for women's basketball. I went from college
basketball to now the WNBA. Some of the crowds are
you know, Unpresident.
Speaker 5 (26:41):
Caitlyn Clark is lamenting over the idea that.
Speaker 6 (26:46):
The people aren't you know, talking about the uh talking
about the x's and o's of basketball, and it's more
about the personalities and the drama and the soap opera
kind of thing that's going on with the women of
the WNBA.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
Rob G.
Speaker 6 (27:10):
And I think she's right, we are getting that, But
I just are we really supposed to break down WNBA
stuff or is it like personalities? I mean, we saw
Caitlin when she sitting those logo threes that got people
all excited, got people into it. They wanted to see
what she was about. But there's a lot of drama
(27:31):
that goes on and that's a part of sports as well.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
Is she right or wrong? You think she's wrong, rob G.
Speaker 8 (27:40):
I have some issue with what she is saying because
this is what happens in every you know, big time sport.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Right.
Speaker 8 (27:50):
If it was just about x's and o's and breaking
down film and things like that, then Steven A. Smith
will not be the most popular guy in sports media.
You know, it would be Zach Lowe, It'd be great
co sell, It'd be JJ.
Speaker 5 (28:05):
Redd doing that stuff. No, I'm with you.
Speaker 8 (28:08):
And so what sells, especially to the common fan is
everything else. There's one thing about the NBA which I
had conversation with a lot of people, both you know,
on camera, off camera, on the mic, off the mic,
you know, both sides of the spectrum, people who are
forward facing personalities and people who work in the production side.
(28:28):
And one thing we talked about with the NBA especially is,
for whatever reason, all of the social media clips, the
YouTube clips, the video TV clips of people talking about
free agency and trade rumors and who might go where,
(28:50):
and this guy frustrated this situation, and you know, Lebron
might try to force his way out of Cleveland. Whatever
gets way more traction than and oh did you see
the way that they beat the Memphis Grizzlies with the
high pick and roll action. Like casual sports fans tune
(29:11):
into sports for drama for soap op.
Speaker 6 (29:13):
There's a piece of that. There's no doubt about it.
There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 8 (29:17):
And what Kaitlin Clark is seeing right now is in
the WNBA, which didn't have the same mainstream success as
the other sports, is the way it's being covered is
the exact same way that the other major professional leaguers are.
Speaker 6 (29:32):
There's a lot of that there is. So that's why
I said, she's not wrong. She's not wrong about the
idea that, uh, the drama gets attention. Are we really
gonna go on the radio and break down the w
NBA game last night, Rob g. We don't even do
that more for for NBA games most of the time.
Are we breaking down games? We don't break down games.
Speaker 8 (29:57):
So so, but you have a problem with you agree
with her, though, is what I'm saying.
Speaker 6 (30:01):
No, I do, I agree, But I'm trying to say
I think what she's saying is right. But this is
the way that you get attention, right, and that people
are gonna talk about the league, not about just what
somebody shot last night or at the fever one. Another
game like that is not going to make a conversation.
(30:22):
We talk about all the time I love baseball. We're
not gonna talk about the Pirates Rangers game on Tuesday
night that was four to three.
Speaker 5 (30:31):
There's nothing there, right, That's what I'm talking about.
Speaker 8 (30:34):
Yeah, And you guys gotta be more me to it, exactly,
gotta be and and there are exceptions to every rule.
And this is something we talked about with baseball, me
and you earlier today on the phone. With baseball on
the national level, it usually has to be something controversial, juicy,
something juicy, usually honestly something negative, yep, for it to
permeate on a national level, you know, outside of this show.
(30:57):
And I think maybe Jason Smithhew does a good job
talking a lot of baseball, right, most of the national
shows don't talk baseball like that unless it's a paid partnership.
So like you know, some of the FS one shows
might talk about Yankees Dodgers because the stories on Fox
it's all right Fox, righte. And the same thing can
be said, I believe when it comes to soccer saying
(31:18):
they can be said right now with the w NBA
is that's their way of cutting through the gristle and
getting people to tune in.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
Yeah, I'm back in, guys.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
I've missed what you've said, so so Chris, what did
even I don't even know exactly what Caitlyn Clark said.
Speaker 6 (31:35):
Rob, do you want to play it again? Mary played again,
and then Chris listened.
Speaker 9 (31:39):
Okay, sometimes it stinks how much you know, the conversation
is outside of basketball and not the product on the
floor and amazing players that are on the floor and
how good they are for their teams, and how great
this season has been for women's basketball, going from college
basketball to now the WNBA. Some of the crowds are,
you know, unprecedented.
Speaker 6 (31:56):
Chris, let me just say, let me just give you
my little one minute right thirty second. I'm just saying
she's right. But that's how we cover sports. Like we're
not breaking down a w NBA game or talking about
the fever one game last night that'll never make it on.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
In five seconds of me giving you a little stating
tonight on that and and I.
Speaker 6 (32:18):
Said the same thing, Chris, I said, We're not gonna
talk about a Pittsburgh Pirates Texas Ranger Tuesday night game
that ended four to three. That's not gonna make it on.
It's gotta be juicy, it's gotta have a little Rub,
So that's where I'm at.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
She's absolutely right, She's she's right. But Rob, I agree
with you wholeheartedly. There are two sports for whatever reason.
But right now there are essentially two sports, Rob, that
people talk about for the most part on national television
and radio, the NBA and the NFL. And if you
(32:57):
want to throw college football in their kind as a heard.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
That's it. We're Rob, we don't.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
And you know when this first started happening, you know,
years ago, when you and I would be on.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
First take with Skip and I was baffled.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
As to why we weren't talking more baseball because it'd
be baseball season, even the playoffs, and you know, it
came down to the surveys and study groups and everything
were showing people wanted basketball and football and rob Let's
and baseball is still obviously one of the biggest sports
(33:35):
in America.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
But what was the big story.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
When the last time this season, Rob that baseball was
on everybody's tongue on television radio, What.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
Was the topic.
Speaker 6 (33:50):
Gambling and the gambling and before that, steroids, you know
what I mean, like like it.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
And because those are negative thing, it's like so I
mean a fight, Rob, if there was a big brawl
in baseball. We talked about Tim Anderson last year when
he got knocked out. If there was a big fight
in baseball or some type of drama, cheating scand or whatever,
(34:19):
we would be talking more baseball and not We talked
a decent amount, you know, more than most, but everybody
would talk it shows and guys that have never talked
it before. And so she's right, But you're right, Rob,
this is this is their moment. Jeane King said, you
(34:39):
know the legendary Billy Jean King tennis player female. He
was saying, don't blow it like this is. You have
the spotlight. And Kayla's right right now, it's nobody's breaking
down the names. Asia Wilson is phenomenal, nobody's really talking
about her.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
But that's just Rob.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
We didn't talk about out men's college basketball this year.
Nobody talks about that anymore.
Speaker 6 (35:04):
No, it's just not where we are in this and
we're not gonna be breaking down that kind of stuff.
It's just not a part of the vernacular. Is that
the right term? You know what I mean of what
we're talking about these days. So it's got to have
a rub Well, it's got to have something, Chris that
have you pick either side. You know, we need something
(35:26):
like that talking about the fever and they won a game,
and boy they had balanced scoring. They had five people
in double figures. That's not gonna be a topic.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
Yeah, and Rob.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
The reason, and you know this, the reason it has
become all NBA and NFL on TV and radio is
because these study groups have shown that when you talk
those topics, the ratings go high, and when you talk
other sports they dip. That's why the NFL talked about
(36:03):
year round. That's why the NBA it pretty much just
talked about year round.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (36:09):
It's not about what you just like, you know, Stephen
A was called out. You're right, Monica McNutt said, you
could have been talking about this three months ago. No, no, right,
he wasn't talking about baseball three years ago either.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
I mean, for the most part, like it didn't warrant
the coverage because the fan base is not clamoring for it.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
Now with Caitlin Clark, with Angel Reese, they're clamoring for
some w NBA information they're not clamoring for As you said, Rob,
breaking down the ex'es and o's of the new York
Liberty and you know the Connecticut son if that's their name,
you know, it's just not.
Speaker 6 (36:48):
No one's gonna listen to that, and that's not going
to what will keep you. And we've done more and
talked about her and different things than we ever did.
I mean, Chris, I went to someone. I was a
column in New York at news Day and I went
to some Liberty games early on. You know that was
twenty years ago, twenty five years ago, you know what
I mean. But that's it, that's ron.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
You can't say it's sexism in this case. Now, there's
obviously sexism that exists in sports and out of sports,
but in this case, because we're not talking much about baseball,
we're not talking much about college basketball men, we're not
talking soccer, weren't talking hockey. Rob g tells us all
the time off the air, hockey is the most exciting playoffs.
Speaker 5 (37:33):
It is to him, and.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
You said, you just said it too.
Speaker 5 (37:36):
It is it took a playoff talk up bit.
Speaker 4 (37:39):
We have never talked. We have never done one hockey
topic on this show.
Speaker 6 (37:43):
I think we did one when you off, just one.
I think you might have when I was no one,
I always tell you this too.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
I wouldn't even know where to begin. What we don't
talk boxing for the most No.
Speaker 6 (37:53):
I mean, I think they gotta be a really big
fight and them all have to have somebody on Chris
to really talk about it. But I was going to say,
the only reason I got my I think I won
the job in Detroit to be a columnist was my
knowledge of hockey Chris going to hockey town and in
the job, you know what I mean, Like they were
(38:14):
looking especially somebody right, you know what I mean as
a column that you got to be able to go
to cover hockey games. And I knew the backup goaltender
of the Islanders team that won for Stanley Cups in
a row.
Speaker 5 (38:28):
So when I told them Glenn Chico.
Speaker 6 (38:30):
Rush, they almost fell out of their seats, you know
what I mean, Like, who knows the backup goalie?
Speaker 5 (38:34):
Right?
Speaker 4 (38:35):
Well?
Speaker 1 (38:35):
And you know Rob, I you know, I covered some
hockey when I was in at the akronbecause Spitfires, right
was the name.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
I don't remember the name.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
I don't remember the name of the team, but you
can learn the oh yeah, you know, and then it right.
And this kind of plays into what we're saying Rob.
Ultimately it becomes about the personas the personalities, the storylines.
Even in football and basketball, which we do talk about,
we're talking about stories, Rob. We're writing about stories and
(39:07):
drama and you know, beefs and rivalries.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
That's what it is. That's what it is.
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 FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brushaw and Rob Harker.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Our next guest former NBA veterans, starred with the Dallas Mavericks.
Now he's a Valley Sports Southwest MAVs TV analyst. We
welcome in Derek Harper. Derek, how are You's up?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Derek? What's up? So? How you guys doing?
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Man Man Great to have you on. Thank you for
joining us.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
And I know you were probably disappointed in last night.
Do you think MAVs Yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
Right, I know.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Do you think mass fans should be concerned?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
You know what, Chris, you always are going to be
concerned the way that and that's what I go to
how they lost. They didn't look like themselves in the loss.
But I think one thing to keep in mind is
that they've been the best back bounce back team in
the league this year. Very rarely do the Mavericks lose
(01:33):
two games in a row. They always find a way
to rebound when it comes to sub part games, and
that was certainly sub part last night that I looked
forward to the bounce back. You know, the series has
just begun. It doesn't really start until somebody loses on
their floors.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So well, they always say that, but that means series
couldn't start. Sometimes I've never understood that comment.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I don't agreed or.
Speaker 5 (02:02):
No, that's always what they said.
Speaker 6 (02:05):
Yeah you're let me let me ask you about Porzingis
though no one knew what to expect from him, and
he dominated, came out twenty points in twenty minutes. And
if you're the celt did you gotta feel great, Derek
when you see that?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Well they certainly that certainly gave him a shot in
the arm. I didn't even know what to expect KP.
I don't know how you guys thought about it.
Speaker 5 (02:28):
I didn't either. I don't think anybody did.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Yeah, you can't forget that. In spite of the injuries
and all the things that that's taking place with KP,
he's still pretty damn good as a player, especially in
the Gay's game where the game is all about Biggs
stretching the floor, he can do that. And I think
the other dynamic for him is he does a pretty
(02:53):
nice job if you guys would of protecting that paint man.
And I thought as good as he was offensively, he
it's equally as good on the defense. Yeah, yeah, it's
the block. He changed a lot of shots as well.
Kyrie can finish against anybody. I mean, you can put
two seven footers on the floor and Ki you guys
both know Kai has the ability to score no matter
(03:16):
what at will sometimes. But last night I thought he
had Kyrie's attention and that that played a very subtle
part in Boston's, uh, their win. People are talking about
the offense, and granted, the team shoots a lot of
threes and they make a lot of threes, so you
got to take that from them sometimes, but they are
(03:38):
good defensively, and I think all of a sudden people
forgot that.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Now why why didn't? I mean you look at Borzingis's game.
He obviously can shoot the three, can spread the floor,
as you said, can protect the room.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
He's athletic for his size.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
I mean you would think he would be a great
fit with Luca, but obviously it didn't work out.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Why do you think it didn't work out there?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Well, I golly that that's a good question. But it's
a difficult it's difficult to uh to figure that one out.
I was surprised. I'm I'm a KP fan. Of course,
we all love and respect what Luca is as a player,
but everybody Chris can't can't play with superstar guys. And
(04:24):
even though he's playing with a superstar, when it comes
to a Tatum and Brown and those guys there, I
just think he fits better with those guys because they're
a little bit more athletic than Luca. Luca is, Uh,
let's face it, his usage rate is higher than anybody
in the league, and you have to learn and grow
into learning how to play with guys like that, and
(04:47):
KP just didn't get that. The one thing that Boston
does for KP that they that the Mavericks didn't didn't
do when he was here, is you got to go
to him, you know, to take advantage of him as
a player. You gotta that ball in there sometime. If
you watch them in the Greens, he's getting a lot
of opportunities just isolated. When he gets a mismatch, they
(05:08):
go to him, and he's pretty good at taking advantage
of the defenders in that case, but here it was
just more about flowing Luca, and as he didn't get
to see he didn't have the same results.
Speaker 6 (05:21):
How about kyrie struggles against Boston, and we're going to
get into that later on in the show. But just
they did numbers on eleven, The numbers are way down.
He's really really scuffled against that team.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Is that?
Speaker 5 (05:37):
Is that?
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Just? What was Boston's defensive rating one or two this
all year? Yeah? And they played defense. Boston, Boston plays defense. Man.
They don't just they can switch everything. They just they
they screw you up a little bit with the switches.
(05:58):
I know when I was playing, man, I don't think
it's ever changes in the game. When teams switch on you,
it throws off your rhythm. And I thought Kyrie's rhythm
along with the Mavericks getting ready to play, not not
ready to play. He didn't get up to the kind
of start he needed to, even though he made his
(06:18):
first two buckets. I just thought they did a good
job against kay with the switching. Every shot that he
took basically was challenge, and you know it's the worst
time to go cold man is this time of the year,
because you lose and you start to doubt yourself a
little bit. Offensively and defensive.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
They single coverage Boston did Luca and Kyrie, and you
know they're going to try to do that as long
as they can. But I mean, I tend to think
if you single cover, they're too good not to really
exploit single coverage, and that's obviously a key to the
mass offense. Do you think that Kyrie and lou will
(07:01):
kind of bust out? More so Kyrie? I mean, Luca
had thirty, but you know, if Kyrie can't exploit Yeah, right,
right now, that's true. If Kyrie can't exploit the single coverage,
then I think they'll live with Luca getting thirty, forty
even maybe a little more and keep everybody else from
going off. So do you think that Kyrie in particular,
(07:24):
but also but him and Luca will be over the
course of this series just too good for Boston to
consistently guard with one man?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yeah? I do, Chris. I think both you and Rob
would agree that you don't stop Luca, you don't stop Kyrie.
You just hope to contain those guys, But I find
it hard to think that you're gonna hold both those
guys down in a seven game series. And I think
this series will be a long series. I don't think
(07:55):
it's gonna end quick. But stranger things have happened right
just too good man. I mean, off the balance, catch
and shoot transition. They can store too many different ways
in order for you to contain them. And the ticker
is they both have the ball a lot. You know
(08:15):
what what Boston did last night to Kyrie and all
those guys is that every time one of those guys
got around somebody, it was somebody there for him. They
just didn't give them the comfort that they have had
so far in the playoffs. I mean, they dominated the
first three series because both those guys were able to
(08:38):
break down their defenders and there was just gonna answer
for them. And the other thing I think, man, is
that we're missing the point on Boston. I keep saying it,
but Boston is a great defensive team. Like size guys.
Derek White underrated defensively. We know what Holiday is, all
(08:59):
defensive team all year long. Good size. They make you
shoot uncomfortable shots, and they're the one team in this
league that you can't get completely comfortable with. You see Brown,
When do you see Luca get picked on the perimeters?
Not very much and Rom was able to take the
(09:20):
ball from him. That kind of stuff plays with your
psyche man just a little bit, and it makes you
a little bit hesitant. And I just thought that both
those guys from an offensive standpoint, they were a little
bit hesitant and couldn't find their rhythm because of the
celtics s defense, as great as they are.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Derek, one last thing for me. When you can win
like that and be.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Impressive and then your one of your big guns and
your guy Tatum for the Celtics doesn't play that well,
what does that give to the rest of the team
going in knowing, Hey, ain't gonna play bad every night,
but you gotta feel good that you want but you
know your star can play better.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, of course, And I think he takes a lot
of unfair criticism. You know, you got to have somebody
that that you're gonna you're gonna be on on a
regular basis, Right, Tatum seems to be that guy that
the guy that everybody likes to put pressure on as
far as him being the guy that has to step up,
but you have to be confident about it. I think
(10:24):
Boston is a confident team mainly because there they have
the best starting five in the league. We agree with that, correct, right, yes? Yeah, yeah,
they have the best five starters in the NBA. I
think they've gotten to the point where Boston that is,
they don't have to have Jason Tatum to be their
(10:45):
number one guy. I think that. In fact, I think
Brown Brown is their guy. I really do, because when
he plays well, they win all the time. Tatum can
play well and they lose. So I mean, it's the playoffs, man,
you gotta you gotta roll with whatever it's going. There's
no time to uh what what do you say? There's
(11:09):
no time to to worry about one guy. You gotta
you gotta make sure everybody collectively is tuned in and
ready to go, and Boston clearly did that last night
in spite of Tatum struggling.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Before you Go, Derek Jason Kidd is saying, if they
win this series, lucas the best math ever. You know
as much about this franchise as anybody you saw the
Dirk's career.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
Uh, you agree, with Jason I.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
Do, I do, I do, I don't.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
I just think, you know, first of all, I just
don't think you need to say that before the series.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
That's me.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
I don't know. I mean some stuff you're You're right, I.
Speaker 6 (11:51):
Mean just just saying just hold Derek, just hold on
to it, you know what I mean, like before now you've.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Heard him say it before, dear, I mean he said
it must.
Speaker 6 (12:03):
Yeah, but but this is right before the series. I
just thought it wasn't the right place.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
I just right right where he didn't think it wasn't
the right place. So that's all about right. But I'm
gonna say this, man, and I know you guys, I'm
gonna be able to relate to what I'm gonna say
best Maverick Effort. You know, I think I would agree
with Jason Kidds because all that Luca, all that Dirk had,
(12:30):
that Luca doesn't have is a ring, right right, Dirk's
career average twenty points a game. I think Lucas, when
it's all said and done, Luca's gonna have the best
stats of just about everybody that's ever put the NBA uniform.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
On right right right now.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
We we we we gotta run. You know how it
works there, You know how we pay these bills. Thank
you and great stuff.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
I got the MAVs in six, so let's.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
Celtics in six.
Speaker 6 (13:05):
I'm feeling good, all right, Derek, all right, Deck, thanks,
Matt all right.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
See.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
AHI.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
This is Jay Glazer.
Speaker 7 (13:26):
And you may know me for the world of football
or fighting, or even shows like HBO's Ballers. Who you
don't know is for my entire life. I have lived
in something I refer to as the gray depression anxiety.
So now I'm coming out with a new podcast, Unbreakable,
a mental health podcast with Jay Glazer, where each week,
while we talk about mental health, I hope to describe it,
(13:47):
give it words. Listen to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
And Rob Kyrie Irving, who.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Has been praised to High Heaven over the last three weeks.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
And Kyrie we.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Both know, we all know is a an outstanding player,
first ballot Hall of Famer, I know, the NBA Hall
of Fame or Basketball Hall of Fame. You know it
gets a lot of criticism. Well, everybody's a Hall of Famer.
This dude is a legitimate first time Hall of Fame.
Would you agree with that?
Speaker 8 (14:29):
Rob?
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Yes, But I'm not so sure he's gonna get there.
Oh gosh.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
I'm just saying, especially now because he you know, we'll
see if he has any others, you know.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
No, but that you know what I'm saying, right right,
he's been a player.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
As a player, he should get in.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
But I also think like he is enjoyed what I'll
call a reputation renaissance over this past it's really this
whole season because he hasn't you know, he hasn't had
any issues off the court. He's been showing up, been
playing every game when he's healthy, and obviously he's played
to it.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
That's all that's never been an issue, is batt right.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
I'm not talking about.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
The fact I think he I think you know, he's
viewed Rob as the leader of this team, the leader
of a team that.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Could get to that got to the finals, not the
best player.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
But the elite, the leader, the elder statesman, if you will,
And I do think that's you.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
Know, some some The only reason why I made his image,
if you will.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Yeah, the only reason why I you know.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Dennis Robin got in.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
I flinch though, is that they didn't put him in
the top seventy five. And that was during his stuff, right,
And that's what I'm saying. And I think, because he
should be a top seventy five talking my first ballot
Hall of Famer, but but they kept him out of that,
And that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
But I don't even know if he was the first parton,
like Clay Thompson has to be in before him, and
Clay didn't make it. I just think, but I think
there's an argument for Kyrie, But I don't think it
was like slam Dunk, Oh my gosh.
Speaker 6 (15:58):
Well when they put in another guy, Dame Dolla, who
hadn't won anything or yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Dame Look, I'm not saying no, I think it's arguable.
I think you could argue that accolades, but.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
I think he would have been in there.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
He might have, but that's different than the Hall of Fame. Obviously,
it's just more stringent than the Hall of Fame. But anyway, Rob,
last night, Kyrie shoots six for nineteen, zero for five
from three, and Rob, it didn't look like Kyrie irving
out there. He dribbled the ball off his foot. It's
(16:38):
the best ball handler in the history of the NBA.
Dribbled the ball off his foot. Was stumbling at one
point a few times. On one possession, hit the side
of the backboard on a corner three. That's the easiest
three point shot in the league, the side of the backboard.
And then just one pass, just just threw out a
(16:59):
back just I mean, I don't know what he was doing,
just threw it out of bounds. And Rob, he was
back in Boston, and Kyrie has lost his last eleven
games against the Celtics.
Speaker 6 (17:16):
That's incredible. I mean, remember that show. That's incredible.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
Right.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Here's his numbers in those games.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Rob twenty points a game, which you know that's fine,
But for Kyrie, he's averaged twenty three in his career
forty one percent shooting. He's a forty six forty seven
percent career shooter, twenty eight percent from three.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
He's high thirties in three point percentage.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Rob here it gets even worse the last four playoff.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Games for Kyrie.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Now, you remember that when Brooklyn got swept with Kyrie
and Durant and they made Durant and Kyrie look bad.
But the first game, Game one, they barely lose, Kyrie
is awesome, drops thirty nine on him those remaining three games,
and then last night.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
So his last four playoff games.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
He's averaging fourteen points a game against the Celtics or
thirty five percent shooting and twelve and a half percent
from three.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
Rob What do you make of this?
Speaker 6 (18:20):
You know a lot of people don't want to believe
in curses or anything like that. I always remember, when
are you actually about to go there? I'm going there?
Really like the curse of the Bambino?
Speaker 5 (18:31):
You know what that is? Right?
Speaker 6 (18:32):
Because the Red Sox sol Babe route to the Yankees,
and that was a long standing Chris whatever.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
They went eighty some odd years without won.
Speaker 6 (18:42):
Five eighty six, yeah whatever, you know, they went over
eighty somebody years and that was always the curse of
the Bambino.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Is there some sort of curse here? Are we looking at?
Speaker 3 (18:51):
What?
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Kyrie's a great player?
Speaker 6 (18:53):
Why is he scuffling and playing so poorly against this team,
his former team, when he stood up there and said,
I'll be back if you guys don't have me, and
then he ditched and ran and he was out Chris,
and I just wonder, and you know, we've heard him,
but the heck out of him last night?
Speaker 5 (19:11):
I missed that, did we How bad?
Speaker 4 (19:14):
He even said it wasn't as bad, So.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
It wasn't as bad as normal. You remember before it
used to be really bad.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't think it was as bad
as like when he played in Brooklyn.
Speaker 6 (19:24):
But you know what I mean, I'm Josh and half Josh,
but it just he's won in eleven.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Right, you remember when he stomped on Lucky.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
You know.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Since then?
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Yeow, but everybody runs on Luck. He's on the court.
Speaker 6 (19:40):
Everybody spt on him at some point, right.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
I think rob.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
That.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Look, first of all, they're a great defensive team, and
not just this year, so that's part of it. Right,
They've they got great defenders. They have Marcus Smart, they've
had Derek White, now they got Drew Holliday. Any of
those guys on him, plus Tatum and Brown defend with like.
That's one thing is they legitimately some of that, and
(20:08):
they got length, like they're all bigger than Kyrie.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
So there's that. Then I do Rob.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Now, I'll say this as a guy that picked the Maveriges,
Kyrie's got to play better if they're gonna win. I
did like his demeanor in the postgame press conference, like
he he did not seem frazzle, did not seem shook.
He was calm, he was smarting, like he seemed fine,
which is a good I took it as a good sign.
But Rob, I'm not so certain that they might not
(20:41):
get in his head. They might be in his head
a little like what you said it, Rob, how do
you explain it?
Speaker 4 (20:49):
He's too good?
Speaker 1 (20:50):
But he went against Minnesota, which was a top defensive team,
and had his way o case.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
He didn't play great.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
He averaged fifteen and a half points a game in
that series, and they are a great defensive team.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
So I guess if somebody.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Wants to say that's evidence that some you know, really
tough teams can bottle him up. Okay, but I personally
think he's too good. And I'm gonna say this Rob,
whatever it is, Rob, kind of like I start off
the segment, Kyrie needs the ball, and I don't mean
just for the Celtics to win. Obviously that has to happen.
(21:27):
But Rob, we've talked about it. Kyrie over the past
few weeks has been called the most gifted player in
NBA history. He's been called for a few years now,
the most skilled player in NBA.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
History, the best finisher at the basket, best.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Finisher at the realm, a part of the greatest offensive
backcourt in NBA history, and I missing oh.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Bron called.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
The Wizard the best wingman in history. So you can't
come out here and get shut down.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
And I get it.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Drew Holliday is a great defender, and he's bigger and
stronger than Kyrie. But Rob, we watched Jimmy Butler make
minced meat out of Drew Holliday a year ago. Missed me,
all right, And I know Jimmy's stronger and bigger, but
he don't have two thirds of the skill that Kyrie's got.
If you that guy, and I'm not even out, you know,
(22:37):
I like Kyrie. I'm not trying to like mock him.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
Are you calling him out?
Speaker 4 (22:41):
No, I'm not trying to mock him at all.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
I'm just saying with these accolades showering down on you.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
You can't go out there like this.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
You gotta come out there and ball your handle, your jay.
You're finishing nobility, your mid range, your floater, your three.
They should not be able to stop you. And Robbed
last night he missed five threes. Three of them were
wide One of them I was closer to you right
(23:15):
now than any defender was to Kyrie. I mean one
of them, rob He must have had fifteen feet between
him and the nearest defender and missed it.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
And that happened. Look, shooters, you missed sometimes.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
But three of them were wide open. And one of
them hit the side of the backboard. That wasn't a
wide open one, but he hit the side of the
back rod. I think it was Peyton. Pritchard was in
his face.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
So I'm just saying, am I wrong? Robbed?
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I mean you you like Kyrie too, but you've seen
the accolades. Maybe they've gotten a little a little bit
out of hand.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
But whatever the case, you can't.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
You gotta go out there and play better than this
when people are showering you with this kind of praise.
Speaker 6 (23:56):
Oh yeah, I mean right now, Luca did his thing.
Kyrie was uh m, I A Chris and and uh
people will be looking at it if this repeats on Sunday,
or if he continues to struggle, because then you could
keep If they lose that game and he struggles and
he's own twelve, you know, in his last twelve against
the Celtics, then you're going to start, yeah, it.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Will be talking about it and asking him questions about it.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
Well, how come you can't beat this team?
Speaker 6 (24:25):
How come you're when you start throwing that number out
there like I don't know if anybody has bought it
up yet, but but that'll happen, you know, and and
it'll be rightfully so that you could ask that, Chris,
that's a big enough sample size, that's not that's not
oh and three in your last three games against that
twelve games or eleven eleven in counting absolutely.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Rob and and you know if it gets to o
and twelve, then no smiling, no, no, no joke, no,
you know that's not gonna be the answer. I don't
how calm you look, how comfortable you look, what you say,
people are gonna be like you, oh to twelve and
you're shooting below forty percent against them in your last
(25:09):
half of what's going on.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
So yeah, so I think he's capable.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
I mean, look, I picked Dallas to win, and part
of that was that Kyrie's gonna do his thing. And
you're right, Luca wasn't awesome, but he was, you know,
he played well enough for them to win. He bought
needed some help, and so Kyrie's got to give it
to him.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
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Speaker 1 (25:40):
We have an interesting conversation here. I mean, you're talking
about me giving an update. We about to do a
whole segment on it. But Kayln Clark was talking rob
It's been obviously, the WNBA has been in the news
race gender broadcasters being called out assault.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Charge right right right, assault claims.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
I mean, the Chicago Tribune has been, you know, called
on the carpet, and they should be by us, but
also by others come on assault. So yeah, it's a
lot of drama right now surrounding Indiana Fever, Caitlyn Clark
and the w NBA as a whole.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
Here's what Kitlyn Clark said about it.
Speaker 9 (26:25):
Sometimes it stinks how much, you know, the conversation is
outside of basketball and not the product on the floor
and amazing players that are on the floor and how
good they are for their teams and how great the
season has been for women's basketball. I went from college
basketball to now the WNBA. Some of the crowds are
you know, Unpresident.
Speaker 5 (26:41):
Caitlyn Clark is lamenting over the idea that.
Speaker 6 (26:46):
The people aren't you know, talking about the uh talking
about the x's and o's of basketball, and it's more
about the personalities and the drama and the soap opera
kind of thing that's going on with the women of
the WNBA.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
Rob G.
Speaker 6 (27:10):
And I think she's right, we are getting that, But
I just are we really supposed to break down WNBA
stuff or is it like personalities? I mean, we saw
Caitlin when she sitting those logo threes that got people
all excited, got people into it. They wanted to see
what she was about. But there's a lot of drama
(27:31):
that goes on and that's a part of sports as well.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
Is she right or wrong? You think she's wrong, rob G.
Speaker 8 (27:40):
I have some issue with what she is saying because
this is what happens in every you know, big time sport.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Right.
Speaker 8 (27:50):
If it was just about x's and o's and breaking
down film and things like that, then Steven A. Smith
will not be the most popular guy in sports media.
You know, it would be Zach Lowe, It'd be great
co sell, It'd be JJ.
Speaker 5 (28:05):
Redd doing that stuff. No, I'm with you.
Speaker 8 (28:08):
And so what sells, especially to the common fan is
everything else. There's one thing about the NBA which I
had conversation with a lot of people, both you know,
on camera, off camera, on the mic, off the mic,
you know, both sides of the spectrum, people who are
forward facing personalities and people who work in the production side.
(28:28):
And one thing we talked about with the NBA especially is,
for whatever reason, all of the social media clips, the
YouTube clips, the video TV clips of people talking about
free agency and trade rumors and who might go where,
(28:50):
and this guy frustrated this situation, and you know, Lebron
might try to force his way out of Cleveland. Whatever
gets way more traction than and oh did you see
the way that they beat the Memphis Grizzlies with the
high pick and roll action. Like casual sports fans tune
(29:11):
into sports for drama for soap op.
Speaker 6 (29:13):
There's a piece of that. There's no doubt about it.
There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 8 (29:17):
And what Kaitlin Clark is seeing right now is in
the WNBA, which didn't have the same mainstream success as
the other sports, is the way it's being covered is
the exact same way that the other major professional leaguers are.
Speaker 6 (29:32):
There's a lot of that there is. So that's why
I said, she's not wrong. She's not wrong about the
idea that, uh, the drama gets attention. Are we really
gonna go on the radio and break down the w
NBA game last night, Rob g. We don't even do
that more for for NBA games most of the time.
Are we breaking down games? We don't break down games.
Speaker 8 (29:57):
So so, but you have a problem with you agree
with her, though, is what I'm saying.
Speaker 6 (30:01):
No, I do, I agree, But I'm trying to say
I think what she's saying is right. But this is
the way that you get attention, right, and that people
are gonna talk about the league, not about just what
somebody shot last night or at the fever one. Another
game like that is not going to make a conversation.
(30:22):
We talk about all the time I love baseball. We're
not gonna talk about the Pirates Rangers game on Tuesday
night that was four to three.
Speaker 5 (30:31):
There's nothing there, right, That's what I'm talking about.
Speaker 8 (30:34):
Yeah, And you guys gotta be more me to it, exactly,
gotta be and and there are exceptions to every rule.
And this is something we talked about with baseball, me
and you earlier today on the phone. With baseball on
the national level, it usually has to be something controversial, juicy,
something juicy, usually honestly something negative, yep, for it to
permeate on a national level, you know, outside of this show.
(30:57):
And I think maybe Jason Smithhew does a good job
talking a lot of baseball, right, most of the national
shows don't talk baseball like that unless it's a paid partnership.
So like you know, some of the FS one shows
might talk about Yankees Dodgers because the stories on Fox
it's all right Fox, righte. And the same thing can
be said, I believe when it comes to soccer saying
(31:18):
they can be said right now with the w NBA
is that's their way of cutting through the gristle and
getting people to tune in.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
Yeah, I'm back in, guys.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
I've missed what you've said, so so Chris, what did
even I don't even know exactly what Caitlyn Clark said.
Speaker 6 (31:35):
Rob, do you want to play it again? Mary played again,
and then Chris listened.
Speaker 9 (31:39):
Okay, sometimes it stinks how much you know, the conversation
is outside of basketball and not the product on the
floor and amazing players that are on the floor and
how good they are for their teams, and how great
this season has been for women's basketball, going from college
basketball to now the WNBA. Some of the crowds are,
you know, unprecedented.
Speaker 6 (31:56):
Chris, let me just say, let me just give you
my little one minute right thirty second. I'm just saying
she's right. But that's how we cover sports. Like we're
not breaking down a w NBA game or talking about
the fever one game last night that'll never make it on.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
In five seconds of me giving you a little stating
tonight on that and and I.
Speaker 6 (32:18):
Said the same thing, Chris, I said, We're not gonna
talk about a Pittsburgh Pirates Texas Ranger Tuesday night game
that ended four to three. That's not gonna make it on.
It's gotta be juicy, it's gotta have a little Rub,
So that's where I'm at.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
She's absolutely right, She's she's right. But Rob, I agree
with you wholeheartedly. There are two sports for whatever reason.
But right now there are essentially two sports, Rob, that
people talk about for the most part on national television
and radio, the NBA and the NFL. And if you
(32:57):
want to throw college football in their kind as a heard.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
That's it. We're Rob, we don't.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
And you know when this first started happening, you know,
years ago, when you and I would be on.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
First take with Skip and I was baffled.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
As to why we weren't talking more baseball because it'd
be baseball season, even the playoffs, and you know, it
came down to the surveys and study groups and everything
were showing people wanted basketball and football and rob Let's
and baseball is still obviously one of the biggest sports
(33:35):
in America.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
But what was the big story.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
When the last time this season, Rob that baseball was
on everybody's tongue on television radio, What.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
Was the topic.
Speaker 6 (33:50):
Gambling and the gambling and before that, steroids, you know
what I mean, like like it.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
And because those are negative thing, it's like so I
mean a fight, Rob, if there was a big brawl
in baseball. We talked about Tim Anderson last year when
he got knocked out. If there was a big fight
in baseball or some type of drama, cheating scand or whatever,
(34:19):
we would be talking more baseball and not We talked
a decent amount, you know, more than most, but everybody
would talk it shows and guys that have never talked
it before. And so she's right, But you're right, Rob,
this is this is their moment. Jeane King said, you
(34:39):
know the legendary Billy Jean King tennis player female. He
was saying, don't blow it like this is. You have
the spotlight. And Kayla's right right now, it's nobody's breaking
down the names. Asia Wilson is phenomenal, nobody's really talking
about her.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
But that's just Rob.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
We didn't talk about out men's college basketball this year.
Nobody talks about that anymore.
Speaker 6 (35:04):
No, it's just not where we are in this and
we're not gonna be breaking down that kind of stuff.
It's just not a part of the vernacular. Is that
the right term? You know what I mean of what
we're talking about these days. So it's got to have
a rub Well, it's got to have something, Chris that
have you pick either side. You know, we need something
(35:26):
like that talking about the fever and they won a game,
and boy they had balanced scoring. They had five people
in double figures. That's not gonna be a topic.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
Yeah, and Rob.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
The reason, and you know this, the reason it has
become all NBA and NFL on TV and radio is
because these study groups have shown that when you talk
those topics, the ratings go high, and when you talk
other sports they dip. That's why the NFL talked about
(36:03):
year round. That's why the NBA it pretty much just
talked about year round.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (36:09):
It's not about what you just like, you know, Stephen
A was called out. You're right, Monica McNutt said, you
could have been talking about this three months ago. No, no, right,
he wasn't talking about baseball three years ago either.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
I mean, for the most part, like it didn't warrant
the coverage because the fan base is not clamoring for it.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
Now with Caitlin Clark, with Angel Reese, they're clamoring for
some w NBA information they're not clamoring for As you said, Rob,
breaking down the ex'es and o's of the new York
Liberty and you know the Connecticut son if that's their name,
you know, it's just not.
Speaker 6 (36:48):
No one's gonna listen to that, and that's not going
to what will keep you. And we've done more and
talked about her and different things than we ever did.
I mean, Chris, I went to someone. I was a
column in New York at news Day and I went
to some Liberty games early on. You know that was
twenty years ago, twenty five years ago, you know what
I mean. But that's it, that's ron.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
You can't say it's sexism in this case. Now, there's
obviously sexism that exists in sports and out of sports,
but in this case, because we're not talking much about baseball,
we're not talking much about college basketball men, we're not
talking soccer, weren't talking hockey. Rob g tells us all
the time off the air, hockey is the most exciting playoffs.
Speaker 5 (37:33):
It is to him, and.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
You said, you just said it too.
Speaker 5 (37:36):
It is it took a playoff talk up bit.
Speaker 4 (37:39):
We have never talked. We have never done one hockey
topic on this show.
Speaker 6 (37:43):
I think we did one when you off, just one.
I think you might have when I was no one,
I always tell you this too.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
I wouldn't even know where to begin. What we don't
talk boxing for the most No.
Speaker 6 (37:53):
I mean, I think they gotta be a really big
fight and them all have to have somebody on Chris
to really talk about it. But I was going to say,
the only reason I got my I think I won
the job in Detroit to be a columnist was my
knowledge of hockey Chris going to hockey town and in
the job, you know what I mean, Like they were
(38:14):
looking especially somebody right, you know what I mean as
a column that you got to be able to go
to cover hockey games. And I knew the backup goaltender
of the Islanders team that won for Stanley Cups in
a row.
Speaker 5 (38:28):
So when I told them Glenn Chico.
Speaker 6 (38:30):
Rush, they almost fell out of their seats, you know
what I mean, Like, who knows the backup goalie?
Speaker 5 (38:34):
Right?
Speaker 4 (38:35):
Well?
Speaker 1 (38:35):
And you know Rob, I you know, I covered some
hockey when I was in at the akronbecause Spitfires, right
was the name.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
I don't remember the name.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
I don't remember the name of the team, but you
can learn the oh yeah, you know, and then it right.
And this kind of plays into what we're saying Rob.
Ultimately it becomes about the personas the personalities, the storylines.
Even in football and basketball, which we do talk about,
we're talking about stories, Rob. We're writing about stories and
(39:07):
drama and you know, beefs and rivalries.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
That's what it is. That's what it is.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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