June 13, 2024 • 35 mins
Chris and Rob explain how the NBA Finals have acted as a mirror for Luka Doncic and showed him all the flaws in his game, debate whether the Jacksonville Jaguars made a mistake by making Trevor Lawrence the largest contract in NFL history and tell us why the Boston Celtics’ dominance in these NBA Finals isn’t the ‘big victory’ for analytics that some people think it is.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brusa and Ron Parker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Breaking news today, just a couple hours ago or within
the last few hours to Brever Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
signs a five year, two hundred and seventy five million
dollar contract extension, two hundred million guaranteed and the fifty
(00:52):
five million dollars a year rip ties him now with
Joe Burrow of the Bengals for the top mark in
money year.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
What are your thoughts on this?
Speaker 5 (01:04):
It's just the NFL and this is we keep seeing.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It's just you have a quarterback that turn comes up
and it's not based on stats or where you fit
in in the game. I mean, I think of it.
What was it? What was the guaranteed money? Rob g
two hundred two hundred and when Mahomes signed his guarantee
was sixty how like, none of this makes any sense
(01:29):
to me, Chris, But this is the NFL. We talked
about it before. When Matthew Stafford was with the Lions,
he was the highest paid player in the league. Hadn't
even won a playoff game to that point. So none,
none of this really like, it's just if you have
a quarterback, franchise quarterback, and Miami hadn't.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Done it with Tua, not yet.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
You remember the Ravens farted off with Lamar and obviously
ended up paying it. But ROBZ you had it interesting?
This is rob I don't know Robby told you this
during the break, but this will blow you away just
the first sentence, he says. And they't even give us
the numbers, but go ahead, Rob you So.
Speaker 6 (02:11):
This status courtesy of the thirty third team. All right,
Daniel Jones has paid an extra year, so his numbers
are going to be higher in general. But across his
first forty eight starts, Trevor Lawrence twere and four total
yards Daniel Jones eleven thousand, nine ninety two yards per ten,
both of them, six point seven total touchdowns Trevor Lawrence
(02:32):
sixty six Daniel Jones sixty four total turnovers, Trevor Lawrence
fifty five Daniel Jones fifty four. QB rating Trevor Lawrence
eighty five point five Daniel Jones eighty five point four.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
That's shocking. Now, let me beat it.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Go ahead, go ahead, Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't think that
the numbers would be that close. That's surprising. But you
gotta admit, like Trevor Lawrence, there was a time when
they bounced back and they won those games in a row.
I can't remember what it was. They won a playoff
game and then they were down twenty eight nothing or
whatever it was in that big playoff game. That was
(03:13):
his moment in the second half. I think he had
four touchdowns or whatever it was.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
It was.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
You looked at him and was like wow. And remember
he was one of those guys that they thought was
a can't miss. But the numbers haven't lived up. We
talked about it all last year that he took a
step back.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
We talked about it.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
We thought he was going to take a step forward
coming off that playoff win, right, Chris, that big playoff comeback.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
It just hadn't been the case.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Look his first year and you could say for Daniel
Jones that he hasn't been in a good situation, right,
But for his first year under Urban Meyer, we know
that was just a disaster. And you know, if some
people don't want to hold that against Trevor, and I
get it, But since then he was better a second
year very you know, twenty five touchdowns, eight interceptions, Rob,
(04:02):
I mean, that's that's fine, particularly for your second year.
But last year Russell Wilson had twenty six touchdowns and
nine interceptions, so basically the same numbers Trevor. I few
for more yards. But and then this year, like you said,
Robbie took a step back. They didn't make the playoffs.
Here's what I here's where I'm at on Trevor Lawrence.
(04:24):
I if I were the Jaguars, I was saying this,
I've been saying it all off season.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
I would not have extended him.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
I would not have extended him. Not that I don't
want him as my quarterback. I'm just saying I haven't
quite seen enough. I feel I would feel like he's
probably my guy. He's probably my guy. There's reason to
believe he's gonna be our franchise quarterback. Obviously, Robed the pedigree,
(04:56):
the resume, all of that is great, but before I
give somebody two hundred and seventy five million dollars, I
want to be sure.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
It's kind of the same way I'm with TOA.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
There's different reasons obviously to us had the injury issues,
but I'm like, look, I want to be sure. Now, Rob,
I'll say this, if you know he's your guy, then
it was smart to do it now because we always
said the price is only going.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Up, but it doesn't go down. It's not going.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
Waited a year.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Next year it might be three hundred million, right, So
I'm with that. My take was this, Rob, And I've
said the same with Tua, and you know, I'll say
it with many quarterbacks that I'm not completely sure of.
If Trevor came out Rob this year and has a
great let's say I didn't pay him. I'm owning the
(05:48):
Jags and he comes out and has a great year,
I will.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
I will gladly pay him more.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I would gladly pay him more next offseason.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
If I am now one hundred percent sure in.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
My head this is our guy, this is our guy,
and Rob, they've given like this is the year for him.
They giving him Gabe Davis. Remember with Buffalo Brian Thomas Junior,
who's a very nice receiver. They drafted in the first round,
and you already had Christian Kirk. You got Travis Aten
as a running back, like he's got the pieces.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Now this is the year to get it done.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
I'm just saying I would have waited, and I get
it might have cost me more money, but I would
just have more peace of mind than now.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Rob a lot.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
We saw a lot of guys get paid after three
years and the teams regretted it. Carson wentz Kyler Murray.
Now Murray looks like he might well see if he
has a resurgence. But Murray jar showed up right and
and golf obviously is fine.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
But the Rams ended up feeling like he wasn't their guy.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
You know, but he wound up being on the of
getting to another Super Bowl. He was right, well then, Detroit.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
He's been great. But I'm just saying they the Lions
paid him early. You didn't have to pay him after
three years. That's my thing too, is I don't have
to pay it now. And I just don't think if
it's a CJ. Stroud situation where he's shown me for
two three years he's that guy.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
In fact, the sooner the better because it does keep
the price lower. Rod, But I just haven't seen quite
enough from Trevor Lawrence to make me one hundred percent sure.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
I'm my feeling is.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Yeah, he's gonna be the guy likely, but I just
want to see a little more evidence before I'm willing
to pony up that kind of money.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
The only problem is there's so few quarterbacks. That just
aren't enough guys out there, Chris. So the guys that
you have, their stock goes through the roof because there's
so many teams, thirty two teams, and they're nine quarterbacks,
nine or ten quarterbacks, and that's the problem. So when
you have one, if you don't have one, of your
(08:01):
season's over. So people are going to dive in with
these guys because they feel like they almost have who
what's what's all alternative?
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Who's al If you own the Jags, would you have
paid him now? Or would you take my approach where
you wait?
Speaker 1 (08:18):
I just think that they think because of what they saw,
And I'll be the first to say he took a
step back last year.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
And it wasn't like it I mean, he wasn't awesome.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
His second year he was better, much better, and play well,
I'm not gonna see here, and not like saying a
player and that he doesn't have promise in all of that.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
And I'm like I said, I generally think he probably is.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I mean, he clearly is now, but I think in
general it's will pay benefits, this will pay dividends. But
I personally would have been like, man, I want to see.
I want to see because last year he wasn't as good,
and the year before he was fine, but he was it,
you know, lights out, he hasn't been what he was.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
I just hear the number one, I hear you.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
I just I don't know how you go, how you uh,
how you work against the whole idea Chris, that you
say you want to see it doesn't mean that even
if you see one more year that he couldn't have
another bad year or two.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
I don't know how you really work against that.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
You gotta have to me feel like he has what
it takes to get there, or the guys putting in
the work.
Speaker 5 (09:31):
You feel like he wants to get better.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
You've seen some flashes enough to make you say I
gotta I gotta get in bed with somebody.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
I just don't think we've seen that much.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Yeah, I'm just saying.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
I mean that that that playoff comeback, he put him
in the hole with four first half interceptions.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
I know, but they wanted they came back, come back.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
But that's one, you know, Like like, I just want
to see more, and I I don't worry about like
if I see enough generally the court, the quarterbacks who
were really good.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
You know, you're not equally good every year.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
But I don't get your logic of well, if you
played well next year, that don't mean he's not gonna
play He's gonna play well.
Speaker 5 (10:13):
But I don't know.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
I don't get that.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
I don't I don't understand that.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I don't understand like you keep saying you will okay,
so he plays okay next year or plays better.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Five year contract and two franchise tags. I don't have
to pay you now, show me something.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
At some point, though, people aren't gonna wait all the
way to franchise tags because they want to have the
guy on board. They want to know that he's uh
had some stability, that you believe in him.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
There's a lot of stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
That goes on, I want to wait till Washing And
they did that to Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
It didn't work out.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Kirk Cousins left, he didn't wait anything, but it didn't
work out for Washington.
Speaker 5 (10:55):
So they did that.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
They didn't buy into them, and they kept waiting and waiting,
and what did they have. They still got a million
guys looking for still looking for a quarterback.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
So so I'm not.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Saying I want to wait that long. I'm just saying
I don't have to be in a rush. Ideally, I
would like to sign a guy before the franchise tag.
Ideally I would like to sign him after this upcoming
season because he plays really well. He just hasn't shown
me consistently or even a lot, even a lot of
inconsistent times.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
That he's gonna be this star.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
So you explain to me, what are they seeing? Why
do you think they signed him?
Speaker 4 (11:32):
People see, I mean.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
People disagree.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
I mean they obviously like him, and that's fine because
I think he probably is the guy. I'm just saying,
if I ran the team, I would want to see
more evidence, more consistent play of greatness coming around the
corner than I.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Have so far.
Speaker 7 (11:53):
That's all I'm saying, and I know it would it
might cost me, but I would be willing to pay
that if I was more certain that he's my guy.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Yep, so and now and now it'll be interesting because
the price of quarterback just went up. So if I'm
Jordan Love, I'm just going down to the Rolls Royce
place looking around. If I'm Tua and who else didn't
get paid yet and doesn't dak, I mean, are you kidding?
I mean they got to look around being like, oh yeah,
oh yeah, this sounds great.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see do they what
they do?
Speaker 5 (12:29):
That guy got you?
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Yeah, I don't know that they'll get more than Trevor.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
You know, you look at this pedigree, Rob, but they
Jordan was better last year and you know, obviously over
the second half of the season than Trevor's ever been
for a stretch. Tua Rob did have a better season
last year than Trevor's ever had. So there you go,
and you know the agents are gonna have the numbers
and put that out.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
That's what they do about that, right.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
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(13:39):
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Speaker 3 (14:12):
We're gonna talk more NBA Finals and Rob g there's
some very interesting analytical numbers about these celjanies. Now they're
a they're like the poster team, if you will, for analytics.
All right, that's the whole thing with the three point
shooting and for those I mean it's simple math. It's amazing,
(14:37):
Rob that for the first I don't know, twenty five
thirty years of the three point line, nobody really thought
about this.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
But three is better than two.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
And if you're not gonna shoot the same percentage from
three point land as you shoot from.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Two, but ro J, you don't have to. That's the whole.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Thing behind the analytics craze. And you know this, Rob
coming up. I mean, if you shoot fifty percent from
the field.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
That's great.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Well, if you shoot thirty three percent from three point land,
which isn't even league average, now that's the equivalent of
fifty percent from two point range. So that's why the
three point revolution took place and why it's such a
big part of.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
The game now.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
And now, what the analytics tell you the percentage of,
you know, chances you make certain shots. Rob the ultra
analytic teams only want to shoot in the paint or
three pointers, and D'Antoni may have been the first to
(15:53):
kind of start this, but they don't want to shoot
mid range shots, particularly the long you know, the set,
the twenty footers, the nineteen footers, because the percentage the
chance of you hit those are only slightly better than
if you hit a three.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
So they're like, well, why.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Don't you move out a couple of feet they get
three points instead of two.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
So that's what the analytics teams do.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Three pointers, shots in the paint, and free throws. That
is what they do. And Rob g got some numbers.
That's what Boston is kind of doing to a t.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Is that correct?
Speaker 5 (16:30):
That is correct.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
They're doing exactly what they've done throughout the regular season.
Now last night was the pinnacle of that though, because
during this series they're averaging about half of their shots
are three point attempts a little more than half actually
last night, forty six of their eighty two attempts were
from deep. And to your point about where they're getting
(16:53):
their shots mentioned the three point shooting. They scored one
hundred and six points in Game three. One hundred of
them came from either the three point line, inside the paint,
or at the free throw line.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
One hundred of their one hundred and six points came
in those three ways.
Speaker 6 (17:09):
Absolutely, And it's interesting because they only made three mid range.
They attempted six, three of six from mid range. One
of the mid range shots they made was what many
would call the biggest shot of the game. That was
a Jaalen Brown twenty foot in the game.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Yep, yeah, that was a huge shot.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
It wasn't the game winner technically, if you just look
at the points. Was the dunk I believe by Tatum
in the language was a nice dunk. But yeah, to me,
the big shot was Tatum or Brown's twenty one footer.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
That to me was like, okay, it's over. That kind
of sealed it.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
Well.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Look, during the regular season, Boston averaged ninety shots a game,
and forty two of them were threes, so it wasn't
quite fifty percent, but it was close.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
I wouldn't be surprised if next.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Year it is fifty percent. And you know that's kind
of way the league obviously, it just gets more. The
threes get higher and higher every year, and so you
know we'll see I mean during the playoffs, I think
they've gotten even more. That eighty four shot eighty three
point eight shots a game for Celtics, forty point two.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Of them are three.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
So that's that's a higher percentage of their shots of three.
So yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if next year is
fifty percent of their shots are threes.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
But the only thing is, and I get the analytics
and Chris, it still comes down to talent and roster
because what was the game, rob g was a game
two day shot ten for thirty nine.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Do you remember the Well they haven't shot the three.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Well that's that's like, it's not just the analytics and
shooting three. They have a better roster, have better players,
but they got a roster built to play analytics style.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
I get that, but that really is what it is.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
But but it's still but it's not like they're killing
the analytics game of making the threes is what I'm
saying to you, But analytics.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Is also the points in the paint me. I get that,
But the threes are big.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
They take a lot of threes, and I'm just saying
that they've won Christian in spite of not making them.
That's all I'm saying is like, that's not the only
way that you can win is by knocking down that
many threes.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
And they've still been able to win.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
That's all.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
I'm not saying, you go away from analytics all the way,
but they are more ways to win than just that
you can go. If you want to hold them as
up as the poster boy for analytics, that's fine. People
say that with the Red Sox. I remember when they
won and I was like, I get it. They use
some analytics, but some guys they got some big hits too,
That's what I mean, right, But.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Their roster's built to play analytics style basketball ride. We
talked about our Carrie and Antonio Daniels talking about it.
They got eight guys, they're eight man rotation. All of
them can shoot threes. That's an analytically built team, you know,
and they you know, they don't take a ton of
mid range shots and they're not the only ones.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
But yeah, I mean it's this is what they are doing.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Is its system or is it Is it system, Chris
or is it talent? Like I get what you're saying
completely well, but they both. That's what I'm saying that that.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
Is a mix.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
I mean, you gotta have guys that can play, but
these guys, like I mean, they they.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Do have a bunch of three point.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Shooters for their style of play, and we you know,
that was one of the reasons I thought maybe when
they do go cold, it could come back to bite them.
But like you said, this series, now Dallas is cold too,
that's part of that's part of it. But that their
defense is even built analytically in that they take away
(20:55):
the corner three and that's the easiest three point shot
in the league and one of the easier shots in
the league. And so they've taken that away and that's
been a huge part of Dallas's success throughout these playoffs.
And so that is, you know, it's all analytically based,
(21:16):
and Missoula is huge on that obviously, and.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
This because they didn't I mean, they obviously all.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
The teams incorporate analytics, but when Underdoka, they weren't. This
heavily analytic, and Missoula came in and just completely made them.
And I don't think it was only him. I'm sure
Brad Stevens has something to do with it as well,
But yeah, they're playing this way. What I wonder, Rob, is,
(21:43):
is they're a threshold of when the game becomes two
to three point heavy, Like is there I don't know,
I don't know what it is, and then maybe there
isn't one. But if if I don't know what sixty
percent of the shots become threes, does it become something
we don't recognize anywhere? Like the All Star Game. That's
(22:05):
my firm belief that was ruin the All Star Game. Yeah,
that I remember it was. I think it was twenty fourteen.
I remember that when they went from about eighty combined
threes to like one hundred meters.
Speaker 5 (22:19):
I was gonna say three hundred because that's what it
felt like.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Yeah, once it went over one hundred, it was just like, Okay,
it's not even a game anymore. But you know it's
gonna be interesting because Rob, you know it's a copycat league,
and so it'll be You wonder next year, are the
three pointers gonna skyrocket? Because the team that shot the
most this year won the championship.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Yeap, And I just wonder. I wonder people, Chris, and
I think you just said it. You do have to
have the personnel just in putting in the system and
wanting to do something. If you don't make those shots
and you don't you know what I mean, then then
then you gotta have the people of performing. People will
(23:06):
pull it off, just like we talked about before. And
it's just a little different. But when pat Riley went
to the Knicks, he didn't bring showtime with him to
New York RKE.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
You didn't have the personnel.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
You just can't go, well, this is my system and
this is what we do, and we're gonna run up
and down and the point guard is gonna be doing
all these no look passes and dunks.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
And no, you didn't have those players.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
No, And that was impressive. It really was completely it
was very impressive. No, I agree with you, right, And
I think what Boston what they would say, and I'm
sure what they will do. They're going to go out
and get players that fit that system, you know, and
look for them. I mean they're gonna lock up, you know.
I think Tatum will get an extension this summer, so
(23:53):
he and Brown will be.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
The they're the core.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
So what.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Well, he's gonna get all the throw over three hundred.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
He will now become the highest paid guy in the league.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
It was Jaylen Brown. You knew, you know, that would
only last for.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
This cycle, right, But they'll they'll get players that fit that,
and I think next year they'll essentially be intact and
then how will they be able to keep these guys
or retool going forward? But Rob, this is you know,
we talk about will they be an all time great team?
(24:30):
For me, they're gonna have to win another one, would
like in the next they have to win one of
the next two and maybe become like a mini dynasty
or something like that for me to think they're an
all time great team.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
I'll give you an example.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Nick Wright said this on our show First Things, First
to Day, and it made sense and I think you'll
understand it too. That Pistons team we talk about a
lot oh four and we've compared this team to that
one because you know, no superstar, but a bunch of
stars and Rob that you know, I mean, they some
(25:07):
people say should have beaten San Antonio the following year,
Well where she left, was it or Robert ori open.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
He went to double gerobile in the corner. Chris I
was sitting right over there. It was unbelievable. And then
that was the big thing. And I remember talking to
Larry Brown. He said, that kid is torn up talking
about because they told her do not under any circumstance
leave Robert Orry, do not leave them. And they had
(25:39):
a chance to win that game. I don't know if
you remember what happened at the end after that Rip
had a shot that that he had a shot at
the end. They had a chance to win that and
they might have won the championship had they won that game,
because you remember they were down two, came back to Detroit,
won Game three, one, game four, and then they lost
that game. Yeah, and then they won Game six in
Santa I.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Think they would have won had that had that you know,
Robert didn't make that shot, yep. But my point is this,
rob had they won that series and now they're back
to back champions and you remember they got back to
the conference finals several years after that, they would have
been viewed, we would have held them in even higher esteem.
(26:23):
You know what I'm saying, like they're not viewed as
one of the all time great teams. But had they
beaten they obviously beat Shaq and Kobe, had they also
beaten Duncan you know.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
What I mean, we probably would have We may have
looked at them that way.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
And that's what I'm saying about these Celtics, like this
one championship.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Is not gonna do it. I don't care.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
They were wildly impressed. It's been a great year, but
just one is not going to do it. And that's
what I'm like, Denver, Rob If Denver won this year,
some we we'd probably be saying they're like maybe one
of the greatest teams, you know what I mean of
all time.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
Or so I'm like, yeah, no, you got you gotta
do more.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
And for the Pistons, the only thing that saved him,
Chris was that they got back to the finals, So
they right, So it wasn't that game for it, you
know what I mean, Like like it wasn't just a
fluke year. Everything worked their way. They made it back
to the finals and they lost in seven games. So
people feel good about that team. But you're right, uh,
And the way you look at teams, be.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
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 (27:33):
The big story rap coming out of last night was
Luka Doncic.
Speaker 4 (27:38):
Now, he did put up his points.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
He had twenty seven points, six assists, six rebounds, but also.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
Six fouls and uh just you know his raped.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
NBA players are notorious for complaining to the referees, but
Luca's on a whole nother level.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
He's ridiculous. It's right, it's a turnoff to watch. I
gotta admit.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
He's on another planet when it comes to complain.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
It's just ridiculous, and it probably somewhat drains his teammates
a bit and a lot of times, Rob, and you
saw it last night. While he's on the floor complaining,
I mean laying down on the ground or sitting on
the ground after falling from you know, trying to get
a foul call or just you know, talking to a
(28:24):
ref the action's going the other way and Boston is
scoring while he's complaining or trailing to play late because
he was complaining, and so he's got to get better
in that.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
But the question a lot of people were saying.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Rob was they were blaming him for I guess last
night's lost, but there's even some talk about maybe them
being down three.
Speaker 8 (28:50):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
I look, his defense is atrocious and it needs to improve.
It's been some of the worst. There's a statistic from
second Spectrum his blow rate, you know, for the opponent
blowing by him, is like sixty seven robbing this series,
highest ever in the playoffs in the last ten years.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
So his defense is bad and it's just not new.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
He has three of the worst Chris and yes, right, three.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Three worst I think the three walls all.
Speaker 5 (29:20):
This year or two. So it's just this is who
he is.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
We know that.
Speaker 5 (29:24):
And uh, it's it's.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
You know, to get to foul out Chris down by
what was he down two or three.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
With uh when he went out it was about four
minutes ago.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
It was like three points, right, Chris, three points, I think,
And and uh, you know, you let your team down.
You can't do it. You gotta be very careful when
you have five fouls. Chris playing down the stretch that
game was still within reach obviously four minutes to go.
Speaker 5 (29:54):
It's it's bad.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
You agree with those who were saying he cost them to.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
I think that he had. It doesn't mean that they
were gonna win automatically, But you can't have your best
guy out uh for the last four minutes on something
that really was just him looking for a call, him
uh flopping, acting like something was going on, you know
what I mean, Like like that's the part you gotta
be real careful.
Speaker 5 (30:22):
And it burnt them. It burnt Luca, and it burnt
the Mavericks.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
And now when you're down oh to Chris and you're
at home in game three, you gotta be careful. You
got to understand the circumstance and where you are, you
really do I can't afford to do anything crazy.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
It was odd, and I don't blame the ress. I
blame Luca. But it's shribed, you know it is. You
almost never see a superstar foul out of a game
a game, forget a playoff game or a finals game
a game, and.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
So that was odd. He got four calls.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
In uh a few minutes in the fourth quarter. But
I will say this for Luka doncis, he's been taking
a thorough beating from the media today.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
Brian Wenthorse My god.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Winhors went off on it. It happens though. Lebron has
gone through it, Jason Tatum has gone through it and Rob.
The NBA finals are a mirror. It's a mirror, and
it reveals to you what is wrong with your game.
It reveals to you that you're not as good as
(31:36):
you thought you were. It reveals to you what you
need to work on and maybe what you need to
even add to your game. All right, the Lebron James
Rob his first two finals, he was bad.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
His first finals, he shot in the thirty percent.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
I think it was about thirty five percent against San
Antonio on two thousand and seven, averaged like five turnovers
a game. And then his second finals, of course, was
the meltdown against Dallas.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
He had to look in the mirror.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
He had to do some soul searching and come back
as a better player.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
Rob.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
You know Magic Johnson, Tragic Johnson in nineteen eighty four.
Kareem's getting older now it's a little more on magic
to carry the team. And he melted down in that
series against Boston, even though he had won two championships,
and he had to look in the mirror and deal
with it, all right, how can I get better?
Speaker 4 (32:38):
Larry Bird, I've talked about it. Rob eight point game,
eight point game.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Twelve point game in his first finals out they won,
but still he had to learn from it. I don't
think it happened to Jordan his finals. He was you know,
I'm not saying you can't lose, but when you kind
of are the reason you're losing, or at least you
know you just don't play close to your best, let
me put it that way.
Speaker 4 (33:05):
I think though.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Jordan Rob in the Eastern Conference finals matchups with Detroit
with the Jordan rules, he did learn like, I've got
to get stronger. I've got to get in the weight room,
you know, looking in the mirror and shock. Rob swept
in his first finals and outplayed by Kim Olajua.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
So what Luka Donc just needs to do is look
in the mirror.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Don't blame your teammates, even though you know you could
point to them, but don't do it. Don't blame your teammates,
don't blame the referees. Go into the lab and get
to work. You gotta lose some weight, You've got to
increase your stamina, and you've got to improve your efforts.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
On defense.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
We don't expect you to ever be a lockdown defender,
but you can improve your effort mentally and physically defensively,
because if he does it mentally, Rob STEP's not a
great defender, but he's improved because he's learned mentally. Okay,
I'm gonna be where I'm supposed to be. I'm going
to hustle. I'm gonna give effort on this end of
(34:17):
the floor, and that's where Luca needs to get.
Speaker 4 (34:19):
And I would even say last thing roped offensively.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
This is for the whole Mavericks, Jason Kidd, Nico Harrison,
the GM.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
They gotta figure out Rob. You know, I've talked a
lot about I.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Don't believe we've ever seen anybody in a helio centric
offense win the championship. Oscar Robertson never won it until
he went with Kareem and it wasn't helio centric anymore.
Lebron didn't win it playing that way. Jordan didn't win
it playing that way. He wanted in a triangle obviously,
James Harden and it just it's it's one or two
(34:55):
man basketballs not generally gonna beat five man basketball and
so they have to see if they can figure out
a way where get the other guys involved. Ro look
at the other three, the last three champions, assuming is
Boston this year, Denver last year, Golden State. All of
them have egalitarian offenses where everybody's touching the rock, anybody's
(35:19):
free to shoot right, and it's not one or two
even though they have great players, it's not one or
two guys creating everything. So I think those are the
things that Luke and the Mavericks need to work on.
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 Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brusa and Ron Parker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Breaking news today, just a couple hours ago or within
the last few hours to Brever Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
signs a five year, two hundred and seventy five million
dollar contract extension, two hundred million guaranteed and the fifty
(00:52):
five million dollars a year rip ties him now with
Joe Burrow of the Bengals for the top mark in
money year.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
What are your thoughts on this?
Speaker 5 (01:04):
It's just the NFL and this is we keep seeing.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It's just you have a quarterback that turn comes up
and it's not based on stats or where you fit
in in the game. I mean, I think of it.
What was it? What was the guaranteed money? Rob g
two hundred two hundred and when Mahomes signed his guarantee
was sixty how like, none of this makes any sense
(01:29):
to me, Chris, But this is the NFL. We talked
about it before. When Matthew Stafford was with the Lions,
he was the highest paid player in the league. Hadn't
even won a playoff game to that point. So none,
none of this really like, it's just if you have
a quarterback, franchise quarterback, and Miami hadn't.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Done it with Tua, not yet.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
You remember the Ravens farted off with Lamar and obviously
ended up paying it. But ROBZ you had it interesting?
This is rob I don't know Robby told you this
during the break, but this will blow you away just
the first sentence, he says. And they't even give us
the numbers, but go ahead, Rob you So.
Speaker 6 (02:11):
This status courtesy of the thirty third team. All right,
Daniel Jones has paid an extra year, so his numbers
are going to be higher in general. But across his
first forty eight starts, Trevor Lawrence twere and four total
yards Daniel Jones eleven thousand, nine ninety two yards per ten,
both of them, six point seven total touchdowns Trevor Lawrence
(02:32):
sixty six Daniel Jones sixty four total turnovers, Trevor Lawrence
fifty five Daniel Jones fifty four. QB rating Trevor Lawrence
eighty five point five Daniel Jones eighty five point four.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
That's shocking. Now, let me beat it.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Go ahead, go ahead, Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't think that
the numbers would be that close. That's surprising. But you
gotta admit, like Trevor Lawrence, there was a time when
they bounced back and they won those games in a row.
I can't remember what it was. They won a playoff
game and then they were down twenty eight nothing or
whatever it was in that big playoff game. That was
(03:13):
his moment in the second half. I think he had
four touchdowns or whatever it was.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
It was.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
You looked at him and was like wow. And remember
he was one of those guys that they thought was
a can't miss. But the numbers haven't lived up. We
talked about it all last year that he took a
step back.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
We talked about it.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
We thought he was going to take a step forward
coming off that playoff win, right, Chris, that big playoff comeback.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
It just hadn't been the case.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Look his first year and you could say for Daniel
Jones that he hasn't been in a good situation, right,
But for his first year under Urban Meyer, we know
that was just a disaster. And you know, if some
people don't want to hold that against Trevor, and I
get it, But since then he was better a second
year very you know, twenty five touchdowns, eight interceptions, Rob,
(04:02):
I mean, that's that's fine, particularly for your second year.
But last year Russell Wilson had twenty six touchdowns and
nine interceptions, so basically the same numbers Trevor. I few
for more yards. But and then this year, like you said,
Robbie took a step back. They didn't make the playoffs.
Here's what I here's where I'm at on Trevor Lawrence.
(04:24):
I if I were the Jaguars, I was saying this,
I've been saying it all off season.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
I would not have extended him.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
I would not have extended him. Not that I don't
want him as my quarterback. I'm just saying I haven't
quite seen enough. I feel I would feel like he's
probably my guy. He's probably my guy. There's reason to
believe he's gonna be our franchise quarterback. Obviously, Robed the pedigree,
(04:56):
the resume, all of that is great, but before I
give somebody two hundred and seventy five million dollars, I
want to be sure.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
It's kind of the same way I'm with TOA.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
There's different reasons obviously to us had the injury issues,
but I'm like, look, I want to be sure. Now, Rob,
I'll say this, if you know he's your guy, then
it was smart to do it now because we always
said the price is only going.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Up, but it doesn't go down. It's not going.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
Waited a year.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Next year it might be three hundred million, right, So
I'm with that. My take was this, Rob, And I've
said the same with Tua, and you know, I'll say
it with many quarterbacks that I'm not completely sure of.
If Trevor came out Rob this year and has a
great let's say I didn't pay him. I'm owning the
(05:48):
Jags and he comes out and has a great year,
I will.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
I will gladly pay him more.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I would gladly pay him more next offseason.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
If I am now one hundred percent sure in.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
My head this is our guy, this is our guy,
and Rob, they've given like this is the year for him.
They giving him Gabe Davis. Remember with Buffalo Brian Thomas Junior,
who's a very nice receiver. They drafted in the first round,
and you already had Christian Kirk. You got Travis Aten
as a running back, like he's got the pieces.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Now this is the year to get it done.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
I'm just saying I would have waited, and I get
it might have cost me more money, but I would
just have more peace of mind than now.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Rob a lot.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
We saw a lot of guys get paid after three
years and the teams regretted it. Carson wentz Kyler Murray.
Now Murray looks like he might well see if he
has a resurgence. But Murray jar showed up right and
and golf obviously is fine.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
But the Rams ended up feeling like he wasn't their guy.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
You know, but he wound up being on the of
getting to another Super Bowl. He was right, well then, Detroit.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
He's been great. But I'm just saying they the Lions
paid him early. You didn't have to pay him after
three years. That's my thing too, is I don't have
to pay it now. And I just don't think if
it's a CJ. Stroud situation where he's shown me for
two three years he's that guy.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
In fact, the sooner the better because it does keep
the price lower. Rod, But I just haven't seen quite
enough from Trevor Lawrence to make me one hundred percent sure.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
I'm my feeling is.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Yeah, he's gonna be the guy likely, but I just
want to see a little more evidence before I'm willing
to pony up that kind of money.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
The only problem is there's so few quarterbacks. That just
aren't enough guys out there, Chris. So the guys that
you have, their stock goes through the roof because there's
so many teams, thirty two teams, and they're nine quarterbacks,
nine or ten quarterbacks, and that's the problem. So when
you have one, if you don't have one, of your
(08:01):
season's over. So people are going to dive in with
these guys because they feel like they almost have who
what's what's all alternative?
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Who's al If you own the Jags, would you have
paid him now? Or would you take my approach where
you wait?
Speaker 1 (08:18):
I just think that they think because of what they saw,
And I'll be the first to say he took a
step back last year.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
And it wasn't like it I mean, he wasn't awesome.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
His second year he was better, much better, and play well,
I'm not gonna see here, and not like saying a
player and that he doesn't have promise in all of that.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
And I'm like I said, I generally think he probably is.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I mean, he clearly is now, but I think in
general it's will pay benefits, this will pay dividends. But
I personally would have been like, man, I want to see.
I want to see because last year he wasn't as good,
and the year before he was fine, but he was it,
you know, lights out, he hasn't been what he was.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
I just hear the number one, I hear you.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
I just I don't know how you go, how you uh,
how you work against the whole idea Chris, that you
say you want to see it doesn't mean that even
if you see one more year that he couldn't have
another bad year or two.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
I don't know how you really work against that.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
You gotta have to me feel like he has what
it takes to get there, or the guys putting in
the work.
Speaker 5 (09:31):
You feel like he wants to get better.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
You've seen some flashes enough to make you say I
gotta I gotta get in bed with somebody.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
I just don't think we've seen that much.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Yeah, I'm just saying.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
I mean that that that playoff comeback, he put him
in the hole with four first half interceptions.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
I know, but they wanted they came back, come back.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
But that's one, you know, Like like, I just want
to see more, and I I don't worry about like
if I see enough generally the court, the quarterbacks who
were really good.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
You know, you're not equally good every year.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
But I don't get your logic of well, if you
played well next year, that don't mean he's not gonna
play He's gonna play well.
Speaker 5 (10:13):
But I don't know.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
I don't get that.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
I don't I don't understand that.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I don't understand like you keep saying you will okay,
so he plays okay next year or plays better.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Five year contract and two franchise tags. I don't have
to pay you now, show me something.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
At some point, though, people aren't gonna wait all the
way to franchise tags because they want to have the
guy on board. They want to know that he's uh
had some stability, that you believe in him.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
There's a lot of stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
That goes on, I want to wait till Washing And
they did that to Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
It didn't work out.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Kirk Cousins left, he didn't wait anything, but it didn't
work out for Washington.
Speaker 5 (10:55):
So they did that.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
They didn't buy into them, and they kept waiting and waiting,
and what did they have. They still got a million
guys looking for still looking for a quarterback.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
So so I'm not.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Saying I want to wait that long. I'm just saying
I don't have to be in a rush. Ideally, I
would like to sign a guy before the franchise tag.
Ideally I would like to sign him after this upcoming
season because he plays really well. He just hasn't shown
me consistently or even a lot, even a lot of
inconsistent times.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
That he's gonna be this star.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
So you explain to me, what are they seeing? Why
do you think they signed him?
Speaker 4 (11:32):
People see, I mean.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
People disagree.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
I mean they obviously like him, and that's fine because
I think he probably is the guy. I'm just saying,
if I ran the team, I would want to see
more evidence, more consistent play of greatness coming around the
corner than I.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Have so far.
Speaker 7 (11:53):
That's all I'm saying, and I know it would it
might cost me, but I would be willing to pay
that if I was more certain that he's my guy.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Yep, so and now and now it'll be interesting because
the price of quarterback just went up. So if I'm
Jordan Love, I'm just going down to the Rolls Royce
place looking around. If I'm Tua and who else didn't
get paid yet and doesn't dak, I mean, are you kidding?
I mean they got to look around being like, oh yeah,
oh yeah, this sounds great.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see do they what
they do?
Speaker 5 (12:29):
That guy got you?
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Yeah, I don't know that they'll get more than Trevor.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
You know, you look at this pedigree, Rob, but they
Jordan was better last year and you know, obviously over
the second half of the season than Trevor's ever been
for a stretch. Tua Rob did have a better season
last year than Trevor's ever had. So there you go,
and you know the agents are gonna have the numbers
and put that out.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
That's what they do about that, right.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
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 8 (13:09):
Hey, we're Covino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
But here's the thing.
Speaker 8 (13:14):
We never have enough time to get to everything we
want to get to.
Speaker 9 (13:17):
And that's why we have a brand new podcast called
over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun in
our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy will be over promising things we never
have time for. Yeah, you blubber lit jam and me. Well,
you know what it's called over promise. You should be
good at it because you've been over promising women for years. Well,
it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we want
(13:39):
you to be a part of it. We're gonna be
talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk life
and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing about
something or we didn't have enough time, it will continue
on our after show called over Promised.
Speaker 8 (13:50):
Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make
sure you check out over Promised and also Uncensored, by
the way, So maybe we'll go at it even a
little harder. It's gonna be the best after show podcast
of There you go, over Promising. Remember you could see
it on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen to Over
Promised with Cavino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple
Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
We're gonna talk more NBA Finals and Rob g there's
some very interesting analytical numbers about these celjanies. Now they're
a they're like the poster team, if you will, for analytics.
All right, that's the whole thing with the three point
shooting and for those I mean it's simple math. It's amazing,
(14:37):
Rob that for the first I don't know, twenty five
thirty years of the three point line, nobody really thought
about this.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
But three is better than two.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
And if you're not gonna shoot the same percentage from
three point land as you shoot from.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Two, but ro J, you don't have to. That's the whole.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Thing behind the analytics craze. And you know this, Rob
coming up. I mean, if you shoot fifty percent from
the field.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
That's great.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Well, if you shoot thirty three percent from three point land,
which isn't even league average, now that's the equivalent of
fifty percent from two point range. So that's why the
three point revolution took place and why it's such a
big part of.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
The game now.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
And now, what the analytics tell you the percentage of,
you know, chances you make certain shots. Rob the ultra
analytic teams only want to shoot in the paint or
three pointers, and D'Antoni may have been the first to
(15:53):
kind of start this, but they don't want to shoot
mid range shots, particularly the long you know, the set,
the twenty footers, the nineteen footers, because the percentage the
chance of you hit those are only slightly better than
if you hit a three.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
So they're like, well, why.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Don't you move out a couple of feet they get
three points instead of two.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
So that's what the analytics teams do.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Three pointers, shots in the paint, and free throws. That
is what they do. And Rob g got some numbers.
That's what Boston is kind of doing to a t.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Is that correct?
Speaker 5 (16:30):
That is correct.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
They're doing exactly what they've done throughout the regular season.
Now last night was the pinnacle of that though, because
during this series they're averaging about half of their shots
are three point attempts a little more than half actually
last night, forty six of their eighty two attempts were
from deep. And to your point about where they're getting
(16:53):
their shots mentioned the three point shooting. They scored one
hundred and six points in Game three. One hundred of
them came from either the three point line, inside the paint,
or at the free throw line.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
One hundred of their one hundred and six points came
in those three ways.
Speaker 6 (17:09):
Absolutely, And it's interesting because they only made three mid range.
They attempted six, three of six from mid range. One
of the mid range shots they made was what many
would call the biggest shot of the game. That was
a Jaalen Brown twenty foot in the game.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Yep, yeah, that was a huge shot.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
It wasn't the game winner technically, if you just look
at the points. Was the dunk I believe by Tatum
in the language was a nice dunk. But yeah, to me,
the big shot was Tatum or Brown's twenty one footer.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
That to me was like, okay, it's over. That kind
of sealed it.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
Well.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Look, during the regular season, Boston averaged ninety shots a game,
and forty two of them were threes, so it wasn't
quite fifty percent, but it was close.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
I wouldn't be surprised if next.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Year it is fifty percent. And you know that's kind
of way the league obviously, it just gets more. The
threes get higher and higher every year, and so you
know we'll see I mean during the playoffs, I think
they've gotten even more. That eighty four shot eighty three
point eight shots a game for Celtics, forty point two.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Of them are three.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
So that's that's a higher percentage of their shots of three.
So yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if next year is
fifty percent of their shots are threes.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
But the only thing is, and I get the analytics
and Chris, it still comes down to talent and roster
because what was the game, rob g was a game
two day shot ten for thirty nine.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Do you remember the Well they haven't shot the three.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Well that's that's like, it's not just the analytics and
shooting three. They have a better roster, have better players,
but they got a roster built to play analytics style.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
I get that, but that really is what it is.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
But but it's still but it's not like they're killing
the analytics game of making the threes is what I'm
saying to you, But analytics.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Is also the points in the paint me. I get that,
But the threes are big.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
They take a lot of threes, and I'm just saying
that they've won Christian in spite of not making them.
That's all I'm saying is like, that's not the only
way that you can win is by knocking down that
many threes.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
And they've still been able to win.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
That's all.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
I'm not saying, you go away from analytics all the way,
but they are more ways to win than just that
you can go. If you want to hold them as
up as the poster boy for analytics, that's fine. People
say that with the Red Sox. I remember when they
won and I was like, I get it. They use
some analytics, but some guys they got some big hits too,
That's what I mean, right, But.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Their roster's built to play analytics style basketball ride. We
talked about our Carrie and Antonio Daniels talking about it.
They got eight guys, they're eight man rotation. All of
them can shoot threes. That's an analytically built team, you know,
and they you know, they don't take a ton of
mid range shots and they're not the only ones.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
But yeah, I mean it's this is what they are doing.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Is its system or is it Is it system, Chris
or is it talent? Like I get what you're saying
completely well, but they both. That's what I'm saying that that.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
Is a mix.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
I mean, you gotta have guys that can play, but
these guys, like I mean, they they.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Do have a bunch of three point.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Shooters for their style of play, and we you know,
that was one of the reasons I thought maybe when
they do go cold, it could come back to bite them.
But like you said, this series, now Dallas is cold too,
that's part of that's part of it. But that their
defense is even built analytically in that they take away
(20:55):
the corner three and that's the easiest three point shot
in the league and one of the easier shots in
the league. And so they've taken that away and that's
been a huge part of Dallas's success throughout these playoffs.
And so that is, you know, it's all analytically based,
(21:16):
and Missoula is huge on that obviously, and.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
This because they didn't I mean, they obviously all.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
The teams incorporate analytics, but when Underdoka, they weren't. This
heavily analytic, and Missoula came in and just completely made them.
And I don't think it was only him. I'm sure
Brad Stevens has something to do with it as well,
But yeah, they're playing this way. What I wonder, Rob, is,
(21:43):
is they're a threshold of when the game becomes two
to three point heavy, Like is there I don't know,
I don't know what it is, and then maybe there
isn't one. But if if I don't know what sixty
percent of the shots become threes, does it become something
we don't recognize anywhere? Like the All Star Game. That's
(22:05):
my firm belief that was ruin the All Star Game. Yeah,
that I remember it was. I think it was twenty fourteen.
I remember that when they went from about eighty combined
threes to like one hundred meters.
Speaker 5 (22:19):
I was gonna say three hundred because that's what it
felt like.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Yeah, once it went over one hundred, it was just like, Okay,
it's not even a game anymore. But you know it's
gonna be interesting because Rob, you know it's a copycat league,
and so it'll be You wonder next year, are the
three pointers gonna skyrocket? Because the team that shot the
most this year won the championship.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Yeap, And I just wonder. I wonder people, Chris, and
I think you just said it. You do have to
have the personnel just in putting in the system and
wanting to do something. If you don't make those shots
and you don't you know what I mean, then then
then you gotta have the people of performing. People will
(23:06):
pull it off, just like we talked about before. And
it's just a little different. But when pat Riley went
to the Knicks, he didn't bring showtime with him to
New York RKE.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
You didn't have the personnel.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
You just can't go, well, this is my system and
this is what we do, and we're gonna run up
and down and the point guard is gonna be doing
all these no look passes and dunks.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
And no, you didn't have those players.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
No, And that was impressive. It really was completely it
was very impressive. No, I agree with you, right, And
I think what Boston what they would say, and I'm
sure what they will do. They're going to go out
and get players that fit that system, you know, and
look for them. I mean they're gonna lock up, you know.
I think Tatum will get an extension this summer, so
(23:53):
he and Brown will be.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
The they're the core.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
So what.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Well, he's gonna get all the throw over three hundred.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
He will now become the highest paid guy in the league.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
It was Jaylen Brown. You knew, you know, that would
only last for.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
This cycle, right, But they'll they'll get players that fit that,
and I think next year they'll essentially be intact and
then how will they be able to keep these guys
or retool going forward? But Rob, this is you know,
we talk about will they be an all time great team?
(24:30):
For me, they're gonna have to win another one, would
like in the next they have to win one of
the next two and maybe become like a mini dynasty
or something like that for me to think they're an
all time great team.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
I'll give you an example.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Nick Wright said this on our show First Things, First
to Day, and it made sense and I think you'll
understand it too. That Pistons team we talk about a
lot oh four and we've compared this team to that
one because you know, no superstar, but a bunch of
stars and Rob that you know, I mean, they some
(25:07):
people say should have beaten San Antonio the following year,
Well where she left, was it or Robert ori open.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
He went to double gerobile in the corner. Chris I
was sitting right over there. It was unbelievable. And then
that was the big thing. And I remember talking to
Larry Brown. He said, that kid is torn up talking
about because they told her do not under any circumstance
leave Robert Orry, do not leave them. And they had
(25:39):
a chance to win that game. I don't know if
you remember what happened at the end after that Rip
had a shot that that he had a shot at
the end. They had a chance to win that and
they might have won the championship had they won that game,
because you remember they were down two, came back to Detroit,
won Game three, one, game four, and then they lost
that game. Yeah, and then they won Game six in
Santa I.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Think they would have won had that had that you know,
Robert didn't make that shot, yep. But my point is this,
rob had they won that series and now they're back
to back champions and you remember they got back to
the conference finals several years after that, they would have
been viewed, we would have held them in even higher esteem.
(26:23):
You know what I'm saying, like they're not viewed as
one of the all time great teams. But had they
beaten they obviously beat Shaq and Kobe, had they also
beaten Duncan you know.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
What I mean, we probably would have We may have
looked at them that way.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
And that's what I'm saying about these Celtics, like this
one championship.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Is not gonna do it. I don't care.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
They were wildly impressed. It's been a great year, but
just one is not going to do it. And that's
what I'm like, Denver, Rob If Denver won this year,
some we we'd probably be saying they're like maybe one
of the greatest teams, you know what I mean of
all time.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
Or so I'm like, yeah, no, you got you gotta
do more.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
And for the Pistons, the only thing that saved him,
Chris was that they got back to the finals, So
they right, So it wasn't that game for it, you
know what I mean, Like like it wasn't just a
fluke year. Everything worked their way. They made it back
to the finals and they lost in seven games. So
people feel good about that team. But you're right, uh,
And the way you look at teams, be.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
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 (27:33):
The big story rap coming out of last night was
Luka Doncic.
Speaker 4 (27:38):
Now, he did put up his points.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
He had twenty seven points, six assists, six rebounds, but also.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
Six fouls and uh just you know his raped.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
NBA players are notorious for complaining to the referees, but
Luca's on a whole nother level.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
He's ridiculous. It's right, it's a turnoff to watch. I
gotta admit.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
He's on another planet when it comes to complain.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
It's just ridiculous, and it probably somewhat drains his teammates
a bit and a lot of times, Rob, and you
saw it last night. While he's on the floor complaining,
I mean laying down on the ground or sitting on
the ground after falling from you know, trying to get
a foul call or just you know, talking to a
(28:24):
ref the action's going the other way and Boston is
scoring while he's complaining or trailing to play late because
he was complaining, and so he's got to get better
in that.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
But the question a lot of people were saying.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Rob was they were blaming him for I guess last
night's lost, but there's even some talk about maybe them
being down three.
Speaker 8 (28:50):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
I look, his defense is atrocious and it needs to improve.
It's been some of the worst. There's a statistic from
second Spectrum his blow rate, you know, for the opponent
blowing by him, is like sixty seven robbing this series,
highest ever in the playoffs in the last ten years.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
So his defense is bad and it's just not new.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
He has three of the worst Chris and yes, right, three.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Three worst I think the three walls all.
Speaker 5 (29:20):
This year or two. So it's just this is who
he is.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
We know that.
Speaker 5 (29:24):
And uh, it's it's.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
You know, to get to foul out Chris down by
what was he down two or three.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
With uh when he went out it was about four
minutes ago.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
It was like three points, right, Chris, three points, I think,
And and uh, you know, you let your team down.
You can't do it. You gotta be very careful when
you have five fouls. Chris playing down the stretch that
game was still within reach obviously four minutes to go.
Speaker 5 (29:54):
It's it's bad.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
You agree with those who were saying he cost them to.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
I think that he had. It doesn't mean that they
were gonna win automatically, But you can't have your best
guy out uh for the last four minutes on something
that really was just him looking for a call, him
uh flopping, acting like something was going on, you know
what I mean, Like like that's the part you gotta
be real careful.
Speaker 5 (30:22):
And it burnt them. It burnt Luca, and it burnt
the Mavericks.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
And now when you're down oh to Chris and you're
at home in game three, you gotta be careful. You
got to understand the circumstance and where you are, you
really do I can't afford to do anything crazy.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
It was odd, and I don't blame the ress. I
blame Luca. But it's shribed, you know it is. You
almost never see a superstar foul out of a game
a game, forget a playoff game or a finals game
a game, and.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
So that was odd. He got four calls.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
In uh a few minutes in the fourth quarter. But
I will say this for Luka doncis, he's been taking
a thorough beating from the media today.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
Brian Wenthorse My god.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Winhors went off on it. It happens though. Lebron has
gone through it, Jason Tatum has gone through it and Rob.
The NBA finals are a mirror. It's a mirror, and
it reveals to you what is wrong with your game.
It reveals to you that you're not as good as
(31:36):
you thought you were. It reveals to you what you
need to work on and maybe what you need to
even add to your game. All right, the Lebron James
Rob his first two finals, he was bad.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
His first finals, he shot in the thirty percent.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
I think it was about thirty five percent against San
Antonio on two thousand and seven, averaged like five turnovers
a game. And then his second finals, of course, was
the meltdown against Dallas.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
He had to look in the mirror.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
He had to do some soul searching and come back
as a better player.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
Rob.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
You know Magic Johnson, Tragic Johnson in nineteen eighty four.
Kareem's getting older now it's a little more on magic
to carry the team. And he melted down in that
series against Boston, even though he had won two championships,
and he had to look in the mirror and deal
with it, all right, how can I get better?
Speaker 4 (32:38):
Larry Bird, I've talked about it. Rob eight point game,
eight point game.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Twelve point game in his first finals out they won,
but still he had to learn from it. I don't
think it happened to Jordan his finals. He was you know,
I'm not saying you can't lose, but when you kind
of are the reason you're losing, or at least you
know you just don't play close to your best, let
me put it that way.
Speaker 4 (33:05):
I think though.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Jordan Rob in the Eastern Conference finals matchups with Detroit
with the Jordan rules, he did learn like, I've got
to get stronger. I've got to get in the weight room,
you know, looking in the mirror and shock. Rob swept
in his first finals and outplayed by Kim Olajua.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
So what Luka Donc just needs to do is look
in the mirror.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Don't blame your teammates, even though you know you could
point to them, but don't do it. Don't blame your teammates,
don't blame the referees. Go into the lab and get
to work. You gotta lose some weight, You've got to
increase your stamina, and you've got to improve your efforts.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
On defense.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
We don't expect you to ever be a lockdown defender,
but you can improve your effort mentally and physically defensively,
because if he does it mentally, Rob STEP's not a
great defender, but he's improved because he's learned mentally. Okay,
I'm gonna be where I'm supposed to be. I'm going
to hustle. I'm gonna give effort on this end of
(34:17):
the floor, and that's where Luca needs to get.
Speaker 4 (34:19):
And I would even say last thing roped offensively.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
This is for the whole Mavericks, Jason Kidd, Nico Harrison,
the GM.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
They gotta figure out Rob. You know, I've talked a
lot about I.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Don't believe we've ever seen anybody in a helio centric
offense win the championship. Oscar Robertson never won it until
he went with Kareem and it wasn't helio centric anymore.
Lebron didn't win it playing that way. Jordan didn't win
it playing that way. He wanted in a triangle obviously,
James Harden and it just it's it's one or two
(34:55):
man basketballs not generally gonna beat five man basketball and
so they have to see if they can figure out
a way where get the other guys involved. Ro look
at the other three, the last three champions, assuming is
Boston this year, Denver last year, Golden State. All of
them have egalitarian offenses where everybody's touching the rock, anybody's
(35:19):
free to shoot right, and it's not one or two
even though they have great players, it's not one or
two guys creating everything. So I think those are the
things that Luke and the Mavericks need to work on.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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