February 26, 2019 • 43 mins
On this Trash-Talkin Tuesday, Rob Parker and Chris Broussard discuss the dysfunction that is the Los Angeles Lakers and Superstar LeBron James. After yet another disappointing last night coming at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies, LeBron James and Co. have everybody questioning their playoff hopes. Given his recent disconnect from his teammates and poor play, do you still believe LeBron James is the best player in the world? Former NBA Champion and Fox Sports NBA Analyst Antonio Daniels joins the show to give his perspective on the topics on hand. MLB All-Star Bryce Harper is practically putting the Philadelphia Phillies in the rear-view mirror after stating that he disagrees with the team’s Head Coach Gabe Kapler’s perspective of focusing on analytics.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search f SR
to listen live. Rob This is a Lebron day and
a Lakers day, no doubt. I think people all over
the country are talking about the Los Angeles Lakers and
(00:23):
the fact that they have fallen off of the map
and they look horrible and look like they are, as
you have been saying, headed for the draft lottery. I
still give him a shot to make the playoffs. So
we'll get into all this and talk about this. But
the thing that you're right about is my nephew hit
me up this morning on Instagram and he's the biggest
(00:47):
Lebron fan going okay, and his message to me was
just one of defeat. Like I like, he was distraught
this morning because he couldn't believe that they had lost
to the Memphis For some people, and we're gonna get
into people, but for some people, this is like I
remember when I was I was in college. I remember
(01:08):
everything about it when Mike Tyson lost to Buster Douglas
and me and some of my you know, friend got together.
I was literally like in shock the whole night. That night,
my fraternity we were throwing a big party after the fight,
and we did it. We had the party on it.
But I was like not right. I was not right
(01:30):
the whole night. No. I was like shake it, like
just in a little bit of shock because to see
Tyson lose because he was undefeated at that point, was
knocking everybody out. And uh, I think some people who
really especially young kids who are really into Lebron, it
is like seeing this like, oh, it's looking like the
(01:52):
beginning where people going it may be the end of
the Lebron James are. I know he's gonna play three
more years and then you know I made right. He's
not gonna be first team of all NBA this year,
no Kempy. Unless there's something miraculous happens over the next
twenty two games, he is not going to be first
team and be all no doubt about it. So so
much to do, so little time. Let's welcome into our
(02:14):
couple of cool. Wouldn't be able to do this fine
radio program without them. Of course. Rob g is our producer,
Alex is our engineer, deb Cars and our sports anchor.
She'll keep us updated throughout the program. Are is in
turn on the other side of the glass, and of
course Elijah our social media guru. So we are in
(02:36):
full effect on this trash talking Tuesday. So let's get
this cracking and uh with mister Chris Bussard. Are up
there in that Knicks jersey, Nick's jacket. He got some guts,
he does you walk around in southern California. First of all,
just the Knicks jacket in general. I mean, the Knicks
are horrible. And I thought I've been for agents and
(02:56):
I thought he was maybe like born there. That's why.
From La from Burt, what you from Bac or right
around right around the corner or something. But he looks
like he can handle himself. He got the beard, he's
husky like rob g. You know, he looked like he
don't even look like he can handle himself. I doubt
anybody with step so there. Maybe that's why. But I
(03:18):
give him some credit for at least wearing it. And
he's happy. He's thinking, oh, this is our summer, or
maybe about to be nice, or maybe he's just wearing
it because it was on sale at Marshall's. That's true too,
But he is a Knicks man. He said he's a
Knicks No, I know. I don't know why, but he isn't.
But I forgot he told us. I'll tell you this, Chris,
I'm you know, I've been saying that weren't going to
(03:39):
make the playoffs, and I've been talking. It's very strong.
And don't get don't get all like like you just
know everything about the couple when it talks about them,
because don't make me bring up Tom Bread. Just make
me bring up the page and it's just you get
on your high horse. This is a smoke screen because
Chris Bouchard is the NBA to Fish Fisher, Nada. He's
(04:00):
mister NBA. He knows all about the NBA. I'm just
a novice, even though I've been covering the league since
nineteen eighty seven. Year, I wasn't on serious hiatus, wasn't
on the ESPN doing shoot around or whatever that show
was called. What was it countdown, Countdown or whatever? I
got your countdown. It's the countdown to the end of
(04:21):
the Lakers season. I've been calling for it for years,
but finally this is a year where I'm gonna be right.
That was about time, Brady. That was not about the
Lakers and Lebron Brady couldn't do that, So I'm Brady
can't help the Lakers. You know why, Chris Boussard. Their
season ended officially last night. Yes, the Lakers season is
(04:43):
officially over. Wake the kids, call the neighbors. It's over.
You keep waiting, old Chris Boussard. You know what Chris
said two weeks ago on Undisputed every day. His argument
was they'll be fine. They'll be fine. That was his argument.
There'll be for Lebron's track record. I'm sorry, Lebron James
(05:07):
is a broken down, thirty four year old GELOPI who
can't play defense. We saw it last night. It was pathetic.
Chris Boussard, I don't care about he was the greatest
player on the planet. Last night was it was rock bottom.
I could not have that. He stood there and he
had the nerve. Uh who was a kindly drove past
(05:30):
him for an easy lay up. I mean it was
kindly and everybody else and he looked, He looked and
threw his hands up, like, where's the defense? Try to
stop the basketball? Can you move to your left a
little bit? Can you move? And then there was another
big three that hurt them late in the game where
it was Lebron's man. He stood the filion Kevin Durant,
(05:51):
that's what they call they call him, and Chris. He
looked at the guy. He didn't run towards him. He
was nowhere near. He didn't, he didn't go. We were
We were closer to that guy right now than Lebron
was lasting. Lebron would have been closer if he was
in Brazil, he would have been closer to the Brazilian
Kevin duran Look, it's in the Bruno Kablico. He's the
(06:14):
guy's name. That's the guy's name. Is that his name, Chris,
It's indefensible. Hold on, let me finish one more, all right.
I just I've been trying to tell you this, and
I know people wanted to go back. I told you
Lebron James came here right for Hollywood and all the
other stuff that goes with it, you know, the businesses
(06:34):
and whatnot. He didn't come here to win a championship.
He did not, And he told you I have nothing
to prove. Do you remember that speech. I don't have
to prove anything to anybody. I don't want anybody, Jack,
I told you he wanted to be Meryl Streep and
a mogul. That's what Lebron James had in his future,
(06:54):
not to win a championship. He came here without the
pieces in place, without his number two guys. He's never
done that, Chris. And that's what thorpe a red flag
to me because he had to wait to find out
what's gonna happen. And I understand he had the young,
the young core. Don't now tell me, oh the core, dude,
this is what you signed up for up for. I
(07:15):
knew you. And Lebron was very much in on the
veterans that they signed. The fact that they weren't shooters.
The fact that they were was that they worried with
defenders that could switch. They have some toughness about him.
Lebron was in all of that. So I told you
he's the worst general manager in the NBA. He did
(07:35):
it in Cleveland. Remember when they put together that ray
one of the title. No, I'm talking about the last year, Chris,
when they brought in, uh, Dwayne Wade. They got to
the final. No, no, not with Dwayne Wade. Dwayne Wade
and Derek Roles and all those older guys, and he
was like, oh, well, this isn't working. They don't want
their roles and they were. So then they went and
traded with the Lakers and got Nance and got um.
(07:59):
Who's the other guy from the Lakers? Rodney Hood, George
George Hill and Larry Dance Junior, right, the other guy
all the tattoo, Yeah, Jordan Clarkson. Right. They brought those
guys in. They didn't add up anything. They lost in
four games. They got swept. And my only point is
that you can't sign up for something and then act
(08:20):
like all of a sudden you you you were you
were bamboozled, or you got you got a delta, a
phony hand that you weren't expecting. This is what you
signed up for. You brought up an interesting point, and
you said it before. This wasn't the first time You've
always said it. Lebron came here to be Meryl Street.
What I would say is Lebron made a miscalculation, a
(08:42):
big one, because I you know, I talked to people
close to Lebron and they felt, just as Lebron said
a few weeks ago, Lebron's legacy is set if he
doesn't win it. Yeah, of course he wants with but
if he doesn't win the title, you know, he's Lebron Jay.
He's done what he's done like you can't but going
to take him. Nothing's going to take down his legacy.
(09:05):
That's what they felt, and so of course he wants
to come to LA and win the championship, but if
he doesn't, he's tesline. That was the feeling, and you're
absolutely right. And I said it several times on the
Herd last year before he came here. I said, look,
when all the talk was Lebron's coming to the Lakers,
I said, Lebron, just think about it. Though, you better
(09:28):
come here and win. This is one of the reasons
I said maybe he shouldn't and maybe he won't come
to LA was because if you come to the Lakers,
every other star on your level has won a championship
at least one. Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem abdul Jabbar,
Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neill. They all delivered at
(09:52):
least one championship. That's what the Lakers are. But they're
not gonna be happy getting to the second round. They're
not gonna be even getting to the finals and losing.
They won a title, and I agree that it will not.
Lebron has is tremendous he last night he obviously he
(10:13):
became the first player ever to be in the top
five scoring all time to assists. No, that's I mean,
you can't do that. That's a legitimate number. That's an
incredible achievement. So I do agree. I do agree he
shouldn't have tweeted that out or Instagram. But it's a
tremendous achievement and it was done in winning They didn't
(10:36):
win championships every year, but he did that on winning team,
so nobody can take that away from me. So I agree.
His legacy is his legacy. However, especially in this day
and age, you are what you've done lately? What have
you done for me lately? Janet Jackson saying that I'm
pointing out DJ Tisher, He don't know nothing about that.
He could throw that up there. What have you done
(10:57):
for me? You know? But there you go. But anyway, Lebron,
a lot of people are gonna remember this, especially Lakers
fans who already don't like the fact that he's ranked.
They had a Kobe all time, don't you remember what
all those guys who are marking up the Murals right, yes,
before the season even started, so you could imagine you
(11:18):
already have that group of people out there. And here's
the other post. Could be an ugly four years for Lebron.
Why if he doesn't and I don't think he's gonna
win a championship here and here, but he needs to
get them close just to make him. Really, the last
reason Chris, that I do believe that the season has
ended last night at Memphis is that teams aren't afraid
(11:39):
of the Lebron or the Lakers. Like there's nothing like
sitting Toronto shaking in their boots, you know what I mean,
Like there's blood in the water, and these teams are like,
we can beat them a Lebron or no Lebron. And
I think that's the part that I see that Noah
last night, where this dude has been on life support.
I mean, where did he come from last night? Right?
(12:01):
He's not gonna do that against anybody else, mister Lakers,
I'm telling you, And it's there. It was their super Bowl,
their champion. The idea that you could burn veryways had
it in remember back to when he was in Chicago.
But you can now all these players are like, yes, yes,
we can bury Lebron. He thought they were gonna they
(12:23):
thought when Lebron went to LA they were gonna like,
add Lebron, poor Water, stir and win a championship. That's
all they thought. Oh, just add Lebron to that young
core and and and get another player, and they're gonna
be They're gonna be ready to take over the Golden State. Well,
nobody was saying that. Some people were nobody, Yes, the
Lebron people. I don't know if anybody on earth was saying,
(12:46):
you said fifty three wins and when they were the
fourth seed. No, it's not for saying that not here
that I can't say here that No, I can't say no,
that was three mister Rod Parker, I saying the fact
I'm all my heart horse just because you you want
Tom you wanna overcome and say, horse, you want to
(13:08):
OVERCOMPLI I was right on this rodeo. You wanna I
happen to say because you took such a lackey. We're
not talking about to stop it. How you want to
overcompen sating beat your chatling. I know all I know
all who don't know all who damn it, it's not over.
They're trying to games left, and I think Lebron James
(13:31):
has enough pride that they might make something. Though this
might mean I didn't make defended because the dude don't diffend.
The soame might make something happen. Let's better pair of
Jordan's or mister Mike, No, you pulled out the bed.
We'll get to that next. Look we're gonna do. Shut
you you pulled out? Yeah, but you can't have a game?
(13:51):
Get out out? No, it's it's over. You had your chair.
Why won't you better than now? Because they look like garbage?
All right, that's why you would bet you but you
ain't your chance? You say out? Did you say they
look like garbage? Oor? Lebron the team. I just want
to whole unit. Defensively, he looks bad, no, no doubt
(14:12):
about that. 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 iHeart Radio app Ares. Let's switch briefly, Rob
to baseball topic you always love to talk about. Games
have started, you know spring training games. I mean, here
we go, we're about a month away a little bit,
(14:35):
Chris the twenty eighth as the start of the regular season.
What's today the twenty six I mean, we're like about
a month away. And Bryce Harper's not in camp, doesn't
have a deal, and it seemed like the Phillies have
been trying, but he won't bite what they're conflicting reports
that have come out now about him. A few days ago,
after he met with the Phillies, there were all these
reports about how he hit it off literally like that
(14:57):
was the quote, hit it off with the at least manager,
Gabe Kapler. Now today, three hours ago. Randy Miller, who's
a Yankees beat writer for NJA dot com, he writes
this for what it's worth. My source who is close
to Bryce Harper tells me the Dodgers and the Cubs
were his first choices all along. I believe that, and
(15:19):
he prefers not to sign with the Phillies. I've been
hearing all winter that Harper does not want to play
for Gabe Kapler due to analytics and quirky personality. And
Kapler is a heavy do you remember healytics guy? And
he got into it with players last year if you remember,
because Kapler was another guy who was who had never
(15:39):
managed before. You know, this whole new trend, all numbers, baby,
bringing these guys in, who are gonna listen to the
front office and take whatever I told you In Houston
when they won this World Series, their manager never even
made out a lineup the entire year. Yeah, well, and
it's a copy. All the leagues are copycat. So teams
have gone that Kapler one of his first games, maybe
(16:03):
it was his first, Remember he took out I can't
remember who the picture was, took him out after like
he was mowing the opponent down, and Kapler took him
out after sixty something pitches because the analytics say that
the hitters have more success against the picture the third
time to see him even in the game, right, even, No,
he's mowing everybody down. Absolutely the problem. Look, I'm all
(16:25):
for analytics as a part of your front office, your baseball,
your basketball, your football operations, but it cannot be the
entire thing. You can't run a team based entirely on
analytics because it doesn't measure your heart, it doesn't measure
team chemistry. He had in that game, right, Okay, there
(16:46):
you go. They just signed to a new contract. He's
a start for them. But it doesn't measure like who's
clutching who's not. Like we saw the Dodgers last year
taking out all their left handed hitters in the World
Series at Fenway Paul. They benched those guys. If the
four best home run hitters didn't play that, I should say,
(17:07):
that's not even good for the game. It doesn't any sense.
It's not good. We want to see the best players,
the stars, whether they strike out or shine or whatever.
What did I say about everybody's following the Oakland A's
uh tru Yeah. Yeah, out of analytics, right out of analytics.
I mean World Series they got with analytics zero. And
(17:27):
they were a great franchise before that, right and they were,
and they were twenty eighth and attendance so people, they
won ninety seven games, and they couldn't draw people because
people don't like, they don't have stars, and they don't
play the type of baseball that people are are into
that matters. Look, I hope I don't know about you, Rob.
I hope Bryce Harper comes to the Dodgers because I
(17:48):
think it's what he wants to know, I agree it
would be he can't get it. I get it. He
may not get his ten years, but if you get
five to seven and the annual number is huge. And
I also think, I know, last yesterday we talked about
you said he can't for the sake of the other players.
Now with our not oh yeah, now, I think he
could go less and he's just one guy. Be sure
(18:11):
to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris
Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four
pm Pacific. Call your guys, you know, all those Lebron people.
Call them. We'll say, Lebron, you need some help, and
we could, we could give you that platform, juice stuff
to make a strong run. Right, So after you lose
to the Pelicans tomorrow night, you know, like maybe you
(18:32):
should come on the radio. Well, let me say this,
Rob about Lebron. For the last ten years or so,
maybe even a little more. Basically, for the last ten years,
everyone essentially has referred to Lebron James as one thing.
I'm glad you said essentially, not everybody, but most people.
I will give you that the best player in the world.
(18:54):
Most people have referred to media fans, opponents, you know,
most have referred to him as the best player in
the world, and now that is really in doubt. And
you think it's not even in doubt, right I don't.
I don't think right now, the way he's playing, don't
(19:14):
even say right now, no, I'm talking about what the
best player, not the best. We know he's having a
bad three weeks, so he's not the best player in
the world. Absolutely not. And I think most people right
now looking at him say no. And I know you say, well,
other guys don't play defense. What about James n Y
(19:35):
that's your best player in the world? And what he
was in play defense when he went on that. The
difference is when he didn't play defense, they went twenty
one and nine. Lebron just doesn't play defense and they
lost to the Pelicans, and they just lost to the
Memphis Grizzlies. That they all show they also be golden stopping.
What was he locking folks down before Christmas? Was he
(19:57):
locking folks down before Chris? I'm talking about right here,
right now. Don't tell me you thought that. You're right
here right now that week you thought they're gonna lose
to Memphis. I thought Memphis was playing good basketball. But Chris, Now, look,
I'm gonna say this, Rob, He's not the best player
in the world. You think James Harden is the best
player in the world. I take James the defense, the
(20:21):
defensive reason. If you're gonna say it's James Harden, if
jaff Out Yannis, how about Kevin Durray of James Harden
was on the Lakers right now? This coach, now, I
don't think they would have won those two games that
they just maybe with Mike D'Antoni is called James Harden
would have won those games. James Harden is fabulous, but
he is also in an offense that it's Taylor made
(20:43):
for numbers. Taylor made for numbers. But they were winning
game Bron had a coach like Dan Toni, he'd be
putting up huge number two and he could be hitting
on defense. They're hiding James Harden on They don't Lebron's
not winning. That's the problem I have. But when he
was winning, you still wouldn't get mean props. I didn't
say that back then. I'm talking about right here, right now,
(21:03):
He's not the best player on the planet. Here's here's
my take. I tend to say you become the best player,
the mythical best player in the world in the playoffs,
because the postseason, first of all, is a season unto itself.
I mean, it's two and a half months long. It's
a season unto itself. Great players who never played in
(21:24):
a great player who never played the if you can't,
if you can't you, if you can't get your team
to the playoffs, you're not the best player. I didn't
say playoffs. I said I mean, I'm not talking about
you don't have to get to the finals. Michael Jordan
was the best player in the world before he got
to the finals. He delivered, that's what I want to
He gave cats he assistant in the playoffs. He lost,
(21:46):
but he gave him sixty three. He gave him forty nine.
He'd have the opponent Larry Bird at that time, arguably
the best player in the world, saying I think he's God.
This guy's is Michael Jordans. So if you go out
like that, then yeah, you could be the best player
in the world. And so what I'm saying is this
is a bad few weeks for Lebron James. He does
(22:08):
not look like the best player in the world. There's
no if, SAMs or buts about it. But I before
I make that statement, I'm gonna wait a little while.
I want to see a larger sample size. I want
to see does this injury have anything to do it
he's still smarten because of that, or it is not
in shape, how did he get out of shape while
(22:30):
he was out, or like you, look, he might just
be old. I mean, look, I'm not gonna carry the wall.
He might be old, but I want to see a
larger sample size. If he can't get this team to
the playoffs, the six and twelve stretch without him is
no excuse because, as you said, you've lost to Memphis,
you've lost to New Orleans without a d You've lost
(22:51):
to Indiana, you've lost to Atlanta with Lebron. Yes. No,
if if Lebron came back and they were hammering teams
and he was bawling and they didn't make the playoffs
because they went, that'd be different. That would be totally different.
But he's back looking back. But that's that's why I
(23:12):
got an issue with. All I'm gonna say is I'm
just gonna give it a little more samples out. I'm
with you, Yann it's a deady Kombo I think right
now is playing like the best player in the world.
Kevin Durant is always right up there. Hardness great, but
I would put those two ahead of him. Uh and
you know, but I'm open. Look, no player, I said
this last year about Lebron. No player in the history
(23:35):
of the NBA before Lebron in their fifteen season, was
ever considered the best player in the world. No one,
And that was an achievement. Now he's in his sixteen
season and guess what, he very well may not be
the best player in the world anymore. He's not certainly
not looking like it. And we've finally seen cracks in
(23:56):
his armor. Is that's a good word to say, cracks
in his armor where he's hurt. He got hurt, which
he normally doesn't do. And since he's been back, whether
the groin is good or not, because we don't know,
but he's out there playing. He's playing many minutes, right,
I mean he played the other night. I'm getting to
Lenny played forty threety minutes. What do you have last
like forty yeah, I mean you're forty's not like you're
(24:18):
playing and you're playing twenty eight minutes because you know
your groin is on fire and you can't do it.
You're right, you can't play forty minutes. And he's shown
burst right, dunking on people stuff like that. He just
what he's showing. I mean, you brought it up. What
he's showing looks like age. I'm gonna give him a
little bit, He's earned it. I'm gonna give him a
little more time, a little benefit of the doubt. But
(24:41):
it looks like age because one a part of age's injury.
You just can't stay on the you know, the floor.
You can have your moments like the Wayne Wade every
blue moon, every week or two weeks, maybe two three weeks,
he has a turn back the clock game, and you
know he can't do it consistently. And Lebron can make
a good defensive play here there, but he can't do
(25:01):
it consistently. This even, this is where I thought that
maybe Lebron the age thing was really factored in because
the other day he went to McDonald's to order some
breakfast and he asked for a senior coffee discount. You
know what I mean, because let me let me bring
(25:22):
in and we've talked about this, Rob Our producer, the
beloved Rob Job Rob. I mean he is walking around
here like Garret family. He's sick. I mean he really
haven't we like, you can just see it on him
as clearly as you can see the shirt on his back.
(25:44):
Because he's a because he's a big time sports fan,
Lakers fan. Yes, and he thought when Lebron came here,
he would be on the parade route on Spovata. I
don't know if that would be the route, but you know,
on the parade route. And now he goes that he's
not going there, and that's not happening. But you I'm
(26:07):
just rare. Like you could see it in his walk,
you could see it in his body language, you can
see it in his demeanor, his countenance. He's hurt. Yes,
he's sad. He's not even laughing at my husky joke. Nothing.
He's not laughing at my five foot four jokes. He's down.
I feel for him, man, You know what he said.
(26:29):
He's husky, he feels husky. His spirit is husky, right, Rob, Gee,
you're not husky. Don't don't accept that. Gee, get on
the mic man, get on the mica. I want I mean,
I'm dead serious. Though you are a lifelong Lakers fan,
hardcore Lakers fan, how are you feeling? Because you I
think you speak for Lakers Nation, and I say that
(26:50):
in all series. This gives us a window into the mindset,
the heart of a Lakers fan. How you feeling, man, Well,
Chris to quote you know my mom, I'm not mad.
I'm just disappointed right now with Lebron James. And the
reason being is because as a Laker fan, you grew
(27:10):
up if you're in my age bracket, at least with
Kobe Bryant. Now, I'm not gonna say I told you.
I'm not gonna say that Kobe's better than Lebron. I'm
not gonna make that argument whatever, But I will say
that when we had Kobe, you never felt like he
let you down. You never felt like he didn't give
you everything he had. You never felt like you bring
it up old stuff that game. You never never felt
(27:33):
I'm just saying, okay, one at the time, Phoenix game.
Other than that one time and maybe when he has
to be traded to the Lord, you know, other than
those two times, you never felt like the game like
it didn't matter to him to play for the Lakers
and give you everything. Yet Lebron James in less than
(27:54):
one season looks like he doesn't care. You know, he's
posting on Instagram after they just lost a game and oh,
but you know, there's there's light in this darkness, shout
out to myself for getting into the top ten and assists.
You know, I put this out on Twitter earlier. I'm
sure you saw a craz I know you follow me.
You're following all my tweets here. That season that Kobe
tores Achilles, remember with my Danny really good tweet. Kobe
(28:18):
played three hundred and nineteen out of a possible three
hundred and thirty three minutes in the last seven games
to carry the Lakers into the playoffs. By comparison, Lebron
James spent a night making music with two chains and
drinking wine after midnight, and then took the next day
off against Golden State for load management. No, I mean,
(28:40):
and I would say that the time stamp on that
those shows that that's no. I agree. I don't know
for certain, of course, I don't know any of us
in here. No. My guests, though, would be that Lebron
had already been given that day off. That's my guests.
I might be wrong, but the optics. Optics are bad.
There's no questions. They need Lebron against the words, right
(29:02):
and I feel you Rob that that's a great stat
Bring up the one where the record was the same, right, yes,
when at one point both teams were twenty nine and
thirty and that year Kobe put the team on his back,
basically played every minute of every game for the last
two weeks to get him into the playoffs. Twenty nine
and thirty, they finished forty six wins. I think to
(29:23):
me is that they missed it with smush. No, that
was the Steve Nash Dwight Howard. That's all right, that's
that's fair. And look, the good news for you, Rob
g might be Lebron has said he loves it when
he's uncomfortable and he's getting more heat. Rob, would you
(29:45):
agree with this, both of you guys. I think he's
getting more heat right now and it's gonna continue as
if they continue to play like this. More heat right
now that he's gotten in an awful long term. Even
when they lost the Golden State, it was blamed on
the teammates or it was would average a triple double
or he got in the six games without Kyrie and
(30:07):
love like he was largely praised in those losing situations,
but in this one. Now, what's going on is people
look at it and they go because every night they go,
all right, well, all right, they lost to um Philadelphia, Okay,
I get that, but Philly's a good team. Whatever. Uh,
They'll bounce back against Atlanta like that, like okay, and
(30:28):
then they lose. Then they lost the game, didn't they
beat Houston? Okay, second half Lebron's activated, they get a
good win against Houston, come back from nineteen points. Now
they could get a winning streak together because now they
play who they played New Orleans without a d and
they will want to back to back the second end
(30:50):
of a back to back. They lose that game, then
they go even Shannon Sharp set on Monday, uh said,
oh yeah, I'm gonna take off. I won't walk if
they lose the game, not thinking you know what, no,
but not thinking that you could say that because you
thought they're gonna win. He said, to see, you might
as well end the season if they lose tonight, because
(31:11):
they really thought, right, everybody thought, oh no, that there's
no way Memphis is gonna win that game. And for
Memphis to win that game it does. It just has
an effect. And that's why I think people are looking
at Lebron going what no, No, Bron's supposed to be
the difference in some of these equations. He should be
the difference. If they don't get Anthony Davis, then Lebron
(31:35):
very well may have been much better just staying in Cleveland,
even if you don't win the East, because I don't
think Cleveland would have won the East this year, not
I mean unless they made major changes. I think Milwaukee, Toronto,
Boston are better than Cleveland was last year. But you
could have if you would have fallen off. And He's
(31:56):
gonna fall off at some point, right, I mean, it's
just father time. Jordan fell off, So it happens to
the best of them. But if he would have fallen
off in Cleveland, he had delivered that championship as a
hometown kid, you know what I mean, it would have
been fun have been. Oh up, Now, if you come
here and these just happen to be the worst years
(32:18):
of your your at that point, what would be maybe
twenty years nineteen twenty year career and you just can't deliver.
And it's not your fault. You're just older and you
just don't have it. But you're gonna get some heat
because Lakers fans ain't playing that. You saw some of
them defacing this mural before the season I started, when
they thought he was gonna lead him to the playoffs? Right,
(32:41):
how many people said they were going to Weston Conference Finals?
I mean, I'd say fifty three wins? Shame on me.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox Sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app search
f SR to listen live easier. We always love having
(33:02):
our next guest in the NBA Champion and Fox Sports
NBA analysts none other than Antonio Daniels. And as a
he's a native Ohio in two so I know it
pains him to see Lebron James from Akron going through
what he's going through up there and now? Or do
(33:22):
you take pleasure in this as a as a former
Spurn you take pleasure in this? Why would I take Antonio?
It's a lot, you know, it's a lot of people
around the league. Now I know you're not a player, anymore.
But there are a lot of guys in the league
taking pleasure in this, right. That's because when you're on
top for so long, people love this. They can't wait
(33:42):
till you fall. That's his life. I definitely, I definitely
don't take take pride and seeing what I'm seeing now
and honestly, as a former player and now analysts the
ro TV and radio, like it sucks, like it's kind
of vincied, you know what I mean, Like the way
everything is being gun in LA from the beginning, from
the beginning, like it's just I don't know, it's it's
(34:03):
a really really bad situation down there now. A lot
of this though, is it on Lebron? Yes? Yeah, okay,
that Antonio. You know, this is what you guys seen
the movie remember the Titans. Yes, yes, okay, it's a
line in that movie where Julius says to the other guy,
(34:24):
attitude reflects leadership, captain, right, And this is what this
is about. And with Lebron, if I'm in that locked
room with Lebron, if we've had this conversation before, I
don't be hypocritical. You know, when you're talking about leadership,
Leadership is not about what you say, leadership is about
what you do. Leadership is also about showing some sense
(34:48):
of blame and compassion. It's not always on everybody else.
It's not always on Luke Walton, it's not always on
the organization. It's not always on your teammate. As a leader.
As a leader, you have to carry some simulant and
form of responsibility to everything that's going on in LA,
because I tell you what, if the situation was reversed
and LA was in first, Lebron would be being praised
(35:10):
like crazy, no doubt, no doubt about it. Hey, let
me when you talk about this in leadership, the part
that you know when he throws his hands up in frustration. Sometime,
you know, after a guy gets an easy bucket, he's
not playing any defense, right, And Tony, you saw the
plays last night that he he just mat adored people
straight to the basket, right. And the thing is, you
(35:33):
know what, there are certain guys throughout this league that
deserve a PAS because they exude and have so much
responsibility on both ends of the floor. So if there's
a player too that Lebron took off, I'm not tripping
on that player too. I agree. If there's not a
player in this league that plays with that amount of
pressure and responsibility that's gonna go on every single play.
(35:54):
I get him, I get it. But when it's becoming
a constant, and if not just last night, you can
go back to the game before and the game before
and the game before, you're saying one thing. And this
started back when everything was going on in the locker
room where you tell guys to stay on social media,
and then you're on social media, you tell you tell guys, well,
(36:15):
you know what, Listen, I don't know if everybody's mind
is on basketball, and then you're out making movies and
shows and doing records and all the other kinds of stuff.
So you know what I mean, there's a there's a
form of hypocrisy that's coming out of that locker room.
And if you're there and you're looking at him, it's
I am not taking away from Lebron James great name,
(36:35):
but I'll tell you what my mother has always told
me since I was a child. To who much is giving,
much is required, and when you're required, that means you're
going to get criticized along the way. Look, obviously, Lebron,
he just had a big accomplishment last night first player,
every top five points, top five assists. So his legacy
(36:56):
is going to be great no matter what. Sure, But
how much of a then if they don't make the
playoffs this year? And I gotta be honest, Antonio, I
don't think Lebron's gonna win a championship again. Now, you know,
I'll give him a chance. I'll leave a little percentage
that if they get Anthony Davis, maybe they can win it.
But I if I had to bet, I would say
(37:17):
he's not gonna win a championship because he's not gonna
get better. He's just gonna keep getting older a little
bit right there, How much of a hint to his
legacy is it if he comes to LA, doesn't deliver
a championship, maybe doesn't even get to the finals. Man,
I don't that's a toughie. That's because this legacy is
what it is. I mean now, it's to the point
(37:37):
that he can do nothing but add to it. So
he may suffer in the present. Right overall, at the
end of the day, it's gonna be fine. Yeah, his
legacy is what it is, right And you know what
kind of made me think different about his legacy as well?
It's when he said when a couple of years ago,
maybe you're doing the last year when he came out
and said, you know what, I'm chasing the ghost, which means,
(37:58):
you know what, I'm trying to get as many tampionship
because I possibly can to catch Michael George. And then
this year, a couple of weeks ago, when he comes
out and he says, you know what, I have nothing
left to prove. You know, that's bout a quick change
his part, and the reality check that shows where the
Lakers where he feels right now that the Lakers really are.
And I'll tell you what, Rob, I tell you what, Chris.
(38:19):
If they don't acquire somebody via free agency this summer,
next year is going to be another long year, no question,
no doubt about it. It's the eye couple. We're joined
by NBA champion Antonio Daniels. Hey, Antonio. The other thing
that I noticed, and maybe you've seen the same thing,
is I don't think other teams are afraid of Lebron
(38:40):
and the Lakers when I see Memphis what they did
last night, and I saw the Pelicans without Anthony Davis
on the back end of a back to back, and
you start seeing these teams go like, hey, there's blood,
you can beat them with or without Lebron James, and
some of that, you know, uh, some of that change
(39:03):
where they don't look at the Lakers the same way
or Lebron the same way. But I don't know, with
all due respect and that this is not a shot
at the Lakers by any stretches of imagine. But I
don't know if they felt that way, if teams that
felt that way all year. Anyway, you realize who Lebron
is right and what Lebron is capable of, But as
far as that roster and the way it's constructed from
(39:23):
top to bottom, I don't think that that team has
ever really in skilled fear in anybody in the Western Conference.
I guess, yeah, I guess. I guess. The thing that
I'm looking at is teams that would benefit by losing,
do you know what I mean? Like Memphis in New Orleans,
they're winning like like they could lose those games because
it would be benefitial to beat Lebron. I know, but
(39:45):
but but we all know, man, players don't take players,
don't you know? An organization can put you in a
position to be unsuccessful. The organization could thank the front
office Conbin. Players will never lay down the tank. Guys
don't get to this level without being competitive. So if
you go out on that floor and a lot of
these teams that you're talking about, these are guys that
(40:06):
are auditioning for other jobs. It's not about beating the Lakers.
It's about supporting my family and moving on. I'm not
concerned with LA and what they have going on. I'm
concerned with showing twenty nine other teams that I'm an
NBA player and I can be a viable player in
this league for a legitimate amount of time. Guys are
want to compete Lebron because he does so much on
(40:27):
the court. He's plays you know, point guard, power forward,
small for it. He can be tough to fit stars around.
You called New Orleans Pelicans games during the season. How
good of a combination do you think Lebron and Anthony
Davis would be? You know what's weird is Anthony Davis
(40:50):
would be the first guy I think of that type
of game that Lebron's playbook, right. I agree, because you
know Chris Vosh was the third option. Kevin Love with
the third option, we're having a different conversations with the
second option, and if second options get theirs around Lebron, right,
it's the right option that kind of gets marginalized, right, right.
(41:11):
And then that's why when we talk about and we
talked about this last time, when Chris Voshon and Kevin
Love and you talk about those VIC threes, I think
those two guys were the most important of those victree
Not the best, not the most talented, but those guys
have to sacrifice the most, right. And if you have
Anthony Davis and you're Lebron and they're somewhat declining, you
know your health is not what it once was. This
(41:33):
could be that time where you see Lebron kind of
take a back seat and say, you know what, ma'am,
I'm gonna play off you. I'm gonna allow you to
do your thing. I'm still gonna be Lebron James. I'm
still gonna be have the highest basketball IQ of anybody
on the planet. I'm still gonna be bigger, stronger, faster,
and more athletic than anybody else on the floor. But
I'm going to allow you the opportunity to be you
because I understand as the year goes on, my body
(41:56):
cannot continue to take this pounding and me be at
my best come Marching April. I think that's a great
point I was saying to Rob earlier, as Lebron ages
he may need to just kind of transfer to a
full time point guard or maybe power forward. It's something,
but you know what I mean, where he's not doing
as much as he's doing right now. Yeah, and if
he's a point guard and ad is your first option
(42:19):
as far as a scorer, then that could work pretty well.
If they end up together, It definitely could work well
there together. But that's a you know, once you find
out with guys in this league, guy that can recreate
themselves have really really, really long careers. Right, Vin Carter
is not ben Sanity anymore. But I tell you what,
he did such a great job at recreating himself that
(42:40):
now he's a knock down shooter, a great locker room guy,
and a guy you can rely on for fifty to
twenty good minute tonight after playing twenty one years, righting
yourself as a skill. All right, Antonio, grow stuff. As
Asway's man, we always appreciate the wisdom for sure. Appreciate
the fellas later, be sure to live editions of The
(43:01):
Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at
seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeartRadio app.
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to listen live. Rob This is a Lebron day and
a Lakers day, no doubt. I think people all over
the country are talking about the Los Angeles Lakers and
(00:23):
the fact that they have fallen off of the map
and they look horrible and look like they are, as
you have been saying, headed for the draft lottery. I
still give him a shot to make the playoffs. So
we'll get into all this and talk about this. But
the thing that you're right about is my nephew hit
me up this morning on Instagram and he's the biggest
(00:47):
Lebron fan going okay, and his message to me was
just one of defeat. Like I like, he was distraught
this morning because he couldn't believe that they had lost
to the Memphis For some people, and we're gonna get
into people, but for some people, this is like I
remember when I was I was in college. I remember
(01:08):
everything about it when Mike Tyson lost to Buster Douglas
and me and some of my you know, friend got together.
I was literally like in shock the whole night. That night,
my fraternity we were throwing a big party after the fight,
and we did it. We had the party on it.
But I was like not right. I was not right
(01:30):
the whole night. No. I was like shake it, like
just in a little bit of shock because to see
Tyson lose because he was undefeated at that point, was
knocking everybody out. And uh, I think some people who
really especially young kids who are really into Lebron, it
is like seeing this like, oh, it's looking like the
(01:52):
beginning where people going it may be the end of
the Lebron James are. I know he's gonna play three
more years and then you know I made right. He's
not gonna be first team of all NBA this year,
no Kempy. Unless there's something miraculous happens over the next
twenty two games, he is not going to be first
team and be all no doubt about it. So so
much to do, so little time. Let's welcome into our
(02:14):
couple of cool. Wouldn't be able to do this fine
radio program without them. Of course. Rob g is our producer,
Alex is our engineer, deb Cars and our sports anchor.
She'll keep us updated throughout the program. Are is in
turn on the other side of the glass, and of
course Elijah our social media guru. So we are in
(02:36):
full effect on this trash talking Tuesday. So let's get
this cracking and uh with mister Chris Bussard. Are up
there in that Knicks jersey, Nick's jacket. He got some guts,
he does you walk around in southern California. First of all,
just the Knicks jacket in general. I mean, the Knicks
are horrible. And I thought I've been for agents and
(02:56):
I thought he was maybe like born there. That's why.
From La from Burt, what you from Bac or right
around right around the corner or something. But he looks
like he can handle himself. He got the beard, he's
husky like rob g. You know, he looked like he
don't even look like he can handle himself. I doubt
anybody with step so there. Maybe that's why. But I
(03:18):
give him some credit for at least wearing it. And
he's happy. He's thinking, oh, this is our summer, or
maybe about to be nice, or maybe he's just wearing
it because it was on sale at Marshall's. That's true too,
But he is a Knicks man. He said he's a
Knicks No, I know. I don't know why, but he isn't.
But I forgot he told us. I'll tell you this, Chris,
I'm you know, I've been saying that weren't going to
(03:39):
make the playoffs, and I've been talking. It's very strong.
And don't get don't get all like like you just
know everything about the couple when it talks about them,
because don't make me bring up Tom Bread. Just make
me bring up the page and it's just you get
on your high horse. This is a smoke screen because
Chris Bouchard is the NBA to Fish Fisher, Nada. He's
(04:00):
mister NBA. He knows all about the NBA. I'm just
a novice, even though I've been covering the league since
nineteen eighty seven. Year, I wasn't on serious hiatus, wasn't
on the ESPN doing shoot around or whatever that show
was called. What was it countdown, Countdown or whatever? I
got your countdown. It's the countdown to the end of
(04:21):
the Lakers season. I've been calling for it for years,
but finally this is a year where I'm gonna be right.
That was about time, Brady. That was not about the
Lakers and Lebron Brady couldn't do that, So I'm Brady
can't help the Lakers. You know why, Chris Boussard. Their
season ended officially last night. Yes, the Lakers season is
(04:43):
officially over. Wake the kids, call the neighbors. It's over.
You keep waiting, old Chris Boussard. You know what Chris
said two weeks ago on Undisputed every day. His argument
was they'll be fine. They'll be fine. That was his argument.
There'll be for Lebron's track record. I'm sorry, Lebron James
(05:07):
is a broken down, thirty four year old GELOPI who
can't play defense. We saw it last night. It was pathetic.
Chris Boussard, I don't care about he was the greatest
player on the planet. Last night was it was rock bottom.
I could not have that. He stood there and he
had the nerve. Uh who was a kindly drove past
(05:30):
him for an easy lay up. I mean it was
kindly and everybody else and he looked, He looked and
threw his hands up, like, where's the defense? Try to
stop the basketball? Can you move to your left a
little bit? Can you move? And then there was another
big three that hurt them late in the game where
it was Lebron's man. He stood the filion Kevin Durant,
(05:51):
that's what they call they call him, and Chris. He
looked at the guy. He didn't run towards him. He
was nowhere near. He didn't, he didn't go. We were
We were closer to that guy right now than Lebron
was lasting. Lebron would have been closer if he was
in Brazil, he would have been closer to the Brazilian
Kevin duran Look, it's in the Bruno Kablico. He's the
(06:14):
guy's name. That's the guy's name. Is that his name, Chris,
It's indefensible. Hold on, let me finish one more, all right.
I just I've been trying to tell you this, and
I know people wanted to go back. I told you
Lebron James came here right for Hollywood and all the
other stuff that goes with it, you know, the businesses
(06:34):
and whatnot. He didn't come here to win a championship.
He did not, And he told you I have nothing
to prove. Do you remember that speech. I don't have
to prove anything to anybody. I don't want anybody, Jack,
I told you he wanted to be Meryl Streep and
a mogul. That's what Lebron James had in his future,
(06:54):
not to win a championship. He came here without the
pieces in place, without his number two guys. He's never
done that, Chris. And that's what thorpe a red flag
to me because he had to wait to find out
what's gonna happen. And I understand he had the young,
the young core. Don't now tell me, oh the core, dude,
this is what you signed up for up for. I
(07:15):
knew you. And Lebron was very much in on the
veterans that they signed. The fact that they weren't shooters.
The fact that they were was that they worried with
defenders that could switch. They have some toughness about him.
Lebron was in all of that. So I told you
he's the worst general manager in the NBA. He did
(07:35):
it in Cleveland. Remember when they put together that ray
one of the title. No, I'm talking about the last year, Chris,
when they brought in, uh, Dwayne Wade. They got to
the final. No, no, not with Dwayne Wade. Dwayne Wade
and Derek Roles and all those older guys, and he
was like, oh, well, this isn't working. They don't want
their roles and they were. So then they went and
traded with the Lakers and got Nance and got um.
(07:59):
Who's the other guy from the Lakers? Rodney Hood, George
George Hill and Larry Dance Junior, right, the other guy
all the tattoo, Yeah, Jordan Clarkson. Right. They brought those
guys in. They didn't add up anything. They lost in
four games. They got swept. And my only point is
that you can't sign up for something and then act
(08:20):
like all of a sudden you you you were you
were bamboozled, or you got you got a delta, a
phony hand that you weren't expecting. This is what you
signed up for. You brought up an interesting point, and
you said it before. This wasn't the first time You've
always said it. Lebron came here to be Meryl Street.
What I would say is Lebron made a miscalculation, a
(08:42):
big one, because I you know, I talked to people
close to Lebron and they felt, just as Lebron said
a few weeks ago, Lebron's legacy is set if he
doesn't win it. Yeah, of course he wants with but
if he doesn't win the title, you know, he's Lebron Jay.
He's done what he's done like you can't but going
to take him. Nothing's going to take down his legacy.
(09:05):
That's what they felt, and so of course he wants
to come to LA and win the championship, but if
he doesn't, he's tesline. That was the feeling, and you're
absolutely right. And I said it several times on the
Herd last year before he came here. I said, look,
when all the talk was Lebron's coming to the Lakers,
I said, Lebron, just think about it. Though, you better
(09:28):
come here and win. This is one of the reasons
I said maybe he shouldn't and maybe he won't come
to LA was because if you come to the Lakers,
every other star on your level has won a championship
at least one. Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem abdul Jabbar,
Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neill. They all delivered at
(09:52):
least one championship. That's what the Lakers are. But they're
not gonna be happy getting to the second round. They're
not gonna be even getting to the finals and losing.
They won a title, and I agree that it will not.
Lebron has is tremendous he last night he obviously he
(10:13):
became the first player ever to be in the top
five scoring all time to assists. No, that's I mean,
you can't do that. That's a legitimate number. That's an
incredible achievement. So I do agree. I do agree he
shouldn't have tweeted that out or Instagram. But it's a
tremendous achievement and it was done in winning They didn't
(10:36):
win championships every year, but he did that on winning team,
so nobody can take that away from me. So I agree.
His legacy is his legacy. However, especially in this day
and age, you are what you've done lately? What have
you done for me lately? Janet Jackson saying that I'm
pointing out DJ Tisher, He don't know nothing about that.
He could throw that up there. What have you done
(10:57):
for me? You know? But there you go. But anyway, Lebron,
a lot of people are gonna remember this, especially Lakers
fans who already don't like the fact that he's ranked.
They had a Kobe all time, don't you remember what
all those guys who are marking up the Murals right, yes,
before the season even started, so you could imagine you
(11:18):
already have that group of people out there. And here's
the other post. Could be an ugly four years for Lebron.
Why if he doesn't and I don't think he's gonna
win a championship here and here, but he needs to
get them close just to make him. Really, the last
reason Chris, that I do believe that the season has
ended last night at Memphis is that teams aren't afraid
(11:39):
of the Lebron or the Lakers. Like there's nothing like
sitting Toronto shaking in their boots, you know what I mean,
Like there's blood in the water, and these teams are like,
we can beat them a Lebron or no Lebron. And
I think that's the part that I see that Noah
last night, where this dude has been on life support.
I mean, where did he come from last night? Right?
(12:01):
He's not gonna do that against anybody else, mister Lakers,
I'm telling you, And it's there. It was their super Bowl,
their champion. The idea that you could burn veryways had
it in remember back to when he was in Chicago.
But you can now all these players are like, yes, yes,
we can bury Lebron. He thought they were gonna they
(12:23):
thought when Lebron went to LA they were gonna like,
add Lebron, poor Water, stir and win a championship. That's
all they thought. Oh, just add Lebron to that young
core and and and get another player, and they're gonna
be They're gonna be ready to take over the Golden State. Well,
nobody was saying that. Some people were nobody, Yes, the
Lebron people. I don't know if anybody on earth was saying,
(12:46):
you said fifty three wins and when they were the
fourth seed. No, it's not for saying that not here
that I can't say here that No, I can't say no,
that was three mister Rod Parker, I saying the fact
I'm all my heart horse just because you you want
Tom you wanna overcome and say, horse, you want to
(13:08):
OVERCOMPLI I was right on this rodeo. You wanna I
happen to say because you took such a lackey. We're
not talking about to stop it. How you want to
overcompen sating beat your chatling. I know all I know
all who don't know all who damn it, it's not over.
They're trying to games left, and I think Lebron James
(13:31):
has enough pride that they might make something. Though this
might mean I didn't make defended because the dude don't diffend.
The soame might make something happen. Let's better pair of
Jordan's or mister Mike, No, you pulled out the bed.
We'll get to that next. Look we're gonna do. Shut
you you pulled out? Yeah, but you can't have a game?
(13:51):
Get out out? No, it's it's over. You had your chair.
Why won't you better than now? Because they look like garbage?
All right, that's why you would bet you but you
ain't your chance? You say out? Did you say they
look like garbage? Oor? Lebron the team. I just want
to whole unit. Defensively, he looks bad, no, no doubt
(14:12):
about that. 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 iHeart Radio app Ares. Let's switch briefly, Rob
to baseball topic you always love to talk about. Games
have started, you know spring training games. I mean, here
we go, we're about a month away a little bit,
(14:35):
Chris the twenty eighth as the start of the regular season.
What's today the twenty six I mean, we're like about
a month away. And Bryce Harper's not in camp, doesn't
have a deal, and it seemed like the Phillies have
been trying, but he won't bite what they're conflicting reports
that have come out now about him. A few days ago,
after he met with the Phillies, there were all these
reports about how he hit it off literally like that
(14:57):
was the quote, hit it off with the at least manager,
Gabe Kapler. Now today, three hours ago. Randy Miller, who's
a Yankees beat writer for NJA dot com, he writes
this for what it's worth. My source who is close
to Bryce Harper tells me the Dodgers and the Cubs
were his first choices all along. I believe that, and
(15:19):
he prefers not to sign with the Phillies. I've been
hearing all winter that Harper does not want to play
for Gabe Kapler due to analytics and quirky personality. And
Kapler is a heavy do you remember healytics guy? And
he got into it with players last year if you remember,
because Kapler was another guy who was who had never
(15:39):
managed before. You know, this whole new trend, all numbers, baby,
bringing these guys in, who are gonna listen to the
front office and take whatever I told you In Houston
when they won this World Series, their manager never even
made out a lineup the entire year. Yeah, well, and
it's a copy. All the leagues are copycat. So teams
have gone that Kapler one of his first games, maybe
(16:03):
it was his first, Remember he took out I can't
remember who the picture was, took him out after like
he was mowing the opponent down, and Kapler took him
out after sixty something pitches because the analytics say that
the hitters have more success against the picture the third
time to see him even in the game, right, even, No,
he's mowing everybody down. Absolutely the problem. Look, I'm all
(16:25):
for analytics as a part of your front office, your baseball,
your basketball, your football operations, but it cannot be the
entire thing. You can't run a team based entirely on
analytics because it doesn't measure your heart, it doesn't measure
team chemistry. He had in that game, right, Okay, there
(16:46):
you go. They just signed to a new contract. He's
a start for them. But it doesn't measure like who's
clutching who's not. Like we saw the Dodgers last year
taking out all their left handed hitters in the World
Series at Fenway Paul. They benched those guys. If the
four best home run hitters didn't play that, I should say,
(17:07):
that's not even good for the game. It doesn't any sense.
It's not good. We want to see the best players,
the stars, whether they strike out or shine or whatever.
What did I say about everybody's following the Oakland A's
uh tru Yeah. Yeah, out of analytics, right out of analytics.
I mean World Series they got with analytics zero. And
(17:27):
they were a great franchise before that, right and they were,
and they were twenty eighth and attendance so people, they
won ninety seven games, and they couldn't draw people because
people don't like, they don't have stars, and they don't
play the type of baseball that people are are into
that matters. Look, I hope I don't know about you, Rob.
I hope Bryce Harper comes to the Dodgers because I
(17:48):
think it's what he wants to know, I agree it
would be he can't get it. I get it. He
may not get his ten years, but if you get
five to seven and the annual number is huge. And
I also think, I know, last yesterday we talked about
you said he can't for the sake of the other players.
Now with our not oh yeah, now, I think he
could go less and he's just one guy. Be sure
(18:11):
to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris
Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four
pm Pacific. Call your guys, you know, all those Lebron people.
Call them. We'll say, Lebron, you need some help, and
we could, we could give you that platform, juice stuff
to make a strong run. Right, So after you lose
to the Pelicans tomorrow night, you know, like maybe you
(18:32):
should come on the radio. Well, let me say this,
Rob about Lebron. For the last ten years or so,
maybe even a little more. Basically, for the last ten years,
everyone essentially has referred to Lebron James as one thing.
I'm glad you said essentially, not everybody, but most people.
I will give you that the best player in the world.
(18:54):
Most people have referred to media fans, opponents, you know,
most have referred to him as the best player in
the world, and now that is really in doubt. And
you think it's not even in doubt, right I don't.
I don't think right now, the way he's playing, don't
(19:14):
even say right now, no, I'm talking about what the
best player, not the best. We know he's having a
bad three weeks, so he's not the best player in
the world. Absolutely not. And I think most people right
now looking at him say no. And I know you say, well,
other guys don't play defense. What about James n Y
(19:35):
that's your best player in the world? And what he
was in play defense when he went on that. The
difference is when he didn't play defense, they went twenty
one and nine. Lebron just doesn't play defense and they
lost to the Pelicans, and they just lost to the
Memphis Grizzlies. That they all show they also be golden stopping.
What was he locking folks down before Christmas? Was he
(19:57):
locking folks down before Chris? I'm talking about right here,
right now. Don't tell me you thought that. You're right
here right now that week you thought they're gonna lose
to Memphis. I thought Memphis was playing good basketball. But Chris, Now, look,
I'm gonna say this, Rob, He's not the best player
in the world. You think James Harden is the best
player in the world. I take James the defense, the
(20:21):
defensive reason. If you're gonna say it's James Harden, if
jaff Out Yannis, how about Kevin Durray of James Harden
was on the Lakers right now? This coach, now, I
don't think they would have won those two games that
they just maybe with Mike D'Antoni is called James Harden
would have won those games. James Harden is fabulous, but
he is also in an offense that it's Taylor made
(20:43):
for numbers. Taylor made for numbers. But they were winning
game Bron had a coach like Dan Toni, he'd be
putting up huge number two and he could be hitting
on defense. They're hiding James Harden on They don't Lebron's
not winning. That's the problem I have. But when he
was winning, you still wouldn't get mean props. I didn't
say that back then. I'm talking about right here, right now,
(21:03):
He's not the best player on the planet. Here's here's
my take. I tend to say you become the best player,
the mythical best player in the world in the playoffs,
because the postseason, first of all, is a season unto itself.
I mean, it's two and a half months long. It's
a season unto itself. Great players who never played in
(21:24):
a great player who never played the if you can't,
if you can't you, if you can't get your team
to the playoffs, you're not the best player. I didn't
say playoffs. I said I mean, I'm not talking about
you don't have to get to the finals. Michael Jordan
was the best player in the world before he got
to the finals. He delivered, that's what I want to
He gave cats he assistant in the playoffs. He lost,
(21:46):
but he gave him sixty three. He gave him forty nine.
He'd have the opponent Larry Bird at that time, arguably
the best player in the world, saying I think he's God.
This guy's is Michael Jordans. So if you go out
like that, then yeah, you could be the best player
in the world. And so what I'm saying is this
is a bad few weeks for Lebron James. He does
(22:08):
not look like the best player in the world. There's
no if, SAMs or buts about it. But I before
I make that statement, I'm gonna wait a little while.
I want to see a larger sample size. I want
to see does this injury have anything to do it
he's still smarten because of that, or it is not
in shape, how did he get out of shape while
(22:30):
he was out, or like you, look, he might just
be old. I mean, look, I'm not gonna carry the wall.
He might be old, but I want to see a
larger sample size. If he can't get this team to
the playoffs, the six and twelve stretch without him is
no excuse because, as you said, you've lost to Memphis,
you've lost to New Orleans without a d You've lost
(22:51):
to Indiana, you've lost to Atlanta with Lebron. Yes. No,
if if Lebron came back and they were hammering teams
and he was bawling and they didn't make the playoffs
because they went, that'd be different. That would be totally different.
But he's back looking back. But that's that's why I
(23:12):
got an issue with. All I'm gonna say is I'm
just gonna give it a little more samples out. I'm
with you, Yann it's a deady Kombo I think right
now is playing like the best player in the world.
Kevin Durant is always right up there. Hardness great, but
I would put those two ahead of him. Uh and
you know, but I'm open. Look, no player, I said
this last year about Lebron. No player in the history
(23:35):
of the NBA before Lebron in their fifteen season, was
ever considered the best player in the world. No one,
And that was an achievement. Now he's in his sixteen
season and guess what, he very well may not be
the best player in the world anymore. He's not certainly
not looking like it. And we've finally seen cracks in
(23:56):
his armor. Is that's a good word to say, cracks
in his armor where he's hurt. He got hurt, which
he normally doesn't do. And since he's been back, whether
the groin is good or not, because we don't know,
but he's out there playing. He's playing many minutes, right,
I mean he played the other night. I'm getting to
Lenny played forty threety minutes. What do you have last
like forty yeah, I mean you're forty's not like you're
(24:18):
playing and you're playing twenty eight minutes because you know
your groin is on fire and you can't do it.
You're right, you can't play forty minutes. And he's shown
burst right, dunking on people stuff like that. He just
what he's showing. I mean, you brought it up. What
he's showing looks like age. I'm gonna give him a
little bit, He's earned it. I'm gonna give him a
little more time, a little benefit of the doubt. But
(24:41):
it looks like age because one a part of age's injury.
You just can't stay on the you know, the floor.
You can have your moments like the Wayne Wade every
blue moon, every week or two weeks, maybe two three weeks,
he has a turn back the clock game, and you
know he can't do it consistently. And Lebron can make
a good defensive play here there, but he can't do
(25:01):
it consistently. This even, this is where I thought that
maybe Lebron the age thing was really factored in because
the other day he went to McDonald's to order some
breakfast and he asked for a senior coffee discount. You
know what I mean, because let me let me bring
(25:22):
in and we've talked about this, Rob Our producer, the
beloved Rob Job Rob. I mean he is walking around
here like Garret family. He's sick. I mean he really
haven't we like, you can just see it on him
as clearly as you can see the shirt on his back.
(25:44):
Because he's a because he's a big time sports fan,
Lakers fan. Yes, and he thought when Lebron came here,
he would be on the parade route on Spovata. I
don't know if that would be the route, but you know,
on the parade route. And now he goes that he's
not going there, and that's not happening. But you I'm
(26:07):
just rare. Like you could see it in his walk,
you could see it in his body language, you can
see it in his demeanor, his countenance. He's hurt. Yes,
he's sad. He's not even laughing at my husky joke. Nothing.
He's not laughing at my five foot four jokes. He's down.
I feel for him, man, You know what he said.
(26:29):
He's husky, he feels husky. His spirit is husky, right, Rob, Gee,
you're not husky. Don't don't accept that. Gee, get on
the mic man, get on the mica. I want I mean,
I'm dead serious. Though you are a lifelong Lakers fan,
hardcore Lakers fan, how are you feeling? Because you I
think you speak for Lakers Nation, and I say that
(26:50):
in all series. This gives us a window into the mindset,
the heart of a Lakers fan. How you feeling, man, Well,
Chris to quote you know my mom, I'm not mad.
I'm just disappointed right now with Lebron James. And the
reason being is because as a Laker fan, you grew
(27:10):
up if you're in my age bracket, at least with
Kobe Bryant. Now, I'm not gonna say I told you.
I'm not gonna say that Kobe's better than Lebron. I'm
not gonna make that argument whatever, But I will say
that when we had Kobe, you never felt like he
let you down. You never felt like he didn't give
you everything he had. You never felt like you bring
it up old stuff that game. You never never felt
(27:33):
I'm just saying, okay, one at the time, Phoenix game.
Other than that one time and maybe when he has
to be traded to the Lord, you know, other than
those two times, you never felt like the game like
it didn't matter to him to play for the Lakers
and give you everything. Yet Lebron James in less than
(27:54):
one season looks like he doesn't care. You know, he's
posting on Instagram after they just lost a game and oh,
but you know, there's there's light in this darkness, shout
out to myself for getting into the top ten and assists.
You know, I put this out on Twitter earlier. I'm
sure you saw a craz I know you follow me.
You're following all my tweets here. That season that Kobe
tores Achilles, remember with my Danny really good tweet. Kobe
(28:18):
played three hundred and nineteen out of a possible three
hundred and thirty three minutes in the last seven games
to carry the Lakers into the playoffs. By comparison, Lebron
James spent a night making music with two chains and
drinking wine after midnight, and then took the next day
off against Golden State for load management. No, I mean,
(28:40):
and I would say that the time stamp on that
those shows that that's no. I agree. I don't know
for certain, of course, I don't know any of us
in here. No. My guests, though, would be that Lebron
had already been given that day off. That's my guests.
I might be wrong, but the optics. Optics are bad.
There's no questions. They need Lebron against the words, right
(29:02):
and I feel you Rob that that's a great stat
Bring up the one where the record was the same, right, yes,
when at one point both teams were twenty nine and
thirty and that year Kobe put the team on his back,
basically played every minute of every game for the last
two weeks to get him into the playoffs. Twenty nine
and thirty, they finished forty six wins. I think to
(29:23):
me is that they missed it with smush. No, that
was the Steve Nash Dwight Howard. That's all right, that's
that's fair. And look, the good news for you, Rob
g might be Lebron has said he loves it when
he's uncomfortable and he's getting more heat. Rob, would you
(29:45):
agree with this, both of you guys. I think he's
getting more heat right now and it's gonna continue as
if they continue to play like this. More heat right
now that he's gotten in an awful long term. Even
when they lost the Golden State, it was blamed on
the teammates or it was would average a triple double
or he got in the six games without Kyrie and
(30:07):
love like he was largely praised in those losing situations,
but in this one. Now, what's going on is people
look at it and they go because every night they go,
all right, well, all right, they lost to um Philadelphia, Okay,
I get that, but Philly's a good team. Whatever. Uh,
They'll bounce back against Atlanta like that, like okay, and
(30:28):
then they lose. Then they lost the game, didn't they
beat Houston? Okay, second half Lebron's activated, they get a
good win against Houston, come back from nineteen points. Now
they could get a winning streak together because now they
play who they played New Orleans without a d and
they will want to back to back the second end
(30:50):
of a back to back. They lose that game, then
they go even Shannon Sharp set on Monday, uh said,
oh yeah, I'm gonna take off. I won't walk if
they lose the game, not thinking you know what, no,
but not thinking that you could say that because you
thought they're gonna win. He said, to see, you might
as well end the season if they lose tonight, because
(31:11):
they really thought, right, everybody thought, oh no, that there's
no way Memphis is gonna win that game. And for
Memphis to win that game it does. It just has
an effect. And that's why I think people are looking
at Lebron going what no, No, Bron's supposed to be
the difference in some of these equations. He should be
the difference. If they don't get Anthony Davis, then Lebron
(31:35):
very well may have been much better just staying in Cleveland,
even if you don't win the East, because I don't
think Cleveland would have won the East this year, not
I mean unless they made major changes. I think Milwaukee, Toronto,
Boston are better than Cleveland was last year. But you
could have if you would have fallen off. And He's
(31:56):
gonna fall off at some point, right, I mean, it's
just father time. Jordan fell off, So it happens to
the best of them. But if he would have fallen
off in Cleveland, he had delivered that championship as a
hometown kid, you know what I mean, it would have
been fun have been. Oh up, Now, if you come
here and these just happen to be the worst years
(32:18):
of your your at that point, what would be maybe
twenty years nineteen twenty year career and you just can't deliver.
And it's not your fault. You're just older and you
just don't have it. But you're gonna get some heat
because Lakers fans ain't playing that. You saw some of
them defacing this mural before the season I started, when
they thought he was gonna lead him to the playoffs? Right,
(32:41):
how many people said they were going to Weston Conference Finals?
I mean, I'd say fifty three wins? Shame on me.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox Sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app search
f SR to listen live easier. We always love having
(33:02):
our next guest in the NBA Champion and Fox Sports
NBA analysts none other than Antonio Daniels. And as a
he's a native Ohio in two so I know it
pains him to see Lebron James from Akron going through
what he's going through up there and now? Or do
(33:22):
you take pleasure in this as a as a former
Spurn you take pleasure in this? Why would I take Antonio?
It's a lot, you know, it's a lot of people
around the league. Now I know you're not a player, anymore.
But there are a lot of guys in the league
taking pleasure in this, right. That's because when you're on
top for so long, people love this. They can't wait
(33:42):
till you fall. That's his life. I definitely, I definitely
don't take take pride and seeing what I'm seeing now
and honestly, as a former player and now analysts the
ro TV and radio, like it sucks, like it's kind
of vincied, you know what I mean, Like the way
everything is being gun in LA from the beginning, from
the beginning, like it's just I don't know, it's it's
(34:03):
a really really bad situation down there now. A lot
of this though, is it on Lebron? Yes? Yeah, okay,
that Antonio. You know, this is what you guys seen
the movie remember the Titans. Yes, yes, okay, it's a
line in that movie where Julius says to the other guy,
(34:24):
attitude reflects leadership, captain, right, And this is what this
is about. And with Lebron, if I'm in that locked
room with Lebron, if we've had this conversation before, I
don't be hypocritical. You know, when you're talking about leadership,
Leadership is not about what you say, leadership is about
what you do. Leadership is also about showing some sense
(34:48):
of blame and compassion. It's not always on everybody else.
It's not always on Luke Walton, it's not always on
the organization. It's not always on your teammate. As a leader.
As a leader, you have to carry some simulant and
form of responsibility to everything that's going on in LA,
because I tell you what, if the situation was reversed
and LA was in first, Lebron would be being praised
(35:10):
like crazy, no doubt, no doubt about it. Hey, let
me when you talk about this in leadership, the part
that you know when he throws his hands up in frustration. Sometime,
you know, after a guy gets an easy bucket, he's
not playing any defense, right, And Tony, you saw the
plays last night that he he just mat adored people
straight to the basket, right. And the thing is, you
(35:33):
know what, there are certain guys throughout this league that
deserve a PAS because they exude and have so much
responsibility on both ends of the floor. So if there's
a player too that Lebron took off, I'm not tripping
on that player too. I agree. If there's not a
player in this league that plays with that amount of
pressure and responsibility that's gonna go on every single play.
(35:54):
I get him, I get it. But when it's becoming
a constant, and if not just last night, you can
go back to the game before and the game before
and the game before, you're saying one thing. And this
started back when everything was going on in the locker
room where you tell guys to stay on social media,
and then you're on social media, you tell you tell guys, well,
(36:15):
you know what, Listen, I don't know if everybody's mind
is on basketball, and then you're out making movies and
shows and doing records and all the other kinds of stuff.
So you know what I mean, there's a there's a
form of hypocrisy that's coming out of that locker room.
And if you're there and you're looking at him, it's
I am not taking away from Lebron James great name,
(36:35):
but I'll tell you what my mother has always told
me since I was a child. To who much is giving,
much is required, and when you're required, that means you're
going to get criticized along the way. Look, obviously, Lebron,
he just had a big accomplishment last night first player,
every top five points, top five assists. So his legacy
(36:56):
is going to be great no matter what. Sure, But
how much of a then if they don't make the
playoffs this year? And I gotta be honest, Antonio, I
don't think Lebron's gonna win a championship again. Now, you know,
I'll give him a chance. I'll leave a little percentage
that if they get Anthony Davis, maybe they can win it.
But I if I had to bet, I would say
(37:17):
he's not gonna win a championship because he's not gonna
get better. He's just gonna keep getting older a little
bit right there, How much of a hint to his
legacy is it if he comes to LA, doesn't deliver
a championship, maybe doesn't even get to the finals. Man,
I don't that's a toughie. That's because this legacy is
what it is. I mean now, it's to the point
(37:37):
that he can do nothing but add to it. So
he may suffer in the present. Right overall, at the
end of the day, it's gonna be fine. Yeah, his
legacy is what it is, right And you know what
kind of made me think different about his legacy as well?
It's when he said when a couple of years ago,
maybe you're doing the last year when he came out
and said, you know what, I'm chasing the ghost, which means,
(37:58):
you know what, I'm trying to get as many tampionship
because I possibly can to catch Michael George. And then
this year, a couple of weeks ago, when he comes
out and he says, you know what, I have nothing
left to prove. You know, that's bout a quick change
his part, and the reality check that shows where the
Lakers where he feels right now that the Lakers really are.
And I'll tell you what, Rob, I tell you what, Chris.
(38:19):
If they don't acquire somebody via free agency this summer,
next year is going to be another long year, no question,
no doubt about it. It's the eye couple. We're joined
by NBA champion Antonio Daniels. Hey, Antonio. The other thing
that I noticed, and maybe you've seen the same thing,
is I don't think other teams are afraid of Lebron
(38:40):
and the Lakers when I see Memphis what they did
last night, and I saw the Pelicans without Anthony Davis
on the back end of a back to back, and
you start seeing these teams go like, hey, there's blood,
you can beat them with or without Lebron James, and
some of that, you know, uh, some of that change
(39:03):
where they don't look at the Lakers the same way
or Lebron the same way. But I don't know, with
all due respect and that this is not a shot
at the Lakers by any stretches of imagine. But I
don't know if they felt that way, if teams that
felt that way all year. Anyway, you realize who Lebron
is right and what Lebron is capable of, But as
far as that roster and the way it's constructed from
(39:23):
top to bottom, I don't think that that team has
ever really in skilled fear in anybody in the Western Conference.
I guess, yeah, I guess. I guess. The thing that
I'm looking at is teams that would benefit by losing,
do you know what I mean? Like Memphis in New Orleans,
they're winning like like they could lose those games because
it would be benefitial to beat Lebron. I know, but
(39:45):
but but we all know, man, players don't take players,
don't you know? An organization can put you in a
position to be unsuccessful. The organization could thank the front
office Conbin. Players will never lay down the tank. Guys
don't get to this level without being competitive. So if
you go out on that floor and a lot of
these teams that you're talking about, these are guys that
(40:06):
are auditioning for other jobs. It's not about beating the Lakers.
It's about supporting my family and moving on. I'm not
concerned with LA and what they have going on. I'm
concerned with showing twenty nine other teams that I'm an
NBA player and I can be a viable player in
this league for a legitimate amount of time. Guys are
want to compete Lebron because he does so much on
(40:27):
the court. He's plays you know, point guard, power forward,
small for it. He can be tough to fit stars around.
You called New Orleans Pelicans games during the season. How
good of a combination do you think Lebron and Anthony
Davis would be? You know what's weird is Anthony Davis
(40:50):
would be the first guy I think of that type
of game that Lebron's playbook, right. I agree, because you
know Chris Vosh was the third option. Kevin Love with
the third option, we're having a different conversations with the
second option, and if second options get theirs around Lebron, right,
it's the right option that kind of gets marginalized, right, right.
(41:11):
And then that's why when we talk about and we
talked about this last time, when Chris Voshon and Kevin
Love and you talk about those VIC threes, I think
those two guys were the most important of those victree
Not the best, not the most talented, but those guys
have to sacrifice the most, right. And if you have
Anthony Davis and you're Lebron and they're somewhat declining, you
know your health is not what it once was. This
(41:33):
could be that time where you see Lebron kind of
take a back seat and say, you know what, ma'am,
I'm gonna play off you. I'm gonna allow you to
do your thing. I'm still gonna be Lebron James. I'm
still gonna be have the highest basketball IQ of anybody
on the planet. I'm still gonna be bigger, stronger, faster,
and more athletic than anybody else on the floor. But
I'm going to allow you the opportunity to be you
because I understand as the year goes on, my body
(41:56):
cannot continue to take this pounding and me be at
my best come Marching April. I think that's a great
point I was saying to Rob earlier, as Lebron ages
he may need to just kind of transfer to a
full time point guard or maybe power forward. It's something,
but you know what I mean, where he's not doing
as much as he's doing right now. Yeah, and if
he's a point guard and ad is your first option
(42:19):
as far as a scorer, then that could work pretty well.
If they end up together, It definitely could work well
there together. But that's a you know, once you find
out with guys in this league, guy that can recreate
themselves have really really, really long careers. Right, Vin Carter
is not ben Sanity anymore. But I tell you what,
he did such a great job at recreating himself that
(42:40):
now he's a knock down shooter, a great locker room guy,
and a guy you can rely on for fifty to
twenty good minute tonight after playing twenty one years, righting
yourself as a skill. All right, Antonio, grow stuff. As
Asway's man, we always appreciate the wisdom for sure. Appreciate
the fellas later, be sure to live editions of The
(43:01):
Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at
seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeartRadio app.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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