February 17, 2020 • 31 mins
It's The Best of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard! Chris and Rob discuss whether or not the contentious 4th quarter of last night's NBA All-Star Game was a referendum on the other three quarters of the game, and if Kawhi Leonard's All-Star Game MVP validated his status as the Best Player in the World right now. Plus, World Series champion Cecil Fielder stops by to explain why he thinks Rob Manfred botched things in the aftermath of the Astros cheating scandal and why the scandal itself is worse than the PED scandal of the early 2000's
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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(00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brush and Rod Harker. People know, I don't rant
and rave about everything it I don't just you know,
give props where props aren't due. Props to the NBA
and their players. Props first to the league for being
(00:46):
creative and coming up with the Elham ending, where you know,
you just the first team that scores twenty four points
in the fourth quarter one so there was no clock.
I thought that was fantastic. The only thing I would
change about that. You hate to see the game end
on a free throw, so how about Look, it's kind
of an open gym type thing they were doing, so
(01:08):
make it you gotta win by two. It still could
end on free throws, I guess, but still at least
that makes it a little bit better. But maybe you
gotta win by two or win by three or something
like that. But anyway, I thought that was great, and
I thought the fact that you could win a quarter
was like you got new life after every quarter. So,
for instance, the first quarter team Lebrown blew away Team
(01:32):
Yannis by eleven points, but the second quarter team Yannis
wins by twenty one. So instead of it just continuing
to be a blowout and maybe gets out of hand,
it became a competitive game, and the third quarter was tied,
and obviously we saw what we did in the fourth.
So I thought the format challenge all of the players
(01:56):
to really ball out. And I'm telling you, Rob Parker,
I and I I don't think I'm just caught up
in the moment. You you might say I'm a prisoner
of the moment, but you know the accurate term as
profit of the moment. Think about that before you put
that on me. You already know what I'm say. I
(02:18):
don't remember an All Star game where they played this hard. Now.
I was one of unlike a lot of people, I
was one that has always enjoyed the All Star Game.
I've loved the All Star Game really up until like
twenty fourteen. I thought twenty fourteen was where it really
fell off the rails and just became you can't unwatchable
(02:42):
because they just start shooting too many three pointers open
dunks in the lane. So I think, this All Star Game,
here's what I'm gonna end with, and then I know
you want to go in, Rob Parker. I don't know
when the last time us that we saw that type
(03:02):
of collection of talent on the floor going at it
so hard. Now, I'm not saying they were the best,
it was the best quality of basketball. Obviously, great teams
Golden State, the Bulls of Jordan, the Lakers and Bird,
Celtics and you know, and you know even you know,
(03:24):
various teams in the finals, the Spurs and the Heat.
They've played a higher quality of basketball because you're a team.
You got teamwork, you got chemistry, you got camaraderie, you
got strategy and all that. So I'm not saying the
quality was that high. I'm just saying, when is the
last time you had that many great players going at
(03:46):
it that hard? That's what I'm saying. And I don't know,
I mean, that was fantastic. I thought it was a
It was just tremendous. So I kudos and props to
the NBA and its play for going out, and I
think it was suitable on a weekend where they honored
Kobe Bryant, a guy that played as hard as anybody,
(04:10):
left it all out on the floor. I thought it
was appropriate that they did just that in the All
Star Game. And I hate to rain on your parade,
Chris Are, but you already know you're a prisoner of
the moment. Everybody feels good. Oh the fourth quarter was
so good. Oh my goodness, gracious, it was unbelievable. Here's
my only problem. I always thought they weren't playing hard
(04:32):
because they were afraid to get hurt and all that.
So if you could play like this, why does it
have to be only the fourth quarter. Just play a
basketball game. They could play a basketball game for the
whole game. And just like you go and play pick up,
you try to win, right, you play. You're not gonna
do anything, no rough housing, no dirty plays, Chris, just
(04:55):
play basketball if you're gonna give it your role. Because
if you do this and somebody gets hurt playing the
fourth quarter because you're you're going for it right and
trying to play, then everybody's gonna say, oh see. And
it went out of too hard. Just play the game.
The first three quarters, Chris was basically unwatchable. It was similar,
(05:17):
am I right? Similar to what it was? Probably a
tad I mean like a smidgen. I wondered in't the
last few years I was in the building for the
most party was bad. I was in the building and
I couldn't and it's stink. I mean it was stinky.
I was like, oh my god. And then knowing where
the next three All Star game, so I was like,
(05:38):
is this gonna be my last All Star game? One?
Because you say it was Indiana, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and you
the next three All Star game, it might be a
while before I show up, Chris, you might not be Cleveland.
I'll be there because my folks are right, but I
mean Indiana and Utah. But anyway, so that's my only complaint, Chris.
(05:58):
If you're gonna do it, if you can do it
in the fourth quarter, which they showed us they could play.
You gotta admit though the fourth you were I'm good.
But I'm saying, why can't we just play a game?
No rough housing, nobody's trying to undercut anybody, hurt anybody.
Just play like you would pick up pick up basketball
game where you're trying to win the game and not
(06:19):
make it. We could have that for an entire game.
Sub guys in and out play some guys. We saw
Kawhi in the first half go crazy, right, but let
there be a little more resistance, a little defense, not
just letting guys get to the rim. I'm not trying
to get anybody hurt, but I was bummed out that
they just waited till the last quarter to actually play basketball.
(06:43):
I think that they could play basketball before that. And
that's my only knock. I got a few things to
say to answer a lot of your questions about it.
Number one, and you're right. As I'm watching the fourth quarter,
my first thought is this is awesome, right, look at
them compete. This is great. My second thought, which I
think is a little unfounded, But my second thought was, man,
(07:06):
I hope nobody gets hurt. No, I get it, all right,
But you know this, Rod, We've covered sports long enough
and it's become a cliche. But I think it's true.
You're more likely to get hurt when you're not playing hard.
So I don't think that we need to worry, and
I don't think the reason they're not playing hard the
(07:26):
first three quarters. I don't think it's mainly we don't
want to get injured. Yeah, of course you if guys
are really going at it, it's you can catch an elbow,
you can catch a forearm, of course, so that does
get easier to get hurt when you're playing hard. But
for the most part, you can turn an ankle. You
can you know, get injured, even if you're out there lollygagging.
(07:48):
So I don't think that's the main reason. Number one.
Number two rob Remember you've got to play pretty much everybody,
so throing the first three quarters you're playing, you know,
you're you're running in the second unit, the reserves, you're
mixing things up, so you're not there's no strategy, there's
no plays, So that's I think takes away the competitiveness too.
(08:12):
And I also think historically robbing, I think this has
always been great about the All Star Game until last
few years. Historically, the first three quarters, God, they're putting
on a show. You know, you go back to Isaiah time,
it's Michael Jordan's Magic Johnson, Doctor Jay. The first three
quarters you're doing things you're not going to do in
(08:34):
a real game. You're trying dunks. Tracy McGrady was the
first I ever saw in a game throw it off
the backboard and dunk it. He did that in an
All Star game because you at that time, you wouldn't
dare try that in a real game. Guys are working
on their handles, showing off their handle, throwing crazy alley ups,
and they used to be good because the nature of
(08:57):
the game was more, you know, the game was more
closer to the basket, closer to the paint, and so
there was natural resistance because if you're threw an alley oop,
there were defenders in the paint, so it came off
better because there was natural resistance. Nowadays, with the floor
so spread, when you know it's all spread out, the
(09:18):
lane is wide open. When you're not trying hard, when
you're just throwing up crazy passes and trying crazy things,
and the defenses and trying that hard, it's gonna look
bad because you're gonna be so wide open and have
just a freeway to the basket for a dunk. Even
Lebron did that at the end of the game. They
(09:38):
kind of let him have it because they were down.
They knew they needed a three to win, but he
got that easy dunk. But I think all of those
are factors and I like it that way, right. I
want to see these guys try these crazy dunks and passes.
I would like a little more resistance to your point,
just a little boy. But I like turning it up
(09:59):
in the fourth because then the fourth they're not worried
about highlights. They're worried about winning. And I thought that's
what we saw. Yeah, I just I think that you
could play the whole game without it being a total
And I get the trying to do some some stuff
that people haven't seen. I do get that Chris as
an exhibition, not trying to hurt anybody, but sometimes the
(10:22):
first if you're telling me now, now, if you're a
fan of you're home watching, I'm not saying if you're
at the arena, you've already paid for your ticket, you're
in the building. So now you're telling me I should
turn on the NBA All Star Game in the fourth quarter. Basically,
I mean that now because remembering the third, first three quarters,
you might see some crazy alley oop you've never seen.
But more than not, it's kind of it's kind of bad.
(10:46):
I'm just saying look, like I said, I do you
agree with my premise that with the floors spread because
now with the floors spread out, if you're not defending
me hard and I just blow by you easily, there's
nobody there in the lane, so I can just go
up and dunk it, whereas in back in the day, Okay,
(11:07):
you're guarding me at twenty feet, you're not playing me hard,
so I just drive by you. But there's other guys
in the lane because that's the way the game was,
so I still have to maneuver through them, shoot over them,
go around them, whatever to make a basket. You see
what I'm saying. I get that, Yeah, And I think
that's real because you're right, it does. I noticed it,
(11:28):
like I said, twenty fourteen, and there was an increase
in three pointers. That was the first game they ever
shot well over or over one hundred threes, and I
was like, this is this has become a joke. But
I thought they really brought it back. And I think
you did too. I think you're trying to be contrary
because that's your rep people with gassing you up in Chicago,
(11:50):
the couple. You know, you you're the protagonist. You listen
Parker even though I am, but still be sure to
catch life editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard
and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
He's a World Series champion of three time MLB All
(12:14):
Star and really was a bit iconic during his playing days.
Cecil Field or Cecil Welcome to the Oastess what's up, so,
Rob Parker? What's happened? What's happened? How you doing? I
can't complain. Life is good, good, good, Well, let's get
right to it. Baseball's in the news, unfortunately for all
the wrong reasons. What's your take on this whole cheating
(12:38):
scandal with the Houston Astros. Well, it is what it is.
I mean, they cheated, they did what they said they did.
I just you just don't know how long it's been.
Was it just two seventeen and eighteen or was it
nineteen two? So you know it's a mess. I think
(13:00):
players can handle it a lot better than you know
doing it in the media. I mean, each team know
how to handle their business. I mean they've been doing
it for years, and I think it would be better
served if everybody just kind of kept quiet and let
each team handled the astro like they want to, you know.
So so that's the thing that's so shocking. And you know,
we know how strong the union is. I've never seen
(13:22):
player against player like I've seen in this thing. I've
never seen it. And I mean, people are out ripping
each other, ripping these players are Is it because you know,
people are always looking for an advantage sets, but is
this like the ultimate crossing the line and have an
organizational cheating? Is that why players are so mad about this?
(13:47):
Rob You know, this is a different, different group of
folks we're dealing with. I mean, this is a different era.
These kids have never had to go through a strike,
never had to you know, come together and stick together
and it happen. So these kids are just really you know,
been soldiering on their own for so long, and I
just think, you know, they just don't know any better.
(14:08):
They don't they don't have a feeling or what the
union that's been all about for so many years. So
I think again, if we were really thinking about doing
this the right way, everybody would kind of keep quiet
and just let teams deal with the astros. Like they
need to be dealt with, because they definitely need to
be dealt with, but you're doing in a different way.
So obviously you're talking about on the field, you know,
(14:33):
the players policing it throw But what about do you
think what about vacating the title? Do you think that
should be in play? So you just think just handling
it on the field is all that needs to be done. Well,
you know what, yeah, because you know, at the end
of the day, that's the only thing that's I mean,
you can tell say the commissioner, I wouldn't have never
(14:56):
gave the kids, all these kids immunity, automate them, testify
and man sure that they told the truth. But I
wouldn't have gave immunity. And that's really the only way
that this thing would have really timed itself down. If
the commissioner would have split up and said, hey, nonea,
ain't nobody getting community if you cheat it. I want
to know about it. What you did? No, uh, I
(15:18):
had a tattoo, blah blah blah, none of that. Give
me the real truth and tell me what happened. Did
you wear a buzzer? If you did wear a buzzer,
I want to know about it, and if you did,
I gotta get you because okay, if you're gonna get
Pete Rose and keep Pete Rose out of the game
for thirty forty years and not be able to get
into the Hall of Fame because we cheated, what are
(15:39):
you gonna do about this group? Well, that's a that's
a big question, and that'll probably play out down the road. Now,
you just talked about the buzzer and all that. But
sas you played a long time, you watch baseball, the
reaction to buy altwove after you hit off hit all
walk off, game winning home run in the bottom of
(16:01):
the night, two outs against a Rollers Chapman, and he
was concerned about his jersey. When you see that, What
does that? Does that tell you anything? Red flags just
fly right? Everything is everything is suspect at that point.
I mean, you know, the difference, the different the different
(16:23):
things that they've said about him not wanting this jersey,
turned off from his wife, you know, not you know,
I mean, it's just stupid, right, It's stupid. It's just
like man up man, hey apologize and need it. And
I don't think he's apologized he really meant it. He's
just trying to get trying to get this thing to
go away, and it's never going away. It's not going away.
(16:45):
So there are some people saying this is worse than
the pev steroid scandal. Is that you're feeling, how you
what do you think about it? Well, I think this
is definitely worse than that, and I think it's definitely
worse than what Pete Rose did. You know, I think
this is the worst thing that has happened in the
game in fifty years. I mean, this is the worst. Yeah,
I mean I think I think people are starting to
(17:06):
feel that way, especially because it was the organization like
signing off on it. And now here's the other shoe
to drop with the Red Sox. I mean, we're not
done with this. This could be this could engulf the
whole baseball season because the Red Sox are not haven't
been given a clearance that they didn't do anything. We
don't know what what's gonna happen there. Well, you don't know.
(17:28):
You don't know how many teams have been doing this
because all the all the all the technical things that
they need or writing this right right there in the
dugout right. I mean, he's just ain't like rocket size.
I mean, everybody got TVs and cameras and everything. I mean,
so you don't know how far this thing is gonna
go and at what end is it gone in? But
but but let me ask you, do you think you
(17:50):
would have taken part? I mean, you are a great
home run hitter and all that, would you if that
was presented that never would have been presented in our
in our club. I said, you know, Sparky wasn't going right.
I don't believe it. I totally agree with that. I
just don't believe. Uh. And that's why A J. Hinch
(18:11):
saying that he didn't he shouldn't, he didn't do anything.
I don't even know how that guy passed him. Well,
you know. And and this is another part of this.
They trying to throw this all on Carlos Gultron and
he ain't even playing no more right. That's probably why
they're doing it right, because he ain't. Yeah, exactly, Okay,
you guys hit it right on the head and then
(18:32):
he ain't playing the more and he ain't there, Let's
throw the baggage on him and try to get rid
of it. Yeah, you're right. The World Series champion Cecil
Fielder joining the couple Cessil. I've heard people I totally
disagree with this take, but I've heard some people try
to say, well, you know, it's not that big of
an advantage. You still got to hit the ball. Many
(18:54):
Let me tell you something right now, and you tell
all your people what I just said. You tell me
what's coming every pitch. Let me let me know what's coming,
and somebody gonna get hurt. Right, That doesn't help you, right,
Oh my god, if I know it's coming, Oh my god.
Oh you guys, you guys, you guys gotta tell your folks.
(19:17):
Come on, man, y'all. That's almost like saying, Okay, taking
steroids don't help my strength. You know it's not a
big factor. Come on, guys. And especially the if you
look at Chapman after he gives up the home run
to out two, where he just staring like wow, they knew,
they knew though, they knew that everybody had been complaining
(19:40):
about that. Yankees were complaining to Ding, they were complaining
about it. I mean, we we felt and listen, I'm
gonna tell you another thing, Rob, There's no way I'm
sitting on the slider when a man right that is
the That's the point is like, how are you sitting
on a slider. This guy throws as hard as anybody,
and he was ready for sess and took it out
(20:01):
the part. And another thing, Rob, he wasn't out front.
He wasn't you know, tricked nothing. He was on it. Yep,
that's true. That's what Mike Trout said. You know, he's
saying you could just tell them by there at bats right, Yeah,
I mean they were on it. They were on it,
and you know, bless his heart, the shortstop, you know,
(20:23):
trying to defend this boy, I understand, but you know
it's kind of right trying to say that our twovey,
of all people, he wasn't involved in a dude, nobody
can buy that or believe it. I mean that two
were already apologizing for it. So how couldn't you say
he wasn't involved. Hey, hey, sets last thing I think,
(20:44):
and I told Chris this, I think the Astro fans
will boo them on opening day, even their own fans,
because they've stripped from the fans there one moment their
championship that now other fans won't even legitimize or or
you know what I mean, acknowledge you think then, I
don't know if they fans gon Born, but every ballpark
(21:05):
they go to around the league, they're gonna get definitely booted, right, Yeah,
I don't think their fans will. I think they might
even try to support. And I've seen the stat before
I go, I've seen the stats, Rob that a two
V hit almost four hundred at home and one forty
three on the road. That was a number. Yeah, that's crazy.
I thought it might even been better than four hundred. Yeah,
(21:27):
it was at least four hundred, I know was it
was unbelievable. And on the road he couldn't hit itself
out of a wet paperbag, which is crazy. And now
just to look at that player, I'll never look at
him the same way. I can't. I can't. No, he's not,
he's he grewed this credibility, he's his credibility is gone.
And you know the problem is though that they have
(21:47):
right with the Players Association, you got your guys like
Trout and the big boys speaking up on it. And
I think the commissioner with that, he should have he
should have demanded, he should have and penalties for cheating
and not gave everybody immunity. I mean, I think that
was that was that was just a way out for
him to say, Hey, you know, we're gonna get this team.
(22:09):
We're gonna nip this in the bud right away. I'll
give everybody immunity, but it ain't going away. It ain't
going away, no doubt about it. Hey, one of the
best guys I ever covered both in Detroit and New York.
Cecil Field of joining us on The Odd Couple of
mens SS, We appreciate you. You got it. Brother. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with
Chris Brussar and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern
(22:31):
four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart
Radio app. We talked about how how is the NBA
going to honor Kobe and maybe they'll continue to do
more things, but they they changed the All Star MVP trophy,
which was nice. Kobe Bryant or Ward. I do think
that was nice. Maybe we talked about it. I said,
maybe the MVP or something that was my thing. Chris.
(22:54):
People were saying changed the logo on on I never
thought that there was going to get to that. It
was fitting because Kobe won four MVPs for the All
Star Game, which I think Rob g correct me if
I'm wrong. I think that's tied for the most in
league history. Um, so it was appropriate. I was what
proponent of retiring his numbers eight and twenty four across
(23:17):
the league. I still would love to see that happen.
I don't think it's going to but this was nice.
And the winner of the MVP Award, the first one
named after Kobe Bryant was it is. He's tied for
the most way whom Bob pettit Wowett had four? Okay, wow,
so modern basketball obviously he's got more. That's a good touch. Yep, yep.
(23:38):
But Kawhi Leonard, who was a protege of Kobe's. You know,
I don't think people know how close they were because
Kawhi hadn't really talked, but he mentioned that he said
to all the talks and all the you know, guidance
and all that. He was Yeah Kobe. You know, obviously
he grew up He's much younger than Kobe. Oh yeah,
so he grew up idolizing Kobe's from the LA area.
(24:01):
So obviously he was a Lakers fan and a Kobe
fan and they're winning championships, and then they became friends
and like a mentor mentee big brother little brother relationship
or you know, during Kawai's career. So it meant a
lot to him to win the Kobe Bryant MVP Award.
(24:22):
He had thirty points, seven rebounds four Since he scored
twenty five in the first half, I thought, Rob, he
hit seven threes in the first half and eight he
finished with eight. He was eight from fourteen from three.
I actually thought he was gonna break the record. The
record is nine threes in an All Star game. Yeah,
I thought for sure. I mean, when you hit seven
(24:43):
in the first half, you figure he's gonna definitely break
it in the second half. But he fell short, but
still got the MVP. And I'm gonna throw this out
to you, Rob, And I know, look, it's an All
Star game. But you remember as well as I do.
I don't remember the year when when Isaiah Thomas on
the All Star MVP, but it may have been nineteen
(25:03):
eighty six, eighty seven, something like that. Check that out, Rob,
Maybe it was eighty four, Okay, but do you remember
Isaiah Thomas when they gave him the award? One of
the things he said at some point was today, I'm
the best player in the world. Yeah. I kind of
remember that, yeah today, And it makes sense because you know,
(25:24):
all the best players in the world are playing, and
you were the best one that day, so it made
a lot of sense. But I want to go a
step further and throw this out to you. Do you
think Kawai showed And again, I know it's just an
All Star Game, but do you think he showed it all?
He joined Michael Jordan and this is big as becoming
(25:45):
the only player ever to win the Defensive Player of
the Year Award, the Finals MVP and an All Star
Game MVP. Only two players have ever done it, and
Kawhi Leonard is one of them. A with Michael Jordan's
do you think he kind of showed I'm the best
player in the world right now? I do because I
(26:08):
think that it's so hard to do what you just said.
First of all, at number two, for all the people
who want to rag on him Chris about and I
get it, and I you know about the load management
and all the other stuff that's going on. The Clippers
are right where they need to be right they're not.
They're right where they need to be, and he continues
(26:29):
in big moments. They he helped the Clippers beat the
Lakers in the two times they played him this year.
And then he goes to the All Star Game and
as the MVP, and like I tweeted on Sunday that
it was only fitting since he's gonna win the finals
MVP as well. So I think that it does say
something to people who who keep acting like this guy
(26:51):
hasn't been doing something that hasn't been done. And Chris,
you notice and and and we've talked about it. If
they do win the championship ship, how in the world
could you not look at him and go three championships
same as same as Lebron. He also would have won
back to back championships with two different franchises that had
(27:12):
never won Jack right he won in San Antonio. I
mean you would look at him and go, this dude
is one of the hit The narrative has to start
being around him and about the heights that he's taking
his game and an NBA law because that would be
pretty damn impressive. Now he's building a resume that is
(27:35):
gonna have to be reckoned with And you're right, if
he wins this championship. Think about it, he would live
won the finals the All Star Game MVP, which again
I know it's just an All Star Game, but then
another championship and then probably another Finals MVP like and
it's no guarantee he would be the Finals MVP because
(27:57):
obviously Lou Williams could have a big series, Paul George
could have a big series, so maybe he wouldn't win it.
But still if if he were to win it and
bring home the crown, the title, then yeah, I mean
people are are going to have to start looking at
where this guy is going. Historically, you know what I mean,
(28:19):
he will have been too and I do think it's
fair to say to question whether you can say he led.
Let's be honest, I wouldn't say he led three teams
to the title, because if Lebron or Kawai wins this championship,
they will become the first players ever to lead three
(28:41):
separate franchises to the championship. And Lebron obviously led three
Kawhi even though he was finals MVP in San Antonio
twenty fourteen, he averaged twelve points that year, so I
do mean it wouldn't be told it wouldn't really be
accurate to say he led three teams, but he will live.
(29:04):
Won three championships with three separate teams, two of them
he certainly led, and one even though he wasn't a
team leader, he was the finals MVP against Lebron James.
So he is building up a heck of a resume
as far as best player in the world right now.
This is really up up to see what happens in
the postseason. Last year, you could have said it was Yannis,
(29:27):
but Kawhi outplayed him in the playoffs. I think Lebron
still now he's not the defender that either of those
guys is Jannis or Kauhi, so they've got a huge
advantage over him there at thirty five years old. Offensively,
he can do a lot more than Kauai. You know,
he just controls the game, He runs the offense, he initiates,
(29:51):
he scored, He does a lot more in that regard
the things I think Kawhi has over Lebron. In addition
to defense at this stage, why doesn't dominate the ball?
And I think like Kawhi kind of just fits into
the system. And I know he does a lot of
iole but you know, he doesn't over dribble. He just
(30:13):
kind of fits in and gets his thirty within the
within the offense for the most part. And he's also
got like when they need a bucket, he he asks
places on the floor he knows he can go, like,
he'll go to a few spots in the middle and
a lot. Now he didn't. Boston did a surprisingly did
(30:34):
a great job on him. You know, right before the break,
Jason Tatum just outplayed him. I mean, Jason Tatum was
the best player on the floor that night. But obviously
he's not better than Kauhi. But that's one thing. Lebron
has obviously been a finisher. He's closed out games and stuff,
but he his he tends to have to either go
all the way to the basket or maybe take a three.
(30:54):
And I know he's taking some mid range shots and
hit some to close out games, but you know, he's
not as sure in my view of a mid range
shooter as Kawhi is. And I think that's a little
advantage Kawhi has over him right now. But um I look, honestly,
Rob Kawai somewhat disqualifies himself. He does for these regular
(31:18):
season awards because of the load management, but he's not
in consideration for MVP. Agree, But that's the only reason why,
right right, no doubt right, no, I agree, that's the
only reason he would be right there in the race
for MVP with Jannis and Lebron if he didn't load
manage um. And I've said the thing you gotta do
(31:42):
with this load management is you better. You better at
least get to the finals. You agree with that, Yeah, No,
they gotta win because why are you doing it.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching fs R.
(00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brush and Rod Harker. People know, I don't rant
and rave about everything it I don't just you know,
give props where props aren't due. Props to the NBA
and their players. Props first to the league for being
(00:46):
creative and coming up with the Elham ending, where you know,
you just the first team that scores twenty four points
in the fourth quarter one so there was no clock.
I thought that was fantastic. The only thing I would
change about that. You hate to see the game end
on a free throw, so how about Look, it's kind
of an open gym type thing they were doing, so
(01:08):
make it you gotta win by two. It still could
end on free throws, I guess, but still at least
that makes it a little bit better. But maybe you
gotta win by two or win by three or something
like that. But anyway, I thought that was great, and
I thought the fact that you could win a quarter
was like you got new life after every quarter. So,
for instance, the first quarter team Lebrown blew away Team
(01:32):
Yannis by eleven points, but the second quarter team Yannis
wins by twenty one. So instead of it just continuing
to be a blowout and maybe gets out of hand,
it became a competitive game, and the third quarter was tied,
and obviously we saw what we did in the fourth.
So I thought the format challenge all of the players
(01:56):
to really ball out. And I'm telling you, Rob Parker,
I and I I don't think I'm just caught up
in the moment. You you might say I'm a prisoner
of the moment, but you know the accurate term as
profit of the moment. Think about that before you put
that on me. You already know what I'm say. I
(02:18):
don't remember an All Star game where they played this hard. Now.
I was one of unlike a lot of people, I
was one that has always enjoyed the All Star Game.
I've loved the All Star Game really up until like
twenty fourteen. I thought twenty fourteen was where it really
fell off the rails and just became you can't unwatchable
(02:42):
because they just start shooting too many three pointers open
dunks in the lane. So I think, this All Star Game,
here's what I'm gonna end with, and then I know
you want to go in, Rob Parker. I don't know
when the last time us that we saw that type
(03:02):
of collection of talent on the floor going at it
so hard. Now, I'm not saying they were the best,
it was the best quality of basketball. Obviously, great teams
Golden State, the Bulls of Jordan, the Lakers and Bird,
Celtics and you know, and you know even you know,
(03:24):
various teams in the finals, the Spurs and the Heat.
They've played a higher quality of basketball because you're a team.
You got teamwork, you got chemistry, you got camaraderie, you
got strategy and all that. So I'm not saying the
quality was that high. I'm just saying, when is the
last time you had that many great players going at
(03:46):
it that hard? That's what I'm saying. And I don't know,
I mean, that was fantastic. I thought it was a
It was just tremendous. So I kudos and props to
the NBA and its play for going out, and I
think it was suitable on a weekend where they honored
Kobe Bryant, a guy that played as hard as anybody,
(04:10):
left it all out on the floor. I thought it
was appropriate that they did just that in the All
Star Game. And I hate to rain on your parade,
Chris Are, but you already know you're a prisoner of
the moment. Everybody feels good. Oh the fourth quarter was
so good. Oh my goodness, gracious, it was unbelievable. Here's
my only problem. I always thought they weren't playing hard
(04:32):
because they were afraid to get hurt and all that.
So if you could play like this, why does it
have to be only the fourth quarter. Just play a
basketball game. They could play a basketball game for the
whole game. And just like you go and play pick up,
you try to win, right, you play. You're not gonna
do anything, no rough housing, no dirty plays, Chris, just
(04:55):
play basketball if you're gonna give it your role. Because
if you do this and somebody gets hurt playing the
fourth quarter because you're you're going for it right and
trying to play, then everybody's gonna say, oh see. And
it went out of too hard. Just play the game.
The first three quarters, Chris was basically unwatchable. It was similar,
(05:17):
am I right? Similar to what it was? Probably a
tad I mean like a smidgen. I wondered in't the
last few years I was in the building for the
most party was bad. I was in the building and
I couldn't and it's stink. I mean it was stinky.
I was like, oh my god. And then knowing where
the next three All Star game, so I was like,
(05:38):
is this gonna be my last All Star game? One?
Because you say it was Indiana, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and you
the next three All Star game, it might be a
while before I show up, Chris, you might not be Cleveland.
I'll be there because my folks are right, but I
mean Indiana and Utah. But anyway, so that's my only complaint, Chris.
(05:58):
If you're gonna do it, if you can do it
in the fourth quarter, which they showed us they could play.
You gotta admit though the fourth you were I'm good.
But I'm saying, why can't we just play a game?
No rough housing, nobody's trying to undercut anybody, hurt anybody.
Just play like you would pick up pick up basketball
game where you're trying to win the game and not
(06:19):
make it. We could have that for an entire game.
Sub guys in and out play some guys. We saw
Kawhi in the first half go crazy, right, but let
there be a little more resistance, a little defense, not
just letting guys get to the rim. I'm not trying
to get anybody hurt, but I was bummed out that
they just waited till the last quarter to actually play basketball.
(06:43):
I think that they could play basketball before that. And
that's my only knock. I got a few things to
say to answer a lot of your questions about it.
Number one, and you're right. As I'm watching the fourth quarter,
my first thought is this is awesome, right, look at
them compete. This is great. My second thought, which I
think is a little unfounded, But my second thought was, man,
(07:06):
I hope nobody gets hurt. No, I get it, all right,
But you know this, Rod, We've covered sports long enough
and it's become a cliche. But I think it's true.
You're more likely to get hurt when you're not playing hard.
So I don't think that we need to worry, and
I don't think the reason they're not playing hard the
(07:26):
first three quarters. I don't think it's mainly we don't
want to get injured. Yeah, of course you if guys
are really going at it, it's you can catch an elbow,
you can catch a forearm, of course, so that does
get easier to get hurt when you're playing hard. But
for the most part, you can turn an ankle. You
can you know, get injured, even if you're out there lollygagging.
(07:48):
So I don't think that's the main reason. Number one.
Number two rob Remember you've got to play pretty much everybody,
so throing the first three quarters you're playing, you know,
you're you're running in the second unit, the reserves, you're
mixing things up, so you're not there's no strategy, there's
no plays, So that's I think takes away the competitiveness too.
(08:12):
And I also think historically robbing, I think this has
always been great about the All Star Game until last
few years. Historically, the first three quarters, God, they're putting
on a show. You know, you go back to Isaiah time,
it's Michael Jordan's Magic Johnson, Doctor Jay. The first three
quarters you're doing things you're not going to do in
(08:34):
a real game. You're trying dunks. Tracy McGrady was the
first I ever saw in a game throw it off
the backboard and dunk it. He did that in an
All Star game because you at that time, you wouldn't
dare try that in a real game. Guys are working
on their handles, showing off their handle, throwing crazy alley ups,
and they used to be good because the nature of
(08:57):
the game was more, you know, the game was more
closer to the basket, closer to the paint, and so
there was natural resistance because if you're threw an alley oop,
there were defenders in the paint, so it came off
better because there was natural resistance. Nowadays, with the floor
so spread, when you know it's all spread out, the
(09:18):
lane is wide open. When you're not trying hard, when
you're just throwing up crazy passes and trying crazy things,
and the defenses and trying that hard, it's gonna look
bad because you're gonna be so wide open and have
just a freeway to the basket for a dunk. Even
Lebron did that at the end of the game. They
(09:38):
kind of let him have it because they were down.
They knew they needed a three to win, but he
got that easy dunk. But I think all of those
are factors and I like it that way, right. I
want to see these guys try these crazy dunks and passes.
I would like a little more resistance to your point,
just a little boy. But I like turning it up
(09:59):
in the fourth because then the fourth they're not worried
about highlights. They're worried about winning. And I thought that's
what we saw. Yeah, I just I think that you
could play the whole game without it being a total
And I get the trying to do some some stuff
that people haven't seen. I do get that Chris as
an exhibition, not trying to hurt anybody, but sometimes the
(10:22):
first if you're telling me now, now, if you're a
fan of you're home watching, I'm not saying if you're
at the arena, you've already paid for your ticket, you're
in the building. So now you're telling me I should
turn on the NBA All Star Game in the fourth quarter. Basically,
I mean that now because remembering the third, first three quarters,
you might see some crazy alley oop you've never seen.
But more than not, it's kind of it's kind of bad.
(10:46):
I'm just saying look, like I said, I do you
agree with my premise that with the floors spread because
now with the floors spread out, if you're not defending
me hard and I just blow by you easily, there's
nobody there in the lane, so I can just go
up and dunk it, whereas in back in the day, Okay,
(11:07):
you're guarding me at twenty feet, you're not playing me hard,
so I just drive by you. But there's other guys
in the lane because that's the way the game was,
so I still have to maneuver through them, shoot over them,
go around them, whatever to make a basket. You see
what I'm saying. I get that, Yeah, And I think
that's real because you're right, it does. I noticed it,
(11:28):
like I said, twenty fourteen, and there was an increase
in three pointers. That was the first game they ever
shot well over or over one hundred threes, and I
was like, this is this has become a joke. But
I thought they really brought it back. And I think
you did too. I think you're trying to be contrary
because that's your rep people with gassing you up in Chicago,
(11:50):
the couple. You know, you you're the protagonist. You listen
Parker even though I am, but still be sure to
catch life editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard
and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
He's a World Series champion of three time MLB All
(12:14):
Star and really was a bit iconic during his playing days.
Cecil Field or Cecil Welcome to the Oastess what's up, so,
Rob Parker? What's happened? What's happened? How you doing? I
can't complain. Life is good, good, good, Well, let's get
right to it. Baseball's in the news, unfortunately for all
the wrong reasons. What's your take on this whole cheating
(12:38):
scandal with the Houston Astros. Well, it is what it is.
I mean, they cheated, they did what they said they did.
I just you just don't know how long it's been.
Was it just two seventeen and eighteen or was it
nineteen two? So you know it's a mess. I think
(13:00):
players can handle it a lot better than you know
doing it in the media. I mean, each team know
how to handle their business. I mean they've been doing
it for years, and I think it would be better
served if everybody just kind of kept quiet and let
each team handled the astro like they want to, you know.
So so that's the thing that's so shocking. And you know,
we know how strong the union is. I've never seen
(13:22):
player against player like I've seen in this thing. I've
never seen it. And I mean, people are out ripping
each other, ripping these players are Is it because you know,
people are always looking for an advantage sets, but is
this like the ultimate crossing the line and have an
organizational cheating? Is that why players are so mad about this?
(13:47):
Rob You know, this is a different, different group of
folks we're dealing with. I mean, this is a different era.
These kids have never had to go through a strike,
never had to you know, come together and stick together
and it happen. So these kids are just really you know,
been soldiering on their own for so long, and I
just think, you know, they just don't know any better.
(14:08):
They don't they don't have a feeling or what the
union that's been all about for so many years. So
I think again, if we were really thinking about doing
this the right way, everybody would kind of keep quiet
and just let teams deal with the astros. Like they
need to be dealt with, because they definitely need to
be dealt with, but you're doing in a different way.
So obviously you're talking about on the field, you know,
(14:33):
the players policing it throw But what about do you
think what about vacating the title? Do you think that
should be in play? So you just think just handling
it on the field is all that needs to be done. Well,
you know what, yeah, because you know, at the end
of the day, that's the only thing that's I mean,
you can tell say the commissioner, I wouldn't have never
(14:56):
gave the kids, all these kids immunity, automate them, testify
and man sure that they told the truth. But I
wouldn't have gave immunity. And that's really the only way
that this thing would have really timed itself down. If
the commissioner would have split up and said, hey, nonea,
ain't nobody getting community if you cheat it. I want
to know about it. What you did? No, uh, I
(15:18):
had a tattoo, blah blah blah, none of that. Give
me the real truth and tell me what happened. Did
you wear a buzzer? If you did wear a buzzer,
I want to know about it, and if you did,
I gotta get you because okay, if you're gonna get
Pete Rose and keep Pete Rose out of the game
for thirty forty years and not be able to get
into the Hall of Fame because we cheated, what are
(15:39):
you gonna do about this group? Well, that's a that's
a big question, and that'll probably play out down the road. Now,
you just talked about the buzzer and all that. But
sas you played a long time, you watch baseball, the
reaction to buy altwove after you hit off hit all
walk off, game winning home run in the bottom of
(16:01):
the night, two outs against a Rollers Chapman, and he
was concerned about his jersey. When you see that, What
does that? Does that tell you anything? Red flags just
fly right? Everything is everything is suspect at that point.
I mean, you know, the difference, the different the different
(16:23):
things that they've said about him not wanting this jersey,
turned off from his wife, you know, not you know,
I mean, it's just stupid, right, It's stupid. It's just
like man up man, hey apologize and need it. And
I don't think he's apologized he really meant it. He's
just trying to get trying to get this thing to
go away, and it's never going away. It's not going away.
(16:45):
So there are some people saying this is worse than
the pev steroid scandal. Is that you're feeling, how you
what do you think about it? Well, I think this
is definitely worse than that, and I think it's definitely
worse than what Pete Rose did. You know, I think
this is the worst thing that has happened in the
game in fifty years. I mean, this is the worst. Yeah,
I mean I think I think people are starting to
(17:06):
feel that way, especially because it was the organization like
signing off on it. And now here's the other shoe
to drop with the Red Sox. I mean, we're not
done with this. This could be this could engulf the
whole baseball season because the Red Sox are not haven't
been given a clearance that they didn't do anything. We
don't know what what's gonna happen there. Well, you don't know.
(17:28):
You don't know how many teams have been doing this
because all the all the all the technical things that
they need or writing this right right there in the
dugout right. I mean, he's just ain't like rocket size.
I mean, everybody got TVs and cameras and everything. I mean,
so you don't know how far this thing is gonna
go and at what end is it gone in? But
but but let me ask you, do you think you
(17:50):
would have taken part? I mean, you are a great
home run hitter and all that, would you if that
was presented that never would have been presented in our
in our club. I said, you know, Sparky wasn't going right.
I don't believe it. I totally agree with that. I
just don't believe. Uh. And that's why A J. Hinch
(18:11):
saying that he didn't he shouldn't, he didn't do anything.
I don't even know how that guy passed him. Well,
you know. And and this is another part of this.
They trying to throw this all on Carlos Gultron and
he ain't even playing no more right. That's probably why
they're doing it right, because he ain't. Yeah, exactly, Okay,
you guys hit it right on the head and then
(18:32):
he ain't playing the more and he ain't there, Let's
throw the baggage on him and try to get rid
of it. Yeah, you're right. The World Series champion Cecil
Fielder joining the couple Cessil. I've heard people I totally
disagree with this take, but I've heard some people try
to say, well, you know, it's not that big of
an advantage. You still got to hit the ball. Many
(18:54):
Let me tell you something right now, and you tell
all your people what I just said. You tell me
what's coming every pitch. Let me let me know what's coming,
and somebody gonna get hurt. Right, That doesn't help you, right,
Oh my god, if I know it's coming, Oh my god.
Oh you guys, you guys, you guys gotta tell your folks.
(19:17):
Come on, man, y'all. That's almost like saying, Okay, taking
steroids don't help my strength. You know it's not a
big factor. Come on, guys. And especially the if you
look at Chapman after he gives up the home run
to out two, where he just staring like wow, they knew,
they knew though, they knew that everybody had been complaining
(19:40):
about that. Yankees were complaining to Ding, they were complaining
about it. I mean, we we felt and listen, I'm
gonna tell you another thing, Rob, There's no way I'm
sitting on the slider when a man right that is
the That's the point is like, how are you sitting
on a slider. This guy throws as hard as anybody,
and he was ready for sess and took it out
(20:01):
the part. And another thing, Rob, he wasn't out front.
He wasn't you know, tricked nothing. He was on it. Yep,
that's true. That's what Mike Trout said. You know, he's
saying you could just tell them by there at bats right, Yeah,
I mean they were on it. They were on it,
and you know, bless his heart, the shortstop, you know,
(20:23):
trying to defend this boy, I understand, but you know
it's kind of right trying to say that our twovey,
of all people, he wasn't involved in a dude, nobody
can buy that or believe it. I mean that two
were already apologizing for it. So how couldn't you say
he wasn't involved. Hey, hey, sets last thing I think,
(20:44):
and I told Chris this, I think the Astro fans
will boo them on opening day, even their own fans,
because they've stripped from the fans there one moment their
championship that now other fans won't even legitimize or or
you know what I mean, acknowledge you think then, I
don't know if they fans gon Born, but every ballpark
(21:05):
they go to around the league, they're gonna get definitely booted, right, Yeah,
I don't think their fans will. I think they might
even try to support. And I've seen the stat before
I go, I've seen the stats, Rob that a two
V hit almost four hundred at home and one forty
three on the road. That was a number. Yeah, that's crazy.
I thought it might even been better than four hundred. Yeah,
(21:27):
it was at least four hundred, I know was it
was unbelievable. And on the road he couldn't hit itself
out of a wet paperbag, which is crazy. And now
just to look at that player, I'll never look at
him the same way. I can't. I can't. No, he's not,
he's he grewed this credibility, he's his credibility is gone.
And you know the problem is though that they have
(21:47):
right with the Players Association, you got your guys like
Trout and the big boys speaking up on it. And
I think the commissioner with that, he should have he
should have demanded, he should have and penalties for cheating
and not gave everybody immunity. I mean, I think that
was that was that was just a way out for
him to say, Hey, you know, we're gonna get this team.
(22:09):
We're gonna nip this in the bud right away. I'll
give everybody immunity, but it ain't going away. It ain't
going away, no doubt about it. Hey, one of the
best guys I ever covered both in Detroit and New York.
Cecil Field of joining us on The Odd Couple of
mens SS, We appreciate you. You got it. Brother. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with
Chris Brussar and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern
(22:31):
four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart
Radio app. We talked about how how is the NBA
going to honor Kobe and maybe they'll continue to do
more things, but they they changed the All Star MVP trophy,
which was nice. Kobe Bryant or Ward. I do think
that was nice. Maybe we talked about it. I said,
maybe the MVP or something that was my thing. Chris.
(22:54):
People were saying changed the logo on on I never
thought that there was going to get to that. It
was fitting because Kobe won four MVPs for the All
Star Game, which I think Rob g correct me if
I'm wrong. I think that's tied for the most in
league history. Um, so it was appropriate. I was what
proponent of retiring his numbers eight and twenty four across
(23:17):
the league. I still would love to see that happen.
I don't think it's going to but this was nice.
And the winner of the MVP Award, the first one
named after Kobe Bryant was it is. He's tied for
the most way whom Bob pettit Wowett had four? Okay, wow,
so modern basketball obviously he's got more. That's a good touch. Yep, yep.
(23:38):
But Kawhi Leonard, who was a protege of Kobe's. You know,
I don't think people know how close they were because
Kawhi hadn't really talked, but he mentioned that he said
to all the talks and all the you know, guidance
and all that. He was Yeah Kobe. You know, obviously
he grew up He's much younger than Kobe. Oh yeah,
so he grew up idolizing Kobe's from the LA area.
(24:01):
So obviously he was a Lakers fan and a Kobe
fan and they're winning championships, and then they became friends
and like a mentor mentee big brother little brother relationship
or you know, during Kawai's career. So it meant a
lot to him to win the Kobe Bryant MVP Award.
(24:22):
He had thirty points, seven rebounds four Since he scored
twenty five in the first half, I thought, Rob, he
hit seven threes in the first half and eight he
finished with eight. He was eight from fourteen from three.
I actually thought he was gonna break the record. The
record is nine threes in an All Star game. Yeah,
I thought for sure. I mean, when you hit seven
(24:43):
in the first half, you figure he's gonna definitely break
it in the second half. But he fell short, but
still got the MVP. And I'm gonna throw this out
to you, Rob, And I know, look, it's an All
Star game. But you remember as well as I do.
I don't remember the year when when Isaiah Thomas on
the All Star MVP, but it may have been nineteen
(25:03):
eighty six, eighty seven, something like that. Check that out, Rob,
Maybe it was eighty four, Okay, but do you remember
Isaiah Thomas when they gave him the award? One of
the things he said at some point was today, I'm
the best player in the world. Yeah. I kind of
remember that, yeah today, And it makes sense because you know,
(25:24):
all the best players in the world are playing, and
you were the best one that day, so it made
a lot of sense. But I want to go a
step further and throw this out to you. Do you
think Kawai showed And again, I know it's just an
All Star Game, but do you think he showed it all?
He joined Michael Jordan and this is big as becoming
(25:45):
the only player ever to win the Defensive Player of
the Year Award, the Finals MVP and an All Star
Game MVP. Only two players have ever done it, and
Kawhi Leonard is one of them. A with Michael Jordan's
do you think he kind of showed I'm the best
player in the world right now? I do because I
(26:08):
think that it's so hard to do what you just said.
First of all, at number two, for all the people
who want to rag on him Chris about and I
get it, and I you know about the load management
and all the other stuff that's going on. The Clippers
are right where they need to be right they're not.
They're right where they need to be, and he continues
(26:29):
in big moments. They he helped the Clippers beat the
Lakers in the two times they played him this year.
And then he goes to the All Star Game and
as the MVP, and like I tweeted on Sunday that
it was only fitting since he's gonna win the finals
MVP as well. So I think that it does say
something to people who who keep acting like this guy
(26:51):
hasn't been doing something that hasn't been done. And Chris,
you notice and and and we've talked about it. If
they do win the championship ship, how in the world
could you not look at him and go three championships
same as same as Lebron. He also would have won
back to back championships with two different franchises that had
(27:12):
never won Jack right he won in San Antonio. I
mean you would look at him and go, this dude
is one of the hit The narrative has to start
being around him and about the heights that he's taking
his game and an NBA law because that would be
pretty damn impressive. Now he's building a resume that is
(27:35):
gonna have to be reckoned with And you're right, if
he wins this championship. Think about it, he would live
won the finals the All Star Game MVP, which again
I know it's just an All Star Game, but then
another championship and then probably another Finals MVP like and
it's no guarantee he would be the Finals MVP because
(27:57):
obviously Lou Williams could have a big series, Paul George
could have a big series, so maybe he wouldn't win it.
But still if if he were to win it and
bring home the crown, the title, then yeah, I mean
people are are going to have to start looking at
where this guy is going. Historically, you know what I mean,
(28:19):
he will have been too and I do think it's
fair to say to question whether you can say he led.
Let's be honest, I wouldn't say he led three teams
to the title, because if Lebron or Kawai wins this championship,
they will become the first players ever to lead three
(28:41):
separate franchises to the championship. And Lebron obviously led three
Kawhi even though he was finals MVP in San Antonio
twenty fourteen, he averaged twelve points that year, so I
do mean it wouldn't be told it wouldn't really be
accurate to say he led three teams, but he will live.
(29:04):
Won three championships with three separate teams, two of them
he certainly led, and one even though he wasn't a
team leader, he was the finals MVP against Lebron James.
So he is building up a heck of a resume
as far as best player in the world right now.
This is really up up to see what happens in
the postseason. Last year, you could have said it was Yannis,
(29:27):
but Kawhi outplayed him in the playoffs. I think Lebron
still now he's not the defender that either of those
guys is Jannis or Kauhi, so they've got a huge
advantage over him there at thirty five years old. Offensively,
he can do a lot more than Kauai. You know,
he just controls the game, He runs the offense, he initiates,
(29:51):
he scored, He does a lot more in that regard
the things I think Kawhi has over Lebron. In addition
to defense at this stage, why doesn't dominate the ball?
And I think like Kawhi kind of just fits into
the system. And I know he does a lot of
iole but you know, he doesn't over dribble. He just
(30:13):
kind of fits in and gets his thirty within the
within the offense for the most part. And he's also
got like when they need a bucket, he he asks
places on the floor he knows he can go, like,
he'll go to a few spots in the middle and
a lot. Now he didn't. Boston did a surprisingly did
(30:34):
a great job on him. You know, right before the break,
Jason Tatum just outplayed him. I mean, Jason Tatum was
the best player on the floor that night. But obviously
he's not better than Kauhi. But that's one thing. Lebron
has obviously been a finisher. He's closed out games and stuff,
but he his he tends to have to either go
all the way to the basket or maybe take a three.
(30:54):
And I know he's taking some mid range shots and
hit some to close out games, but you know, he's
not as sure in my view of a mid range
shooter as Kawhi is. And I think that's a little
advantage Kawhi has over him right now. But um I look, honestly,
Rob Kawai somewhat disqualifies himself. He does for these regular
(31:18):
season awards because of the load management, but he's not
in consideration for MVP. Agree, But that's the only reason why,
right right, no doubt right, no, I agree, that's the
only reason he would be right there in the race
for MVP with Jannis and Lebron if he didn't load
manage um. And I've said the thing you gotta do
(31:42):
with this load management is you better. You better at
least get to the finals. You agree with that, Yeah, No,
they gotta win because why are you doing it.
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kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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