September 30, 2020 • 34 mins
It's The Best Of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker! Chris and Rob debate whether or not this Miami Heat team is giving off 2004 Pistons vibes, explain why winning the Bubble NBA Title would not cement LeBron's status as the GOAT (no matter what people close to him think), and wonder aloud why so many former players like to take digs at LeBron.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:22):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brush and Rod Harker. But I read this story
today that A and I've been on TV all week
long saying the heat have no chance, The heat are
(00:43):
going down in five. This is a Mitch mismatch of
epic proportions. And then I read this article by Rod
Parker saying that hold on hold the phone. These Miami
Heat looked for Millier. They look like the two thousand
(01:03):
and four Detroit Pistons. You didn't predict the upset as
that Pistons team, of course upset shocking Kobe Lakers in five.
So the first thing I want to know is what
is your pick? Are you picking the upset? And two,
explain yourself why you think this is the oh four Pistons.
(01:26):
This is And when I say that, of course they're
not a mirror exactly, a mirror image. It's more about
team versus Titans. And sometimes I think people look at
when you have the big stars and you remember Chris,
Shack and Kobe and I'm going to make the pick
the Lakers should win this, but I'm gonna pick Miami.
(01:47):
I'm gonna pick Miami in the upset hot take. So
I am I'm just going to fiber of your being
that believes it. But you know what, hot take, you
know what I'll tell you before, and you know I'm
willing to step out there. I did it with the
Dodgers in the Nationals, and you remember we both talked
(02:07):
about it like the Dodgers should have won. Am I right,
no doubt about it. A better team in the nation.
They were, and they and they wind up losing. Uh.
Sometimes you come across and you see something that's so lopsided.
And that was why it reminded me. As you know, Chris,
you were there, you covered two thousand and four NBA finals.
(02:30):
I was there obviously. I was a columnist in Detroit
during that time, and I remember just no, it wasn't
a homer people not you have then, no, no, but
never pompomps but I didn't. But I did say that
there was something about that team. And sometimes, uh, if
(02:54):
you have the right mix and the people underestimate you
a little bit, or take it for granted and think
that just having the two best players is all you need,
you can sometimes pull an upset. And we've seen many
upsets in sports. I can't I'm telling you on paper,
I can't make the argument on paper. But games aren't
(03:14):
always one, and series aren't always one. Strictly on paper.
If that's the case, there would be no such thing
as an upset. I love what they've put together, Chris.
Here's here's a couple of things. Obviously, to me. If
they cannot play in the half court, the Lakers aren't
the greatest half court team. I think they ranked nineteenth
(03:37):
play in half court. Obviously, Miami has to own the
three point line, and the Lakers, who have played better
from the three point line, Chris, than earlier. If they
struggle at all or don't make those threes that they have,
when those other guys and I'm talking about I know
what Lebron and AD's gonna give you. That's not the issue.
(03:57):
It's about the other people, you know, play off Rondo.
Does he revert to UH to the regular season Rondo? Uh,
there's Kyle Kuzma. Is he inconsistent Kyle Kuzma? Uh? Does
KCP go back to bricking? Does Danny Green not make
any threes when he's wide open? There's a lot of
things that would have to also figure out along with right.
(04:21):
Along with UH, the the Heat doing a lot of
things right and playing it right, there's very little small
room for ERA. And I remember what happened with the Pistons.
They jumped on the Lakers in Game one, lost Game two,
and then wind up going to Detroit to win the
next three. So my my bottom line is the Heat
(04:43):
aren't here by accident. They've knocked off the King of
the Hill in uh Janice and Milwaukee was the best
team in the league. They also, you know, when you
look at that Celtics team, Chris talent Leiden supposedly the great,
this young basketball coach out there, they beat him and
(05:04):
pretty convintionally. So they haven't. It's not like somehow guys
were heard, nobody was in their way and they kind
of skated in. No, they went through it. They beat
the teams that were in front of them. And I'm
going to say, I want to say seven games, but
I think that's two. I think that's two magical fry tellers. Yeah,
(05:27):
to two magical and fairy tellers. I'm gonna say, they
gotta get it done in six. If they're going to
beat them, I'm going to pick the Miami Heat in six.
I give you credit for your guts. And look, you're
not the first one or the only one to say, hey,
they remind me of the old four Pistons. I think
part of it is that, you know, they've only been
(05:49):
two teams rob in NBA history, that one championships without
like a bona fide superstar. No. That the seventy nine
out of Snics, and they were a number one seed,
you know, and they had been to the finals a
year before against Washington. It was a rematch in seventy
nine and Seattle won it. And then, like you said,
(06:12):
the Pistons in OH four. Here's where the differences come
into play, though, that Pistons team, like they had, None
of those guys became superstars or probably Hall of famers.
I mean, Chauncey Billars probably has a chance, but none
of them at this point certainly are Hall of Famers.
(06:33):
But they were stars for in high school, college, and
even eventually in the pros. They were stars. They weren't superstars,
but they had major league talent. Like Chauncey. Billars was
a number three pick. But then, yeah, but I'm saying
you're expecting him to do big time things because he's
(06:57):
when you're drafted that high. Rashid while a number four pick,
and you remember Sheet, he was one of the biggest
high school stars. So was Chauncy. They both were two
of the biggest high school stars in their class. And
then Rip Hamilton was a seventh pick. So those three,
that's much different from the heat that team. Rob As,
(07:19):
you know, you were close to that team. They had experienced.
Chauncey's in his ninth year at that point, Sheet I
believe was in his seventh year, you know, or Sheet,
I'm sorry, it was in his ninth year. Chauncey was
in his seventh, Ben Wallace was in his eighth year.
Rip was in his fifth year. This team, other than Butler,
(07:39):
Jimmy Butler and Gore and Drogic, they are young. I
mean Tyler Hero was playing high school basketball two years ago.
Duncan Robinson was playing Division three basketball five or six
years ago. You know, these guys bam out of Bayus
in his third year after what one and done. I
believe a Kentucky like they are young, these guys, some
(08:00):
of these kids, and I know they got heart and
they've got fortitude, and they've shown that they you know,
they're ready for the big moments. But a lot of
these kids grew up idolizing Lebron and and then on
the flip side, Rob in the other locker room, you
know it, it's not I'm not saying it's an excuse.
The Pistons beat him Ferren Square, but that Lakers team
(08:21):
was falling apart. Shock and Kobe were at each other.
Malone was old and banged up. In that series. Gary
Payton was never happy there because they ran the triangle
and that didn't fit his game. I think he averaged
four points in that series. And then Kobe was going
(08:43):
through the Colorado mess. You know, we're going back and
forth to trials during the not during that series, but
during the playoffs leading up to it. And so that
team was falling apart, and this Lakers team is together,
They're united. Lebron's very focused, So I get what you're saying,
(09:03):
and obviously it makes sense on some level. But I
think these are two different circumstances. I don't think this
Miami team is as good as that Detroit team was.
I'm not saying they are because obviously the Detroit team
won a championship, so you can't put them on that level.
I'll never be that guy, you know what I mean,
Like they'd have to win and then I'd have to
(09:26):
look at them. The only thing I'll say is in
this in this era of super teams and you know, uh,
not having a competitive balance and whatnot. To me, the
Miami makes up what I consider to be just a team,
like like a team put together that I like. And
that's what I think. More so, I said, Colum, you
(09:47):
said they were the best team since that old four Pistons. Yes,
but hold on, I gotta I gotta push back. Yeah,
how about Golden State before they got Durant. I mean
that was a team built ye were all their draft picks,
you know what I mean. I just maybe it was
like a super team until they just showed how good
you know what I mean? But that was Yeah, I
(10:09):
guess I think that's fair. But but I guess I
was looking at it from the organic state of um.
You know, by the time even they won, but by
the time they wont, Steph was a star. Step is
a one named star. Do you know what I mean?
Where it is? No, No, they were, they were stars. Yeah,
I'm just saying. They're just saying organic team though they were.
(10:29):
I get that. What I'm saying it they're not a star.
Like like when when you say any of those pistons
or any of these heat players on that caliber Steph,
you say it's the greatest guard. Uh, small small guard
whoever played? Do you see what I'm saying. They don't
have anybody you could put in that category. That's why
I didn't include them. Fox Sports Radio has the best
(10:51):
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There was an interesting article in The Athletic written by
Joe Vardin, who covered Lebron in Cleveland, and he said that, uh, well,
(11:15):
there's an interesting quote in there. It claims to be
someone who's known Lebron on a personal level for years,
and the quote is this, these finals aren't about Lebron
versus the Heat. These finals are about his legacy. If
(11:36):
he wins, it cements him as the goat. Now, Rob,
I don't know this for sure. I don't have a source.
This is pure speculation. And I say this with love
because because because I like I like this guy. I
think that was Rich Paul sounds like which I might
(11:59):
be wrong, yes, but no, he Rich for me. I've
known Rich since Lebron was in the league. And I
can tell you that after on the court, after the
Cavaliers came back from that three one deficit and beat
Golden State. As they're celebrating on the court, I was
(12:22):
on the court and Rich Paul is yelling into my ear.
He's just he's to go. Jordan couldn't have done that.
He used to go. Now, he probably wanted to put
that in my ear. So when I went on TV,
I might say it, you know. But and I don't
blame Rich. First of all, it's one of his best friends.
I mean, gosh, look at what Lebron's done for him.
(12:42):
He's his agent, you know what I'm saying, Like you,
that's what agents do, right, they they're clients. So I'm
not mad at Rich. If indeed it was rich, but
that is probably it's probably a what you call Chris,
that's a good educated guess, ye to put the narrative
out there that that just overlooked the six finals losses
(13:03):
and it doesn't matter that the only thing that matter
is if he wins this one, he's to go. I
just don't the mindset is kind of weird to me. Well,
and I'll and I'll say to you, so I want
your opinion, Rob, what do you think I mean? If
Leip Brin wins this series? Let's go there. Now, he's
been to the finals ten times, which I don't think
(13:25):
you pooh pooh it. Maybe you, dude, but that's an accomplishment.
And I get it that the East was weak, but hey,
the conferences have been weak in different parts of basketball history.
And very few players who Bill Russell and any of
the guys he carried along with him to the finals.
Magic went to nine, Jerry West went to nine. When
(13:46):
somebody else went to Jerry West went to nine. And
it's not like nobody's ever been to a lot, but
in that case, Jerry West was one in eight. So
nobody makes a big deal lot of it. Um, So
I get it. I'm not nobody's gonna take that away
from him. But I don't think that that that cements
(14:07):
you as anything, because that's part of why I always
bring up the Marv Levy thing. He went to four
straight Super Bowls? How many coaches have gone to four
straight Super Bowls? And yet you know didn't win? Marv
Levy and Bud Grant did he go right? Fourth straight? Right?
(14:31):
And but he didn't win. So nobody really talks about that,
uh that or never has him in the conversation. And
obviously Lebron has won. But I don't know how that
puts you over the top. It does it? Does it
move you closer to a conversation? Chris? Yeah? It increases
his argument. Now, I don't think it certainly doesn't think
it puts him over the top, um, but it does
(14:55):
help the argument now, especially this part Rob that he
went he did it with three different teams and he
was the leader of all three teams. And if he
loses that, that's that's what's biggest about this And if
he loses, it totally changes everything. If he loses, we
(15:16):
should never have the goat discussion again between these two.
I mean, really, is that correct. If I agree with you,
we can't even we wouldn't even be able to entertain it.
You're right because it I think already, Like you see
Shannon Sharp and Nick Wright make the argument when they're
(15:39):
arguing for Lebron is the goat, they say, you know,
he ran into that Golden State team with Kevin Durant
and Steph and Clay and Drey mind and that's probably
four Hall of Famers, certainly three and all that. But
the problem and then we get that, I mean, that
was a superior team that you know, they just couldn't beat,
they couldn't even really compete with. But here's the thing.
(16:02):
The Lakers, now, I know they were over I'm not
the Lakers, the Calves. They were overmatched. But let's not
act like the cupboard was just empty, right, you had
Lebron best player in the world, Kyrie you know, yes,
stop Kevin Love used to put up Moses Malone type
(16:24):
numbers in in my Minnesota. His numbers used to be sick. Yes, yes,
and so again I get it that Golden State had more,
but it's not like he was working with nothing. There
were three potential Hall of Famers on that team. The
only question is love really and so and so it's right.
(16:44):
So that to make that argument every time he loses life,
well what do you expect? Well, look at what they
had or whatever. And then Chris, the flip side also
is you put together a dream team in Miami and
didn't do anything with it. And what I mean by
anything nothing special. Two out of four is not special, Chris,
(17:05):
had they won three, how many teams have won three
in a row. A handful, You would have to put
him in that class, right, Shack and Kobe won three
in a row. Very few teams have won three championships
in a row. That would have separated him, no question.
And that's the thing. Like that's another when when guys
(17:26):
like Skipp and Shannon want to bring up, you know,
all of these faced and the super teams he had
to go you met, Nick, I mean yeah, Nick, Nick
and Shannon, I'm sorry, Um, you know that's the thing.
Like Lebron did have that super team for four straight
years and the only one two, right, the only one two.
So that and again this doesn't put him beneath Magic.
(17:50):
Magic lost four finals, right, Magic got swept a few times?
You know, Philadelphia swept him. Maybe it wasn't don't over
a few times, but Pladelphia swept him, um and then
Kareem you know, went to six, but it was finals
MVP only twice, so they like and you we brought
this up robe as we were talking earlier, what if
(18:13):
they win it? But Anthony Davis is the MVP. I
think it's very very possible. And does that mean I
don't think that's a slight to Lebron nobody. I think
finals MVPs are a tad overrated, but I wouldn't say that.
You know, they they you can use them to separate guys,
(18:35):
but I don't think like Isaiah wasn't the MVP of
his first finals championship, Isaiah Thomas didn't diminish him at all.
To me, Bird wasn't the MVP's first championship. Magic was
three out of five Kareem as I said, two out
of six, like it doesn't and Rake Woodollar's finals MVP.
Nobody in their right mind would say he laid that team. No, no, don't.
(18:58):
I don't put as much stock in to it. But
when you're talking about the goal and how many times
do we say it rob your nitpick and it happened,
pick right, because they're all so great. It would be
a nit to pick that Jordan was six times champion,
six times finals MVP. Lebron would have been four times champion,
only three times finals. And here's and here's the other thing.
(19:22):
Right when we talk about the Jordan thing and nitpicking.
For all the people who crank up Scottie Pippen's career,
you said to yourself, how come he didn't win a
finals MVP Chris once or twice? Do you know what
I mean? Like like that? But if he was that
good and I'm not. No one's knocking Scotty's career, okay,
no one, but you would have you could have won
(19:44):
more or two of those you could have And that's
a difference, all right. It's just you know, so if
Lebron wins it in a D's MVP, I won't say
anything that like, I think that's very possible. I mean,
James Earth, he was MVP when the Lakers won it
one year. Did that mean he was better than Magic? No?
(20:05):
But he had a hot series. He was great, and
that's fine. And I think that that, you know, could
very well happen here, maybe because a D would have
been early on in that Denver series. Rob A. D
was looking like the MVP. But the fact that he
only I mean, he just forgot how to rebound over
the last three games, series six six for the series,
(20:30):
but those last few games, it was it was real low.
But um, yeah, I look, we both have Lebron's second
and people act like that's an insult. You know, it's
just that, um everyone else, Robed. We can point to
melt downs, you know, we can point to a bad
(20:52):
moment in the finals or on the big stage. We
can point one, right, one for Jordan. And that's all
we're saying. Now, I've said this before, Rob and I
and I do think it's true. If Lebron wins this championship,
four titles, ten, you know, trips to the finals three
different teams, first player ever to do that leading the team.
(21:16):
I've said this our generation. And you notice, right, you've
talked to old heads. The old heads. Sure they respect
Michael Jordan's, sure they know he was one of the
greatest ever do it. But they don't tend to say
he's the goat. I'm talking about the Oscar Robertsons and
the Kareem Abdul Jabbars and the doctor Jay. You know,
they don't say that. And it's our generation, Rob that said,
(21:40):
whether player or broadcaster, media member, reporter. We for the
most part, our generation is like, no, he's definitely to go.
Even the Magic Johnson guys like that. This younger generation,
the millennials, who some already think Lebron's the goat if
Lebron wins this ring. When they're cold trolling the narrative,
(22:01):
I do think they'll be saying Lebron's the goat if
he wins this championship. I think they could say that narrative.
There'll be others. And we saw after the Jordan documentary,
and you remember that pole Chris that came out from
ESPN that even shocked both of us and those on
old heads voting. Those are not me and you and
(22:22):
guys in their fifties on ESPN dot com voting. These
are the younger people. I was surprised. Some of them
were crazy. Really, they say, David said, Jordan did more. Yeah,
it was. It was a ridiculous. It got It ain't
gotten to the point where that that thing swayed a
lot of people, because I think it opened the eyes
(22:42):
of people who really didn't know the Jordan's story. That's all.
Not that I thought that was interesting. I thought that
was it. But I think you're right. But I also thinking,
you know, in today's news cycle, I think a lot
of the young people, not the old people that saw
it live and then got to relive it through the
Last Dance, a lot of these young people, don't you know,
they probably forget and this, this latest memory of Lebron
(23:06):
I think for them will probably probably override what they
saw in the Last Dance. Be sure to catch live
editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussar then Rob
Parker week days at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. Scottie Pippen.
Scottie uh likes to run his mouth, and we like that.
(23:29):
That's what we always jumped into the media, right, we
talked to Right, we do it all the time. You
gotta say something otherwise they'll replace you, Okay, Right, I
mean if you just get up there and you're you're
praising your friends and you're not calling it like it is. Right.
Everybody's doesn't play well all the time. He doesn't coach
(23:51):
well all the time. Call him out, call him out.
It doesn't have to be personal. God makes a bad play.
You say he made a bad play. Chris as a coach,
didn't put the right players in the right circumstance. Say it.
That's all the strategy we're talking. It's it's their play
on the court. Nothing personal. No family, no kids, no wife,
(24:16):
know what they look like. It's none of that. It's okay.
So Scottie, Oh, go ahead, Robber and and I've just
said a lot of guys can't figure that out and
it costs him, Chris like, they can't stay in the business.
So Scottie, did he make a pick? Rob Gum, I
don't know that he made a pick. No, he just
(24:36):
said that. Yeah, he said Miami has the edge. I
don't know where he gets that from, but he said
Miami has the edge. He thinks they've got more offensive
weapons that they'll be able to throw at the Laker.
But here's what we want to get to, the meat
or a big thing. And he said, he said, I
don't take away I don't take nothing away from the
(25:00):
Lakers and Lebron going to his tenth Finals. He meaning
Lebron still has to prove he can lead a team himself.
I think Anthony Davis has shown he's more valuable to
them on the offensive end. But I think Miami has
more offensive weapons. As I said, they'll be able to
(25:20):
throw it la Now, Rob, I I'm sorry, Scottie Pippen
is just flat out wrong. Scottie Pippen. I don't know
if he's making up for the time when he said
that Lebron was better than Jordan. Remember that was like
quickly yes, but um might call him, you think I
(25:45):
do what text? At least, dude, you're not coming to
another golf out. I know those Jewordans that come to
your house for you and your family. That's right, right, Um?
But come on, Rob, even skip even and you're you're
(26:07):
in that. You know your viewed is a Lebron. I
know you don't like the word hater, but you're viewed
is a Lebron and antagonist. Let's put it that way.
I'll take that. Okay, yeah, yeah, but even you at
Mick Scotty, did you not see Cleveland? Did he not
lead a team to the championship? Did he not prove
it by leading Cleveland to the championship? So I think
(26:32):
that's ridiculous to say Anthony Davis means more in the
offensive end than Lebron. I mean, yes, he's the leading scorer,
who's getting all the assist who's setting there, who's running
the offense, and still giving you probably two fewer points
than AD a game. And so and this is what
I want to get you, Rob, before you chime in,
(26:55):
Scottie is not this is a pattern for some reason,
like Scottie Piven, obviously, i'd say belittle Lebron. Paul Pierce
tells us Lebron is not in his was it top
five or top top seven? At least not in his
top seven. Kenny Smith says Lebron was not in his
(27:19):
top ten, and Charles Barkley doesn't have Lebron is what
top five? Top five? So we got Barkley and Lebron's
not in the top five, pimping. Lebron's never led a
team to a championship. Paul Pierce not in the top
seven all time, Kenny Smith not in the top ten.
(27:41):
Here's what I'm throwing out, Rob. Why the disrespect coming from?
And I think it's disrespect to say he's not in
the top ten. Come on, where's this coming from? From?
These ex players? And here's the part, Chris, and that's
really weird. There is something there because which we're not
(28:06):
talking about any fairness. Rob Isaiah Thomas has him second,
I think to Kareem or maybe first, and even Isaiah.
But here's the problem, Chris, this is where we talk
about all time. I think this is why players can't
always be objective in the media because they have a
(28:29):
stake in it. Do you know what I mean? Like
the Isaiah thing. He'll never pick Michael Jordan. I'm serious.
I mean, look, Jordan kept him off the Dreams for
all the accolades Isaiah have. Even me, I'm upset that
Isaiah wasn't on the Dream team. Same with me. I've
(28:49):
said it all the time. It's just not because because
it diminishes an absolutely great career fifty all time grade,
as we talked about over and over. But but this
is the this is the pattern, Chris, and it's shocking
for a guy who's put in so much work. Everybody
says his teammates like him or love him, whatever term
you want to use, and could wind up being the
(29:13):
all time leading scorers, got all these other accolades and
right and all the other things. But there's some there's
some rub there that players don't respect. And we've seen
it with the greats who refuse to even acknowledge him
in that they would pick Kobe nine out of ten times.
(29:34):
These guys would pick Kobe over Lebron. We have talked
about how we're a little bit surprised how most that
we've talked to, Yeah, not all, not nine out of ten,
but but most players, the X players we've talked to
have say a Kobe. And here's the other part. When
the players finally got a chance to vote for the
All Star Game, and we know Chris is just an exhibition.
(29:57):
It ain't the end of the world a done. You know,
it doesn't wait or tell you how great you are not.
But I can't remember the exact number. Over a hundred
and fifty players left Lebron James name off the All
Star not ballot. Do Chris as seriously? Right? Nick? Come on?
(30:20):
What is that he should he should have not been
left off one ballot? Right? How how is that possible?
So when people always push back and say, oh, it's
the media, they hate Lebron, they don't want Lebrun to win,
then skip Bailin's Rob Burger Rabbit all that, ask yourself, why,
(30:45):
Scottie Pippen, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley. We could go on
in a Paul Pierce. It ain't one. It's a lot
of guys. Why now, why Pierce? At you? You alluded
to We know Paul Pierce was he got a right
(31:10):
he beat Lebron. Yeah, Lebron's younger, right, And Paul, I
don't know if I ever told you this story, but
when you know, after the Lakers won the championship in
two thousand and I'm not the Lakers, the Celtics with
the Big Three win the championship in oh eight and Pierce,
who was the finals MVP, he said that he thinks
he's the best player in the world. You know, I
(31:30):
led their team to a championship out his finals MVP,
I'm the best player in the world. And I said,
I don't know if I don't think it was. I
was even tweeting at that point, but I said, I
don't even think he's in the top ten. Yeah, you
mentioned that, And then he got in contact. He texted me,
you ain't in my top ten local reporters and it
was funny to me, but I ain't local, but so
(31:57):
Paul I think has an ax to grind with Bron,
and you know, like you said, they were rivals, they
were contemporaries, they had some wars, and so I get
get it, but but I robbed. The only thing I
can imagine this might stem from is that players don't
(32:18):
like at least some of these players, these legends and
older players, they don't like the way Lebron did it.
You know, Michael Jordans obviously took a moribund franchise and
build them into a dynasty. The players of that era
stayed put. Bird Magic, you know, Kareem forced his way.
(32:39):
People forget he forced his way from Milwaukee and ends
up with the Lakers. But for the most part, guys
stayed put. And that's the only thing I can point to,
because obviously, when Lebron did go to Miami, he got
criticized heavily. So that's other than that. I can't imagine
these dudes are looking at Lebron lay and saying he's
(33:02):
not one of the top ten of all time. So
I just think, even if it's subconscious, they don't respect that.
That's that's all I can think of, is to why
some of these guys are are short changing it. I
have to I have to agree with you because it's
not like he doesn't play hard, he doesn't put in
(33:22):
the work. Uh, you know what I mean, Like some
things come easy to some people, Chris and people can
other players could not respect that, you know what I mean,
Like he doesn't do all the things you're supposed to do.
So that's not it. Uh. Teammates like him. You don't
hear people saying, you know, he's selfish or he's this,
or he's that, uh for the most part, So it
(33:44):
has to be that that they didn't like that he
felt not And people gotta understand it's not being against
free agency. Free agency has always been around. Uh, Tim
Duncan and and uh Grant Hill almost went to Orlando, right, Yeah,
they were free agents. So it's Brady, yeah exactly. It's
not that it's the way that it kind of was
(34:08):
manipulated and four team, yeah exactly. And it's different from Boston.
It's not the same. Boston had to give up players
to get you know, to get players in exchange, so
it looked it's looked a differently Kristen than people joining
via free agent where there's nothing given up. That's the
only difference player generated. And I get it. I get
(34:32):
it in that you know Boston was stacked the Lakers.
You had Kobe, and he had Gassaw by that point
in buying him. Remember Andrew Byam was a good player
at that point and Lebron couldn't get a second guy
to Cleveland.
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. But I read this story
today that A and I've been on TV all week
long saying the heat have no chance, The heat are
(00:43):
going down in five. This is a Mitch mismatch of
epic proportions. And then I read this article by Rod
Parker saying that hold on hold the phone. These Miami
Heat looked for Millier. They look like the two thousand
(01:03):
and four Detroit Pistons. You didn't predict the upset as
that Pistons team, of course upset shocking Kobe Lakers in five.
So the first thing I want to know is what
is your pick? Are you picking the upset? And two,
explain yourself why you think this is the oh four Pistons.
(01:26):
This is And when I say that, of course they're
not a mirror exactly, a mirror image. It's more about
team versus Titans. And sometimes I think people look at
when you have the big stars and you remember Chris,
Shack and Kobe and I'm going to make the pick
the Lakers should win this, but I'm gonna pick Miami.
(01:47):
I'm gonna pick Miami in the upset hot take. So
I am I'm just going to fiber of your being
that believes it. But you know what, hot take, you
know what I'll tell you before, and you know I'm
willing to step out there. I did it with the
Dodgers in the Nationals, and you remember we both talked
(02:07):
about it like the Dodgers should have won. Am I right,
no doubt about it. A better team in the nation.
They were, and they and they wind up losing. Uh.
Sometimes you come across and you see something that's so lopsided.
And that was why it reminded me. As you know, Chris,
you were there, you covered two thousand and four NBA finals.
(02:30):
I was there obviously. I was a columnist in Detroit
during that time, and I remember just no, it wasn't
a homer people not you have then, no, no, but
never pompomps but I didn't. But I did say that
there was something about that team. And sometimes, uh, if
(02:54):
you have the right mix and the people underestimate you
a little bit, or take it for granted and think
that just having the two best players is all you need,
you can sometimes pull an upset. And we've seen many
upsets in sports. I can't I'm telling you on paper,
I can't make the argument on paper. But games aren't
(03:14):
always one, and series aren't always one. Strictly on paper.
If that's the case, there would be no such thing
as an upset. I love what they've put together, Chris.
Here's here's a couple of things. Obviously, to me. If
they cannot play in the half court, the Lakers aren't
the greatest half court team. I think they ranked nineteenth
(03:37):
play in half court. Obviously, Miami has to own the
three point line, and the Lakers, who have played better
from the three point line, Chris, than earlier. If they
struggle at all or don't make those threes that they have,
when those other guys and I'm talking about I know
what Lebron and AD's gonna give you. That's not the issue.
(03:57):
It's about the other people, you know, play off Rondo.
Does he revert to UH to the regular season Rondo? Uh,
there's Kyle Kuzma. Is he inconsistent Kyle Kuzma? Uh? Does
KCP go back to bricking? Does Danny Green not make
any threes when he's wide open? There's a lot of
things that would have to also figure out along with right.
(04:21):
Along with UH, the the Heat doing a lot of
things right and playing it right, there's very little small
room for ERA. And I remember what happened with the Pistons.
They jumped on the Lakers in Game one, lost Game two,
and then wind up going to Detroit to win the
next three. So my my bottom line is the Heat
(04:43):
aren't here by accident. They've knocked off the King of
the Hill in uh Janice and Milwaukee was the best
team in the league. They also, you know, when you
look at that Celtics team, Chris talent Leiden supposedly the great,
this young basketball coach out there, they beat him and
(05:04):
pretty convintionally. So they haven't. It's not like somehow guys
were heard, nobody was in their way and they kind
of skated in. No, they went through it. They beat
the teams that were in front of them. And I'm
going to say, I want to say seven games, but
I think that's two. I think that's two magical fry tellers. Yeah,
(05:27):
to two magical and fairy tellers. I'm gonna say, they
gotta get it done in six. If they're going to
beat them, I'm going to pick the Miami Heat in six.
I give you credit for your guts. And look, you're
not the first one or the only one to say, hey,
they remind me of the old four Pistons. I think
part of it is that, you know, they've only been
(05:49):
two teams rob in NBA history, that one championships without
like a bona fide superstar. No. That the seventy nine
out of Snics, and they were a number one seed,
you know, and they had been to the finals a
year before against Washington. It was a rematch in seventy
nine and Seattle won it. And then, like you said,
(06:12):
the Pistons in OH four. Here's where the differences come
into play, though, that Pistons team, like they had, None
of those guys became superstars or probably Hall of famers.
I mean, Chauncey Billars probably has a chance, but none
of them at this point certainly are Hall of Famers.
(06:33):
But they were stars for in high school, college, and
even eventually in the pros. They were stars. They weren't superstars,
but they had major league talent. Like Chauncey. Billars was
a number three pick. But then, yeah, but I'm saying
you're expecting him to do big time things because he's
(06:57):
when you're drafted that high. Rashid while a number four pick,
and you remember Sheet, he was one of the biggest
high school stars. So was Chauncy. They both were two
of the biggest high school stars in their class. And
then Rip Hamilton was a seventh pick. So those three,
that's much different from the heat that team. Rob As,
(07:19):
you know, you were close to that team. They had experienced.
Chauncey's in his ninth year at that point, Sheet I
believe was in his seventh year, you know, or Sheet,
I'm sorry, it was in his ninth year. Chauncey was
in his seventh, Ben Wallace was in his eighth year.
Rip was in his fifth year. This team, other than Butler,
(07:39):
Jimmy Butler and Gore and Drogic, they are young. I
mean Tyler Hero was playing high school basketball two years ago.
Duncan Robinson was playing Division three basketball five or six
years ago. You know, these guys bam out of Bayus
in his third year after what one and done. I
believe a Kentucky like they are young, these guys, some
(08:00):
of these kids, and I know they got heart and
they've got fortitude, and they've shown that they you know,
they're ready for the big moments. But a lot of
these kids grew up idolizing Lebron and and then on
the flip side, Rob in the other locker room, you
know it, it's not I'm not saying it's an excuse.
The Pistons beat him Ferren Square, but that Lakers team
(08:21):
was falling apart. Shock and Kobe were at each other.
Malone was old and banged up. In that series. Gary
Payton was never happy there because they ran the triangle
and that didn't fit his game. I think he averaged
four points in that series. And then Kobe was going
(08:43):
through the Colorado mess. You know, we're going back and
forth to trials during the not during that series, but
during the playoffs leading up to it. And so that
team was falling apart, and this Lakers team is together,
They're united. Lebron's very focused, So I get what you're saying,
(09:03):
and obviously it makes sense on some level. But I
think these are two different circumstances. I don't think this
Miami team is as good as that Detroit team was.
I'm not saying they are because obviously the Detroit team
won a championship, so you can't put them on that level.
I'll never be that guy, you know what I mean,
Like they'd have to win and then I'd have to
(09:26):
look at them. The only thing I'll say is in
this in this era of super teams and you know, uh,
not having a competitive balance and whatnot. To me, the
Miami makes up what I consider to be just a team,
like like a team put together that I like. And
that's what I think. More so, I said, Colum, you
(09:47):
said they were the best team since that old four Pistons. Yes,
but hold on, I gotta I gotta push back. Yeah,
how about Golden State before they got Durant. I mean
that was a team built ye were all their draft picks,
you know what I mean. I just maybe it was
like a super team until they just showed how good
you know what I mean? But that was Yeah, I
(10:09):
guess I think that's fair. But but I guess I
was looking at it from the organic state of um.
You know, by the time even they won, but by
the time they wont, Steph was a star. Step is
a one named star. Do you know what I mean?
Where it is? No, No, they were, they were stars. Yeah,
I'm just saying. They're just saying organic team though they were.
(10:29):
I get that. What I'm saying it they're not a star.
Like like when when you say any of those pistons
or any of these heat players on that caliber Steph,
you say it's the greatest guard. Uh, small small guard
whoever played? Do you see what I'm saying. They don't
have anybody you could put in that category. That's why
I didn't include them. Fox Sports Radio has the best
(10:51):
sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our
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There was an interesting article in The Athletic written by
Joe Vardin, who covered Lebron in Cleveland, and he said that, uh, well,
(11:15):
there's an interesting quote in there. It claims to be
someone who's known Lebron on a personal level for years,
and the quote is this, these finals aren't about Lebron
versus the Heat. These finals are about his legacy. If
(11:36):
he wins, it cements him as the goat. Now, Rob,
I don't know this for sure. I don't have a source.
This is pure speculation. And I say this with love
because because because I like I like this guy. I
think that was Rich Paul sounds like which I might
(11:59):
be wrong, yes, but no, he Rich for me. I've
known Rich since Lebron was in the league. And I
can tell you that after on the court, after the
Cavaliers came back from that three one deficit and beat
Golden State. As they're celebrating on the court, I was
(12:22):
on the court and Rich Paul is yelling into my ear.
He's just he's to go. Jordan couldn't have done that.
He used to go. Now, he probably wanted to put
that in my ear. So when I went on TV,
I might say it, you know. But and I don't
blame Rich. First of all, it's one of his best friends.
I mean, gosh, look at what Lebron's done for him.
(12:42):
He's his agent, you know what I'm saying, Like you,
that's what agents do, right, they they're clients. So I'm
not mad at Rich. If indeed it was rich, but
that is probably it's probably a what you call Chris,
that's a good educated guess, ye to put the narrative
out there that that just overlooked the six finals losses
(13:03):
and it doesn't matter that the only thing that matter
is if he wins this one, he's to go. I
just don't the mindset is kind of weird to me. Well,
and I'll and I'll say to you, so I want
your opinion, Rob, what do you think I mean? If
Leip Brin wins this series? Let's go there. Now, he's
been to the finals ten times, which I don't think
(13:25):
you pooh pooh it. Maybe you, dude, but that's an accomplishment.
And I get it that the East was weak, but hey,
the conferences have been weak in different parts of basketball history.
And very few players who Bill Russell and any of
the guys he carried along with him to the finals.
Magic went to nine, Jerry West went to nine. When
(13:46):
somebody else went to Jerry West went to nine. And
it's not like nobody's ever been to a lot, but
in that case, Jerry West was one in eight. So
nobody makes a big deal lot of it. Um, So
I get it. I'm not nobody's gonna take that away
from him. But I don't think that that that cements
(14:07):
you as anything, because that's part of why I always
bring up the Marv Levy thing. He went to four
straight Super Bowls? How many coaches have gone to four
straight Super Bowls? And yet you know didn't win? Marv
Levy and Bud Grant did he go right? Fourth straight? Right?
(14:31):
And but he didn't win. So nobody really talks about that,
uh that or never has him in the conversation. And
obviously Lebron has won. But I don't know how that
puts you over the top. It does it? Does it
move you closer to a conversation? Chris? Yeah? It increases
his argument. Now, I don't think it certainly doesn't think
it puts him over the top, um, but it does
(14:55):
help the argument now, especially this part Rob that he
went he did it with three different teams and he
was the leader of all three teams. And if he
loses that, that's that's what's biggest about this And if
he loses, it totally changes everything. If he loses, we
(15:16):
should never have the goat discussion again between these two.
I mean, really, is that correct. If I agree with you,
we can't even we wouldn't even be able to entertain it.
You're right because it I think already, Like you see
Shannon Sharp and Nick Wright make the argument when they're
(15:39):
arguing for Lebron is the goat, they say, you know,
he ran into that Golden State team with Kevin Durant
and Steph and Clay and Drey mind and that's probably
four Hall of Famers, certainly three and all that. But
the problem and then we get that, I mean, that
was a superior team that you know, they just couldn't beat,
they couldn't even really compete with. But here's the thing.
(16:02):
The Lakers, now, I know they were over I'm not
the Lakers, the Calves. They were overmatched. But let's not
act like the cupboard was just empty, right, you had
Lebron best player in the world, Kyrie you know, yes,
stop Kevin Love used to put up Moses Malone type
(16:24):
numbers in in my Minnesota. His numbers used to be sick. Yes, yes,
and so again I get it that Golden State had more,
but it's not like he was working with nothing. There
were three potential Hall of Famers on that team. The
only question is love really and so and so it's right.
(16:44):
So that to make that argument every time he loses life,
well what do you expect? Well, look at what they
had or whatever. And then Chris, the flip side also
is you put together a dream team in Miami and
didn't do anything with it. And what I mean by
anything nothing special. Two out of four is not special, Chris,
(17:05):
had they won three, how many teams have won three
in a row. A handful, You would have to put
him in that class, right, Shack and Kobe won three
in a row. Very few teams have won three championships
in a row. That would have separated him, no question.
And that's the thing. Like that's another when when guys
(17:26):
like Skipp and Shannon want to bring up, you know,
all of these faced and the super teams he had
to go you met, Nick, I mean yeah, Nick, Nick
and Shannon, I'm sorry, Um, you know that's the thing.
Like Lebron did have that super team for four straight
years and the only one two, right, the only one two.
So that and again this doesn't put him beneath Magic.
(17:50):
Magic lost four finals, right, Magic got swept a few times?
You know, Philadelphia swept him. Maybe it wasn't don't over
a few times, but Pladelphia swept him, um and then
Kareem you know, went to six, but it was finals
MVP only twice, so they like and you we brought
this up robe as we were talking earlier, what if
(18:13):
they win it? But Anthony Davis is the MVP. I
think it's very very possible. And does that mean I
don't think that's a slight to Lebron nobody. I think
finals MVPs are a tad overrated, but I wouldn't say that.
You know, they they you can use them to separate guys,
(18:35):
but I don't think like Isaiah wasn't the MVP of
his first finals championship, Isaiah Thomas didn't diminish him at all.
To me, Bird wasn't the MVP's first championship. Magic was
three out of five Kareem as I said, two out
of six, like it doesn't and Rake Woodollar's finals MVP.
Nobody in their right mind would say he laid that team. No, no, don't.
(18:58):
I don't put as much stock in to it. But
when you're talking about the goal and how many times
do we say it rob your nitpick and it happened,
pick right, because they're all so great. It would be
a nit to pick that Jordan was six times champion,
six times finals MVP. Lebron would have been four times champion,
only three times finals. And here's and here's the other thing.
(19:22):
Right when we talk about the Jordan thing and nitpicking.
For all the people who crank up Scottie Pippen's career,
you said to yourself, how come he didn't win a
finals MVP Chris once or twice? Do you know what
I mean? Like like that? But if he was that
good and I'm not. No one's knocking Scotty's career, okay,
no one, but you would have you could have won
(19:44):
more or two of those you could have And that's
a difference, all right. It's just you know, so if
Lebron wins it in a D's MVP, I won't say
anything that like, I think that's very possible. I mean,
James Earth, he was MVP when the Lakers won it
one year. Did that mean he was better than Magic? No?
(20:05):
But he had a hot series. He was great, and
that's fine. And I think that that, you know, could
very well happen here, maybe because a D would have
been early on in that Denver series. Rob A. D
was looking like the MVP. But the fact that he
only I mean, he just forgot how to rebound over
the last three games, series six six for the series,
(20:30):
but those last few games, it was it was real low.
But um, yeah, I look, we both have Lebron's second
and people act like that's an insult. You know, it's
just that, um everyone else, Robed. We can point to
melt downs, you know, we can point to a bad
(20:52):
moment in the finals or on the big stage. We
can point one, right, one for Jordan. And that's all
we're saying. Now, I've said this before, Rob and I
and I do think it's true. If Lebron wins this championship,
four titles, ten, you know, trips to the finals three
different teams, first player ever to do that leading the team.
(21:16):
I've said this our generation. And you notice, right, you've
talked to old heads. The old heads. Sure they respect
Michael Jordan's, sure they know he was one of the
greatest ever do it. But they don't tend to say
he's the goat. I'm talking about the Oscar Robertsons and
the Kareem Abdul Jabbars and the doctor Jay. You know,
they don't say that. And it's our generation, Rob that said,
(21:40):
whether player or broadcaster, media member, reporter. We for the
most part, our generation is like, no, he's definitely to go.
Even the Magic Johnson guys like that. This younger generation,
the millennials, who some already think Lebron's the goat if
Lebron wins this ring. When they're cold trolling the narrative,
(22:01):
I do think they'll be saying Lebron's the goat if
he wins this championship. I think they could say that narrative.
There'll be others. And we saw after the Jordan documentary,
and you remember that pole Chris that came out from
ESPN that even shocked both of us and those on
old heads voting. Those are not me and you and
(22:22):
guys in their fifties on ESPN dot com voting. These
are the younger people. I was surprised. Some of them
were crazy. Really, they say, David said, Jordan did more. Yeah,
it was. It was a ridiculous. It got It ain't
gotten to the point where that that thing swayed a
lot of people, because I think it opened the eyes
(22:42):
of people who really didn't know the Jordan's story. That's all.
Not that I thought that was interesting. I thought that
was it. But I think you're right. But I also thinking,
you know, in today's news cycle, I think a lot
of the young people, not the old people that saw
it live and then got to relive it through the
Last Dance, a lot of these young people, don't you know,
they probably forget and this, this latest memory of Lebron
(23:06):
I think for them will probably probably override what they
saw in the Last Dance. Be sure to catch live
editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussar then Rob
Parker week days at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. Scottie Pippen.
Scottie uh likes to run his mouth, and we like that.
(23:29):
That's what we always jumped into the media, right, we
talked to Right, we do it all the time. You
gotta say something otherwise they'll replace you, Okay, Right, I
mean if you just get up there and you're you're
praising your friends and you're not calling it like it is. Right.
Everybody's doesn't play well all the time. He doesn't coach
(23:51):
well all the time. Call him out, call him out.
It doesn't have to be personal. God makes a bad play.
You say he made a bad play. Chris as a coach,
didn't put the right players in the right circumstance. Say it.
That's all the strategy we're talking. It's it's their play
on the court. Nothing personal. No family, no kids, no wife,
(24:16):
know what they look like. It's none of that. It's okay.
So Scottie, Oh, go ahead, Robber and and I've just
said a lot of guys can't figure that out and
it costs him, Chris like, they can't stay in the business.
So Scottie, did he make a pick? Rob Gum, I
don't know that he made a pick. No, he just
(24:36):
said that. Yeah, he said Miami has the edge. I
don't know where he gets that from, but he said
Miami has the edge. He thinks they've got more offensive
weapons that they'll be able to throw at the Laker.
But here's what we want to get to, the meat
or a big thing. And he said, he said, I
don't take away I don't take nothing away from the
(25:00):
Lakers and Lebron going to his tenth Finals. He meaning
Lebron still has to prove he can lead a team himself.
I think Anthony Davis has shown he's more valuable to
them on the offensive end. But I think Miami has
more offensive weapons. As I said, they'll be able to
(25:20):
throw it la Now, Rob, I I'm sorry, Scottie Pippen
is just flat out wrong. Scottie Pippen. I don't know
if he's making up for the time when he said
that Lebron was better than Jordan. Remember that was like
quickly yes, but um might call him, you think I
(25:45):
do what text? At least, dude, you're not coming to
another golf out. I know those Jewordans that come to
your house for you and your family. That's right, right, Um?
But come on, Rob, even skip even and you're you're
(26:07):
in that. You know your viewed is a Lebron. I
know you don't like the word hater, but you're viewed
is a Lebron and antagonist. Let's put it that way.
I'll take that. Okay, yeah, yeah, but even you at
Mick Scotty, did you not see Cleveland? Did he not
lead a team to the championship? Did he not prove
it by leading Cleveland to the championship? So I think
(26:32):
that's ridiculous to say Anthony Davis means more in the
offensive end than Lebron. I mean, yes, he's the leading scorer,
who's getting all the assist who's setting there, who's running
the offense, and still giving you probably two fewer points
than AD a game. And so and this is what
I want to get you, Rob, before you chime in,
(26:55):
Scottie is not this is a pattern for some reason,
like Scottie Piven, obviously, i'd say belittle Lebron. Paul Pierce
tells us Lebron is not in his was it top
five or top top seven? At least not in his
top seven. Kenny Smith says Lebron was not in his
(27:19):
top ten, and Charles Barkley doesn't have Lebron is what
top five? Top five? So we got Barkley and Lebron's
not in the top five, pimping. Lebron's never led a
team to a championship. Paul Pierce not in the top
seven all time, Kenny Smith not in the top ten.
(27:41):
Here's what I'm throwing out, Rob. Why the disrespect coming from?
And I think it's disrespect to say he's not in
the top ten. Come on, where's this coming from? From?
These ex players? And here's the part, Chris, and that's
really weird. There is something there because which we're not
(28:06):
talking about any fairness. Rob Isaiah Thomas has him second,
I think to Kareem or maybe first, and even Isaiah.
But here's the problem, Chris, this is where we talk
about all time. I think this is why players can't
always be objective in the media because they have a
(28:29):
stake in it. Do you know what I mean? Like
the Isaiah thing. He'll never pick Michael Jordan. I'm serious.
I mean, look, Jordan kept him off the Dreams for
all the accolades Isaiah have. Even me, I'm upset that
Isaiah wasn't on the Dream team. Same with me. I've
(28:49):
said it all the time. It's just not because because
it diminishes an absolutely great career fifty all time grade,
as we talked about over and over. But but this
is the this is the pattern, Chris, and it's shocking
for a guy who's put in so much work. Everybody
says his teammates like him or love him, whatever term
you want to use, and could wind up being the
(29:13):
all time leading scorers, got all these other accolades and
right and all the other things. But there's some there's
some rub there that players don't respect. And we've seen
it with the greats who refuse to even acknowledge him
in that they would pick Kobe nine out of ten times.
(29:34):
These guys would pick Kobe over Lebron. We have talked
about how we're a little bit surprised how most that
we've talked to, Yeah, not all, not nine out of ten,
but but most players, the X players we've talked to
have say a Kobe. And here's the other part. When
the players finally got a chance to vote for the
All Star Game, and we know Chris is just an exhibition.
(29:57):
It ain't the end of the world a done. You know,
it doesn't wait or tell you how great you are not.
But I can't remember the exact number. Over a hundred
and fifty players left Lebron James name off the All
Star not ballot. Do Chris as seriously? Right? Nick? Come on?
(30:20):
What is that he should he should have not been
left off one ballot? Right? How how is that possible?
So when people always push back and say, oh, it's
the media, they hate Lebron, they don't want Lebrun to win,
then skip Bailin's Rob Burger Rabbit all that, ask yourself, why,
(30:45):
Scottie Pippen, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley. We could go on
in a Paul Pierce. It ain't one. It's a lot
of guys. Why now, why Pierce? At you? You alluded
to We know Paul Pierce was he got a right
(31:10):
he beat Lebron. Yeah, Lebron's younger, right, And Paul, I
don't know if I ever told you this story, but
when you know, after the Lakers won the championship in
two thousand and I'm not the Lakers, the Celtics with
the Big Three win the championship in oh eight and Pierce,
who was the finals MVP, he said that he thinks
he's the best player in the world. You know, I
(31:30):
led their team to a championship out his finals MVP,
I'm the best player in the world. And I said,
I don't know if I don't think it was. I
was even tweeting at that point, but I said, I
don't even think he's in the top ten. Yeah, you
mentioned that, And then he got in contact. He texted me,
you ain't in my top ten local reporters and it
was funny to me, but I ain't local, but so
(31:57):
Paul I think has an ax to grind with Bron,
and you know, like you said, they were rivals, they
were contemporaries, they had some wars, and so I get
get it, but but I robbed. The only thing I
can imagine this might stem from is that players don't
(32:18):
like at least some of these players, these legends and
older players, they don't like the way Lebron did it.
You know, Michael Jordans obviously took a moribund franchise and
build them into a dynasty. The players of that era
stayed put. Bird Magic, you know, Kareem forced his way.
(32:39):
People forget he forced his way from Milwaukee and ends
up with the Lakers. But for the most part, guys
stayed put. And that's the only thing I can point to,
because obviously, when Lebron did go to Miami, he got
criticized heavily. So that's other than that. I can't imagine
these dudes are looking at Lebron lay and saying he's
(33:02):
not one of the top ten of all time. So
I just think, even if it's subconscious, they don't respect that.
That's that's all I can think of, is to why
some of these guys are are short changing it. I
have to I have to agree with you because it's
not like he doesn't play hard, he doesn't put in
(33:22):
the work. Uh, you know what I mean, Like some
things come easy to some people, Chris and people can
other players could not respect that, you know what I mean,
Like he doesn't do all the things you're supposed to do.
So that's not it. Uh. Teammates like him. You don't
hear people saying, you know, he's selfish or he's this,
or he's that, uh for the most part, So it
(33:44):
has to be that that they didn't like that he
felt not And people gotta understand it's not being against
free agency. Free agency has always been around. Uh, Tim
Duncan and and uh Grant Hill almost went to Orlando, right, Yeah,
they were free agents. So it's Brady, yeah exactly. It's
not that it's the way that it kind of was
(34:08):
manipulated and four team, yeah exactly. And it's different from Boston.
It's not the same. Boston had to give up players
to get you know, to get players in exchange, so
it looked it's looked a differently Kristen than people joining
via free agent where there's nothing given up. That's the
only difference player generated. And I get it. I get
(34:32):
it in that you know Boston was stacked the Lakers.
You had Kobe, and he had Gassaw by that point
in buying him. Remember Andrew Byam was a good player
at that point and Lebron couldn't get a second guy
to Cleveland.
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