March 24, 2021 • 25 mins
Chris and Rob explain why Charles Barkley is right on when he says that James Harden is playing like the Best Player in the World but he's dead wrong he says that Harden is the greatest offensive player we've ever seen. Plus, NBA champion Eddie House checks in to share his thoughts on Harden, the Los Angeles Lakers injury situation heading into the trade deadline, and much more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Brush and Ron Harker. Charles Barkley came
out with a strong, strong comment. He was talking to
Mike Greenberg on ESPN today. Well was it I believe
(00:41):
it was today? Yeah, And do we have the We
have it. So I'm just gonna let you play it here.
It is no disrespect to Lebron or Jannis or anybody.
James Harden might be the best basketball player in the
world period. I didn't. That's Stalin Houston was never going
to win. But he has adapted in change. I think
(01:01):
he is a little bit better defensively. You gotta get
that man some credit, all right, go ahead, Robin will
let you have this one first. Yeah, and you know what,
he didn't go over the top. He said Mike. He
used the word Mike. I'm cool with what he said
as far as where he's where Hardon is playing, the
(01:21):
transformation from what Houston was. And we know Chris he
led the league and assists before, and we knew he
had that skill. But the way to come to a
team where you're asking to come there with two other
guys who had come there as free agents, and that
planned this whole thing, to interrupt the party and bring
his ball with him, you know, and all that, and
(01:42):
to to do what he's done, which has been I've
marveled at it. I just I could sit here and
act like I'm not. They just keep winning no matter
who's playing, And the constant it's James Harden, Chris, that's
the constant. You are not lying because Kyrie is out
(02:02):
if it seems like on average is probably at least
once every two weeks on average. You know, obviously had
the two weeks where he took off, but then you
know every few weeks he misses a game, and now
he's off these next three or the next two now
and then of course Durant hasn't been there, So I
feel you. I'm gonna say this first, Rob, I'm not
(02:23):
surprised by what Harden's doing I have felt like he's
always had these skills. And you may remember when the
trade was made, I didn't know if it would work
out this way, but I said, if the Nets are smart,
then Hardened should be the point guard. Kyrie should be
the two. I wasn't sure if Kyrie would accept it.
(02:45):
And then obviously you got Durant in the front court.
That's because Harden is a straight up play maker. He
is more of a playmaker than Kyrie. And then most
then most of these point guards in the league today,
I mean, and that includes Steph and Damian Lillard, all
the greatest point guards. Most of them are they can pass.
(03:09):
Def is a really good pastor, and so it's Kyrie
and some of the others. But they are score first guys.
They average six seven assist the game Hardened for the
rob Harden's averaged ten or more the last three years.
And I know some of that. You know, assists aren't
always an indicator of a guy being a true point guard,
(03:32):
because you know, in Alan Iverson a Russell Westbrook, they're
true scores, but they get their assist by you know
they're going to score. Oh, the defense is locked me up.
Now I'm kicking it to somebody and then you get
a bucket. Hardened is setting dudes up. And I think
(03:54):
Barkley said it right because my general rule, Rob is,
you don't become you don't earn the mythical title of
best player in the world in the regular season. We
have to you got to do it. You get the
MVP Award and all that from the regular season, but
best player in the world, that's generally something that you
(04:16):
you really do your thing in the playoffs. Does that
means you win the championship? But you get busy and
you you weren't the reason or any factor in y'all
losing because you did your thing. You're just your team
just wasn't good enough. And so I'm not gonna I'm
not ready to say hard it's the best player in
the world. But what I am ready to say, Rob
(04:36):
is he's in the discussion. I think he's playing better.
Who's playing better? Nicole Yoki is just playing well. But
I take cardon, Chris. I'm gonna say this about about
your NBA writer brother, and if they could really look
at the league where it is now, who's playing, what
(04:57):
team is doing what, and not identify James Harden as
the best guy playing right now. That's no, no disrespect,
not like any other guys aren't playing. I'm not saying that,
but if you, if you can honestly look at what's
going on where he's playing without his other pieces and
they continue to run. I asked in the pre show meeting.
(05:20):
I'm not sure, Chris, what did I say? They've won
nine straight? Is it nine straight games against Western Conference?
I mean I believe so. And they've won sixteen of
their last eighteen eighteen. They've beaten every contender or pretender
meaning close to contender in the league. They go into
(05:41):
Portland and beat Portland and Portland and Lillard. Yeah, and
they were coming off an embarrassing loss Cross on Sunday,
so they have reason to bounce back. Am I right
at home? Absolutely? Absolutely? And to your point, Rob NBA
dot Com, And look, we respect all these cats. Yeah,
they got hard to say, kat Hart and six say sorry.
(06:06):
The only thing I can say, and this is their prerogative.
I think some guys, because I've seen other places where
he's fourth, he's fifth, whatever, I think some guys are
clearly holding Houston against him. That's all that. That's the
only thing that I can see because if you just
look at it as basketball, who's what a guy is
(06:29):
doing on the court. No one is playing better? And
and typically Rob we you know when a guy has
another superstar or two on the team, that hurts you
in the MVP voting, No doubt a lot of MVPs
because of that, we get right, But it's not unprecedented.
(06:51):
Bird won three straight with McHale in Parish and the
All Hall of Famers, yes, right, Magic one is three
with you know Worthy and Kareem was there. I believe
one of them, if one of them. And then Lebron Rob,
Here's the thing. Lebron won two in Miami with Wade
(07:14):
and Bosh right, So obviously Durand won it with Westbrook. Yeah,
and so I and and again he's done all this
so far essentially without Durant, this whole run, Chris, I
think duransomis fifteen. I think he played one of the games,
one of them, the first game of the West Coast,
(07:35):
remember when they won when it went five? And oh,
I think he played in that first Sacramento maybe ye,
And that was it, right, I mean I do, And
I've said robbing, and I think we both have said
Durant's the best player on the team, but I hedged
it a little bit. I don't know, a week or
two ago. Like, man, this thing is close because obviously
(07:56):
Durant is just such a a silky smooth automatic score.
But obviously Harden does more on the offensive end, and
he can score as much as Durant. Now, defensively he's
not as good, but he's not the joke defensively that
every he used to be, you know what I mean,
(08:18):
Like he's putting forth effort defensively like Harden. That boy's bad. Man.
I'm with Charles, he might be the best player in
the world. And Chaw said, might I give him nothing?
You know what I mean? Like he said, it wasn't right. Yeah,
that's not a hot take to me. I think that's
legit to say he might be the best player in
the league right now. I mean, you got nobody's gonna
(08:40):
say Yokis is the best player in the league. I
don't believe that. I don't believe anybody would say that. No,
maybe some of these analytics lovers bikes right right you
Lebron Okay, is Lebron playing Lebron? Obviously? Does it more
on the defensive end, especially this year. He's been playing
well there. But Harden is having just as much success
(09:05):
and he doesn't have Anthony Davis, and he's balling out Yannie.
You know, Yannis got his issues, he got his warts,
you know. So I think Barkley's right on the money.
Be sure to catch live 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
(09:28):
iHeartRadio app. What's up, everyone, It's me three time NFL
All Pro Sean Murray and I have a new sports
podcast called The lights Out Podcast with Sean Mariner. This
podcast is special to me as I get a chance
to talk to some of the best we've ever done
it on a field or the track. So whether it's
talking to a Super Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup
(09:48):
Series champion, the lights Out Podcast will bring it to
you the only way I know how to. I'm giving
you the best insight from the best we've ever done it.
Listen to Lights Out with Sean Murray on the iHeartRadio
app or wherever you can your podcast. That's right, he
don't play he takes it to the house, NBA Champions
takes my sports Radio, NBA endless our man, Eddie House.
(10:12):
What up, bro? What's up? Man? My favorite with favorite
part of the day of the Wednesday. Man is hearing
that music? Come on, I get my little bot steps
going and no, we've been to talk to good talk
right now. Yes, let's look before we get to the NBA.
How's your bracket looking. I'm assuming you did one. Actually no, no,
I didn't do one. Man. I did not do one
this year. To be honest with you, man, I didn't
(10:34):
want to go through that that misery, okay, because I
know everybody's miserable what was going on. I just wanted
to watch and enjoy college basketball because we didn't have
it last year the tournament. So I just wanted to
actually just watch it, you know, uh, with a clear
mind and just see God go out there and play
and not be rooting for somebody to beat somebody. So
(10:55):
I just feel because I hadn't done it in years,
and I was able to really enjoy it. But you know,
now we do it for Fox Worst Radio, so I
had to do it. But but I agree with that.
I know what he's talking about. When when you don't
have anything on the line on the game, you can
enjoy it differently exactly, and sometimes it takes away your
enjoyment of the game. It does. Yeah, I don't no
(11:17):
doubt about it. I agree. So all right, we talked
about Charles. Why you saw Barkley's comments probably that Harden
might be the best player in the world. Your thoughts
best player in the world. Yeah, I mean, well, he's
playing like it right now, you know, to be honest
with you are and we can't. We know Lebron is though, right,
but Lebron's not on the floor right now because of injury.
(11:37):
And we all say the best ability is availability, and
one thing that Lebron has been has been available, and
we know the old thing he say, out of sight,
out of mind. Right now, with Lebron being hurt, you
see his team not winning, and you see Brooklyn still
doing what they're doing and hard and playing as well
as he's playing. You can make an argument I just
(11:59):
wouldn't get him the nod pass Lebron. You know, I
just haven't seen it yet, enough of it, you know,
as far as uh you know, in the big moments,
But right now, I don't think there's nobody playing better
basketball than James Harden. I mean there's I mean he's
doing it all though, So I mean there is nobody
playing better basketball in him. Let's so you mentioned the
(12:20):
Lakers and Lebron's team losing and who knows they got
this tough stretch. Uh, they could win two of the
next fourteen or fifteen or three. You know, it just
looks like the schedules daunting. But what would you do
if you're the Lakers? Do they need to make a
move Eddie? Like for for drumming is bought out? Or
do they need to do something? Or what is the
(12:40):
other one? Use Kyle Lowry? Kyle Lowry, I think that'd
be huge. I don't get a trade. Would you do that, Eddie? Well,
I mean, well you might give up Shrewder and KCP
or something, right, Yeah, well, I mean I would do
that in a in a heartbeat. You know, with Kyle
Lowry championship pedigree, a guy that you know that is
a super smart point guard. He is a traditional point
(13:04):
guard where he will get guys involved, but he hits
the open shot, he hits the three, he makes the
right play, he defends. Yeah, I would do that in
a heartbeat if you were able to do that, Um,
you don't want to put I mean, the guys are hurt,
you don't And even if if Lebron or ad don't
get back, and it's just Kyle Lowry and one of
is that enough? Do you think that's enough if they
(13:27):
don't if they don't get heck, if if one of
them doesn't get back, they don't have what I'm trying
to say. Yeah, I say if one of them, though,
even with Kyle Lowry, I don't think that's enough. They
have to be healthy for them to make a hard
push in the playoffs, for them to have any kind
of opportunity or any shot of winning it. I think
if you don't have one of those key cogs in
that engine, I think it's all bad for the for
(13:48):
the Lakers. Eddy where you add on the Clippers, They're
seven and eight in their last fifteen games. They've essentially
played five hundred basketball over the last two months. I'm
a little down. I mean, they're still a good team.
I still think they probably the second best in the
West to the Lakers, but they just aren't playing nearly
(14:09):
as well as I expected them to play this year
and defensively their middle of the pack. Yeah, I don't.
I don't understand it. It's kind of it's one of
those things to where it's weird because you look at
them on paper and you said many they should be
playing a whole lot better than they playing. But then
what you think about it's almost like the same old Clippers.
(14:30):
I went to a comedy show in La back when
I played for the Clippers, and it was a comedian
name rod Man on there, and he said, the Clippers
got all the talent, but they just don't mesh, you know,
they just don't get it together, you know, And for
whatever reason, it's almost like what he said way back
in early two thousands is like what's happening right now?
(14:51):
You would think that they got you know, they got
plenty of talent over there. I think they got a
good coaching staff, they got really really talented players over there,
but for whatever reason, they're not putting it together. And
it's I don't know, I can't put my finger on
the reason why. You would think with Kauai, with Paul George,
with Patrick Beverley, they'll be out out of this world defensively,
(15:14):
But like you said, the middle of the pack. So
you can't explain that. You would think that with the
abilities they have on the offensive end, that they will
be able to score with guys when the score with
teams when they need to score, and be able to
lock down. But that hasn't been happening. There. One thing
about the Clippers, it's almost like the same old Clippers.
They're consistently inconsistent. Right now, I gotta ask you, as
a clipp So you were in the comedy club as
(15:37):
a Clipper and this dude's talking about the Clippers, how
did you feel like? Was that strange? Was it? Was? It?
You know? Was not because man, I was coming through.
I knew I wasn't gonna be there in a couple
of year. I was coming in and coming out. Yeah,
that was that was That was a show stop right there.
You know. And he didn't know you were there. It
wasn't like he was like, oh, let me talk about
(15:58):
the Clippers. I see Eddie. How each he didn't know
you were there? No, he you know, he just went in.
What he did. He compared us to the Atlanta Hawks
back in the day, saying that, oh, yeah, they always
got because I think he's from Atlantic, he's like they
got so much talent. You got all these people that
could do all these things, but they just don't mesh.
You know that you just can't put it together. I
always remember and uh, Cinel Hall, do you remember that
(16:21):
Lake Clippers joke like on this show. I always yeah,
he did it when he had his talk show and
he said something about, uh, it's the only time five
brothers can't play basketball, you know, like I'm something about, Yeah,
I mean, they could play, just can't get for whatever reason.
They just can't put it together. Man. And but this right,
(16:43):
you look at some of the years they have had
some talent, They have had some talent, but look at
this team, right you would think that, man, they haven't
put it together. They've been struggling. But they still right there,
you know. So that's right. They were only like four
games they got the top spot, right, Yeah, got a
real shot. They just gotta put it together. As good
as we say the West is and obviously is very good.
(17:06):
I mean outside of the Lakers, a healthy Lakers team,
nobody's like a world beater, you know what I mean.
I mean Denver, yeah they're good, but okay, you're scared
of Denver. You tak they're good. You scared of Utah Phoenix.
You know what I'm saying. Like they're all very close together.
So the Clippers have a shot. Yeah, no doubt, no doubt.
(17:27):
All right, that's our man, e house. We appreciate it, brother,
Thanks for the night man anytime, man, all right, man,
we're talking. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk
lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at
Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio
app search f SR to listen live. All right, So
(17:47):
Hardened last night they beat Portland. That's an impressive win.
Portland needed a victory coming off absolutely the Dallas before
the game before and Hardened goes for twenty five points,
seventeen dimes and how many rebounds eight or something like that.
But terrific game. He didn't shoot well, but still twenty
(18:10):
five and seventeen. I don't care what you shoot, you
and you win. We'll take that. And Charles Barkley, people
jumped on us rob first segment of the show. They
thought we were just giving hard and way too much love,
too much. You ain't heard nothing yet. Listen to what
Charles Barkley says right now, No disrespect to Lebron or
(18:35):
Jannis or anybody. James Harden might be the best basketball
player in the world period. Listen, James has made something
that's stalin Houston was never going to win, but he
has adapted and changed. I think he is a little
bit better defensively, but for them to win games without
KD and without Kyrie, you gotta get that man some credit.
(18:56):
And like I say, he is the most awesome offense
a player I've ever seen, unlessen. Michael and Kobe were
better players from the guard standpoint, but as far as offensively,
they couldn't shoot threes like him. They were not as
great as dribbling the basketball, going to the basket, getting fout.
But we gotta get that guy credit. Man, he is
(19:17):
an offensive machine playing a simple all right, rob, I'm
just gonna say it. Charles Barkley is a prisoner at
the moment, and we look we praised hard in first segment.
Right now he's leading my MVP race. He is phenomenal
at all time great. But do not do not tell
(19:43):
me he is the best offensive player ever. I'm sorry,
Are you gonna tell me he's a better offensive player
then Michael Jordan's No, I'm with you. I just can't.
I can't get with that right because because it's not
only and as as well as he's played, Chris, you
just talked about it earlier. What about the clunkers, Charles
(20:07):
and the playoffs? Thank you? Those count? You can't you
what are you denying them? I mean those count I
want to give you something, Robbing. You remember this when
Michael Jordan's played point guard eleven games he played point
(20:28):
guard in the nineteen eighty eight eighty nine season. I'm
bringing this up for this reason because today, the best
perimeter guy on the team, whether he's a point guard
or not, all right, typically handles the ball all the time. Okay,
(20:49):
And Michael Jordan and none of the players back in
that day in the eighties and nineties played that way. Okay,
they shot a lot. Jordan's shot a ton. He shot
pretty much more than anybody, but he didn't dominate the ball,
just dribbling all the time. Okay. And the one stretch
(21:11):
of his career that I would say, maybe you could
say he played like some of these guys today as
far as having the ball in his hands all the
time was an eleven games stretch. Rob in the nineteen
eighty eight eighty nine season, when Doug Collins Sam Vincent
was struggling at point guard. They put Jordan in at
(21:31):
point because obviously he was their best player. And does
Collins is like, look, we just need something, we need
a spark. Rob An eleven games. You you should remember.
Do you remember how many triple doubles Michael Jordan had?
I don't remember, but I remember. I remember the move.
I do remember it. Any eleven games, rob ten triple doubles, wow,
(21:58):
including seven straight. Obviously was gonna be a long streak
of straight triple doubles when you got ten or eleven.
Here were his numbers, thirty three point six points a game,
eleven point four rebounds, ten point eight assists, two point
nine steals, and fifty one percent shooting. That's when he
(22:18):
played like the guys today, where he's bringing the ball
up the court. He's making all the decisions I'm gonna
shoot it or I'm gonna pass it to the guy
that's gonna shoot it. He averaged a triple double, and
rob that was basically without the three point line, you
know what I mean. I mean it was there, but
nobody was shooting the three. Nobody was shooting the way
(22:40):
that's shooting it now right right, half a hardened shots
or three point attempts. So you have to factor that
in when you look at these gaudy numbers these dudes
are playing. If they're taking ten eleven threes a game,
and you hit four or five threes every game, then
you're numbers are going up. And so I'm look, I
(23:04):
know that's a small sample size, but Rob, that's with
hand checking, that's with physical play. That's without much many
three pointers being shot. That's with guys hammering you when
you went to the paint. That's with scores that were
much lower than they are now. If Jordan played today,
(23:25):
his numbers would be ridiculous. You know what, you just
reminded me. It's just like a Russell Westbrook with the
triple doubles, Chris, And then you gotta remind yourself that
when Robert, when Oscar Robertson was playing no three point shot,
you know what I mean? Yea, yeah, I mean says
(23:45):
about what he was able to do during the time. Yeah,
And so I look, obviously we both are are incredibly
impressed with James Harden, but to say he's the best
offensive player and I don't even want to hear it.
They didn't shoot the three like him, well, I mean
nobody back he didn't shoot threes much back then, So
(24:06):
I don't know that you bring that into the comparison.
You know, Hardness tremendous. Jordan got to the foul line
a lot. You know, Kobe got to the foul line
not as much as Hardened, but they got to the
foul line a lot. What couldn't Jordan do? Harden's not
a better driver and finisher than Jordan. Now, he's a
(24:29):
better point guard, I give you that. Even though Jordan
when he played point had these guardens. Hard's a better
point Hardness more of a true point guard. Hart's really
like a true point guard. I mean he's gonna score
a ton, but the way he runs the offense, initiates
the offense, gets everybody involved. He's really a true point guard.
And I said this, Rob, this is some of the
(24:49):
best point guard player I've ever seen. Are you Are
you with that? Yes, I've told you earlier in the show.
I am so impressed by what James Harden has done.
I'm marveland Ada because it's just so different than the
guy we've seen the last few years, Chris, right where
all the offensive burden is on him. Dribble, dribble, dribble,
(25:10):
put up a three pointer, try to get contact free throws.
You know, like what like that's that's what the game was.
This guy's a complete player, does so many things. Well.
I've been I've been overly impressed to where James Harden
now to me is must see TV if he's if
he's on too. If he's on, I'm putting the game on.
(25:32):
I don't care who they're playing. I want to watch
him play. And that's why I'm bummed out tonight because
instead now, Chris, I'm not gonna watch the game tonight,
I'm telling you I'm not gonna watch because there's no
reason to. I hate to say it that way, I know,
but I wanted to watch the game even though it
was gonna be him against Utah, you know what I mean.
(25:52):
I still would have watched the game to see him
playing
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 f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Brush and Ron Harker. Charles Barkley came
out with a strong, strong comment. He was talking to
Mike Greenberg on ESPN today. Well was it I believe
(00:41):
it was today? Yeah, And do we have the We
have it. So I'm just gonna let you play it here.
It is no disrespect to Lebron or Jannis or anybody.
James Harden might be the best basketball player in the
world period. I didn't. That's Stalin Houston was never going
to win. But he has adapted in change. I think
(01:01):
he is a little bit better defensively. You gotta get
that man some credit, all right, go ahead, Robin will
let you have this one first. Yeah, and you know what,
he didn't go over the top. He said Mike. He
used the word Mike. I'm cool with what he said
as far as where he's where Hardon is playing, the
(01:21):
transformation from what Houston was. And we know Chris he
led the league and assists before, and we knew he
had that skill. But the way to come to a
team where you're asking to come there with two other
guys who had come there as free agents, and that
planned this whole thing, to interrupt the party and bring
his ball with him, you know, and all that, and
(01:42):
to to do what he's done, which has been I've
marveled at it. I just I could sit here and
act like I'm not. They just keep winning no matter
who's playing, And the constant it's James Harden, Chris, that's
the constant. You are not lying because Kyrie is out
(02:02):
if it seems like on average is probably at least
once every two weeks on average. You know, obviously had
the two weeks where he took off, but then you
know every few weeks he misses a game, and now
he's off these next three or the next two now
and then of course Durant hasn't been there, So I
feel you. I'm gonna say this first, Rob, I'm not
(02:23):
surprised by what Harden's doing I have felt like he's
always had these skills. And you may remember when the
trade was made, I didn't know if it would work
out this way, but I said, if the Nets are smart,
then Hardened should be the point guard. Kyrie should be
the two. I wasn't sure if Kyrie would accept it.
(02:45):
And then obviously you got Durant in the front court.
That's because Harden is a straight up play maker. He
is more of a playmaker than Kyrie. And then most
then most of these point guards in the league today,
I mean, and that includes Steph and Damian Lillard, all
the greatest point guards. Most of them are they can pass.
(03:09):
Def is a really good pastor, and so it's Kyrie
and some of the others. But they are score first guys.
They average six seven assist the game Hardened for the
rob Harden's averaged ten or more the last three years.
And I know some of that. You know, assists aren't
always an indicator of a guy being a true point guard,
(03:32):
because you know, in Alan Iverson a Russell Westbrook, they're
true scores, but they get their assist by you know
they're going to score. Oh, the defense is locked me up.
Now I'm kicking it to somebody and then you get
a bucket. Hardened is setting dudes up. And I think
(03:54):
Barkley said it right because my general rule, Rob is,
you don't become you don't earn the mythical title of
best player in the world in the regular season. We
have to you got to do it. You get the
MVP Award and all that from the regular season, but
best player in the world, that's generally something that you
(04:16):
you really do your thing in the playoffs. Does that
means you win the championship? But you get busy and
you you weren't the reason or any factor in y'all
losing because you did your thing. You're just your team
just wasn't good enough. And so I'm not gonna I'm
not ready to say hard it's the best player in
the world. But what I am ready to say, Rob
(04:36):
is he's in the discussion. I think he's playing better.
Who's playing better? Nicole Yoki is just playing well. But
I take cardon, Chris. I'm gonna say this about about
your NBA writer brother, and if they could really look
at the league where it is now, who's playing, what
(04:57):
team is doing what, and not identify James Harden as
the best guy playing right now. That's no, no disrespect,
not like any other guys aren't playing. I'm not saying that,
but if you, if you can honestly look at what's
going on where he's playing without his other pieces and
they continue to run. I asked in the pre show meeting.
(05:20):
I'm not sure, Chris, what did I say? They've won
nine straight? Is it nine straight games against Western Conference?
I mean I believe so. And they've won sixteen of
their last eighteen eighteen. They've beaten every contender or pretender
meaning close to contender in the league. They go into
(05:41):
Portland and beat Portland and Portland and Lillard. Yeah, and
they were coming off an embarrassing loss Cross on Sunday,
so they have reason to bounce back. Am I right
at home? Absolutely? Absolutely? And to your point, Rob NBA
dot Com, And look, we respect all these cats. Yeah,
they got hard to say, kat Hart and six say sorry.
(06:06):
The only thing I can say, and this is their prerogative.
I think some guys, because I've seen other places where
he's fourth, he's fifth, whatever, I think some guys are
clearly holding Houston against him. That's all that. That's the
only thing that I can see because if you just
look at it as basketball, who's what a guy is
(06:29):
doing on the court. No one is playing better? And
and typically Rob we you know when a guy has
another superstar or two on the team, that hurts you
in the MVP voting, No doubt a lot of MVPs
because of that, we get right, But it's not unprecedented.
(06:51):
Bird won three straight with McHale in Parish and the
All Hall of Famers, yes, right, Magic one is three
with you know Worthy and Kareem was there. I believe
one of them, if one of them. And then Lebron Rob,
Here's the thing. Lebron won two in Miami with Wade
(07:14):
and Bosh right, So obviously Durand won it with Westbrook. Yeah,
and so I and and again he's done all this
so far essentially without Durant, this whole run, Chris, I
think duransomis fifteen. I think he played one of the games,
one of them, the first game of the West Coast,
(07:35):
remember when they won when it went five? And oh,
I think he played in that first Sacramento maybe ye,
And that was it, right, I mean I do, And
I've said robbing, and I think we both have said
Durant's the best player on the team, but I hedged
it a little bit. I don't know, a week or
two ago. Like, man, this thing is close because obviously
(07:56):
Durant is just such a a silky smooth automatic score.
But obviously Harden does more on the offensive end, and
he can score as much as Durant. Now, defensively he's
not as good, but he's not the joke defensively that
every he used to be, you know what I mean,
(08:18):
Like he's putting forth effort defensively like Harden. That boy's bad. Man.
I'm with Charles, he might be the best player in
the world. And Chaw said, might I give him nothing?
You know what I mean? Like he said, it wasn't right. Yeah,
that's not a hot take to me. I think that's
legit to say he might be the best player in
the league right now. I mean, you got nobody's gonna
(08:40):
say Yokis is the best player in the league. I
don't believe that. I don't believe anybody would say that. No,
maybe some of these analytics lovers bikes right right you
Lebron Okay, is Lebron playing Lebron? Obviously? Does it more
on the defensive end, especially this year. He's been playing
well there. But Harden is having just as much success
(09:05):
and he doesn't have Anthony Davis, and he's balling out Yannie.
You know, Yannis got his issues, he got his warts,
you know. So I think Barkley's right on the money.
Be sure to catch live 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
(09:28):
iHeartRadio app. What's up, everyone, It's me three time NFL
All Pro Sean Murray and I have a new sports
podcast called The lights Out Podcast with Sean Mariner. This
podcast is special to me as I get a chance
to talk to some of the best we've ever done
it on a field or the track. So whether it's
talking to a Super Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup
(09:48):
Series champion, the lights Out Podcast will bring it to
you the only way I know how to. I'm giving
you the best insight from the best we've ever done it.
Listen to Lights Out with Sean Murray on the iHeartRadio
app or wherever you can your podcast. That's right, he
don't play he takes it to the house, NBA Champions
takes my sports Radio, NBA endless our man, Eddie House.
(10:12):
What up, bro? What's up? Man? My favorite with favorite
part of the day of the Wednesday. Man is hearing
that music? Come on, I get my little bot steps
going and no, we've been to talk to good talk
right now. Yes, let's look before we get to the NBA.
How's your bracket looking. I'm assuming you did one. Actually no, no,
I didn't do one. Man. I did not do one
this year. To be honest with you, man, I didn't
(10:34):
want to go through that that misery, okay, because I
know everybody's miserable what was going on. I just wanted
to watch and enjoy college basketball because we didn't have
it last year the tournament. So I just wanted to
actually just watch it, you know, uh, with a clear
mind and just see God go out there and play
and not be rooting for somebody to beat somebody. So
(10:55):
I just feel because I hadn't done it in years,
and I was able to really enjoy it. But you know,
now we do it for Fox Worst Radio, so I
had to do it. But but I agree with that.
I know what he's talking about. When when you don't
have anything on the line on the game, you can
enjoy it differently exactly, and sometimes it takes away your
enjoyment of the game. It does. Yeah, I don't no
(11:17):
doubt about it. I agree. So all right, we talked
about Charles. Why you saw Barkley's comments probably that Harden
might be the best player in the world. Your thoughts
best player in the world. Yeah, I mean, well, he's
playing like it right now, you know, to be honest
with you are and we can't. We know Lebron is though, right,
but Lebron's not on the floor right now because of injury.
(11:37):
And we all say the best ability is availability, and
one thing that Lebron has been has been available, and
we know the old thing he say, out of sight,
out of mind. Right now, with Lebron being hurt, you
see his team not winning, and you see Brooklyn still
doing what they're doing and hard and playing as well
as he's playing. You can make an argument I just
(11:59):
wouldn't get him the nod pass Lebron. You know, I
just haven't seen it yet, enough of it, you know,
as far as uh you know, in the big moments,
But right now, I don't think there's nobody playing better
basketball than James Harden. I mean there's I mean he's
doing it all though, So I mean there is nobody
playing better basketball in him. Let's so you mentioned the
(12:20):
Lakers and Lebron's team losing and who knows they got
this tough stretch. Uh, they could win two of the
next fourteen or fifteen or three. You know, it just
looks like the schedules daunting. But what would you do
if you're the Lakers? Do they need to make a
move Eddie? Like for for drumming is bought out? Or
do they need to do something? Or what is the
(12:40):
other one? Use Kyle Lowry? Kyle Lowry, I think that'd
be huge. I don't get a trade. Would you do that, Eddie? Well,
I mean, well you might give up Shrewder and KCP
or something, right, Yeah, well, I mean I would do
that in a in a heartbeat. You know, with Kyle
Lowry championship pedigree, a guy that you know that is
a super smart point guard. He is a traditional point
(13:04):
guard where he will get guys involved, but he hits
the open shot, he hits the three, he makes the
right play, he defends. Yeah, I would do that in
a heartbeat if you were able to do that, Um,
you don't want to put I mean, the guys are hurt,
you don't And even if if Lebron or ad don't
get back, and it's just Kyle Lowry and one of
is that enough? Do you think that's enough if they
(13:27):
don't if they don't get heck, if if one of
them doesn't get back, they don't have what I'm trying
to say. Yeah, I say if one of them, though,
even with Kyle Lowry, I don't think that's enough. They
have to be healthy for them to make a hard
push in the playoffs, for them to have any kind
of opportunity or any shot of winning it. I think
if you don't have one of those key cogs in
that engine, I think it's all bad for the for
(13:48):
the Lakers. Eddy where you add on the Clippers, They're
seven and eight in their last fifteen games. They've essentially
played five hundred basketball over the last two months. I'm
a little down. I mean, they're still a good team.
I still think they probably the second best in the
West to the Lakers, but they just aren't playing nearly
(14:09):
as well as I expected them to play this year
and defensively their middle of the pack. Yeah, I don't.
I don't understand it. It's kind of it's one of
those things to where it's weird because you look at
them on paper and you said many they should be
playing a whole lot better than they playing. But then
what you think about it's almost like the same old Clippers.
(14:30):
I went to a comedy show in La back when
I played for the Clippers, and it was a comedian
name rod Man on there, and he said, the Clippers
got all the talent, but they just don't mesh, you know,
they just don't get it together, you know, And for
whatever reason, it's almost like what he said way back
in early two thousands is like what's happening right now?
(14:51):
You would think that they got you know, they got
plenty of talent over there. I think they got a
good coaching staff, they got really really talented players over there,
but for whatever reason, they're not putting it together. And
it's I don't know, I can't put my finger on
the reason why. You would think with Kauai, with Paul George,
with Patrick Beverley, they'll be out out of this world defensively,
(15:14):
But like you said, the middle of the pack. So
you can't explain that. You would think that with the
abilities they have on the offensive end, that they will
be able to score with guys when the score with
teams when they need to score, and be able to
lock down. But that hasn't been happening. There. One thing
about the Clippers, it's almost like the same old Clippers.
They're consistently inconsistent. Right now, I gotta ask you, as
a clipp So you were in the comedy club as
(15:37):
a Clipper and this dude's talking about the Clippers, how
did you feel like? Was that strange? Was it? Was? It?
You know? Was not because man, I was coming through.
I knew I wasn't gonna be there in a couple
of year. I was coming in and coming out. Yeah,
that was that was That was a show stop right there.
You know. And he didn't know you were there. It
wasn't like he was like, oh, let me talk about
(15:58):
the Clippers. I see Eddie. How each he didn't know
you were there? No, he you know, he just went in.
What he did. He compared us to the Atlanta Hawks
back in the day, saying that, oh, yeah, they always
got because I think he's from Atlantic, he's like they
got so much talent. You got all these people that
could do all these things, but they just don't mesh.
You know that you just can't put it together. I
always remember and uh, Cinel Hall, do you remember that
(16:21):
Lake Clippers joke like on this show. I always yeah,
he did it when he had his talk show and
he said something about, uh, it's the only time five
brothers can't play basketball, you know, like I'm something about, Yeah,
I mean, they could play, just can't get for whatever reason.
They just can't put it together. Man. And but this right,
(16:43):
you look at some of the years they have had
some talent, They have had some talent, but look at
this team, right you would think that, man, they haven't
put it together. They've been struggling. But they still right there,
you know. So that's right. They were only like four
games they got the top spot, right, Yeah, got a
real shot. They just gotta put it together. As good
as we say the West is and obviously is very good.
(17:06):
I mean outside of the Lakers, a healthy Lakers team,
nobody's like a world beater, you know what I mean.
I mean Denver, yeah they're good, but okay, you're scared
of Denver. You tak they're good. You scared of Utah Phoenix.
You know what I'm saying. Like they're all very close together.
So the Clippers have a shot. Yeah, no doubt, no doubt.
(17:27):
All right, that's our man, e house. We appreciate it, brother,
Thanks for the night man anytime, man, all right, man,
we're talking. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk
lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at
Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio
app search f SR to listen live. All right, So
(17:47):
Hardened last night they beat Portland. That's an impressive win.
Portland needed a victory coming off absolutely the Dallas before
the game before and Hardened goes for twenty five points,
seventeen dimes and how many rebounds eight or something like that.
But terrific game. He didn't shoot well, but still twenty
(18:10):
five and seventeen. I don't care what you shoot, you
and you win. We'll take that. And Charles Barkley, people
jumped on us rob first segment of the show. They
thought we were just giving hard and way too much love,
too much. You ain't heard nothing yet. Listen to what
Charles Barkley says right now, No disrespect to Lebron or
(18:35):
Jannis or anybody. James Harden might be the best basketball
player in the world period. Listen, James has made something
that's stalin Houston was never going to win, but he
has adapted and changed. I think he is a little
bit better defensively, but for them to win games without
KD and without Kyrie, you gotta get that man some credit.
(18:56):
And like I say, he is the most awesome offense
a player I've ever seen, unlessen. Michael and Kobe were
better players from the guard standpoint, but as far as offensively,
they couldn't shoot threes like him. They were not as
great as dribbling the basketball, going to the basket, getting fout.
But we gotta get that guy credit. Man, he is
(19:17):
an offensive machine playing a simple all right, rob, I'm
just gonna say it. Charles Barkley is a prisoner at
the moment, and we look we praised hard in first segment.
Right now he's leading my MVP race. He is phenomenal
at all time great. But do not do not tell
(19:43):
me he is the best offensive player ever. I'm sorry,
Are you gonna tell me he's a better offensive player
then Michael Jordan's No, I'm with you. I just can't.
I can't get with that right because because it's not
only and as as well as he's played, Chris, you
just talked about it earlier. What about the clunkers, Charles
(20:07):
and the playoffs? Thank you? Those count? You can't you
what are you denying them? I mean those count I
want to give you something, Robbing. You remember this when
Michael Jordan's played point guard eleven games he played point
(20:28):
guard in the nineteen eighty eight eighty nine season. I'm
bringing this up for this reason because today, the best
perimeter guy on the team, whether he's a point guard
or not, all right, typically handles the ball all the time. Okay,
(20:49):
And Michael Jordan and none of the players back in
that day in the eighties and nineties played that way. Okay,
they shot a lot. Jordan's shot a ton. He shot
pretty much more than anybody, but he didn't dominate the ball,
just dribbling all the time. Okay. And the one stretch
(21:11):
of his career that I would say, maybe you could
say he played like some of these guys today as
far as having the ball in his hands all the
time was an eleven games stretch. Rob in the nineteen
eighty eight eighty nine season, when Doug Collins Sam Vincent
was struggling at point guard. They put Jordan in at
(21:31):
point because obviously he was their best player. And does
Collins is like, look, we just need something, we need
a spark. Rob An eleven games. You you should remember.
Do you remember how many triple doubles Michael Jordan had?
I don't remember, but I remember. I remember the move.
I do remember it. Any eleven games, rob ten triple doubles, wow,
(21:58):
including seven straight. Obviously was gonna be a long streak
of straight triple doubles when you got ten or eleven.
Here were his numbers, thirty three point six points a game,
eleven point four rebounds, ten point eight assists, two point
nine steals, and fifty one percent shooting. That's when he
(22:18):
played like the guys today, where he's bringing the ball
up the court. He's making all the decisions I'm gonna
shoot it or I'm gonna pass it to the guy
that's gonna shoot it. He averaged a triple double, and
rob that was basically without the three point line, you
know what I mean. I mean it was there, but
nobody was shooting the three. Nobody was shooting the way
(22:40):
that's shooting it now right right, half a hardened shots
or three point attempts. So you have to factor that
in when you look at these gaudy numbers these dudes
are playing. If they're taking ten eleven threes a game,
and you hit four or five threes every game, then
you're numbers are going up. And so I'm look, I
(23:04):
know that's a small sample size, but Rob, that's with
hand checking, that's with physical play. That's without much many
three pointers being shot. That's with guys hammering you when
you went to the paint. That's with scores that were
much lower than they are now. If Jordan played today,
(23:25):
his numbers would be ridiculous. You know what, you just
reminded me. It's just like a Russell Westbrook with the
triple doubles, Chris, And then you gotta remind yourself that
when Robert, when Oscar Robertson was playing no three point shot,
you know what I mean? Yea, yeah, I mean says
(23:45):
about what he was able to do during the time. Yeah,
And so I look, obviously we both are are incredibly
impressed with James Harden, but to say he's the best
offensive player and I don't even want to hear it.
They didn't shoot the three like him, well, I mean
nobody back he didn't shoot threes much back then, So
(24:06):
I don't know that you bring that into the comparison.
You know, Hardness tremendous. Jordan got to the foul line
a lot. You know, Kobe got to the foul line
not as much as Hardened, but they got to the
foul line a lot. What couldn't Jordan do? Harden's not
a better driver and finisher than Jordan. Now, he's a
(24:29):
better point guard, I give you that. Even though Jordan
when he played point had these guardens. Hard's a better
point Hardness more of a true point guard. Hart's really
like a true point guard. I mean he's gonna score
a ton, but the way he runs the offense, initiates
the offense, gets everybody involved. He's really a true point guard.
And I said this, Rob, this is some of the
(24:49):
best point guard player I've ever seen. Are you Are
you with that? Yes, I've told you earlier in the show.
I am so impressed by what James Harden has done.
I'm marveland Ada because it's just so different than the
guy we've seen the last few years, Chris, right where
all the offensive burden is on him. Dribble, dribble, dribble,
(25:10):
put up a three pointer, try to get contact free throws.
You know, like what like that's that's what the game was.
This guy's a complete player, does so many things. Well.
I've been I've been overly impressed to where James Harden
now to me is must see TV if he's if
he's on too. If he's on, I'm putting the game on.
(25:32):
I don't care who they're playing. I want to watch
him play. And that's why I'm bummed out tonight because
instead now, Chris, I'm not gonna watch the game tonight,
I'm telling you I'm not gonna watch because there's no
reason to. I hate to say it that way, I know,
but I wanted to watch the game even though it
was gonna be him against Utah, you know what I mean.
(25:52):
I still would have watched the game to see him
playing
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Rob Parker
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