May 27, 2022 • 35 mins
Chris and Rob discuss what changes Luka Doncic needs to make to his game - and what changes the Dallas Mavericks need to make around him - to win an NBA championship, and tell us why they're picking the Boston Celtics to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals later tonight. Plus, FS1 NBA analyst Ric Bucher swings by to discuss Luka's future in Dallas, the notion that Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors would have won those two titles even without Kevin Durant, what Curry needs to do to crack the all-time top-10, and much more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out 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
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(00:22):
R party. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All Yeah,
(00:42):
it is The I Couple. I'm Chris Bruce Art alongside
my partner Parker, and we are coming to you live
from the Fox Sports Radio studios. Good live, and we
have got a fantastic show for you. We gotta all
end off the work week as a funky flashback Friday.
Plenty of NBA talk to get into some NFL little baseball.
(01:08):
A lot going on in the world of sports, and
we're gonna hit on most of it here over the
next three hours. So keep it locked or Fox Sports Radio,
the iHeartRadio app, or Series XM channel eighty three, however
you may be listening. We got a Rick Buker, FS
one NBA analysts host of the On the Ball with
(01:30):
Rick Buker podcast. He'll join us at the bottom of
the hour, obviously to talk all things NBA. But let
me welcome in my partner, mister Roy Parker. What's up brother?
What's happened to mister Chris Bouchard? Happy Friday. I'm back,
glad to be back after a rare night off and
I was in Broadway. Wow, Yeah, how'd that go? It
(01:54):
was a lot of fun. It was. Have you heard
about the show take taking me out? Yeah? I don't
want to give the whole thing about it. Yeah, a
little bit about it. Yeah, it was very good. And
we got to Chris after the show. We had a
talk back and some of the actors from the play.
We're up on stage. I was up on stage with
(02:15):
Ken david Off, who was a long time New York
coach baseball writer, you know, kem and and uh. We
took questions from the audience. About half the audience stuck
around for it. It was a great night. I enjoyed
the show immensely, And I thought that about it's about
uh one of the players coming out and having to
(02:37):
deal with that coming out. Oh that's the one where
um his picture just got Jesse, just is it? William? Yeah, yeah,
just got leaked. Yeah. I haven't looked at that. No,
I'm just saying no, I said this picture got leaked.
That's what I said. I didn't say you looked at it. Yes,
you're not supposed to have phones. They put them in
like a special uh case, so that you can't take pictures. Obviously,
(03:02):
you can't call or talk or anything during the show.
I don't know how somebody got a phone in there.
And was it Glenn Burke? No, no, no, this this
thing storyline sounds like, uh, it's Derek Jeter, Like that's
what it feels like. I mean, it's not about Derek Jeter, obviously,
but I'm saying it's about a big time star signed
(03:24):
a big contract. He's the fan favorite, he's a great
player and all that. But you know, but he wants out.
But because you wouldn't, I'm shocked that you relate that
to Jeter. No, no, no, if you watch the play,
it's about like it's like about the Yankees and he
if you see if you know what Jesse Williams looks like,
(03:44):
he's you know what I mean. I'm just saying it
ain't about big point is being that he's coming out
of the closet. You know, No, I know, but I'm
just saying it's not it's not about Derek Jeter, but
if feels like, you know, like a player of that magnitude,
that's all. And it feels like the team's not called
(04:05):
the Yankees, but it feels like the Yankees with the
pinch stripes. You know what I'm saying. It's based in
New York, that's right. All right, great show, great show,
let's get into it. We got the Eye Couple crew
in full effects. Super producer Rob g in the house
on the Ones and twos. DJ Alex Heisher on Fridays.
He's known as a k A time crady and I
(04:27):
know the dust is fine, so I can't wait to
hear his offerings for today and on the updates our
man Steve Disaga. Rob, I could easily do it. I'm
not gonna like do a whole segment on it. I'm
not gonna bring in music and all that, but I
will just say this just because you did it to me.
(04:50):
When did I do it to you? I told Joe,
Oh my god, Rob Parker, I told you so, Warriors
are actually saying Warriors in six. I gave Dallas too
much credit, but you said Dallas in seven solely because
(05:10):
you just couldn't get yourself to pick Steph Curry in
the wards. Not true. I know you don't care about Dallas.
I know you didn't think Dallas was gonna win, but
just on the whim, just in case, just because who knows,
maybe they can win, you pick them and you were wrong.
(05:32):
I just feel good. I'm not even mad at you,
you know, like like like the one thing that people
don't understand about me for real, and you notice, Chris,
because we're in this business and this is what we do.
We want to be right on our picks right, absolutely, Okay,
that's what we do everybody, and it's and it's not
(05:53):
every We know we can't get everyone right, but you
want to get a certain amount right when you feel
good about like, oh I picked that and I got
that one right. I mean I had a couple, uh
you know, big ones where you know, the year Chris
I said the Lakers wouldn't make the playoffs, remember that,
and we had a big that was a big one.
We were all arguing and had a big show and
(06:15):
Katino Mobili and everybody's yelling at me and they, oh yeah,
so when you get I'm no, I'm just giving you
that one because it was so heated on the air
and Greg Jennings and you and you guys will and
and and Jason mcintime, and when we were on disputed right,
it was all you guys yelling at me like I'm like,
(06:36):
I'm a sugar though I'm crazy, but anyway, so you
want to be right, but you can't get them all right,
And you picked that one right. And I don't know,
I thought maybe, just maybe because Luca finally broke through
that maybe he had they wouldn't be able to guard
him or whatever. But the interesting thing to me was uh,
(06:56):
and and and uh was Luca admitting and I guess
and Jeff Van Gundi and the defense and everybody was
ripping them because it's just not good enough. Yeah, and
look that that's not why they lost, I mean part
of it. He does need to improve defensively. And Rob,
you know this, this is what it's about. The playoffs.
(07:18):
Expose your weaknesses. That's what they do, Michael Jordan, Rob,
what did he say in the last dance Detroit should
him I'm not strong enough, right, I gotta get in
the weight room. I gotta bulk up. You know, Lebron
learned lessons. What is San Antonio two thousand and seven,
(07:39):
got swept? My jump shot is I gotta work on it?
I got And early in his career Lebron wasn't a
defender and and after you know, a couple of years
in the league, he realized, you know what, I've got
to improve on that end, and he end up becoming
a great defender. And so this is what the playoffs does.
(08:00):
It exposes your weaknesses. And those who are really champions
at heart, rob they learn from it and they improve
and they come back better. If you come back the same,
you know, if you if your weaknesses are exposed and
you blame it on others, you blame it on your teammates,
(08:22):
you blame it on the coach. You know, you find
somewhere to put the blame other than looking in the mirror,
then you may you may never become a champion. Well
I'll say this too, and shame on you, because right
nobody's nobody's perfect. Nobody, Chris. It's like in our business.
And you notice, being a writer, I don't care how
(08:43):
long you're write like, it's there's no perfect deal. You're
always learning, you're always trying to get better. Am I right, Chris,
like like the whole. I've been writing professionally for thirty
six years and I still can learn things and tips
and and uh make transition is better and whatnot. There
is no perfect thing, and the same thing in sports,
(09:04):
it's the same exact thing. There's always stuff to work on.
If you're gonna go on vacation and not pick up
a ball and not do anything and not try to
improve on on what needs to be done, in shame
on you. And that's why I arrived one of one
of the one of the things that really sticks in
my craw. I don't know if you'll agree or not.
(09:25):
I think you will. It is when players, and I
say players, there's probably other people that do it, but
you know, you hear a lot of players say it
when they never admit to a regret. You know, I
live in a folly life. If you don't have any life,
all have regrets. It doesn't make you a bad person,
(09:48):
doesn't wish you're right. We all have done things wrong,
and we all went about it the wrong way at
some point in time. And I don't I never understood ride.
Why you hear am I wrong? Don't you hear a
lot of players. Oh, I don't have so I do
it the same exact way, and I wouldn't do it.
(10:09):
You want to you want to go play fifteen years
and never win? Really, is that what you wanted? Like, like,
you can't say that now, that doesn't mean that you
didn't try your best or you didn't watch called. But
sure it could have been things I could have done
to change my fortunes or whatever. And that's what it is,
and it could have been you know what if I
really had dedicated myself to my first eight or nine
(10:31):
years and really put in work. And I get it.
It's hard, Chris. You can't like you ask young guys, Oh,
they're all partying and they're chasing women or drinking or whatever.
You're twenty three and you got a pocket full of
money in your star athlete. I get that. But the
smart guys are able to balance it and make sure
that they don't waste those years. You know, Like it's
(10:52):
a short ride and you have to put in the work.
It's just everybody on that level so talented, and if
you don't, the window can open and close and you'll
be like, what happened to me? Let me share? I
share an example that really, I think Rob drives home
the point of just how close these world class athletes
(11:15):
are track and field. The difference between a gold medal
you same boat was just on another level. But for
the most part, the difference between a gold medal and
finishing out of the metal stands like two three tenths
(11:37):
of a second. That's all it is. Nobody's finishing a
minute behind them, right right, I mean in a minute
in one hundred meter dashing, two three tenths of a
second is the difference between gold and nothing. And that's
the same in all these sports. Rob. That's one reason
(11:58):
I do harm. I think intangibles are huge because that
a lot of times can be the difference. And when
we're talking about Luca Ross, we are talking about him,
I think we I brought up, you know, regrets. One
thing Luca should understand was something he did wrong is
he came into camp out of shape and he didn't
(12:21):
get going until like December really, and that's when they
kind of took off. And I think with Luca, I
liked that he brought up the defense. Rob and I
think one of his issues defensively because he's, look, he's
never gonna be Scottie Pippen defensively, no, and nobody wants
(12:41):
him to be that. Chris, It's not about that. It
is about you just said it. Come in, come in
right in shape, show your teammates you serious right that
you have an effort, have an effort on defense. If
other guys see the star putting up that kind of
effort for it's hard for them to look when when
(13:02):
you look over they can't. They can. But if they
look over and see that guy and go look at
this guy, he's not he's and he's not even he's
not even running back on defense. How in the world
you want me to run back on defense? It's human nature.
That's part of his problem on defense is that he's
worn down. He's exhausted. So he already has trouble garden
(13:27):
because he's, you know, kind of slow footed. But now
he's tired too, and so that's what he's got to learn.
And it's no slight on Luca. Like we said, everybody
has to go back to the lab in the offseason.
If Michael Jordan, if Lebron James went back to the
lab at some point, then anybody can go back to
the lab. And so that's no, shame on Luca. All right,
(13:50):
we're gonna throw it out to you guys eight seven
seven ninety nine on fix, Rob, let's go here. I mean,
because we want to talk warriors. We will as we
will get that. Yeah, I'm sorry to be They are
the Western Conference champions and they deserve a segment. But
let's throw this out, Rob. Do you think Luca will
(14:12):
ever get over the hump? I think he can be
an all time, all time great, Like you know what time,
I'm gonna say that it ain't guaranteed if I had
to bet, if I have to bet, I would say no,
and great greater championship, greater players than him having one championship,
(14:33):
So it ain't a guarantee. And he definitely, granted, he
needs some help. I'm not pulling it, Chris, but I
can't see here today and be like, for sure he's
gonna win a championship. I can't say it today. Yeah,
And I tell you what I think right now. He's
not there yet, obviously. But you said greater players than
(14:54):
him having won championships, Elgin Baylor, I think it's probably
the greatest never to win it. Carl Malone, Parkley, don't
look great plays. Luca can be better than Autumn. He
can be better than everybody else that didn't win the championship.
Chris Paul Allen iverson he can. He's not now, but
he has that potential. But we'll see, all right. Eight seven,
seven ninety nine on Fox Just turned the way in.
(15:16):
Will Luca Dodgers ever get over the hump and win
a Ring a Couple of Fox Sports Radio. Be sure
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Luca Dodgers ever get over the hump and win a title.
I know it's early, but we're putting it out there.
You're turning the way in all right, Chris, let's kick
it off with the al in North Carolina. You're on
(16:42):
the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What up out hey?
What's going on? Guys? How are you doing? It's doing great?
We're great man? How are you? I'm great man? You
guys have been comparing him with James Harding lately, and
I think he's pretty much a mirror image. The only
difference is he actually shows up in the playoffs and
he um to get tricky in the post um. I
(17:05):
think that's the main difference. Um with this being a
Lebron James era, I can most definitely see it happening
because you have guys that have quit mostly on the
situations that they have going on, and I can see
them wanting to go to a Dallas to play with
like a Luca John Chis or whatever. You know what
I'm saying. So somebody like a Donovan Mitchell and think
a star like, let's take Donovan Mitchell. I don't believe
(17:27):
that for one. Yeah, because I think right now it's
hard for that second guy that can do to play
with him. Do not see Cleverer's the Kyle Corver's the
spot up shooters. Sure, I love to play with I
can't create my own stuff. What to do it for?
Of course, what star wants him to have the ball
the time? It ain't happening. And and and look, Lebron
(17:51):
faced that too. I mean the way were boys, that's
why they linked up, right, And Kye was just there
he didn't you know, And obviously he left and so
I look, I yeah, I'm with you, Rob, I don't
I'm not don't see old body, but nobs gonna be
(18:13):
lining up, you know, let me go play with Luca. Nah,
they they're gonna have to. I think tweet not changed
completely completely, but tweak some things so that someone else
can shine alongside Luca, no doubt. How about Austin and
Montana a place I need to get to. You're on
the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio? What up Austin? Hey,
(18:34):
what's going on? Guys? I'm over here. We've got a
big debate going. I'm a huge Lakers guy. I'm a
big Lebron guy, have been since day one. And uh
my buddy here you he uh he's a huge Keywolves guy.
And we've got this big old debate gone. Who you
guys got? You guys got the Lakers? Now that Lebron's
on that TV twelve guet, what do you guys think
(18:55):
of that? Wait? What do we have to love? Chris? Yeah? Okay, No,
I don't know what it wasn't knowing Luca, so we
don't need no, no, no, I don't know where that happened.
I don't even know there. Yeah, Chili, Tim in Atlanta,
you're on the odd couple Fox Sports Radio? What up? Chill?
What up. What up? Fellas, what's going on? All is good?
(19:17):
How are you what? It looks good? Yeah, it looked
like Rob congratulations on your hall of fame. Man, you
heard a lot of people. It's kind of a secret
whatever christ one guy is a hall of famer. I
think I kind of heard it somewhere. Manim a little
(19:39):
birdie told you, right, yeah, yeah, a little birdie with
a bullhorn, right right, right. But I think I don't
I disagree with that caller that just got you know,
let's talking about the guys. A couple of play with Luca.
That was my point to Rob Ge, like, he's gonna
have to change his game. I have to tweak that
(20:02):
because he'll never ever get it. Anybody else to come
and play with him, just to stand around and watch
him dribble up until you know, twenty seconds and left
from the shot clock, and then you give me the
ball expect me to do something with it. He's gonna
have to change that, and because if he doesn't, he'll
score a lot of points, but he'll never win any championships,
right right, And the question is this how much canny?
(20:26):
And I'm not I'm not saying I have the answer Lebron.
Eddie House brought this up yesterday, Robin, We talked with him.
Lebron was so athletic that even though he wasn't great
off the ball, the fact that he was athletic gave
him a chance to be better off the ball, and
he made up for it on the other end too, right, right,
he was a tremendous defender. So even though he and
(20:47):
Wade weren't a perfect fit offensively, they reached havoc together defensively.
And so we'll get into some of this with Rick Bucker.
He may have some answers, but first, 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 FSR to listen live.
(21:10):
So let's welcome in fs one. NBA analysts, host of
the On the Ball with Rick Bucker podcast, our man,
Rick Bucker. Rick, Let's get right to it. We're talking
about Luca, and obviously he's great, but what I just
don't think. I think this one man show type of
basketball that he plays. Lebron played hard and played has
(21:34):
a ceiling, and the ceiling at NBA Championship, so one
do you agree with that, and too, how do you
think Dallas can remedy that and get to win a
championship with Luca? Yeah, so they're two parts to that one.
I think that's always been the case, and I've been
around long enough to see this evolution. We could start
(21:56):
with Michael Jordan's right, and we could he could advance
to a Chimlajuan. There was a time where a Chim
e LaJuan did everything and he had to learn how
to trust his teammates. Lucas Dodgers has to do the
same thing. That's always been the case, but I honestly
believe it's more the case now than ever before because
(22:18):
the game is so fast and athletic that you simply
can't put that much on one player, especially a player
like Donchez. And I think he saw in the one win,
whether Dontess was on the floor or he wasn't, the
MAVs played with far better pace and it's you know,
(22:43):
Dantes at times reminded me of the way Lebron plays now,
and Lebron being at thirty seven, thirty eight, you know,
gonna be thirty eight, Like I understand that he's doing it,
but Dodges is twenty three. He's gonna have to learn
to either play faster or utilize his teammates more by
pushing the ball up the floor and allowing other guys
(23:07):
to play. And the interesting thing is is that with
his national team he does that, like I've seen it
where he's not the centerpiece and they've had tremendous success.
So I think he's capable of it. But it's natural
for any great player when he looks around and his
team gets into trouble to say, well, give me the ball,
I'll go get it done. And you know, Kobe Bryant
(23:29):
learned the same thing. Every player has to learn it.
I believe Dons will because I think his head is
in the right play Janizanta the Kombo had to learn
it right, right right, So I think he'll. I think
he'll get there. But without question, I agree with you
that today's game, more than ever is. It's not even
(23:50):
a big three. It's like the more versatility and the
more ways you can score and the more guys that
you can lean on, I think the better equipped you
are because because the game is so athletic, because it
is so fast, depth means more than anything than it. Ever,
it means more than it ever has. Rick. We just
had a caller, a listener call in and say he
(24:14):
thought that, you know, people will flock to come play
with Lucas, stars will come with Chris and I. We're like,
we don't see that. In the way he plays and
how much he has the ball, what star would want
to play And it doesn't mean he can't get some
other players to be around him, you know what I mean.
(24:34):
But but I can't see it a star player Rick
signing up for that. I just can't. Yeah, not the
way that he plays now for sure, And I've heard
plenty of it already through his career. People around the league,
players executives will say Lucas hard to play with. And
(24:55):
I know people in Dallas or people who are Luca
fans in league. What are you talking about right here?
A great player? What do you mean? Right? Yeah, he
sets guys up. They're just not making shots. And it's
like I've I've said it with Lebron, it's the same thing.
It's like you have to learn to play off of him,
and if you're a player, it's why it's why stars
(25:18):
don't flock to play with Lebron. Because it's going to
be the Lebron Show, and so you if you are
a star like you have to be a complimentary player.
Are you willing to do that? Well, some guys were
when they knew that it was going to result in
the championship. Well, dont just isn't there yet, so he
(25:40):
doesn't have that calling card and he dominates the ball.
There's just no way around it. Now. I think you
can get the caliber. I mean, I think you can
build a team around him, similar to Lebron where you
just get great, accomplished role players. And I do think
you will get those guys that he makes the game
(26:01):
easier for whether that gets you to a championship or
not remains to be seen. But I don't think it's
like he's not gonna ever attract anybody of talent. But
Paul George isn't gonna go play with him. Kawhi Leonard.
I'm just throwing their names out there of guys like
they're not gonna go and play alongside a A Luca
(26:23):
don Rick. What do you think on the other side,
Golden Stay get into this finals? What do you think
this does for Steph's legacy? If anything, just getting there
I honestly, I know people are and we're so quick
to want to like give accolades, and I think people
like Steph so much that it's like he's back, he's
(26:45):
the same, he's better than ever. Show Look, he proved
that he didn't need KD to win, and it's like,
you can't. I'm not gonna let you revise history like that.
They needed KD to win those championships, thank you at
bottom line, end of story. Because it was a different team,
you lost all of your depths. You needed KD to
(27:06):
be KD. There's a reason why he was the two
time finals MVP. Stop with this. They would have won
without KD. You're out of your freaking mind. I actually
think they could have. No, No, at least that I
think in twenty seventeen years, hold on, they were so
upset they gave away a title and they showed on.
(27:28):
They were up three one on Lebron and Kyrie. It's
not like that, and they did rick. Do you think
if Draymond doesn't get suspended they lose that series? No,
I think they win it. Okay, then they could have
won it without KD. Well well if if if if no, no, no,
no, no no, no, no no, no, no no no no no
no no. Just because they could have won that one
(27:49):
doesn't mean they would have won the next time. I'm
not guaranteeing it back. I'm not guaranteeing it. But to
say they couldn't ask you can't say that they couldn't. No,
there's not him. It could not have. Then this is why,
and this is why is because Andrew Bogitt was done.
Now are you keeping Harrison Barnes? Harrison Barnes demonstrated he
(28:12):
couldn't play on that stage. Andre Iguidala has not been
the same really since then, Um, they just lost a
lot of pieces. If you look what KD did, KD was,
if I'm not mistaken, here's here's the leading shot blocker
he was, if not their leading rebounder. Close. I want
(28:35):
to say it was the leading score like you built
so many boxes that the that the Strength and Numbers
crew had supplied. I'm just saying they had reached their
expiration date with that group. They needed a booster shot
and KAD gave it to them. Now, could they have
won that that that year where they you know, they
(28:58):
blew the three one? If Draymond does and get suspended
and Andre's not playing with a hamstring and Vogue. I
mean they had they had the ability to win that.
But then again, like you got to trade it off
because they won the previous year when Kyrie Irving and
Kevin Love got hurt, So I just they needed KD.
Now if Steph, if they get to the it's not
(29:20):
just getting to the finals, right, if they win. If
they win a championship and Steph is the finals MVP,
then he will cross the last item off his bucket list,
where for me, I put him firmly in the top
twenty of all time. Now let me ask you this,
if they lose, if you don't already happen there, If
(29:42):
they lose, Rick, say they get there and they lose
to Boston or whatever and Steph, you know, then then
how would you look at that? Then? What it would it?
Would it? I'm not saying that it would diminish his career,
but I think that would be a blow. I think
everybody was ready to crown Chris Paul after they were up.
(30:02):
So so two things here. One, I do think it
would be a blow. Uh, not just because that they lost,
but who they lost too. He's losing the boss himself,
he's not losing to a defendant champion. Obviously, it depends
how they lose and why they lose, But yes, I
(30:24):
do believe that it would be confirmation of what we
felt like up till now that the intangibles as a leader,
Steph is great? Is he one of the all time
greats individually? Simply because he's the greatest shooter that we've
seen arguably, Um to me, that's not enough to put
him in the top twenty because he's not given me
(30:45):
anything at the other end, all right, all right, that's
our Mayor, Rick Buker spot always Lucas stuff that lucaslot.
I love you. Yeah, all right, we'll see have a
(31:08):
good weekend man. Sheckel City is next A couple of
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(31:31):
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(31:51):
folks for sheckel City. Welcome to Sheckle City, the whole
base for Rob Parker against the spread. All right, Checko
(32:11):
City not yet sponsored by Caesar Sports Book, but just
a matter of time, all right, Chris, Sheckyo City. Last
night there was no shecko City, so there were no
els at all, which was a good thing. Um, But
let's go for tonight. Of course the Celtics could wrap
things up. I picked them, Chris as my best bet.
(32:33):
Celtics minus eight and a half of Boston Tea. Yeah,
I just I mean, I don't know what's and of
course they'll win, but I just don't feel like they've
got all right, don uh So there, Celtics minus ain't
and a half my best bet. Then I got a
couple of baseball games. I'm doing the run totals as
I usually do. I could do money lines or whatever,
(32:54):
but I do the run totals. Um Rockies at the
National's Chris under nine and a half is what I
have for the run total under nine and a half.
Brewers at the Cardinals. Was that Rockies game rained out
now that I think about it, Maybe not earlier Brewers
at the Cardinals run total it was rained out? Yeah,
(33:16):
I think I remember Steve saying that over seven runs?
What about the Brewers Cardinals? So do we know? Because
the weather it's bad, that's rained out too. It is
all right, Chris, the only one I got really going
unless the Celtics get rained out tonight in Boston. So
there you go. Sheko City, remember Shako Cities down to
(33:37):
one to one bet tonight. It's just the basketball, yeah,
because it's just the basket. The other two games got
rained out. They weren't rained out when I picked made
my picks and Elijah put together the graphic. But anyway, uh,
Sheko City. Remember I'm not telling you who the bet on.
I'm telling you who I bet on. Whatever. I heard that,
all right, So you you feel like Boston gets it
(33:59):
done night Route. Look, I think they're the better team,
but key, they're also the healthier team. Yeah. It's hard
for me to really look at them and think of
anything else going on with the health you know, situation, right,
just I don't see it. Yeah, Jimmy Butler, A lot
of people have talked about him, his playoff Jimmy like
(34:21):
playoff Rondo, because he is one of those guys or
has been, who is better in the playoffs than he
is during the regular season. And that's a great trait
to have. But these last three games, Rob and I
suspect it's because I'm this is not a revelation, but
it's because of the bothersome right knee. He's got inflammation
(34:43):
in his right knee. But Rob, the dropoff has been
just astronomical. He went from averaging thirty five points a
game in the first two games to totally twenty seven
points in the last three games. Like he's banged up.
And then on top of that, Tyler heroes out and
(35:06):
Rob I do think that I'm gonna give Boston some credit.
That defense is so tenacious, so versatile. Every starter on
their team can pretty much guard one through five that
they wear you down. We saw it against Milwaukee. By
the end of the series, the opponent is worn down,
(35:28):
and that's what we're seeing with mil With Miami, Rob
Max Struss had made a shot in the last two games.
Kyle Lowry I think four points in the last two games.
Worn down, all right, keep it like two hours left.
Odd couple
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out 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
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every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f s
(00:22):
R party. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All Yeah,
(00:42):
it is The I Couple. I'm Chris Bruce Art alongside
my partner Parker, and we are coming to you live
from the Fox Sports Radio studios. Good live, and we
have got a fantastic show for you. We gotta all
end off the work week as a funky flashback Friday.
Plenty of NBA talk to get into some NFL little baseball.
(01:08):
A lot going on in the world of sports, and
we're gonna hit on most of it here over the
next three hours. So keep it locked or Fox Sports Radio,
the iHeartRadio app, or Series XM channel eighty three, however
you may be listening. We got a Rick Buker, FS
one NBA analysts host of the On the Ball with
(01:30):
Rick Buker podcast. He'll join us at the bottom of
the hour, obviously to talk all things NBA. But let
me welcome in my partner, mister Roy Parker. What's up brother?
What's happened to mister Chris Bouchard? Happy Friday. I'm back,
glad to be back after a rare night off and
I was in Broadway. Wow, Yeah, how'd that go? It
(01:54):
was a lot of fun. It was. Have you heard
about the show take taking me out? Yeah? I don't
want to give the whole thing about it. Yeah, a
little bit about it. Yeah, it was very good. And
we got to Chris after the show. We had a
talk back and some of the actors from the play.
We're up on stage. I was up on stage with
(02:15):
Ken david Off, who was a long time New York
coach baseball writer, you know, kem and and uh. We
took questions from the audience. About half the audience stuck
around for it. It was a great night. I enjoyed
the show immensely, And I thought that about it's about
uh one of the players coming out and having to
(02:37):
deal with that coming out. Oh that's the one where
um his picture just got Jesse, just is it? William? Yeah, yeah,
just got leaked. Yeah. I haven't looked at that. No,
I'm just saying no, I said this picture got leaked.
That's what I said. I didn't say you looked at it. Yes,
you're not supposed to have phones. They put them in
like a special uh case, so that you can't take pictures. Obviously,
(03:02):
you can't call or talk or anything during the show.
I don't know how somebody got a phone in there.
And was it Glenn Burke? No, no, no, this this
thing storyline sounds like, uh, it's Derek Jeter, Like that's
what it feels like. I mean, it's not about Derek Jeter, obviously,
but I'm saying it's about a big time star signed
(03:24):
a big contract. He's the fan favorite, he's a great
player and all that. But you know, but he wants out.
But because you wouldn't, I'm shocked that you relate that
to Jeter. No, no, no, if you watch the play,
it's about like it's like about the Yankees and he
if you see if you know what Jesse Williams looks like,
(03:44):
he's you know what I mean. I'm just saying it
ain't about big point is being that he's coming out
of the closet. You know, No, I know, but I'm
just saying it's not it's not about Derek Jeter, but
if feels like, you know, like a player of that magnitude,
that's all. And it feels like the team's not called
(04:05):
the Yankees, but it feels like the Yankees with the
pinch stripes. You know what I'm saying. It's based in
New York, that's right. All right, great show, great show,
let's get into it. We got the Eye Couple crew
in full effects. Super producer Rob g in the house
on the Ones and twos. DJ Alex Heisher on Fridays.
He's known as a k A time crady and I
(04:27):
know the dust is fine, so I can't wait to
hear his offerings for today and on the updates our
man Steve Disaga. Rob, I could easily do it. I'm
not gonna like do a whole segment on it. I'm
not gonna bring in music and all that, but I
will just say this just because you did it to me.
(04:50):
When did I do it to you? I told Joe,
Oh my god, Rob Parker, I told you so, Warriors
are actually saying Warriors in six. I gave Dallas too
much credit, but you said Dallas in seven solely because
(05:10):
you just couldn't get yourself to pick Steph Curry in
the wards. Not true. I know you don't care about Dallas.
I know you didn't think Dallas was gonna win, but
just on the whim, just in case, just because who knows,
maybe they can win, you pick them and you were wrong.
(05:32):
I just feel good. I'm not even mad at you,
you know, like like like the one thing that people
don't understand about me for real, and you notice, Chris,
because we're in this business and this is what we do.
We want to be right on our picks right, absolutely, Okay,
that's what we do everybody, and it's and it's not
(05:53):
every We know we can't get everyone right, but you
want to get a certain amount right when you feel
good about like, oh I picked that and I got
that one right. I mean I had a couple, uh
you know, big ones where you know, the year Chris
I said the Lakers wouldn't make the playoffs, remember that,
and we had a big that was a big one.
We were all arguing and had a big show and
(06:15):
Katino Mobili and everybody's yelling at me and they, oh yeah,
so when you get I'm no, I'm just giving you
that one because it was so heated on the air
and Greg Jennings and you and you guys will and
and and Jason mcintime, and when we were on disputed right,
it was all you guys yelling at me like I'm like,
(06:36):
I'm a sugar though I'm crazy, but anyway, so you
want to be right, but you can't get them all right,
And you picked that one right. And I don't know,
I thought maybe, just maybe because Luca finally broke through
that maybe he had they wouldn't be able to guard
him or whatever. But the interesting thing to me was uh,
(06:56):
and and and uh was Luca admitting and I guess
and Jeff Van Gundi and the defense and everybody was
ripping them because it's just not good enough. Yeah, and
look that that's not why they lost, I mean part
of it. He does need to improve defensively. And Rob,
you know this, this is what it's about. The playoffs.
(07:18):
Expose your weaknesses. That's what they do, Michael Jordan, Rob,
what did he say in the last dance Detroit should
him I'm not strong enough, right, I gotta get in
the weight room. I gotta bulk up. You know, Lebron
learned lessons. What is San Antonio two thousand and seven,
(07:39):
got swept? My jump shot is I gotta work on it?
I got And early in his career Lebron wasn't a
defender and and after you know, a couple of years
in the league, he realized, you know what, I've got
to improve on that end, and he end up becoming
a great defender. And so this is what the playoffs does.
(08:00):
It exposes your weaknesses. And those who are really champions
at heart, rob they learn from it and they improve
and they come back better. If you come back the same,
you know, if you if your weaknesses are exposed and
you blame it on others, you blame it on your teammates,
(08:22):
you blame it on the coach. You know, you find
somewhere to put the blame other than looking in the mirror,
then you may you may never become a champion. Well
I'll say this too, and shame on you, because right
nobody's nobody's perfect. Nobody, Chris. It's like in our business.
And you notice, being a writer, I don't care how
(08:43):
long you're write like, it's there's no perfect deal. You're
always learning, you're always trying to get better. Am I right, Chris,
like like the whole. I've been writing professionally for thirty
six years and I still can learn things and tips
and and uh make transition is better and whatnot. There
is no perfect thing, and the same thing in sports,
(09:04):
it's the same exact thing. There's always stuff to work on.
If you're gonna go on vacation and not pick up
a ball and not do anything and not try to
improve on on what needs to be done, in shame
on you. And that's why I arrived one of one
of the one of the things that really sticks in
my craw. I don't know if you'll agree or not.
(09:25):
I think you will. It is when players, and I
say players, there's probably other people that do it, but
you know, you hear a lot of players say it
when they never admit to a regret. You know, I
live in a folly life. If you don't have any life,
all have regrets. It doesn't make you a bad person,
(09:48):
doesn't wish you're right. We all have done things wrong,
and we all went about it the wrong way at
some point in time. And I don't I never understood ride.
Why you hear am I wrong? Don't you hear a
lot of players. Oh, I don't have so I do
it the same exact way, and I wouldn't do it.
(10:09):
You want to you want to go play fifteen years
and never win? Really, is that what you wanted? Like, like,
you can't say that now, that doesn't mean that you
didn't try your best or you didn't watch called. But
sure it could have been things I could have done
to change my fortunes or whatever. And that's what it is,
and it could have been you know what if I
really had dedicated myself to my first eight or nine
(10:31):
years and really put in work. And I get it.
It's hard, Chris. You can't like you ask young guys, Oh,
they're all partying and they're chasing women or drinking or whatever.
You're twenty three and you got a pocket full of
money in your star athlete. I get that. But the
smart guys are able to balance it and make sure
that they don't waste those years. You know, Like it's
(10:52):
a short ride and you have to put in the work.
It's just everybody on that level so talented, and if
you don't, the window can open and close and you'll
be like, what happened to me? Let me share? I
share an example that really, I think Rob drives home
the point of just how close these world class athletes
(11:15):
are track and field. The difference between a gold medal
you same boat was just on another level. But for
the most part, the difference between a gold medal and
finishing out of the metal stands like two three tenths
(11:37):
of a second. That's all it is. Nobody's finishing a
minute behind them, right right, I mean in a minute
in one hundred meter dashing, two three tenths of a
second is the difference between gold and nothing. And that's
the same in all these sports. Rob. That's one reason
(11:58):
I do harm. I think intangibles are huge because that
a lot of times can be the difference. And when
we're talking about Luca Ross, we are talking about him,
I think we I brought up, you know, regrets. One
thing Luca should understand was something he did wrong is
he came into camp out of shape and he didn't
(12:21):
get going until like December really, and that's when they
kind of took off. And I think with Luca, I
liked that he brought up the defense. Rob and I
think one of his issues defensively because he's, look, he's
never gonna be Scottie Pippen defensively, no, and nobody wants
(12:41):
him to be that. Chris, It's not about that. It
is about you just said it. Come in, come in
right in shape, show your teammates you serious right that
you have an effort, have an effort on defense. If
other guys see the star putting up that kind of
effort for it's hard for them to look when when
(13:02):
you look over they can't. They can. But if they
look over and see that guy and go look at
this guy, he's not he's and he's not even he's
not even running back on defense. How in the world
you want me to run back on defense? It's human nature.
That's part of his problem on defense is that he's
worn down. He's exhausted. So he already has trouble garden
(13:27):
because he's, you know, kind of slow footed. But now
he's tired too, and so that's what he's got to learn.
And it's no slight on Luca. Like we said, everybody
has to go back to the lab in the offseason.
If Michael Jordan, if Lebron James went back to the
lab at some point, then anybody can go back to
the lab. And so that's no, shame on Luca. All right,
(13:50):
we're gonna throw it out to you guys eight seven
seven ninety nine on fix, Rob, let's go here. I mean,
because we want to talk warriors. We will as we
will get that. Yeah, I'm sorry to be They are
the Western Conference champions and they deserve a segment. But
let's throw this out, Rob. Do you think Luca will
(14:12):
ever get over the hump? I think he can be
an all time, all time great, Like you know what time,
I'm gonna say that it ain't guaranteed if I had
to bet, if I have to bet, I would say no,
and great greater championship, greater players than him having one championship,
(14:33):
So it ain't a guarantee. And he definitely, granted, he
needs some help. I'm not pulling it, Chris, but I
can't see here today and be like, for sure he's
gonna win a championship. I can't say it today. Yeah,
And I tell you what I think right now. He's
not there yet, obviously. But you said greater players than
(14:54):
him having won championships, Elgin Baylor, I think it's probably
the greatest never to win it. Carl Malone, Parkley, don't
look great plays. Luca can be better than Autumn. He
can be better than everybody else that didn't win the championship.
Chris Paul Allen iverson he can. He's not now, but
he has that potential. But we'll see, all right. Eight seven,
seven ninety nine on Fox Just turned the way in.
(15:16):
Will Luca Dodgers ever get over the hump and win
a Ring a Couple of Fox Sports Radio. Be sure
to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris
Brussar then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four
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Luca Dodgers ever get over the hump and win a title.
I know it's early, but we're putting it out there.
You're turning the way in all right, Chris, let's kick
it off with the al in North Carolina. You're on
(16:42):
the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What up out hey?
What's going on? Guys? How are you doing? It's doing great?
We're great man? How are you? I'm great man? You
guys have been comparing him with James Harding lately, and
I think he's pretty much a mirror image. The only
difference is he actually shows up in the playoffs and
he um to get tricky in the post um. I
(17:05):
think that's the main difference. Um with this being a
Lebron James era, I can most definitely see it happening
because you have guys that have quit mostly on the
situations that they have going on, and I can see
them wanting to go to a Dallas to play with
like a Luca John Chis or whatever. You know what
I'm saying. So somebody like a Donovan Mitchell and think
a star like, let's take Donovan Mitchell. I don't believe
(17:27):
that for one. Yeah, because I think right now it's
hard for that second guy that can do to play
with him. Do not see Cleverer's the Kyle Corver's the
spot up shooters. Sure, I love to play with I
can't create my own stuff. What to do it for?
Of course, what star wants him to have the ball
the time? It ain't happening. And and and look, Lebron
(17:51):
faced that too. I mean the way were boys, that's
why they linked up, right, And Kye was just there
he didn't you know, And obviously he left and so
I look, I yeah, I'm with you, Rob, I don't
I'm not don't see old body, but nobs gonna be
(18:13):
lining up, you know, let me go play with Luca. Nah,
they they're gonna have to. I think tweet not changed
completely completely, but tweak some things so that someone else
can shine alongside Luca, no doubt. How about Austin and
Montana a place I need to get to. You're on
the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio? What up Austin? Hey,
(18:34):
what's going on? Guys? I'm over here. We've got a
big debate going. I'm a huge Lakers guy. I'm a
big Lebron guy, have been since day one. And uh
my buddy here you he uh he's a huge Keywolves guy.
And we've got this big old debate gone. Who you
guys got? You guys got the Lakers? Now that Lebron's
on that TV twelve guet, what do you guys think
(18:55):
of that? Wait? What do we have to love? Chris? Yeah? Okay, No,
I don't know what it wasn't knowing Luca, so we
don't need no, no, no, I don't know where that happened.
I don't even know there. Yeah, Chili, Tim in Atlanta,
you're on the odd couple Fox Sports Radio? What up? Chill?
What up. What up? Fellas, what's going on? All is good?
(19:17):
How are you what? It looks good? Yeah, it looked
like Rob congratulations on your hall of fame. Man, you
heard a lot of people. It's kind of a secret
whatever christ one guy is a hall of famer. I
think I kind of heard it somewhere. Manim a little
(19:39):
birdie told you, right, yeah, yeah, a little birdie with
a bullhorn, right right, right. But I think I don't
I disagree with that caller that just got you know,
let's talking about the guys. A couple of play with Luca.
That was my point to Rob Ge, like, he's gonna
have to change his game. I have to tweak that
(20:02):
because he'll never ever get it. Anybody else to come
and play with him, just to stand around and watch
him dribble up until you know, twenty seconds and left
from the shot clock, and then you give me the
ball expect me to do something with it. He's gonna
have to change that, and because if he doesn't, he'll
score a lot of points, but he'll never win any championships,
right right, And the question is this how much canny?
(20:26):
And I'm not I'm not saying I have the answer Lebron.
Eddie House brought this up yesterday, Robin, We talked with him.
Lebron was so athletic that even though he wasn't great
off the ball, the fact that he was athletic gave
him a chance to be better off the ball, and
he made up for it on the other end too, right, right,
he was a tremendous defender. So even though he and
(20:47):
Wade weren't a perfect fit offensively, they reached havoc together defensively.
And so we'll get into some of this with Rick Bucker.
He may have some answers, but first, 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 FSR to listen live.
(21:10):
So let's welcome in fs one. NBA analysts, host of
the On the Ball with Rick Bucker podcast, our man,
Rick Bucker. Rick, Let's get right to it. We're talking
about Luca, and obviously he's great, but what I just
don't think. I think this one man show type of
basketball that he plays. Lebron played hard and played has
(21:34):
a ceiling, and the ceiling at NBA Championship, so one
do you agree with that, and too, how do you
think Dallas can remedy that and get to win a
championship with Luca? Yeah, so they're two parts to that one.
I think that's always been the case, and I've been
around long enough to see this evolution. We could start
(21:56):
with Michael Jordan's right, and we could he could advance
to a Chimlajuan. There was a time where a Chim
e LaJuan did everything and he had to learn how
to trust his teammates. Lucas Dodgers has to do the
same thing. That's always been the case, but I honestly
believe it's more the case now than ever before because
(22:18):
the game is so fast and athletic that you simply
can't put that much on one player, especially a player
like Donchez. And I think he saw in the one win,
whether Dontess was on the floor or he wasn't, the
MAVs played with far better pace and it's you know,
(22:43):
Dantes at times reminded me of the way Lebron plays now,
and Lebron being at thirty seven, thirty eight, you know,
gonna be thirty eight, Like I understand that he's doing it,
but Dodges is twenty three. He's gonna have to learn
to either play faster or utilize his teammates more by
pushing the ball up the floor and allowing other guys
(23:07):
to play. And the interesting thing is is that with
his national team he does that, like I've seen it
where he's not the centerpiece and they've had tremendous success.
So I think he's capable of it. But it's natural
for any great player when he looks around and his
team gets into trouble to say, well, give me the ball,
I'll go get it done. And you know, Kobe Bryant
(23:29):
learned the same thing. Every player has to learn it.
I believe Dons will because I think his head is
in the right play Janizanta the Kombo had to learn
it right, right right, So I think he'll. I think
he'll get there. But without question, I agree with you
that today's game, more than ever is. It's not even
(23:50):
a big three. It's like the more versatility and the
more ways you can score and the more guys that
you can lean on, I think the better equipped you
are because because the game is so athletic, because it
is so fast, depth means more than anything than it. Ever,
it means more than it ever has. Rick. We just
had a caller, a listener call in and say he
(24:14):
thought that, you know, people will flock to come play
with Lucas, stars will come with Chris and I. We're like,
we don't see that. In the way he plays and
how much he has the ball, what star would want
to play And it doesn't mean he can't get some
other players to be around him, you know what I mean.
(24:34):
But but I can't see it a star player Rick
signing up for that. I just can't. Yeah, not the
way that he plays now for sure, And I've heard
plenty of it already through his career. People around the league,
players executives will say Lucas hard to play with. And
(24:55):
I know people in Dallas or people who are Luca
fans in league. What are you talking about right here?
A great player? What do you mean? Right? Yeah, he
sets guys up. They're just not making shots. And it's
like I've I've said it with Lebron, it's the same thing.
It's like you have to learn to play off of him,
and if you're a player, it's why it's why stars
(25:18):
don't flock to play with Lebron. Because it's going to
be the Lebron Show, and so you if you are
a star like you have to be a complimentary player.
Are you willing to do that? Well, some guys were
when they knew that it was going to result in
the championship. Well, dont just isn't there yet, so he
(25:40):
doesn't have that calling card and he dominates the ball.
There's just no way around it. Now. I think you
can get the caliber. I mean, I think you can
build a team around him, similar to Lebron where you
just get great, accomplished role players. And I do think
you will get those guys that he makes the game
(26:01):
easier for whether that gets you to a championship or
not remains to be seen. But I don't think it's
like he's not gonna ever attract anybody of talent. But
Paul George isn't gonna go play with him. Kawhi Leonard.
I'm just throwing their names out there of guys like
they're not gonna go and play alongside a A Luca
(26:23):
don Rick. What do you think on the other side,
Golden Stay get into this finals? What do you think
this does for Steph's legacy? If anything, just getting there
I honestly, I know people are and we're so quick
to want to like give accolades, and I think people
like Steph so much that it's like he's back, he's
(26:45):
the same, he's better than ever. Show Look, he proved
that he didn't need KD to win, and it's like,
you can't. I'm not gonna let you revise history like that.
They needed KD to win those championships, thank you at
bottom line, end of story. Because it was a different team,
you lost all of your depths. You needed KD to
(27:06):
be KD. There's a reason why he was the two
time finals MVP. Stop with this. They would have won
without KD. You're out of your freaking mind. I actually
think they could have. No, No, at least that I
think in twenty seventeen years, hold on, they were so
upset they gave away a title and they showed on.
(27:28):
They were up three one on Lebron and Kyrie. It's
not like that, and they did rick. Do you think
if Draymond doesn't get suspended they lose that series? No,
I think they win it. Okay, then they could have
won it without KD. Well well if if if if no, no, no,
no, no no, no, no no, no, no no no no no
no no. Just because they could have won that one
(27:49):
doesn't mean they would have won the next time. I'm
not guaranteeing it back. I'm not guaranteeing it. But to
say they couldn't ask you can't say that they couldn't. No,
there's not him. It could not have. Then this is why,
and this is why is because Andrew Bogitt was done.
Now are you keeping Harrison Barnes? Harrison Barnes demonstrated he
(28:12):
couldn't play on that stage. Andre Iguidala has not been
the same really since then, Um, they just lost a
lot of pieces. If you look what KD did, KD was,
if I'm not mistaken, here's here's the leading shot blocker
he was, if not their leading rebounder. Close. I want
(28:35):
to say it was the leading score like you built
so many boxes that the that the Strength and Numbers
crew had supplied. I'm just saying they had reached their
expiration date with that group. They needed a booster shot
and KAD gave it to them. Now, could they have
won that that that year where they you know, they
(28:58):
blew the three one? If Draymond does and get suspended
and Andre's not playing with a hamstring and Vogue. I
mean they had they had the ability to win that.
But then again, like you got to trade it off
because they won the previous year when Kyrie Irving and
Kevin Love got hurt, So I just they needed KD.
Now if Steph, if they get to the it's not
(29:20):
just getting to the finals, right, if they win. If
they win a championship and Steph is the finals MVP,
then he will cross the last item off his bucket list,
where for me, I put him firmly in the top
twenty of all time. Now let me ask you this,
if they lose, if you don't already happen there, If
(29:42):
they lose, Rick, say they get there and they lose
to Boston or whatever and Steph, you know, then then
how would you look at that? Then? What it would it?
Would it? I'm not saying that it would diminish his career,
but I think that would be a blow. I think
everybody was ready to crown Chris Paul after they were up.
(30:02):
So so two things here. One, I do think it
would be a blow. Uh, not just because that they lost,
but who they lost too. He's losing the boss himself,
he's not losing to a defendant champion. Obviously, it depends
how they lose and why they lose, But yes, I
(30:24):
do believe that it would be confirmation of what we
felt like up till now that the intangibles as a leader,
Steph is great? Is he one of the all time
greats individually? Simply because he's the greatest shooter that we've
seen arguably, Um to me, that's not enough to put
him in the top twenty because he's not given me
(30:45):
anything at the other end, all right, all right, that's
our Mayor, Rick Buker spot always Lucas stuff that lucaslot.
I love you. Yeah, all right, we'll see have a
(31:08):
good weekend man. Sheckel City is next A couple of
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(31:31):
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(31:51):
folks for sheckel City. Welcome to Sheckle City, the whole
base for Rob Parker against the spread. All right, Checko
(32:11):
City not yet sponsored by Caesar Sports Book, but just
a matter of time, all right, Chris, Sheckyo City. Last
night there was no shecko City, so there were no
els at all, which was a good thing. Um, But
let's go for tonight. Of course the Celtics could wrap
things up. I picked them, Chris as my best bet.
(32:33):
Celtics minus eight and a half of Boston Tea. Yeah,
I just I mean, I don't know what's and of
course they'll win, but I just don't feel like they've
got all right, don uh So there, Celtics minus ain't
and a half my best bet. Then I got a
couple of baseball games. I'm doing the run totals as
I usually do. I could do money lines or whatever,
(32:54):
but I do the run totals. Um Rockies at the
National's Chris under nine and a half is what I
have for the run total under nine and a half.
Brewers at the Cardinals. Was that Rockies game rained out
now that I think about it, Maybe not earlier Brewers
at the Cardinals run total it was rained out? Yeah,
(33:16):
I think I remember Steve saying that over seven runs?
What about the Brewers Cardinals? So do we know? Because
the weather it's bad, that's rained out too. It is
all right, Chris, the only one I got really going
unless the Celtics get rained out tonight in Boston. So
there you go. Sheko City, remember Shako Cities down to
(33:37):
one to one bet tonight. It's just the basketball, yeah,
because it's just the basket. The other two games got
rained out. They weren't rained out when I picked made
my picks and Elijah put together the graphic. But anyway, uh,
Sheko City. Remember I'm not telling you who the bet on.
I'm telling you who I bet on. Whatever. I heard that,
all right, So you you feel like Boston gets it
(33:59):
done night Route. Look, I think they're the better team,
but key, they're also the healthier team. Yeah. It's hard
for me to really look at them and think of
anything else going on with the health you know, situation, right,
just I don't see it. Yeah, Jimmy Butler, A lot
of people have talked about him, his playoff Jimmy like
(34:21):
playoff Rondo, because he is one of those guys or
has been, who is better in the playoffs than he
is during the regular season. And that's a great trait
to have. But these last three games, Rob and I
suspect it's because I'm this is not a revelation, but
it's because of the bothersome right knee. He's got inflammation
(34:43):
in his right knee. But Rob, the dropoff has been
just astronomical. He went from averaging thirty five points a
game in the first two games to totally twenty seven
points in the last three games. Like he's banged up.
And then on top of that, Tyler heroes out and
(35:06):
Rob I do think that I'm gonna give Boston some credit.
That defense is so tenacious, so versatile. Every starter on
their team can pretty much guard one through five that
they wear you down. We saw it against Milwaukee. By
the end of the series, the opponent is worn down,
(35:28):
and that's what we're seeing with mil With Miami, Rob
Max Struss had made a shot in the last two games.
Kyle Lowry I think four points in the last two games.
Worn down, all right, keep it like two hours left.
Odd couple
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Rob Parker
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