Mark Willard & Ephraim Salaam Discuss Where the Lakers and Clippers Go From Here, React to Malik Nabers' Comments & More!

Mark Willard and former NFL offensive tackle Ephraim Salaam open the show reacting to the Lakers being eliminated from the playoffs... Whose shoulders does this fall on? Could JJ Redick be in over his head? What's next for LeBron? Then, they get into the Clippers losing a Game 7 of their own as the Clippers fell to the Nuggets. Where do the Clippers go from here? Could the Nuggets give the Thunder a run for their money in the next round? The guys also react live as the Winnipeg Jets force OT in Game 7 vs. the Blues! 

Later, Willard and Ephraim move into some NFL offseason talk, reacting to Malik Nabers' comments on wanting targets and receivers being divas. Plus, real-time updates and reactions as the Warriors and Rockets face off in Game 7 of their series.

Hosts: Mark Willard, Ephraim Salaam

Executive Producer: Ian Roddy

Technical Producer: Mary Mac

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
You don't listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Well, this's gonna be an interesting one. It's gonna be
an interesting one.

Speaker 3 (00:10):
You don't want no parts of this show?

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Do? I have no interest in anything that's about to
unfold in the world of American sports over the next
four hours. But somehow, uh, that does not preclude me
from sitting here and hanging out with you on Fox
Sports Sunday and Fox Sports Radio. So I will do
what human beings do in this situation.

Speaker 4 (00:33):
He from m I'm gonna try. I'm gonna try. It
is it is, it is.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
There's not a lot of optimism around Golden State Warriorville
if you ask me right now. Uh, but that's just me.
We got a lot to get to today. But go ahead,
what's you about to ask?

Speaker 5 (00:50):
I just wanted to send a shout out to someone
who's just on the air right before us. She is
a tremendous asset to the iHeart Family and and Fox
Sports One. It's Moncy Balanos. She is a diehard Clipper fan.
I don't know how and why. And I walked in

(01:13):
the studio and for years I'll walk in and I'll
give her a hard time because I mean it's the Clippers,
and I'm a Lakers guy.

Speaker 4 (01:21):
Of course, that's how it was.

Speaker 5 (01:22):
But today she was trying to hurry up and get
out of here, grab her things and just sneak out
the back, and I'm like, no, no, let's just talk. I
gave her a hug, and I was just like, hey,
look right. I warned her of this prior to, you know,
the series. I said, it's gonna go seven, and they're

(01:42):
gonna let you down like they always let you down,
being the Clippers. And you know, the guy they were
who saved their season for them and did all these
wonderful things for them, who was notorious for not showing
up in seven games, in the same seventh game of
a seven game series, did it again, maybe worse than

(02:05):
he's ever done it. And I said, that's not you, Monzi.
There's no reflection on you and your fandom. It's a
hymn problem.

Speaker 3 (02:12):
Okay.

Speaker 5 (02:13):
It's like she's in a bad relationship, right, She's in
a toxic relationship, and I'm trying to tell her I
am in.

Speaker 6 (02:19):
A bad relationship.

Speaker 5 (02:21):
I don't know how to get out of it.

Speaker 6 (02:22):
I'll be back next year, don't worry.

Speaker 5 (02:24):
Hi, Manzi, him, So I just wanted to start to
show off.

Speaker 4 (02:29):
Manzi, Manzi, you should be thrilled.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
You should be absolutely thrilled because the Clippers mantra through
the years of what they root for this time of
year has already happened.

Speaker 4 (02:39):
It's called the Lakers didn't win.

Speaker 7 (02:42):
So.

Speaker 5 (02:44):
Lining that's all they care about.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
A few hours from now, it's quite possible, if not probable,
that the Lakers and Warriors didn't do it either.

Speaker 5 (02:52):
So it'll all be on vacation together, all the California team.

Speaker 4 (02:56):
Can kun here. We all come, you know. Wow.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
But then again, one of us faint though it may be,
still got a heartbeat, still got a heartbeat. And two
years ago, damn near on this day. Two years ago,
Steph Curry took his team on a Round one road
game seven, and he scored fifty points and they won

(03:23):
the basketball game.

Speaker 4 (03:24):
Different assignment than it is tonight.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
Like I said, I'll be straight with you, I don't
love their chances, but the chances are what they are.

Speaker 4 (03:33):
And so we're gonna get We're gonna get to all this.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
And here's what I actually want to throw out there
that does kind of encompass all three of these series
I got all three of them. Well, I haven't gotten
one of them wrong yet because the Warriors haven't lost yet.
But I thought the Lakers would win that series. I
thought the Clippers would win that series. I really did.

Speaker 4 (03:51):
And so.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
There's been all kinds of wrong. But here's one thing
that I personally, I am not going to let people do,
at least not on my watch. And I don't love
what I'm hearing all week long with regard to these
two players. As we come to you live here from
the Fox Sports Radio studios, I just want to say this,

(04:15):
there are certain things in life that are already established
and you can just go ahead and move forward.

Speaker 4 (04:23):
With those things as facts.

Speaker 2 (04:25):
Can you imagine, for example, if the great Doctor Martin
Luther King Jr.

Speaker 4 (04:31):
Were to give a speech in the day and age
of social.

Speaker 2 (04:34):
Media, and what if on one given Sunday he just
a little bit like as a human being, it just
a little bit off his game, maybe flub a word,
flub a word, and there it is on repeat with
a Michael Jordan crying meme next to it or whatever
to say.

Speaker 4 (04:55):
Oh, it looks like the King is slowing down a
little bit.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Maybe maybe we need to rethink where the king actually
sits in the framework of great Americans and great speakers
and all of these.

Speaker 4 (05:10):
No, don't do that. It has already been established.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
And what I do not want to hear in the
age of one first round exit and the possibility over
the next three hours of another first round exit, I
do not want to hear questions like, well, what do'll
stop mean now for Lebron and Steph's legacy. I have

(05:34):
one word for you, and then it is the only word.

Speaker 4 (05:39):
Nothing. That's what it does to their legacy.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
One is forty, the other is thirty seven and smaller
than me. I cannot stand the fact that some are
going to cherry pick on what's happening with these two
right now. Disappointing, yes, no question about. One of them
was the three seed, the other one had a three
to one lead a few days ago, and though again

(06:06):
it's not gone yet, if the Rockets win the basketball
game tonight, I really don't want to hear people try
to reboot cool Lebron and Steph have been in this era.
I think it is a silly argument.

Speaker 5 (06:24):
Yeah, you know, we're creatures of the moment. We all are.
It's just human beings. That's what it is. Lebron James
had a citizational year. My biggest problem with what happened
with the Lakers wasn't necessarily on Lebron James our Luca

(06:45):
for that matter, It was mainly.

Speaker 8 (06:49):
On JJ Reddick. JJ Reddick had a bad series, no doubt.

Speaker 5 (06:53):
He had an awful series. Now, my wife we were
taking we were watching the highlights of the game yesterday
and watching you know, Denver just boat race Clippers, and
she said, how important is coaching opposed to you know,

(07:14):
your superstar players. And I said, well, in the playoffs,
it's the number one thing. Like your players are going
to be your players. Your players have played great all year,
so they're in the playoffs for a reason. But the
thing about playoffs are the playoff series and adjustments are

(07:36):
lack of adjustments that are made.

Speaker 3 (07:38):
So if you're not.

Speaker 5 (07:42):
Making adjustments, are doing what you're supposed to do as
a coach, you put your star players in a bad situation. Now,
she was like, well, Lebron James just come down to
the court and be like, Nope, I'm gonna do this
and I'm gonna do that. I said, yeah, that's Lebron James.
But Lebron James doesn't sub players in and out. Our
matchups are designed things to take advantage of the other team.

(08:07):
That's what a coach does. And if a coach doesn't
do any of that, then you get what we got
in that Clippers, I mean, in that Lakers series, which
was absolutely nothing, absolutely nothing. You let someone named Rudy Gobert,
who was a laughing stock outside of his defensive prowess,

(08:31):
sometimes score twenty seven and twenty twenty seven points and
twenty plus rebounds, and you consistently let your only real
rim protector and big bodies sit over there because you
decided before the game that he wasn't gonna play. I

(08:53):
don't know how you have to make it make sense,
because it doesn't. It doesn't make sense. How would you
make That's like saying at halftime, we decided we weren't
going to make any substitutions the second half. Well, and
then you get in the second half and no one
is going to be like, hey, maybe we should give

(09:14):
Lebron a break for three minutes.

Speaker 2 (09:16):
Jay's forty yeah, J J Reddick coach this series the
way that I play Madden against my son, and it's
this because I wasn't. I'm not eighteen years old, so
I can't pick up an Xbox controller and know all
twelve buttons and control like, oh, there's one underneath.

Speaker 4 (09:34):
That you need to know.

Speaker 5 (09:35):
Oh you didn't tell me about this was down here.

Speaker 2 (09:38):
There's a spin move if you get double BCD x Y.
I'm like, what are you talking about? So I look
at a play and I'm like, I know where I'm
throwing the ball before the play starts, and that's it.

Speaker 4 (09:50):
And if it gets picked, it gets picked.

Speaker 5 (09:52):
You get fifty years old. No, I'm a gamer. He
sounds Oh I'm a gamer. Fine, I'm not like, I
see my shirt, I'm gonna lose.

Speaker 2 (10:02):
Yes, fine, I'm fine with sounding old, because when it
comes to Xbox, I am. It's totally okay. I grew
up with an Atari. There was a button on it
and button. There's a button, you pushed it, things happen.
That's how I grew up. I don't care if it
sounds old. That's the way I play, and that's the
way JJ Reddick coached the series in twenty twenty five.

(10:24):
He made decisions well before it was time to make them,
and then showed no ability to adjust on the arth
so bad, and then he it was even worse than
that I thought, because also he just he absolutely kicked
every press conference.

Speaker 5 (10:40):
He got mad, he was he was henri he was arrogant.
I'm like, bro, you you were sucking right now?

Speaker 4 (10:46):
Yeah? You.

Speaker 5 (10:46):
And what I will say is is the media was
gentle on him, because if I were in there asking questions,
I would be like, Hey, does it feel like you're
a little bit over your skis here in your first
playoffs as a head coach? Yeah, That's what I would
be asking does it feel like the games are getting
away from you? Because that's what they were doing to

(11:09):
Darvin him, but he wasn't making adjustments.

Speaker 2 (11:12):
From They did ask a sort of pressing question in
that direction, he got up and walked out.

Speaker 4 (11:18):
Of the room.

Speaker 3 (11:19):
Well, then he would get up and walk out every
single yea one.

Speaker 2 (11:22):
They asked him if he was going to lean further
on his assistance, if things are going a certain way
and you want to make lineup changes. He took offense
to it. He answered it very tersely and got up
and walked out of the room. This is after Game
one where he came out and publicly said we were
surprised by the physicality of what Minnesota brought to her.

(11:43):
And yes, like I thought there was just one you said,
that's a red flag. I said it that moment. You're
exactly right. I was like, what are you saying? This
is the playoffs? You surprised by physicality? Then you're making
lineup decisions hours before a hot say I just I
don't know.

Speaker 3 (12:03):
Man to people, so and so was not going to play.

Speaker 5 (12:08):
What what if you need him?

Speaker 4 (12:10):
What if you need him?

Speaker 3 (12:12):
And they needed him?

Speaker 2 (12:13):
Wat's what the Warriors have been doing. They haven't played
Jonathan Kaminga in a month and a half.

Speaker 5 (12:17):
But the Max C kleeberd right.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
But if you ask him, is Kaminga potentially in the plan?
They'll be like, everything's on the table. It's all on
the table, always mass.

Speaker 5 (12:28):
Kleeber, everybody's got it. Back into the basketball game, and
no one knew who the hell that was and where
he came from. In an elimination game, Max Kleeber came
into the basketball game. If JJ Reddick hadn't had the
regular season, he had say they you know, teetered, you know,

(12:51):
one game above five hundred, and they got in and
the ten seed and and won two playing games and
this was his first round series. Then he would be
fired today. Yeah, he would be fired today. But because
they were able to be the third seed, which is

(13:12):
an accomplishment. And I think he did really well. I
thought he had some it'd had some consideration for Coach
of the Year based on what he was able to do,
especially with a big shake up midway through the season.
But he was completely out coaching, exposed and well over
his skis, and he just couldn't even barely tread water

(13:36):
in the playoffs. And we must hold people accountable. Period.

Speaker 4 (13:43):
Well, I'll tell you why.

Speaker 2 (13:45):
It very quickly went from championship aspirations to the possibility
of Lebron's time as a Laker being done. It sounded
to me last week like you were pretty close to
advocating that. Love to ask you more about that coming
up next. Also the way Lebron answered questions about the

(14:07):
remainder of his career. And then look, we've got a
game coming down the stretch that may well be an upset.
In Game one, the Pacers have the lead right now
with just a few minutes to go, and then that
also leads us to another Game seven in Houston, tonight
and definitely want your thoughts on where you think that
one is going to go. There was a late scratch

(14:27):
from the lineup for the Warriors. We'll get you all
of this coming up in just moments with Ephrom Salam.
I'm Mark Whillard and this is Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 7 (14:40):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to
listen live.

Speaker 4 (14:52):
Well right here in the Fox Sports Radio studios with
e from Salam. I'm Mark whelerd. Check out Fox Sports
Radio on YouTube.

Speaker 2 (15:00):
There is a ton of great videos from all of
our shows on the Fox Sports Radio YouTube channel. Just
search Fox Sports Radio on YouTube. You can see all
the video highlights and everything come up from the shows.
Be sure to subscribe so you've always got instant access
to our Fox Sports Radio videos on YouTube. Hey, my man,
the Cavaliers are gonna lose Game one. Yes, the Cavaliers

(15:20):
are going to lose Game one. The Pacers were down
by a point with about six minutes to go in
the game and have gone on a fifteen to.

Speaker 4 (15:29):
Four run and now lead by ten.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
As they are just about a minute to go in
this game, so only a miracle can save the Cavaliers
from this one. The Pacers come in after that hard
fought series against Giannis and the Bucks that did you know,
I know it didn't end up looking like it was
that hard fought, but it was seemingly moments away from

(15:56):
becoming a long series. And then the Pacers go on
a run and Tyrese Haliburton's dad happened and all of
those good things, and here we are and the Pacers
are about to steal game one on the road.

Speaker 5 (16:08):
Yeah, I mean, you know, shout out to the Pacers
and shout out to their star Tyrese Halliburton, who was
voted the most overrated player uh.

Speaker 3 (16:19):
In the league.

Speaker 5 (16:22):
And they're on the cusp of taking down the Cleveland Cavaliers,
who've had a phenomenal season this year at home.

Speaker 3 (16:33):
Uh and taking control of this series.

Speaker 5 (16:36):
And you know the thing, you know, a bottom like this,
will Cleveland come out and shoot that poorly from three
point line?

Speaker 4 (16:43):
Again?

Speaker 3 (16:43):
Probably?

Speaker 4 (16:44):
Not? Probably, and Darius Garland was out, yes.

Speaker 3 (16:47):
But what it does is if it gives you.

Speaker 5 (16:53):
Room to money, you have house money now, yep. Right,
the pressure is completely off of you. Now, all you
have to do is go play basketball.

Speaker 3 (17:05):
That's it.

Speaker 5 (17:06):
The pressure is completely off. And that doesn't mean taking
foot off the gas. Next game, the next game, you
come out with the same energy and intensity like they
started this game like that they started and he started
this game trying to prove a point yep and caught
Cleveland off guard early and they never really could Now
they caught up and then yeah, but they never really

(17:28):
could you take advantage or solidify themselves as being the
more aggressive team in this series.

Speaker 3 (17:35):
So shout out to.

Speaker 5 (17:38):
The Pacers Halli, Burton and you know that, just that
whole squad and fighting the way they're fighting.

Speaker 3 (17:46):
And look, man, that's what the playoffs is.

Speaker 4 (17:48):
For, no doubt.

Speaker 2 (17:50):
You got to come out and play. But I think
you you spotlighted the stat that sort of plays, and so.

Speaker 4 (17:58):
You're not wrong. But I'm all so not concerned yet
if I'm the Cavs.

Speaker 5 (18:02):
No, absolutely not concerned at all.

Speaker 4 (18:03):
And it's because of the stat you just mentioned.

Speaker 2 (18:06):
The Cavs good three point shooting team, and one of
their better three point shooters is out today shot twenty
three percent.

Speaker 5 (18:13):
Yeah that's not from behind the arc. It's probably not
gonna happen again at home.

Speaker 4 (18:17):
Combined, Yeah, with the Pacers shooting fifty three percent from three.

Speaker 3 (18:23):
That's the thing that gives me pauls for the Cavaliers because.

Speaker 4 (18:26):
Normally, good defensive team.

Speaker 3 (18:28):
Yeah, normally.

Speaker 5 (18:30):
They run people off the three point line and opposing
teams struggle a little bit on the road shooting the
long ball. Now, if you let a team come in
and shoot over fifty percent from distance on your court,
they're saying like, hey, even if we shot forty percent
and we still got a chance.

Speaker 1 (18:50):
You know.

Speaker 5 (18:50):
So if you leave the door open to being like, Okay,
we played great defense, got great? Can we shoot great
next week? And well our defense, they don't both have
to be what they are today because you've had a
real stronghold on this game. Today, it'll be closer than

(19:14):
probably it was because it's coming down to the end
and they just running down just throwing up shots and
and and he's really not trying to score anymore. But
I mean, they watching this game. They came out with
the purpose. They accomplished that that's to win one of
these games.

Speaker 3 (19:29):
They got it.

Speaker 5 (19:31):
Now if they can somehow muster up this same level
of energy and efficiency and get instill another one.

Speaker 3 (19:39):
Boy, goodness gracious, now and then you got problems.

Speaker 2 (19:43):
Keep in mind, and if you've watched the Pacers play
at all, you think about Holler Burton, you think about Siakam,
you think about Miles Turner, maybe you think a little
bit about McConnell. Off the bench, the Pacers tonight from
Aaron nes Smith and Andrew Nimbard went nine of twelve.

Speaker 4 (20:06):
From the three point range.

Speaker 3 (20:07):
Big time.

Speaker 4 (20:08):
Okay, that's not happening again.

Speaker 2 (20:10):
No, and now I say that as someone who's been
saying that about Fred van Vliet of the Rockets for
three games.

Speaker 3 (20:16):
In a row.

Speaker 5 (20:17):
It's not gonna happen again.

Speaker 4 (20:19):
Yes it is, Yes it is.

Speaker 2 (20:21):
He's shooting over fifty percent from three for the last
three games combined, so that certainly helped turn that series.

Speaker 4 (20:29):
And how's this arriving at a game seven?

Speaker 2 (20:31):
That is going to be our next game that we're
going to kind of have a watch party with here
for the rest of the night and before it starts.
I would love to get your thought on what you've
seen the last couple of games that has gotten the
Rockets back into this and what kind of chance.

Speaker 4 (20:47):
Do you give the Road Warriors tonight.

Speaker 5 (20:50):
I think the number one thing. I give them a
shot there, the road Warriors. I give them a shot
based on experience. You know, they got Hall of Fame players,
two Hall of three, Hall ofa Hall of Fame players.
When it's all said and done on that roster and
the Hall of Fame coach, you can't count that out.

(21:11):
But what I will say is the Rockets did some
things last game to confuse and frustrate Golden State. They
they jumped in the zone. They were in the zone
for a large portion of that game. And it really
I mean they they were going they're going to double

(21:31):
steph They're gonna make it difficult for him to do
it the end. They're gonna let anybody else beat them.
And so can that anybody else step up compared step up?
Can can GP two step up?

Speaker 4 (21:45):
Well? GP two not gonna step up because he's out.

Speaker 3 (21:48):
Oh well that's that's really that's concerning.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
Yes, he woke up, as they put it, quote sick
as a dog. Oh no, absolutely no way he can play.
So he is not playing. And and and you know
you're pointing to who can step up and make shots.
But the real effect that that has is on the
defensive end where he is a.

Speaker 4 (22:06):
Plus performer for sure.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
And the guy that they in theory would assign to
slow down, Fred van Vliet, and he will not be
available for the Warriors tonight.

Speaker 5 (22:16):
That's gonna be tough. You know what else is tough?
Trying to just fill space in the airwaves prior to
us getting to thirty after the hour. Yeah, because that's
essentially no matter what we're talking about, we're just filling

(22:37):
air because the guy who's the soothsayer and the truth
speaker is on his way. Let's get that baritone voice
of the great Steve, beautiful voice to sacre.

Speaker 6 (22:54):
Nobody has the lower voice than you. Is he DJing
the quiet storm before you in here died you.

Speaker 4 (23:04):
Let's go flat drap here it is thank you w.

Speaker 9 (23:07):
KRP reference there. Game one of the East semmis to
Indiana to come.

Speaker 4 (23:11):
Bolder by the segment right now. But yeah you are,
go go ahead.

Speaker 6 (23:14):
Steve quickly, all three of us. But oh yeah w
krap sure I read right.

Speaker 3 (23:19):
We all did it. If you've ever wondered, right heah,
I got you, I got you. Oh.

Speaker 9 (23:27):
The song Pacers just one at Cleveland won twenty one
to one twelve and in this one, the Pacers, although
they did lead by eleven after the first quarter, they
trailed at Cleveland with six and a half minutes to
go one o two, one oh one. Cavs only scored
ten points in the last six minutes of this game.
On the positive side, you have Donovan Mitchell setting an

(23:48):
NBA record tonight. That's eight straight game ones where he
scored at least thirty points. The record had been held
by Michael Jordan, who twice who in game ones seven
straight series in the late nineties and seven straight series
opener in the early nineties, had scored at least thirty
The thing is Donovan Mitchell was thirteen of thirty shooting

(24:10):
in this home loss. From three point range, he was
one of eleven. He was also a minus nineteen on
the court, and the Pacers take the opener of the
second round, best of seven at Cleveland one twenty one,
one twelve the Caves. In the regular season, we're sixty
four and eighteen and at home we're thirty four and seven.
The Cavaliers Darius Garland was out again with a sprain

(24:32):
tow he missed the cabs previous two games, and now
we finally end the first round tonight with a Game
seven of the NBA Playoffs Golden State at Houston. Boston
in the second round, starting a series hosting New York
on Monday. Celtics card Drew Holiday is due to return
after a strained hamstring in the NHL Playoffs. Right now
we have a Game seven to end a first round series,

(24:55):
and the round period Saint Louis was up to nin thing.
It's now two to one at Winnipeg late in the
second period. The conference semis start Monday with Florida at Toronto.
Scottie Scheffler won by eight strokes in Texas in a
record tying thirty one under par. His four rounds were
sixty one, sixty three, sixty six, an awful sixty six

(25:17):
on Saturday, and then a final round sixty three in
live golf in South Korea, which was on live overnight
on FS one. Bryson Deshambeau the winner by two strokes.
He also took the team title for extra cash this weekend.
Joey Logano the NASCAR race winner at Texas. The next
two Sunday races will also be on FS one. Alex
Polow captured the IndyCar Race in Birmingham. He's won three

(25:39):
of the four Indy Car events this year to the
Baseball Scoreboard. The Braves go to the sixth leading the
Dodgers four to one. The Dodgers have a seven game
winning streak on the line. In the first of a
doubleheader at Saint Louis, the Cardinals beat the Mets six
to five. After a rainout on Saturday, they're playing two.
Cardinals now lead the Nightcat five to four over New

(25:59):
York in the bottom of the seventh inning. Among the
earlier games, Texas and San Francisco each want at home.
The Padres won their fifth in a row four nothing
at Pittsburgh Tampa Bay, a winner at the Yankees seven
to five, and Sovereignty yesterday was the Kentucky Derby Race winner.
Turns out he claims as ancestors three of the more

(26:20):
legendary thoroughbreds ever Ancestor number one affirmed nineteen seventy eight,
Triple Crown winner, Ancestor number two Seattle Slough nineteen seventy seven,
Triple Crown winner, Ancestor number three Secretariat Triple Crown winner
nineteen seventy three. The amazing thing is and I did

(26:43):
not know this until happily. The Louisville Courier Journal pointed
this out this week. A search of pedigrees shows, going
into Saturday's event, every horse running in this year's Kentucky
Derby is a descendant of Secretariat.

Speaker 4 (26:59):
Whoa how what? Come on? Secretariat?

Speaker 3 (27:05):
Rolling Stone?

Speaker 5 (27:06):
Come on kidding?

Speaker 9 (27:08):
It seems that the horse racing rider was a little
less impressed than I was saying. If you go back
six generations, in most of these elite horses, you'll find
a descendant of someone great. And it turns out in
all Secretariat sired more than six hundred and sixty registered foals. Still,

(27:28):
it's impressive. Every gotta say, to get out loud, every
horse in this year's Kentucky Derby was related to Secretariat.

Speaker 4 (27:37):
Secretariat just somewhere, just nodding.

Speaker 5 (27:40):
That's right, yep, yep, look at my race.

Speaker 3 (27:44):
My boy.

Speaker 6 (27:45):
Just don't go on the court afterwards and yell at
the opponent.

Speaker 5 (27:50):
We're good.

Speaker 4 (27:51):
Oh wow, elite reference.

Speaker 3 (27:53):
That's funny, that's pretty good.

Speaker 2 (27:54):
After the race, Secretariat ran out and showed a towel.

Speaker 4 (28:00):
To uh to the losing horses. Amazing, All right? Is
that all? Steve?

Speaker 6 (28:07):
I think that's pretty much.

Speaker 4 (28:08):
SKay, you want to talk, I mean, if you want
to talk till eight, actually, I'd be fine with it.

Speaker 3 (28:15):
Actually, we're exactly look at it. He's trying to trying
to punch out right now.

Speaker 4 (28:18):
My god, dog, this is gonna be just nothing but stress,
nothing but stress.

Speaker 9 (28:23):
Not necessarily.

Speaker 4 (28:24):
Yeah, Claire might be.

Speaker 2 (28:24):
Down by twenty five two minutes in. Thank you, Steve,
appreciate that. As always, Uh, we are live Indie Fox
Sports Radio Studios. That is he from Salam. I am
Mark Willard. I'm not distracted yet, but just give us
a moment and I will be. But yeah, the Warriors

(28:46):
and Rockets getting getting started in this one. You know,
it's interesting what you said about the Rockets adjustment on
defense that brought them, uh to a couple of wins
in a row, and this game here tonight and in
their home building. I will tell you that Brandon Pajemski,
he says, they went into the lab, they looked at

(29:07):
what Houston was doing, and they've got it figured out. Okay,
So doesn't that make you feel better?

Speaker 4 (29:17):
So all good? Yeah? Figure it out now?

Speaker 5 (29:20):
Alrighty, let's see it.

Speaker 3 (29:23):
This thing shakes out.

Speaker 2 (29:24):
Oh gosh, yeah, I'll tell you what I'm already gonna
give because this is normally Like if this series had
arrived here at a normal Game seven at home type
of a thing, which is not when you're trailing three
to one. That's not normally how it works, right, if
this had gotten here the way the Nuggets and Clippers

(29:45):
got here, I would say, well, this is a sphincter
game because the Rockets best players are all twenty two,
all of them. They're all twenty two years old. I
think one of them might still be twenty one. They're
so young, and you're like, who the gravity of a
Game seven, it's different. The ball comes out a little
bit differently, the legs feel a little bit different. There

(30:07):
is so much gravity to these games. That said, the
Rockets have already had a couple of performances where I
was looking for them to tighten up, and my word,
they did not. I mean Game five was a piece
of cake. That doesn't overly surprise me, the big energy
of being at home and the desperation of facing elimination.

(30:30):
But the performance that they put on Friday night in
San Francisco was really and I got to sit here
and say this. I went to the game too, if
I was there to watch it, this was really impressive.
They were very They won that game from beginning to
middle to end.

Speaker 4 (30:51):
They were better on every front.

Speaker 2 (30:54):
You know, everybody's you know, each team has you know,
mister hated man, from Draymond Green to Dylan Brooks. Dylan
got into foul trouble and was a non factor, and
other players on that team just athletically took over and
they played very calm in a situation where.

Speaker 4 (31:13):
I thought it was a high likelihood that they would
get flastered.

Speaker 5 (31:17):
Well yeah, and you got to remember playing up there
Oracle was special. But even playing in the new stadium,
it's a difficult place to play against this team. Those fans,
you guys, are tremendous up there, and to have a

(31:38):
young team just coming.

Speaker 3 (31:39):
There and not even care, oh.

Speaker 5 (31:43):
They don't even care. That lets me know they're too
young to understand the magnitude of what's happening. So that
kind of cancels out the tight Sphiners and the like.
They already they're now in their minds playing with house
money because we're at home and this is what it

(32:05):
was supposed to be.

Speaker 2 (32:06):
Yep, I mean, And Shane Goon had a comment at
practice yesterday. I was like, oh my goodness, that is
a big statement. He said, they played six games in
this series. He goes, we don't feel like they've beat
us once. Yes, every time we lost, we beat ourselves.
And I know ALTI the Warriors would say the same thing,

(32:26):
but I think the Rockets can lay a better claim
to that comment.

Speaker 5 (32:30):
I agree, Yeah, yep, definitely, I agree. So he look, man,
look if Steph comes out and he is last year
game seven, Steph, yeah, then there you know what did
he put up sixty?

Speaker 2 (32:45):
I think it was fifty fifty and Sacramento a couple
of years ago, Yes, a couple of years ago, and
there was a famous speech of like, do not get
on this bus unless you want to follow me. I'm
gonna take you to this win. And then he went
up there and did it. We'll see, right, he's playing
with that off ball in his thought.

Speaker 3 (33:01):
What I'm saying is does he have the legs and
the energy to do it?

Speaker 2 (33:04):
I don't know, man, Because the Lakers and Warriors we
talked all about experience.

Speaker 4 (33:09):
I saw it early.

Speaker 5 (33:11):
I didn't those teams looked old, old. They just fly
and that and that's the biggest thing. I took away
and I'm taking away from this series. You can see
it happening. You can see it happening. And a couple
of trips down the court, you're like, oh okay, and
late in the games is when you need that bounce,

(33:34):
you need that that extra gear. Shots get a little shorter,
right like it's it's I can't wait by tip off.
Let's go and get to this commercial.

Speaker 4 (33:48):
Tip off. Here we go.

Speaker 5 (33:49):
That's right.

Speaker 2 (33:50):
I may or may not be back. We'll find out.
But with it from Salama, Mark Wheler, and I do
want to ask you coming up next, do you believe
it is it's time for the on to move on?
So we'll get to that coming up next on Fox
Sports Radio.

Speaker 1 (34:08):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (34:11):
Okay, right now, it's the Fox Sports Radio Studios. Mark
Whitherardy from Salam all right, games off to an energetic start.

Speaker 4 (34:21):
Draymond Green is hitting threes.

Speaker 3 (34:23):
Dude, gonna like that?

Speaker 8 (34:25):
Like that?

Speaker 4 (34:26):
Well you're doing you don't.

Speaker 2 (34:27):
I'll tell you as a Warrior fan right away, you
look at that and you go, if Draymond hits.

Speaker 4 (34:31):
Threes, this team usually wins.

Speaker 2 (34:34):
However, if Draymond's got eight points and you're still only
up by two, Like, that's not probably going to last.
Not planning on that, Yeah, not planning it on that
being the offense for the rest of the night. I mean,
whenever a game, a series gets to seven games, you
sort of know the personality of this whole thing.

Speaker 4 (34:57):
And the Warriors need to be able to hit.

Speaker 2 (35:00):
But the other thing they need to be able to do,
which they cannot do very well against the Rockets is
rebound The Rockets are so so so much taller and
more athletic, and so we'll see. There is a stat
that has determined it has been predictive of all six
games so far.

Speaker 4 (35:19):
Any idea what you think it might be?

Speaker 5 (35:22):
No, what is it? Rebounding?

Speaker 4 (35:25):
No, it's not rebounding.

Speaker 5 (35:28):
Assist?

Speaker 4 (35:29):
No, gonna do one more, guess sure, point no.

Speaker 7 (35:33):
Thing?

Speaker 2 (35:34):
Okay, you got it. You got me on that one.
Wasn't what I was looking for. But it's turnovers. Yeah,
the team with fewer turnovers has won all six basketball games.
So that tracks take care of that basketball. Take care
of the basketball, man, that's that. That is what both

(35:55):
of these teams are charged with doing tonight. And look,
it's kind of like you know, last night, didn't last
very long. There's not a whole lot in sports. It's
better than game seven, you know, it's just feeling. It
feels different when you're sitting here watching. It doesn't matter
who's playing now.

Speaker 5 (36:11):
I don't think we need seven rounds in the first
seven games in the first round.

Speaker 4 (36:17):
I don't. Oh, you don't know, it's interesting, No, I don't.

Speaker 3 (36:20):
I think.

Speaker 5 (36:24):
Like for the West, it worked out because the teams
are so evenly matched. I think, how about this for
a hot take, I think if you're in a series
with someone who is within four games of your record,
it goes seven games. If you are in a series

(36:47):
with someone who ten or more wins above your total,
then it's a five game series.

Speaker 4 (36:56):
Interesting, So like a little a little advantage if you will.

Speaker 2 (37:02):
Yeah, okay, So basically, uh, that just means Oklahoma City
would have been a five game series.

Speaker 5 (37:09):
Yes, everything else Oklahoma City, uh, Cleveland?

Speaker 2 (37:17):
Right, I mean in the West, the West, in the West,
because the West the difference between.

Speaker 5 (37:22):
Right, you're absolutely everybody everybody, but okay, from the.

Speaker 2 (37:25):
Two seed to the eight seed, it was all forty
eight wins up against it all the same fifty fifty
one wins.

Speaker 4 (37:32):
It was all the almost the exact same, right, so they.

Speaker 3 (37:34):
Get seven game series.

Speaker 5 (37:36):
Okay, se could have been over in two games, and
it kind of was, yes, right, Like you know, also
it just it gives you a little bit of you know,
a little bit more to fight for, right, you want

(37:56):
that seven game series. You want as many opportunities as
you can get because that I mean that ok Seed
series was sure, it was literally wasting time.

Speaker 7 (38:08):
It was.

Speaker 2 (38:09):
Although I mean for a second, you know Memphis is
over here, like that Game three energy, Yeah, they came
out and they were up by like twenty seven points
and they still found a way to lose a game.

Speaker 3 (38:22):
Yeah, well, bad teams find ways to lose.

Speaker 2 (38:26):
Yes, yes, Memphis was of all those teams. I agree,
they were the team that did not belong. But also
they had an assignment that was very, very different from
all of the other assignments out there. Everybody else so
jumbled up and so tight and h and this one
has this one has a different look. The Warriors have

(38:47):
at least weathered that initial the initial first half of
the first quarter home court thing, which they could not
weather a few nights ago in Houston, But they have
this time and first time out on the floor for
TV and the Warriors have a three point lead, So
we will keep you up to date on that one, obviously,

(39:09):
But a lot still to talk about throughout the NBA
and quite frankly, uh, the NFL as well, and uh,
you can just give a little teaser here because I'd
love to get to this coming up next. It sounded
to me last week like you're advocating that Lebron doesn't
play for the Lakers anymore.

Speaker 4 (39:27):
Is that true?

Speaker 5 (39:27):
I was advocating for us to take a hard look
at how we want to build our future and what's
the best way to build that future around the player
that's going to be there for the future, and that's
Luka Dancic.

Speaker 2 (39:42):
That's what I was advocating for. Okay, And have you
had time to think about it? That's the course I
have to say something about it. I'm not I'm not
into like everybody's do whatever you do with your body.
But but dude, over the weekend, I've been looking at
some old highlights like early Luca with the Mavericks. Man,

(40:02):
Oh my god, he's twice the size he used to be.
I didn't realize it, all right, So.

Speaker 4 (40:10):
You heard the t's here. It comes e from on
Lebron right around the corner.

Speaker 1 (40:16):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (40:19):
It's the first ever show in the history of Fox
Sports Radio that's had one and a half hosts actually
doing the show from his here.

Speaker 4 (40:32):
I'm gonna do my best.

Speaker 2 (40:33):
I'm gonna do my best as the Rockets and Warriors
handle Game seven.

Speaker 4 (40:39):
Thank you appreciate it. But nothing's happened yet.

Speaker 2 (40:41):
We're in the first quarter and this sucker is tied
early on and uh it boy, Game seven stress is
It's a thing we're broadcasting live in the Fox Sports
Radio studios Sunday night. Here we go from the Game
seven loss for the Clippers last night to the demise
of the Laker and potentially Steph Curry's Warriors too. As

(41:03):
we sit here tonight, got some off season NFL stuff
to throw at you as well.

Speaker 4 (41:08):
But as promised one.

Speaker 2 (41:11):
Ephraim Salaam and the definitive answer, do you want Lebron
James to play for the Lakers anymore or not?

Speaker 5 (41:21):
Me coming out and saying no, I don't want him
to play for the Lakers anymore. I don't want him
to play for the Lakers anymore. As currently constructed.

Speaker 4 (41:32):
Oh interesting, So what does that mean.

Speaker 5 (41:37):
That means we don't have the type of team that
can maximize Luca's abilities. We saw Dallas go through this
as well when he and Kyrie first got together, and

(41:58):
that year they didn't you know, they kind of down
the stretch and didn't make the playoffs. Then they went
out and got not one but two guys who were
lob threats and rim protectors, and it opened up the floor.
So it forced defenses to actually have to really respect

(42:19):
the drive and the lob.

Speaker 3 (42:22):
But it also opened up the short based the shooters.

Speaker 4 (42:29):
Yep.

Speaker 5 (42:29):
If the team isn't constructed like that, then you can't
maximize Luca's first team all NBA talents. It's not structured
like that right now, and so there's some movement that
needs to happen. Look, I'm a fan of Rory, I'm

(42:50):
a fan of Austin, I'm a fan of Lebron. But
what I do know is out of all those I
just said, I know who's gonna be there for the
next ten years.

Speaker 4 (43:03):
I know that.

Speaker 5 (43:05):
So in my opinion, you should try to maximize that. Now,
will this off season be the off season that Luca
our Lebron takes Luca under his wing and shows him
how to train his body and get himself like, I
don't know, I don't know what that looks like.

Speaker 3 (43:25):
I don't know.

Speaker 5 (43:25):
I mean, Luca's been he's a grown man, he's been
in the league a while now. I don't know if
he's like, I'm gonna do my own way, I'm gonna
do my own thing, right.

Speaker 3 (43:33):
I don't know what that is. I don't know what
those conversations are. Now.

Speaker 5 (43:36):
Lebron is somebody he's looked up to, his favorite player,
and so maybe he will take some titbits and some
things away from him that's had Lebron playing at a
high level for essentially ever.

Speaker 10 (43:48):
And so.

Speaker 5 (43:51):
There's a lot there. But if it's if we're keeping
Lebron and we're keeping everybody and we're gonna run and
died with it, don't Okay?

Speaker 4 (44:01):
So I get that.

Speaker 2 (44:02):
But the fascinating thing here to me is sort of
looking at team and player. And I think that this
is a constant question every single time Lebron, James and
movement come up, history of his career, who's driving the
bus and and and that remains as true now as ever.

(44:24):
And I like, if the Lakers actually did make any
mistakes throughout the last couple of years. And you and
I have gone round and round about this, but I
really believe that it was a mistake. It was a
mistake at the time for the Lakers to sort of
do what they did with Brownie. And I know that

(44:47):
you disagree with that, and and that's fine because I
can hear the person who goes, wait a minute, this
wasn't a big deal. It's a second round draft pick.
It creates a very special situation for an all time great.

Speaker 4 (45:00):
We like all of that. We we we can sit
there and all of that makes sense to me.

Speaker 2 (45:07):
But at the same time, very big shot Buddy healed
from just inside the half court line, buzzer beater to
end the first quarter, and the Warriors will end that
first quarter up by four, very far from an insurmountable lead.
But like I said, well, but assignment one has been
taken care of assignment one. I think when you're in

(45:30):
a game like this, weather the storm, weather the storm.
There's always a very early storm, and the quicker the
Warriors can a weather that and just plant the seed
in the minds of the young Rockets. Plant the seed
because they've been rolling and the last time they were
in Houston they blew them off the floor. Plant the

(45:52):
seed tonight will be different. As soon as you can
plant that seed. H maybe you get a little doubt
in there. The warrior look different. The Warriors look different tonight.
That's probably their best quarter in six days.

Speaker 5 (46:04):
Yeah, you know so.

Speaker 4 (46:06):
Anyway, But getting back to Lebron.

Speaker 2 (46:09):
The thing about Bronni that no one brings up, which
I just think is at least a puzzle piece here,
is that when they did what they did with Bronnie James,
there was messaging there. That's what bothered me. And the
messaging is here, you run the organization. And I just think,

(46:31):
even though the idea has been that Lebron has been
doing that for years and I get it, he is
that good. But at the same time, at age thirty
nine at the time, ah, that would have really given
me pause. And so that that leads to now and
when the Lakers do it again, Ephraim, will they say, well, Lebron,

(46:55):
what would you like to do?

Speaker 7 (46:57):
No?

Speaker 5 (46:57):
I know, you know why. I don't think it's that
because Lebron was the the centerpiece of the franchise. Sure
as he should be at the time at the time,
that is no longer the case. And we all know
that he knows that he said that. So now that

(47:17):
conversation is a lot different. They just had, you know,
a video of Luca coming out of dinner with Rob
Polinka and JJ Reddick. Lebron James wasn't there. What was
that conversation about? You get what I'm saying. So the
shift once you got Luca, the shift happened. So although

(47:38):
that Bronni thing was a good story, and I still
believe that it was a great story, and I think
it was. It's tremendous. It was tremendous for the franchise
and you know, the fans and all of that. It's great.
We're not into stories. Now, we have to build a
team that can compete in the West that were one
game away from everybody being died. So it's a it's

(48:04):
a now it's a real conversation about what is the
best team? If Lebron is here, then who isn't? Yeah,
is the conversation.

Speaker 2 (48:14):
Yeah, this was a franchise altering series, I believe, and
it's because of what you just said. And I worked
for years at the flagship station of the Los Angeles Lakers.
So even though I am born in Bred Bay Area
and those are my teams, I feel like I've got
a really good grasp on how the Laker organization and
its fan base works. And there's two things that are

(48:39):
really really important with what just happened in this series.

Speaker 4 (48:43):
One of them is that was round one and the
other one is that wasn't close.

Speaker 2 (48:49):
No, I can't do that, and so that's why it's
franchise And I can hear it in your voice like
it's franchise altering. Because if you beat Minnesota or you
lose in seven games this year in the West, you
go to the second round, who knows, maybe it was
even the conference finals, maybe there's gonna be right, Like
do you put a scare into Oka? See, there are

(49:11):
ways to come out of this season. And I know
the Lakers are all about championships, but there were ways
to come out of this season and have the fan
base feel like, Okay, we're still in a right We're
in this win contention. This is all making sense right now.

Speaker 4 (49:28):
This was not that.

Speaker 5 (49:29):
No, do not feel like this was a twenty five.

Speaker 2 (49:32):
Year old superstar who had a grint on his face
for a week and a half and serve. Notice you're
not doing anything in this conference constructed the way you are.

Speaker 4 (49:42):
Nothing nothing. So that I know this Laker group and
I know they are not going to sit there and
take this lying down.

Speaker 3 (49:51):
No, and no should they.

Speaker 5 (49:53):
And so you know when I made that statement, it
had a lot to do with that, right, like, what
does this team look like if Lebron is here? Okay,
then what pieces are gone?

Speaker 9 (50:04):
Are?

Speaker 5 (50:06):
You know, Lebron is It's up to him if he
wants to be here or not. He has a fifty
two million dollar player option, I believe, and so we're
in a situation where if he opts out, he can
go somewhere else. If he opts in, he's in.

Speaker 10 (50:29):
And so.

Speaker 5 (50:32):
He can opt out and do a one plus one
free up some money. But that's clearly it's it's up
to him, it really is.

Speaker 4 (50:40):
And so.

Speaker 8 (50:42):
I just.

Speaker 5 (50:44):
If it's about him, like towards Coke the towards the
end of Kobe's career, it was about Kobe, and the
Lakers were okay with that. We're gonna pay him the
money because of what he's meant to this franchise and
his organization.

Speaker 3 (51:00):
And they did, and they paid him that.

Speaker 5 (51:02):
Money, and it didn't allow room to bring in anybody
else really, uh, to compete for a championship that is.
And so it's one of those situations where are you
really wanting to ring? Do you really want to ring?

(51:25):
Because if you do, that conversation is different. If you
really want one.

Speaker 4 (51:32):
I don't do. Do you get the sense that he does.

Speaker 3 (51:35):
I don't know. That's a problem.

Speaker 2 (51:37):
That's a problem. That's a problems. So let me but
before we we kind of scid outle here, that's what
you want to happen. What do you think is going
to happen.

Speaker 5 (51:49):
Oh, I'm he's gonna opt in you. I don't think
he's gonna leave that money on the table.

Speaker 2 (51:54):
Okay, but that doesn't I mean you can opt in.
And yeah, they're there, and I think I think they'll
the door to maneuver.

Speaker 5 (52:01):
I think Jackson Hayes is gone. I think uh all
of the answer the Vanderbilt is probably gone. I think
Finny is probably gone. I think it'll be an overhaul.

Speaker 4 (52:15):
Now.

Speaker 5 (52:15):
I don't know what you can bring in, Like Rory's
under contract, Austin's under contract, and those are good contracts.
They've outperformed their contracts like they've outperformed their contracts. Oh,
Steph tackle him?

Speaker 10 (52:30):
Then?

Speaker 5 (52:32):
Uh so, I don't know if you can get that
level of value at that price point anywhere else.

Speaker 3 (52:41):
Does that make sense?

Speaker 4 (52:42):
Yes?

Speaker 3 (52:43):
Did you see Steph tackle?

Speaker 4 (52:45):
Yeah, that's what I'm laughing at.

Speaker 5 (52:47):
I'm just grabbing this Game seven Brothers grab down Game seven.

Speaker 2 (52:51):
Well, you know, listen, this is what happens in Game
seven all and it's not just Steph, although I know
there's been a lot of talk centered on him. You
get to these games and everybody feels like they've been
fouled four thousand times, and so you're just like, screw it,
you know what I mean. I'm gonna come out here
start boxing people if that's what it takes. And there

(53:13):
are moments where these playoffs.

Speaker 4 (53:14):
Have looked like that. So anyway, as you were go
ahead with your thought.

Speaker 3 (53:19):
No, I think.

Speaker 5 (53:22):
I just think those are the type of conversations that
need to be had. I think you pull Luca in
and they probably already started this process, maybe diffusing the
comments that JJ Reddick said at the end of the
at the end of the year about you know, some
guys aren't in shape, some guys are here to play
and some guys are.

Speaker 4 (53:41):
Uh you know, uh huh.

Speaker 3 (53:43):
Probably had to be some diffusing there.

Speaker 5 (53:47):
But also ultimately, what does our roster need to look
like for us to maximize what your your abilities?

Speaker 2 (53:55):
Yeah, I mean that's yeah, that's that's completely fair. It
is going to be a hell of a fascinating offseason
for that organization. Lebron at age forty incredible, incredible, all right.
Coming up next, I think both of us kind of
laid out the teams that we thought at the beginning

(54:16):
of this tournament had a real shot.

Speaker 4 (54:18):
My list has been altered. I wonder if yours has.

Speaker 2 (54:21):
And that's beyond the obvious in yes, the Lakers will
now they do not have a chance to win the championship.

Speaker 4 (54:27):
We now know that. But has the list been altered
at all?

Speaker 2 (54:32):
We will get to that conversation coming up next with
e from salam Mark Willard and this is Fox Sports Radio.
These are the Fox Sports Radio studios. You can stream
this show and all of the Fox Sports Radio shows
live twenty four to seven in the new and improved
iHeartRadio app. You just searched Fox Sports Radio in the app,

(54:55):
stream us Live. One of the newest features in the app,
you could select. Fox Sports Radio is one of your presets,
just like the presets on a radio dial. So be
sure to do that preset Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app and it will always pop up right there
at the top of your screen. All right, man, give
me your give me your breakdown of what we're seeing

(55:16):
so far here in about a quarter and a half
of action from Houston in Game seven.

Speaker 5 (55:22):
I think Golden States come out with some energy and
they're looking to put their stamp on this game and
hope to have you know, Houston, young Houston team questioning
if they could you know, come back and sustain this
coming back.

Speaker 3 (55:41):
Now, what I'm hoping.

Speaker 5 (55:44):
Doesn't happen is if Golden State doesn't shoot their lot
in the first half and have dead legs coming back
in the second.

Speaker 2 (55:53):
Yeah, I mean we have seen we have seen some
games where in the second half it did not look
like they had a whole lot left, although most of
the time this week it just it didn't look like
they had a whole lot in the first half either.
So again, this is the most active and sort of

(56:14):
I think, yeah intuitive if you will, that they've looked
so far this week. They look like they know what
they're doing. They look like they have an approach. Warriors
by six right now, we will keep you up to date.
I wonder about this, you and I pretty much loosely.
At the beginning of the playoffs, there were five teams

(56:35):
and they were the Vegas five. In other words, the
teams that that Vegas believed were the odds on favorites
to win. And we thought the NBA champion would come
from those five. Yes, Boston, Cleveland, Okase, nobody would not
have those right, and then we threw in the Lakers

(56:56):
and the Warriors.

Speaker 4 (56:57):
So obviously.

Speaker 2 (57:00):
Remove the Lakers and then tell me has your has
your list changed at all?

Speaker 5 (57:12):
Yes, so hit me with it. I like, I like
like Denver's playing well, Okay, I think Denver finds a slot.

Speaker 4 (57:27):
Now.

Speaker 5 (57:28):
I don't know how sustainable this is, but Minnesota, boy.

Speaker 2 (57:34):
Man, that's a good basketball team. That's a good basketball team.
And I don't just say that because they beat the Lakers.

Speaker 5 (57:42):
And I think they found something out. So good friend
of mine, Dale Demps, he's been there for quite some
time and I used to always tell him even I
believe he was in Utah when Rudy Gobert was in Utah,
and so I would say, hey, nobody respects nobody respects

(58:08):
Rudy on the pick and roll. He'll set a high
screen and roll down the middle and no one, you
guys won't even look at him. You guys won't even
throw it down there. And so I would tell him
just feed him whether he makes it or missing, like, no.

Speaker 3 (58:23):
We won't do this and do that.

Speaker 5 (58:24):
But what they did yes this past game is they
were like, Okay, we're not going to let you guys
just not guard him, and they put the pressure on
the Lakers to try to figure something out. They didn't
have enough size in there, and so they just dumped
it to Rudy and Rudy stepped up. And I think

(58:48):
what that's going to do is because that's an added
boost of confidence for him. You can watch Rudy play
and you can be like, oh, he's defeated, right, he
looks defeated.

Speaker 4 (59:00):
Facial expression, guy, there's no doubt about.

Speaker 5 (59:02):
It, Like you can you can see it from the
upper deck.

Speaker 4 (59:05):
Yeah, yes, yeah, I'm with you.

Speaker 5 (59:08):
And so it was. It is one of those situations
where it's like I think they figured something out. I
think there's a level of trust that has been gained.
And if he becomes a twelve fifteen point, you know,
all fifteen dangerous there are?

Speaker 2 (59:26):
They are a problem, so dangerous because you think about
the three point shooting that surrounds the art from McDaniel's
to I mean, obviously Anthony Edwards start there, Devincenzo nas Reed,
and then the size that you have inside the versatility
of Julius Randall and if you add that into.

Speaker 4 (59:42):
Look, you know this.

Speaker 2 (59:44):
I said this all year long. They they were my
I nicknamed them. They are that they should be better
team in the NBA. Yes, And then I think I
told you? Did I tell you this? A friend of
mine is one of the radio voices for one of
the Western Conference teams. I won't say which one, but
he's a radio voice for one of the Western Conference

(01:00:05):
teams and the playoffs haven't even started yet, and he
blew my mind because I did not hear anybody talk
like this at all. But he goes, Guys, he's talking
to me and a whole group of friends. I'd be
shocked if the Western Conference finals were not Oklahoma City

(01:00:28):
and Minnesota.

Speaker 4 (01:00:31):
And that was before it even started, and everyone went,
what what did you say to me. But that's what
he said. And then I watched that series and I
went good.

Speaker 5 (01:00:44):
They looked like a different team. They looked like a
different team than they were during the season. Yes, they
looked like a different team that they had they were
last year in the playoffs. They look like a team
like you having Julius Randall, Yes, is a huge Like
you want to talk about physicality, Well.

Speaker 4 (01:01:03):
He plays like I think everyone wishes call Anthony Townsend.

Speaker 3 (01:01:06):
Yes, right, yeah, like a Tasmanian devil.

Speaker 4 (01:01:08):
Yes, go in there, shoot it outside. Sometimes your lips.

Speaker 5 (01:01:13):
Your head, but he's gonna put the pressure on you.
And I think all teams you need that bruiser, You
need that guy who's going to impose his will on
you physically. And them that combined with a with a
superstar and Anthony Edwards who wears his his his his

(01:01:36):
demeanor on his sleeve.

Speaker 3 (01:01:38):
I love that.

Speaker 5 (01:01:39):
I love that he after the game, he's walking down
the streets of of l A like. I love everything
about Anthony Davis and his I mean Anthony Edwards and
his approach to competing. Yes, please, I.

Speaker 2 (01:01:53):
Love everything about uh Steve de Seger and his approach
to competing.

Speaker 6 (01:02:02):
And here it is good evening again once a gentleman.

Speaker 9 (01:02:04):
And you know, guys, I gotta say this first steph
Curry scoreless and they're up by ten.

Speaker 6 (01:02:14):
This since an NBA Playoff game seven.

Speaker 4 (01:02:16):
Yeah, we're talking about Buddy Heeld has what thirteen points?

Speaker 6 (01:02:19):
He is leading? Ever, Lord, Buddy, Yes, it's very good.

Speaker 5 (01:02:24):
Thank you.

Speaker 9 (01:02:24):
It's forty two to thirty one. Now Golden State up
eleven under three minutes to go in the first half
of this game seven to and the NBA Playoffs first round.
Couple notes to pass along about Buddy held. He had
that shot at the end of the first quarter, a
made three pointer that was just inside the half court line,
forty two feet away, and he drained it. In fact,

(01:02:45):
in the play by play era, that's the longest made
three in.

Speaker 5 (01:02:49):
Any game seven.

Speaker 9 (01:02:50):
When we talk about the play by play era, that's
over twenty five years worth of NBA when they actually
list as the game's going on, this guy at this
time makes a block, this guy at this time makes
a steal, and so forth, so they can actually say
this with certainty for a game seven. It's been well
over twenty five years since someone made a three from
that far away and that's also a good sign. So

(01:03:12):
is the fact, and you brought this out early that
Draymond Green had a couple of early threes had eight
points quickly in this game, while Steph Curry is still
scoreless in this contest. Because Draymond Green in his five
career game sevens averages seventeen points a game compared to
eleven points a game in all his other playoff games,

(01:03:33):
which is almost one hundred and sixty other playoff games.
So the Golden State Warriors now up forty five thirty
one late in the first half, off to a great
beginning at Houston to end the first round winter Tonight
starts a conference semifinal against Minnesota on Tuesday. Curry by
the way zero to five from the floor most of

(01:03:54):
that three point attempts. He does have five rebounds and
five assists, only one turnover in this game, but no
points and they're up double digits at Houston. Indiana started
the second round winning at top seed in the East,
Cleveland one twenty one to one twelve Tonight, the Pacers
were down with six and a half minutes to go,
but still got the w tyrese Haliburton twenty two points

(01:04:16):
thirteen assists in the NHL Playoffs at Game seven about
to finish. Apparently for the moment, it's the Blues three
to two at Winnipeg with about a minute to go.
The winner will play Dallas in the second round. Scotty
Scheffler won by eight strokes in Texas in a record
tying thirty one under par. His victory margin the second
largest ever at the Nelson. The fact is his score

(01:04:38):
for the seventy two holes was two fifty three that
tied the PGA Tours low record. Joey Logano took the
NASCAR race at Texas. Ross Chastain finished second. It's Logano's
first top five finish this year, as starting position was
twenty seventh. In tonight's ballgame, it's the Dodgers, with a
seven game winning streak on the line, still trailing at Atlanta.

(01:04:58):
Top of the eighth Brays four to three over La.
Everything else is final, including at Saint Louis. A doubleheader
suite for the Cardinals over the Mets six to five
and five to four.

Speaker 6 (01:05:09):
They had a rainout.

Speaker 9 (01:05:09):
Yesterday, played two today Texas and Jacob de Grom an
eight to one winner over Seattle. San Francisco won nine
to three against Colorado, which yes lost again starting pitcher
Hermann Marquez now zho to six with an ERA of
nine point nine to zero. Detroit beat the Angels thirteen
to one in Anaheim, Washington a four to one winner

(01:05:30):
at Cincinnati. San Diego won its fifth straight game four
nothing at Pittsburgh. And Tampa Bay beat the Yankees in
New York seven to five. And then there was the
game at Camden Yards in Baltimore Royals versus the Orioles.
The two teams combined for some long ball four homers
from Baltimore seven for the Kansas City Royals, which ties

(01:05:50):
a franchise record for one game. Casey won it eleven
to six. This was a back and forth game. The
amazing thing we had ten solo in this one game today.
According to the stat people at the Elia Sports Bureau,
that ten solo shots ties a major League record, which
last occurred in a game at Wrigley three years ago.

(01:06:12):
But the fact that it's Kansas City hitting the ball
out of the park is notable. Well, first off out
of this park, because I know they moved the fences
in a little bit this year in Baltimore. But to
have eleven total home runs in one game at Camden Yards.
That matches the most hit in one game there in
the history of that park, which opened in nineteen ninety two.
As far as the Royals, well, let's just say they

(01:06:35):
haven't been much of a power hitting club so far
this year. In fact, going into the weekend, they were
the worst in Major League Baseball as a team fifteen
home runs. Compare that to cal Raleigh, the Mariners had
hit twelve by himself so far this year. Update on
the NBA playoff game at Houston, about a minute and
a half to go in the first half, Warriors forty

(01:06:57):
eight thirty four in Game seven over the Rockets.

Speaker 2 (01:07:00):
Well, and while Steve was talking, we had America's favorite
repetitive act in NBA history, and that is a Draymond
Green technical fouling. Okay, but what did you see? What
did you see on that play? Talk to me, Talk
to me, because my warrior glasses tell me the man

(01:07:22):
and he was the man is fouled, right, yes, And
if you're fouled like you're here, you're in the act
of passing and your arms are going to fly forward. Now, yes,
he Draymond's it at the very end he always which
is like, yeah, but I mean, but that's okay.

Speaker 4 (01:07:43):
Here's the thing. I'm not going to deny that, but Draymond.

Speaker 5 (01:07:47):
Just like flip over to somebody, like when you flipping
over somebody back and then you you hammer slam your
leg down on the back of a head. Yeah, well
tell me.

Speaker 2 (01:07:57):
That we're not seeing that though everywhere in these playoffs
and there's only one guy like, no, not like that.

Speaker 4 (01:08:05):
I mean, my man was fouled. They called it.

Speaker 3 (01:08:08):
It's so bad.

Speaker 4 (01:08:10):
You think that's fascinating? Yeah, I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:08:14):
Like of all, I've been watching almost like literally, I've
been watching NBA playoffs round the clock. I mean, brother,
this is everywhere, it is everywhere, and only one man
has a technical and now six straight games.

Speaker 5 (01:08:31):
Yes, that's not by mistake, that's not that's not by happen.

Speaker 4 (01:08:37):
No, he's earned the reputation.

Speaker 5 (01:08:39):
He's earned.

Speaker 4 (01:08:40):
But let's see, now, I don't if that that's the
question if if if.

Speaker 2 (01:08:46):
Jimmy Butler just did that, is that called Probably not.

Speaker 4 (01:08:52):
Yeah, so that's all I'm saying.

Speaker 5 (01:08:54):
But I don't think.

Speaker 2 (01:08:57):
I think he's earned the reputation. I don't think he's
earned the calls not that one. Yes, plenty of the
other ones, plenty of the other ones.

Speaker 4 (01:09:07):
That one.

Speaker 5 (01:09:08):
I Yeah, that's big shot. Nice stuff.

Speaker 4 (01:09:14):
Boy, he finally scored. That's exciting. Yeah, that's the old
two for one.

Speaker 2 (01:09:22):
I pulled up with thirty three seconds to go from
about seven feet from beyond the arc and uh and
knock it down. Can I say something totally off topic
of the game, I'm in Thompson is going to be
a phenomenal my goodness, gracious basketball player saying they were phenomenal.

Speaker 5 (01:09:43):
They you know, they were asking the you know, the
rock like, what should happen that the Rockets? Like can
they get KD? Can they get Giannis? And the like, Yeah,
everybody's uh, everybody's on the take except for Thompson, except

(01:10:05):
for Thompson.

Speaker 4 (01:10:07):
Jalen Green, I feel like this team thinks that he's
been on the table.

Speaker 2 (01:10:11):
Take them, not take him, take them, but yes, on
the table. Yeah, definitely on the table. Well, this game,
which is now at halftime, Warriors by twelve, Warriors by
twelve at halftime, fifty one to thirty nine, I'm comfortable
saying best half of basketball the Warriors have played in

(01:10:31):
this series since the second half of Game three, which
is the half where they played the game without Jimmy
Butler at home and won the game and won the
game with a late sort of second half fourth quarter push.
Even though they won Game four, many would say that
the Rockets outplayed him in that game. Warriors got away

(01:10:53):
with one blown out in Game five, thoroughly outplayed in
Game six.

Speaker 4 (01:10:58):
I think what we just saw was their best half
of basketball in.

Speaker 3 (01:11:00):
A week, I would agree.

Speaker 4 (01:11:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:11:05):
And if they come out with that effort in the
second half, this is gonna be a cake.

Speaker 4 (01:11:08):
WoT Oh, don't say that. That's not happening. Oh my bad.
There's no way in all this this is gonna be
a cake going to walk?

Speaker 7 (01:11:18):
Do not?

Speaker 4 (01:11:19):
Are you? Are you mad?

Speaker 11 (01:11:21):
At what on earth?

Speaker 2 (01:11:22):
People are coming back from twenty seven points down in games?

Speaker 7 (01:11:26):
Now?

Speaker 4 (01:11:26):
With the way these guys shoot three.

Speaker 2 (01:11:27):
Pointers, this thing's not over until somebody is up by
twenty points with four seconds to go.

Speaker 3 (01:11:33):
I'm a Laker fan.

Speaker 2 (01:11:36):
I know you are, which means you shouldn't be a
Rocket fan either. By the way, No, but I'm really
not a Golden State I know you're not, and that's fine.

Speaker 4 (01:11:42):
I know that. I believe me.

Speaker 2 (01:11:45):
I know the brands around the country that are only
liked in their own time, right, Yes, and your team
and my team are both two of them.

Speaker 3 (01:11:53):
No, no, no, we got we travel, We got all
over the country.

Speaker 5 (01:11:56):
Laker fans everywhere.

Speaker 3 (01:11:57):
Same so the Warriors everywhere.

Speaker 2 (01:12:00):
They are probably among the two most hated franchises as well. Yes, yes,
all right, we're in the Fox Sports Radio studios. By
the way, never forget on the weekend. The best pregame
show every single weekend is Fox Sports Radio's Countdown, presented
by bet MGM, every Saturday and Sunday morning from nine

(01:12:20):
to noon Eastern six to nine in the West.

Speaker 4 (01:12:23):
We count you down to all of.

Speaker 2 (01:12:24):
The biggest games, and there is no better place to
sort of prime yourself for everything that comes at you
every weekend, certainly these NBA Playoffs among them. Tune into Countdown,
presented by bet MGM, every Saturday and Sunday morning right
here on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. So
I asked you earlier if anybody got added to your

(01:12:46):
championship list. You mentioned Minnesota. Did anybody get subtracted? Let's
get to that coming up next with in from Salama,
Mark Willard. This is Fox Sports radio.

Speaker 9 (01:12:58):
Course, I click shut but pas behold cool Percy, what's
a complectionion?

Speaker 4 (01:13:04):
What point six seconds eleven?

Speaker 8 (01:13:07):
We're the third Perry.

Speaker 4 (01:13:08):
The checket tighten up at three?

Speaker 8 (01:13:10):
Holy fulks?

Speaker 4 (01:13:12):
What point six second?

Speaker 5 (01:13:14):
Five?

Speaker 6 (01:13:15):
And what if Biggs tied it at three?

Speaker 2 (01:13:19):
Hey man, what do we say at the top of
this show? There's nothing like a game seven and there
are two of them going on right now. And indeed
from Power ninety seven and Jets Radio, that was the
call of the game being tied in the third period.

(01:13:40):
They were actually down three to one to start the
third period, made it three to two, and then with
less than two seconds to go, they tie it up
and sent it into overtime.

Speaker 4 (01:13:52):
Their Round one series three to three on games three,
three in goals and now heading for.

Speaker 2 (01:14:02):
A golden goal of sorts, just for round one, but
heading for overtime in game seven. That's crazy. I don't
care what sport you're root for. That's pretty exciting. That
is exciting. Oh that's pretty good. One point six seconds
to go? Good lord, good lord, we're a lot in

(01:14:27):
the Fox Sports radio studios. That's it from Salama Mark Willard.
That's me, uh taking a deep breath. It is halftime
and the Warriors lead the Rockets by twelve. Their defense
has been fantastic in that first half. Aphrom. It's gonna
need to be the same though. If they're gonna hold on,

(01:14:49):
they're gonna keep it. Yeah, it's uh. I'm excited.

Speaker 5 (01:14:53):
I'm excited for you because if it was the other
way around, I'd be getting a different you right now.

Speaker 4 (01:15:00):
You know what, Can I tell you a quick story.

Speaker 2 (01:15:02):
I've done this before with much higher stakes and it
did not It did not go well, and I handled it.
I think it was Brian Know that I was hosting
with if I remember correctly, and his last name was Prophetic.

Speaker 4 (01:15:18):
Because were the Warriors gonna win? No, they weren't. Game
seven NBA Finals after a three to one.

Speaker 2 (01:15:28):
Lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers, home game for the Warriors
on Father's Day, that all unfolded while I was on
the air. We were sitting there watching both teams go
back and forth, clank to clank, clank, like just the

(01:15:48):
gravity of the moment overtaking everyone. And then if memory serves,
maybe forty some seconds left to go when Kyrie Irving
hit the shot. Then ended up being the show that
won the championship, and I had to just sit there
and watch it and then like talk like.

Speaker 4 (01:16:06):
Talk through it.

Speaker 2 (01:16:08):
Watch your team lose a championship and just yeah, so
you know that good shot by Kyrie. I mean I
was dying inside. So anyway, I sort of have a
sense that this one probably not gonna end while we're
still on, probably not probably gonna bleed over our time together.

Speaker 4 (01:16:32):
But I'm a big boy. I can handle.

Speaker 2 (01:16:35):
I'll never forget because I got home from work just
you know, dejected as all can be, and at that time,
because I think that was what twenty seventeen, maybe yeah, sixteen,
twenty seventeen, right, so my youngest son, who is actually
sitting next to me right now as we speak, was
only three years old.

Speaker 4 (01:16:56):
Oh wow, And so got home it's Father's Day and
all the kids are just in the bath.

Speaker 5 (01:17:05):
Hi Daddy, are you okay? And it's just you're like,
all right, whatever, I don't I don't play for him,
right like, I mean, this.

Speaker 4 (01:17:17):
It's a sporting event.

Speaker 2 (01:17:18):
The last thing I want to do is come home
start huncking things off the wall while the kids.

Speaker 5 (01:17:23):
The Father's Day yay.

Speaker 2 (01:17:28):
So anyway, exactly, so it'll never get any worse or
harder than that.

Speaker 4 (01:17:35):
So I can do that. Well, then we can do this.
We can do this.

Speaker 2 (01:17:38):
But but anyway, you added Minnesota to your championship possibilities,
I agree with you.

Speaker 4 (01:17:45):
Have you removed anyone other than the Lakers who've been eliminated?

Speaker 5 (01:17:53):
No, not necessarily.

Speaker 4 (01:17:55):
You still feel like, okay, okay, see you can win.

Speaker 5 (01:17:57):
Yeah, I mean they were so dominant. Yup, they were
so dominant. But I'm like, I need to see them
play against somebody else to see if what.

Speaker 4 (01:18:06):
That was no doubt?

Speaker 2 (01:18:07):
Right, Like, yeah, you're almost like I got to be
convinced that Okac hasn't already won this, right.

Speaker 5 (01:18:13):
I'm looking like that's they remind me of the Lakers
from Shaq and Kobe when they just steamrolled the playoffs
and lost one game, one game against overtime game I believe,

(01:18:33):
game one of the finals, and then went on and
just abused them. But that's how they were steamrolling everyone.
I mean it wasn't even close.

Speaker 2 (01:18:42):
Yeah, I mean Katie's Warriors did did the same one
time with only the one playoff loss. I don't think
this is that team I and and you know, but
I do think they're going to handle Denver. I don't
think it'll be a sweep, but I do think, you know, Denver,
it's gonna be a good series. But like good Lord,
the rest disparity is out of control with the Nuggets

(01:19:04):
having to have go seven games while okayse has just
been sitting there twiddling their thumbs. So I think that's
a big advantage for for Oklahoma City and h And
I also just think they're they're a better basketball team. Cleveland, Boston. Okay,
you've added Minnesota. Are the Warriors still on your list?

Speaker 3 (01:19:31):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (01:19:34):
Were they before the show? Before they took a twelve
point lead at halftime?

Speaker 8 (01:19:38):
No?

Speaker 4 (01:19:39):
Right, so they left, but now they're back.

Speaker 5 (01:19:44):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (01:19:46):
I don't know, Man, I like, even if they win tonight, Dude,
in forty eight hours, they got to start at Minnesota
thirty seven years old.

Speaker 4 (01:19:56):
I don't know.

Speaker 5 (01:19:56):
Man is putting together a hit list. He is, and
the Warrior all of the generational greats, they.

Speaker 4 (01:20:03):
Are high on that list. There's no doubt.

Speaker 2 (01:20:05):
All right, Uh coming up next, you gotta hear ha
Russell Westbrook describes himself.

Speaker 1 (01:20:12):
You don't listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (01:20:15):
Indeed, we are live in the Fox Sports Radio studios
heading into our number three little boost for the Rockets,
a little quick run to start off the second half
of this basketball game. Time out on the floor with
eight and a half to go in the third and
the Warriors lead by nine, Tensions are high, as somebody

(01:20:36):
it's gonna get hit. Yes, as we go in to
the fourth quarter of this basketball game, I'm already thankful
for this, Like it looks like tonight's game is gonna
give us what last night's game did not between the
Nuggets and the Clippers. And maybe as a Laker fan,

(01:20:56):
you enjoyed every minute of that joy watching your little
brothers stay under your thumb.

Speaker 4 (01:21:03):
And I understand that. Yeah, but come on, man, give
me some That series was so entertaining.

Speaker 3 (01:21:09):
And about it. You know, I knew that series was going.

Speaker 2 (01:21:16):
I mean right, you're right on that. I thought the
Clippers gonna win that series. I really did well. If
you now go back to Game four, Ephraim okay, and
we're tied with literally zero point zero one seconds left
to go on the clock. If if that dunk from

(01:21:38):
Aaron Gordon is a split second second later, I think
the Clippers win the series literally because they had all
the momentum in the world going into what would have
been overtime in that game, and I know where you're
gonna go if and fifth and yeah, whateppen. No, I
get it, and you're and you're not, and you're not
wrong on that. But I would have expected a little

(01:22:01):
bit more of a dramatic finish to the way that
series went.

Speaker 4 (01:22:04):
That's all.

Speaker 5 (01:22:05):
They did what the Clippers do. They didn't show up. Well,
they didn't show up. They did what James Harden does.
He didn't show up.

Speaker 2 (01:22:17):
They did what James Harden does. And you know, I
don't I don't mean that as a shot at at
his clutch gene as much as why not why not? Well,
because I think it's I think it's deeper than that.
I'm not going to say that that's not part of it.
You know, James Harden was part of a Rockets team
that years ago had the Warriors on their floor, the

(01:22:40):
Rockets floor for a Game seven, and they missed like
four thousand and three point row. It was just unbelievable
and lost that basketball game. And so there's that part
of his history. There's also you know, his comments from
last week, if it weren't for Steph Curry.

Speaker 4 (01:22:58):
I don't want to ring by now. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:23:00):
Like I was watching an interview earlier today with Kobe
Bryant talking about and this was years ago, how impressed
he is with what James can do dot dot dot
the fact that that style will never win a championship. Yeah,
because he said, when you just keep someone the ball

(01:23:22):
at the top of the circle and let them handle
the ball and dominate everything that's going to happen around him,
whether it's shoot, drive, penetrate and kick, whatever it is.
When you do that, he said in the playoffs, it's
the easiest way for the defense to just keep you right.

Speaker 4 (01:23:39):
There in front of him.

Speaker 5 (01:23:40):
That's it.

Speaker 4 (01:23:41):
And he says it'll never work, It's never ever going
to win a championship.

Speaker 5 (01:23:45):
Ring And it looks like that's why Mike D'Antoni, in
my opinion, was you know one of those coaches that
I'm like, bru, come on, we gonna outscore him, no
defense ever ever, right, small ball, no rebounding, no defense,

(01:24:05):
just shoot. Well, that's never won a championship. And so
I look, I'm I was shocked. The James Harden shot
eight times, scored seven points in thirty five minutes.

Speaker 4 (01:24:21):
Right.

Speaker 3 (01:24:23):
I was shocked, but not surprised.

Speaker 4 (01:24:30):
It usually works the other way around. But I got you,
I got you, I I you know, I hear what
you're saying.

Speaker 5 (01:24:38):
And now they, you know, packed that thing up and
going home. Indeed going home. Indeed they do what Clippers do.

Speaker 4 (01:24:49):
Yep. Absolutely, So it's just another brick on the wall there.

Speaker 2 (01:24:55):
But before we leave that series, I wanted to talk
about not just the Denver Nuggets, but but one specific
nugget if I may for a moment, and you and
I love to talk about him, is one of our favorites.
And for the first time I can ever remember, he

(01:25:15):
decided to talk about himself kind of the way the
rest of us often talk about him.

Speaker 4 (01:25:21):
So after the game, Russell Westbrook, Russell.

Speaker 2 (01:25:27):
Westbrook, he had this to say about the experience of
watching Russell Westbrook.

Speaker 11 (01:25:38):
And I understand the game. I understand what's going on.
So I am thinking and I also not I just
just a force, man. I think it's you know, my
ability to be able to be a force of nature
on the floor is what I pride myself on. So
whatever that looks like, it may be a turnover and

(01:25:59):
maybe a misshot, but it may be a steal, maybe
a dunk, maybe a mystery, maybe a may three. It's
gonna be all of that. It's gonna be everything. So
you just take it, take it how it comes, and
whatever happens, you go with it.

Speaker 5 (01:26:11):
And I've always been.

Speaker 3 (01:26:12):
Like that, okad that frightening.

Speaker 4 (01:26:15):
Yeah, he has played for your favorite teams.

Speaker 5 (01:26:20):
How does that grab you five petrified?

Speaker 9 (01:26:23):
Why?

Speaker 5 (01:26:24):
Because he's literally just absolved himself of any responsibility.

Speaker 3 (01:26:31):
Hey, it's gonna be what it's gonna be. Maybe a turnover?

Speaker 5 (01:26:34):
Why why? Why?

Speaker 4 (01:26:36):
Why?

Speaker 5 (01:26:38):
Now you can't control if you make or miss every shot,
but you can't control the turnovers. Well, I can play
a whole basketball game and not turn the ball over.
But if you're like, hey, this just comes with me,
that is crazy to me.

Speaker 9 (01:26:53):
That's like me saying, you know, I'll be late to
work sometimes, sometimes I'll be on time something it's I'll
be an hour late.

Speaker 5 (01:26:59):
But when I get here, man.

Speaker 2 (01:27:02):
Well, but there's also a piece of it that I
find to be very inaccurate. I'm sorry, you don't get
to call yourself a smart basketball.

Speaker 3 (01:27:13):
Right exact saying that, if the next.

Speaker 4 (01:27:16):
Sentence you're like, I'm all over the map.

Speaker 2 (01:27:19):
And by the way, Russ, we've watched, you watched, We've
watched some of the decisions that you make in real
time and in slow time. I mean some of the
stuff we've just seen in the last three weeks. The
lead the ball standing by yourself.

Speaker 5 (01:27:41):
He tried to give a game away this series, and then.

Speaker 4 (01:27:43):
You just take off like a bat out of hell
and fly at the hoop to.

Speaker 5 (01:27:47):
Throw up a brick underneath the rim, which is literally.

Speaker 2 (01:27:51):
The only thing you don't do in that situation. So
to come out of that and be like, look, I'm
a smart player, well not all the time, not the
case you're not. I don't even like, Yes, turnovers, everybody
turns the ball over. Stephen Draymond have had the disease

(01:28:13):
in this series, So I don't even know if you
can fully control turnovers. There's sometimes the other teams can
steal the ball. I get it, but dude, you can't.
You can't refer to yourself as a smart basketball player
and then continually make just cardinalsin type decisions on the

(01:28:33):
basketball court.

Speaker 5 (01:28:35):
So hard to watch, so hard to like. It used
to drive me so crazy. I used to be like,
I can't take you and look, I love russ I
love what he's done. Do you in terms of the
type of player he is and his energy? Love it.
When energy is then harnessed, then it's volatile, it's dangers

(01:29:04):
and so that's what it is. It's grabbed the rebound.
You're up by five, is twenty seconds left. You sprint
down one on four and give up the ball, turn
it over and they come down to shoot a three.
Now you're only up by two? What Yeah, why did

(01:29:27):
that even have to happen? Because that's what you get.
That's what you get.

Speaker 2 (01:29:31):
That's right, you get what you get, the whole whole package,
the whole experience.

Speaker 4 (01:29:36):
No no, no, no, you don't. You don't have to.
You don't have to.

Speaker 2 (01:29:42):
By the way, speaking of wild experiences and all over
the map, I absolutely wanted to get your thought on
Tyre's Halliburton's dad. And I know that this kind of
this played out for us last week and now we've
had some time to kind of work through it a
little bit more, and specifically for me, what's kind of

(01:30:07):
taking this story to the next level is not even
the act. The act is ridiculous enough in itself, and
those of you who don't know. He came out when
the Pacers eliminated the Bucks, and he brought a big
towel that had Halliburton's face on it and he waved
it in Yannis's face and apparently, like profanely it was
just trash talking.

Speaker 4 (01:30:27):
Janis attended compo, which is hilarious.

Speaker 2 (01:30:31):
But anyway, beyond that there there is what has happened next,
which is that Tyresee has his dad has basically said
like not going to Pacers games anymore, at least for
the time being. And I thought to myself, you know

(01:30:53):
your parent, I'm a parent. I like, I don't think
the act itself is the worse. Obviously, it's not the
worst thing I've ever seen a dad do. But good lord,
if my son were an NBA All Star and I
behaved in such a way where I had to agree

(01:31:13):
to not even go watch him play anymore, I can't
think of anything that would be more embarrassing than.

Speaker 5 (01:31:19):
That, completely embarrassing, Like I cannot.

Speaker 4 (01:31:22):
Can you imagine you're not allowed to go watch your.

Speaker 2 (01:31:27):
NBA All Star, grown ass man, You're not allowed to
go watch him play because of you're an idiot?

Speaker 4 (01:31:36):
Because like I would be so embarrassed.

Speaker 3 (01:31:42):
It's really bad and the behavior is just out of control.
That's not it.

Speaker 5 (01:31:48):
It's not about you, man, It's not about you at all.
And for you to make it about you, that's the
problem I have, yep. Right, Like when I'm coaching my
son and we win a big game of championship, we
don't rub it in our opponents face and they played,

(01:32:14):
and me as a father and as a coach, I
don't go to their coach or to their kids and
tell them how much better we are of them. And
that's why we don't. I don't teach that. I don't
coach that on any level.

Speaker 4 (01:32:27):
Right.

Speaker 3 (01:32:28):
The fact that you won is all you need to say.

Speaker 5 (01:32:33):
And if your family members can't understand that, then yeah,
they need to stay at home because it's embarrassing.

Speaker 3 (01:32:42):
Bruh.

Speaker 5 (01:32:42):
It's like, what are you doing? But you don't shoot
a jumper? What are you doing?

Speaker 4 (01:32:48):
Like? You know, how would you feel?

Speaker 2 (01:32:50):
And it happened today, by the way, beautiful win by
the Pacers in Cleveland, and mister Halliburton had to watch
on TV.

Speaker 4 (01:32:59):
Yeah, do you know how I would feel? If you
just sat there on your.

Speaker 5 (01:33:04):
Couch, you would literally be saying like I'm an idiot.
I'm just what am I doing? Or you can double
down is like, that's not fair and you can be
that guy? Oh god, yeah, how about that? You can
be that guy?

Speaker 4 (01:33:20):
You know who might be that guy?

Speaker 2 (01:33:22):
You and I have had so many talks these last
sixty nine months about wide receivers in the NFL, and
that guy might be Malik Neighbors. Superstar Young coming off
his rookie year with the New York Giants, looks like
he is all that. However, he took the diva receiver

(01:33:44):
conversation in a little bit of a new direction.

Speaker 4 (01:33:47):
This week.

Speaker 2 (01:33:48):
We want to let you hear what he had to
say and talk about it a little bit, and we'll
do that coming up next with me from Salam. I'm
Mark Willard and this is Fox Sports Radio live in
these Fox Sports Radio studios. Shortly after the show, podcast
goes up. If you missed any of today's show, you
got to check out the podcast. Just search Fox Sports

(01:34:09):
Radio wherever you do your podcast and be sure to
follow and review the podcast rated A five. Again, just
search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcasts, and
you're gonna see today's show posted right after we get
off of the air. The Rockets are making their move. Yeah,
the Rockets are making their move making Yeah, three point game,

(01:34:32):
late third quarter, Rockets are making their move. Second chance
points thirteen in this quarter alone for the Rockets.

Speaker 3 (01:34:44):
Yeah, it's uh turned into a basketball game.

Speaker 4 (01:34:48):
Oh yes, Oh yes it has. I had no doubt.
I had no doubt that it was gonna be tight
down the stretch.

Speaker 2 (01:34:55):
While we're keeping you up to date on that one,
definitely wanted to uh run this around a little bit
so maleague neighbors. Part of what was being discussed with
neighbors was actually the idea of certain Giants players wanting

(01:35:17):
numbers of retired greats to be unretired so that they
could wear them. And in the process of the whole thing,
Malik got to the point where he discussed the idea
of why wide receivers complain so much, which is an
amazing topic and I love it. At least he was

(01:35:41):
willing to go out there and speak on it. Take
a listen to what neighbors had to say.

Speaker 5 (01:35:45):
We don't like not getting the ball.

Speaker 10 (01:35:47):
We done ran about one hundred routes in the week.
We didn't watch the film on the dB. We didn't
learn the plays that we want to call. These coaches
is telling us we're gonna call this on this down.
We're gonna call this when we get to this formation.
You're gonna score off this play. When you tell a
receiver he's gonna get about seven catches a game, we
calculating that out here, that's about about one hundred yards.

Speaker 5 (01:36:08):
I need that for my thousand yards.

Speaker 4 (01:36:09):
I need that to be in a Pro Bowl.

Speaker 5 (01:36:11):
I need that to get in a bracket so I
can get paid.

Speaker 10 (01:36:13):
You told me I was gonna get the ball. I'm
getting open, and I'm not getting that pill.

Speaker 3 (01:36:18):
We got a problem.

Speaker 5 (01:36:19):
That's why I save receivers a devas. Yeah, like we're
definitely a diva.

Speaker 4 (01:36:24):
Okay, your reaction.

Speaker 6 (01:36:26):
By the way, guys on Carmelo Anthony's podcast.

Speaker 4 (01:36:29):
On Carmelo's Okay, thank you for that. All right?

Speaker 2 (01:36:33):
He from mister offensive line who never gets to touch
the ball at all but gets hit fifty seven thousand
times more than a wide receiver.

Speaker 4 (01:36:40):
Please weigh in.

Speaker 5 (01:36:43):
It was cringe worthy to listen to it. That's a
bad look. Hmm.

Speaker 2 (01:36:58):
What's the most There's one one line that stood out
the most. But go ahead, yeah, go ahead.

Speaker 5 (01:37:04):
The first thing that comes to mind is that this
young man doesn't understand most young players don't not most
some just what competition, team, uh, sacrifice, what any of

(01:37:24):
that means. Because we live in a me society, a
followers society. It's me look at me, no different in sport.
No different in sport to me society. And he's talking

(01:37:49):
about him, not that his team was god awful last
year and what they knew need to do to be better.
He didn't say, you know, I think if we really
solidify our running game, and you know, that'll open up

(01:38:13):
the field for me to go out there and do
my work. Now, I'll take pride in what I do,
and I think I'm one of the best, or I
could be one of the best to do this. But
you know, it's about the team. It's about to you know,
you can go for a thousand yards and never make
the playoffs. You can go to the Pro Bowl and
never make the playoffs. You can do all those things

(01:38:36):
and never have a winning season. And he was speaking
like that would be okay. So that's what I took
from that. It's not about the success of the team.
He might as well just go be a boxer. If
that's the case. Just go be a boxer and you
only got to worry about you.

Speaker 2 (01:38:58):
Well, okay, there's so many things actually in that short
bit of commentary that for me would be a red
flag if I were if I were a teammate of Maliks,
if I were in Malik's employer, when he.

Speaker 4 (01:39:12):
Talks about how.

Speaker 2 (01:39:15):
The coaching staff puts in a game plan and tells
you how many balls you're going to get, and then
you process that as gospel, like this is going to happen,
that's done, that's already gonna happen. To me, as if

(01:39:36):
there are millionaires trying to chase everyone out there and.

Speaker 5 (01:39:40):
Eat them in the middle of these games.

Speaker 4 (01:39:43):
I mean, what kind of absolute mental screwlers is that.
That's a crazy, crazy comment.

Speaker 5 (01:39:54):
Yeah, he has no concept of team or are It's
just it just seems like it's not a very intelligent answer.
And I'll leave it at that. It's not very intelligent.

Speaker 4 (01:40:08):
No, No, it more than didn't. It more than seemed
like that.

Speaker 2 (01:40:11):
It's it's like and then to attach to immediately be
like that's dollars and that's pro ball, and that's I
just and again, I've never been a wide receiver. Yes,
I'm sure, Molik, it's exhausting. I'm sure you gotta run
all those those.

Speaker 5 (01:40:28):
Routes because that's what you get paid for.

Speaker 2 (01:40:31):
Right, there's nobody on the field that isn't banging their
head against the wall. That's like an offensive line. If
I were to say, you know what I mean, every
play I got a block, and I mean, yeah, the

(01:40:53):
quarterback has to throw the ball, But what about me?

Speaker 5 (01:40:59):
Right?

Speaker 4 (01:41:01):
What? Okay?

Speaker 7 (01:41:02):
Was he?

Speaker 4 (01:41:03):
Can we hear it again? Is it possible that he
was kind of tongue in cheek.

Speaker 3 (01:41:07):
No, that's not tongue in cheek.

Speaker 2 (01:41:09):
Let's hear it again, on on on Mellow's problem. The
leak neighbors New York Giants.

Speaker 5 (01:41:14):
We don't like not.

Speaker 3 (01:41:15):
Getting the ball.

Speaker 10 (01:41:16):
We didn't ran about one hundred routes in the week.
We didn't watch the film on the dB. We didn't
learn the players that we want to call. These coaches
is telling us we're gonna call this on this down.
We're gonna call this when we get to this formation.
You're gonna score off this play. When you tell a
receiver he's gonna get about seven catches a game. We
calculating that out here that's about about one hundred yards.

(01:41:37):
I need that for my thousand yards.

Speaker 4 (01:41:38):
I need that to be in the Pro Bowl.

Speaker 10 (01:41:40):
I need that to get in a bracket to where
I can get paid. You told me I was gonna
get the ball. I'm getting open, and I'm not getting
that pill.

Speaker 4 (01:41:47):
We got a problem.

Speaker 10 (01:41:48):
That's why he save receivers av Yeah, like, we're definitely
a diva.

Speaker 3 (01:41:53):
Oh why didn't I throw you the ball?

Speaker 5 (01:41:56):
Because the left tackle got beat and there's miles get
hanging on my neck.

Speaker 4 (01:42:01):
There you go, there's a two hundred and eighty pound
man on my head.

Speaker 5 (01:42:05):
Sorry, diva, I didn't get you the ball because I
was running for my life back here.

Speaker 2 (01:42:10):
And he's like, if you tell me I'm gonna get
the ball and I don't, then we got a problem.

Speaker 4 (01:42:15):
Idiot.

Speaker 5 (01:42:15):
It was so bad. I don't want to call a
man out his name, but go ahead, stupid, stupid does
man that boy? I didn't put the words in your mouth.

Speaker 4 (01:42:26):
No, no, he God's dang it.

Speaker 2 (01:42:29):
You know he's so talented, he's so good and and
on my field, I'm sure there are plenty of wide
receivers just nodding their head like yep, that's what it's like,
but goodness, gracious, you know what I mean?

Speaker 4 (01:42:44):
Like you know who?

Speaker 2 (01:42:45):
You know what Malik should do. I got an idea
he should spend a night shadowing.

Speaker 8 (01:42:56):
Steve de Seger. Why not, and then you could see
what a team player is all about.

Speaker 9 (01:43:04):
See, I'll say thank you and move on.

Speaker 4 (01:43:06):
All right.

Speaker 9 (01:43:07):
We have Golden State holding on to a lead in
a game seven and on the ice at Winnipeg, we're
going to a second overtime. Oh my god, in a
game seven. Brief people, by the way, I'm glad you
played the.

Speaker 6 (01:43:19):
Play by play cut, which was thrilling to open the hour.

Speaker 9 (01:43:22):
That tying goal two seconds left in regulation for the
Jets was the latest time goal in any Game seven
in NHL history, and they were down three to one
with two minutes to go in regulation. This is a
Game seven Saint Louis at Winnipeg that will end the
first round. It's three to three right now at the
end of the first twenty minute overtime. The Conference semi

(01:43:44):
start Monday. As for the NBA Playoffs, a game seven
tonight to end the first round. The Warriors aren't winning
by fifteen, but they do have the lead back up
to ten at Houston early fourth quarter seventy two to
sixty two. Golden State. Steph Curries made a few shots
in the second half, up ten points, eight rebounds, six assists,
just one turnover. Starter Buddy healed with twenty two points

(01:44:06):
for the Warriors. Houston led by the twenty two points
of a men Thompson. Unfortunately, the rest of the Rockets
team is shooting sixteen for fifty one from the floor,
and it's a double digit lead on the road for
the Warriors, even though again Curry has largely not at
all been a factor on offense. The winner tonight starts

(01:44:27):
a conference semifinal on Tuesday against Minnesota. The Indiana Pacers
won game one of an East simmis at top seed
Cleveland won twenty one to one twelve. Darius Garland of
the Cabs was out again with a sprain tow He
also missed the Cavaliers previous two games. Cabs did lead
with six and a half minutes to go, though, but
Tyrese Halliburton wound up on the winning side. He had

(01:44:47):
twenty two points thirteen assists. Boston hosts New York on
Monday to begin a second round series. Celtics guard Drew
Holidays due to return after a strained hamstring. Also starting Monday,
Denver at Oklahoma City, Yotti Scheffler won by eight strokes.
In Texas.

Speaker 6 (01:45:02):
More on that in a moment.

Speaker 9 (01:45:03):
Joey Logano took the NASCAR Race at Texas ross Chas
Dane finished second. The Sunday night ballgame went to Atlanta,
hosting the Dodgers and beating LA four to three to
end the Dodgers seven game winning streak. Austin Riley hit
two two run homers the loss to starter Dustin May.
At Saint Louis, the Cardinal swept a double header from
the Mets six to five and five to four. They

(01:45:25):
played two after a rainout on Saturday, Texas eight one
winners against Seattle. Jacob de Grom pitch five innings for
the victory. San Francisco nine three over Colorado Logan Webb
the win. The Rockies record six and twenty eight this year.

Speaker 6 (01:45:40):
They have two road wins.

Speaker 9 (01:45:42):
We're already into May. They are two and seventeen on
the road. As for the golf, I mentioned, Scottie Scheffler
ranked number one in the world, winning again and he
captured his home area event. The Byron Nelson. Meanwhile, Live
Golf was in South Korea with Bryson De'shamba as the
chant by two strokes. LPGA winner was Pardon Hey Ron

(01:46:03):
Rue in Utah. Like most LPGA winners, nobody's heard of them,
but at least they were playing in Utah, where that
tour had not played in over sixty years. She won
it wire to wire this season. She's now the LPGA's
tenth different winner in ten tournaments. Their purse is said
to be one of the largest among the non majors.
They have three million total perse the winners check three

(01:46:25):
hundred thousand dollars. Second place tie got you close to
two hundred thousand dollars. But for the PGA event, Scotty
Scheffler takes home about one point eight million dollars for
his win today and a second place check is worth
just over one million dollars. Scheffler is the reigning Player
of the Year. This is his first trophy of this year,

(01:46:46):
but it's his six top ten finish of the season,
most on tour, and Rory McElroy has yet to overtake
him for that number one spot in the World golf rankings. Meanwhile,
Live golf was in Korea for the first time at
the Jack Nicholas Golf cub This is the tenth different
country that has hosted a live golf event. Bryson Deshambo

(01:47:07):
had a birdie on seventeen, ultimately won by two shots
over Charles Howell. The third every Live Golf event has
a total purse of Let's see, LPGA was a three
million perse twenty million dollar perse for live golf. Every tournament,
every winner gets four million dollars for three days of golf.

(01:47:28):
And now Live Golf's going to take a full month
off before they return to an event in DC, the
PGA Championships in a couple week at a couple weeks
at Quail Hollow in North Carolina. Eleven live golfers will
be competing there. And let's not forget Bryson Deshambo won
the team competition as well. His crushers, that's their nickname.

(01:47:49):
We're a combined twenty under par today, twelve shots better
than any other force him in this final round, so
they wound up with an easy victory over the three days.
So they get to split three million dollars there in
addition to his individual four million dollar Winnings updating the Warriors.
They're up seventy five sixty two in Houston early in

(01:48:11):
the fourth game, seven to and the NBA's first round.

Speaker 4 (01:48:14):
Back to you, good lord, Steve.

Speaker 2 (01:48:16):
Awesome stuff tonight, as always appreciated so much. We are
back in the Fox Sports Radio studios.

Speaker 4 (01:48:24):
Mark Willard eight.

Speaker 2 (01:48:25):
From salam A little five nothing Curry flurry to start
the fourth quarter. Boy, I don't know what a men
Thompson did on that last play.

Speaker 4 (01:48:34):
Is he hurt?

Speaker 3 (01:48:36):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (01:48:36):
Something went wrong there because he's been so brilliant.

Speaker 2 (01:48:40):
On both ends of the floor, and he just sort
of gave up on defending Curry and then yeah, something
cramped up on him and Curry just took one step
to the right and had a wide open three. Houston
had gotten this all the way down to three or
four points, and the Warriors have it back up to thirteen.

Speaker 3 (01:48:58):
What do you see see a veteran team taken over?

Speaker 5 (01:49:02):
I see a team who struggles to score in the
half court being forced to try to score in the
half court. And and that's just what it was. That
that was my assessment at the beginning of this series. Uh,
and you the fact of the matter is the Warriors
are built for games like this. They are Steph Curry's
built for this, Draybond Green's built for this. We don't

(01:49:25):
know if the Houston Rockets are as simple as that.
We don't know if they're built for this? Are they?

Speaker 4 (01:49:34):
I mean, even if they are, probably.

Speaker 5 (01:49:37):
Not, I mean having led, like probably led yet and
they're at home.

Speaker 4 (01:49:44):
I mean, look the ball, it's game seven.

Speaker 2 (01:49:47):
Ball a little heavier right, yes, heavier right, and you
gotta play through more and you gotta you know, just everything.
I gotta imagine it to be very difficult.

Speaker 4 (01:49:57):
I'm in.

Speaker 2 (01:49:58):
Thompson is on the bench try to stimulate his calf,
and this is a problem for Houston because he was
literally involved in almost every point they scored in the
third quarter. He's been their best player and it's it's
not even close. So we'll see, we'll see if he's
able to get himself back into the game. But there's
only you know, it's not many minutes left in this one. Yep, yep, yep,

(01:50:25):
so anyway, long way to go, absolutely long way to
go in this one, but it is it is getting
very very late, and the Warriors threatening to make this
a wonderful day for the road teams in the in
the NBA. I'm not sure how many people had the

(01:50:46):
the Pacers Warriors parlay. But but you know, again, long
way to go. Houston's got it down to nine. But
but the Warriors have definitely been the aggressor in this
one so far.

Speaker 3 (01:51:01):
Yeah, like we thought they would, did we.

Speaker 5 (01:51:07):
I thought that they would come out with that championship pedigree,
uh huh, and which we saw in the first half.
And you got to remember at halftime, I said, I
want to see if they can sustain it, and they
have so far, so good. Yeah, Houston went on a
little run and they just snapped back into it.

Speaker 3 (01:51:30):
So it's good. It's gonna be a good finish.

Speaker 2 (01:51:33):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (01:51:33):
Houston's got it down under ten now, so it's it's
it's gonna be good. Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:51:39):
The conference semifinals need one more contestant. Who will it be?
Will it be the Golden State Warriors? Will it be
the Houston Rockets. This one's coming down the stretch and
so are we back with some final thoughts coming up
with it? From Salama, Mark Willard, this is Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 4 (01:52:00):
These are the Fox Sports Radio studios. Mark Wellardy from.

Speaker 2 (01:52:06):
Salam, we are heading to the back half of the
fourth quarter Game seven in Houston Warriors maintaining their lead,
their advantage. But I want to play a little game
with you because I found it interesting to get into
the conversation with you about what to do about the
Lakers now that they've been eliminated. One of these two

(01:52:28):
teams got about to get eliminated. So what do you
do if you're them starting next year? Let's start with
the team that is trailing. You mentioned Kevin Durant's name earlier.
The Houston Rockets are also a team that has the
cost they've drafted, so well, you have all these twenty

(01:52:49):
two year old kids. They're all fantastic, at least in
terms of potential. Stay the course email Udoka before the
Sea already's kind of said, that's what I was brought
here to do.

Speaker 4 (01:53:03):
It'd be stupid to suddenly break it up now.

Speaker 2 (01:53:06):
But by the same token, it is clear and whether
they win this game, like we're going to talk about
these teams as if they're being eliminated tonight, one of
them is gonna win, and who knows what they go
do next, But it is clear what this team sort
of needs to have that they don't currently have, And

(01:53:28):
so what would you do? You stay in the course
or you're pushing chips in the middle to go get
Kevin Durant. What do you do if you're the Houston
Rockets if their season ends tonight.

Speaker 5 (01:53:38):
I think you got a good core, But I think
you need a real shot maker, a legit shot maker,
somebody who you know can go get that bucket.

Speaker 3 (01:53:49):
Now. Can Jalen Green turn into that?

Speaker 4 (01:53:51):
I don't know.

Speaker 5 (01:53:52):
He hasn't turned into that yet. He's been in the
league what four years now. So for me, it's they
need they need someone, they need a powerhouse, and so
I if they're serious about really making a run at this,

(01:54:13):
then yeah, you go get that guy.

Speaker 3 (01:54:16):
You go get a Yannis, you go get it. Uh
did you imagine with this good.

Speaker 4 (01:54:22):
Lord, they're already so big and so long?

Speaker 5 (01:54:27):
I mean, right, So that's what I would do. I
would lean that way.

Speaker 2 (01:54:35):
Do you think By the way, I'm starting to this
speculation is there every year with Yannis every year? Right now,
this speculation is there for the first time in like
the last four years. I'm starting to hear people who
are actually, you know, voices I would listen to in

(01:54:56):
this situation.

Speaker 4 (01:54:58):
Suggest that they think Yiannis is played his last game with.

Speaker 2 (01:55:00):
The Milwaukee Bucks, and I don't want to do the
whole like, well, if I were him, look, I don't
know what the hell he likes and where he wants
to be, And it's the only jersey he's ever worn,
and it's not that easy to just pick your spot
and go there. Sometimes if you say I want to leave, well, hey,

(01:55:21):
you end up where you end up. Hell, that's what
happened to his teammate, Dame Lillard. Send me to Miami.
Well we got the m right, You're in Milwaukee.

Speaker 4 (01:55:32):
So I don't I.

Speaker 2 (01:55:33):
Don't know what he's going to do, but it, man,
it does feel like if if he is ultra focused
on winning a ring, it feels like he's in a
tough spot with the Bucks.

Speaker 4 (01:55:48):
I'll buy that at.

Speaker 5 (01:55:49):
Least, yes, I would concur on that. I don't think
they can get it done there. They're not constructed for it.
I think lou and Drew Holiday and moving Middleton got
old really fast, and so it's one of the it
was one of those situations where they had a window
that they maybe could do something as a team for

(01:56:12):
multiple years and it just fizzled out. Uh, and so
they're stuck in with a situation where they have Giannis.
He's playing at an MVP level, but that's about it.
Dame's been hurt in and out.

Speaker 7 (01:56:27):
It just.

Speaker 5 (01:56:29):
They got it. Seemed like they got old really fast
while the league is getting younger. And so if I
were you, honest, I would just I would look for
other No one's going to Milwaukee, right and no one's
going to join him there, and so it would. I know,

(01:56:51):
he loves the community, the community loves him, but if
he wants another championship, then he probably gonna have to
look elsewhere.

Speaker 2 (01:56:59):
Okay, now, the Golden State Warriors, I mean there's overlap here,
although completely different with regard to the conversation you're having
about the Lakers. I mean, I think we spent the
whole weekend going up. No, they're old, the Warriors are old.

Speaker 5 (01:57:17):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:57:18):
If they win this basketball game, maybe all of a sudden, though,
you know, the conversation changes a little bit, and who
knows where they go next. But every season is a
new one, and you're gonna try to get better no
matter how far you go. Steph will be thirty eight
next year.

Speaker 3 (01:57:36):
I mean, I think it's over for Houston. The body
language is not good.

Speaker 2 (01:57:40):
Interesting, But what if you're the Warriors. If you're the Warriors,
what are you doing next year? What do you do
if you were to lose tonight? And I know they're
up double digits three and a half minutes to go,
but if you were to lose tonight, how would you
try to rescue the remainder of these superstars careers?

Speaker 3 (01:58:00):
I think you have some pieces on that bench that
can go.

Speaker 10 (01:58:08):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:58:09):
And then I think.

Speaker 4 (01:58:12):
You just said you just said Jonathan Kamingo without saying
Jonathan Yeah. Good lord.

Speaker 2 (01:58:18):
I the conversation in this town about him has almost
been toxic fromm yeah.

Speaker 8 (01:58:23):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:58:23):
But he got an opportunity to go in for a
short period of time in each half tonight, each half
he had the opportunity to go in for a couple
of minutes. A lot of people have been asking for
his athleticism because Houston is so athletic. He went in
there tonight. He did not get a lot of time,
and he has been on the bench for weeks. I
get it, but my goodness, both times he went in,

(01:58:45):
he reminded everybody why he's not in Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:58:48):
So it's it's time to move on from that. It's time.

Speaker 5 (01:58:55):
And and then that's fine, okay, yep, but you gotta
remember they started off the season playing twelve people and
then that got down to six essentially.

Speaker 3 (01:59:06):
But I think they need to go really get.

Speaker 5 (01:59:14):
Someone that can take that can come in with Jimmy
and really take the load the pressure off Steph Curry.

Speaker 3 (01:59:24):
Right and and and allow him to not be so
you know, worn down as this thing goes on.

Speaker 2 (01:59:34):
This boy, I can't believe if they hold on here,
I can't believe. They've gotta they gotta fly immediately to Minnesota.

Speaker 5 (01:59:40):
I gotta go to tonight. Holy hell, they gotta go.

Speaker 4 (01:59:43):
Holy hell, my man, I really appreciate you hanging with me.

Speaker 5 (01:59:50):
You did it, man, I did it.

Speaker 4 (01:59:51):
I did it. Did they do it? I don't know
if they did it.

Speaker 2 (01:59:55):
We'll find out coming up next Planing and Span your
our next. How they wonder ful night