May 10, 2023 • 36 mins
Mike Harmon and Ryan Hollins explain why NBA teams are going nuts for the best NBA prospect since LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama. We got a coaching hire that needs to be made in the NBA. And the Progressive play of the night!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
ten pm to two am Eastern seven to eleven pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for
The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon at Foxsports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every night on the
iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Greet eggs welcome in final hour of the program on
a Tuesday, The Jason Smith Show with Me Mike Harmon,
No Jason Smith. Tonight, Ryan Hollins, our buddy, former NBA
player ten years in the league, analyst over with the
Houston Rockets, played over at u c LA in Westwood.
We'll talk a little bit about the NBA Draft lottery
(00:50):
that comes up a week from now. We've got a
coaching decision that's coming down to the wire. Get Ryan's
thoughts on how that should shake out given the roster composition.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
You hold up our right body.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
We had two big games tonight and fortunately they kind
of got away from the losing team a bit early.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
No, they did, and here's the thing, man, we are
starting to see the desperation of the NBA Playoffs. There's
nothing like it. The great Kevin Garnett taught me that
the hardest thing you will ever do in your life
is eliminate a team from the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (01:27):
Man, So.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
You're seeing it here and tonight you saw a very
desperate team. I think we were also shocked by hey man,
the Celtics losing one at home. I don't think anyone
saw that coming. So hats off to James Hardening Company
for I think that, honestly, this was the biggest win
(01:53):
that they've.
Speaker 6 (01:53):
Had in the Hardened.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
Hardening beat era, if you want to call it that,
that they they've ever played, and they got theirselves a
chance to move forward in advance. So, I mean, you've
just got a lot of cool stuff going on here,
and hey man, you can argue the most monumental game
or series so far for Lebron as a Laker.
Speaker 6 (02:15):
A lot of people don't.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
Really give the Bubble Championships that type of respect, but
it looks like Lebron has a chance to win a championship.
Speaker 6 (02:24):
Here.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
We were getting into it a little bit with Fenley
last update about that very thing. When you talk about
the Dodgers championship, talk about the Lakers championship.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
There are those that will push those aside.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
They don't think anything of the arguments of, hey, these
guys got hurt. Those guys got hurt, and maybe a
path opened up to get you to a title. But
in this case, if you didn't play the requisite number
of games, So just jelly, Michael, Well, I mean that,
really it comes down to this. Yet, you play by
the rules that are put in front of you, all right,
everybody agrees to him. You've got your CBAS, you've got
(02:56):
your your board of governors or owners or whatever we're
calling them these days, and you make your decision of
how you're gonna play out your title run.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
And this goes for every sport.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
You play by those rules, and if you emerge victorious, right,
if it's no disqualification, well then the kendo sticks can
come in. Then the steel chairs can come in. Then
the barbed wire whatever I got, the barbed wire bat
like Megan from The Walking Dead, can come into the ring,
and if I pin you, I win.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Likewise, in the NBA for Lebron James, a lot made
about that title. Yes, they got a couple of months off,
and that's gonna help achy, weary bones. But you know,
part of it is the mental side of things, Ryan
that I think it's underestimated, and a lot of this
talk about physical injuries and guys missing time, but the
ability to go through the length then the pressures of
(03:46):
a postseason, whether they're a normal flow, and the travel
and back and forth like we're watching in the sixers
winning in Boston today or going back to the Bubble,
where it's all right, you're contained in this space and
you've got to make the best of it for these
several weeks together away from the outside world. I mean,
there's both things lead to the same. You've got to
(04:09):
have a little bit of that mentality and intestinal fortitude
to rumble through it. You know, whether you decide to
give folks partial credit, man's that's your own thing you
gotta battle with.
Speaker 6 (04:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
Yeah, for me, a championship is a championship. You got
to give respect where it's due. Hey, there are some
teams that didn't choose to go to the Bubble. It
was a different atmosphere. Some say there is less stress.
I don't know that that would be a factor against
Lebron James. We've seen him perform in some of the
most stressful situations possible as far as just beyond the
(04:44):
NBA NBA period, and he's met him with flying colors,
So ultimately, I don't think you can question that. But hey,
there's a chance for him to really solidify himself. And
if you think about the Lakers, you think about the
rich LA history, you know one wouldn't be enough. I
don't think you look at Lebron's career and ever call
it a failure. But I think if he really is
(05:06):
looking to go into those record books, he's really looking
to be one of the greatest Lakers ever. A second
championship at his age. Man, we're putting some stripes on
that got debate, Man, well, we're putting some notes on
that goat debate.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
But I think going back to the bubble and then
bring it forward, because I mean, this is winning a
different way again, right, different cast of characters, a team
that got shuffled up, and whether you buy in fully
to the narrative that occur that this occurred before the
season of Hey, this is the roster you wanted to
You've got to go play with it until they were
(05:44):
able to make that change and Westbrook was out and
you brought in some new component pieces, and you saw
what the defensive rating was down the stretch. Schedule aided,
but again, you play who's on the schedule, you beat
who's on the schedule, and you adjust accordingly. And now
watch it in these playoffs where he's not always the
one A right, there's times where it's been Anthony Davis
(06:06):
and guess what it's been time when it's been neither
of those guys that the Lakers have needed to come
up huge to win games for the bubble. I wonder
how much of it was we didn't see him out
and doing the normal flow of the playoffs, and so
it's it's in Florida, but you don't have the home crowds,
(06:27):
you don't have those home playoff games, because you saw
what kind of atmosphere it was in the last round
against Memphis. I mean, those whole home games were absurd,
and not to mention to get in prices to go
check it out, but just the enthusiasm of those fans
that have been a decade since they'd seen a home
playoff game.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
Yeah, you know, I'll say this from you know, playing
in the playoffs, you know, going into playing in Boston,
playing in you know, against the heat and in these
you know, game six is Game seven's elimination games. Man,
there's it is a different game when you have the
crowd involved. I'd be lying to you if I told
(07:06):
you that home court advantage doesn't mean anything. Going in
on the road and winning a game a tough game
doesn't mean anything. But I think the disappointment is questioning
Lebron James as if he hasn't shown up in those
major moments.
Speaker 6 (07:24):
And that's where you.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
Can't give the same credit to people trying to say
that his Bubble championship did not mean the same or
it's not equal to other ones, because hey, man, like
Lebron has showed up in all those moments, So why
do you take away or discredit what he'd been able
to do. But hey, nonetheless, if you get to championship
(07:48):
this year, I'm telling you, man, that is putting him
in different company man, and just even deeper into the
record books.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Yeah, when it comes to all those goat conversation, I
leave that for other people to yell about.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I think it's kind of a waste of time across
eras because nobody ever brings Russell Chamberlain or kareem into
the mix, just.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
Pushed on that you wanted to do. Go debate the
whole last bits of the show.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
You haven't known me, you've known me?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Sorry, did you get a different rundown than than the
one I was trying to set out a little bit
like it's it's one of those things. But it's just
funny because even just talking as as we were about
the games tonight, say, two hours ago, as we're really
digging in on the program, as Denver was tipping off
(08:40):
and everything, well, just the idea of how much the
game has changed, how much officiating has changed. You've got
the reviews, You've got all these different circumstances that make
for a flow of a game so much more magnified,
play to play, interaction to interaction, and we go to
the review booth, all right, now, is this a common fall?
Speaker 4 (09:03):
Is it a flagrant one? Is it a flagrant two?
Is it a.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Boys will be boys? And we don't blow a whistle
at all? I mean, there's there's just a different level
to it. So applying the same to how the game
was structured and teams involved and everything else, it's always
a fun exercise. And this is not my weasel way
of being Chicago guy going Jordan's untouchable, leave me alone.
It's it's more just a I think a lot of
(09:27):
oxygen and look, it's made people millions upon millions of dollars,
and perhaps I should lean into it more. But it
feels like it's a well traversed area that maybe I
should go. And I mean, maybe I'm the guy that
Yannis responded to when he was talking about you know
this thing on Twitter earlier, the I'm coming bit that
(09:48):
he that he put out there and that you know,
our guy justin I'm tired of the disrespect. I'm coming.
Maybe it was me calling out that the facade of
who yanis truly is the happy, go lucky guy from Greece.
He's shown some cracks the last couple of weeks. Maybe
that was directed to me. Maybe this is how I
make millions of dollars. Maybe it's on that.
Speaker 6 (10:10):
Look, man to each its own.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
I think when that, you know, it's always an emotional
card when that goat debate comes up and I've I've
parttaken it obviously.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
I think everywhere we.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
All we all do to a degree. It's just a
matter of how much you try to make it front
and center and lean into it.
Speaker 5 (10:30):
And certainly it's if it's organic and it happens. I
think what you're saying is fair. Let's talk about it,
but let's no one wants to sit and just argue
just for sake of arguing.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Like I end up with the Jason Siegel six for
six seaw that's all I need, all right, go back
to great moments in film history as we come to
you from the tire Raq dot com studios here a
Fox Sports radio but an impressive win.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
To circle back to the.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Original throat, I mean for Philadelphia, and look you got
guys tried to change narratives about themselves. Joel Embiid, he wanted,
he cried for it, he talked about it, he got
his MVP. Okay box checked James Harden. Couple of no
show efforts from an offensive standpoint, right, he had that
big forty five point explosion with no Embiid and then
(11:21):
shrunk away a bit so now not needing to score
a ton but more of a facilitator, slowing the pace
down and finding an open man. And you had MAXI
come up with another big effort thirty points tonight. He
shot thirty three percent from the field his last three
games combined, so a huge effort in this one fifteen
(11:41):
one to ozho three win, alongside Embiid's thirty three points,
ten of twenty three from the field, ten of eleven
from the foul line.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Uh that you know, you.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Got what you anticipated from your core. And then you
add Tobias Harris with sixteen and eleven. Well, there's there's
your win right there, there's your bonus point. When hard
And only scored seventeen, but he does still dish out
ten assists for the Celtics at home. You know, the
bench was supposed to be the strong point. They scored
(12:12):
twenty on the night, most of which was in garbage
time after this game was decided. Ryan, So that's one
of the look in the mirror. And we had an
opportunity to push ahead and a couple of blowout wins
earlier in the series. And now well that's all for
not margin to victory doesn't matter. Did you get the
w or did you take an L and tonight it
(12:33):
never felt close.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
Mike never felt close, is right.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
And even if that lead kind of dwindled down, they
never looked comfortable talking about the Celtics. You can argue
even that Philadelphia looked better, they had gained confidence from
their last win. Yeah, and they were moments away from
you know, kind of you know, tricking the game off,
(13:01):
you know, not executing, not playing within themselves, and it
was looking like a here we go again scenario, and
you gotta take this moment to shout out PJ Tucker.
PJ Tucker went over and there was a moment where
Joel Embiid was losing confidence and Al Horford, you know,
(13:24):
I think he dunked on him. He hit a three.
He Al Horford all of a sudden starts showing up
at the you know, the best time you know, needed
for the Celtics, and.
Speaker 6 (13:38):
PJ.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Tucker essentially comes over and I can imagine just tells
Embiid you're the baddest man on the planet. Wake up,
and I'm I'm sure there were some choice words.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
I was going to say, still non FCC complying.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
We're imagining, right, wake up, get ready to play, and
you know, kind of like man up and Joelle and
being dead. I mean, he just flat out took over
and then Harden stepped up and he hit a big
shot and unfortunately some people questioned James Harden being clutched,
which is crazy to me. And I think that was
(14:15):
the biggest win by far of the Harden and embiid
Era and Doc river is over there in Philly. I
mean that was just it was huge and it stands
out and they came in with that same confidence Mike,
it might not wrong, and I think it threw the
Celtics off.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
The Celtics didn't expect to lose that.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Game, came out and punched him in the mouth.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
App Welcome back in Fox Sports Radio Jason Smith Show
with Me Mike Harmon.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
No Jason Smith.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Tonight it is stead ten year NBA vet analysts for
the Houston Rockets. We'll talk about the draft coming up
here in short order, and then later on we've got
the play of the night from Progressive. It's my buddy
Ryan Hollins at the Ryan Hollins where you find him
on Twitter. Catch out all his exploits, TV appearances, all
of those fun things. It links to his latest podcast.
(15:18):
All of it is up there for you for your perusal,
and he's a man that will tell you how much
he's paid for what he's wearing, because well, I mean,
it's a big deal, right. Thrifty is not just a
car rental place, it's a way of life.
Speaker 6 (15:33):
It is man, hey, man, why spend it?
Speaker 4 (15:36):
Well, that's it.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Spend it on the stuff you want to spend it
on is really what it comes down.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
To, all right.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
And we talked about the capital spent on this Lakers
and Warrior series. A lot of big thought game's been
done right, big thought pieces on what the each of
these games have meant legacies. And I think that's one
of the fun parts of the playoffs because we'll go
team to team and what does it mean? And oftentimes
(16:03):
before we even tip off in October, Ryan, we're looking
at free agency and who's going to be up or
trade potential and we start throwing things into chaos before
the balls tipped in the season opener for any of
these teams. But now we're at the point with the
Lakers and a three to one commanding lead. Series goes
back up to San Francisco for Game five. We've had
(16:24):
two close games that the Lakers were able to eke
out one seventeen, one twelve in game one. You saw
last night one oh four, one hundred some late gaffs,
defensive pressures from Anthony Davis and missed three point attempts,
a turnover from Draymond Green that was corralled over in
the corner trying to get it to Klay Thompson, who
(16:46):
was limited to nine points in his forty one minutes
to play. And then games two. In game three, you
know we split those two blowouts, one by twenty seven,
one by thirty. Okay, x those out and now let's
get back down to business. The dynasty.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
This is it.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Everybody's got the throwing all their Warriors memorabilia and a
giant pile saying it's over. And on top of it
is a lot of Jordan Poole memorabilia. We've watched the
formation of the squad, the retooling through the years, Guys
that they've drafted, guys that they've shipped out of town.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
A lot of folks.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Owing to James Wiseman and what his selection and ultimate
parting of the ways. You know what that does in franchise.
But here we are down three to one, but two
games that they could have finished and just didn't finish.
Despite the championship medal, a lot of those principal characters
(17:44):
ryan that we watched the Lakers and some I guess
uncharacteristic play from third scoring options were the guys that
ruled the days in those But it really comes down
to the four principles Clay and Steph again to A
D and Lebron and now the Lakers playing as you
said before, with house money going up on the road.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
We'll make this really simple. The Lakers are coming out
with a strategy and they're saying, Steph Curry, you're not
gonna beat us, all right, anybody else can beat us.
You're gonna get your shots, or we're gonna play. We're
gonna We're gonna play you the right way. We're just
not gonna try to take you out. Okay, Steph Curry,
(18:29):
We're gonna chase you around. We're gonna air on the
side of you not beating us. Somebody else, Okay, you're
gonna try to hug Clay. The respect for Clay is there,
don't get me wrong, But people are saying, hey, it's
not gonna be Curry and Curry is still getting his numbers,
you see that, but they're making him have to work,
They're making him have to pass the basketball. So ultimately,
(18:52):
as this series goes on, it's either gonna have to
be the defense of Golden State or it's gonna have
to be somebody else stepping up.
Speaker 6 (19:00):
And that's where.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
The frustrations with Jordan Poole live, because you don't see
him stepping in and hitting those big shots, having big moments,
and in fact, you know sometimes if he's not scoring,
he's doing more hurting the team. But hey, Jordan Poole
is the same Jordan Poole that you paid a lot
of money to. I think the difference is now that
(19:21):
you paid them, you're expecting more of a role. But
they're attacking Jordan Poole defensively, they're finding him and they're
making him have to work. And that's why he ended
up not being on the floor. The other night. Steve
Kurr went the other way.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yeah, having to work on the offensive end to gain
his shots. He saw it yesterday, just ten minutes played
over four from the field, minus six finish scoreless, did
have two turnovers as well. The frustration showing and in
the postgame locker room sat with his back to reporters. Eventually,
I guess talked a couple to a couple of reporters.
(19:57):
Initially was shying away from it. I don't know if
there's some individual beefs that need to be sussed out there,
but what you have is a guy who's confidence. His
own confidence is one thing, looking for opportunity, looking for that,
But from the teams, he's giving you enoughing defensively, right Steph,
(20:20):
For everything that's been said about him through the years,
you're at least getting the effort, and he's gotten better
in terms of the team defense. And to your point,
I don't think there was much separating the Lakers and
Warriors season wide and season long when it came to
defensive rankings. So you've got a squad that's capable. We've
just seen it in some big moments down the stretch.
(20:41):
It's not Ad, it's not Lebron in the second half
of games. It's guys coming up in Hachimura, Belannie Walker
the fourth game. Talk about what D'Angelo Russell did early
in the series. I mean, you've had the other guys
step up and play big. Lakers now with the opportunity
to english the dynasty, but certainly a lot harder than
(21:05):
it it's it would look, I think, because on the surface, yeah,
it's three to one. Doesn't feel three one, does it?
I don't, or it may not make sense. Right, There's
there's three one where you've got a commanding lead, and
then there's you gave away a couple of games. You
gave away big leads, and which is uncharacteristic, but maybe
(21:26):
it's Hey, that's history, this is twenty twenty three, Mike.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I think the reason that you feel that way is
because it took fifteen fifteen points in the fourth quarter
from Lonnie Walker, and whether you're betting man or not,
I don't think anybody saw that coming. And because of that,
you're going, Okay, do you have another Lonnie Walker performance?
Speaker 6 (21:52):
Is there?
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Who's going to be the next Lonnie Walker to step up?
Who's going to be that next guy that for the
Lakers hits those shots because normally that's golden state. And
when you're gonna put the champs against the wall, they've responded.
And the thing that's dangerous about teams getting those elimination
wins is they can get confidence and come out and
win another game, and another game, and all of a
(22:15):
sudden they've come back from three to one, which is
incredibly scary. Hatsalt to the Lakers. I'm always going to
say this, they did their job at home, but they
got to go and finish it. And if they don't
go and take this next win, whether it be up
in Golden State or down in Crypto, they're gonna be
in trouble because what the Lakers don't want to see.
(22:35):
Remember I said this, they don't want to see a
game separate from Golden State.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
Always comes back to me.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
You know, you can really just go back to the
squared circle and we go to well, however many times
champion because you add a bunch of other belts from
other regions, but Rick Flair to be the man, you
gotta beat the man until you've tapped them out and
you've won four.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
They're not done a couple of narrowed defeats.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Steve Kerr certainly starting to get a little more friendly
fire from folks in terms of coaching, and they've done
a lot of complaining about officiating in this series. Ryan
always trying to get the next call, is certainly going
to be there on the sidelines and then the postgame presser.
I mean, Steve Kerr did learn under the two. He
(23:23):
worked under Phil Jackson for all those years, so he
knows something about using the press to get your message across.
So we'll see how it's officiated when we get up
to San Francisco as well tomorrow night.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
Well, you know the game is going to be a
lot more physical. Golden State is going to come out
with a whole lot more energy, and you know it's
going to be a different ball ball club. And like
I said, the hardest thing you're ever going to do
is eliminade the team at the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Yeah, you said that. You attributed that to Kevin Garnett.
My favorite quote of his goes from an old ESPN
the magazine ad with him and Stefan Marbury talking about
what they needed to be part of the magazine. And
they looked directly in the camera and they go but
all nude, tastefully done. Was one of the where it
(24:16):
lives all these years later as they stared into the
camera and went on there.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
In your head, man, Rent Free.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Hey, you know what, the legends never die and a
good ad can always be there. Come on, tell me
you don't want to pull out a line like that.
Every once in a while, it's brilliant.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
But we've got the Pistons, who reportedly narrowed down their
coaching search to three finalists. Ryan, you got Kevin Ollie,
Jaren Collins, Collins Twins, he's an assistant with the Pelicans,
and then Buck's assistant Charles Lee. After Budenholzer's exit. You
know a little bit of state of flux there as well.
But you got a young squad, Kate Cunningham coming back,
(25:02):
Jade and Ivy. You've got some young pieces and another
chip coming up here in the draft next week. Do
you have any feeling from your intel or what you
would think as this team's rising, because none of the
three is a you know, grizzled NBA that the old
re tread that some fear like all would be getting
(25:26):
you know, big opportunities here at the NBA level. Is
there a gut where Detroit wants to go?
Speaker 5 (25:34):
I'm not sure I can say this all Coach Blutenholzer's
disciples are doing great. You look at Darvin Ham, look
at Taylor Jenkins over there in Memphis. So there's definitely
a recipe for success there. Thinking about Kevin Ollie coming
from the collegiate ranks is he's looking at a young team.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
So with the young team, his.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
Teams are just about the age of these young NBA players,
So he knows the language, he knows how to how
to work with them, and and you know that that
makes a lot of sense on that front. So I'm
not really sure where which way they'll turn. I don't
think there's any wrong answer there. Uh, And I think that,
(26:21):
you know, Detroit, the future is very bright there.
Speaker 6 (26:23):
Man.
Speaker 5 (26:23):
They got a young squad, they're working and you know,
there's there's a lot going on. They're actually very similar
to the Rockets in that sense where it's a it's
a youth movement, and you know they're also looking forward
to this draft lottery that you know is going to
change a lot of lives and careers pretty soon.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Yeah, let's go back to the top of it, because
people are going to start hearing the name Victor webbin
Yama repeatedly and then next week it's the here's all
these team representatives and whoever gets the number one pick wins,
and while the others will draft assuredly find players to
fit their some best available, whatever the case may be,
(27:03):
you may have some excited utterances of disappointment that may
not be FCC compliant from one or more of those
teams when it's all said and done.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
But when Minyama, guy we've been.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Hearing about for the last couple of years, have been
featuring some games some highlights, translates immediately. Is there any
because I you know, we we've had so many guys
come through. It's like, all right, he needs to put
weight on, he needs to do this. From what you've seen,
from what you've heard, this guy's uh, you know a
Ronco said it and forget it kind of product.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
Yeah, you don't find guys if we've ever that are
that big, that can move that way and handle. I mean,
he's he's about seven three seven four of almost the
high a big bobon and he's crossing guys over, going
through the legs and hidding step back threes. So you know,
you gotta feel the excitement for Victor Winbinyama. He's the
(27:58):
I would say the most high draft prospect we've seen
since Lebron James easily, and like I said, you don't
see guys his size move the way that he moves
on the basketball floor. So uh, that's where the excitement
comes from. And where he gets drafted we don't know.
But he's definitely a guy that I mean, multiple organizations
(28:22):
have their radar on.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
I just need more physical development and a year of
health from Bull Bull and I got my guy ready,
let's go.
Speaker 6 (28:31):
You know what, some say, you can look at Bull
Bull and.
Speaker 5 (28:36):
Polkachevski over there in ok Se and that's kind of
kind of the makeup in the build. But people don't
feel like that's Victor winbin Yama and they feel like
he's poised for success. But you know, I think the
NBA is going to trend towards those guys that were
just penciled in as centers and going centers and going no, man,
(28:57):
you're you're gonna go run the wing, You're gonna shoot
threes and if you can do it, we want to
see you do it. So a lot of these agile
biggs are taking their place on the perimeter.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Let's go, let's get after it. I really love to
see that for my five seven frame. Let's get guys even.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Taller running around the NBA with mad skills all over
the court.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
He's Ryan Hollins, Yeah, he mocks me over at Swollen
Do Mike Harvin with you. Jason Smith will be back tomorrow.
Coming up next, we got the progressive play of the
day and one of the great troll draw troll jobs
you'll see from an NBA owner coming up next here
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app
There it is Hall of Famer brings us back. Final
time of the show for us coming up in about
twelve minutes from now. Ben Maller taking you into the
(29:54):
night here Fox Sports Radio Mike Carbon alongside Ryan Hollins
O Jason Smith. Tonight Jason Smith Show with Me Mike Harmon.
Go find the audio wherever you get your podcasts downloaded.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Give it five stars. We'll love you forever and ever
a man. Ryan'll be back with me again on Friday.
We'll talk about predictions for tomorrow for the fight. Probably
some pain mixed there in particularly for my broadcast partner
tomorrow night.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
But we'll get to that in a moment.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Time for the progressive play of the day, and we'll
look to the nightcap for this one.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
Choker is in on the time out huddle with the
Phoenix Suns looking at the play.
Speaker 6 (30:33):
Now, Bruce Brand and Kevin Durant are throwing elbows.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
Well, it's not official.
Speaker 5 (30:38):
Oh, Durant just jumps Joki technical follow.
Speaker 6 (30:41):
Up, Kevin Durant.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
Joker just popped up with the skull of Kevin.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Durant and jumped inside his brain, went swimming around.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Ultimate bait job by Nikola Jophis. It's not an official
time out.
Speaker 6 (30:55):
So Choker went over and shoot by at them.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
There is the Denver Nuggets radio on the call. The
popped open his skull and went swimming around. The game
was already decided, But why not be an agitator where
you can, as you talked about earlier on not an
official time out. So hey, let's go and troll a
little bit and see what we can get in terms
of your insights of how you're gonna attack us. Progressive
(31:20):
play of the day, progressive making things even easier. They'll
help you bundle your home and car and shirts together
so you could save on both. Learn more at Progressive
dot com or one eight hundred Progressive Nuggets one eighteen
one oh two. Jokicch with his triple double. That is
the most career playoff games with The triple double gives
him his tenth of his career now, one more than
Wilt Chamberlain.
Speaker 6 (31:41):
Wow, and many more to come.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
I mean, the way he plays, that's just kind of
second nature for Yo Kitchen. You can just expect to
see that. But you know what, it's playoff basketball. Things
are getting physical, they're feisty, you know, whatever it takes
to win. Yokic's playing with five here because he hit
the incident with the owner, and you know, hey, no blood,
(32:05):
no foul.
Speaker 6 (32:05):
I'm all for it.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
And I didn't want to say this though in terms
of that, we didn't really talk about it. If if
you were at a pickup game and you're not, you
represent your families, you represent your organizations. Don't get me wrong,
but I've seen more fights at a pickup game, start
by what happened with the owner and Yokic than not.
(32:31):
That is like one guy's grabbing the ball. One guy
doesn't want the ball. That is the easiest way to
start a fight, either over the ball or grabbing the ball.
That is like, it's just it's an unwritten rule and
it just and it just happens so much.
Speaker 6 (32:48):
And this is universal.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
So for adio my ballers out there who played pickup basketball,
you know someone's pulling for the ball or it's a
check ball and give me the ball.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Those are fights, dude, Craziness ensues. Uh. Now, we got
a three games to two lead for Denver. You saw
Durant and Booker contained in spots for this game. Chris
Paul still on the sideline. We'll keep an eye on
this as it goes. We've got the Knicks tomorrow as
(33:17):
they try to survive. Jimmy closes him out.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
Right, That's what it looks like.
Speaker 5 (33:24):
I mean, every point it looks like he gets, they
get closed out.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
Now that would be surprised to see different.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
There you go.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Here's another story from the from this game. You had
on one side, Russell Wilson, Sean Payton, and Tim Patrick
on the other, Ishpia who was in that scuffle with
Jokich R had a little bit of flopping and everything.
I'm holding this ball and everything. He brought Mel Tucker,
who left under cover of darkness for from Colorado to
(33:54):
Michigan State a couple of years ago. So I guess
they made for one dynamic heel team for as some
of the Denver media dubbed them, two of the most
hated people in Denver coming in right now. So you
got that going for you. Last story I wanted to
give you, Ryan, I thought you'd be entertained by this
one TikTok trend since I know you're a big dancer
(34:15):
on TikTok. Evidently six dollars a roll up. Yeah, fruit
roll ups have commanded a big marketplace because of a
TikTok trend, and an American couple was trying to trying
to smuggle three hundred and seventy five pounds of them
into the state of Israel.
Speaker 5 (34:35):
Wow, that means there's a lot of money to be
made with these with these fruit rollups.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
The Israeli Tax Authority announced that ten shipments of fruit
roll ups from the US were found by the Central
Customs Unit at the Parcel Mail Sorting Center, and overall
they've now confiscated over six hundred and fifty pounds.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
Of fruit roll ups. Oh goodness, what was the last
time you had a fruit roll up?
Speaker 6 (35:01):
It's been a while, and you got a factor and
how much do those fruit rollups costs?
Speaker 3 (35:05):
And then hey, if you're buying them in bulk and
you can sell them at six a pop? Goodness, I mean,
I got to see what my penalty would because if
all it is is it's going to be taxes. If
I'm running a business instead of you know, gifting to
my friends right to take it to American side, I'm
using it for my own purpose, or am I distributing?
Speaker 6 (35:24):
I suggest we keep you out of Israeli customs.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
It's generally, yeah, generally a bad idea to go and
try to smuggle anything into another country. I'm not certainly
not advocating that, but part of the due diligence is,
all right, what's the true penalty I'm paid? If it's
a higher taxation rate, I mean the profit between the
fruit roll up of what I'm paying and six bucks
a roll up. I gotta imagine there's enough of a
margin for the tax man to get his.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
His bit and I'm still profiting immensely.
Speaker 5 (35:52):
I wonder what we'd have to barter to get you
out of an Israeli jail man.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
You'd be like a war hero or something.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
I got a couple of trading cards that might be
useful to folks I don't know. He's Ryan Hollins in
for Jason Smith. Fun Times, Fast, four hours with you tonight.
Speaker 6 (36:09):
Ryan.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
We'll do it again on Friday. Hopefully a couple of
these series are still heavyweights throwing punches. But I'm fearful
that we'll be waving goodbye and they'll be saying one.
Speaker 6 (36:18):
Two three, can coon all right, brother.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
We'll see you then.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Ben Maller coming up next here across the vast Fox
Sports Radio network, See you again,
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
ten pm to two am Eastern seven to eleven pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for
The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon at Foxsports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every night on the
iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Greet eggs welcome in final hour of the program on
a Tuesday, The Jason Smith Show with Me Mike Harmon,
No Jason Smith. Tonight, Ryan Hollins, our buddy, former NBA
player ten years in the league, analyst over with the
Houston Rockets, played over at u c LA in Westwood.
We'll talk a little bit about the NBA Draft lottery
(00:50):
that comes up a week from now. We've got a
coaching decision that's coming down to the wire. Get Ryan's
thoughts on how that should shake out given the roster composition.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
You hold up our right body.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
We had two big games tonight and fortunately they kind
of got away from the losing team a bit early.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
No, they did, and here's the thing, man, we are
starting to see the desperation of the NBA Playoffs. There's
nothing like it. The great Kevin Garnett taught me that
the hardest thing you will ever do in your life
is eliminate a team from the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (01:27):
Man, So.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
You're seeing it here and tonight you saw a very
desperate team. I think we were also shocked by hey man,
the Celtics losing one at home. I don't think anyone
saw that coming. So hats off to James Hardening Company
for I think that, honestly, this was the biggest win
(01:53):
that they've.
Speaker 6 (01:53):
Had in the Hardened.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
Hardening beat era, if you want to call it that,
that they they've ever played, and they got theirselves a
chance to move forward in advance. So, I mean, you've
just got a lot of cool stuff going on here,
and hey man, you can argue the most monumental game
or series so far for Lebron as a Laker.
Speaker 6 (02:15):
A lot of people don't.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
Really give the Bubble Championships that type of respect, but
it looks like Lebron has a chance to win a championship.
Speaker 6 (02:24):
Here.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
We were getting into it a little bit with Fenley
last update about that very thing. When you talk about
the Dodgers championship, talk about the Lakers championship.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
There are those that will push those aside.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
They don't think anything of the arguments of, hey, these
guys got hurt. Those guys got hurt, and maybe a
path opened up to get you to a title. But
in this case, if you didn't play the requisite number
of games, So just jelly, Michael, Well, I mean that,
really it comes down to this. Yet, you play by
the rules that are put in front of you, all right,
everybody agrees to him. You've got your CBAS, you've got
(02:56):
your your board of governors or owners or whatever we're
calling them these days, and you make your decision of
how you're gonna play out your title run.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
And this goes for every sport.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
You play by those rules, and if you emerge victorious, right,
if it's no disqualification, well then the kendo sticks can
come in. Then the steel chairs can come in. Then
the barbed wire whatever I got, the barbed wire bat
like Megan from The Walking Dead, can come into the ring,
and if I pin you, I win.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Likewise, in the NBA for Lebron James, a lot made
about that title. Yes, they got a couple of months off,
and that's gonna help achy, weary bones. But you know,
part of it is the mental side of things, Ryan
that I think it's underestimated, and a lot of this
talk about physical injuries and guys missing time, but the
ability to go through the length then the pressures of
(03:46):
a postseason, whether they're a normal flow, and the travel
and back and forth like we're watching in the sixers
winning in Boston today or going back to the Bubble,
where it's all right, you're contained in this space and
you've got to make the best of it for these
several weeks together away from the outside world. I mean,
there's both things lead to the same. You've got to
(04:09):
have a little bit of that mentality and intestinal fortitude
to rumble through it. You know, whether you decide to
give folks partial credit, man's that's your own thing you
gotta battle with.
Speaker 6 (04:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
Yeah, for me, a championship is a championship. You got
to give respect where it's due. Hey, there are some
teams that didn't choose to go to the Bubble. It
was a different atmosphere. Some say there is less stress.
I don't know that that would be a factor against
Lebron James. We've seen him perform in some of the
most stressful situations possible as far as just beyond the
(04:44):
NBA NBA period, and he's met him with flying colors,
So ultimately, I don't think you can question that. But hey,
there's a chance for him to really solidify himself. And
if you think about the Lakers, you think about the
rich LA history, you know one wouldn't be enough. I
don't think you look at Lebron's career and ever call
it a failure. But I think if he really is
(05:06):
looking to go into those record books, he's really looking
to be one of the greatest Lakers ever. A second
championship at his age. Man, we're putting some stripes on
that got debate, Man, well, we're putting some notes on
that goat debate.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
But I think going back to the bubble and then
bring it forward, because I mean, this is winning a
different way again, right, different cast of characters, a team
that got shuffled up, and whether you buy in fully
to the narrative that occur that this occurred before the
season of Hey, this is the roster you wanted to
You've got to go play with it until they were
(05:44):
able to make that change and Westbrook was out and
you brought in some new component pieces, and you saw
what the defensive rating was down the stretch. Schedule aided,
but again, you play who's on the schedule, you beat
who's on the schedule, and you adjust accordingly. And now
watch it in these playoffs where he's not always the
one A right, there's times where it's been Anthony Davis
(06:06):
and guess what it's been time when it's been neither
of those guys that the Lakers have needed to come
up huge to win games for the bubble. I wonder
how much of it was we didn't see him out
and doing the normal flow of the playoffs, and so
it's it's in Florida, but you don't have the home crowds,
(06:27):
you don't have those home playoff games, because you saw
what kind of atmosphere it was in the last round
against Memphis. I mean, those whole home games were absurd,
and not to mention to get in prices to go
check it out, but just the enthusiasm of those fans
that have been a decade since they'd seen a home
playoff game.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
Yeah, you know, I'll say this from you know, playing
in the playoffs, you know, going into playing in Boston,
playing in you know, against the heat and in these
you know, game six is Game seven's elimination games. Man,
there's it is a different game when you have the
crowd involved. I'd be lying to you if I told
(07:06):
you that home court advantage doesn't mean anything. Going in
on the road and winning a game a tough game
doesn't mean anything. But I think the disappointment is questioning
Lebron James as if he hasn't shown up in those
major moments.
Speaker 6 (07:24):
And that's where you.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
Can't give the same credit to people trying to say
that his Bubble championship did not mean the same or
it's not equal to other ones, because hey, man, like
Lebron has showed up in all those moments, So why
do you take away or discredit what he'd been able
to do. But hey, nonetheless, if you get to championship
(07:48):
this year, I'm telling you, man, that is putting him
in different company man, and just even deeper into the
record books.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Yeah, when it comes to all those goat conversation, I
leave that for other people to yell about.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I think it's kind of a waste of time across
eras because nobody ever brings Russell Chamberlain or kareem into
the mix, just.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
Pushed on that you wanted to do. Go debate the
whole last bits of the show.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
You haven't known me, you've known me?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Sorry, did you get a different rundown than than the
one I was trying to set out a little bit
like it's it's one of those things. But it's just
funny because even just talking as as we were about
the games tonight, say, two hours ago, as we're really
digging in on the program, as Denver was tipping off
(08:40):
and everything, well, just the idea of how much the
game has changed, how much officiating has changed. You've got
the reviews, You've got all these different circumstances that make
for a flow of a game so much more magnified,
play to play, interaction to interaction, and we go to
the review booth, all right, now, is this a common fall?
Speaker 4 (09:03):
Is it a flagrant one? Is it a flagrant two?
Is it a.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Boys will be boys? And we don't blow a whistle
at all? I mean, there's there's just a different level
to it. So applying the same to how the game
was structured and teams involved and everything else, it's always
a fun exercise. And this is not my weasel way
of being Chicago guy going Jordan's untouchable, leave me alone.
It's it's more just a I think a lot of
(09:27):
oxygen and look, it's made people millions upon millions of dollars,
and perhaps I should lean into it more. But it
feels like it's a well traversed area that maybe I
should go. And I mean, maybe I'm the guy that
Yannis responded to when he was talking about you know
this thing on Twitter earlier, the I'm coming bit that
(09:48):
he that he put out there and that you know,
our guy justin I'm tired of the disrespect. I'm coming.
Maybe it was me calling out that the facade of
who yanis truly is the happy, go lucky guy from Greece.
He's shown some cracks the last couple of weeks. Maybe
that was directed to me. Maybe this is how I
make millions of dollars. Maybe it's on that.
Speaker 6 (10:10):
Look, man to each its own.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
I think when that, you know, it's always an emotional
card when that goat debate comes up and I've I've
parttaken it obviously.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
I think everywhere we.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
All we all do to a degree. It's just a
matter of how much you try to make it front
and center and lean into it.
Speaker 5 (10:30):
And certainly it's if it's organic and it happens. I
think what you're saying is fair. Let's talk about it,
but let's no one wants to sit and just argue
just for sake of arguing.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Like I end up with the Jason Siegel six for
six seaw that's all I need, all right, go back
to great moments in film history as we come to
you from the tire Raq dot com studios here a
Fox Sports radio but an impressive win.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
To circle back to the.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Original throat, I mean for Philadelphia, and look you got
guys tried to change narratives about themselves. Joel Embiid, he wanted,
he cried for it, he talked about it, he got
his MVP. Okay box checked James Harden. Couple of no
show efforts from an offensive standpoint, right, he had that
big forty five point explosion with no Embiid and then
(11:21):
shrunk away a bit so now not needing to score
a ton but more of a facilitator, slowing the pace
down and finding an open man. And you had MAXI
come up with another big effort thirty points tonight. He
shot thirty three percent from the field his last three
games combined, so a huge effort in this one fifteen
(11:41):
one to ozho three win, alongside Embiid's thirty three points,
ten of twenty three from the field, ten of eleven
from the foul line.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Uh that you know, you.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Got what you anticipated from your core. And then you
add Tobias Harris with sixteen and eleven. Well, there's there's
your win right there, there's your bonus point. When hard
And only scored seventeen, but he does still dish out
ten assists for the Celtics at home. You know, the
bench was supposed to be the strong point. They scored
(12:12):
twenty on the night, most of which was in garbage
time after this game was decided. Ryan, So that's one
of the look in the mirror. And we had an
opportunity to push ahead and a couple of blowout wins
earlier in the series. And now well that's all for
not margin to victory doesn't matter. Did you get the
w or did you take an L and tonight it
(12:33):
never felt close.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
Mike never felt close, is right.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
And even if that lead kind of dwindled down, they
never looked comfortable talking about the Celtics. You can argue
even that Philadelphia looked better, they had gained confidence from
their last win. Yeah, and they were moments away from
you know, kind of you know, tricking the game off,
(13:01):
you know, not executing, not playing within themselves, and it
was looking like a here we go again scenario, and
you gotta take this moment to shout out PJ Tucker.
PJ Tucker went over and there was a moment where
Joel Embiid was losing confidence and Al Horford, you know,
(13:24):
I think he dunked on him. He hit a three.
He Al Horford all of a sudden starts showing up
at the you know, the best time you know, needed
for the Celtics, and.
Speaker 6 (13:38):
PJ.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Tucker essentially comes over and I can imagine just tells
Embiid you're the baddest man on the planet. Wake up,
and I'm I'm sure there were some choice words.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
I was going to say, still non FCC complying.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
We're imagining, right, wake up, get ready to play, and
you know, kind of like man up and Joelle and
being dead. I mean, he just flat out took over
and then Harden stepped up and he hit a big
shot and unfortunately some people questioned James Harden being clutched,
which is crazy to me. And I think that was
(14:15):
the biggest win by far of the Harden and embiid
Era and Doc river is over there in Philly. I
mean that was just it was huge and it stands
out and they came in with that same confidence Mike,
it might not wrong, and I think it threw the
Celtics off.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
The Celtics didn't expect to lose that.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Game, came out and punched him in the mouth.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
App Welcome back in Fox Sports Radio Jason Smith Show
with Me Mike Harmon.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
No Jason Smith.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Tonight it is stead ten year NBA vet analysts for
the Houston Rockets. We'll talk about the draft coming up
here in short order, and then later on we've got
the play of the night from Progressive. It's my buddy
Ryan Hollins at the Ryan Hollins where you find him
on Twitter. Catch out all his exploits, TV appearances, all
of those fun things. It links to his latest podcast.
(15:18):
All of it is up there for you for your perusal,
and he's a man that will tell you how much
he's paid for what he's wearing, because well, I mean,
it's a big deal, right. Thrifty is not just a
car rental place, it's a way of life.
Speaker 6 (15:33):
It is man, hey, man, why spend it?
Speaker 4 (15:36):
Well, that's it.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Spend it on the stuff you want to spend it
on is really what it comes down.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
To, all right.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
And we talked about the capital spent on this Lakers
and Warrior series. A lot of big thought game's been
done right, big thought pieces on what the each of
these games have meant legacies. And I think that's one
of the fun parts of the playoffs because we'll go
team to team and what does it mean? And oftentimes
(16:03):
before we even tip off in October, Ryan, we're looking
at free agency and who's going to be up or
trade potential and we start throwing things into chaos before
the balls tipped in the season opener for any of
these teams. But now we're at the point with the
Lakers and a three to one commanding lead. Series goes
back up to San Francisco for Game five. We've had
(16:24):
two close games that the Lakers were able to eke
out one seventeen, one twelve in game one. You saw
last night one oh four, one hundred some late gaffs,
defensive pressures from Anthony Davis and missed three point attempts,
a turnover from Draymond Green that was corralled over in
the corner trying to get it to Klay Thompson, who
(16:46):
was limited to nine points in his forty one minutes
to play. And then games two. In game three, you
know we split those two blowouts, one by twenty seven,
one by thirty. Okay, x those out and now let's
get back down to business. The dynasty.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
This is it.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Everybody's got the throwing all their Warriors memorabilia and a
giant pile saying it's over. And on top of it
is a lot of Jordan Poole memorabilia. We've watched the
formation of the squad, the retooling through the years, Guys
that they've drafted, guys that they've shipped out of town.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
A lot of folks.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Owing to James Wiseman and what his selection and ultimate
parting of the ways. You know what that does in franchise.
But here we are down three to one, but two
games that they could have finished and just didn't finish.
Despite the championship medal, a lot of those principal characters
(17:44):
ryan that we watched the Lakers and some I guess
uncharacteristic play from third scoring options were the guys that
ruled the days in those But it really comes down
to the four principles Clay and Steph again to A
D and Lebron and now the Lakers playing as you
said before, with house money going up on the road.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
We'll make this really simple. The Lakers are coming out
with a strategy and they're saying, Steph Curry, you're not
gonna beat us, all right, anybody else can beat us.
You're gonna get your shots, or we're gonna play. We're
gonna We're gonna play you the right way. We're just
not gonna try to take you out. Okay, Steph Curry,
(18:29):
We're gonna chase you around. We're gonna air on the
side of you not beating us. Somebody else, Okay, you're
gonna try to hug Clay. The respect for Clay is there,
don't get me wrong, But people are saying, hey, it's
not gonna be Curry and Curry is still getting his numbers,
you see that, but they're making him have to work,
They're making him have to pass the basketball. So ultimately,
(18:52):
as this series goes on, it's either gonna have to
be the defense of Golden State or it's gonna have
to be somebody else stepping up.
Speaker 6 (19:00):
And that's where.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
The frustrations with Jordan Poole live, because you don't see
him stepping in and hitting those big shots, having big moments,
and in fact, you know sometimes if he's not scoring,
he's doing more hurting the team. But hey, Jordan Poole
is the same Jordan Poole that you paid a lot
of money to. I think the difference is now that
(19:21):
you paid them, you're expecting more of a role. But
they're attacking Jordan Poole defensively, they're finding him and they're
making him have to work. And that's why he ended
up not being on the floor. The other night. Steve
Kurr went the other way.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yeah, having to work on the offensive end to gain
his shots. He saw it yesterday, just ten minutes played
over four from the field, minus six finish scoreless, did
have two turnovers as well. The frustration showing and in
the postgame locker room sat with his back to reporters. Eventually,
I guess talked a couple to a couple of reporters.
(19:57):
Initially was shying away from it. I don't know if
there's some individual beefs that need to be sussed out there,
but what you have is a guy who's confidence. His
own confidence is one thing, looking for opportunity, looking for that,
But from the teams, he's giving you enoughing defensively, right Steph,
(20:20):
For everything that's been said about him through the years,
you're at least getting the effort, and he's gotten better
in terms of the team defense. And to your point,
I don't think there was much separating the Lakers and
Warriors season wide and season long when it came to
defensive rankings. So you've got a squad that's capable. We've
just seen it in some big moments down the stretch.
(20:41):
It's not Ad, it's not Lebron in the second half
of games. It's guys coming up in Hachimura, Belannie Walker
the fourth game. Talk about what D'Angelo Russell did early
in the series. I mean, you've had the other guys
step up and play big. Lakers now with the opportunity
to english the dynasty, but certainly a lot harder than
(21:05):
it it's it would look, I think, because on the surface, yeah,
it's three to one. Doesn't feel three one, does it?
I don't, or it may not make sense. Right, There's
there's three one where you've got a commanding lead, and
then there's you gave away a couple of games. You
gave away big leads, and which is uncharacteristic, but maybe
(21:26):
it's Hey, that's history, this is twenty twenty three, Mike.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I think the reason that you feel that way is
because it took fifteen fifteen points in the fourth quarter
from Lonnie Walker, and whether you're betting man or not,
I don't think anybody saw that coming. And because of that,
you're going, Okay, do you have another Lonnie Walker performance?
Speaker 6 (21:52):
Is there?
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Who's going to be the next Lonnie Walker to step up?
Who's going to be that next guy that for the
Lakers hits those shots because normally that's golden state. And
when you're gonna put the champs against the wall, they've responded.
And the thing that's dangerous about teams getting those elimination
wins is they can get confidence and come out and
win another game, and another game, and all of a
(22:15):
sudden they've come back from three to one, which is
incredibly scary. Hatsalt to the Lakers. I'm always going to
say this, they did their job at home, but they
got to go and finish it. And if they don't
go and take this next win, whether it be up
in Golden State or down in Crypto, they're gonna be
in trouble because what the Lakers don't want to see.
(22:35):
Remember I said this, they don't want to see a
game separate from Golden State.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
Always comes back to me.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
You know, you can really just go back to the
squared circle and we go to well, however many times
champion because you add a bunch of other belts from
other regions, but Rick Flair to be the man, you
gotta beat the man until you've tapped them out and
you've won four.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
They're not done a couple of narrowed defeats.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Steve Kerr certainly starting to get a little more friendly
fire from folks in terms of coaching, and they've done
a lot of complaining about officiating in this series. Ryan
always trying to get the next call, is certainly going
to be there on the sidelines and then the postgame presser.
I mean, Steve Kerr did learn under the two. He
(23:23):
worked under Phil Jackson for all those years, so he
knows something about using the press to get your message across.
So we'll see how it's officiated when we get up
to San Francisco as well tomorrow night.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
Well, you know the game is going to be a
lot more physical. Golden State is going to come out
with a whole lot more energy, and you know it's
going to be a different ball ball club. And like
I said, the hardest thing you're ever going to do
is eliminade the team at the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Yeah, you said that. You attributed that to Kevin Garnett.
My favorite quote of his goes from an old ESPN
the magazine ad with him and Stefan Marbury talking about
what they needed to be part of the magazine. And
they looked directly in the camera and they go but
all nude, tastefully done. Was one of the where it
(24:16):
lives all these years later as they stared into the
camera and went on there.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
In your head, man, Rent Free.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Hey, you know what, the legends never die and a
good ad can always be there. Come on, tell me
you don't want to pull out a line like that.
Every once in a while, it's brilliant.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
But we've got the Pistons, who reportedly narrowed down their
coaching search to three finalists. Ryan, you got Kevin Ollie,
Jaren Collins, Collins Twins, he's an assistant with the Pelicans,
and then Buck's assistant Charles Lee. After Budenholzer's exit. You
know a little bit of state of flux there as well.
But you got a young squad, Kate Cunningham coming back,
(25:02):
Jade and Ivy. You've got some young pieces and another
chip coming up here in the draft next week. Do
you have any feeling from your intel or what you
would think as this team's rising, because none of the
three is a you know, grizzled NBA that the old
re tread that some fear like all would be getting
(25:26):
you know, big opportunities here at the NBA level. Is
there a gut where Detroit wants to go?
Speaker 5 (25:34):
I'm not sure I can say this all Coach Blutenholzer's
disciples are doing great. You look at Darvin Ham, look
at Taylor Jenkins over there in Memphis. So there's definitely
a recipe for success there. Thinking about Kevin Ollie coming
from the collegiate ranks is he's looking at a young team.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
So with the young team, his.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
Teams are just about the age of these young NBA players,
So he knows the language, he knows how to how
to work with them, and and you know that that
makes a lot of sense on that front. So I'm
not really sure where which way they'll turn. I don't
think there's any wrong answer there. Uh, And I think that,
(26:21):
you know, Detroit, the future is very bright there.
Speaker 6 (26:23):
Man.
Speaker 5 (26:23):
They got a young squad, they're working and you know,
there's there's a lot going on. They're actually very similar
to the Rockets in that sense where it's a it's
a youth movement, and you know they're also looking forward
to this draft lottery that you know is going to
change a lot of lives and careers pretty soon.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Yeah, let's go back to the top of it, because
people are going to start hearing the name Victor webbin
Yama repeatedly and then next week it's the here's all
these team representatives and whoever gets the number one pick wins,
and while the others will draft assuredly find players to
fit their some best available, whatever the case may be,
(27:03):
you may have some excited utterances of disappointment that may
not be FCC compliant from one or more of those
teams when it's all said and done.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
But when Minyama, guy we've been.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Hearing about for the last couple of years, have been
featuring some games some highlights, translates immediately. Is there any
because I you know, we we've had so many guys
come through. It's like, all right, he needs to put
weight on, he needs to do this. From what you've seen,
from what you've heard, this guy's uh, you know a
Ronco said it and forget it kind of product.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
Yeah, you don't find guys if we've ever that are
that big, that can move that way and handle. I mean,
he's he's about seven three seven four of almost the
high a big bobon and he's crossing guys over, going
through the legs and hidding step back threes. So you know,
you gotta feel the excitement for Victor Winbinyama. He's the
(27:58):
I would say the most high draft prospect we've seen
since Lebron James easily, and like I said, you don't
see guys his size move the way that he moves
on the basketball floor. So uh, that's where the excitement
comes from. And where he gets drafted we don't know.
But he's definitely a guy that I mean, multiple organizations
(28:22):
have their radar on.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
I just need more physical development and a year of
health from Bull Bull and I got my guy ready,
let's go.
Speaker 6 (28:31):
You know what, some say, you can look at Bull
Bull and.
Speaker 5 (28:36):
Polkachevski over there in ok Se and that's kind of
kind of the makeup in the build. But people don't
feel like that's Victor winbin Yama and they feel like
he's poised for success. But you know, I think the
NBA is going to trend towards those guys that were
just penciled in as centers and going centers and going no, man,
(28:57):
you're you're gonna go run the wing, You're gonna shoot
threes and if you can do it, we want to
see you do it. So a lot of these agile
biggs are taking their place on the perimeter.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Let's go, let's get after it. I really love to
see that for my five seven frame. Let's get guys even.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Taller running around the NBA with mad skills all over
the court.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
He's Ryan Hollins, Yeah, he mocks me over at Swollen
Do Mike Harvin with you. Jason Smith will be back tomorrow.
Coming up next, we got the progressive play of the
day and one of the great troll draw troll jobs
you'll see from an NBA owner coming up next here
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app
There it is Hall of Famer brings us back. Final
time of the show for us coming up in about
twelve minutes from now. Ben Maller taking you into the
(29:54):
night here Fox Sports Radio Mike Carbon alongside Ryan Hollins
O Jason Smith. Tonight Jason Smith Show with Me Mike Harmon.
Go find the audio wherever you get your podcasts downloaded.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Give it five stars. We'll love you forever and ever
a man. Ryan'll be back with me again on Friday.
We'll talk about predictions for tomorrow for the fight. Probably
some pain mixed there in particularly for my broadcast partner
tomorrow night.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
But we'll get to that in a moment.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Time for the progressive play of the day, and we'll
look to the nightcap for this one.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
Choker is in on the time out huddle with the
Phoenix Suns looking at the play.
Speaker 6 (30:33):
Now, Bruce Brand and Kevin Durant are throwing elbows.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
Well, it's not official.
Speaker 5 (30:38):
Oh, Durant just jumps Joki technical follow.
Speaker 6 (30:41):
Up, Kevin Durant.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
Joker just popped up with the skull of Kevin.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Durant and jumped inside his brain, went swimming around.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Ultimate bait job by Nikola Jophis. It's not an official
time out.
Speaker 6 (30:55):
So Choker went over and shoot by at them.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
There is the Denver Nuggets radio on the call. The
popped open his skull and went swimming around. The game
was already decided, But why not be an agitator where
you can, as you talked about earlier on not an
official time out. So hey, let's go and troll a
little bit and see what we can get in terms
of your insights of how you're gonna attack us. Progressive
(31:20):
play of the day, progressive making things even easier. They'll
help you bundle your home and car and shirts together
so you could save on both. Learn more at Progressive
dot com or one eight hundred Progressive Nuggets one eighteen
one oh two. Jokicch with his triple double. That is
the most career playoff games with The triple double gives
him his tenth of his career now, one more than
Wilt Chamberlain.
Speaker 6 (31:41):
Wow, and many more to come.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
I mean, the way he plays, that's just kind of
second nature for Yo Kitchen. You can just expect to
see that. But you know what, it's playoff basketball. Things
are getting physical, they're feisty, you know, whatever it takes
to win. Yokic's playing with five here because he hit
the incident with the owner, and you know, hey, no blood,
(32:05):
no foul.
Speaker 6 (32:05):
I'm all for it.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
And I didn't want to say this though in terms
of that, we didn't really talk about it. If if
you were at a pickup game and you're not, you
represent your families, you represent your organizations. Don't get me wrong,
but I've seen more fights at a pickup game, start
by what happened with the owner and Yokic than not.
(32:31):
That is like one guy's grabbing the ball. One guy
doesn't want the ball. That is the easiest way to
start a fight, either over the ball or grabbing the ball.
That is like, it's just it's an unwritten rule and
it just and it just happens so much.
Speaker 6 (32:48):
And this is universal.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
So for adio my ballers out there who played pickup basketball,
you know someone's pulling for the ball or it's a
check ball and give me the ball.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Those are fights, dude, Craziness ensues. Uh. Now, we got
a three games to two lead for Denver. You saw
Durant and Booker contained in spots for this game. Chris
Paul still on the sideline. We'll keep an eye on
this as it goes. We've got the Knicks tomorrow as
(33:17):
they try to survive. Jimmy closes him out.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
Right, That's what it looks like.
Speaker 5 (33:24):
I mean, every point it looks like he gets, they
get closed out.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
Now that would be surprised to see different.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
There you go.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Here's another story from the from this game. You had
on one side, Russell Wilson, Sean Payton, and Tim Patrick
on the other, Ishpia who was in that scuffle with
Jokich R had a little bit of flopping and everything.
I'm holding this ball and everything. He brought Mel Tucker,
who left under cover of darkness for from Colorado to
(33:54):
Michigan State a couple of years ago. So I guess
they made for one dynamic heel team for as some
of the Denver media dubbed them, two of the most
hated people in Denver coming in right now. So you
got that going for you. Last story I wanted to
give you, Ryan, I thought you'd be entertained by this
one TikTok trend since I know you're a big dancer
(34:15):
on TikTok. Evidently six dollars a roll up. Yeah, fruit
roll ups have commanded a big marketplace because of a
TikTok trend, and an American couple was trying to trying
to smuggle three hundred and seventy five pounds of them
into the state of Israel.
Speaker 5 (34:35):
Wow, that means there's a lot of money to be
made with these with these fruit rollups.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
The Israeli Tax Authority announced that ten shipments of fruit
roll ups from the US were found by the Central
Customs Unit at the Parcel Mail Sorting Center, and overall
they've now confiscated over six hundred and fifty pounds.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
Of fruit roll ups. Oh goodness, what was the last
time you had a fruit roll up?
Speaker 6 (35:01):
It's been a while, and you got a factor and
how much do those fruit rollups costs?
Speaker 3 (35:05):
And then hey, if you're buying them in bulk and
you can sell them at six a pop? Goodness, I mean,
I got to see what my penalty would because if
all it is is it's going to be taxes. If
I'm running a business instead of you know, gifting to
my friends right to take it to American side, I'm
using it for my own purpose, or am I distributing?
Speaker 6 (35:24):
I suggest we keep you out of Israeli customs.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
It's generally, yeah, generally a bad idea to go and
try to smuggle anything into another country. I'm not certainly
not advocating that, but part of the due diligence is,
all right, what's the true penalty I'm paid? If it's
a higher taxation rate, I mean the profit between the
fruit roll up of what I'm paying and six bucks
a roll up. I gotta imagine there's enough of a
margin for the tax man to get his.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
His bit and I'm still profiting immensely.
Speaker 5 (35:52):
I wonder what we'd have to barter to get you
out of an Israeli jail man.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
You'd be like a war hero or something.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
I got a couple of trading cards that might be
useful to folks I don't know. He's Ryan Hollins in
for Jason Smith. Fun Times, Fast, four hours with you tonight.
Speaker 6 (36:09):
Ryan.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
We'll do it again on Friday. Hopefully a couple of
these series are still heavyweights throwing punches. But I'm fearful
that we'll be waving goodbye and they'll be saying one.
Speaker 6 (36:18):
Two three, can coon all right, brother.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
We'll see you then.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Ben Maller coming up next here across the vast Fox
Sports Radio network, See you again,
Hosts And Creators
Jason Smith
Mike Harmon
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