March 30, 2022 • 35 mins
In hour three of The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon, Jason and Mike start with more Lakers talk as Frank Vogel made a stunning admission that LeBron James’ injury has hurt the team’s ‘psyche.’ Lakers Insider Dan Woike joins the show to talk about the Lakers on the verge of missing the play-in, and more! Then, one NFL owner called out his former quarterback.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
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(00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio The
Jason Smith Show with my best friend Mike Harmon. A
love from the Fox Sports Radio studios. We got Dan
Wakey coming your way in about twenty minutes, Lakers insider,
NBA insider for the l A Times, and we had
(00:45):
to call and get Dan because of this development where
I'm gonna say, I hate to say I told you so,
at the same time I'm not saying. I'm just saying,
Lakers lose tonight to the Mavericks, right, never close. The
Mavericks get out to a forty two to three lead
and never look back. Right. The Lakers are lucky to
(01:06):
make it an eighteen point game in the fourth quarter,
and now technically they are out of the playing round.
They're tied with the Spurs, but the Spurs have the
tide breaker with them. The Lakers schedule the rest of
the way is incredibly difficult, and now it looks like
they're just circling the drain and now they're not going
to make the playoffs? Right? What have I said going
(01:29):
back to February one? Because I found the tweet and
this team makes me drink? Wait, oh no, that would
be going back to seven and you could say mets
Er jets right, that that's where um, But what have
I found it since February one? What have I said?
Lebron James has taken this season. He knows it's a
(01:51):
bad season. He knows not a final season. He wants
to pass Karl Malone. He's done that, and then as
long as the Lakers are clearly in the playing round,
he'll keep playing, because all right, it's not exactly a
legacy making thing for me, but alright, we're in the
playing round. And people understand Westbrook was a failure. We
(02:12):
didn't have a d playing round. Okay, yeah, playing round okay.
But the minute it looks like and you know I've
said this because you're not in your head right now,
going yes, Jason, you said the minute it looks like
the Lakers are not going to make the playoffs, not
gonna make the playing round. That's when Lebron is suddenly
not going to be able to play the rest of
the season. Right. I said that, And because he's not
(02:35):
gonna be on the hook for the Lakers missing the playoffs, right,
not gonna happen, not gonna be Look at Lebron. You
had this guy all season. You couldn't even finish twenty
games under five? Right, you couldn't do it? How great
is Lebron still when he can't even get his team
in the playoffs? Right, can't do it, Lebron. It's a
huge hit to Lebron. It's a hit to his image,
it's a hit to everything. It's a hit to his future.
(02:57):
It's a hit too. Can you team up with Lebron
and still will win all of it? Right? But Lebron
not gonna go down with Hey, you're not hanging this
season on me. This is not me, man. You're not saying, hey,
oh Lebron. But that's exactly what's gonna happen. I'm having
an m v P type season, But that's exactly what's
going to happen. I told you the minute it looks
like the Lakers are gonna not make the playoffs, He's
(03:21):
gonna miss games because then he could say, well, I
wasn't healthy the last few games we fell out of
the playoffs. Right, So now here are the Lakers, right.
He's been in and out of the line of the
last couple of the last few weeks. You know, missing
a game here playing he's missing game playing, miss a
game playing playing great, right, playing great, but sprained ankle
in a big loss on Sunday, already missing tonight. Now
(03:41):
the Lakers lose tonight and we're wondering, what's the update,
Frank Vogel said after the game tonight. This according to
Bill Orham, Lakers insider for The Athletic, he called the
injury to Lebron James quote the latest and maybe biggest
blow to our psyche end quote which doesn't exactly hint
at an imminent return. That's Bill Orham, Lakers insider. Frank
(04:06):
Vogel calls the injury to Lebron James quote the latest
and maybe biggest blow to our psyche end quote, which
doesn't exactly hint at an imminent return. I'm not saying,
I'm just saying, alright, February one, this is how it's
gonna end, and could Lebron play. I'm not saying I'm
(04:27):
just saying that. I said this was gonna happen once
it looked like the Lakers are gonna miss the playoffs,
and here we are. When is Lebron gonna play again?
I said beginning of the show, if he plays two
more games this year, that that's the most. Now it
looks like he may not play the rest of the way,
and it may get you and and it would wind
up being a we're shutting Lebron down. It could be
a Lakers decision with Lebron, Lebron saying, hey, listen, I'm
(04:50):
not gonna do this. I'm not gonna you know, he
is still the most important guy in the organization. I'm
not gonna do The Lakers will say, Okay, we'll we'll
we'll say we're shutting you down, and this is how
we're gonna do it. Uh, you tell me you don't
think that's gonna happen. Tell me you think that's not happening.
Sometimes the next couple of days in my carment, I
told you end of February, this is how the season
was gonna end for the Lakers. To look at where
(05:11):
we are right now. I'm not saying I'm just saying, yeah,
I remember a hammering down on the Alright, he's got
to get past Malone. Then all bets were off right
as this thing went on. But you know, to think
he gets away from criticism off it, and look, he
can try to convince himself, his team can try to
convince him of that, all his other advisors, everybody in
(05:35):
his entertainment division, Frank Vogel stumping for him every which way,
but loose to try to retain his job. He can
claim that as well. However, we we watched as this
season unfolded, and we're not naive enough to think that
this team was constructed without him at least having some
say in the matter. Hell, even at the the deadline,
(05:57):
right there was the Ramona Shelburn of the front office saying,
you've built this, you figure it out, and it didn't
and it didn't happen quite obviously. So at this point
the two or two and a half uh in terms
of it over under is quite interesting. You know, in
these final seven games, don't know what the severity of
the ankle is but certainly the schedule is not their
(06:19):
friend with five tough games and then, let's face it,
every game is a tough game. But the two quote
most winnable are okay see and the Pelicans, Pelicans team
that they absolutely fell apart against on Sunday night. So
going forward, for Frank Vogel, it's now, how do you
spin this as best you can? And even then, you
(06:42):
know he showed the cracks saying, well, it finally caught
up with us here in game seventy five. We're spent
is really what that says? Like we've tried, because what
have they had? Thirty I think today was the thirty
seven starting lineup this year. So the continuity, consistency, uh,
those are words that have not been associated with the
(07:03):
Lakers at all. Likewise, we go back to an earlier comment,
which was the uh oh, I wrote it down and
and now I can't find it. Where did it go?
It was about i Q focus and fight. Yeah, the
T shirt you wanted to make up that says I'm gonna, yeah,
I've got a designed. I'm gonna have eleanor work on
it once Mama me has done this weekend. I gotta
(07:25):
I gotta get through one thing at a time before
we get into the next project. But but certainly for
for Lebron James, Yeah, I would not be surprised. Uh
if operations shut down Derek Bell style, that is a
throwback and a callback for y is out there. We
used that as a headline at Yahoo's Sports that had
(07:45):
people really mad at us. Why are you putting Derek
Bell on the front front page of Yahoo Sports? Like
why is he the top stories? Like he called it
operation shutdown? And Lebron James right now in similar moode.
I'm telling you, I'm not saying I'm just saying back
in February, this is how the Lakers season is gonna
(08:06):
end because Lebron is not going to be the guy
that miss. It's not say it's my fault, miss players.
I want to be able to say I was hurt
and I couldn't make it. He's been in and out playing,
playing playing kind of it's kind of playing with you know,
with one foot, one foot on the patio, one foot
in the house, one ft, one foot, dip dip, one
toe in the water, one tie out of the water.
Sorry did I said dip dip, dip, dip, dip dip
(08:30):
it one toe dipped in the water. What That's kind
of how he's been the last few weeks. But now, oh,
now the injury because he brought up to the injury
weeks ago. Yes, yes, now the injury now, the ankle
injury is so much and and I knew that when
it happened. Okay, when it happened. I'm gonna work as
hard as I can. I'm gonna get all kinds of
treatment on this to come back as fast as I can.
(08:51):
I'm like, yeah, the more you tell me how bad
you're hurt, the more I know you're not gonna come
back and play that. That's it. That maybe that Sunday
was it. We can't beat them, Mavericks. This is what's
gonna happen to us the rest of the way. Look,
I don't doubt that Lebron's dinged up. I don't. I
don't doubt that he is. A lot of people are
dinged up, but I don't doubt the Lebron. He's had
a lot of minutes. But I'm saying, when I told
you in February, if the Lakers look like they're gonna
(09:14):
look like they're gonna miss it not gonna when it
looks like they're gonna miss it, you want to have
as much plausible deniability that could be my fault as
you can. Look at what's happening. And now as again
with Frank Vogel saying, uh, this injury really damages our
psyche going forward, hinting that there's not an imminent return
for Lebron James. What else can you say? What else
(09:34):
can you say? I mean, but and and and and
offshoot at this point, is really the Lebron James injury
is damaging? You were losing every bleep in game anyway,
How is the Lebron injury damaging to your psyche? It's
not like you guys were playing great, ripped off five
in a row, but now the Lebron injury that's gonna
really kill us. Now they've stunk since the All Star break. Now,
to be fair, this quote came as a motivational tactic
(09:59):
before tonight game against the Mavericks. Is when Vogel as
part of his pregame with the i Q and focus
and by quote, those two gems came from the pregame,
so you can see how how much he was ready
for the onslaught that Luca uh and company brought what
(10:21):
the forty three point first quarter, eighty two point first half. Yeah,
motivational speaker Matt Foley, he is not. Tonight show brought
to me one of our favorite cities, Las Vegas, the
greatest arena on Earth. Plan your trip today at visit
Las Vegas dot com. That's visit Las Vegas dot com.
So again, I'm not saying, I'm just saying, as I
(10:42):
break my arm, patting myself on the back. Meanwhile, speaking
of returns, right because now it looks like Lebron's not
going to be there for a while. Uh, Paul George
returning to the Clippers line up tonight, and it's a
game right now against the Jazz. The Clippers down by eight,
Paul George twenty eight points in his return. He is
(11:04):
five out of seven from three point range, a out
of six team from the floor, and the Clippers keeping
it close right now against the Jazz. Loc Donovan Mitchell's
having an incredible night. He's got thirty points in five
assists already. But Paul George coming back when we didn't
know when he was gonna come back, and the Clippers
now suddenly when you get to the playing round, the
(11:24):
Clippers become a team where team where teams at the
top go really kind of want to avoid them, right,
because that's what that's your at the top of If
you're Phoenix and Memphis and and and and your Miami
and Milwaukee, remember winds up at the top, you go, Okay,
who do we really want to see come out of
the playing round? And generally it really doesn't matter. Click
the Pelicans, the Spurs, the Tea, Wolves, the Clippers. But
(11:46):
now the Clippers get Paul George back and and maybe
he gets hot for a round. Now the Clippers is
gonna be the team that you want to avoid if
your Phoenix or Memphis, because clear looks like that's how
they're gonna finish one two in the Western Conference. So
now it's suddenly of those four teams, where before SUNDA
was we don't care who we play, It doesn't matter
all those things. Now it's maybe you want to avoid
(12:07):
the Clipper. Even the Lakers you don't care about playing. Yeah,
they stank there, fifteen games under five running, they've had Lebrono.
You're suddenly it's gonna be great in the playoffs. Now
we're fine, but of those teams, now the Clippers become
that team. We want to avoid them if we can.
You're rooting for somebody else in the playing round, especially
if Kauai is able to get back on the court.
Like all of a sudden, these guys that have been
(12:28):
off and on the shelf for months at a time
suddenly get back and have a couple of games to
get themselves back into game shape and ready for playing
and whatever that brings there after. Hell yeah, still some
meaningful basketball to be played in l A, even though
the Clippers the last couple of weeks have been this
(12:48):
side of a dumpster fire right next to the Lakers
Twitter at how about a Fresca? Mike gets swollen Dome.
The Jason Smith Show with My best friend Mike Rman
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joining us now on the hotline l a Times, NBA Insider,
Lakers Insider. He's on Twitter at Dan Woikey Sports. That
is at Dan Woikey Sports, and now I am getting
(14:11):
to introduce him as the next head coach of the
Los Angeles Lakers. It is Dan woike Dan. Congratulations, I
mean congratulations, Ory, You're sorry, I don't know, I don't
know what I want the job. It is. You just
ask Lebron what he wants and you do it and
then that's kind of what happens. Then you're good. Yeah,
(14:33):
I don't know that you're good. Um could you make
it through the last seven games of the season? Um
it is I'll say this right so I Um, I
was in New Orleans at the start of the shop.
I took this game off before. Oh that's okay, Lebron,
but took the game off before I knew it was
going to be like this. And I just I mean,
(14:55):
I mean, look, I've been saying it all year. Um,
this is like the crazy thing about this team is that,
um it it feels like they hit rock bottom a
lot for a team that does hasn't hit rock bottom,
like like that that floor that's floors shifting and now
(15:16):
here they are sure enough in eleventh place, Um, facing
a very difficult schedule. Um, you know, facing a much
harder schedule than the one that San Antonio and New
Orleans will play. And we're talking about, you know, can
they pull this off to you know, I mean maybe
it's fifty fifty, um that maybe I think it's extrevate
(15:38):
the chances that are a little worse. Um, you know,
can they be the tenth best team in the conference?
And that is an astonishing goal post move Like that
is like that is like the one like sort of
like painting the butt team at the NFL owner meetings
who like proposed some stupid rule. Like that's like that's
the level of this goal post moving that has had
(15:59):
here for the Lakers this year. Like we're not talking
about championships, We're talking about being best just to have
the opportunity to play more. And it's it's astonishing. Uh.
They are in a very very bad position. They are
a pretty bad basketball team. Um. And despite all of that, um,
(16:21):
you know, like they are going to get Anthony Davis
back here in the next couple of games. And if
Lebron James magic ankles, which have you know, have healed
from sprains before, are you know if that ankle is
able to get right? I mean, nobody really probably wants
to play them. Um, you know, you would much rather
(16:41):
see New Orleans, You would much rather see the Clippers.
You would much rather see, um Minnesota or whom I'm
missing San Antonio. Uh, but um, I think a lot
of that is just sort of like wishful thinking at
this point. Well, Dan, let let me throw something by
you and get your reaction. M In the category of
(17:02):
I'm not saying, I'm just saying, Okay. So end of February,
I said, okay, let's see how the season is going
for the Lakers. As long as the Lakers are safely
in the playoffs, Lebron will keep playing. He wants to
pass Karl Malone. But the minute it looks like the
(17:23):
Lakers could fall out of the playoffs, something's going to
happen and he's going to miss games. So Lebron can't
have that put on him. That look at this, even
with Lebron James, he couldn't even get the Lakers in
the playoffs because he's gonna get all the blame. Even
though Russell Westbrook's been bad and A B has been out,
they're not saying Lebron should have had the Lakers in
(17:44):
first place. It's gonna be lebronch of at least got
him in the playoffs, and it's gonna be a feeding
frenzy in the media and everybody's gonna jump up and
down on Lebron and say this is look at Lebron,
He's not the guy we thought he was. So I
knew I And again, I'm not saying, I'm just saying
this was weeks ago. Argument can Okay, here's the kind
of one. Um, it didn't take Lebron missing or won't
(18:07):
take Lebron missing the last five or six games. For
people who have paid attention to this seemed to know
that Lebron wasn't good enough to get this team to
where they needed to be, right, Like, you know, we
did see it. I mean that's kind of the sort
of the paradox in this year is for as good
as Lebron has played, UM and for as good as
the numbers on it, like, they have not led to winning. Um.
(18:28):
He has not been good enough to make up for
an Anthony Davis injury. He has not been good enough
to cover for the awkward and Russell Westbrook fit UM,
the bad roster decisions, the minimum players, the old and
slow guys that kind of populate this roster. He hasn't
been good enough to do that. And I think, honestly,
I think he's known that for a while, to be
(18:50):
totally honest, right, UM, And I think the secondary counter
argument is like that all being set, like he could
have walked up the court in New Orleans to you know,
after that play, Um, you know when when when the
side of the foot hits the ground and stuff like that,
Like you know, I mean I was I saw him
post game. Um, you know, I saw him whip out
(19:14):
his phone to show us all how how bad the
play was so he can send it to his life
and tell her and show her and and like, I mean,
this is like I don't think this is importing. I mean,
I think this is him with a bad ankle. And
now where it gets really interesting. It is sort of
the calculus here over these next you know, handful of games,
which is sort of like on one hand, like the
Lakers only have a chance if they have the bround
(19:35):
games healthy, but on the other hand, like it's not healthy.
Really what kind of chance did they have? Right? So
so what do you do? Do you do? You do?
Rush him back and you know when he gets hurt
again and then none of this matters or do you
you know you are you conservative? Um? I mean I look,
I would be surprised if we don't see him again
(19:56):
the rest of the season. That would surprise me. But um,
you don't know, I mean, look, and this is also
supposedly why you have multiple stunists too, So step on up,
Rotha Westbrook stepping up Anthony Davis like like, this is
why you guys are here, This is why you guys
make ninety million dollars combined. Um, you've got to cover
some of this. But you know, I just think that,
(20:18):
like the evidence that Lebron hasn't been good enough, that
six systems Claws has been pretty well established, you know,
since since October. And poor Frank Vogel once again in
the pre game, he was like holding up a white
flag before they even took the court, Dan, before you
start posting all your Dallas memes and j r You
(20:39):
ing reaction shots. I mean, like those three pregame fakes.
We're just like we're already like all right, well we're
we have to show up tonight. I mean yeah, I
mean look, I mean like this team has had, like
I said, like being around them, you know, almost every day,
Like this team knows who they are, they do they
(21:00):
have to write, and I think basically, like I mean,
Frank Bogel has felt like that. He's basically for the
last month or so has been just like the owner
of a lottery. Take it right, Like most people don't
win the lottery, but some people do. And I think
like and you know what what what the Lakers lottery ticket.
It's Russell Westbrook figuring it out. It was Anthony Davis
(21:21):
getting that healthy and Lebron James staying at the level
he was at. Well, you know, they may hit one
of those thot down the stretch like it's it's it's wild.
You know, this was a team that basically, and this
is how sweeting and how ugly teams have been this
year is you know, going into sort of that New
(21:42):
Orleans game, was a team that are basically been playing
its best basketball of the year in a lot of ways. Um.
And they were two and two and that stretch, you know,
lost to the Wizards and lost to the Sixers. But
but it was a team that had one in Toronto,
had beating Cleveland, was playing with energy, was playing with space,
and then I think you saw at first half against
New Orleans kind of like, you know, wow, like this
(22:04):
is like this is what a focused um locked and
the Lakers team could look like pretty dominant UM. But
you know through I mean they just bring out of
cast so quickly. Obviously Lebron gets hurt. Um they let
go of the rope. In the second half of horrible,
sort of soul crushing loss. And it's just sort of
exactly who they are. They're They're a team that's just
(22:25):
cantilizing enough to trick you and if you're Frank Vogel
into believing, and they're bad nut to probably break your
heart every time. Fox Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show
with Mike Carman, Dan Woiki, Lakers, an NBA insider, our
guests right here on Fox. And uh, you know the
funny thing is, Dan, you look at the team, you know,
you mentioned the Clippers here for a second. How the
(22:46):
Lakers are on the team you want to play and
depending on Okay, if Lebron decides he wants to play again,
I'm dubious on that. Again, I'm not saying, I'm just saying, Um,
Paul George comes back tonight for the Clippers, right, he's
great come back to I mean, you don't probably want
to play the Clippers. Well that and and that's the
thing is that you know, does this Suddenly the Clippers
lead the Jazz right now by three with ten seconds
(23:08):
left to go. It's been a great comeback for the Clippers.
Here in the fourth quarter again, Paul George has thirty three.
I mean, that's really the if the Lakers don't make
that's really the only team that that the I think
the reality is, okay, they're not suddenly contenders, but the
Sons and the and the and the Grizzlies would probably
want to avoid the Clippers over anybody else. Everybody else
gets in the playsts. Look, if it's the Spurs, that's fine,
(23:30):
it's the Pelicans, that's fine. Clippers and maybe we'd like
to avoid them just because things could get a little crazy, well,
you know, and look, and I have no disrespect in Minnesota.
Team I think is like really for the scheme, has
played really great basketball down the stretch, despite Anthony Edwards
sputtering a little bit with some nice or ness, but
a team that has a real good identity, tons of athleticism,
(23:51):
sort of like Memphis White in a lot of ways. Um,
but yeah, I mean, look, I mean the Clippers run
the comference finals last year. You know, Um, they've a
lot of playoffs experience. Uh, they're they're they're getting a
player back in Paul George who was, you know, playing
like one of the twelve best players in the league
before he got hurt. And they've got a terrific coach.
(24:12):
They've got a lot of depth, they've got options, and
you know, maybe they get Norman Powell back to and
and and you know, they've got kind of this this
sort of lengthy sort of you know, a bunch of
guys who played in the playoff series and stuff like that,
and like, yeah, I mean, if you're Memphis sitting there
at the two seeds, like, are you super excited about that?
If that's who you if that's who you draw, I
(24:33):
mean probably not. I guess right. I mean, look, you'll
be fine, and you have your confidence and stuff like that,
but but I mean that's a that's a battle tested team,
and it sort of speaks to just sort of like
this weird, these weird situations that these teams like the
Nets and the Lakers and the Clippers that put themselves
into over these over these last few years. You know,
(24:54):
especially with like with injuries and stuff. Is like you know,
you have so much talent on him last year that
you just kind of say, if we just get to
the finish line and we're out limping, like watch how
you know? And it's sort of been an interesting test
to see if you can do it. If the regular
season really matters in that and I mean so far,
I would say it's it's proven out right that you
(25:14):
probably are who you are over eighty two games, right Like, Um,
so I'm not gonna screen a little bit, but you
want a penalty, that's right, you know. But I think
but but I mean, I think this Clippers team has
a chance to to sort of flip that script. And look,
I mean they'll be they'll be really close to the
(25:35):
team that that pushed Phoenix and the Conference lannels last year.
I mean that team without Kawhi Leonard, you know, built
around Reggie Jackson, Paul George, Marcus Morris. Um, you know,
visa zoobots like that. That's a good group. And like
they've they've gotten kind of almost more talent since then.
If Norman Polots on the court of Robert Covington's on
the court, um it is it is an interesting sort
(25:57):
of it's an interesting sort of question. Um they are
pain for sure again, sort of like the Lakers, bad
enough to get down by twenty um a lot, but
fast enough to win a handful of those games, you know,
and maybe be better at that the navyhos, which I
think speaks to their fighting, they're resolved, and they're certainly
more talented today than they were a couple of days ago.
(26:19):
Let's see if the rest of the crew comes back
off the injury list one by one, popping back up here,
uh into playoff mode as it looks like they're gonna
put the finishing touches on the Jazz here Dan, but
at the top of the Western Conference, you know, talking
about the Grizzlies and whatever awaits them, pretty amazing for
both Phoenix and Memphis. Phoenix with no Chris Paul for
(26:43):
a long while, and Memphis what they do without John Morant,
to degree, it's head scratching, right, two guys that we're
talking m v p Paul last year, Morant this year,
and yet their teams just roll on without them. Yeah,
I mean the great culture, right, great depth. I mean
the Memphis thing is that is a team that it
just has tons of swagger, um plays with tons of confidence,
(27:07):
great shot making on the wing, uh, tenacity inside. Um,
well well coached basketball team, just like a really good team.
And then you had Joy. I think these continents sort
of permeates everybody. Um that's for their and I mean
Phoenix is just I think like the perfect basketball team
this year. Right, everybody I talked to things they're they're
certainly the best team in the West, probably the best
(27:29):
team in the NBA. And it's just because they just
make such sense. Um, They've got depth at so many
different positions. Um, they've got interior. They scored all three
levels right like they like to say. You know, they
hit threes, but they also get to the mid range,
and they've got guys that finished at the basket. Um,
and then they all defend. Um. Just a really really
(27:51):
good team. You know, there's a couple other ones that
I was kind of the really upper echelonic contenders with
the Suns, but I think the Bucks are there. Um,
you know, I'm not sure I have and I know
how hot Boston's ben. Um, you know, I'm not sure
there is complete and certainly the Rebel Williams injury um
could be a big factor for them. But but you know,
like to me, when I see the when I see
(28:13):
the Sun, I mean that it sort of feels like
this is their moment, right, and you know, getting Chris
Paul back, um, you know, a little some mileage off
the head legs to the team that's been tested a
team that really feels ready and a team, by the way,
like you talk about kind of who you are, a
team that you know had reasons to maybe coast a
little bit. Devin Booker with a really long summer and
(28:36):
you know, some weird contract stuff with dand of the Aiden,
and it's like, now they attacked the season, and um,
they've attacked it with a voracity. But I think that
that's why most people view them to be the favorites.
You follow on Twitter at dan Wicky Sports, that is
at dan Wicky Sports, and uh, congratulations on your new
endeavor as Lakers head coach. You gotta probably probably three
(28:59):
of the last seven game at least to get in,
maybe four the last seven to get in. I think
they're gonna have to win at least three. Um, it's
hard to find a fourth wam okay's hard to find it. Well,
give me, all right, give me right now. What would
be your ten second inspirational speech to try to find
that fourth way? And if you were Lakers head coach,
Knoll still be there in June basically dominate That was
(29:22):
great anywhere, but can tune will be there in June.
And it rhymes to woiki poet. Thank you very much,
my guy, see you, buddy. We'll talk to you next week.
Great stuff. As always. We need even get to mock
the bulls together today. No, no, but you listen, we
(29:45):
had a lot of plenty of time for that. We
got time for We did that last night when you
lost to the Knicks. We kind of did that. No,
I know, I know, you know. We We don't get
to talk to Dan every day. Look, he and I
could read our our messages backed back and forth when
his collapse has happened, but it's not proper without his
his his sarcasm delivering him personally. I can try to
(30:08):
emulate it as best I can, but not quite so well. Now,
always good, I mean the perspective and the snark and
just the hey, point blank, this is what we are
and this is what they are like you don't. You
don't get fluff. There's no fanboys in there. It's an
appreciation for the game and a all right, here's reality
(30:29):
and the walls are crashing in. You got any more?
You got any more cliches? You got any more cliches?
Are Are you done? You're good? Well? No, I had
I had to catch up. I was behind on the quota.
I was making up for friendly a little bit. I
mean it's good. Be sure to catch live editions of
The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten
pm Eastern, seven pm Pacific. You want exclusive insight from
(30:54):
the biggest names in the sports game. What's good? This
is national champion in former pro baller Christian Let me
tell you a little bit about my new series kJ Live.
J Live is the only show featuring me going one
on one with the brightest basketball minds on the planet
to get the real And when I say real, I
mean that real. I got legendary Hall of famers, elite
(31:14):
coaches in the top basketball Inside is bringing you a
unique perspective on all things hoops culture that you will
not find anywhere. To make your next move, your best
move and tap in with me from kJ Live wherever
you get your podcast from Fox Sports Radio The Jason
(31:35):
Smith Show with my best friend Mike Harmon. So today
some pretty big shade was thrown at Carson Wentz by
Colts owner Jim or Say at the Owner's meetings today
at the NFL. He was talking about the big move
the Colts made to trade Carson Wentz which again I
can't believe the Washington Commanders actually traded some stuff for him. Uh,
(31:58):
and then moving on to getting Matt Ryan, and you know,
he said some good things about Matt Ryan, but specifically quote,
we are extremely grateful to the football God, so to speak,
regarding where we were compared to where we are. For us,
it was something we had to move away from as
a franchise. It was very obvious. Now when you say
(32:21):
this about a guy, this is not just hey, on
the football field, it didn't work out, because that's what
you say. Boy, you know, on the field it didn't
work out. We need to go in another direction. That's
kind of you know, that's kind of what is said.
But when you say something like this, this implies it.
Off the field, things were bad. And this is not
the first time we have heard that Carson Wentz not
(32:42):
getting along with teammates, having a tough time in the
locker room, that this story has come up. So now
here's her say saying, hey, we had to move away
from him, and now where we're so much better where
we are now I get moving away from from Carson Wentz,
is is it was a good move? Right? You kind
of had to you had no choice, but you got
Matt Ryan. You know, you didn't make a trade for
(33:03):
Aaron Rodgers, you didn't trade for Tom Brady. You got
a guy that is just okay, he's a jag now.
You didn't get Matt Ryan from eighteen. You got Matt
Ryan now, who's a twenty touchdown twelve interception a year
guy that's pretty much accurate when he throws short. He's smart,
he'll manage the game. But you didn't really get that
much better. Yeah, I mean, I know this is kind
(33:25):
of addition by subtraction, which is what you're saying. Getting
rid of Carson Wentz, that's great, but you still need
to get it done on the field. And it's not
suddenly a boy we're free from the influence of Carson Wentz. Now,
look at all the points you're gonna put No Matt
and Ryan still kind of limited. He's still a guy
that has seen his best days. If you're the Colts, yes,
it's good you moved on, But did you really move
on much past being nine and eight ish kind of
(33:46):
team or ten and seven and you're still looking up
at five or six teams in the a f C.
Even though you have a loaded roster that's kind of
still where the Colts are. Yeah, but I'll take my
shot with again, you still have to make a move
or to to build your receiving corps. I mean, there's
no question about that. But you have a good offensive line,
a couple of pieces you need to shore up there.
(34:06):
But you have Taylor and Hines in the backfield. Pittman's
a nice piece, mo Ali Cox is a good red
zone guy and blocker. But obviously you'll need another pass
catcher there in addition to someone on the outside. But
I'll take my shot with Matt Ryan that that he
can still lead right and with the with Frank Wright,
(34:26):
that you can get what you thought you wanted with
Carson Wentz, you quote, your guys gotta pick you up
and carry you through Jacksonville. He has to do it,
not an option has to no excuses, no explanation. And
in talking with veterans, or say to paraphrase, came to
light talking with the most important members of the Colts rosters,
(34:48):
uh that there was uh confidence, wasn't there? And quote
what I found out was very concerning. So you bring
in a guy like Matt Ryan and in that division,
you still got a shot right. It's not like the
other teams have come up that that far. And people
still try to tell me that Ryan Tannehill is no
good as he continues to be the example of well,
(35:08):
anybody could have done that. Hell, Ryan Tannehill good at
done that. How many dunk times did you hear that?
On the radio, at television, Twitter and out about a
Fresca Mike have swollen, don't We got more NFL on
the way next big changes coming to the league this
year in the playoffs,
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
ten pm to two a m Eastern seven to eleven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station
for The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon at Fox
Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every night
on the I Heart Radio app by searching fs R.
(00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio The
Jason Smith Show with my best friend Mike Harmon. A
love from the Fox Sports Radio studios. We got Dan
Wakey coming your way in about twenty minutes, Lakers insider,
NBA insider for the l A Times, and we had
(00:45):
to call and get Dan because of this development where
I'm gonna say, I hate to say I told you so,
at the same time I'm not saying. I'm just saying,
Lakers lose tonight to the Mavericks, right, never close. The
Mavericks get out to a forty two to three lead
and never look back. Right. The Lakers are lucky to
(01:06):
make it an eighteen point game in the fourth quarter,
and now technically they are out of the playing round.
They're tied with the Spurs, but the Spurs have the
tide breaker with them. The Lakers schedule the rest of
the way is incredibly difficult, and now it looks like
they're just circling the drain and now they're not going
to make the playoffs? Right? What have I said going
(01:29):
back to February one? Because I found the tweet and
this team makes me drink? Wait, oh no, that would
be going back to seven and you could say mets
Er jets right, that that's where um, But what have
I found it since February one? What have I said?
Lebron James has taken this season. He knows it's a
(01:51):
bad season. He knows not a final season. He wants
to pass Karl Malone. He's done that, and then as
long as the Lakers are clearly in the playing round,
he'll keep playing, because all right, it's not exactly a
legacy making thing for me, but alright, we're in the
playing round. And people understand Westbrook was a failure. We
(02:12):
didn't have a d playing round. Okay, yeah, playing round okay.
But the minute it looks like and you know I've
said this because you're not in your head right now,
going yes, Jason, you said the minute it looks like
the Lakers are not going to make the playoffs, not
gonna make the playing round. That's when Lebron is suddenly
not going to be able to play the rest of
the season. Right. I said that, And because he's not
(02:35):
gonna be on the hook for the Lakers missing the playoffs, right,
not gonna happen, not gonna be Look at Lebron. You
had this guy all season. You couldn't even finish twenty
games under five? Right, you couldn't do it? How great
is Lebron still when he can't even get his team
in the playoffs? Right, can't do it, Lebron. It's a
huge hit to Lebron. It's a hit to his image,
it's a hit to everything. It's a hit to his future.
(02:57):
It's a hit too. Can you team up with Lebron
and still will win all of it? Right? But Lebron
not gonna go down with Hey, you're not hanging this
season on me. This is not me, man. You're not saying, hey,
oh Lebron. But that's exactly what's gonna happen. I'm having
an m v P type season, But that's exactly what's
going to happen. I told you the minute it looks
like the Lakers are gonna not make the playoffs, He's
(03:21):
gonna miss games because then he could say, well, I
wasn't healthy the last few games we fell out of
the playoffs. Right, So now here are the Lakers, right.
He's been in and out of the line of the
last couple of the last few weeks. You know, missing
a game here playing he's missing game playing, miss a
game playing playing great, right, playing great, but sprained ankle
in a big loss on Sunday, already missing tonight. Now
(03:41):
the Lakers lose tonight and we're wondering, what's the update,
Frank Vogel said after the game tonight. This according to
Bill Orham, Lakers insider for The Athletic, he called the
injury to Lebron James quote the latest and maybe biggest
blow to our psyche end quote which doesn't exactly hint
at an imminent return. That's Bill Orham, Lakers insider. Frank
(04:06):
Vogel calls the injury to Lebron James quote the latest
and maybe biggest blow to our psyche end quote, which
doesn't exactly hint at an imminent return. I'm not saying,
I'm just saying, alright, February one, this is how it's
gonna end, and could Lebron play. I'm not saying I'm
(04:27):
just saying that. I said this was gonna happen once
it looked like the Lakers are gonna miss the playoffs,
and here we are. When is Lebron gonna play again?
I said beginning of the show, if he plays two
more games this year, that that's the most. Now it
looks like he may not play the rest of the way,
and it may get you and and it would wind
up being a we're shutting Lebron down. It could be
a Lakers decision with Lebron, Lebron saying, hey, listen, I'm
(04:50):
not gonna do this. I'm not gonna you know, he
is still the most important guy in the organization. I'm
not gonna do The Lakers will say, Okay, we'll we'll
we'll say we're shutting you down, and this is how
we're gonna do it. Uh, you tell me you don't
think that's gonna happen. Tell me you think that's not happening.
Sometimes the next couple of days in my carment, I
told you end of February, this is how the season
was gonna end for the Lakers. To look at where
(05:11):
we are right now. I'm not saying I'm just saying, yeah,
I remember a hammering down on the Alright, he's got
to get past Malone. Then all bets were off right
as this thing went on. But you know, to think
he gets away from criticism off it, and look, he
can try to convince himself, his team can try to
convince him of that, all his other advisors, everybody in
(05:35):
his entertainment division, Frank Vogel stumping for him every which way,
but loose to try to retain his job. He can
claim that as well. However, we we watched as this
season unfolded, and we're not naive enough to think that
this team was constructed without him at least having some
say in the matter. Hell, even at the the deadline,
(05:57):
right there was the Ramona Shelburn of the front office saying,
you've built this, you figure it out, and it didn't
and it didn't happen quite obviously. So at this point
the two or two and a half uh in terms
of it over under is quite interesting. You know, in
these final seven games, don't know what the severity of
the ankle is but certainly the schedule is not their
(06:19):
friend with five tough games and then, let's face it,
every game is a tough game. But the two quote
most winnable are okay see and the Pelicans, Pelicans team
that they absolutely fell apart against on Sunday night. So
going forward, for Frank Vogel, it's now, how do you
spin this as best you can? And even then, you
(06:42):
know he showed the cracks saying, well, it finally caught
up with us here in game seventy five. We're spent
is really what that says? Like we've tried, because what
have they had? Thirty I think today was the thirty
seven starting lineup this year. So the continuity, consistency, uh,
those are words that have not been associated with the
(07:03):
Lakers at all. Likewise, we go back to an earlier comment,
which was the uh oh, I wrote it down and
and now I can't find it. Where did it go?
It was about i Q focus and fight. Yeah, the
T shirt you wanted to make up that says I'm gonna, yeah,
I've got a designed. I'm gonna have eleanor work on
it once Mama me has done this weekend. I gotta
(07:25):
I gotta get through one thing at a time before
we get into the next project. But but certainly for
for Lebron James, Yeah, I would not be surprised. Uh
if operations shut down Derek Bell style, that is a
throwback and a callback for y is out there. We
used that as a headline at Yahoo's Sports that had
(07:45):
people really mad at us. Why are you putting Derek
Bell on the front front page of Yahoo Sports? Like
why is he the top stories? Like he called it
operation shutdown? And Lebron James right now in similar moode.
I'm telling you, I'm not saying I'm just saying back
in February, this is how the Lakers season is gonna
(08:06):
end because Lebron is not going to be the guy
that miss. It's not say it's my fault, miss players.
I want to be able to say I was hurt
and I couldn't make it. He's been in and out playing,
playing playing kind of it's kind of playing with you know,
with one foot, one foot on the patio, one foot
in the house, one ft, one foot, dip dip, one
toe in the water, one tie out of the water.
Sorry did I said dip dip, dip, dip, dip dip
(08:30):
it one toe dipped in the water. What That's kind
of how he's been the last few weeks. But now, oh,
now the injury because he brought up to the injury
weeks ago. Yes, yes, now the injury now, the ankle
injury is so much and and I knew that when
it happened. Okay, when it happened. I'm gonna work as
hard as I can. I'm gonna get all kinds of
treatment on this to come back as fast as I can.
(08:51):
I'm like, yeah, the more you tell me how bad
you're hurt, the more I know you're not gonna come
back and play that. That's it. That maybe that Sunday
was it. We can't beat them, Mavericks. This is what's
gonna happen to us the rest of the way. Look,
I don't doubt that Lebron's dinged up. I don't. I
don't doubt that he is. A lot of people are
dinged up, but I don't doubt the Lebron. He's had
a lot of minutes. But I'm saying, when I told
you in February, if the Lakers look like they're gonna
(09:14):
look like they're gonna miss it not gonna when it
looks like they're gonna miss it, you want to have
as much plausible deniability that could be my fault as
you can. Look at what's happening. And now as again
with Frank Vogel saying, uh, this injury really damages our
psyche going forward, hinting that there's not an imminent return
for Lebron James. What else can you say? What else
(09:34):
can you say? I mean, but and and and and
offshoot at this point, is really the Lebron James injury
is damaging? You were losing every bleep in game anyway,
How is the Lebron injury damaging to your psyche? It's
not like you guys were playing great, ripped off five
in a row, but now the Lebron injury that's gonna
really kill us. Now they've stunk since the All Star break. Now,
to be fair, this quote came as a motivational tactic
(09:59):
before tonight game against the Mavericks. Is when Vogel as
part of his pregame with the i Q and focus
and by quote, those two gems came from the pregame,
so you can see how how much he was ready
for the onslaught that Luca uh and company brought what
(10:21):
the forty three point first quarter, eighty two point first half. Yeah,
motivational speaker Matt Foley, he is not. Tonight show brought
to me one of our favorite cities, Las Vegas, the
greatest arena on Earth. Plan your trip today at visit
Las Vegas dot com. That's visit Las Vegas dot com.
So again, I'm not saying, I'm just saying, as I
(10:42):
break my arm, patting myself on the back. Meanwhile, speaking
of returns, right because now it looks like Lebron's not
going to be there for a while. Uh, Paul George
returning to the Clippers line up tonight, and it's a
game right now against the Jazz. The Clippers down by eight,
Paul George twenty eight points in his return. He is
(11:04):
five out of seven from three point range, a out
of six team from the floor, and the Clippers keeping
it close right now against the Jazz. Loc Donovan Mitchell's
having an incredible night. He's got thirty points in five
assists already. But Paul George coming back when we didn't
know when he was gonna come back, and the Clippers
now suddenly when you get to the playing round, the
(11:24):
Clippers become a team where team where teams at the
top go really kind of want to avoid them, right,
because that's what that's your at the top of If
you're Phoenix and Memphis and and and and your Miami
and Milwaukee, remember winds up at the top, you go, Okay,
who do we really want to see come out of
the playing round? And generally it really doesn't matter. Click
the Pelicans, the Spurs, the Tea, Wolves, the Clippers. But
(11:46):
now the Clippers get Paul George back and and maybe
he gets hot for a round. Now the Clippers is
gonna be the team that you want to avoid if
your Phoenix or Memphis, because clear looks like that's how
they're gonna finish one two in the Western Conference. So
now it's suddenly of those four teams, where before SUNDA
was we don't care who we play, It doesn't matter
all those things. Now it's maybe you want to avoid
(12:07):
the Clipper. Even the Lakers you don't care about playing. Yeah,
they stank there, fifteen games under five running, they've had Lebrono.
You're suddenly it's gonna be great in the playoffs. Now
we're fine, but of those teams, now the Clippers become
that team. We want to avoid them if we can.
You're rooting for somebody else in the playing round, especially
if Kauai is able to get back on the court.
Like all of a sudden, these guys that have been
(12:28):
off and on the shelf for months at a time
suddenly get back and have a couple of games to
get themselves back into game shape and ready for playing
and whatever that brings there after. Hell yeah, still some
meaningful basketball to be played in l A, even though
the Clippers the last couple of weeks have been this
(12:48):
side of a dumpster fire right next to the Lakers
Twitter at how about a Fresca? Mike gets swollen Dome.
The Jason Smith Show with My best friend Mike Rman
live from the Fox Sports or Radio A studios. 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 I Heart Radio
(13:10):
Lap Fox Sports Radio. The Jason Smith Show with My
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You might believe dealing with the dead battery head to
(13:31):
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So next time you're having battery trouble, head to auto
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joining us now on the hotline l a Times, NBA Insider,
Lakers Insider. He's on Twitter at Dan Woikey Sports. That
is at Dan Woikey Sports, and now I am getting
(14:11):
to introduce him as the next head coach of the
Los Angeles Lakers. It is Dan woike Dan. Congratulations, I
mean congratulations, Ory, You're sorry, I don't know, I don't
know what I want the job. It is. You just
ask Lebron what he wants and you do it and
then that's kind of what happens. Then you're good. Yeah,
(14:33):
I don't know that you're good. Um could you make
it through the last seven games of the season? Um
it is I'll say this right so I Um, I
was in New Orleans at the start of the shop.
I took this game off before. Oh that's okay, Lebron,
but took the game off before I knew it was
going to be like this. And I just I mean,
(14:55):
I mean, look, I've been saying it all year. Um,
this is like the crazy thing about this team is that,
um it it feels like they hit rock bottom a
lot for a team that does hasn't hit rock bottom,
like like that that floor that's floors shifting and now
(15:16):
here they are sure enough in eleventh place, Um, facing
a very difficult schedule. Um, you know, facing a much
harder schedule than the one that San Antonio and New
Orleans will play. And we're talking about, you know, can
they pull this off to you know, I mean maybe
it's fifty fifty, um that maybe I think it's extrevate
(15:38):
the chances that are a little worse. Um, you know,
can they be the tenth best team in the conference?
And that is an astonishing goal post move Like that
is like that is like the one like sort of
like painting the butt team at the NFL owner meetings
who like proposed some stupid rule. Like that's like that's
the level of this goal post moving that has had
(15:59):
here for the Lakers this year. Like we're not talking
about championships, We're talking about being best just to have
the opportunity to play more. And it's it's astonishing. Uh.
They are in a very very bad position. They are
a pretty bad basketball team. Um. And despite all of that, um,
(16:21):
you know, like they are going to get Anthony Davis
back here in the next couple of games. And if
Lebron James magic ankles, which have you know, have healed
from sprains before, are you know if that ankle is
able to get right? I mean, nobody really probably wants
to play them. Um, you know, you would much rather
(16:41):
see New Orleans, You would much rather see the Clippers.
You would much rather see, um Minnesota or whom I'm
missing San Antonio. Uh, but um, I think a lot
of that is just sort of like wishful thinking at
this point. Well, Dan, let let me throw something by
you and get your reaction. M In the category of
(17:02):
I'm not saying, I'm just saying, Okay. So end of February,
I said, okay, let's see how the season is going
for the Lakers. As long as the Lakers are safely
in the playoffs, Lebron will keep playing. He wants to
pass Karl Malone. But the minute it looks like the
(17:23):
Lakers could fall out of the playoffs, something's going to
happen and he's going to miss games. So Lebron can't
have that put on him. That look at this, even
with Lebron James, he couldn't even get the Lakers in
the playoffs because he's gonna get all the blame. Even
though Russell Westbrook's been bad and A B has been out,
they're not saying Lebron should have had the Lakers in
(17:44):
first place. It's gonna be lebronch of at least got
him in the playoffs, and it's gonna be a feeding
frenzy in the media and everybody's gonna jump up and
down on Lebron and say this is look at Lebron,
He's not the guy we thought he was. So I
knew I And again, I'm not saying, I'm just saying
this was weeks ago. Argument can Okay, here's the kind
of one. Um, it didn't take Lebron missing or won't
(18:07):
take Lebron missing the last five or six games. For
people who have paid attention to this seemed to know
that Lebron wasn't good enough to get this team to
where they needed to be, right, Like, you know, we
did see it. I mean that's kind of the sort
of the paradox in this year is for as good
as Lebron has played, UM and for as good as
the numbers on it, like, they have not led to winning. Um.
(18:28):
He has not been good enough to make up for
an Anthony Davis injury. He has not been good enough
to cover for the awkward and Russell Westbrook fit UM,
the bad roster decisions, the minimum players, the old and
slow guys that kind of populate this roster. He hasn't
been good enough to do that. And I think, honestly,
I think he's known that for a while, to be
(18:50):
totally honest, right, UM, And I think the secondary counter
argument is like that all being set, like he could
have walked up the court in New Orleans to you know,
after that play, Um, you know when when when the
side of the foot hits the ground and stuff like that,
Like you know, I mean I was I saw him
post game. Um, you know, I saw him whip out
(19:14):
his phone to show us all how how bad the
play was so he can send it to his life
and tell her and show her and and like, I mean,
this is like I don't think this is importing. I mean,
I think this is him with a bad ankle. And
now where it gets really interesting. It is sort of
the calculus here over these next you know, handful of games,
which is sort of like on one hand, like the
Lakers only have a chance if they have the bround
(19:35):
games healthy, but on the other hand, like it's not healthy.
Really what kind of chance did they have? Right? So
so what do you do? Do you do? You do?
Rush him back and you know when he gets hurt
again and then none of this matters or do you
you know you are you conservative? Um? I mean I look,
I would be surprised if we don't see him again
(19:56):
the rest of the season. That would surprise me. But um,
you don't know, I mean, look, and this is also
supposedly why you have multiple stunists too, So step on up,
Rotha Westbrook stepping up Anthony Davis like like, this is
why you guys are here, This is why you guys
make ninety million dollars combined. Um, you've got to cover
some of this. But you know, I just think that,
(20:18):
like the evidence that Lebron hasn't been good enough, that
six systems Claws has been pretty well established, you know,
since since October. And poor Frank Vogel once again in
the pre game, he was like holding up a white
flag before they even took the court, Dan, before you
start posting all your Dallas memes and j r You
(20:39):
ing reaction shots. I mean, like those three pregame fakes.
We're just like we're already like all right, well we're
we have to show up tonight. I mean yeah, I
mean look, I mean like this team has had, like
I said, like being around them, you know, almost every day,
Like this team knows who they are, they do they
(21:00):
have to write, and I think basically, like I mean,
Frank Bogel has felt like that. He's basically for the
last month or so has been just like the owner
of a lottery. Take it right, Like most people don't
win the lottery, but some people do. And I think
like and you know what what what the Lakers lottery ticket.
It's Russell Westbrook figuring it out. It was Anthony Davis
(21:21):
getting that healthy and Lebron James staying at the level
he was at. Well, you know, they may hit one
of those thot down the stretch like it's it's it's wild.
You know, this was a team that basically, and this
is how sweeting and how ugly teams have been this
year is you know, going into sort of that New
(21:42):
Orleans game, was a team that are basically been playing
its best basketball of the year in a lot of ways. Um.
And they were two and two and that stretch, you know,
lost to the Wizards and lost to the Sixers. But
but it was a team that had one in Toronto,
had beating Cleveland, was playing with energy, was playing with space,
and then I think you saw at first half against
New Orleans kind of like, you know, wow, like this
(22:04):
is like this is what a focused um locked and
the Lakers team could look like pretty dominant UM. But
you know through I mean they just bring out of
cast so quickly. Obviously Lebron gets hurt. Um they let
go of the rope. In the second half of horrible,
sort of soul crushing loss. And it's just sort of
exactly who they are. They're They're a team that's just
(22:25):
cantilizing enough to trick you and if you're Frank Vogel
into believing, and they're bad nut to probably break your
heart every time. Fox Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show
with Mike Carman, Dan Woiki, Lakers, an NBA insider, our
guests right here on Fox. And uh, you know the
funny thing is, Dan, you look at the team, you know,
you mentioned the Clippers here for a second. How the
(22:46):
Lakers are on the team you want to play and
depending on Okay, if Lebron decides he wants to play again,
I'm dubious on that. Again, I'm not saying, I'm just saying, Um,
Paul George comes back tonight for the Clippers, right, he's
great come back to I mean, you don't probably want
to play the Clippers. Well that and and that's the
thing is that you know, does this Suddenly the Clippers
lead the Jazz right now by three with ten seconds
(23:08):
left to go. It's been a great comeback for the Clippers.
Here in the fourth quarter again, Paul George has thirty three.
I mean, that's really the if the Lakers don't make
that's really the only team that that the I think
the reality is, okay, they're not suddenly contenders, but the
Sons and the and the and the Grizzlies would probably
want to avoid the Clippers over anybody else. Everybody else
gets in the playsts. Look, if it's the Spurs, that's fine,
(23:30):
it's the Pelicans, that's fine. Clippers and maybe we'd like
to avoid them just because things could get a little crazy, well,
you know, and look, and I have no disrespect in Minnesota.
Team I think is like really for the scheme, has
played really great basketball down the stretch, despite Anthony Edwards
sputtering a little bit with some nice or ness, but
a team that has a real good identity, tons of athleticism,
(23:51):
sort of like Memphis White in a lot of ways. Um,
but yeah, I mean, look, I mean the Clippers run
the comference finals last year. You know, Um, they've a
lot of playoffs experience. Uh, they're they're they're getting a
player back in Paul George who was, you know, playing
like one of the twelve best players in the league
before he got hurt. And they've got a terrific coach.
(24:12):
They've got a lot of depth, they've got options, and
you know, maybe they get Norman Powell back to and
and and you know, they've got kind of this this
sort of lengthy sort of you know, a bunch of
guys who played in the playoff series and stuff like that,
and like, yeah, I mean, if you're Memphis sitting there
at the two seeds, like, are you super excited about that?
If that's who you if that's who you draw, I
(24:33):
mean probably not. I guess right. I mean, look, you'll
be fine, and you have your confidence and stuff like that,
but but I mean that's a that's a battle tested team,
and it sort of speaks to just sort of like
this weird, these weird situations that these teams like the
Nets and the Lakers and the Clippers that put themselves
into over these over these last few years. You know,
(24:54):
especially with like with injuries and stuff. Is like you know,
you have so much talent on him last year that
you just kind of say, if we just get to
the finish line and we're out limping, like watch how
you know? And it's sort of been an interesting test
to see if you can do it. If the regular
season really matters in that and I mean so far,
I would say it's it's proven out right that you
(25:14):
probably are who you are over eighty two games, right Like, Um,
so I'm not gonna screen a little bit, but you
want a penalty, that's right, you know. But I think
but but I mean, I think this Clippers team has
a chance to to sort of flip that script. And look,
I mean they'll be they'll be really close to the
(25:35):
team that that pushed Phoenix and the Conference lannels last year.
I mean that team without Kawhi Leonard, you know, built
around Reggie Jackson, Paul George, Marcus Morris. Um, you know,
visa zoobots like that. That's a good group. And like
they've they've gotten kind of almost more talent since then.
If Norman Polots on the court of Robert Covington's on
the court, um it is it is an interesting sort
(25:57):
of it's an interesting sort of question. Um they are
pain for sure again, sort of like the Lakers, bad
enough to get down by twenty um a lot, but
fast enough to win a handful of those games, you know,
and maybe be better at that the navyhos, which I
think speaks to their fighting, they're resolved, and they're certainly
more talented today than they were a couple of days ago.
(26:19):
Let's see if the rest of the crew comes back
off the injury list one by one, popping back up here,
uh into playoff mode as it looks like they're gonna
put the finishing touches on the Jazz here Dan, but
at the top of the Western Conference, you know, talking
about the Grizzlies and whatever awaits them, pretty amazing for
both Phoenix and Memphis. Phoenix with no Chris Paul for
(26:43):
a long while, and Memphis what they do without John Morant,
to degree, it's head scratching, right, two guys that we're
talking m v p Paul last year, Morant this year,
and yet their teams just roll on without them. Yeah,
I mean the great culture, right, great depth. I mean
the Memphis thing is that is a team that it
just has tons of swagger, um plays with tons of confidence,
(27:07):
great shot making on the wing, uh, tenacity inside. Um,
well well coached basketball team, just like a really good team.
And then you had Joy. I think these continents sort
of permeates everybody. Um that's for their and I mean
Phoenix is just I think like the perfect basketball team
this year. Right, everybody I talked to things they're they're
certainly the best team in the West, probably the best
(27:29):
team in the NBA. And it's just because they just
make such sense. Um, They've got depth at so many
different positions. Um, they've got interior. They scored all three
levels right like they like to say. You know, they
hit threes, but they also get to the mid range,
and they've got guys that finished at the basket. Um,
and then they all defend. Um. Just a really really
(27:51):
good team. You know, there's a couple other ones that
I was kind of the really upper echelonic contenders with
the Suns, but I think the Bucks are there. Um,
you know, I'm not sure I have and I know
how hot Boston's ben. Um, you know, I'm not sure
there is complete and certainly the Rebel Williams injury um
could be a big factor for them. But but you know,
like to me, when I see the when I see
(28:13):
the Sun, I mean that it sort of feels like
this is their moment, right, and you know, getting Chris
Paul back, um, you know, a little some mileage off
the head legs to the team that's been tested a
team that really feels ready and a team, by the way,
like you talk about kind of who you are, a
team that you know had reasons to maybe coast a
little bit. Devin Booker with a really long summer and
(28:36):
you know, some weird contract stuff with dand of the Aiden,
and it's like, now they attacked the season, and um,
they've attacked it with a voracity. But I think that
that's why most people view them to be the favorites.
You follow on Twitter at dan Wicky Sports, that is
at dan Wicky Sports, and uh, congratulations on your new
endeavor as Lakers head coach. You gotta probably probably three
(28:59):
of the last seven game at least to get in,
maybe four the last seven to get in. I think
they're gonna have to win at least three. Um, it's
hard to find a fourth wam okay's hard to find it. Well,
give me, all right, give me right now. What would
be your ten second inspirational speech to try to find
that fourth way? And if you were Lakers head coach,
Knoll still be there in June basically dominate That was
(29:22):
great anywhere, but can tune will be there in June.
And it rhymes to woiki poet. Thank you very much,
my guy, see you, buddy. We'll talk to you next week.
Great stuff. As always. We need even get to mock
the bulls together today. No, no, but you listen, we
(29:45):
had a lot of plenty of time for that. We
got time for We did that last night when you
lost to the Knicks. We kind of did that. No,
I know, I know, you know. We We don't get
to talk to Dan every day. Look, he and I
could read our our messages backed back and forth when
his collapse has happened, but it's not proper without his
his his sarcasm delivering him personally. I can try to
(30:08):
emulate it as best I can, but not quite so well. Now,
always good, I mean the perspective and the snark and
just the hey, point blank, this is what we are
and this is what they are like you don't. You
don't get fluff. There's no fanboys in there. It's an
appreciation for the game and a all right, here's reality
(30:29):
and the walls are crashing in. You got any more?
You got any more cliches? You got any more cliches?
Are Are you done? You're good? Well? No, I had
I had to catch up. I was behind on the quota.
I was making up for friendly a little bit. I
mean it's good. Be sure to catch live editions of
The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten
pm Eastern, seven pm Pacific. You want exclusive insight from
(30:54):
the biggest names in the sports game. What's good? This
is national champion in former pro baller Christian Let me
tell you a little bit about my new series kJ Live.
J Live is the only show featuring me going one
on one with the brightest basketball minds on the planet
to get the real And when I say real, I
mean that real. I got legendary Hall of famers, elite
(31:14):
coaches in the top basketball Inside is bringing you a
unique perspective on all things hoops culture that you will
not find anywhere. To make your next move, your best
move and tap in with me from kJ Live wherever
you get your podcast from Fox Sports Radio The Jason
(31:35):
Smith Show with my best friend Mike Harmon. So today
some pretty big shade was thrown at Carson Wentz by
Colts owner Jim or Say at the Owner's meetings today
at the NFL. He was talking about the big move
the Colts made to trade Carson Wentz which again I
can't believe the Washington Commanders actually traded some stuff for him. Uh,
(31:58):
and then moving on to getting Matt Ryan, and you know,
he said some good things about Matt Ryan, but specifically quote,
we are extremely grateful to the football God, so to speak,
regarding where we were compared to where we are. For us,
it was something we had to move away from as
a franchise. It was very obvious. Now when you say
(32:21):
this about a guy, this is not just hey, on
the football field, it didn't work out, because that's what
you say. Boy, you know, on the field it didn't
work out. We need to go in another direction. That's
kind of you know, that's kind of what is said.
But when you say something like this, this implies it.
Off the field, things were bad. And this is not
the first time we have heard that Carson Wentz not
(32:42):
getting along with teammates, having a tough time in the
locker room, that this story has come up. So now
here's her say saying, hey, we had to move away
from him, and now where we're so much better where
we are now I get moving away from from Carson Wentz,
is is it was a good move? Right? You kind
of had to you had no choice, but you got
Matt Ryan. You know, you didn't make a trade for
(33:03):
Aaron Rodgers, you didn't trade for Tom Brady. You got
a guy that is just okay, he's a jag now.
You didn't get Matt Ryan from eighteen. You got Matt
Ryan now, who's a twenty touchdown twelve interception a year
guy that's pretty much accurate when he throws short. He's smart,
he'll manage the game. But you didn't really get that
much better. Yeah, I mean, I know this is kind
(33:25):
of addition by subtraction, which is what you're saying. Getting
rid of Carson Wentz, that's great, but you still need
to get it done on the field. And it's not
suddenly a boy we're free from the influence of Carson Wentz. Now,
look at all the points you're gonna put No Matt
and Ryan still kind of limited. He's still a guy
that has seen his best days. If you're the Colts, yes,
it's good you moved on, But did you really move
on much past being nine and eight ish kind of
(33:46):
team or ten and seven and you're still looking up
at five or six teams in the a f C.
Even though you have a loaded roster that's kind of
still where the Colts are. Yeah, but I'll take my
shot with again, you still have to make a move
or to to build your receiving corps. I mean, there's
no question about that. But you have a good offensive line,
a couple of pieces you need to shore up there.
(34:06):
But you have Taylor and Hines in the backfield. Pittman's
a nice piece, mo Ali Cox is a good red
zone guy and blocker. But obviously you'll need another pass
catcher there in addition to someone on the outside. But
I'll take my shot with Matt Ryan that that he
can still lead right and with the with Frank Wright,
(34:26):
that you can get what you thought you wanted with
Carson Wentz, you quote, your guys gotta pick you up
and carry you through Jacksonville. He has to do it,
not an option has to no excuses, no explanation. And
in talking with veterans, or say to paraphrase, came to
light talking with the most important members of the Colts rosters,
(34:48):
uh that there was uh confidence, wasn't there? And quote
what I found out was very concerning. So you bring
in a guy like Matt Ryan and in that division,
you still got a shot right. It's not like the
other teams have come up that that far. And people
still try to tell me that Ryan Tannehill is no
good as he continues to be the example of well,
(35:08):
anybody could have done that. Hell, Ryan Tannehill good at
done that. How many dunk times did you hear that?
On the radio, at television, Twitter and out about a
Fresca Mike have swollen, don't We got more NFL on
the way next big changes coming to the league this
year in the playoffs,
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Jason Smith
Mike Harmon
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