April 19, 2024 • 33 mins
Colin continues his discussion about the NBA playoff games this weekend
The list of the best players in the NBA playoffs
Guest: Chris Broussard
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
The real NBA playoffs start tomorrow Lakers Nuggets primetime game.
Chris Brusard brew joining us. First things First, loves it
has his MVP votes most improved votes. So I was saying,
is when I suggested, you know, you may want to
duck the Nuggets, it wasn't just about losing the series.
It was the repercussions from getting beat up again by Denvers.
(00:46):
So let's say you you get swept last year, you
get beaten four or five this year, and Lebron's got
some options and he's thinking, I don't have the right coach,
I don't have the right roster. I'm a mile from Denver.
If you face Oklahoma City and you'll win, and I
think they would. It's very optimistic offseason. It's hopeful. It's hey,
we're just gonna tweak So let's just say the Lakers
(01:08):
get doused, and I think they'll be competitive, but they're
not Denver. What do you think Lebron's offseason looks like
and sounds like?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Look, I think he stays in La I think he's
settled there. He's obviously got his family there and all
his businesses and stuff. The only question is what about Bronni.
If a team agrees to draft Bronni and they want
Lebron there as well, does.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
That entice him to leave? Now?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
What I think he should look at Golden State.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
I saw you talking about that earlier.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
That would be great, But I don't see him going
to join Steph's team, right because you know it's Steph's
team And if they say they won a championship, then yeah,
they both would get huge credit, but some would give
Steph a little more because it was his squad.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Colin, I think the place would be Philly.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Now I don't think he'd do it, but I think
if he's like I want to win, I think Philadelphia
would be the place.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
You have Tyrese Maxi there. They have the money, all.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Right, and Joe l Embiid who I don't think Colin,
I don't think mb is going to be at his
best ever in the playoffs because I think he's always
going to be banged up. He came back and played
what five regular season games and got banged up.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, all right, a little satellite malfunction there. We'll get
back to Chris Bruceard in a second. It's interesting about Embiid.
So Jokic beat him a couple of years in the
MVP and then the mb'd MVP year felt a little
bit like it was an anti Jokic vote. But the
(02:53):
difference is the minute Jokic had the squad, he became
the world's best player and ran to the playoffs. So,
you know, in Biid to me, like there's been this
sort of you know, we give everybody time, you know,
like Yiannis, we give him plenty of time, and it's
like he won. Now he won a second. But it's
like Calipari, he did win a title. We won a second.
But as long as you're viable, it's when Calipari couldn't
(03:16):
win in March against Saint Peter's he got in trouble.
So let's go back to Chris Brusard. So what you're
basically saying is and Bead's never gonna give you a
twenty game playoff run because that's physically not what he's
capable of.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
That's exactly what I'm saying. This was the year Colin
you had. I get it, he was rehabbing for two
and a half months, but he still was off two
and a half months, and then you play a handful
of regular season games, and then those he got banged
up and he looked like he was.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Playing on one leg in that playing game.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
And so I actually have the Knicks beating them in
seven precisely because I don't think Emban's close to one
hundred percent, but Lebron could go there.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Be their number one guy in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
M Beat is gonna play, you know, fairly, well, give
you maybe twenty three and eleven or something like that.
And then he got Tyree's Matzi. And so if Lebrose
is looking for a championship and one that people won't
scoff at, you know, oh, you're just like a Durant
in Golden State, Philadelphia I think would be the place.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
So a lot of people like the Knicks over Philly,
I think they're a bit too. Jalen Brunson dominant and
I you know, it's like Donovan Mitchell and the Caves.
They're just a bit too Donovan Mitchell don a dominant
but let's say let's say the Knicks beat him, and
the betting market is go either way, and a lot
of people I respect like the Knicks. If the Knicks
(04:46):
beat Philadelphia with basically the three best players in the series,
Philly would have two of them. Does that make New York?
I think about if I'm a free agent or if
I'm a guy with options, does just winning this series
for New York change the league view of Jalen Brunson
(05:07):
is an a star and they can go out and
get a big dog in a trade. Does it change
fundamentally a seismic change. They don't have to win a championship,
but to do a number two seed. Philadelphia has got
a deeper roster and you beat them. This feels like
it could be so significant for the Knicks.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Look, I think players definitely respect Jalen Brunson, and I
think he's the type of guy you will want to
play with.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
And you're right if they get a series.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Now, I'm only picking them because I think EMBIID is limited.
I would certainly pick Philly if he was one hundred percent.
But Jalen Brunson high character, high work ethic, doesn't have like,
you know, a superstar kind of persona where he's all,
you know, into himself. I think guys would love to
(05:56):
play with him. The question is gonna be do guys
want to play in New York? Alach Carmelo, Anthony a
Mari Stanomar and some just don't want that. They don't
want the back pages every day. Sam's a great coach.
We all know that he also will drive you into
the ground. And does the superstar want to play all
eighty two games like it's a playoff in Tincity?
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Right?
Speaker 3 (06:18):
And those are questions that you know, various individuals are
gonna have to ask when they consider going to New York.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
All right, So you know, I think a really interesting
series is a guy we've talked about a lot is
the Suns and the Tea Wolves. Bradley Beal got healthy
and they got really good late Grayson Allen. Not that
it was a renaissance, but he was better than anybody
thought he ended up. So between Alan Beale, Booker and
KD you can shoot your way to giving a Boston
(06:48):
Denver team trouble. I think they beat Minnesota. I think
Minnesota it's a really well coached, well prepared team. Where
are because I thought Phoenix was the most disappointing team
in the league. But you watch them now, and you
watch their last nine or ten games down the stretch
when Beale was healthy and cranking, they were great. They
(07:10):
were had one stinker against the Clippers at home. They
were really good. Where are you on Phoenix today?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
No, they were, and they had a tough schedule down
the stretch, right or they could have ended up in
the play in which I thought they would with that schedule.
I like, I think this is gonna be a terrific series.
I think it's Phoenix's perimeter play and they do have
some size with Nurkics, but against Minnesota's size obviously, And
(07:37):
let's see if Anthony Edwards can really emerge and take
over this series.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
I don't like Phoenix.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I don't really give them a chance to get out
of the West at all, but I think they could.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Get past Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Like I said, I'm just intrigued by this one one
thing that hurts them. And again, they did play well
down the stretch. But their lack of a point guard
Collein early in this season and really throughout most of
the season, their problem was.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Fourth quarters yea.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And what that problem was was you didn't have a playmaker,
a point guard with that mentality who could get the
ball to the right guy in the right spots, who.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Could control the tempo.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Devin Booker can bring the ball up court, so can
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Booker can give you seven
assists and Bill and Durant can give you five. That
doesn't mean you're a point guard, right. That just means
if you drive and draw some attention, you know how
to pass. But that doesn't give you mean you have
the mentality of a Chris Paul or somebody like that.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
And I think that's something that if you face a
Denver or.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Some of these top teams in the league, I think
that could come down and crunch time.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
And hurt them.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
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Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
You know, I was saying this, if you go in
inspect the last five years of Golden State and I'm
a warrior guy. Love Kerr. I love them. Three times,
missed the playoffs once, they won one series, and if
you go back and dissect, do a deep dive on
their championship year. They faced a Denver team Murray was
(09:18):
hurt and Porter was out with an ACL. They beat
the most immature team in the league with twenty two
year old Ja Morant. Luca didn't have a number two
and who else was They're in there?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Boston, Boston, oh oh.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
And Boston who They didn't have any big game experience
and you had Wiggins, Clay, Steph Draymond. It was an experience.
It was I get Kerr. I mean it was basically
the old guys against the kids, and the old guys.
Steph Curry goes to Boston and that was a little
bit predictable when you put old and young guys. Boston
wasn't quite ready. Outside of that, they missed the playoffs
(09:54):
three times and then won a series, a seven gamer
against Sacramento. I think that gotta pivot, major pivot, do you.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
I look, I don't think it's black and white yet.
I agree that championship. You look back at it and
it's like stunning It's like, I mean, you gotta give
Stephan those guys all the credit in the world. But
it was like they just kind of pulled the rabbit
out of the hat and won that championship.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
But they had Colin. They finished the season strong.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
They had a top five record in the league since
the All Star break, all right, and with with Draymond
on the floor, they played good basketball, as you know.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
So I think they just have to go into this
offseason with a plethora of options. First thing, I'm shopping
Andrew Wiggins.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I'm like aggressively shopping him seeing if I can trade him, Right,
what can I get back for him? Obviously with Clay,
I gotta bring you know, you gotta come back on
a serious discount.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
All right, I'm looking. They need a second scorer for Steph.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
I don't think Kaminga is gonna be that. You know,
he's played well, your merge, He's not ready to be
a second scorer yet, So that's what they have to
go find.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
I would also, Colin, I would talk to teams. I'm
not shopping him.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I'm not definitely gotta trade him, but I would talk
to teams about Draymond. What can I get, what are
you willing to offer, Not that I trade him, but
just to see what the market is for him and
if maybe I get you know, a better group of
players for him. He's integral to that team obviously, so
it have to be a haul for him, which you
(11:38):
probably won't get, but I would certainly be open to it.
I think Steph will stay there this year, for sure.
He'll probably finish his career there, but I think this
notion of well, he's gonna want to leave some where
to win a championship. I think he'll at least give
them another year and maybe start looking after that.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
But I don't think they have to worry about losing him.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Brill your greatest. All that was first things first, after us,
my man, and have a good show in a good weekend.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Thanks Kyling, you too.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Yeah, so it's a you know, I what I love
about the playoffs is, you know, this year we got
almost all the guys you know, em Beads little banged up,
Jannis little banged up, both, you know em Beid's gonna
play for sure. I think Jannis will miss calf injuries
are weird because you always think you're more ready than
(12:27):
you are. Growing injuries and calf injuries. You always think
I'm fine and then you reinjure them. So if Bucks
are gonna probably keep Giannis out for two games. Indiana
with the honis is a problem because of their pace,
But Indiana is Bucks are big, they're old, they're experienced.
They're gonna lean on Indiana. They're gonna score in the paint.
(12:48):
Indiana is more of a pace team. So that's a
fascinating series. It doesn't mean you have to be a
great team to be a great series.
Speaker 5 (12:54):
Halliburton hasn't quite been the same either second half.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
You know, he got off to that tour it started,
he was like top three, tough five guy in the league.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
Hasn't been the same. But in he's very good, very good.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, Jordan with the.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
News, No, no.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
Turn on the news, All right, Colin.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
We're starting in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, fresh
off their best season in decades. YEP have unveiled some
new black alternate uniforms for this upcoming season.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
Now here's the backstory.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
Shortly after he was hired in twenty twenty one, head
coach Dan Campbell asked about getting some black jerseys. Team
president Ron Wood responded when you win the division, we'll.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Bring back the black Jerseys.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Mc DC got his wish.
Speaker 6 (13:36):
He won the division, went to the NFC Championship, almost
beat the Niners, go to the Super Bowl. Colin There is
a lot of hype in Detroit. Is there too much
hype heading into next season?
Speaker 8 (13:45):
No.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I think next to the Niners they have they are
the Niners roster with younger players. They're not quite as established,
but Penay Sewell could be the next Trent Williams, you know.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
Off the excellent, excellent RECEI exten.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Yeah, So, I mean I think they're they're pass rusher,
Aiden Hutchinson's of Bosa. So I think the Niners have
more fewer years with their group of players. I think
Detroit's got several years. I think Green Bay's young and talented,
but they're not as substantial as Detroit. So this is
(14:19):
not you know, it's like Jared Goff was saying to
the Detroit media, guys, it's okay, we're good. Now they're
a really good football And again, where are they really
good at? Quarterback? Left tackle, ed rusher, weapons and a
culture creating coach. Those are like my top five. They're
not great at corner. Outside of the Jets, almost every
(14:40):
team in the league is desperate for corners. So that's
a position nobody. I was talking to an NFLGM two
years ago. He said, listen, it is so much easier
to find a number three receiver than a number two corner.
He said this, It said, the money's at receiver, and
the great athletes very early in high school want to
transition to it. So Detroit is good enough this year
(15:01):
to win a Super Bowl, no question.
Speaker 7 (15:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:03):
I mean we didn't even talk about Gibbs and Laporta.
You know, both rookies like top five tight ends excellent.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Yeah, Gibbs is a home run in.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Wow, he's speed kills A quick NBA story. Victor weinbin
Yama is coming off a historic rookie season, but did
not have much of a supporting cast this year in
San Antonio. In an interview with the Ringers Kevin O'Connor
was here a couple of weeks ago, Wimby said he's
hearing from other NBA players about coming to play in
San Antonio.
Speaker 7 (15:30):
Yeah, I've received some slack, some messages even from like prospects,
you know, but uh, you know, Ild sustained my role,
and you know, but uh, it's yeah, it's it's a
whole new world. It's a whole new world and that
(15:50):
I'm eager to discovered. But for sure, one day or
the other day, I have to be involved in this,
I guess. Even though you know saying my role as
a player, I.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Always say that's the ultimate when other guys, especially stars,
want to come play with you.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
But when you're nineteen twenty years old and you're.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
Coming off this historic rookie season, look at that, Hakem
Alvin as the admiral.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
He's the only guy that's average, No, not the only guy.
He's the youngest guy to do it. Twenty points, ten rebounds,
three blocks per game in a season and less than
thirty minutes a game. Now, the game is obviously different.
But Shack only did it twice. That's yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
I mean these are all Hall of Favors, every single
one incredible. I love Wemby is the future, right, I mean,
that's that's the next guy.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Well, if you if by next year trade deadline, he's
the best. The three best players will be Jokich, Luca Wemby, Wow,
And I think Giannis will be in that space. And
I think SGA is becoming five. Yeah, all European.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Back to the NFL. The Washington Commanders have the second
pick in next week's draft. Yeah, yesterday GM Adam Peters
made it sound like they'll certainly keep that pick, the
second pick, and select the quarterback.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
Now.
Speaker 6 (17:06):
I know Colin that you and JMC talked about Washington
bringing in multiple.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
Quarterbacks last week.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
We also saw on Twitter Jada Daniels agent responding to well,
they played top golf. They had basically all their thirty
visits in hand.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
What do you make of this?
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Well, first of all Sja's from Canada. What I make
I think I didn't like that at all by the Commanders.
It was a dog and pony show. If you like
a quarterback. I my takeaway is this idea of inviting
all these alphas and see how they get along. You
have all my highlights, you got my pro days often,
you have combines, you have interviews. There is a line
(17:43):
here where I don't want to be like used and manipulated.
I'm a human being. Yeah, yeah, bringing me if you're
not going to draft me, don't bring me up there.
Washington knows who they're drafting. They're taking Jade and Daniels,
What are you doing? Like I would be like if
I'm if I'm you know, I guess you have to
go if you're JJ McCarthy, But I don't know. I mean,
Jayden Daniels is ready to start. JJ McCarthy most believe
(18:06):
isn't quite ready to start. So I don't know. I
didn't like that whole thing. That was my takeaway. I'm
sure everybody else was fine with it. I didn't like.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
It, even the top golf part.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
I just.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Too much.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
It's just.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
At this point, if you don't know who you're gonna draft,
get new scouts, you got all the tape, you got
all the film. I don't think you have to. It's
not that I mean we knew by we were saying
on this show. By week eight, the Bears are drafting
Caleb Williams. I mean, if you can't identify that Justin
Field just couldn't. He got worse every quarter, injuries, turnovers.
(18:42):
It's like, it's not that hard to figure out watch
the games, Daniel Jones, isn't it. Zach Wilson. I mean,
I can love a guy going into the NFL, Sam Darnold,
but I knew by year three I'm like delivery slow,
a little too reckless, feels like Carson Wentz. It's never
gonna be what I thought. But I don't know. I
just this whole thing is I think people outthink it.
Jaden Daniels, is.
Speaker 6 (19:03):
He's special, you said his freshman year Arizona State.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
I remember watching him he was. I remember thinking, because
I knew somebody on the staff, I'm like, is he
weighe hundred and fifty pounds. His helmet looked gigantic on him.
But you were watching him and you're like, he's like
eighteen years old. He was playing in pac twelve games
and he was really a good player, and they didn't
have a lot around him. So it's like then he
goes to LSU and gets help, and you're like, come on,
the guys, you know forty touchdowns, ten rushing, Like you
(19:28):
know what you're going to get at the number two pick.
Don't dog in pony show.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
And I agree with Shadan Daniels, Colin, this is a
fun one, really fun. Finally, we're sticking with the draft.
Now we all know the top prospects, the.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Big names, the at QBS.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
But I came up with a list of some lesser
known guys, some sleepers that I'm really really high on
in this draft. Brailing Out running back out of Wisconsin.
Now he's working out with Derreck Henry in Dallas. He's
an absolute horse. Twenty years old, youngest player in the draft.
He's got some he's got something to him. Five point
four yards per carry each of the last two years.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Jalen pull I.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Had a personnel executive tell me, this is poop in
the Kua of this year's draft.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Yeah, he's really now. He got overshadowed by Romadunze, of course,
and he was a two to a three in that draft.
But he is an I've seen him live clever yards
after the catch.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
Guy, physical, great hands yak had nine touchdowns eleven hundred yards.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
He is a really good player. I don't think he's
getting out in the second round.
Speaker 6 (20:26):
Eric All junior, Iowa tight end transfer from Michigan not
great stats six four two fifty similar bill as George
Kittle Wenoba, Iowa tight ends Kittle Laporta Dallas.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
Clark Noah fan list goes on and on.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
They all block, they all block, and they all catch.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
Yeah, he's good. This is my my favorite name, my
favorite Guy Giovanni. Manu six ' seven.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Three point fifty two from where tongue.
Speaker 6 (20:52):
He's tongue in descent from the University of British Columbia.
Speaker 5 (20:56):
Which is basically D two.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Okay, now he plays, he's left tackle Jordan Malata. That's
kind of the cop similar frame.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
He was a rugby player. Yeah, this kid.
Speaker 6 (21:07):
Manu played basketball thirty points fifteen rebounds of game in
high school.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
An absolute behemoth.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Okay, he had a.
Speaker 6 (21:15):
Ton of thirty visits, had a private workout with the Cardinals.
Went from being undrafted six weeks ago. Now he's got
a chance to go Day three. And then finally TJ.
Tampa Corner out of Iowa State Athletic Rangey High school
basketball star. I don't think he's getting out of the
second round. Really really good young corner. Those are my
(21:36):
five sleepers calling. Which one stands out to you?
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Well, the one I've seen play a lots Jalen Polk
and he's really good player. So there's there's you know,
sleeper to me, tends to be like fourth fifth round,
like Pooka Pooka, Yeah, Polk, we have some video of
Poke here. Yeah, he's a really clever player. And again
had a good quarterback, had a star on the opposite side.
Just he's just gonna be a productive NFL player. I
didn't you know the Wisconsin back. I didn't see a
(21:59):
ton of Most of those guys, I didn't see a
ton of. But Polk's good player.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Let me tell you also about Polk.
Speaker 6 (22:05):
I had a scouting director tell me he's gonna play
ten plus years in the league and get three contracts.
That's the type of guy. He's going to be a really,
really good number two receiver. I don't know if that
means Calvin Ridley, but he's gonna be someone that you
can absolutely rely on week to week.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
He's going to be a star. Maybe not a superstar,
but a star.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Jordan with the News, Well that's the news, and thanks
for stopping that.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
The Herd lie.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
They say. It's not only a different season, but a
different sport. The NBA playoffs start officially tomorrow. Top ten
players we rank him next.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter n a em Pacific two.
Speaker 6 (22:43):
NBA Insiders podcasting twice a week to plug you right
into the NBA great fine.
Speaker 8 (22:49):
All happening in only one place. This League Uncut the
New NBA podcast with Me.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Chris Haynes and me Mark Stein join us.
Speaker 8 (22:59):
As we team up expound on everything we're covering. Hearing
and Chason.
Speaker 6 (23:03):
Listen to This League Uncut with Chris Haynes and Mark Stein.
Speaker 8 (23:07):
On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
All right, best for last, Today, we're gonna do the
top ten players in the playoffs. We're considering everything. For instance,
Giannis is hurt, gonna miss games, but playoffs generally reward
older players, So I know it's gonna be controversial, but
that's the way the playoffs are. Older players manipulate the refs.
(23:34):
By the way, the NBA and about the trade deadline
stopped officiating the way they were officiating, so they made
an in season adjustment. They're letting teams play. We had
a Celtics Bucks game at the end of the year
with they're like two free throws. So you're gonna get
more physical basketball, fewer foul calls, ref step back every round.
You're gonna get fewer and fewer whistles. That's kind of
(23:56):
what you like in the NBA. So these are my
top ten players in the NBA in order. So advanced
analytics love Jokic all the stuff like win shares, an efficiency,
He's the best player in the league, box score plus
minus value over replacement player. The guy had seven hundred
and eight assists this year as a center. Jokic is
(24:19):
number one. Luka Dantech who now his blocks were up,
his steals were up. He led the Mams in steel
planned some defense now finally, probably because he's in better shape,
average thirty four a game. Yeah, I mean he is.
He is going to be the league's probably, you know,
best pure shooter score for a long time. Luca at two,
(24:41):
I would sga, who's an MVP finalist has emerged. I
didn't see this coming. So he led the NBA. He
had fifty one games thirty or more points plays defense,
led the NBA in steals. I mean, they're a totally
different team, not totally dependent on him offensively, but when
(25:03):
he's on the court, they're plus eleven. When he's off,
they're in the minus territory. Number four is Jason Tatum.
Best player on the best team. And one of the
things you like about Tatum his usage rate isn't that high,
so you know, there are some questions does he want
the ball late or does Jalen Brown want it more.
He's not bad late in games. He just hasn't been
(25:23):
great clutch time sometimes. But he's the best player on
the best team. And he's averaging twenty five, eight and four,
and the only other guy's doing that are like Giannis
and Luca number five. Again, he's injured. He'd probably be
my four instead of my five. But is Yannis. I
don't think he's going to play in the first few
games in this series. Listen. He averaged thirty game career
(25:45):
high and assists, but he's had calf issues, lower leg,
achilles issues, so you kind of just got crossing your fingers.
He actually slightly got better this year, but Biggs, once
they start getting hurt, they don't get hurt less. I
would put him at five. I thought Anthony Davis had
(26:05):
probably his best year as a pro. He moved back inside,
he waved, wandered out to the perimeter for a couple
of years. He wandered back in and he had career
highs the last two years in points in the paint,
and that's where he's great. He's the best defensive player
I think in the league he gets along with Lebron.
He played a ton of games this year. He played
seventy six games, and he played hurt. That was always
(26:29):
to knock on him, but he was kind of a
soft player, a dad bod wouldn't put the time in
the gym. This year, Great Shape played hard. I thought
he was a spectacular player. I think the seventh last
player is his teammate Lebron, who needs more days off.
But Lebron led the NBA in fourth quarter scoring. The
other thing about Lebron is that he had a really
(26:50):
good year shooting threes over forty percent. Now, Lebron has
always been sometimes he believes in his three point shots.
Sometimes he does it. When he does it, he usually
goes back to driving and scoring, which he's highly effective at.
He can't give you the night. You know he needs
time off. You're gonna take some days off. But I'd
(27:12):
say he's the seventh best player, and on many nights
he's the best player for a half in the league.
Number eight. Jalen Brunson. It's not just about scoring. Leadership toughness.
Now since the All Star Braked leads the NBA in
usage rate. Historically if you're like a usage rate leader,
you wear down in the playoffs, and I think that
(27:32):
couldn't possibly happen against Philadelphia. But with Jalen, it's the
mid range game, it's the leadership, it's the defense, it's
the toughness. He's a classic Villanova guy.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
He's eight.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
Kevin Durant nine. You know, Kevin fifteen straight season averaging
twenty five plus. He also played a ton of games
like Anthony Davis, so he played seventy five years. He
didn't want to be the leader. That's not what he's
gonna do. But he's a remarkable shot maker and what
you'll find in the playoffs. Sometimes analytics take a back
seat to get a basket and get a stop. He's
(28:05):
always been an underrated defensive player. And by the way,
these are a razor thin you can argue all of these.
I say number ten is Joel Embiid. He's just hurt,
so you're not getting the best of Joel Embiid. But
they're thirty two and eight when he plays, and that
you can't deny. Now, where's Aunt Edwards. I don't think
he's as complete as SGA. He's not the defensive player
as some of these guys. He's not a shot creator.
(28:27):
Aunt's probably like eleven. Jalen Brown's got to be twelve
in that sort of ballpark. So there you go. My
top ten players in the playoffs. We can argue, I
would say, you know what's interesting, and you saw this
with Dejontey Murray. If you look at de Jontay Murray
in Atlanta when Trey Young doesn't play, as numbers go up,
(28:48):
Jaylen Brown's with Luca, and then he goes to New
York without Luca high usage rate, and his numbers pop,
and then they pop again when Julius Randall leaves. Yeah,
so he not only improved post Dallas, but post Julius Randall.
Now the problem being is, yes, he's getting more points
(29:09):
and more shot he's got the ball in his hands
too much. And by the way, it's been Lucas thing.
You have to be an incredible shape, you gotta kind
of be lucky. So to me, Philadelphia is gonna lean
on him, throw bodies on him. It's gonna be a
long series. I'll take Philadelphia, But I do think there
are certain teams. We always think baseball is better with
(29:30):
the Yankees, I'll be honest, I think the NBA is
better with the Knicks. They just haven't been viable for
a long time. I don't think this there. Some teams
are built because of Thibodeaux. The Knicks are an effort
effort team. They give you great effort every night, but
at the playoffs, everybody gives you effort. So if your
great quality is they just outplay people. Tim's teams play hard,
(29:53):
but everybody in the postseason plays hard. So the Knicks
to me, are an overvalued two. I mean Dunleavy told
me this years ago when he was coaching. He goes,
if you get a young team that's not that talent,
that plays hard, you win forty games, sure on effort.
Now there were more back to backs. Then he goes,
if you get a young team guys can play back
to back and they play their butt off, you'll win
forty games and you may have a thirty win roster.
(30:15):
So the Knicks plays so hard, so consistently they're gonna
they're gonna win games on nights when they just out.
They played Boston about a week ago or ten days ago.
At Boston didn't even show up. A Knicks played like
it was game seven of the NBA Finals, So that's
gonna even out. I think you're gonna see that with OKC.
Young teams play hard. They don't have a trophy yet.
(30:37):
Now everybody plays hard every game, So I think OKCY
gonna win a series and that's it.
Speaker 6 (30:42):
It's also been the beauty of Boston playing so hard.
They haven't won a title yet, but they feel like
a team that has a chip on their shoulder. Despite
you know, they won sixty four games, they were dom dominant,
but that feels like a team that's every night is
really competing.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
And Denver's the best team. But if you watched I
watched Denver a lot this year, they have a lot
of bad halfs. Now they're really good in clutch time
numbers like Denver can really turn it on. But you
could watch Denver from time to time and think they
played last night. Yeah the guy. The guys have a trophy,
they're not giving it and then they usually figured out
a way to grind you down and get back into it.
(31:17):
But that there is something to be said about that. Historically,
if you got the trophy, the regular season becomes much
less crucial.
Speaker 6 (31:25):
You know, I had a list too, call me sh Yeah,
this is this is this is the Schultz list, not
rewarding defense because I don't play defense. Now I got Jokiziannis, Katie, Luca, Tatum, Mbi, Braun, Edwards, Booker,
and Runson. Now the two discrepancies for us, I have
Kevin Wayhart.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Or you don't have Anthony Davis on the line.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
I don't.
Speaker 5 (31:46):
So that's where I was going with this.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
You're very hot.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
You're bullets on Ad this year because he moved more inside.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
I was so anti AD three years ago.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
He's changed.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
Oh, he's hafted. He had a great year. First of all,
he plays every night, he plays hurt. He's a dominant
defender his offense. He's usually great two out of three game.
So that's the knock on him. Yeah, is to some night.
But also when you play defense like he does against Biggs,
it's exhausting and they're just you can't do it on
both fens. Lebron can take nights off defensive him.
Speaker 5 (32:16):
Yeah, a d can't.
Speaker 6 (32:17):
I would say with Edwards two, I know you didn't
put him on, but thirty seven percent from three his
pace I thought slowed down a little bit. That showed maturity.
I think he's gonna explode in the playoffs. My quick
quick thought before you go, it's Wemby in this position
next year, top ten end the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
I think they're a low end playoff team and he's
probably top ten. You. Yeah, they He's the kind of
player you could see guys saying, oh, I'd like to
play for him. Yeah, they're not gonna win a title
next year, but they're close. They're they're they're very close
to being really interesting, all right, Jordan, great stuff. Jay
Mack is back on a Monday. Thanks for Jordan Schultz
filling in Bleacher Report. NBA playoffs really really begin tomorrow.
(32:57):
Lakers Nuggets the primetime game we'll see Monday
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noone Pacific. Find
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
The real NBA playoffs start tomorrow Lakers Nuggets primetime game.
Chris Brusard brew joining us. First things First, loves it
has his MVP votes most improved votes. So I was saying,
is when I suggested, you know, you may want to
duck the Nuggets, it wasn't just about losing the series.
It was the repercussions from getting beat up again by Denvers.
(00:46):
So let's say you you get swept last year, you
get beaten four or five this year, and Lebron's got
some options and he's thinking, I don't have the right coach,
I don't have the right roster. I'm a mile from Denver.
If you face Oklahoma City and you'll win, and I
think they would. It's very optimistic offseason. It's hopeful. It's hey,
we're just gonna tweak So let's just say the Lakers
(01:08):
get doused, and I think they'll be competitive, but they're
not Denver. What do you think Lebron's offseason looks like
and sounds like?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Look, I think he stays in La I think he's
settled there. He's obviously got his family there and all
his businesses and stuff. The only question is what about Bronni.
If a team agrees to draft Bronni and they want
Lebron there as well, does.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
That entice him to leave? Now?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
What I think he should look at Golden State.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
I saw you talking about that earlier.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
That would be great, But I don't see him going
to join Steph's team, right because you know it's Steph's
team And if they say they won a championship, then yeah,
they both would get huge credit, but some would give
Steph a little more because it was his squad.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Colin, I think the place would be Philly.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Now I don't think he'd do it, but I think
if he's like I want to win, I think Philadelphia
would be the place.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
You have Tyrese Maxi there. They have the money, all.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Right, and Joe l Embiid who I don't think Colin,
I don't think mb is going to be at his
best ever in the playoffs because I think he's always
going to be banged up. He came back and played
what five regular season games and got banged up.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, all right, a little satellite malfunction there. We'll get
back to Chris Bruceard in a second. It's interesting about Embiid.
So Jokic beat him a couple of years in the
MVP and then the mb'd MVP year felt a little
bit like it was an anti Jokic vote. But the
(02:53):
difference is the minute Jokic had the squad, he became
the world's best player and ran to the playoffs. So,
you know, in Biid to me, like there's been this
sort of you know, we give everybody time, you know,
like Yiannis, we give him plenty of time, and it's
like he won. Now he won a second. But it's
like Calipari, he did win a title. We won a second.
But as long as you're viable, it's when Calipari couldn't
(03:16):
win in March against Saint Peter's he got in trouble.
So let's go back to Chris Brusard. So what you're
basically saying is and Bead's never gonna give you a
twenty game playoff run because that's physically not what he's
capable of.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
That's exactly what I'm saying. This was the year Colin
you had. I get it, he was rehabbing for two
and a half months, but he still was off two
and a half months, and then you play a handful
of regular season games, and then those he got banged
up and he looked like he was.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Playing on one leg in that playing game.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
And so I actually have the Knicks beating them in
seven precisely because I don't think Emban's close to one
hundred percent, but Lebron could go there.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Be their number one guy in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
M Beat is gonna play, you know, fairly, well, give
you maybe twenty three and eleven or something like that.
And then he got Tyree's Matzi. And so if Lebrose
is looking for a championship and one that people won't
scoff at, you know, oh, you're just like a Durant
in Golden State, Philadelphia I think would be the place.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
So a lot of people like the Knicks over Philly,
I think they're a bit too. Jalen Brunson dominant and
I you know, it's like Donovan Mitchell and the Caves.
They're just a bit too Donovan Mitchell don a dominant
but let's say let's say the Knicks beat him, and
the betting market is go either way, and a lot
of people I respect like the Knicks. If the Knicks
(04:46):
beat Philadelphia with basically the three best players in the series,
Philly would have two of them. Does that make New York?
I think about if I'm a free agent or if
I'm a guy with options, does just winning this series
for New York change the league view of Jalen Brunson
(05:07):
is an a star and they can go out and
get a big dog in a trade. Does it change
fundamentally a seismic change. They don't have to win a championship,
but to do a number two seed. Philadelphia has got
a deeper roster and you beat them. This feels like
it could be so significant for the Knicks.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Look, I think players definitely respect Jalen Brunson, and I
think he's the type of guy you will want to
play with.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
And you're right if they get a series.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Now, I'm only picking them because I think EMBIID is limited.
I would certainly pick Philly if he was one hundred percent.
But Jalen Brunson high character, high work ethic, doesn't have like,
you know, a superstar kind of persona where he's all,
you know, into himself. I think guys would love to
(05:56):
play with him. The question is gonna be do guys
want to play in New York? Alach Carmelo, Anthony a
Mari Stanomar and some just don't want that. They don't
want the back pages every day. Sam's a great coach.
We all know that he also will drive you into
the ground. And does the superstar want to play all
eighty two games like it's a playoff in Tincity?
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Right?
Speaker 3 (06:18):
And those are questions that you know, various individuals are
gonna have to ask when they consider going to New York.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
All right, So you know, I think a really interesting
series is a guy we've talked about a lot is
the Suns and the Tea Wolves. Bradley Beal got healthy
and they got really good late Grayson Allen. Not that
it was a renaissance, but he was better than anybody
thought he ended up. So between Alan Beale, Booker and
KD you can shoot your way to giving a Boston
(06:48):
Denver team trouble. I think they beat Minnesota. I think
Minnesota it's a really well coached, well prepared team. Where
are because I thought Phoenix was the most disappointing team
in the league. But you watch them now, and you
watch their last nine or ten games down the stretch
when Beale was healthy and cranking, they were great. They
(07:10):
were had one stinker against the Clippers at home. They
were really good. Where are you on Phoenix today?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
No, they were, and they had a tough schedule down
the stretch, right or they could have ended up in
the play in which I thought they would with that schedule.
I like, I think this is gonna be a terrific series.
I think it's Phoenix's perimeter play and they do have
some size with Nurkics, but against Minnesota's size obviously, And
(07:37):
let's see if Anthony Edwards can really emerge and take
over this series.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
I don't like Phoenix.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I don't really give them a chance to get out
of the West at all, but I think they could.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Get past Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Like I said, I'm just intrigued by this one one
thing that hurts them. And again, they did play well
down the stretch. But their lack of a point guard
Collein early in this season and really throughout most of
the season, their problem was.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Fourth quarters yea.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And what that problem was was you didn't have a playmaker,
a point guard with that mentality who could get the
ball to the right guy in the right spots, who.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Could control the tempo.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Devin Booker can bring the ball up court, so can
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Booker can give you seven
assists and Bill and Durant can give you five. That
doesn't mean you're a point guard, right. That just means
if you drive and draw some attention, you know how
to pass. But that doesn't give you mean you have
the mentality of a Chris Paul or somebody like that.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
And I think that's something that if you face a
Denver or.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Some of these top teams in the league, I think
that could come down and crunch time.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
And hurt them.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
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Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
You know, I was saying this, if you go in
inspect the last five years of Golden State and I'm
a warrior guy. Love Kerr. I love them. Three times,
missed the playoffs once, they won one series, and if
you go back and dissect, do a deep dive on
their championship year. They faced a Denver team Murray was
(09:18):
hurt and Porter was out with an ACL. They beat
the most immature team in the league with twenty two
year old Ja Morant. Luca didn't have a number two
and who else was They're in there?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Boston, Boston, oh oh.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
And Boston who They didn't have any big game experience
and you had Wiggins, Clay, Steph Draymond. It was an experience.
It was I get Kerr. I mean it was basically
the old guys against the kids, and the old guys.
Steph Curry goes to Boston and that was a little
bit predictable when you put old and young guys. Boston
wasn't quite ready. Outside of that, they missed the playoffs
(09:54):
three times and then won a series, a seven gamer
against Sacramento. I think that gotta pivot, major pivot, do you.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
I look, I don't think it's black and white yet.
I agree that championship. You look back at it and
it's like stunning It's like, I mean, you gotta give
Stephan those guys all the credit in the world. But
it was like they just kind of pulled the rabbit
out of the hat and won that championship.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
But they had Colin. They finished the season strong.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
They had a top five record in the league since
the All Star break, all right, and with with Draymond
on the floor, they played good basketball, as you know.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
So I think they just have to go into this
offseason with a plethora of options. First thing, I'm shopping
Andrew Wiggins.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I'm like aggressively shopping him seeing if I can trade him, Right,
what can I get back for him? Obviously with Clay,
I gotta bring you know, you gotta come back on
a serious discount.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
All right, I'm looking. They need a second scorer for Steph.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
I don't think Kaminga is gonna be that. You know,
he's played well, your merge, He's not ready to be
a second scorer yet, So that's what they have to
go find.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
I would also, Colin, I would talk to teams. I'm
not shopping him.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I'm not definitely gotta trade him, but I would talk
to teams about Draymond. What can I get, what are
you willing to offer, Not that I trade him, but
just to see what the market is for him and
if maybe I get you know, a better group of
players for him. He's integral to that team obviously, so
it have to be a haul for him, which you
(11:38):
probably won't get, but I would certainly be open to it.
I think Steph will stay there this year, for sure.
He'll probably finish his career there, but I think this
notion of well, he's gonna want to leave some where
to win a championship. I think he'll at least give
them another year and maybe start looking after that.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
But I don't think they have to worry about losing him.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Brill your greatest. All that was first things first, after us,
my man, and have a good show in a good weekend.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Thanks Kyling, you too.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Yeah, so it's a you know, I what I love
about the playoffs is, you know, this year we got
almost all the guys you know, em Beads little banged up,
Jannis little banged up, both, you know em Beid's gonna
play for sure. I think Jannis will miss calf injuries
are weird because you always think you're more ready than
(12:27):
you are. Growing injuries and calf injuries. You always think
I'm fine and then you reinjure them. So if Bucks
are gonna probably keep Giannis out for two games. Indiana
with the honis is a problem because of their pace,
But Indiana is Bucks are big, they're old, they're experienced.
They're gonna lean on Indiana. They're gonna score in the paint.
(12:48):
Indiana is more of a pace team. So that's a
fascinating series. It doesn't mean you have to be a
great team to be a great series.
Speaker 5 (12:54):
Halliburton hasn't quite been the same either second half.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
You know, he got off to that tour it started,
he was like top three, tough five guy in the league.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
Hasn't been the same. But in he's very good, very good.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, Jordan with the.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
News, No, no.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
Turn on the news, All right, Colin.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
We're starting in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, fresh
off their best season in decades. YEP have unveiled some
new black alternate uniforms for this upcoming season.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
Now here's the backstory.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
Shortly after he was hired in twenty twenty one, head
coach Dan Campbell asked about getting some black jerseys. Team
president Ron Wood responded when you win the division, we'll.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Bring back the black Jerseys.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Mc DC got his wish.
Speaker 6 (13:36):
He won the division, went to the NFC Championship, almost
beat the Niners, go to the Super Bowl. Colin There is
a lot of hype in Detroit. Is there too much
hype heading into next season?
Speaker 8 (13:45):
No.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I think next to the Niners they have they are
the Niners roster with younger players. They're not quite as established,
but Penay Sewell could be the next Trent Williams, you know.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
Off the excellent, excellent RECEI exten.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Yeah, So, I mean I think they're they're pass rusher,
Aiden Hutchinson's of Bosa. So I think the Niners have
more fewer years with their group of players. I think
Detroit's got several years. I think Green Bay's young and talented,
but they're not as substantial as Detroit. So this is
(14:19):
not you know, it's like Jared Goff was saying to
the Detroit media, guys, it's okay, we're good. Now they're
a really good football And again, where are they really
good at? Quarterback? Left tackle, ed rusher, weapons and a
culture creating coach. Those are like my top five. They're
not great at corner. Outside of the Jets, almost every
(14:40):
team in the league is desperate for corners. So that's
a position nobody. I was talking to an NFLGM two
years ago. He said, listen, it is so much easier
to find a number three receiver than a number two corner.
He said this, It said, the money's at receiver, and
the great athletes very early in high school want to
transition to it. So Detroit is good enough this year
(15:01):
to win a Super Bowl, no question.
Speaker 7 (15:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:03):
I mean we didn't even talk about Gibbs and Laporta.
You know, both rookies like top five tight ends excellent.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Yeah, Gibbs is a home run in.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Wow, he's speed kills A quick NBA story. Victor weinbin
Yama is coming off a historic rookie season, but did
not have much of a supporting cast this year in
San Antonio. In an interview with the Ringers Kevin O'Connor
was here a couple of weeks ago, Wimby said he's
hearing from other NBA players about coming to play in
San Antonio.
Speaker 7 (15:30):
Yeah, I've received some slack, some messages even from like prospects,
you know, but uh, you know, Ild sustained my role,
and you know, but uh, it's yeah, it's it's a
whole new world. It's a whole new world and that
(15:50):
I'm eager to discovered. But for sure, one day or
the other day, I have to be involved in this,
I guess. Even though you know saying my role as
a player, I.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Always say that's the ultimate when other guys, especially stars,
want to come play with you.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
But when you're nineteen twenty years old and you're.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
Coming off this historic rookie season, look at that, Hakem
Alvin as the admiral.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
He's the only guy that's average, No, not the only guy.
He's the youngest guy to do it. Twenty points, ten rebounds,
three blocks per game in a season and less than
thirty minutes a game. Now, the game is obviously different.
But Shack only did it twice. That's yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
I mean these are all Hall of Favors, every single
one incredible. I love Wemby is the future, right, I mean,
that's that's the next guy.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Well, if you if by next year trade deadline, he's
the best. The three best players will be Jokich, Luca Wemby, Wow,
And I think Giannis will be in that space. And
I think SGA is becoming five. Yeah, all European.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Back to the NFL. The Washington Commanders have the second
pick in next week's draft. Yeah, yesterday GM Adam Peters
made it sound like they'll certainly keep that pick, the
second pick, and select the quarterback.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
Now.
Speaker 6 (17:06):
I know Colin that you and JMC talked about Washington
bringing in multiple.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
Quarterbacks last week.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
We also saw on Twitter Jada Daniels agent responding to well,
they played top golf. They had basically all their thirty
visits in hand.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
What do you make of this?
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Well, first of all Sja's from Canada. What I make
I think I didn't like that at all by the Commanders.
It was a dog and pony show. If you like
a quarterback. I my takeaway is this idea of inviting
all these alphas and see how they get along. You
have all my highlights, you got my pro days often,
you have combines, you have interviews. There is a line
(17:43):
here where I don't want to be like used and manipulated.
I'm a human being. Yeah, yeah, bringing me if you're
not going to draft me, don't bring me up there.
Washington knows who they're drafting. They're taking Jade and Daniels,
What are you doing? Like I would be like if
I'm if I'm you know, I guess you have to
go if you're JJ McCarthy, But I don't know. I mean,
Jayden Daniels is ready to start. JJ McCarthy most believe
(18:06):
isn't quite ready to start. So I don't know. I
didn't like that whole thing. That was my takeaway. I'm
sure everybody else was fine with it. I didn't like.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
It, even the top golf part.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
I just.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Too much.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
It's just.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
At this point, if you don't know who you're gonna draft,
get new scouts, you got all the tape, you got
all the film. I don't think you have to. It's
not that I mean we knew by we were saying
on this show. By week eight, the Bears are drafting
Caleb Williams. I mean, if you can't identify that Justin
Field just couldn't. He got worse every quarter, injuries, turnovers.
(18:42):
It's like, it's not that hard to figure out watch
the games, Daniel Jones, isn't it. Zach Wilson. I mean,
I can love a guy going into the NFL, Sam Darnold,
but I knew by year three I'm like delivery slow,
a little too reckless, feels like Carson Wentz. It's never
gonna be what I thought. But I don't know. I
just this whole thing is I think people outthink it.
Jaden Daniels, is.
Speaker 6 (19:03):
He's special, you said his freshman year Arizona State.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
I remember watching him he was. I remember thinking, because
I knew somebody on the staff, I'm like, is he
weighe hundred and fifty pounds. His helmet looked gigantic on him.
But you were watching him and you're like, he's like
eighteen years old. He was playing in pac twelve games
and he was really a good player, and they didn't
have a lot around him. So it's like then he
goes to LSU and gets help, and you're like, come on,
the guys, you know forty touchdowns, ten rushing, Like you
(19:28):
know what you're going to get at the number two pick.
Don't dog in pony show.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
And I agree with Shadan Daniels, Colin, this is a
fun one, really fun. Finally, we're sticking with the draft.
Now we all know the top prospects, the.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Big names, the at QBS.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
But I came up with a list of some lesser
known guys, some sleepers that I'm really really high on
in this draft. Brailing Out running back out of Wisconsin.
Now he's working out with Derreck Henry in Dallas. He's
an absolute horse. Twenty years old, youngest player in the draft.
He's got some he's got something to him. Five point
four yards per carry each of the last two years.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Jalen pull I.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Had a personnel executive tell me, this is poop in
the Kua of this year's draft.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Yeah, he's really now. He got overshadowed by Romadunze, of course,
and he was a two to a three in that draft.
But he is an I've seen him live clever yards
after the catch.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
Guy, physical, great hands yak had nine touchdowns eleven hundred yards.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
He is a really good player. I don't think he's
getting out in the second round.
Speaker 6 (20:26):
Eric All junior, Iowa tight end transfer from Michigan not
great stats six four two fifty similar bill as George
Kittle Wenoba, Iowa tight ends Kittle Laporta Dallas.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
Clark Noah fan list goes on and on.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
They all block, they all block, and they all catch.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
Yeah, he's good. This is my my favorite name, my
favorite Guy Giovanni. Manu six ' seven.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Three point fifty two from where tongue.
Speaker 6 (20:52):
He's tongue in descent from the University of British Columbia.
Speaker 5 (20:56):
Which is basically D two.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Okay, now he plays, he's left tackle Jordan Malata. That's
kind of the cop similar frame.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
He was a rugby player. Yeah, this kid.
Speaker 6 (21:07):
Manu played basketball thirty points fifteen rebounds of game in
high school.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
An absolute behemoth.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Okay, he had a.
Speaker 6 (21:15):
Ton of thirty visits, had a private workout with the Cardinals.
Went from being undrafted six weeks ago. Now he's got
a chance to go Day three. And then finally TJ.
Tampa Corner out of Iowa State Athletic Rangey High school
basketball star. I don't think he's getting out of the
second round. Really really good young corner. Those are my
(21:36):
five sleepers calling. Which one stands out to you?
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Well, the one I've seen play a lots Jalen Polk
and he's really good player. So there's there's you know,
sleeper to me, tends to be like fourth fifth round,
like Pooka Pooka, Yeah, Polk, we have some video of
Poke here. Yeah, he's a really clever player. And again
had a good quarterback, had a star on the opposite side.
Just he's just gonna be a productive NFL player. I
didn't you know the Wisconsin back. I didn't see a
(21:59):
ton of Most of those guys, I didn't see a
ton of. But Polk's good player.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Let me tell you also about Polk.
Speaker 6 (22:05):
I had a scouting director tell me he's gonna play
ten plus years in the league and get three contracts.
That's the type of guy. He's going to be a really,
really good number two receiver. I don't know if that
means Calvin Ridley, but he's gonna be someone that you
can absolutely rely on week to week.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
He's going to be a star. Maybe not a superstar,
but a star.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Jordan with the News, Well that's the news, and thanks
for stopping that.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
The Herd lie.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
They say. It's not only a different season, but a
different sport. The NBA playoffs start officially tomorrow. Top ten
players we rank him next.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter n a em Pacific two.
Speaker 6 (22:43):
NBA Insiders podcasting twice a week to plug you right
into the NBA great fine.
Speaker 8 (22:49):
All happening in only one place. This League Uncut the
New NBA podcast with Me.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Chris Haynes and me Mark Stein join us.
Speaker 8 (22:59):
As we team up expound on everything we're covering. Hearing
and Chason.
Speaker 6 (23:03):
Listen to This League Uncut with Chris Haynes and Mark Stein.
Speaker 8 (23:07):
On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
All right, best for last, Today, we're gonna do the
top ten players in the playoffs. We're considering everything. For instance,
Giannis is hurt, gonna miss games, but playoffs generally reward
older players, So I know it's gonna be controversial, but
that's the way the playoffs are. Older players manipulate the refs.
(23:34):
By the way, the NBA and about the trade deadline
stopped officiating the way they were officiating, so they made
an in season adjustment. They're letting teams play. We had
a Celtics Bucks game at the end of the year
with they're like two free throws. So you're gonna get
more physical basketball, fewer foul calls, ref step back every round.
You're gonna get fewer and fewer whistles. That's kind of
(23:56):
what you like in the NBA. So these are my
top ten players in the NBA in order. So advanced
analytics love Jokic all the stuff like win shares, an efficiency,
He's the best player in the league, box score plus
minus value over replacement player. The guy had seven hundred
and eight assists this year as a center. Jokic is
(24:19):
number one. Luka Dantech who now his blocks were up,
his steals were up. He led the Mams in steel
planned some defense now finally, probably because he's in better shape,
average thirty four a game. Yeah, I mean he is.
He is going to be the league's probably, you know,
best pure shooter score for a long time. Luca at two,
(24:41):
I would sga, who's an MVP finalist has emerged. I
didn't see this coming. So he led the NBA. He
had fifty one games thirty or more points plays defense,
led the NBA in steals. I mean, they're a totally
different team, not totally dependent on him offensively, but when
(25:03):
he's on the court, they're plus eleven. When he's off,
they're in the minus territory. Number four is Jason Tatum.
Best player on the best team. And one of the
things you like about Tatum his usage rate isn't that high,
so you know, there are some questions does he want
the ball late or does Jalen Brown want it more.
He's not bad late in games. He just hasn't been
(25:23):
great clutch time sometimes. But he's the best player on
the best team. And he's averaging twenty five, eight and four,
and the only other guy's doing that are like Giannis
and Luca number five. Again, he's injured. He'd probably be
my four instead of my five. But is Yannis. I
don't think he's going to play in the first few
games in this series. Listen. He averaged thirty game career
(25:45):
high and assists, but he's had calf issues, lower leg,
achilles issues, so you kind of just got crossing your fingers.
He actually slightly got better this year, but Biggs, once
they start getting hurt, they don't get hurt less. I
would put him at five. I thought Anthony Davis had
(26:05):
probably his best year as a pro. He moved back inside,
he waved, wandered out to the perimeter for a couple
of years. He wandered back in and he had career
highs the last two years in points in the paint,
and that's where he's great. He's the best defensive player
I think in the league he gets along with Lebron.
He played a ton of games this year. He played
seventy six games, and he played hurt. That was always
(26:29):
to knock on him, but he was kind of a
soft player, a dad bod wouldn't put the time in
the gym. This year, Great Shape played hard. I thought
he was a spectacular player. I think the seventh last
player is his teammate Lebron, who needs more days off.
But Lebron led the NBA in fourth quarter scoring. The
other thing about Lebron is that he had a really
(26:50):
good year shooting threes over forty percent. Now, Lebron has
always been sometimes he believes in his three point shots.
Sometimes he does it. When he does it, he usually
goes back to driving and scoring, which he's highly effective at.
He can't give you the night. You know he needs
time off. You're gonna take some days off. But I'd
(27:12):
say he's the seventh best player, and on many nights
he's the best player for a half in the league.
Number eight. Jalen Brunson. It's not just about scoring. Leadership toughness.
Now since the All Star Braked leads the NBA in
usage rate. Historically if you're like a usage rate leader,
you wear down in the playoffs, and I think that
(27:32):
couldn't possibly happen against Philadelphia. But with Jalen, it's the
mid range game, it's the leadership, it's the defense, it's
the toughness. He's a classic Villanova guy.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
He's eight.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
Kevin Durant nine. You know, Kevin fifteen straight season averaging
twenty five plus. He also played a ton of games
like Anthony Davis, so he played seventy five years. He
didn't want to be the leader. That's not what he's
gonna do. But he's a remarkable shot maker and what
you'll find in the playoffs. Sometimes analytics take a back
seat to get a basket and get a stop. He's
(28:05):
always been an underrated defensive player. And by the way,
these are a razor thin you can argue all of these.
I say number ten is Joel Embiid. He's just hurt,
so you're not getting the best of Joel Embiid. But
they're thirty two and eight when he plays, and that
you can't deny. Now, where's Aunt Edwards. I don't think
he's as complete as SGA. He's not the defensive player
as some of these guys. He's not a shot creator.
(28:27):
Aunt's probably like eleven. Jalen Brown's got to be twelve
in that sort of ballpark. So there you go. My
top ten players in the playoffs. We can argue, I
would say, you know what's interesting, and you saw this
with Dejontey Murray. If you look at de Jontay Murray
in Atlanta when Trey Young doesn't play, as numbers go up,
(28:48):
Jaylen Brown's with Luca, and then he goes to New
York without Luca high usage rate, and his numbers pop,
and then they pop again when Julius Randall leaves. Yeah,
so he not only improved post Dallas, but post Julius Randall.
Now the problem being is, yes, he's getting more points
(29:09):
and more shot he's got the ball in his hands
too much. And by the way, it's been Lucas thing.
You have to be an incredible shape, you gotta kind
of be lucky. So to me, Philadelphia is gonna lean
on him, throw bodies on him. It's gonna be a
long series. I'll take Philadelphia, But I do think there
are certain teams. We always think baseball is better with
(29:30):
the Yankees, I'll be honest, I think the NBA is
better with the Knicks. They just haven't been viable for
a long time. I don't think this there. Some teams
are built because of Thibodeaux. The Knicks are an effort
effort team. They give you great effort every night, but
at the playoffs, everybody gives you effort. So if your
great quality is they just outplay people. Tim's teams play hard,
(29:53):
but everybody in the postseason plays hard. So the Knicks
to me, are an overvalued two. I mean Dunleavy told
me this years ago when he was coaching. He goes,
if you get a young team that's not that talent,
that plays hard, you win forty games, sure on effort.
Now there were more back to backs. Then he goes,
if you get a young team guys can play back
to back and they play their butt off, you'll win
forty games and you may have a thirty win roster.
(30:15):
So the Knicks plays so hard, so consistently they're gonna
they're gonna win games on nights when they just out.
They played Boston about a week ago or ten days ago.
At Boston didn't even show up. A Knicks played like
it was game seven of the NBA Finals, So that's
gonna even out. I think you're gonna see that with OKC.
Young teams play hard. They don't have a trophy yet.
(30:37):
Now everybody plays hard every game, So I think OKCY
gonna win a series and that's it.
Speaker 6 (30:42):
It's also been the beauty of Boston playing so hard.
They haven't won a title yet, but they feel like
a team that has a chip on their shoulder. Despite
you know, they won sixty four games, they were dom dominant,
but that feels like a team that's every night is
really competing.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
And Denver's the best team. But if you watched I
watched Denver a lot this year, they have a lot
of bad halfs. Now they're really good in clutch time
numbers like Denver can really turn it on. But you
could watch Denver from time to time and think they
played last night. Yeah the guy. The guys have a trophy,
they're not giving it and then they usually figured out
a way to grind you down and get back into it.
(31:17):
But that there is something to be said about that. Historically,
if you got the trophy, the regular season becomes much
less crucial.
Speaker 6 (31:25):
You know, I had a list too, call me sh Yeah,
this is this is this is the Schultz list, not
rewarding defense because I don't play defense. Now I got Jokiziannis, Katie, Luca, Tatum, Mbi, Braun, Edwards, Booker,
and Runson. Now the two discrepancies for us, I have
Kevin Wayhart.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Or you don't have Anthony Davis on the line.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
I don't.
Speaker 5 (31:46):
So that's where I was going with this.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
You're very hot.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
You're bullets on Ad this year because he moved more inside.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
I was so anti AD three years ago.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
He's changed.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
Oh, he's hafted. He had a great year. First of all,
he plays every night, he plays hurt. He's a dominant
defender his offense. He's usually great two out of three game.
So that's the knock on him. Yeah, is to some night.
But also when you play defense like he does against Biggs,
it's exhausting and they're just you can't do it on
both fens. Lebron can take nights off defensive him.
Speaker 5 (32:16):
Yeah, a d can't.
Speaker 6 (32:17):
I would say with Edwards two, I know you didn't
put him on, but thirty seven percent from three his
pace I thought slowed down a little bit. That showed maturity.
I think he's gonna explode in the playoffs. My quick
quick thought before you go, it's Wemby in this position
next year, top ten end the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
I think they're a low end playoff team and he's
probably top ten. You. Yeah, they He's the kind of
player you could see guys saying, oh, I'd like to
play for him. Yeah, they're not gonna win a title
next year, but they're close. They're they're they're very close
to being really interesting, all right, Jordan, great stuff. Jay
Mack is back on a Monday. Thanks for Jordan Schultz
filling in Bleacher Report. NBA playoffs really really begin tomorrow.
(32:57):
Lakers Nuggets the primetime game we'll see Monday
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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