March 5, 2025 • 44 mins
Colin wants Steph Curry to get the respect he deserves after the Warriors win again and surge towards the top of the West as the playoffs are approaching. He credits the Bears will 2 smart moves to start the new era under head coach Ben Johnson and what this means for quarterback Caleb Williams. Plus, NBA reporter Rachel Nichols joins the show in studio to talk about the Lakers since acquiring Luka Doncic and their chances to contend for another championship
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Oh do we have a show today? Oh yeah. If
you're not bringing your a game, this isn't a show for.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You, Lie Man, Lie Angelus the home of Winner, only Winner.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
It's the Hurd.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Wherever you may be, however you may be watching or listening.
Thanks for making us part of your day. Jay Mac,
I was thinking about this morning. I had a good
night sleep.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I had a good night sleep.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Show Cops fifty here, so I'm Washington or the Warriors.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Steph Kerry against the Nick. Here's Steph Curry.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
In a bad ankles, gonna be thirty seven in a
week back to back, goes to the Garden. He's now
twelve and one at the Garden, and you know the
Warriors are cooking and by the way, comingas all banged.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Up wait till he comes back.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
I'm just saying, you've been poop pooing Steph Curry forever.
I've been hearing this forever, the disrespect. But here's Steph
Curry thirty seven in a week. It was not that
long ago that Steph Curry. Dude has had thirty two
assists in the last three games, twelve and one of
the Garden. They finally got him a legitimate star. And
every time he's had one Clay in his Prime or KD,
(01:40):
he wins titles. His legacy's amazing titles before KD, two
titles with KD, title after KD with an older Klay
Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, and right now since Jimmy Butler arrived,
who leads the NBA and plus minus Steph Curry. But
he's had doubters, the sm H crowd to shake my head,
crowd y'all fought in love with your IG reels and
(02:02):
your YouTube highlights.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
And your hops and your handles.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I like IQ and EQ and maturity and great off
the ball and great with the ball. And he's strangely
nuanced that he's flashy yet nuanced and can be like
almost on the edge of out of control, but always
dependable in the clutch. He is a culture builder. Y'all
(02:27):
love James Harden. For years, all I heard about is
James Harden. James Harden was in the same draft of
Steph Curry. How relevant is James Harden today?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Oh? John Wall? Oh the bullet He was the first
draft after Steph Curry. He's out a league. How about
Derreck Rose?
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Good God, it was just a volcano of Derreck Rose.
Love for a decade. He was a draft before Steph Curry.
Where's he? Oh he's out of league two?
Speaker 3 (02:59):
No disrespect.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
I mean Harden can play Derreck Rose, John Wall, they
got game. I mean there were two point guards drafted
before Curry in the draft, Johnny Flynn and Ricky Rubio.
One couldn't shoot, one could barely play. It's been disrespect
from draft night on. It's incredible, the disrespect. He had
to be a Finals MVP right to justify he's in,
(03:25):
you know, all time great stuff, all time great stuff.
I mean, there's an argument, and I don't think it's
wrong in today's basketball world. He's the point guard starting
in the on the best starting five of all time.
There's only one argument. It's Magic. It's Magic or Curry.
Best two guys with the ball ever in their hands
point guard. I mean, there's only a few certainties in
(03:46):
the NBA All Time team. Michael's on it, Lebron's on it.
We can argue about everything else.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
And one of the.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Arguments is, think how great Magic Johnson was. There's an
argument in today's NBA agi, you know, got to be
able to shoot the three would still be good, but
the league is more athletic. Steph Curry is just really rare, disrespected,
(04:12):
underappreciated superstar. I'm not even sure if there's another one
in sports. I mean, because we all love and respect
Josh Allen. Maybe Lamar Jackson kind of falls into that
category where he's one of the greatest players of all
time and still didn't get the love. But I mean, Curry,
think about this, great knows great. There's an old saying
about management. A's people who are securing themselves. A's higher,
(04:35):
a's b's insecure higher. C's go ask the great player.
Who did Lebron James go after before he landed Luca
For two years, he was trying to lure Steph Curry
to be a Laker, or he'd be a warrior, and
you go to the Olympics when it's all alphas. Jason
(04:58):
Tatum had two points in the gold medal game. Who
had four threes in the final three minutes? Who do
the stars rely on? Who do the stars go? Hey,
get it to staff. Let's bring in the closer. I mean,
last night, game's close. Late, here comes Steph eleven zero
run bad ankle back to backs.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
On the road. It's unbelievable. Yeah, I'll say this.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Finally, that show that you know Jmac doesn't like refuses
to watch Wink Wink. Finally, Shack delivered the truth last night.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I demand you fans to start putting Steph Curry in
that greatest of all time conversation. I played against Mike,
played with Kobe, played against that with Lebron. They're all great,
but you go, at some point, we don't have to
put Steff Curry in that category. I'm not saying he is,
but let's just have the conversation.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
That's right, that's right, Let's just have the conversation. I mean,
it's unbelievable a basketball team in Minnesota took two guards
in front of him. Anytime he's had a legitimate number two.
Klay Thompson in his prime was arguably the best, you know,
not even arguably, he was the best catch and shooter
player in the league. So Clay and his prime is
(06:14):
a Hall of Famer titles. And then he gets kd
a couple titles, and he gets Clay's out of his prime.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
They give him.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Andrew Wiggins, who's talented, but you can't really trust him
in a big spot title. And right now, you start
looking at these games, you start looking at the way
this team is built. Kamingis banged up, that ankle coming back.
I'm just saying, every single time you've given him a
(06:44):
legitimate dude, he explodes. Dude's got thirty two assists. And
what's amazing about Steph is that four as often as
he has the ball and is the centerpiece, he's remarkably unselfish.
(07:05):
I mean, for a guy that's so great with the ball,
he's arguably the best player in the league off ball.
I mean, I was all sorts of nuanced to his game,
beyond beyond the obvious stuff, beyond the damn he's a
good dude, plays with anybody. I mean, it's just very rare.
I mean, Lebron's got this quality. Magic did as well,
(07:26):
so good with the ball, but also great off the ball. Finally,
the lebron now is getting a little off the ball love.
But I'm glad Shaq said it because I just think
he's been so disrespected. Had to beat Jason Tatum and
Jalen Brown in the final to justify his greatness.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
I mean, come on, now, what are you watching the games?
So this is a big deal.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
So sometimes I get on tangents and I'm not talking
for a show or a week. I'm talking for six years.
I have been on a tangent for about six years,
and I know it's irritating, but offensive lines are really important.
The final four teams this year in the NFL all
(08:17):
had top ten offensive lines. The top seven graded offensive
lines in the NFL this year all made the playoffs
seven for seven all made the playoffs. The Chicago Bears
had a defensive coach and the offensive line kept getting worse.
Ben Johnson gets hired by the Bears. And I know
(08:39):
last year the Bears were doing stuff with wide receivers
at oh front page of the Chicago Tribune. It was
on all the websites receiver, receiver, receiver. This year Ben
Johnson offensive coach. First two big moves two days ago,
Guard Rams yesterday, Joe Tooney, Chiefs, two experienced dudes. This
(09:04):
guy gets it. The first thing he addresses is the
O line. Two guards. You know who else pays guards?
The Rams, the Chiefs, the Eagles offensive coaches get it.
I like Mike Tomlin's eight years now. Offensive line stinks.
Go to the super Bowl. It was all line play.
And I don't trust Ryan Polls the GM in the draft.
(09:26):
He's had too many whiffs. I don't think he's terrible,
but I don't trust him.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
This is easy.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Jonah Jackson can play, Joe Tooney can play two starters,
and they'll probably go draft to tackle with their first pick.
So it's just easier if you're not great in the draft.
And the Bears I don't trust. Last year's draft looks
like a mess. The Velis Jones PICKT receiver years ago
turned my stomach. Bottom line is great move. And by
the way, Jim Harball last year, Jim Harball, everybody was like,
(09:54):
oh they lost Keenan Allen. Mike Williams got the receiver.
What Jim Harbaugh do? Joe all Name tackle was great?
What did Sean Payton do first thing he did, he
kept Russell Wilson, who he didn't love. He rebuilt the
old line. Sean McVeigh takes over the Rams. First big move.
Andrew Whitworth All Pro left tackle Cincinnati. I mean, I
(10:18):
know we all watch quarterbacks, but a quarterback's best friend
is protection and push up front. This is a great
day to be a Bear fan. I know it's not sexy.
I know it's it's not gonna lead sports shows and
other networks. But the seven highest graded offensive lines last
year all made the playoffs. Joe Burrow was arguably the
(10:41):
best quarterback in the league. Last year, what was his
O line? Ranked thirtieth? He missed the playoffs? And last
year do you remember this, and I understand if you don't,
but last year, Washington, we were all caught up in
Cliff Kingsbury and Dan Quinn and a new owner in
a new GM. You remember the first thing Washington did last year,
before they ever gave Jayden Daniels a snap in a
(11:03):
big game, they went and got too offensive linemen free agency. Right,
So this is this is what Washington did last year.
And those don't make headlines. But the last couple of days.
This is what offensive coaches do. It's what McVeigh does,
Reid does, Ben Johnson, I mean you start looking at
(11:26):
Philadelphia in Detroit. I mean, the Rams were really good
last year and one of the reasons they got good
bye about Thanksgiving they got hot before that is the
offensive line got healthy.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
So this is really encouraging. I know it's not it's
not a.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Blaring headline, two interior offensive linemen, but when you have
a young quarterback time to throw a run game an
extra half second is the difference between doing something like
Washington did and you know, doing something like Caleb Williams
had to deal with and his rookie year with a
defensive coach. J Mac spending it today, Steph Curry last night.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, you are on fire. You love Steph Curry. Furse
my favorite player of all time.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
He used to be Magic Johnson, right, I love the
flare in the passing, and then Steph Curry overtook him.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
He's been my favorite, probably for over a decade.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Interesting though, so you know, we kind of looked at
the Warriors, and our front office deserves credit because we
kind of looked at him and it was a treadmill
to nowhere.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Yeah, it is amazing. I was down on them.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Right right right, And we were waiting for Wiggins to
be a two he's not. We were waiting for Kaminga
to be a two.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
He's not.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
When you slot it now, Steph, Butler's at two and
now Cominga's like, oh he could.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Be a three. Pods he could be a four.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Draymond still doesn't score much, but it is amazing what
you do.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
It's like a pitching staff.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
When you put a legitimate two with Steph, then the
three in the can be inconsistent, and that's why they're
three and fours. It's like when you give Lebron Luca offensively,
now you like Ruey way more because Ruey goes from
instead of having to be a three offensively, now Rui's
a four, and offensively.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Ruey can be a little hit and miss.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
But when Ruy goes from three to a four, now
Rui's a really good four, oh yeah, instead of a
reach at three. So now Kaminga, because we've been waiting
for Minga.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
For years, could be looking at a Lakers Warriors second
round matchup that would that could that's the kind of
game that could break the internet like Luca Butler, Lebron
Curry just amazing collection of talent. If that happens in
the second round, I'm sure the TV executives would love
a Western Conference Finals with those two. Lebron by the way, Zion.
(13:49):
Did you see Zion last night?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
I did not.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
I mean he was higher line, unstoppable.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Well no, he was Lakers to one by thirty or
forty or whatever it was. But oh, I mean looked
really I only watched the first Yeah, fell asleep.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Yeah, I mean, the Lakers season is already going to
come down to this. It really is going to come
down to this health. Luca look looks in much better shape.
He looks in much better shape. And Lebron's obviously playing
with a ton of energy. I think at some point,
you know, it's like your new best friend. You know,
at some point Lebron's energy and Steph's energy will come down. Yeah,
(14:28):
I think I think we're in the honeymoon phase. I mean,
you're I'm watching last night's honeymoon phase stuff. But they'll
there'll be a time when you know, again, you get
about twenty thirty games in with a new teammate, like
like the Warriors right now. It's the honeymoon phase. I mean,
Steph is playing out of his mind. He's playing like,
let's be honest. If Jimmy Butler's not on the team,
(14:48):
does he take last night off? If they're not playing
in New York back to back off Charlotte where he
got hurt, is it's possible. Steph's like, I'm not New
York is why he played. Jimmy Butler's why he played.
It's like, Okay, I'm gonna play this game. If they
were battling for a ten see with no Butler and
they're playing in New York first, then Charlotte, he's not playing.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
So the energy with the Lakers and the Warriors, and I.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Gotta tell you something, just got bits and pieces early
Lakers last night because I had a bunch of stuff
going on late. Here's what jumps out to me about
the Lakers and being an executive in Los Angeles for
any team, including an athletic director for sc or UCLA.
It's very unique in the country. I don't think there's
(15:32):
any city like it. And I'll tell you why. One
of the things that makes it really hard in Los
Angeles is our weather because it's Mediterranean and every I want,
I had to do something last night. People are outside,
they're having a good time, and it's forget the game
(15:54):
last night. That game secondary what's really fascinating about the
Lakers coming up next, and not just the.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Lakers, but why La forces.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
The Lakers to do things sometimes do an area of
discomfort work sometimes didn't work with Westbrook to Lebron and
the Lakers works other times.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon Eastern non a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
So as J Mac will tell you, the safest bet
in the NBA is take the Lakers in the first quarter,
got off to a huge lead, blew out the Pelicans.
You know, no Ruy, no Reeves, no problem, didn't matter.
Lebron was great, Luca was great. But you know it's
funny when I've been in California for eight nine years
and I really like Los Angeles, and you know, one
(16:42):
of the things I've really learned is you have to
be aggressive as a team. The Clippers had become stagnant,
even with a new arena. Nobody talks about him. The
market's too big. There's too many things going on, the beach,
the mountains, the weather. I mean, people are out walking
around the beach last night. It's it's just the way
it is in Los Angeles. And I mean the Dodgers
(17:04):
win the World Series and they go spend a four
hundred and fifty million dollars in upgrades to their roster
and one hundred million dollars in a clubhouse renovation. That's
after winning a World Series. Like that's the way it works.
I mean the Rams considered, hey, we may have to
move off Matt Stafford. They moved off golf when he
got to a Super Bowl. Harbaught of the Chargers, Lincoln Riley.
(17:24):
They steal Oklahoma's coach. You have to swing big in
this town because there's too many premiers, too many red carpets,
too many things going on, and it forces organizations, especially
the Lakers, to be hyper aggressive. I mean, they took
a big swing on on Anthony Davis work. They took
a big swing on Westbrook didn't work. They took a
big swing on JJ Reddick. Everybody criticized him. JJ Reddick
(17:46):
not experienced kind of an ego. He's been absolutely fantastic.
When you watch this team offensively, you can see the
game preparation, and you know, I think it's hard in
this town that you are forced. You can't be the
Cincinnati Bengal and just stay in draft order and don't
take a big swing. I mean, Lebron's playing out of
his mind. And I do think there's a honeymoon period
(18:07):
for a staff roal Lebron with a new guy, you're
kind of showing off. But it's just the status quota
doesn't work here. And I think Lebron is completely energized
now because and even Lebron, you can kind of lose
him during the football season. You forget about him if
you're not viable. And you know, the Clippers a desperate organization.
(18:31):
They build a new basketball arena, but they're still clinging
to Kawhi and James Harden and that story's over. Nobody's interested.
And I'm watching the Lakers briefly last night, and it's
just there's such They've reinvigorated the franchise, the team. And
I'll say this, I have been critical of the Lakers
front office before because there's been some misses, but I
(18:52):
appreciate the effort, like you know, even the way it's funny.
You remember when they got Mark Williams the Charlotte Center
and the trade and then the next day his doctors,
the Lakers doctors said no, it's not gonna work here,
and Charlotte's like, what do you mean, He's healthy, he
just played. I honestly think what happened. I honestly think
this happened. I think the Lakers took a big swing
(19:14):
on it. And then you know, they don't have a
they don't have.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
A scouting department quite as big as the Warriors.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
You know, the bus family is not as wealthy as
a lot of these big owners. I think the Warriors
or the Lakers did a little digging on it and
started making a few calls, a little more digging. They
took a big swing, and I said, ah, yeah, well
our doctors don't like him. I don't think that's the
craziest theory out there on why they made it and
then suddenly why they they moved off it. But I
(19:40):
appreciated the effort. JJ Reddick, I appreciate the effort. And
you know, again, you can make big swings that are stupid,
trading away Luca for ad and one first round of
Max Christy.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
That's just a dumb move.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
But one of the things I've I've over and over
I've said, I love the way the Philadelphia Eagles do business.
I mean, Carson Wentz was having an MVP season. Yeah
we're going with Nick Foles and Doug Peterson wins the
Super Bowl. Yeah we're moving off him. And Chip Kelly
had a winning season. It's not a good fit. And
I think in Los Angeles it's just different. The Dodgers
(20:13):
could just rest on their laurels. Nope, they went and
spent four hundred and fifty million dollars more and they're renovating,
which is, by the way, a beautiful stadium. They're gonna
renovate it and make it even better. And I think
it'd being an executive in Los Angeles. You have got
to stay on your toes. I said it with Jim
Harbar to the Chargers. I said, you just can't do
another coordinator. You're getting lost in this. This is not
(20:35):
San Diego where people go to the games. Philip Rivers
wins ten games and that's good enough. That is not
good enough here. And so the JJ Riddick swing unbelievable.
The lucaswing unbelievable and even the Westbrook move that didn't work.
It's what La forces you to do, and it's what
(20:56):
the Lakers do.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekday.
He's a neon Eastern nin am Pacific.
Speaker 6 (21:02):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
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You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern,
two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of
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Speaker 3 (21:14):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 7 (21:16):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
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Speaker 6 (21:20):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
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Speaker 7 (21:29):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
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So check us out.
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We like to get you involved too, take your phone calls,
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Speaker 3 (21:56):
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Good night's sleep. Last night no earthquakes. I mean Luca
and Lebron had over. You know that thirty there's your
mini earthquake.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
Yeah, so I was doubtful for today's show. I had
an awful night sleep, woke up and I was telling
the wife, like, I don't want to deal with the
traffic this morning.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
I was four adults to deal with the traffic.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Well, if you get a late start from where I live.
Speaker 8 (22:20):
It's like an hour drock and that's that's that is
blank privilege or something that rout and privilege.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
This shows too much fun to miss. Come on, So
I thought this, this was interesting. You know, I'm pretty
consistent on this. I like aggressive. I just I just
like aggressive, even if I don't agree with everything. Like
live golf, I appreciate the effort and if you're sitting
around for years and years not treating the best golfers
(22:56):
in the world, better. They're going to go to another
They're going to know to another tour, deal with it,
treat them better. So the Eagles gave Saquon Barkley a
fat contract, forty one million, thirty six million of it
guaranteed at signing. And so this is why the Eagles
are elite. They write a huge check with most of
(23:16):
the money up front, meaning they can escape by year two.
I don't think they'll want to, but running back Saquon's
been hurt, they can get out of it. This is
what Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati, that is the space those days,
those guys don't operate in. They did this with Carson
Carson Wentz. Philly takes big swings and they write big
(23:38):
checks up front and so they can get out of stuff.
And the Saquon deal is a massive check. And until
the Raiders recently got a couple of new investors, they
couldn't write these checks. Chicago doesn't write them, Cincinnati doesn't
write them, Arizona doesn't write them. I mean, all legendary
poker players, every phil Hellme youth down is they are
(23:59):
so electively aggressive. They do not always have the best hand.
You gotta be aggressive, and I think the heart and soul.
Remember Howie Roseman. This is a team that want to
got to a Super Bowl and they you know, they
tend to they win a Super Bowl, and everybody wants
to bring everybody.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Back, and I'm not a fan of that.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I think you got to keep moving the roster in
professional football to keep everybody fresh. I think they're going
to move off like seven or eight guys. You cannot
move off Saquon Barkley. There are three or four players
on the Eagles. You can't duplicate that. You can't duplicate
Jalen Carter on a rookie contract. You cannot replace Saquon Barkley.
(24:36):
Even Derrick Henry's not this. So the soul of the
Eagles to me is GM O line, quarterback, Saquon Barkley,
and Jalen Carter. And there was this ridiculous narrative that
was happening for about a year ago. Running backs They're
going extinct, No, they're not. The most important football games
(24:58):
in this league are played in decen, January and February.
It gets cold and windy, and nobody is more valuable
to a quarterback than a great running back. And what
I love about Saquon Barkley, among other things, class quiet
head down. I mean, this guy played battle lines at
(25:20):
Penn State battle lines with the Giants, never complained a
single time. He does it the right way. So I
could not be happier for Saquon Barkley. And I know
a lot of people out there running backs of dime
a dozen.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
No they're not, No, they are not.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
The O line as a collective is really the centerpiece
of the team. But when Saquon didn't have a great
old line, he was still remarkable, and all the smart
people knew it. So you know, I and I had
said this, people get worked up. Certain positions don't get
paid if you're a great tight end, if you're a
(25:59):
great guard. Joe Toney, he got paid. Guards don't make
any money. Joe Tooney got paid. You'll get paid. Safeties
don't get paid. Ed Reid got paid. You know, Ronnie
Lott got paid. You'll get paid if you're great. Now,
there's other positions where you don't have to be great.
You can be brought pretty and good and get paid.
(26:19):
But that's just the way the game works. There's some positions.
If you're a good left tackle. The Rams have a
good left tackle you can get you get a lot
of money running back.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
You gotta be great.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Sa Kwan Barkley is And with that, our friend Rachel Nichols,
Fox Sports NBA analyst.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Is joining us on the show.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
You know, I never try to be a homer, but
you know, as a Warrior and Laker guy, it is
good living right now.
Speaker 9 (26:44):
Good time to be in California and be a basketball fan.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Raise it is. So I want I want to talk
about Jimmy Butler.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
So before they made the move, I watched a lot
of Warrior games and I had said, man, when Steph
Curry's not on the floor, this team is boring. Yeah,
and they're charging a lot for tickets. Andrew's very high
and like you you you got to keep moving, like
the San Francisco Giants didn't. They're kind of irrelevant, Like
you got to make a move. So I think there
were people in the league that thought, you know, Jimmy's noisy. Uh,
(27:15):
you know, Jimmy's passed his prime. And I kept saying,
just get his energy in the building. I wonder if
the Warriors privately are a little surprised how perfectly he's fit.
Speaker 10 (27:29):
I mean, I think they're thrilled.
Speaker 9 (27:30):
We know that they were going after Kevin Durant that week,
so he wasn't even their first choice, but he's turned
out to be a better fit. Jimmy Butler says, one
of the things about me is I fit in everywhere,
and I think that is true, and he's been able
to fit in there so well seamlessly basketball wise, but
as you point out, it's also energy and culture wise.
He might not be the stereotypical runs on joy Golden
(27:52):
State warrior, but he is that sort of character, energy
guy that this team has been known for. You know,
Draymond Green put it this way, Colin. He said, we
need to another a hole, although.
Speaker 10 (28:02):
So he did not use the word a hole. You
can just fill in what he actually said.
Speaker 9 (28:06):
Steve Kerr talked about that to last night, that he
just has given Steph Curry more energy because Steph knows
when he goes to the bench, someone else is going
to be out there.
Speaker 10 (28:14):
He doesn't have to do everything by himself.
Speaker 9 (28:16):
And I think we've seen the effect of all of that,
and they are a real force now in the West,
which wasn't true at the turn of the year.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah, it's you know, it's I said this earlier. Los
Angeles sort of forces you as a franchise to be aggressive.
The Lakers have been aggressive with Westbrook, didn't work. Aggressive
with a d and Luca works. The Dodgers win a
World Series and spend four hundred and fifty million more
(28:43):
dollars on players. The Clippers feel stale and a little tired. Yeah,
because it's like, okay, there's there's stagnant stagnant status quot
doesn't work in La Yep. If you're good in Cincinnati
with Joe Burrow, that's good enough.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
It's not here.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
And so I look at the Lakers and Luca. I
think it's a honeymoon period. But I'm watching them the
last couple of games without a Ruey and a Reeves.
I mean, condow, I don't think it's crazy. I did
this yesterday. I did my NBA Championship bubble. Yeah, and
I don't. I always worry about being like recency bias
(29:19):
or confirmation bias. I think the Lakers, I don't know
if they can beat Boston. I think they can win
the West. I here's my bubble bubble radio audience. I
put Denver Lakers Warriors. Ok see, Cleveland Boston I think
are the two best teams. Nick's on the outside. Any
problem having the Lakers in it?
Speaker 9 (29:38):
Oh, I remember problem having any Lakers in it. I
feel as much as this pays me because I'm a
huge Nikolayokic fan of just what he can do on
the court. I'm not sure the Nuggets are actually in
the bubble, but I like your optimism there you go.
I do think you're completely right with your other teams there,
and it's just going to be interesting.
Speaker 10 (29:53):
I mean, Steph Curry playing the way that he.
Speaker 9 (29:55):
Is to your point, yeah, I would never have imagined
Golden State in that bubble just a couple months ago.
Speaker 10 (30:01):
I mean they were barely scraping a play and.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Spot Cominga's not playing right and the one thing they
miss is length exactly, and so Cominga's got a bad ankle.
I think he's back in the next week. So, folks,
this team is. The Lakers are getting Reeves and Ruie
back right, and the Warriors are getting Cominga back.
Speaker 6 (30:18):
M hmm.
Speaker 10 (30:18):
Absolutely.
Speaker 9 (30:19):
I do want to make one Steph Curry point just
and then we can deptail into the Lakers. You know,
I think the control room has the Steph Curry shot
from before We've been talking about a week right, that
shot before the Orlando halftime and against the Orlando Magic.
That is a shot that most players in the NBA
run from right it's the end of the half.
Speaker 10 (30:36):
It messes with your shooting percentage.
Speaker 9 (30:38):
There's a thing in the NBA about hey, pass it
to the rookie right before the buzzer at halftime, so
his shooting percentage can get messed up.
Speaker 10 (30:45):
Steph always goes for that shot. He always wants that shot.
And you have a player like that.
Speaker 9 (30:51):
Who always wants to take that shot because he could
make it, and that turned into a fifty six point
performance for him. Those are the guys I want in
your playoff bubble, in your finals contention bubble.
Speaker 10 (31:02):
Teams that have that.
Speaker 9 (31:04):
They have that in Steph Curry, which is why you
never count the Warriors out as long as stuff's on
the court. The Lakers have that in Luca and Lebron.
Those guys are not scared. And when it comes to
the playoffs, you said you may have recency bias. Recency
bias is part of the NBA. It's how you are
playing toward the end of the regular season and then
going into the playoffs, that are the teams that should
(31:25):
be in your bubble. Your recency bias is correct because
the Lakers have those kinds of guys. They have the
best record in the NBA since the middle of January,
top five on both sides of the ball. In fact,
they have the best defense in the entirely crazy since
the beginning it lose ad.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
They acquire Luca, who's always been a bit of a
defensive liability, and they're as good a defensive.
Speaker 9 (31:46):
Team and looka can play defense when he needs to,
and there you go.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
So the JJ Reddick higher is interesting because there was
a lot of pushback on he didn't have a lot
of experience, which I always think that's a bit overrated.
Speaker 10 (31:58):
We had no experience.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Yeah, I mean he's a Lebron's pod partner, but it's
it's hard for me. I can judge a football coach
very quick. Sure, basketball is so fluid and so star driven.
I have to watch multiple games to get a feel.
Are you a good coach or not? Yeah, because a
lot of times, even as Steve Kerr or Ospolstro will
just let the start dictate the offense, you're not calling
(32:19):
plays a lot like you do in college basketball. But
the one thing I see with the Lakers, especially in
the first quarter, I can see what they're trying to do.
I always they have a game plan, and with Darvin Ham,
a lot of times it was I felt like they
were kind of just letting the game come to them.
I feel like, JJ Reddick, this is what we're doing
(32:40):
for the first six minutes. And I don't know, I
just is he I think he's been sensational, I.
Speaker 9 (32:46):
Really First of all, I really like JJ personally, and
I think he's been popular in the locker room because
of that personality. He's super intense, obviously very meticulous, but.
Speaker 10 (32:54):
Players like that. They want a guy who cares as
much or more than they do.
Speaker 9 (32:57):
And one of JJ's core beliefs is there's a lot
outside the game that you can control, and since there's
so much inside the game that you can't, once you
get on the court, control everything outside the game make
it all better. So to your point about being organized,
having your rotations down, having the guys know where they're
supposed to be, when all of that really matters, so
that when the stuff happens that you can't control, you
(33:18):
already have the leg up of the stuff that you can,
and we see that over and over on the court.
You also see, frankly, with the way that he is
playing Luca at the beginning of games. Luca has so
much of the load in the first quarter that Lebron
James at forty years old, is able to be great
offensively but also defensively at the end of games, and
that has been a problem for them the last couple
of years.
Speaker 10 (33:38):
When Lebron runs out of gas, which he has towards you.
Speaker 9 (33:41):
Know in playoff games, for the end of games, the
Lakers don't have anything else. Not only now do they
have something else in Luca, but Lebron's not running out
of gas. And it's the first time, Colin, in Lebron's
entire career that you and I have ever seen anyone
multiply Lebron.
Speaker 10 (33:54):
Lebron is usually the multiplayer.
Speaker 9 (33:56):
He's the guy who makes other guys around him better
than they are, right, makes things easier, he makes things better,
he draws more attention. Luca is making Lebron better at
age forty.
Speaker 10 (34:06):
We've ever seen that with Lebron.
Speaker 9 (34:07):
No one's ever multiplied Lebron or made Lebron better, and
Luca doctor just doing that.
Speaker 10 (34:11):
That's incredible for the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
You know, when you make trades in pro sports, and
this is really kind of systemic in business as well,
is that there are always unintended benefits or consequences that
you make a big merger and you're like, oh, we
didn't know this would be good too, or the opposite.
And so I think when you make the Jimmy Butler
(34:36):
move for the Warriors, you knew you'd be better defensively,
and you knew he'd get you to the line, but
you didn't know that Steph would be playing with a
vigor and energy that was like, oh, multiplied. So it's
like you can't guess everything. So here's where the Mavericks
not only was the trade bad, but the problem thenvisceral reaction.
(34:56):
I apologized the problem giving up Luca coupled with the
injuries they had with their bigs before Luca was traded,
is that then Kyrie is your only play initiator.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
Now Spencer Dinwei's a good player.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Now Kyrie's got to play more minutes and have the
ball incessantly. And my take, and maybe it's a reach
as part of the injury, is you didn't consider. Oh god,
we've only got two initiators, we trade one. Kyrie's a
smaller athlete with injuries.
Speaker 10 (35:31):
I don't think that's controversial at all. There we have
heard people say.
Speaker 9 (35:34):
Oh, come on, acl, isn't an overuse injury. Stop talking
about his minutes. I'm sorry, I completely disagree. No, it's
not an overuse injury.
Speaker 10 (35:43):
I know that. But when your body is tired, we
all know this. When your body is tired, you are
more vulnerable to every rate.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Rachel, what's the worst run scheme? The last run of
the day, Like the old setting is.
Speaker 9 (35:56):
You're most likely get injured in the last round of
the day.
Speaker 10 (35:59):
Your body is tied tired. Everything is less precise in
your movements. Every part of your body is sort of
compensating for different things and different muscles. And I don't
care if something is quote an overuse injury or not.
Speaker 9 (36:10):
If your body is worn down, you are more susceptible
to getting hurt.
Speaker 10 (36:13):
And then, of course is bad luck the way Kyrie
got hurt.
Speaker 9 (36:17):
But you can create conditions that make bad luck more
or less likely to happen. And a team in the
Dallas Mavericks that partly their justification for the trade was
that Luca's habits and conditioning was creating poor conditions for
his possible future health. If that is part of the
reason that you decided, Hey, bad luck happens, but we
(36:39):
can create conditions to make it more or less likely.
Don't trade for a guy in Anthony Davis who has
an injury history and is older, and don't put so
much of a load on Kyrie Irving who has an
injury history and is older. You are creating conditions for
bad luck to happen, whether it's overuse or fluke or not.
And the debt else Mavericks have walked right into it.
(37:01):
And again I don't understand it because Jason Kidd is
so smart and Nico Harrison is really smart, and I
don't know what's happening there.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
Well, you know, I had a discussion with somebody the
other day on this in the NBA circle, and I
think when the players that CBA where the players like
Lebron and Chris Paul had a big stay in the CBA,
where it paid the stars like seven, it felt like
they got all the money.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Yes see, players.
Speaker 10 (37:27):
All the money, all the money.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
So it was great for Lebron. It was great for
Chris Paul, Steph Curry, it's great for Giannis. But now
the max is seventy million to seventy five, so Luca
qualifies for that. I think it's one thing for a
billionaire to write a forty million dollar annual check. When
you almost double it, they're going to consider everything, including conditioning, sure,
(37:50):
injury history. I mean, I mean, like Paul George, good player,
Clippers are.
Speaker 9 (37:55):
Like, we can't go there, but don't you have to
consider it in both directions If you're the Macks.
Speaker 10 (38:00):
Sure, if you're considering it.
Speaker 9 (38:01):
On the way out for Luca, aren't you supposed to
be considering it on the way in with the guys
that you got coming in?
Speaker 4 (38:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (38:07):
I just I don't think that this was foreseeable in
the way of like, man, we're going to be sitting
here three weeks a month after the trade, and you
know their top two stars are going to be gone.
But it wasn't unimaginable. And that's the difference. It's not
like you couldn't have been like, ah, that's impossible. You
had two older stars on the other side of thirty
who have an injury history, and it's not a complete
Oh my God, I can never have imagined this, that
(38:28):
this happened. And the question now is DoD M bring
Ad back this season. I'm not sure I would right.
Speaker 3 (38:35):
Now that Kyrie's out. I probably wouldn't.
Speaker 10 (38:37):
I don't know, maybe you know.
Speaker 9 (38:39):
And then you have a contingent of Dallas fans online,
and you know they're still feeling emotional, they're in their feelings,
but they'd like to trade Ad this summer. Because the
point is, the thinking goes, this is not my theory.
I am saying no, no, but there is a fan
push out there to say, hey, Anthony Davis is never
going to be more valuable than he is this summer.
Speaker 10 (38:59):
He's not going to be more valuable the next summer.
Speaker 9 (39:01):
The next summer, Kyrie isn't going to be there for
at least half the season next season. So really, what
is the Ad Kyrie window that you're talking about?
Speaker 10 (39:09):
And do you have to just start again now?
Speaker 9 (39:11):
I think that Anthony Davis should stick around in Dallas
and see what you can do with him next season.
But I understand the frustration of people feeling like this
is already a loss. Are you already going to tell
me a future when Niko Harrison said, I've got three
or four year window.
Speaker 10 (39:25):
Tell me the future.
Speaker 9 (39:26):
How would it lay out that they could win a
championship in the next three years.
Speaker 10 (39:30):
It's a it's a tough look.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
So I think.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
I don't think the NBA has had nearly as many
faces of the league as people would submit to.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Yeah, I think it's been Magic.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
I don't even think Bird was Bird was French lick,
he was ornery, he didn't want to do ads. I
think Magic sort of pulled him along. Magic was the face,
Michael was the best face, Lebron's the face, Curry's close.
Some have argued that Kobe and Shack together collectively for
about five years.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
With a face. I'm not going to I don't argue.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
I've argued that Jason Tatum has a lot of things,
but kind of lacks a aura or or a clutch
time resonance with people. But the editor thing that's thrown
out there, and it's fascinating because I don't know what's right.
People say, could an international player be face of the
league now. Something that was brought up to me that
(40:24):
I think is important is that we knew Michael, Magic
and Lebron's story when they were like eighteen, nineteen twenty. Yeah,
international guys, we don't now. I do think it's international
basketball elevates it is probably. I mean we knew Wemby
a year before he can so I don't have an answer.
Could an international player be the face of a sport
(40:45):
in America?
Speaker 9 (40:45):
I mean, look, we've seen it in baseball right it
is right here in Los Angeles. I do think the
most likely candidates are a Victor Webinama, who I think
is going to be the don't you know. Health obviously
health being a factor, and we saw something just last month,
but in the last month. But sus then then I
think that he is going to be maybe the top
player in the next ten years.
Speaker 10 (41:05):
Is he the face of the league.
Speaker 9 (41:07):
Is that instead going to be Luca because he's here
in Los Angeles, another foreign burn player, or is it
going to be an Anthony Edwards? And Jason Tatum was complaining,
you know, Anthony Edwards hasn't done the things that Jason
Tatum has done, not by a mile. By the way,
Jason Dunn has significantly more than Anthony has done. However,
there is a swashbuckler sort of sense to Anthony Edwards,
(41:28):
to Michael Jordan right to Lebron in his way that
Jason Tatum just doesn't have our guy. Paul Pierce also
brought up the fact that Jason Tatum plays in Boston
and a lot of people around the country do not
like Boston sports teams. Yeah, and to your Larry Bird point,
it was Magic, not Larry who was so popular Boston guy.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
Yeah, let's end it with this.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
I think it's fascinating. I really, you know.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
I had theorized that when James Dolan spent two years
on the sphere in Vegas, he got out of the
basketball ops yep, and the Knicks put together an excellent
front office and have made great move after great move.
I love what the Knicks have done. There is an
advantage to losing. It creates clarity in the building. Yeah,
they can't beat the Celtics, they can't beat Okay. See,
they can't beat Cleveland. They probably couldn't beat Luca in
(42:10):
a series if they played Lebron. They couldn't beat last
night though missing Kaminga. They were missing Kat. But they're
not an elite team. They're a good team on certain nights,
very good, but they're not great. I think that's great.
I think where NBA franchises die is when everybody in
the building is arguing. I think there were a lot
of Darvin Ham believers in the building until the very
(42:32):
end of the season, and then they all said it's
not working right. Nicks needed to make another big move, right,
but they're.
Speaker 9 (42:40):
Zero to seven against the top teams in the league.
That is not the number that you want. It's interesting.
A week or so ago we heard a report from
Chams over on ESPN saying Jannis wants to stay in Milwaukee,
but not if they don't keep winning. Those reports, by
the way, don't happen by accident. Those are little, as
you and I both know over the years, little warning
shots to franchise is. Oh ge we happen to be
(43:01):
having the conversation, and there's no secret that the New
York Knicks would like to get their hands on Yani
senta Cupo and we'll just have to keep watching. People
in Milwaukee love Yannis. They don't like it when people
talk about him leaving their team.
Speaker 10 (43:14):
I get it. I don't want him to leave the
Bucks either.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
I don't want to blow the Knicks up, though well.
OG four draft picks Karl Anthony towns.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
I don't want. I want. You're not moving Brunson.
Speaker 9 (43:26):
I would move a lot in that franchise to get
Yanissenta Tokupo.
Speaker 10 (43:30):
I mean, really save Jalen Brunson.
Speaker 9 (43:32):
I think they're all integral parts of the Knicks and
how we know them, and they're scrappy and they work hard.
And guess what if you had Yannis, you go further.
And I think in the end it's about winning.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
And I let's let's be fair about this. Luca to
the Lakers and j B to the Warriors. You got
to have two a's. That's just the way it is.
Change a franchise, right, right, you can go like that
Bronson's and a minus and a lot of guys that
are bees. That's just not good enough. Nope, because I've
watched them Boston twice. Boston comes out eight minutes in,
(44:03):
they attack Karl Anthony Towns.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
It's over.
Speaker 9 (44:06):
But again, I would like to see Yannis when in
Milwaukee again. I thought that was so fun when they
won that title and the city, the way they embraced them.
Your original point when we sat down here of hey,
it's a competitive market in La in San Francisco, it's
not as competitive a market in Milwaukee. That town loves
the Bucks. That is what that town is about. And
if he can bring them another title, that would be incredible.
(44:27):
But if he wants to leave, New York, is a
logical place for him to go.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
Love having you on the show. Its always Rachel Nichols.
Speaker 10 (44:34):
Thanks guys,
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
noon Pacific. Find your local station for the Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio
or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Oh do we have a show today? Oh yeah. If
you're not bringing your a game, this isn't a show for.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You, Lie Man, Lie Angelus the home of Winner, only Winner.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
It's the Hurd.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Wherever you may be, however you may be watching or listening.
Thanks for making us part of your day. Jay Mac,
I was thinking about this morning. I had a good
night sleep.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I had a good night sleep.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Show Cops fifty here, so I'm Washington or the Warriors.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Steph Kerry against the Nick. Here's Steph Curry.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
In a bad ankles, gonna be thirty seven in a
week back to back, goes to the Garden. He's now
twelve and one at the Garden, and you know the
Warriors are cooking and by the way, comingas all banged.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Up wait till he comes back.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
I'm just saying, you've been poop pooing Steph Curry forever.
I've been hearing this forever, the disrespect. But here's Steph
Curry thirty seven in a week. It was not that
long ago that Steph Curry. Dude has had thirty two
assists in the last three games, twelve and one of
the Garden. They finally got him a legitimate star. And
every time he's had one Clay in his Prime or KD,
(01:40):
he wins titles. His legacy's amazing titles before KD, two
titles with KD, title after KD with an older Klay
Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, and right now since Jimmy Butler arrived,
who leads the NBA and plus minus Steph Curry. But
he's had doubters, the sm H crowd to shake my head,
crowd y'all fought in love with your IG reels and
(02:02):
your YouTube highlights.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
And your hops and your handles.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I like IQ and EQ and maturity and great off
the ball and great with the ball. And he's strangely
nuanced that he's flashy yet nuanced and can be like
almost on the edge of out of control, but always
dependable in the clutch. He is a culture builder. Y'all
(02:27):
love James Harden. For years, all I heard about is
James Harden. James Harden was in the same draft of
Steph Curry. How relevant is James Harden today?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Oh? John Wall? Oh the bullet He was the first
draft after Steph Curry. He's out a league. How about
Derreck Rose?
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Good God, it was just a volcano of Derreck Rose.
Love for a decade. He was a draft before Steph Curry.
Where's he? Oh he's out of league two?
Speaker 3 (02:59):
No disrespect.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
I mean Harden can play Derreck Rose, John Wall, they
got game. I mean there were two point guards drafted
before Curry in the draft, Johnny Flynn and Ricky Rubio.
One couldn't shoot, one could barely play. It's been disrespect
from draft night on. It's incredible, the disrespect. He had
to be a Finals MVP right to justify he's in,
(03:25):
you know, all time great stuff, all time great stuff.
I mean, there's an argument, and I don't think it's
wrong in today's basketball world. He's the point guard starting
in the on the best starting five of all time.
There's only one argument. It's Magic. It's Magic or Curry.
Best two guys with the ball ever in their hands
point guard. I mean, there's only a few certainties in
(03:46):
the NBA All Time team. Michael's on it, Lebron's on it.
We can argue about everything else.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
And one of the.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Arguments is, think how great Magic Johnson was. There's an
argument in today's NBA agi, you know, got to be
able to shoot the three would still be good, but
the league is more athletic. Steph Curry is just really rare, disrespected,
(04:12):
underappreciated superstar. I'm not even sure if there's another one
in sports. I mean, because we all love and respect
Josh Allen. Maybe Lamar Jackson kind of falls into that
category where he's one of the greatest players of all
time and still didn't get the love. But I mean, Curry,
think about this, great knows great. There's an old saying
about management. A's people who are securing themselves. A's higher,
(04:35):
a's b's insecure higher. C's go ask the great player.
Who did Lebron James go after before he landed Luca
For two years, he was trying to lure Steph Curry
to be a Laker, or he'd be a warrior, and
you go to the Olympics when it's all alphas. Jason
(04:58):
Tatum had two points in the gold medal game. Who
had four threes in the final three minutes? Who do
the stars rely on? Who do the stars go? Hey,
get it to staff. Let's bring in the closer. I mean,
last night, game's close. Late, here comes Steph eleven zero
run bad ankle back to backs.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
On the road. It's unbelievable. Yeah, I'll say this.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Finally, that show that you know Jmac doesn't like refuses
to watch Wink Wink. Finally, Shack delivered the truth last night.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I demand you fans to start putting Steph Curry in
that greatest of all time conversation. I played against Mike,
played with Kobe, played against that with Lebron. They're all great,
but you go, at some point, we don't have to
put Steff Curry in that category. I'm not saying he is,
but let's just have the conversation.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
That's right, that's right, Let's just have the conversation. I mean,
it's unbelievable a basketball team in Minnesota took two guards
in front of him. Anytime he's had a legitimate number two.
Klay Thompson in his prime was arguably the best, you know,
not even arguably, he was the best catch and shooter
player in the league. So Clay and his prime is
(06:14):
a Hall of Famer titles. And then he gets kd
a couple titles, and he gets Clay's out of his prime.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
They give him.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Andrew Wiggins, who's talented, but you can't really trust him
in a big spot title. And right now, you start
looking at these games, you start looking at the way
this team is built. Kamingis banged up, that ankle coming back.
I'm just saying, every single time you've given him a
(06:44):
legitimate dude, he explodes. Dude's got thirty two assists. And
what's amazing about Steph is that four as often as
he has the ball and is the centerpiece, he's remarkably unselfish.
(07:05):
I mean, for a guy that's so great with the ball,
he's arguably the best player in the league off ball.
I mean, I was all sorts of nuanced to his game,
beyond beyond the obvious stuff, beyond the damn he's a
good dude, plays with anybody. I mean, it's just very rare.
I mean, Lebron's got this quality. Magic did as well,
(07:26):
so good with the ball, but also great off the ball. Finally,
the lebron now is getting a little off the ball love.
But I'm glad Shaq said it because I just think
he's been so disrespected. Had to beat Jason Tatum and
Jalen Brown in the final to justify his greatness.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
I mean, come on, now, what are you watching the games?
So this is a big deal.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
So sometimes I get on tangents and I'm not talking
for a show or a week. I'm talking for six years.
I have been on a tangent for about six years,
and I know it's irritating, but offensive lines are really important.
The final four teams this year in the NFL all
(08:17):
had top ten offensive lines. The top seven graded offensive
lines in the NFL this year all made the playoffs
seven for seven all made the playoffs. The Chicago Bears
had a defensive coach and the offensive line kept getting worse.
Ben Johnson gets hired by the Bears. And I know
(08:39):
last year the Bears were doing stuff with wide receivers
at oh front page of the Chicago Tribune. It was
on all the websites receiver, receiver, receiver. This year Ben
Johnson offensive coach. First two big moves two days ago,
Guard Rams yesterday, Joe Tooney, Chiefs, two experienced dudes. This
(09:04):
guy gets it. The first thing he addresses is the
O line. Two guards. You know who else pays guards?
The Rams, the Chiefs, the Eagles offensive coaches get it.
I like Mike Tomlin's eight years now. Offensive line stinks.
Go to the super Bowl. It was all line play.
And I don't trust Ryan Polls the GM in the draft.
(09:26):
He's had too many whiffs. I don't think he's terrible,
but I don't trust him.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
This is easy.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Jonah Jackson can play, Joe Tooney can play two starters,
and they'll probably go draft to tackle with their first pick.
So it's just easier if you're not great in the draft.
And the Bears I don't trust. Last year's draft looks
like a mess. The Velis Jones PICKT receiver years ago
turned my stomach. Bottom line is great move. And by
the way, Jim Harball last year, Jim Harball, everybody was like,
(09:54):
oh they lost Keenan Allen. Mike Williams got the receiver.
What Jim Harbaugh do? Joe all Name tackle was great?
What did Sean Payton do first thing he did, he
kept Russell Wilson, who he didn't love. He rebuilt the
old line. Sean McVeigh takes over the Rams. First big move.
Andrew Whitworth All Pro left tackle Cincinnati. I mean, I
(10:18):
know we all watch quarterbacks, but a quarterback's best friend
is protection and push up front. This is a great
day to be a Bear fan. I know it's not sexy.
I know it's it's not gonna lead sports shows and
other networks. But the seven highest graded offensive lines last
year all made the playoffs. Joe Burrow was arguably the
(10:41):
best quarterback in the league. Last year, what was his
O line? Ranked thirtieth? He missed the playoffs? And last
year do you remember this, and I understand if you don't,
but last year, Washington, we were all caught up in
Cliff Kingsbury and Dan Quinn and a new owner in
a new GM. You remember the first thing Washington did last year,
before they ever gave Jayden Daniels a snap in a
(11:03):
big game, they went and got too offensive linemen free agency. Right,
So this is this is what Washington did last year.
And those don't make headlines. But the last couple of days.
This is what offensive coaches do. It's what McVeigh does,
Reid does, Ben Johnson, I mean you start looking at
(11:26):
Philadelphia in Detroit. I mean, the Rams were really good
last year and one of the reasons they got good
bye about Thanksgiving they got hot before that is the
offensive line got healthy.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
So this is really encouraging. I know it's not it's
not a.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Blaring headline, two interior offensive linemen, but when you have
a young quarterback time to throw a run game an
extra half second is the difference between doing something like
Washington did and you know, doing something like Caleb Williams
had to deal with and his rookie year with a
defensive coach. J Mac spending it today, Steph Curry last night.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, you are on fire. You love Steph Curry. Furse
my favorite player of all time.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
He used to be Magic Johnson, right, I love the
flare in the passing, and then Steph Curry overtook him.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
He's been my favorite, probably for over a decade.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Interesting though, so you know, we kind of looked at
the Warriors, and our front office deserves credit because we
kind of looked at him and it was a treadmill
to nowhere.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Yeah, it is amazing. I was down on them.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Right right right, And we were waiting for Wiggins to
be a two he's not. We were waiting for Kaminga
to be a two.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
He's not.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
When you slot it now, Steph, Butler's at two and
now Cominga's like, oh he could.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Be a three. Pods he could be a four.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Draymond still doesn't score much, but it is amazing what
you do.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
It's like a pitching staff.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
When you put a legitimate two with Steph, then the
three in the can be inconsistent, and that's why they're
three and fours. It's like when you give Lebron Luca offensively,
now you like Ruey way more because Ruey goes from
instead of having to be a three offensively, now Rui's
a four, and offensively.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Ruey can be a little hit and miss.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
But when Ruy goes from three to a four, now
Rui's a really good four, oh yeah, instead of a
reach at three. So now Kaminga, because we've been waiting
for Minga.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
For years, could be looking at a Lakers Warriors second
round matchup that would that could that's the kind of
game that could break the internet like Luca Butler, Lebron
Curry just amazing collection of talent. If that happens in
the second round, I'm sure the TV executives would love
a Western Conference Finals with those two. Lebron by the way, Zion.
(13:49):
Did you see Zion last night?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
I did not.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
I mean he was higher line, unstoppable.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Well no, he was Lakers to one by thirty or
forty or whatever it was. But oh, I mean looked
really I only watched the first Yeah, fell asleep.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Yeah, I mean, the Lakers season is already going to
come down to this. It really is going to come
down to this health. Luca look looks in much better shape.
He looks in much better shape. And Lebron's obviously playing
with a ton of energy. I think at some point,
you know, it's like your new best friend. You know,
at some point Lebron's energy and Steph's energy will come down. Yeah,
(14:28):
I think I think we're in the honeymoon phase. I mean,
you're I'm watching last night's honeymoon phase stuff. But they'll
there'll be a time when you know, again, you get
about twenty thirty games in with a new teammate, like
like the Warriors right now. It's the honeymoon phase. I mean,
Steph is playing out of his mind. He's playing like,
let's be honest. If Jimmy Butler's not on the team,
(14:48):
does he take last night off? If they're not playing
in New York back to back off Charlotte where he
got hurt, is it's possible. Steph's like, I'm not New
York is why he played. Jimmy Butler's why he played.
It's like, Okay, I'm gonna play this game. If they
were battling for a ten see with no Butler and
they're playing in New York first, then Charlotte, he's not playing.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
So the energy with the Lakers and the Warriors, and I.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Gotta tell you something, just got bits and pieces early
Lakers last night because I had a bunch of stuff
going on late. Here's what jumps out to me about
the Lakers and being an executive in Los Angeles for
any team, including an athletic director for sc or UCLA.
It's very unique in the country. I don't think there's
(15:32):
any city like it. And I'll tell you why. One
of the things that makes it really hard in Los
Angeles is our weather because it's Mediterranean and every I want,
I had to do something last night. People are outside,
they're having a good time, and it's forget the game
(15:54):
last night. That game secondary what's really fascinating about the
Lakers coming up next, and not just the.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Lakers, but why La forces.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
The Lakers to do things sometimes do an area of
discomfort work sometimes didn't work with Westbrook to Lebron and
the Lakers works other times.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon Eastern non a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
So as J Mac will tell you, the safest bet
in the NBA is take the Lakers in the first quarter,
got off to a huge lead, blew out the Pelicans.
You know, no Ruy, no Reeves, no problem, didn't matter.
Lebron was great, Luca was great. But you know it's
funny when I've been in California for eight nine years
and I really like Los Angeles, and you know, one
(16:42):
of the things I've really learned is you have to
be aggressive as a team. The Clippers had become stagnant,
even with a new arena. Nobody talks about him. The
market's too big. There's too many things going on, the beach,
the mountains, the weather. I mean, people are out walking
around the beach last night. It's it's just the way
it is in Los Angeles. And I mean the Dodgers
(17:04):
win the World Series and they go spend a four
hundred and fifty million dollars in upgrades to their roster
and one hundred million dollars in a clubhouse renovation. That's
after winning a World Series. Like that's the way it works.
I mean the Rams considered, hey, we may have to
move off Matt Stafford. They moved off golf when he
got to a Super Bowl. Harbaught of the Chargers, Lincoln Riley.
(17:24):
They steal Oklahoma's coach. You have to swing big in
this town because there's too many premiers, too many red carpets,
too many things going on, and it forces organizations, especially
the Lakers, to be hyper aggressive. I mean, they took
a big swing on on Anthony Davis work. They took
a big swing on Westbrook didn't work. They took a
big swing on JJ Reddick. Everybody criticized him. JJ Reddick
(17:46):
not experienced kind of an ego. He's been absolutely fantastic.
When you watch this team offensively, you can see the
game preparation, and you know, I think it's hard in
this town that you are forced. You can't be the
Cincinnati Bengal and just stay in draft order and don't
take a big swing. I mean, Lebron's playing out of
his mind. And I do think there's a honeymoon period
(18:07):
for a staff roal Lebron with a new guy, you're
kind of showing off. But it's just the status quota
doesn't work here. And I think Lebron is completely energized
now because and even Lebron, you can kind of lose
him during the football season. You forget about him if
you're not viable. And you know, the Clippers a desperate organization.
(18:31):
They build a new basketball arena, but they're still clinging
to Kawhi and James Harden and that story's over. Nobody's interested.
And I'm watching the Lakers briefly last night, and it's
just there's such They've reinvigorated the franchise, the team. And
I'll say this, I have been critical of the Lakers
front office before because there's been some misses, but I
(18:52):
appreciate the effort, like you know, even the way it's funny.
You remember when they got Mark Williams the Charlotte Center
and the trade and then the next day his doctors,
the Lakers doctors said no, it's not gonna work here,
and Charlotte's like, what do you mean, He's healthy, he
just played. I honestly think what happened. I honestly think
this happened. I think the Lakers took a big swing
(19:14):
on it. And then you know, they don't have a
they don't have.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
A scouting department quite as big as the Warriors.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
You know, the bus family is not as wealthy as
a lot of these big owners. I think the Warriors
or the Lakers did a little digging on it and
started making a few calls, a little more digging. They
took a big swing, and I said, ah, yeah, well
our doctors don't like him. I don't think that's the
craziest theory out there on why they made it and
then suddenly why they they moved off it. But I
(19:40):
appreciated the effort. JJ Reddick, I appreciate the effort. And
you know, again, you can make big swings that are stupid,
trading away Luca for ad and one first round of
Max Christy.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
That's just a dumb move.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
But one of the things I've I've over and over
I've said, I love the way the Philadelphia Eagles do business.
I mean, Carson Wentz was having an MVP season. Yeah
we're going with Nick Foles and Doug Peterson wins the
Super Bowl. Yeah we're moving off him. And Chip Kelly
had a winning season. It's not a good fit. And
I think in Los Angeles it's just different. The Dodgers
(20:13):
could just rest on their laurels. Nope, they went and
spent four hundred and fifty million dollars more and they're renovating,
which is, by the way, a beautiful stadium. They're gonna
renovate it and make it even better. And I think
it'd being an executive in Los Angeles. You have got
to stay on your toes. I said it with Jim
Harbar to the Chargers. I said, you just can't do
another coordinator. You're getting lost in this. This is not
(20:35):
San Diego where people go to the games. Philip Rivers
wins ten games and that's good enough. That is not
good enough here. And so the JJ Riddick swing unbelievable.
The lucaswing unbelievable and even the Westbrook move that didn't work.
It's what La forces you to do, and it's what
(20:56):
the Lakers do.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekday.
He's a neon Eastern nin am Pacific.
Speaker 6 (21:02):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 7 (21:07):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern,
two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of
course the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 7 (21:16):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 6 (21:20):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss.
Speaker 7 (21:29):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something, right.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
So check us out.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
We like to get you involved too, take your phone calls,
chop it up. As they say, I'd say the most
interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive
show on planetar. Be sure to check out Covino and
Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app
from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific,
And if you miss any of the live show, just
search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and
of course on social media.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Good night's sleep. Last night no earthquakes. I mean Luca
and Lebron had over. You know that thirty there's your
mini earthquake.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
Yeah, so I was doubtful for today's show. I had
an awful night sleep, woke up and I was telling
the wife, like, I don't want to deal with the
traffic this morning.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
I was four adults to deal with the traffic.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Well, if you get a late start from where I live.
Speaker 8 (22:20):
It's like an hour drock and that's that's that is
blank privilege or something that rout and privilege.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
This shows too much fun to miss. Come on, So
I thought this, this was interesting. You know, I'm pretty
consistent on this. I like aggressive. I just I just
like aggressive, even if I don't agree with everything. Like
live golf, I appreciate the effort and if you're sitting
around for years and years not treating the best golfers
(22:56):
in the world, better. They're going to go to another
They're going to know to another tour, deal with it,
treat them better. So the Eagles gave Saquon Barkley a
fat contract, forty one million, thirty six million of it
guaranteed at signing. And so this is why the Eagles
are elite. They write a huge check with most of
(23:16):
the money up front, meaning they can escape by year two.
I don't think they'll want to, but running back Saquon's
been hurt, they can get out of it. This is
what Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati, that is the space those days,
those guys don't operate in. They did this with Carson
Carson Wentz. Philly takes big swings and they write big
(23:38):
checks up front and so they can get out of stuff.
And the Saquon deal is a massive check. And until
the Raiders recently got a couple of new investors, they
couldn't write these checks. Chicago doesn't write them, Cincinnati doesn't
write them, Arizona doesn't write them. I mean, all legendary
poker players, every phil Hellme youth down is they are
(23:59):
so electively aggressive. They do not always have the best hand.
You gotta be aggressive, and I think the heart and soul.
Remember Howie Roseman. This is a team that want to
got to a Super Bowl and they you know, they
tend to they win a Super Bowl, and everybody wants
to bring everybody.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Back, and I'm not a fan of that.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I think you got to keep moving the roster in
professional football to keep everybody fresh. I think they're going
to move off like seven or eight guys. You cannot
move off Saquon Barkley. There are three or four players
on the Eagles. You can't duplicate that. You can't duplicate
Jalen Carter on a rookie contract. You cannot replace Saquon Barkley.
(24:36):
Even Derrick Henry's not this. So the soul of the
Eagles to me is GM O line, quarterback, Saquon Barkley,
and Jalen Carter. And there was this ridiculous narrative that
was happening for about a year ago. Running backs They're
going extinct, No, they're not. The most important football games
(24:58):
in this league are played in decen, January and February.
It gets cold and windy, and nobody is more valuable
to a quarterback than a great running back. And what
I love about Saquon Barkley, among other things, class quiet
head down. I mean, this guy played battle lines at
(25:20):
Penn State battle lines with the Giants, never complained a
single time. He does it the right way. So I
could not be happier for Saquon Barkley. And I know
a lot of people out there running backs of dime
a dozen.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
No they're not, No, they are not.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
The O line as a collective is really the centerpiece
of the team. But when Saquon didn't have a great
old line, he was still remarkable, and all the smart
people knew it. So you know, I and I had
said this, people get worked up. Certain positions don't get
paid if you're a great tight end, if you're a
(25:59):
great guard. Joe Toney, he got paid. Guards don't make
any money. Joe Tooney got paid. You'll get paid. Safeties
don't get paid. Ed Reid got paid. You know, Ronnie
Lott got paid. You'll get paid if you're great. Now,
there's other positions where you don't have to be great.
You can be brought pretty and good and get paid.
(26:19):
But that's just the way the game works. There's some positions.
If you're a good left tackle. The Rams have a
good left tackle you can get you get a lot
of money running back.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
You gotta be great.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Sa Kwan Barkley is And with that, our friend Rachel Nichols,
Fox Sports NBA analyst.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Is joining us on the show.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
You know, I never try to be a homer, but
you know, as a Warrior and Laker guy, it is
good living right now.
Speaker 9 (26:44):
Good time to be in California and be a basketball fan.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Raise it is. So I want I want to talk
about Jimmy Butler.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
So before they made the move, I watched a lot
of Warrior games and I had said, man, when Steph
Curry's not on the floor, this team is boring. Yeah,
and they're charging a lot for tickets. Andrew's very high
and like you you you got to keep moving, like
the San Francisco Giants didn't. They're kind of irrelevant, Like
you got to make a move. So I think there
were people in the league that thought, you know, Jimmy's noisy. Uh,
(27:15):
you know, Jimmy's passed his prime. And I kept saying,
just get his energy in the building. I wonder if
the Warriors privately are a little surprised how perfectly he's fit.
Speaker 10 (27:29):
I mean, I think they're thrilled.
Speaker 9 (27:30):
We know that they were going after Kevin Durant that week,
so he wasn't even their first choice, but he's turned
out to be a better fit. Jimmy Butler says, one
of the things about me is I fit in everywhere,
and I think that is true, and he's been able
to fit in there so well seamlessly basketball wise, but
as you point out, it's also energy and culture wise.
He might not be the stereotypical runs on joy Golden
(27:52):
State warrior, but he is that sort of character, energy
guy that this team has been known for. You know,
Draymond Green put it this way, Colin. He said, we
need to another a hole, although.
Speaker 10 (28:02):
So he did not use the word a hole. You
can just fill in what he actually said.
Speaker 9 (28:06):
Steve Kerr talked about that to last night, that he
just has given Steph Curry more energy because Steph knows
when he goes to the bench, someone else is going
to be out there.
Speaker 10 (28:14):
He doesn't have to do everything by himself.
Speaker 9 (28:16):
And I think we've seen the effect of all of that,
and they are a real force now in the West,
which wasn't true at the turn of the year.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah, it's you know, it's I said this earlier. Los
Angeles sort of forces you as a franchise to be aggressive.
The Lakers have been aggressive with Westbrook, didn't work. Aggressive
with a d and Luca works. The Dodgers win a
World Series and spend four hundred and fifty million more
(28:43):
dollars on players. The Clippers feel stale and a little tired. Yeah,
because it's like, okay, there's there's stagnant stagnant status quot
doesn't work in La Yep. If you're good in Cincinnati
with Joe Burrow, that's good enough.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
It's not here.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
And so I look at the Lakers and Luca. I
think it's a honeymoon period. But I'm watching them the
last couple of games without a Ruey and a Reeves.
I mean, condow, I don't think it's crazy. I did
this yesterday. I did my NBA Championship bubble. Yeah, and
I don't. I always worry about being like recency bias
(29:19):
or confirmation bias. I think the Lakers, I don't know
if they can beat Boston. I think they can win
the West. I here's my bubble bubble radio audience. I
put Denver Lakers Warriors. Ok see, Cleveland Boston I think
are the two best teams. Nick's on the outside. Any
problem having the Lakers in it?
Speaker 9 (29:38):
Oh, I remember problem having any Lakers in it. I
feel as much as this pays me because I'm a
huge Nikolayokic fan of just what he can do on
the court. I'm not sure the Nuggets are actually in
the bubble, but I like your optimism there you go.
I do think you're completely right with your other teams there,
and it's just going to be interesting.
Speaker 10 (29:53):
I mean, Steph Curry playing the way that he.
Speaker 9 (29:55):
Is to your point, yeah, I would never have imagined
Golden State in that bubble just a couple months ago.
Speaker 10 (30:01):
I mean they were barely scraping a play and.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Spot Cominga's not playing right and the one thing they
miss is length exactly, and so Cominga's got a bad ankle.
I think he's back in the next week. So, folks,
this team is. The Lakers are getting Reeves and Ruie
back right, and the Warriors are getting Cominga back.
Speaker 6 (30:18):
M hmm.
Speaker 10 (30:18):
Absolutely.
Speaker 9 (30:19):
I do want to make one Steph Curry point just
and then we can deptail into the Lakers. You know,
I think the control room has the Steph Curry shot
from before We've been talking about a week right, that
shot before the Orlando halftime and against the Orlando Magic.
That is a shot that most players in the NBA
run from right it's the end of the half.
Speaker 10 (30:36):
It messes with your shooting percentage.
Speaker 9 (30:38):
There's a thing in the NBA about hey, pass it
to the rookie right before the buzzer at halftime, so
his shooting percentage can get messed up.
Speaker 10 (30:45):
Steph always goes for that shot. He always wants that shot.
And you have a player like that.
Speaker 9 (30:51):
Who always wants to take that shot because he could
make it, and that turned into a fifty six point
performance for him. Those are the guys I want in
your playoff bubble, in your finals contention bubble.
Speaker 10 (31:02):
Teams that have that.
Speaker 9 (31:04):
They have that in Steph Curry, which is why you
never count the Warriors out as long as stuff's on
the court. The Lakers have that in Luca and Lebron.
Those guys are not scared. And when it comes to
the playoffs, you said you may have recency bias. Recency
bias is part of the NBA. It's how you are
playing toward the end of the regular season and then
going into the playoffs, that are the teams that should
(31:25):
be in your bubble. Your recency bias is correct because
the Lakers have those kinds of guys. They have the
best record in the NBA since the middle of January,
top five on both sides of the ball. In fact,
they have the best defense in the entirely crazy since
the beginning it lose ad.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
They acquire Luca, who's always been a bit of a
defensive liability, and they're as good a defensive.
Speaker 9 (31:46):
Team and looka can play defense when he needs to,
and there you go.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
So the JJ Reddick higher is interesting because there was
a lot of pushback on he didn't have a lot
of experience, which I always think that's a bit overrated.
Speaker 10 (31:58):
We had no experience.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Yeah, I mean he's a Lebron's pod partner, but it's
it's hard for me. I can judge a football coach
very quick. Sure, basketball is so fluid and so star driven.
I have to watch multiple games to get a feel.
Are you a good coach or not? Yeah, because a
lot of times, even as Steve Kerr or Ospolstro will
just let the start dictate the offense, you're not calling
(32:19):
plays a lot like you do in college basketball. But
the one thing I see with the Lakers, especially in
the first quarter, I can see what they're trying to do.
I always they have a game plan, and with Darvin Ham,
a lot of times it was I felt like they
were kind of just letting the game come to them.
I feel like, JJ Reddick, this is what we're doing
(32:40):
for the first six minutes. And I don't know, I
just is he I think he's been sensational, I.
Speaker 9 (32:46):
Really First of all, I really like JJ personally, and
I think he's been popular in the locker room because
of that personality. He's super intense, obviously very meticulous, but.
Speaker 10 (32:54):
Players like that. They want a guy who cares as
much or more than they do.
Speaker 9 (32:57):
And one of JJ's core beliefs is there's a lot
outside the game that you can control, and since there's
so much inside the game that you can't, once you
get on the court, control everything outside the game make
it all better. So to your point about being organized,
having your rotations down, having the guys know where they're
supposed to be, when all of that really matters, so
that when the stuff happens that you can't control, you
(33:18):
already have the leg up of the stuff that you can,
and we see that over and over on the court.
You also see, frankly, with the way that he is
playing Luca at the beginning of games. Luca has so
much of the load in the first quarter that Lebron
James at forty years old, is able to be great
offensively but also defensively at the end of games, and
that has been a problem for them the last couple
of years.
Speaker 10 (33:38):
When Lebron runs out of gas, which he has towards you.
Speaker 9 (33:41):
Know in playoff games, for the end of games, the
Lakers don't have anything else. Not only now do they
have something else in Luca, but Lebron's not running out
of gas. And it's the first time, Colin, in Lebron's
entire career that you and I have ever seen anyone
multiply Lebron.
Speaker 10 (33:54):
Lebron is usually the multiplayer.
Speaker 9 (33:56):
He's the guy who makes other guys around him better
than they are, right, makes things easier, he makes things better,
he draws more attention. Luca is making Lebron better at
age forty.
Speaker 10 (34:06):
We've ever seen that with Lebron.
Speaker 9 (34:07):
No one's ever multiplied Lebron or made Lebron better, and
Luca doctor just doing that.
Speaker 10 (34:11):
That's incredible for the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
You know, when you make trades in pro sports, and
this is really kind of systemic in business as well,
is that there are always unintended benefits or consequences that
you make a big merger and you're like, oh, we
didn't know this would be good too, or the opposite.
And so I think when you make the Jimmy Butler
(34:36):
move for the Warriors, you knew you'd be better defensively,
and you knew he'd get you to the line, but
you didn't know that Steph would be playing with a
vigor and energy that was like, oh, multiplied. So it's
like you can't guess everything. So here's where the Mavericks
not only was the trade bad, but the problem thenvisceral reaction.
(34:56):
I apologized the problem giving up Luca coupled with the
injuries they had with their bigs before Luca was traded,
is that then Kyrie is your only play initiator.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
Now Spencer Dinwei's a good player.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Now Kyrie's got to play more minutes and have the
ball incessantly. And my take, and maybe it's a reach
as part of the injury, is you didn't consider. Oh god,
we've only got two initiators, we trade one. Kyrie's a
smaller athlete with injuries.
Speaker 10 (35:31):
I don't think that's controversial at all. There we have
heard people say.
Speaker 9 (35:34):
Oh, come on, acl, isn't an overuse injury. Stop talking
about his minutes. I'm sorry, I completely disagree. No, it's
not an overuse injury.
Speaker 10 (35:43):
I know that. But when your body is tired, we
all know this. When your body is tired, you are
more vulnerable to every rate.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Rachel, what's the worst run scheme? The last run of
the day, Like the old setting is.
Speaker 9 (35:56):
You're most likely get injured in the last round of
the day.
Speaker 10 (35:59):
Your body is tied tired. Everything is less precise in
your movements. Every part of your body is sort of
compensating for different things and different muscles. And I don't
care if something is quote an overuse injury or not.
Speaker 9 (36:10):
If your body is worn down, you are more susceptible
to getting hurt.
Speaker 10 (36:13):
And then, of course is bad luck the way Kyrie
got hurt.
Speaker 9 (36:17):
But you can create conditions that make bad luck more
or less likely to happen. And a team in the
Dallas Mavericks that partly their justification for the trade was
that Luca's habits and conditioning was creating poor conditions for
his possible future health. If that is part of the
reason that you decided, Hey, bad luck happens, but we
(36:39):
can create conditions to make it more or less likely.
Don't trade for a guy in Anthony Davis who has
an injury history and is older, and don't put so
much of a load on Kyrie Irving who has an
injury history and is older. You are creating conditions for
bad luck to happen, whether it's overuse or fluke or not.
And the debt else Mavericks have walked right into it.
(37:01):
And again I don't understand it because Jason Kidd is
so smart and Nico Harrison is really smart, and I
don't know what's happening there.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
Well, you know, I had a discussion with somebody the
other day on this in the NBA circle, and I
think when the players that CBA where the players like
Lebron and Chris Paul had a big stay in the CBA,
where it paid the stars like seven, it felt like
they got all the money.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Yes see, players.
Speaker 10 (37:27):
All the money, all the money.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
So it was great for Lebron. It was great for
Chris Paul, Steph Curry, it's great for Giannis. But now
the max is seventy million to seventy five, so Luca
qualifies for that. I think it's one thing for a
billionaire to write a forty million dollar annual check. When
you almost double it, they're going to consider everything, including conditioning, sure,
(37:50):
injury history. I mean, I mean, like Paul George, good player,
Clippers are.
Speaker 9 (37:55):
Like, we can't go there, but don't you have to
consider it in both directions If you're the Macks.
Speaker 10 (38:00):
Sure, if you're considering it.
Speaker 9 (38:01):
On the way out for Luca, aren't you supposed to
be considering it on the way in with the guys
that you got coming in?
Speaker 4 (38:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (38:07):
I just I don't think that this was foreseeable in
the way of like, man, we're going to be sitting
here three weeks a month after the trade, and you
know their top two stars are going to be gone.
But it wasn't unimaginable. And that's the difference. It's not
like you couldn't have been like, ah, that's impossible. You
had two older stars on the other side of thirty
who have an injury history, and it's not a complete
Oh my God, I can never have imagined this, that
(38:28):
this happened. And the question now is DoD M bring
Ad back this season. I'm not sure I would right.
Speaker 3 (38:35):
Now that Kyrie's out. I probably wouldn't.
Speaker 10 (38:37):
I don't know, maybe you know.
Speaker 9 (38:39):
And then you have a contingent of Dallas fans online,
and you know they're still feeling emotional, they're in their feelings,
but they'd like to trade Ad this summer. Because the
point is, the thinking goes, this is not my theory.
I am saying no, no, but there is a fan
push out there to say, hey, Anthony Davis is never
going to be more valuable than he is this summer.
Speaker 10 (38:59):
He's not going to be more valuable the next summer.
Speaker 9 (39:01):
The next summer, Kyrie isn't going to be there for
at least half the season next season. So really, what
is the Ad Kyrie window that you're talking about?
Speaker 10 (39:09):
And do you have to just start again now?
Speaker 9 (39:11):
I think that Anthony Davis should stick around in Dallas
and see what you can do with him next season.
But I understand the frustration of people feeling like this
is already a loss. Are you already going to tell
me a future when Niko Harrison said, I've got three
or four year window.
Speaker 10 (39:25):
Tell me the future.
Speaker 9 (39:26):
How would it lay out that they could win a
championship in the next three years.
Speaker 10 (39:30):
It's a it's a tough look.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
So I think.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
I don't think the NBA has had nearly as many
faces of the league as people would submit to.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Yeah, I think it's been Magic.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
I don't even think Bird was Bird was French lick,
he was ornery, he didn't want to do ads. I
think Magic sort of pulled him along. Magic was the face,
Michael was the best face, Lebron's the face, Curry's close.
Some have argued that Kobe and Shack together collectively for
about five years.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
With a face. I'm not going to I don't argue.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
I've argued that Jason Tatum has a lot of things,
but kind of lacks a aura or or a clutch
time resonance with people. But the editor thing that's thrown
out there, and it's fascinating because I don't know what's right.
People say, could an international player be face of the
league now. Something that was brought up to me that
(40:24):
I think is important is that we knew Michael, Magic
and Lebron's story when they were like eighteen, nineteen twenty. Yeah,
international guys, we don't now. I do think it's international
basketball elevates it is probably. I mean we knew Wemby
a year before he can so I don't have an answer.
Could an international player be the face of a sport
(40:45):
in America?
Speaker 9 (40:45):
I mean, look, we've seen it in baseball right it
is right here in Los Angeles. I do think the
most likely candidates are a Victor Webinama, who I think
is going to be the don't you know. Health obviously
health being a factor, and we saw something just last month,
but in the last month. But sus then then I
think that he is going to be maybe the top
player in the next ten years.
Speaker 10 (41:05):
Is he the face of the league.
Speaker 9 (41:07):
Is that instead going to be Luca because he's here
in Los Angeles, another foreign burn player, or is it
going to be an Anthony Edwards? And Jason Tatum was complaining,
you know, Anthony Edwards hasn't done the things that Jason
Tatum has done, not by a mile. By the way,
Jason Dunn has significantly more than Anthony has done. However,
there is a swashbuckler sort of sense to Anthony Edwards,
(41:28):
to Michael Jordan right to Lebron in his way that
Jason Tatum just doesn't have our guy. Paul Pierce also
brought up the fact that Jason Tatum plays in Boston
and a lot of people around the country do not
like Boston sports teams. Yeah, and to your Larry Bird point,
it was Magic, not Larry who was so popular Boston guy.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
Yeah, let's end it with this.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
I think it's fascinating. I really, you know.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
I had theorized that when James Dolan spent two years
on the sphere in Vegas, he got out of the
basketball ops yep, and the Knicks put together an excellent
front office and have made great move after great move.
I love what the Knicks have done. There is an
advantage to losing. It creates clarity in the building. Yeah,
they can't beat the Celtics, they can't beat Okay. See,
they can't beat Cleveland. They probably couldn't beat Luca in
(42:10):
a series if they played Lebron. They couldn't beat last
night though missing Kaminga. They were missing Kat. But they're
not an elite team. They're a good team on certain nights,
very good, but they're not great. I think that's great.
I think where NBA franchises die is when everybody in
the building is arguing. I think there were a lot
of Darvin Ham believers in the building until the very
(42:32):
end of the season, and then they all said it's
not working right. Nicks needed to make another big move, right,
but they're.
Speaker 9 (42:40):
Zero to seven against the top teams in the league.
That is not the number that you want. It's interesting.
A week or so ago we heard a report from
Chams over on ESPN saying Jannis wants to stay in Milwaukee,
but not if they don't keep winning. Those reports, by
the way, don't happen by accident. Those are little, as
you and I both know over the years, little warning
shots to franchise is. Oh ge we happen to be
(43:01):
having the conversation, and there's no secret that the New
York Knicks would like to get their hands on Yani
senta Cupo and we'll just have to keep watching. People
in Milwaukee love Yannis. They don't like it when people
talk about him leaving their team.
Speaker 10 (43:14):
I get it. I don't want him to leave the
Bucks either.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
I don't want to blow the Knicks up, though well.
OG four draft picks Karl Anthony towns.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
I don't want. I want. You're not moving Brunson.
Speaker 9 (43:26):
I would move a lot in that franchise to get
Yanissenta Tokupo.
Speaker 10 (43:30):
I mean, really save Jalen Brunson.
Speaker 9 (43:32):
I think they're all integral parts of the Knicks and
how we know them, and they're scrappy and they work hard.
And guess what if you had Yannis, you go further.
And I think in the end it's about winning.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
And I let's let's be fair about this. Luca to
the Lakers and j B to the Warriors. You got
to have two a's. That's just the way it is.
Change a franchise, right, right, you can go like that
Bronson's and a minus and a lot of guys that
are bees. That's just not good enough. Nope, because I've
watched them Boston twice. Boston comes out eight minutes in,
(44:03):
they attack Karl Anthony Towns.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
It's over.
Speaker 9 (44:06):
But again, I would like to see Yannis when in
Milwaukee again. I thought that was so fun when they
won that title and the city, the way they embraced them.
Your original point when we sat down here of hey,
it's a competitive market in La in San Francisco, it's
not as competitive a market in Milwaukee. That town loves
the Bucks. That is what that town is about. And
if he can bring them another title, that would be incredible.
(44:27):
But if he wants to leave, New York, is a
logical place for him to go.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
Love having you on the show. Its always Rachel Nichols.
Speaker 10 (44:34):
Thanks guys,
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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