May 16, 2024 • 42 mins
On a Thursday edition of The Best Of The Doug Gottlieb Show: Doug openly wonders why Luka Doncic does not get more attention for his greatness coming off of the Mavs' game five win over the Thunder.
Doug thinks the Celtics are victims of their own success and up against expectations that are too high for this current group.
Doug welcomes FSR NBA Insider Mark Medina to talk about the Lakers, NBA Playoffs and all of the major headlines around the NBA.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
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(00:23):
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Welcome in, Welcome in, Welcome in. So I don't hate
(00:44):
to say I told you so, I in fact told
you so, and it's it's really interesting to me and
the thunder go down to the Dallas Mavericks one oh
four ninety two, and as many of you guys know,
I started my radio career in Oklahoma City. I got
great friends there. Was there last week I went to
Game one and I remember coming on local radio and
(01:04):
I said, like they were like, man, this is who
were we going to play in the conference. File was like,
you know, I don't love this matchup for Oklahoma City,
and after game one it would be really hard. And
I said, okay, well, the two things are the physicality
of the series is going to crank up, and you know,
you know, Luca's gonna win a game for you know,
(01:25):
Luca's gonna win a game. And I got the eye rolls,
I got a little bit of everything. But man, did
that end up playing out? And I get you look
at Shay and he had thirty and eight, but did
those eight really create shots and make them better? And like, look,
(01:46):
Oklahoma City, you go ten to forty from three point range,
you're going to get beat. Many nights that happened. Cason Wallace,
who had shot the basketball so well, shot the ball
poorly last night. Josh Giddy statistically played a lot lot better,
so you know, being moved out of the starting lineup,
But Isaiah Joe, who's just a shooter, didn't shoot the
ball particularly well. But the story of the game was
(02:09):
what is the fact that Luca continues, by my estimation
to be one be with Nikola Jokic as one a
of the best players in the world playing basketball, the
best players in the world playing basketball, and I don't
think it's all that close. Don't get me wrong. I
love Jalen Brunson, love love love, love love love Jalen Brunson,
(02:34):
and Jalen Brunson has had that type of effect on
the next series, on the next playoff run. But in
terms of overall control of a game and just dominate
a game, Luca and Jokic are in fact the two
best in the world. So what does that mean. Well,
that means for Oklahoma City does feel like you have
to I mean this series should be over if the
Mavericks made free throws and now they have two games
(02:56):
to make those free throws to win those games. Doesn't
mean Oklahoma City is gonna go whimpering into the night.
I think they'll fight back, but I do think they lose.
In Game six, the Celtics end up getting a win,
but the story to me remains I don't really understand
why people are in denial about how special Luka donca kiss.
(03:16):
Here's Luca who he's asked about Charles Barkley's prediction that
they'd lose the game and the series. Well, I love
that show.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
I love those four guys always watch it all the games.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Well, maybe next time he can say it again in
the net's game, so maybe we'll win again.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
So but that's it.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
I know what to say, all right, Hell and Draymond,
Draymond say hello to Raymond.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
To say hello to Draymond too, Srey Hello to Draymond. Two.
I love it. And by the way, Draymond being in studio,
it does kind of like I like Draymond on TV,
but it does kind of look at too many guys,
too many guys. Here's here's Luca after.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
The game, Luca, this Oklahoma City fan base has taken
a little bit of a liking to you, so to speak.
As a competitor, do you thrive on just being able
to silence the crowd the way he did in the
game that you had?
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I love it. I wanted to try. Luca sucks and
gets me going. It's even better. How good is he?
Why don't people like Luka? Doncik? Is it the complaining
to the officials? Is that what it is? Is it
just because he plays for a different team. But I'm
gonna tell you that none of the surprises me. And
(04:30):
the best part about it is what he did after
missing that big free throw. Going back to game four,
now he misses a free throw when they're down too,
he makes one out of two. He slams his hand
against the bench, and of course the Mavericks went on
and missed another free throw front end of a one
on one PJ. Washington did when they're down three, and
(04:52):
they had to make a free throw, miss one. But
that's still would have taken a miracle to send that
thing to overtime. But Luca did what you want any
great player to do. Yeah, he choked that free throw.
He missed a free throw that he should have made
to tie the game absolutely, And the next game out
he drops a triple double, and the next game out
(05:12):
he's completely dominant. In the next game He's the best
player on the floor, and you could make an easy
argument the best player in the world. I mean, Luca
is so much better than I think anyone can really imagine.
And as part of it is it it's almost like
he's moving in slow motion, and those slow motion guys,
(05:34):
you know that kind of awkward movement guys, Those dudes
are very very very extremely hard to guard, extremely hard
to understand, to get a good feel for, because it
feels like they should be moving faster, they should be explosive,
they should be you know, if you're that good, you
(05:55):
have to be like Michael Jordan. You have to be
like a Tracy McGrady. You have to be like a
Vince Carr. You have to have some sort of dominate
even Lebron James just dominant physique, dominant athleticism, and for
whatever reason, Luca lures us to sleep and finds a
way to make it work. I don't know, I'm fascinated
by the Luca thing. Fascinated and the fact that he
(06:18):
loves the fact that he loves playing in front of
a hostile crowd and plays to it and eats it
up makes it even better.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Yeah, Dan, So we debate a lot of stuff, and
one of the things not only on The Doug Gottlieb Show,
but NBA, Twitter, sports fans, whatever, but the US versus
international players is always a discussion. The Luca response to
Charles Barkley and the TNT crew not picking them is
(06:51):
now the second straight time where we've had an international
player brush off and laugh off their predictions or their comments. Like,
I don't know, if do you think an American born
player would be like, well, that's just disrespect like that,
they would make it a bigger thing or are our
Luca and you know, uh, you'll get you just being
(07:16):
what anybody else would do. I just have a feeling
that if if Shaq said that, maybe I don't know,
to a different player, Kevin Durant or something like that,
that there would be a lot more sensitive about it.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
And here now it's the second straight.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Time that TNT you know person is picked again. Store
could have maybe I had said something that could have
been sensed as disrespect and those players just kind of
brushed it off as whatever. Do you think there's anything
to that?
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Yeah? Probably? I mean listen, can we do you want
to have the real discussion? That's what we do here, right,
the real discussion. The real discussion is if you're gonna
be white and play basketball, people are gonna think you
can't play basketball.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
So it's a it's it's a I.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Don't think it's European, and I just think.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
It's a white black thing.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yeah, I don't even I don't even say anything it's
a white black thing. I don't even actually, And and
I'm sure people take that as they'll find some sort
of but like it's just a reality, right, Like, go
go through the go through your mental rolodex of all
the players that we talk about, think about it, go
through them, you know. I mean you have Shaq and Barkley. Obviously,
(08:32):
those are two incredible players. Kobe Bryant has become everyone's favorite,
you know, past legend obviously, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, like
you name it, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan you know,
and then look at the guys that you're like, eh,
they're you know, I don't know, manage you know, believe
(08:53):
like manage all be so good. I mean, obviously Dirk
had to earn people's respect and I think avoided some
of this, but it was there. They had a lot
of first round losses and there are a lot of
people that called out Dirk. So I just think that's
what it's about. And I don't people will say, well,
you're characterized in racism, Like no, like we've seen if
(09:13):
you're I'm forty eight years old, if you've watched basketball
for forty I don't know. I've probably watched basketball on
TV for forty three years, right, Magic and Worthy, Barkley
and doctor J and you know Carmelan and the outliers
(09:33):
were John Stockton. I mean, even to this day, like
people don't think John Stockton was nearly as good as
everybody in the NBA knows he was. I think that's
what it's about. And I actually think it's a reasonable
thought if all you see is one race of people
dominating a sport for your entire lifetime, and then you
see guys and they kind of look funky and awkward
(09:54):
and they don't have cut muscles, and they're not playing
above the rim, and they don't have kind of the
classic style that were we grew up on. You know,
you like it, but you're like, is that real? Is
this really as good as people think it is? I
think the answer to James Harden, like Russell Westbrook, think
about all these stars.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
But I would, I would, I would argue and maybe
this is maybe I'm arguing and I'm making my own
point and I don't realize it that it truly is
an individual basis. But you take someone like Giannis. I
think that Ghanis would also play it off. And he
is a guy who we know gets extremely worked up,
maybe over the smallest of things. But I don't think
(10:34):
that he would, and I could be wrong on my assessment,
and maybe he's done it in the past and I
don't realize it, but I just feel like the the
you know, of when Shaq said what he did to
Yokich to this thing and Luca just being like, say
hi to everybody back there, you know, go ahead and
pick us again, laugh haha. I just got the sense
(10:56):
that on an international event, and I feel like Giannis
would maybe do the same thing that I don't know,
maybe American born, maybe we're just like, let's disrespect they
didn't believe in us, and sure, maybe there's just not
that that aspect.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
I mean, I want to feel like Yanni's had carried
the disrespect card. I think Yannis gets the shack treatment, okay,
and the shock treatment is well, he's just bigger and stronger,
and because Janni's just plays downhill and uses his body
and angles and gets the rim and thought of as
a non shooter, right, and and I think I think
(11:30):
Yannis is treated the way he's treated because it feels
like he's just and Lebron has gotten some of this
as well. Just bigger, faster, stronger than anybody. Hey, that's
not fair. I think that's how Yannis is treated. I
think Luca and Jokic, I think the difference there is
they kind of have funky body movements. They're not really
above the rim guys. They're they're big and they're strong,
(11:52):
but their physique is not that of a chisel Dwight
Howard type of frame, right, And I don't and I
just I think it's the fact that how they look
and how they move and how they play, and the
fact that they're white guys in a sport that's been
dominated for our entire lifetime. But people with darker skin.
I mean, remember we did, in fact question Steph Curry. Heck,
(12:15):
I didn't think it would be this in the NBAT.
Nobody thought it would be this in the NBA. And
that wasn't because of I don't think because of, you know,
being light skinned. I think it's because he was thought
of as just run around and be a shooter and
that doesn't really that's not really tough. So I do
think there's reasons behind it. You know, remember Barkley Forever
when the Warriors, even though Warriors won their first championship,
(12:37):
is you can't win because you're just a jump shooting team,
remember that, not even realizing that the Warriors when they
won that first championship were the number one analytics wise,
the number one defensive team in the league. So part
of it, it's just the idea of when things are very,
very different than how they've always been, it's really hard
for our eyes to adjust. Don't I understand what you're saying.
(13:01):
It's what is that called? When it's I don't know,
is it not not not nationalism? When you're ah man,
there's a there's a there's a term for it when
you know you think from people from out of your country,
out of your area are somehow inferior. Huh, xenophobia. And
(13:22):
I don't think it's.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Like ethno centrism, Yeah whatever.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I just think it's one of those we've watched and
we have an image of what a great basketball player
is supposed to look like. I tell you this, I
don't think Paul Pierce gets the credit for being as
good as he actually was. Why because he moved a
lot like Luca. The only difference is Paul Pierce is black.
Am I wrong? Though?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
In getting this sense that I feel like other people
would take those comments, or other players would take those
comments more personally then like a prediction and use it
as fuel. And maybe it may all be for show,
but it just feels like you'll get you Luca not
only weren't affected by it, but just basically laughed it off.
(14:10):
And we're, you know, almost in I'm on the joke
of it. And I don't know, maybe and maybe it's
players taking themselves too seriously. I I don't know, maybe
that's that's I.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Don't think you're wrong there, Okay, that part you're right.
I just can't figure out is is that comes from
the fact that they're European and people have been questioning
them their entire lives, or the fact that their their
skin is white and they've been cushing their whole lives
and playing the sport. It's a great point, though, Dan,
because you're absolutely right. Everybody else, you know, you'll get
(14:43):
the I heard what you said. I heard what you
said like I'm in a I'm in the prediction business.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I got receipts.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
I got receipts.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
This is the best of the Done Dot Leap Show
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Speaker 1 (14:58):
What about you, Doug gott Leap Show, Fox Sports Radio.
Coming to you from the tyright dot Com Studios, tyrt
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dot com Way tire buying should be welcome in. You know,
(15:24):
it's really interesting, uh, this world and success, Like, how
do you define success? How do you find define success?
I'm fascinated by it because I would say that there's
a lot of people that don't think the Celtics have
had a successful year to this point, right, Like one
(15:46):
of the hard things is dealing with expectations. And again,
like if you go back a year ago, and I'll
use myself as an example and welcome into Doug Gottlieb
show here on Fox Sports. Du Yes, I am the
new head basketball coach at Green Bay, really fired up
about it last year. I'm also like, I understand you.
(16:09):
You think like you think you would know. Oh, well,
here's the guy. You know, he's in California, he got
an ego, he's a bunk. Things should come in and
do the Dion Sanders and just go and raid the
portal and run all the players off and ring like
I don't know, I don't know why I got that
accent But that's the point. That's not how people talk
(16:31):
up here. But the thing is that last year, one
of the things that really appealed to me was that
I thought that green Bay was massively underperforming in a
league with a type of history with however many players
were close locally. I truly believe that that Green Bay
(16:59):
was a job that you could go from four to
My target was fifteen to seventeen wins. They won eighteen
games last year. And that's why Sundance Wicks got the
Wyoming job when it came open. That's why he was
won a national Coach of the Year award. But the
reason I liked the job was one, it was underperformed,
but two, there wouldn't be gigantic expectations on a new
(17:21):
head coach who hadn't coached in college before. You got
to be reasonable, like, hey, I know basketball, I know
I can coach basketball. I know I can get this
job done. I have zero zero what's amounts of was
it imposter syndrome? Is that was called It's called imposter syndrome, right,
(17:41):
which I know what it is and I can I
kind of describe it, but I think it's pretty It's
become something that everybody talks about. So I know that
there's expectations. Now they won eighteen games, and despite the
fact that a coaching change was made and you know,
essentially May fifteenth, which is a very difficult time, it
(18:04):
doesn't mean that people aren't going to look and say, hey,
we won eighteen games last year, why can't you win
twenty this year? That's expectations. The Celtics are victims of
their own success, but also victims of what anybody would
determine to be ridiculous expectations. Don't believe me. Here's Charles
(18:25):
Barkley talking about the Celtics.
Speaker 7 (18:27):
They are the worst offense I've seen for grown folks.
Like it's like they it's like they just get a
ball to one guy and go one on one. They
win a lot of games because they got talent, but
there's it's like, like what are they doing. It's like here, Jason,
you get to the top of key, go one on one,
(18:47):
shoes step back three Jayalen you go back there, you
make a move. Everybody just stands around. It's frustrated. I
don't maybe some things will change when parsingis come back,
but the way they play offense, right now they can't
win up a.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Chip like that. Okay, let me ask you, guys, do
you know who has the number one offense and offensive
efficiency rankings in the NBA? That would that would be
the Boston Celtics. That would be the Boston Celtics. Like,
it's really interesting that And I understand what Charles is
(19:20):
saying because I've seen it too. Right, Jason Tatum, it
does feel like every game, every move is like a
workout video where he's trying to make make a move,
all right, does but the reality to it, the reality
to it is that as much as he is, he
(19:41):
does make moves like he's going against a kne Without
their starting big man, a huge cog in their offense,
they advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, and like I
have friends in Cleveland, and before Donovan Mitchell got hurt,
they felt like they had Boston right there, dead to
(20:02):
rights on the ropes. But we're going to take shots
of their offense when they were the most efficient offense
in the NBA. Really really seems weird to me, seems
super strange to me. And I think the only thing
is we just have these ridiculous expectations for the Celtics
(20:25):
and that therein lies really the issue. Right. Yes, last
year they I guess you would say they underachieved in
the playoffs. This is what they've done. Last year they
lost they last year they lost in the conference finals.
(20:45):
The year before in the finals Brad Stevens. Last year
when they were thirty six and thirty six right in
the COVID year season, they lost in the first round.
Outside of that, it's been conference finals, conference semis, conference finals,
conference finals like this has been the most honestly, over
(21:06):
the last eight years, that's the most consistent franchise in
the NBA. They've only made one NBA finals. They're very
likely to make the NBA finals again. They had the
most wins in the NBA this season, they had the
highest ranked efficient offensive efficiency ranking in the NBA, and
(21:27):
yet for whatever reason, we still felt let down by them.
What is that about? Tell me of a team, and
you know it's not me saying I love the way
they play, But remember they're also down a very important
cog and it changes you dramatically if you're missing a
starter like christophs persingis, who I think inarguably is their
(21:51):
third best player and maybe their most important because the
space that he creates. They are a victim of one thing.
They are a victim of unrealistic expectations, you know, unrealistic expectations. Again,
I can watch and sit there and go and like,
(22:14):
you know, the last two wins, they beat the Calves
without Donovan Mitchell and they end up going to the
NBA Final, NBA Eastern Conference Finals, and you're like, why
can't they win by more? Does it matter? It's just
a really weird It's it's very very strange, like the
the the Bucks, for example, have won an NBA championship
during that same time span, which is a higher ceiling
(22:36):
than that of the Celtics, who have gotten to one
NBA finals. It's fair, but they've had their own disastrous
seasons as well, far more disastrous than the Celtics. And
the only thing I can think of is that's what
happens when you have crazy expectations. Because, by any measurable metric,
(23:01):
the team with the best record who also gets to
the Eastern Conference Finals and does so without they're starting center,
who creates a lot of opportunities for them and opens
up the floor and defends the room defensively. I don't know, like,
what more are they supposed to do? Byer? What do
you think? Like what am I missing here? You know,
(23:21):
it's like it doesn't look pretty enough. Is there's some
margin a victory thing? It's never just easy. Teams don't
just lay down, especially this deep in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
I actually think it goes back to Danny Ainge and
the great job that he did as a general manager.
But then you also look at all, right, when are
we going to catch in these chips in terms of
whens are going to pay out for a championship. And
so even though Danny Inge isn't there anymore, Brad Stevens
(23:52):
moves from head coach to front office, there is still
that connection. Plus the deals you know that were made
to to swap picks and you end up drafting Jason
Tatum and doing that deal with the Sixers and that
pays off for you. All of that is well and good,
but now you really want to cash in on it.
(24:13):
And that's where I think when you look back on it,
it's been the two thousand and eight title, and that's
been it, and now that's what sixteen years ago. So
that's how I actually look at the Boston Celtics as
well as I actually thought, Doug that there was a
time when we were giving them way too much credit
because of what they haven't done. They've done a great
(24:39):
job over the last ten or fifteen years to be
able to maneuver and have their core and really not
miss a step, because wasn't there an Isaiah Thomas Eastern
Conference Finals run at one point after the KG Paul
Pierce ray Allen squad, so there was even success there
(24:59):
and then now you're waiting for this new group to
take over, and they have and they went to a
finals two years ago. But now I think that you
want a championship and honestly, if you're the Celtics, that
should be the That should be the case.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
The absolutely should be the standard. And there's no question
like but but there's a difference there between wanting a
championship and a team advances and be like, yeah, but
they didn't they should have swept them.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Yeah, you know what I I've been.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
I haven't been to as many gyms as you have, Doug,
but I've been into enough that if you have a
pickup game and there's a team out there, that team
can out of ten games, the best team there could
win nine times, like the other team's gonna get a game,
you know, sometimes maybe to you know, to ten, twenty one,
whatever the case is, it's gonna happen. Someone's gonna swap out,
(25:51):
but a team's gonna be stacked. Someone's gonna get a game.
And that's all I feel that it was. In the
type of game that Cleveland got Boston just was you know,
they're awful, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Awful, but I mean it's like it's like people freak
out when the Knicks were off a one game. That's
why it's a seven game series. You know.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
No, I'm not the greatest guy to talk to because
I get counted the Nuggets for dead and call them
frauds after the two to zero. But in the other series, yes, yeah,
so Cleveland getting a game, like in the moment, in
the moment, it's a big deal because guess what, it's
tied up at one apiece. But when we look back
in history and you're looking at Wikipedia and you're looking
(26:30):
at the you know, the twenty twenty four playoffs, all
that it's going to read is, oh, Boston won that
in five games for one. It's just the immediacy of it.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Agreed. I just it's a weird way to look at
a franchise. And it's again, it's okay to win a championship,
but it's like like Lebron James, how successful have they
been during the same time spent and he's had Anthony
Davis on his team. It's just a weird way to
look at what's inarguably an incredibly successful franchise, one that's
(27:05):
built on consistency. Now, again, that may not be good
enough for people. And I don't know if they're capable
of winning a championship. They should be massive favorites to
get to the NBA finals. But it's weird like they
they you're disappointed in another Celtics win. That's a weird
way to look at it.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
I I I was just gonna say this, Like I
think at times though, with Boston, what we do is
we try to set out the perfect path for them.
How can we make it the easiest path of resistance
for them to win a title? And sometimes if you're
just a team, you just got to go and win games.
You just got to go win. You got to beat
(27:45):
that better other team, and if you do that, you're
gonna win and you're gonna be a champion, and that's
what I think. You know, sometimes we look at the Celtics,
who like, Okay, well if they get this team, then
they get the Calves and now, gosh, if you could
face the six seed, you know, pacers, like, what's the
easiest path for them to get the title? And sometimes
for your team, you just got to go out and
win the stupid game.
Speaker 6 (28:03):
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Speaker 1 (28:14):
Dog Gollip Show you run Fox Sports Radio. I hope
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visit safety runs first dot com and safety runs first
dot com? So are we doing the schedule release thing?
(28:41):
Like it's very interesting that it's super super interesting, at
least to me. Jason is obviously negative towards it because
he's negative towards everything. But like Jason, you act like
when you were a kid. You didn't get the high
school football schedule, the basketball schedule, your your favorite colleges.
I mean part of it is you went to cal
(29:01):
State Fullarton. And I'm not I'm not crapping on cal
State Fullarton. But it's not like when you when you
go to Oklahoma State or Notre Dame. You get the
schedule and you do the that's a win, that's a loss,
that's a that's a win, that's a lot. Right. Doesn't
everybody do that?
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (29:18):
No, everyone does it, and I'm just utterly bored by it,
especially when it's done by paid professionals and they know
that the next ten minutes to kill time is a
waste of my time. It becomes white noise. If you
want me to to turn off your station or turn
the station, just say, all right, let's go over the
over and unders. Now that the schedule's out, let's compare
(29:40):
them to the over unders, and let's go down the list.
I'm going to tune into, uh, something more interesting.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Okay, But I you know, it's like, look, I mean,
I'm being completely candid with you guys. I think what
we're trying to do at Green Bay is something's ever
been done before. So I understand that there's a lot
of attention. And you know, I'm naturally somebody who has
moved the metle, whether positively negatively, in my in my
(30:07):
job here at Fox Sports Radio, or in all of
my previous jobs. But part of at least a portion
of the reason that it's been made is such a
big deal is because of the timing of when it happened. Right,
It's happened in the middle of May, you know, when
the portal has closed, except for when programs like mine,
(30:28):
you know, have a coaching change. So I gotta be
honest with you. I think that Jay stew like, can
you find other interesting things to talk about? Yeah, Luca,
I think is more interesting the Celtics, not really the
WNBA you're pushing it. Baseball just does not capture the attention.
(30:51):
And oh yeah, by the way, I think you would admit,
gambling is the lifeblood of everything in sports media now,
and this is just another way to talk about gambling.
I do. I think it's These are the receipts that
people should keep. Oh, you said that under eight wins
when the schedule came out, like, all right, well, I
didn't know that this team would lose a quarterback and
(31:12):
this team would little wide receiver R Like I you're
not wrong that it's not going to look like how
we think it looks like when it comes when the
schedule comes out. But the idea that everybody doesn't do
the win loss win loss win loss, I just I
don't know. And there's some really weird ones like the
Eagles and Packers playing in Brazil Week one of the
(31:32):
season is just weird. Byer, where are you on all
of the pilaver regarding regarding the schedule release, all the
attention on the schedule release.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
I think that a lot of this stuff is just
made up. And the reason being an I'm actually on
the side of Jason on this is we've known the
opponents since the end of the season. All that we
found out now is when to schedule your vacation during
your team by week? Are you going to have to
avoid the family on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day because your
(32:04):
team is playing, And who you're gonna your team's gonna
play in the season opener. It's all of the it's
all of that stuff that we found out, but the
actual opponents of the game we have known and where
they're going to play outside of the few international games
since the end of the season. So for that point
of now picking games of wins and loss and wins
(32:26):
and losses, I just feel as you could have done
that four months ago. The point is it's mid May
and you're looking for something to talk about, and that's
the least creative thing that you could do. I think
he's more offended as a radio producer than in than anything,
right Jason.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
But then but then again, like our job is to
find something or a way of talking about that makes
it more interesting, and Jason's deal is I think it's
his level of disappointment with others that can't find something
more interesting. Stut Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. I hope
you're having just the greatest day ever, ever, ever ever
professional criminals. I go that ways, like if you get
(33:06):
arrested for that car heist and you're like, hey, listen,
you're a professional criminal, thank you very much. I believe
our next guest has his own music, doesn't he like?
Cue the cheesy music? I need little tone log. That's
because we got to talk some NBA with the one.
Ah uh huh. Well, Mark Medina, he's our Fox Sports
(33:29):
radio NBA Insider. All right, Mark, we got a lot
to get to with you, Doug real quick.
Speaker 8 (33:41):
I might have a cheesy interest on but only you
have your own radio show and now a head coaching
take much congratulations and respect. I'm happy for you with ever, then.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Thank you, thank you. We'll hang out at a Bucks game
and maybe a Laker game. Speaking of which, where are
the Lakers in their in their coaching search?
Speaker 8 (33:59):
Yeah, I just checked in with some folks this morning.
It's moving along because you know, they had some conversations
during the NBA Draft combine. They expect that it'll start
picking up quickly, probably when the draft combine ends, So
I expect there to be more clarity on what happens
next week. But a lot of people around the league
(34:21):
think that all signs are pointing toward JJ Reddick becoming
the next head coach. And that's not definitive because the
Lakers say they want to cast a y net talked
to a lot of candidates, but there is a sense
that even if they'll do that, part of it is
trying to gauge which experience coach or respected assistants would
have an interest in being part of JJ Reddick's staff.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
So if I had to say percentage chance you think
JJ becomes the guy, what do you think it is?
Speaker 8 (34:51):
Yeah, I don't think it's one hundred percent, But if
I had to put a percent, I'd say like eighty percent. Again,
they'll go through all the checks and they're very well aware.
You know that the immediate counterpoint against JJ Redick and
he's never been a head coach before, and how do
you manage even though if you hear podcast buddies with
Lebron James, how does that actually correlate to holding him
(35:12):
accountable and coaching him at this stage of his career.
But I think the feeling that they have is they
love the positive parts about him. You know, former NBA player,
strong basketball IQ can relate to star players, role players,
and the potential weaknesses could be medicated if he has
a good coaching staff around them. But you know, they
have to go through that whole process to figure out
(35:35):
if that's what they do.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
I mean, how can you hire a guy who's just
got a podcast? I mean the National radio show now
now it would now it really show you something. Specially
Mark Medina joining us are our Fox Sports Radio NBA
Insider I thought Luca was hurt.
Speaker 8 (35:51):
Yeah, well he still is hurt. I think he's the
old adage of the difference between being hurt and being injured.
So he's not injured because that means you want to
be able to play. He is hurt. But I think
one of the things that enthralled the Mavericks ever since
he's joined, you know them as the young rookie, was
not just his talent, but his pain threshold. So yeah,
(36:11):
he's very much hobbling, but he's been gutting it out.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Mark what's going on in Cleveland? Would JB. Bickerstaff?
Speaker 8 (36:20):
Yeah, I thought reports as much as you did about
for me as family athletic, about that they're gonna take
their time and reevaluate JV. Bicker Staff. I was surprised
only because I thought the injuries and the overlapping part
of it would give them a mulligan a little bit.
So the fact that they're having to reevaluate something that
(36:41):
doesn't give me a good sign of confidence that that
then they'll then conclude, Hey, he's our head coach. You're
either you're kind of in ory or out right. I
thought if they were to make a change, it would
be if there's not they're not gaining early returns on
next season.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
What that means for the That's when he said I
was What did he say? I was inoculated? What was
this the actual word immune? Immunized? Right? He lied? He lied,
and he he gave a soft landing spot to people
who chose not to be vaccinated or actually had a
kind of a kind of a harsh you know. But
he didn't say we, He said they, like dude, you know,
(37:21):
so he has a he has a credibility problem. You
know that the only reason he's come to become this
anti vax guy is because he was at one point
in time scared to reveal whatever his truth was. Like,
it does give you, it actually makes you respect Novak
Djokovic more because of what happened. Basically missed out on
(37:41):
what Too Australian opens because of it. Sure, so I
understand what Aaron's saying. I don't know if we become
a nation of cowards. But I also think that if
he's honest, If Aaron Rodgers is honest, he would tell you, hey, man,
(38:03):
I have a credibility problem. And it hasn't been the
same ever since I lied at that press conference. Why
I can't play for you because we can't. All right,
That's it for in.
Speaker 8 (38:13):
The ultimately face, it's just more of the cost of
what you're giving up than any misgivings about him as
a player.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
I mean, like, look, there's obviously you're gonna lose a
lot defensively, but you're gonna gain a lot offensively, and
you have to kind of prepare for that. And there
are no perfect players out there out there. Okay, what
about Miami. I mean, since we last talked, since we
last spoke, okay, h.
Speaker 8 (38:55):
No folly, but I think it's gonna be they either
completely re build from scratch and start over and blow
it up, or they do the same Miami route they've
done in past seasons, where they don't want to be
in a position to tank, so they're just going to
improve on the margins and that's a dramatic, you know,
philosophy shift. But I think that they're not going to
(39:17):
tiptoe around. I think that this is going to be
the time that they do blow it up. But if
they don't, I could see it being the same course
of action they lean on, you know, overachieving heat culture,
all those fun cliches that have validity do it. But
I do think now is the time that they're going
to make the painful but necessary decision to start over.
(39:38):
Because look, Doug, like they're accomplished much respect, but them
gaining the NBA Finals last season as an eight C
was impressive, but it wasn't sustainable, and I think now
is the time to start pulling that trigger.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
Okay, then, speaking of sustainable, people have questioned the sustainability
of what New York is doing. They have a three
game you know, they have a three games to two lead,
but how much gas is in that tank? If and
when they even vanquished Indy to take on Boston.
Speaker 8 (40:05):
Yeah, look, I thought they would have run out of
gas already against Indiana. I mean, they shouldn't be in
this series at all because you know, no Joyce Randall,
no O, John Andobi, no bog Tom Bugdanovich, no, Mitchell Robinson,
jo and Brunson's been a gamer, but he's not one
hundred percent. I think that they can beat Indiana. How
what can they do to Boston? I guess you have
(40:25):
to have the qualifier. This porzingis injury. You never know
what's going to happen with it. But I don't think
that they have enough against Boston, but I do think
that moving forward it is sustainable. I don't agree with
Raymond Green's assessment that this is a fluke, and it's
similar to what we saw with Trey Young with the
Hawks a few years ago. This is something that they
have an identity Jalen Brunson, as you know very well,
(40:48):
he is a winning player. He's a star. He can
continue to build off of that. He makes his teammates
better and injuries or not, the Knicks have an identity
under Tom Thibodeau that they are resilient team that will overachieve.
I think that's a great winning formula to sustain next season.
But in the short term, I don't think that's enough
against Boston because even if they sometimes play with their food,
(41:11):
their talent in depth is what it is.
Speaker 1 (41:13):
Okay, and then you have Minnesota jumps out to a
three a two games none lead and then back swings
the champs. Yeah. Obviously, Rudy Gobert has been the one
that people have pointed out that hasn't brought nearly what
A guy with his salary and all the mountains they
moved to get him, what what? What are your thoughts.
(41:34):
What are people saying about Minnesota and the sudden collapse
after that two games done lead on the road.
Speaker 8 (41:40):
Yeah, you know it doesn't fit well. But I don't
think that there's gonna be dramatic changes this offseason. I mean,
we have to keep in mind that the person that
pulled that deal, Tim Connolly, was the same executive that
helped build the Denver Nuggets into what they are. And
what what did the Denver Nuggets become? They became an
NBA champion, partly because obviously they have to, but they
(42:01):
leaned on the continuity formula. I think that's what Minnesota's
playing card is going to be here. And to be clear,
Doug like, they're not just happy to be here. They've
wanted to win a championship. They feel that they've shown
they have what it takes to beat the Denver Nuggets
in advance. So if they lose, it'll be a disappointing season.
But I don't think it's going to be about Okay,
we got to make dramatic changes here. It's more about
(42:23):
the internal improvements and then build off of that for
next season.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Mark, you're the best man, love talking hope, so with
you love to catch up in person when I'm back
out in Socao in the meantime, Thanks so much for
being our guest on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 8 (42:36):
Hey Doug, thanks so much as well. And I guess
i'll steal your line right I'll see you on the court.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
three to five Eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
Find your local station for the Doug Gottlieb Show at
Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR Boom one of America.
Doug Gottlieb Show Fox Sports Radio coming to you from
(00:23):
the tyrag dot com studios tyrat dot com. Well we
get there unmatched selection, fast, free shipping, free road hazard
protection over ten thousand, recommending his dollars Direct dot com.
Man is the way tire buying should be. How you doing?
Welcome in, Welcome in, Welcome in. So I don't hate
(00:44):
to say I told you so, I in fact told
you so, and it's it's really interesting to me and
the thunder go down to the Dallas Mavericks one oh
four ninety two, and as many of you guys know,
I started my radio career in Oklahoma City. I got
great friends there. Was there last week I went to
Game one and I remember coming on local radio and
(01:04):
I said, like they were like, man, this is who
were we going to play in the conference. File was like,
you know, I don't love this matchup for Oklahoma City,
and after game one it would be really hard. And
I said, okay, well, the two things are the physicality
of the series is going to crank up, and you know,
you know, Luca's gonna win a game for you know,
(01:25):
Luca's gonna win a game. And I got the eye rolls,
I got a little bit of everything. But man, did
that end up playing out? And I get you look
at Shay and he had thirty and eight, but did
those eight really create shots and make them better? And like, look,
(01:46):
Oklahoma City, you go ten to forty from three point range,
you're going to get beat. Many nights that happened. Cason Wallace,
who had shot the basketball so well, shot the ball
poorly last night. Josh Giddy statistically played a lot lot better,
so you know, being moved out of the starting lineup,
But Isaiah Joe, who's just a shooter, didn't shoot the
ball particularly well. But the story of the game was
(02:09):
what is the fact that Luca continues, by my estimation
to be one be with Nikola Jokic as one a
of the best players in the world playing basketball, the
best players in the world playing basketball, and I don't
think it's all that close. Don't get me wrong. I
love Jalen Brunson, love love love, love love love Jalen Brunson,
(02:34):
and Jalen Brunson has had that type of effect on
the next series, on the next playoff run. But in
terms of overall control of a game and just dominate
a game, Luca and Jokic are in fact the two
best in the world. So what does that mean. Well,
that means for Oklahoma City does feel like you have
to I mean this series should be over if the
Mavericks made free throws and now they have two games
(02:56):
to make those free throws to win those games. Doesn't
mean Oklahoma City is gonna go whimpering into the night.
I think they'll fight back, but I do think they lose.
In Game six, the Celtics end up getting a win,
but the story to me remains I don't really understand
why people are in denial about how special Luka donca kiss.
(03:16):
Here's Luca who he's asked about Charles Barkley's prediction that
they'd lose the game and the series. Well, I love
that show.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
I love those four guys always watch it all the games.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Well, maybe next time he can say it again in
the net's game, so maybe we'll win again.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
So but that's it.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
I know what to say, all right, Hell and Draymond,
Draymond say hello to Raymond.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
To say hello to Draymond too, Srey Hello to Draymond. Two.
I love it. And by the way, Draymond being in studio,
it does kind of like I like Draymond on TV,
but it does kind of look at too many guys,
too many guys. Here's here's Luca after.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
The game, Luca, this Oklahoma City fan base has taken
a little bit of a liking to you, so to speak.
As a competitor, do you thrive on just being able
to silence the crowd the way he did in the
game that you had?
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I love it. I wanted to try. Luca sucks and
gets me going. It's even better. How good is he?
Why don't people like Luka? Doncik? Is it the complaining
to the officials? Is that what it is? Is it
just because he plays for a different team. But I'm
gonna tell you that none of the surprises me. And
(04:30):
the best part about it is what he did after
missing that big free throw. Going back to game four,
now he misses a free throw when they're down too,
he makes one out of two. He slams his hand
against the bench, and of course the Mavericks went on
and missed another free throw front end of a one
on one PJ. Washington did when they're down three, and
(04:52):
they had to make a free throw, miss one. But
that's still would have taken a miracle to send that
thing to overtime. But Luca did what you want any
great player to do. Yeah, he choked that free throw.
He missed a free throw that he should have made
to tie the game absolutely, And the next game out
he drops a triple double, and the next game out
(05:12):
he's completely dominant. In the next game He's the best
player on the floor, and you could make an easy
argument the best player in the world. I mean, Luca
is so much better than I think anyone can really imagine.
And as part of it is it it's almost like
he's moving in slow motion, and those slow motion guys,
(05:34):
you know that kind of awkward movement guys, Those dudes
are very very very extremely hard to guard, extremely hard
to understand, to get a good feel for, because it
feels like they should be moving faster, they should be explosive,
they should be you know, if you're that good, you
(05:55):
have to be like Michael Jordan. You have to be
like a Tracy McGrady. You have to be like a
Vince Carr. You have to have some sort of dominate
even Lebron James just dominant physique, dominant athleticism, and for
whatever reason, Luca lures us to sleep and finds a
way to make it work. I don't know, I'm fascinated
by the Luca thing. Fascinated and the fact that he
(06:18):
loves the fact that he loves playing in front of
a hostile crowd and plays to it and eats it
up makes it even better.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Yeah, Dan, So we debate a lot of stuff, and
one of the things not only on The Doug Gottlieb Show,
but NBA, Twitter, sports fans, whatever, but the US versus
international players is always a discussion. The Luca response to
Charles Barkley and the TNT crew not picking them is
(06:51):
now the second straight time where we've had an international
player brush off and laugh off their predictions or their comments. Like,
I don't know, if do you think an American born
player would be like, well, that's just disrespect like that,
they would make it a bigger thing or are our
Luca and you know, uh, you'll get you just being
(07:16):
what anybody else would do. I just have a feeling
that if if Shaq said that, maybe I don't know,
to a different player, Kevin Durant or something like that,
that there would be a lot more sensitive about it.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
And here now it's the second straight.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Time that TNT you know person is picked again. Store
could have maybe I had said something that could have
been sensed as disrespect and those players just kind of
brushed it off as whatever. Do you think there's anything
to that?
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Yeah? Probably? I mean listen, can we do you want
to have the real discussion? That's what we do here, right,
the real discussion. The real discussion is if you're gonna
be white and play basketball, people are gonna think you
can't play basketball.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
So it's a it's it's a I.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Don't think it's European, and I just think.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
It's a white black thing.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yeah, I don't even I don't even say anything it's
a white black thing. I don't even actually, And and
I'm sure people take that as they'll find some sort
of but like it's just a reality, right, Like, go
go through the go through your mental rolodex of all
the players that we talk about, think about it, go
through them, you know. I mean you have Shaq and Barkley. Obviously,
(08:32):
those are two incredible players. Kobe Bryant has become everyone's favorite,
you know, past legend obviously, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, like
you name it, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan you know,
and then look at the guys that you're like, eh,
they're you know, I don't know, manage you know, believe
(08:53):
like manage all be so good. I mean, obviously Dirk
had to earn people's respect and I think avoided some
of this, but it was there. They had a lot
of first round losses and there are a lot of
people that called out Dirk. So I just think that's
what it's about. And I don't people will say, well,
you're characterized in racism, Like no, like we've seen if
(09:13):
you're I'm forty eight years old, if you've watched basketball
for forty I don't know. I've probably watched basketball on
TV for forty three years, right, Magic and Worthy, Barkley
and doctor J and you know Carmelan and the outliers
(09:33):
were John Stockton. I mean, even to this day, like
people don't think John Stockton was nearly as good as
everybody in the NBA knows he was. I think that's
what it's about. And I actually think it's a reasonable
thought if all you see is one race of people
dominating a sport for your entire lifetime, and then you
see guys and they kind of look funky and awkward
(09:54):
and they don't have cut muscles, and they're not playing
above the rim, and they don't have kind of the
classic style that were we grew up on. You know,
you like it, but you're like, is that real? Is
this really as good as people think it is? I
think the answer to James Harden, like Russell Westbrook, think
about all these stars.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
But I would, I would, I would argue and maybe
this is maybe I'm arguing and I'm making my own
point and I don't realize it that it truly is
an individual basis. But you take someone like Giannis. I
think that Ghanis would also play it off. And he
is a guy who we know gets extremely worked up,
maybe over the smallest of things. But I don't think
(10:34):
that he would, and I could be wrong on my assessment,
and maybe he's done it in the past and I
don't realize it, but I just feel like the the
you know, of when Shaq said what he did to
Yokich to this thing and Luca just being like, say
hi to everybody back there, you know, go ahead and
pick us again, laugh haha. I just got the sense
(10:56):
that on an international event, and I feel like Giannis
would maybe do the same thing that I don't know,
maybe American born, maybe we're just like, let's disrespect they
didn't believe in us, and sure, maybe there's just not
that that aspect.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
I mean, I want to feel like Yanni's had carried
the disrespect card. I think Yannis gets the shack treatment, okay,
and the shock treatment is well, he's just bigger and stronger,
and because Janni's just plays downhill and uses his body
and angles and gets the rim and thought of as
a non shooter, right, and and I think I think
(11:30):
Yannis is treated the way he's treated because it feels
like he's just and Lebron has gotten some of this
as well. Just bigger, faster, stronger than anybody. Hey, that's
not fair. I think that's how Yannis is treated. I
think Luca and Jokic, I think the difference there is
they kind of have funky body movements. They're not really
above the rim guys. They're they're big and they're strong,
(11:52):
but their physique is not that of a chisel Dwight
Howard type of frame, right, And I don't and I
just I think it's the fact that how they look
and how they move and how they play, and the
fact that they're white guys in a sport that's been
dominated for our entire lifetime. But people with darker skin.
I mean, remember we did, in fact question Steph Curry. Heck,
(12:15):
I didn't think it would be this in the NBAT.
Nobody thought it would be this in the NBA. And
that wasn't because of I don't think because of, you know,
being light skinned. I think it's because he was thought
of as just run around and be a shooter and
that doesn't really that's not really tough. So I do
think there's reasons behind it. You know, remember Barkley Forever
when the Warriors, even though Warriors won their first championship,
(12:37):
is you can't win because you're just a jump shooting team,
remember that, not even realizing that the Warriors when they
won that first championship were the number one analytics wise,
the number one defensive team in the league. So part
of it, it's just the idea of when things are very,
very different than how they've always been, it's really hard
for our eyes to adjust. Don't I understand what you're saying.
(13:01):
It's what is that called? When it's I don't know,
is it not not not nationalism? When you're ah man,
there's a there's a there's a term for it when
you know you think from people from out of your country,
out of your area are somehow inferior. Huh, xenophobia. And
(13:22):
I don't think it's.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Like ethno centrism, Yeah whatever.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I just think it's one of those we've watched and
we have an image of what a great basketball player
is supposed to look like. I tell you this, I
don't think Paul Pierce gets the credit for being as
good as he actually was. Why because he moved a
lot like Luca. The only difference is Paul Pierce is black.
Am I wrong? Though?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
In getting this sense that I feel like other people
would take those comments, or other players would take those
comments more personally then like a prediction and use it
as fuel. And maybe it may all be for show,
but it just feels like you'll get you Luca not
only weren't affected by it, but just basically laughed it off.
(14:10):
And we're, you know, almost in I'm on the joke
of it. And I don't know, maybe and maybe it's
players taking themselves too seriously. I I don't know, maybe
that's that's I.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Don't think you're wrong there, Okay, that part you're right.
I just can't figure out is is that comes from
the fact that they're European and people have been questioning
them their entire lives, or the fact that their their
skin is white and they've been cushing their whole lives
and playing the sport. It's a great point, though, Dan,
because you're absolutely right. Everybody else, you know, you'll get
(14:43):
the I heard what you said. I heard what you
said like I'm in a I'm in the prediction business.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I got receipts.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
I got receipts.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
This is the best of the Done Dot Leap Show
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
What about you, Doug gott Leap Show, Fox Sports Radio.
Coming to you from the tyright dot Com Studios, tyrt
dot com, Wepe, we get there, unmatched selection, fast, free shipping,
free road as protection, over ten thousand recommended stallars, Tyraight
dot com Way tire buying should be welcome in. You know,
(15:24):
it's really interesting, uh, this world and success, Like, how
do you define success? How do you find define success?
I'm fascinated by it because I would say that there's
a lot of people that don't think the Celtics have
had a successful year to this point, right, Like one
(15:46):
of the hard things is dealing with expectations. And again,
like if you go back a year ago, and I'll
use myself as an example and welcome into Doug Gottlieb
show here on Fox Sports. Du Yes, I am the
new head basketball coach at Green Bay, really fired up
about it last year. I'm also like, I understand you.
(16:09):
You think like you think you would know. Oh, well,
here's the guy. You know, he's in California, he got
an ego, he's a bunk. Things should come in and
do the Dion Sanders and just go and raid the
portal and run all the players off and ring like
I don't know, I don't know why I got that
accent But that's the point. That's not how people talk
(16:31):
up here. But the thing is that last year, one
of the things that really appealed to me was that
I thought that green Bay was massively underperforming in a
league with a type of history with however many players
were close locally. I truly believe that that Green Bay
(16:59):
was a job that you could go from four to
My target was fifteen to seventeen wins. They won eighteen
games last year. And that's why Sundance Wicks got the
Wyoming job when it came open. That's why he was
won a national Coach of the Year award. But the
reason I liked the job was one, it was underperformed,
but two, there wouldn't be gigantic expectations on a new
(17:21):
head coach who hadn't coached in college before. You got
to be reasonable, like, hey, I know basketball, I know
I can coach basketball. I know I can get this
job done. I have zero zero what's amounts of was
it imposter syndrome? Is that was called It's called imposter syndrome, right,
(17:41):
which I know what it is and I can I
kind of describe it, but I think it's pretty It's
become something that everybody talks about. So I know that
there's expectations. Now they won eighteen games, and despite the
fact that a coaching change was made and you know,
essentially May fifteenth, which is a very difficult time, it
(18:04):
doesn't mean that people aren't going to look and say, hey,
we won eighteen games last year, why can't you win
twenty this year? That's expectations. The Celtics are victims of
their own success, but also victims of what anybody would
determine to be ridiculous expectations. Don't believe me. Here's Charles
(18:25):
Barkley talking about the Celtics.
Speaker 7 (18:27):
They are the worst offense I've seen for grown folks.
Like it's like they it's like they just get a
ball to one guy and go one on one. They
win a lot of games because they got talent, but
there's it's like, like what are they doing. It's like here, Jason,
you get to the top of key, go one on one,
(18:47):
shoes step back three Jayalen you go back there, you
make a move. Everybody just stands around. It's frustrated. I
don't maybe some things will change when parsingis come back,
but the way they play offense, right now they can't
win up a.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Chip like that. Okay, let me ask you, guys, do
you know who has the number one offense and offensive
efficiency rankings in the NBA? That would that would be
the Boston Celtics. That would be the Boston Celtics. Like,
it's really interesting that And I understand what Charles is
(19:20):
saying because I've seen it too. Right, Jason Tatum, it
does feel like every game, every move is like a
workout video where he's trying to make make a move,
all right, does but the reality to it, the reality
to it is that as much as he is, he
(19:41):
does make moves like he's going against a kne Without
their starting big man, a huge cog in their offense,
they advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, and like I
have friends in Cleveland, and before Donovan Mitchell got hurt,
they felt like they had Boston right there, dead to
(20:02):
rights on the ropes. But we're going to take shots
of their offense when they were the most efficient offense
in the NBA. Really really seems weird to me, seems
super strange to me. And I think the only thing
is we just have these ridiculous expectations for the Celtics
(20:25):
and that therein lies really the issue. Right. Yes, last
year they I guess you would say they underachieved in
the playoffs. This is what they've done. Last year they
lost they last year they lost in the conference finals.
(20:45):
The year before in the finals Brad Stevens. Last year
when they were thirty six and thirty six right in
the COVID year season, they lost in the first round.
Outside of that, it's been conference finals, conference semis, conference finals,
conference finals like this has been the most honestly, over
(21:06):
the last eight years, that's the most consistent franchise in
the NBA. They've only made one NBA finals. They're very
likely to make the NBA finals again. They had the
most wins in the NBA this season, they had the
highest ranked efficient offensive efficiency ranking in the NBA, and
(21:27):
yet for whatever reason, we still felt let down by them.
What is that about? Tell me of a team, and
you know it's not me saying I love the way
they play, But remember they're also down a very important
cog and it changes you dramatically if you're missing a
starter like christophs persingis, who I think inarguably is their
(21:51):
third best player and maybe their most important because the
space that he creates. They are a victim of one thing.
They are a victim of unrealistic expectations, you know, unrealistic expectations. Again,
I can watch and sit there and go and like,
(22:14):
you know, the last two wins, they beat the Calves
without Donovan Mitchell and they end up going to the
NBA Final, NBA Eastern Conference Finals, and you're like, why
can't they win by more? Does it matter? It's just
a really weird It's it's very very strange, like the
the the Bucks, for example, have won an NBA championship
during that same time span, which is a higher ceiling
(22:36):
than that of the Celtics, who have gotten to one
NBA finals. It's fair, but they've had their own disastrous
seasons as well, far more disastrous than the Celtics. And
the only thing I can think of is that's what
happens when you have crazy expectations. Because, by any measurable metric,
(23:01):
the team with the best record who also gets to
the Eastern Conference Finals and does so without they're starting center,
who creates a lot of opportunities for them and opens
up the floor and defends the room defensively. I don't know, like,
what more are they supposed to do? Byer? What do
you think? Like what am I missing here? You know,
(23:21):
it's like it doesn't look pretty enough. Is there's some
margin a victory thing? It's never just easy. Teams don't
just lay down, especially this deep in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
I actually think it goes back to Danny Ainge and
the great job that he did as a general manager.
But then you also look at all, right, when are
we going to catch in these chips in terms of
whens are going to pay out for a championship. And
so even though Danny Inge isn't there anymore, Brad Stevens
(23:52):
moves from head coach to front office, there is still
that connection. Plus the deals you know that were made
to to swap picks and you end up drafting Jason
Tatum and doing that deal with the Sixers and that
pays off for you. All of that is well and good,
but now you really want to cash in on it.
(24:13):
And that's where I think when you look back on it,
it's been the two thousand and eight title, and that's
been it, and now that's what sixteen years ago. So
that's how I actually look at the Boston Celtics as
well as I actually thought, Doug that there was a
time when we were giving them way too much credit
because of what they haven't done. They've done a great
(24:39):
job over the last ten or fifteen years to be
able to maneuver and have their core and really not
miss a step, because wasn't there an Isaiah Thomas Eastern
Conference Finals run at one point after the KG Paul
Pierce ray Allen squad, so there was even success there
(24:59):
and then now you're waiting for this new group to
take over, and they have and they went to a
finals two years ago. But now I think that you
want a championship and honestly, if you're the Celtics, that
should be the That should be the case.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
The absolutely should be the standard. And there's no question
like but but there's a difference there between wanting a
championship and a team advances and be like, yeah, but
they didn't they should have swept them.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Yeah, you know what I I've been.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
I haven't been to as many gyms as you have, Doug,
but I've been into enough that if you have a
pickup game and there's a team out there, that team
can out of ten games, the best team there could
win nine times, like the other team's gonna get a game,
you know, sometimes maybe to you know, to ten, twenty one,
whatever the case is, it's gonna happen. Someone's gonna swap out,
(25:51):
but a team's gonna be stacked. Someone's gonna get a game.
And that's all I feel that it was. In the
type of game that Cleveland got Boston just was you know,
they're awful, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Awful, but I mean it's like it's like people freak
out when the Knicks were off a one game. That's
why it's a seven game series. You know.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
No, I'm not the greatest guy to talk to because
I get counted the Nuggets for dead and call them
frauds after the two to zero. But in the other series, yes, yeah,
so Cleveland getting a game, like in the moment, in
the moment, it's a big deal because guess what, it's
tied up at one apiece. But when we look back
in history and you're looking at Wikipedia and you're looking
(26:30):
at the you know, the twenty twenty four playoffs, all
that it's going to read is, oh, Boston won that
in five games for one. It's just the immediacy of it.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Agreed. I just it's a weird way to look at
a franchise. And it's again, it's okay to win a championship,
but it's like like Lebron James, how successful have they
been during the same time spent and he's had Anthony
Davis on his team. It's just a weird way to
look at what's inarguably an incredibly successful franchise, one that's
(27:05):
built on consistency. Now, again, that may not be good
enough for people. And I don't know if they're capable
of winning a championship. They should be massive favorites to
get to the NBA finals. But it's weird like they
they you're disappointed in another Celtics win. That's a weird
way to look at it.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
I I I was just gonna say this, Like I
think at times though, with Boston, what we do is
we try to set out the perfect path for them.
How can we make it the easiest path of resistance
for them to win a title? And sometimes if you're
just a team, you just got to go and win games.
You just got to go win. You got to beat
(27:45):
that better other team, and if you do that, you're
gonna win and you're gonna be a champion, and that's
what I think. You know, sometimes we look at the Celtics,
who like, Okay, well if they get this team, then
they get the Calves and now, gosh, if you could
face the six seed, you know, pacers, like, what's the
easiest path for them to get the title? And sometimes
for your team, you just got to go out and
win the stupid game.
Speaker 6 (28:03):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation yet. Catch all of our shows at Fox
sports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Dog Gollip Show you run Fox Sports Radio. I hope
you're having a great day. Doug Gollip Show broadcast live
from the Tyrack dot com studios. Thoroughbred resting its new
independent regular HEISA implementing comprehensive reforms of sports, combining hands
on care with cutting into technology keep its athletes say,
visit safety runs first dot com and safety runs first
dot com? So are we doing the schedule release thing?
(28:41):
Like it's very interesting that it's super super interesting, at
least to me. Jason is obviously negative towards it because
he's negative towards everything. But like Jason, you act like
when you were a kid. You didn't get the high
school football schedule, the basketball schedule, your your favorite colleges.
I mean part of it is you went to cal
(29:01):
State Fullarton. And I'm not I'm not crapping on cal
State Fullarton. But it's not like when you when you
go to Oklahoma State or Notre Dame. You get the
schedule and you do the that's a win, that's a loss,
that's a that's a win, that's a lot. Right. Doesn't
everybody do that?
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (29:18):
No, everyone does it, and I'm just utterly bored by it,
especially when it's done by paid professionals and they know
that the next ten minutes to kill time is a
waste of my time. It becomes white noise. If you
want me to to turn off your station or turn
the station, just say, all right, let's go over the
over and unders. Now that the schedule's out, let's compare
(29:40):
them to the over unders, and let's go down the list.
I'm going to tune into, uh, something more interesting.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Okay, But I you know, it's like, look, I mean,
I'm being completely candid with you guys. I think what
we're trying to do at Green Bay is something's ever
been done before. So I understand that there's a lot
of attention. And you know, I'm naturally somebody who has
moved the metle, whether positively negatively, in my in my
(30:07):
job here at Fox Sports Radio, or in all of
my previous jobs. But part of at least a portion
of the reason that it's been made is such a
big deal is because of the timing of when it happened. Right,
It's happened in the middle of May, you know, when
the portal has closed, except for when programs like mine,
(30:28):
you know, have a coaching change. So I gotta be
honest with you. I think that Jay stew like, can
you find other interesting things to talk about? Yeah, Luca,
I think is more interesting the Celtics, not really the
WNBA you're pushing it. Baseball just does not capture the attention.
(30:51):
And oh yeah, by the way, I think you would admit,
gambling is the lifeblood of everything in sports media now,
and this is just another way to talk about gambling.
I do. I think it's These are the receipts that
people should keep. Oh, you said that under eight wins
when the schedule came out, like, all right, well, I
didn't know that this team would lose a quarterback and
(31:12):
this team would little wide receiver R Like I you're
not wrong that it's not going to look like how
we think it looks like when it comes when the
schedule comes out. But the idea that everybody doesn't do
the win loss win loss win loss, I just I
don't know. And there's some really weird ones like the
Eagles and Packers playing in Brazil Week one of the
(31:32):
season is just weird. Byer, where are you on all
of the pilaver regarding regarding the schedule release, all the
attention on the schedule release.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
I think that a lot of this stuff is just
made up. And the reason being an I'm actually on
the side of Jason on this is we've known the
opponents since the end of the season. All that we
found out now is when to schedule your vacation during
your team by week? Are you going to have to
avoid the family on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day because your
(32:04):
team is playing, And who you're gonna your team's gonna
play in the season opener. It's all of the it's
all of that stuff that we found out, but the
actual opponents of the game we have known and where
they're going to play outside of the few international games
since the end of the season. So for that point
of now picking games of wins and loss and wins
(32:26):
and losses, I just feel as you could have done
that four months ago. The point is it's mid May
and you're looking for something to talk about, and that's
the least creative thing that you could do. I think
he's more offended as a radio producer than in than anything,
right Jason.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
But then but then again, like our job is to
find something or a way of talking about that makes
it more interesting, and Jason's deal is I think it's
his level of disappointment with others that can't find something
more interesting. Stut Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. I hope
you're having just the greatest day ever, ever, ever ever
professional criminals. I go that ways, like if you get
(33:06):
arrested for that car heist and you're like, hey, listen,
you're a professional criminal, thank you very much. I believe
our next guest has his own music, doesn't he like?
Cue the cheesy music? I need little tone log. That's
because we got to talk some NBA with the one.
Ah uh huh. Well, Mark Medina, he's our Fox Sports
(33:29):
radio NBA Insider. All right, Mark, we got a lot
to get to with you, Doug real quick.
Speaker 8 (33:41):
I might have a cheesy interest on but only you
have your own radio show and now a head coaching
take much congratulations and respect. I'm happy for you with ever, then.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Thank you, thank you. We'll hang out at a Bucks game
and maybe a Laker game. Speaking of which, where are
the Lakers in their in their coaching search?
Speaker 8 (33:59):
Yeah, I just checked in with some folks this morning.
It's moving along because you know, they had some conversations
during the NBA Draft combine. They expect that it'll start
picking up quickly, probably when the draft combine ends, So
I expect there to be more clarity on what happens
next week. But a lot of people around the league
(34:21):
think that all signs are pointing toward JJ Reddick becoming
the next head coach. And that's not definitive because the
Lakers say they want to cast a y net talked
to a lot of candidates, but there is a sense
that even if they'll do that, part of it is
trying to gauge which experience coach or respected assistants would
have an interest in being part of JJ Reddick's staff.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
So if I had to say percentage chance you think
JJ becomes the guy, what do you think it is?
Speaker 8 (34:51):
Yeah, I don't think it's one hundred percent, But if
I had to put a percent, I'd say like eighty percent. Again,
they'll go through all the checks and they're very well aware.
You know that the immediate counterpoint against JJ Redick and
he's never been a head coach before, and how do
you manage even though if you hear podcast buddies with
Lebron James, how does that actually correlate to holding him
(35:12):
accountable and coaching him at this stage of his career.
But I think the feeling that they have is they
love the positive parts about him. You know, former NBA player,
strong basketball IQ can relate to star players, role players,
and the potential weaknesses could be medicated if he has
a good coaching staff around them. But you know, they
have to go through that whole process to figure out
(35:35):
if that's what they do.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
I mean, how can you hire a guy who's just
got a podcast? I mean the National radio show now
now it would now it really show you something. Specially
Mark Medina joining us are our Fox Sports Radio NBA
Insider I thought Luca was hurt.
Speaker 8 (35:51):
Yeah, well he still is hurt. I think he's the
old adage of the difference between being hurt and being injured.
So he's not injured because that means you want to
be able to play. He is hurt. But I think
one of the things that enthralled the Mavericks ever since
he's joined, you know them as the young rookie, was
not just his talent, but his pain threshold. So yeah,
(36:11):
he's very much hobbling, but he's been gutting it out.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Mark what's going on in Cleveland? Would JB. Bickerstaff?
Speaker 8 (36:20):
Yeah, I thought reports as much as you did about
for me as family athletic, about that they're gonna take
their time and reevaluate JV. Bicker Staff. I was surprised
only because I thought the injuries and the overlapping part
of it would give them a mulligan a little bit.
So the fact that they're having to reevaluate something that
(36:41):
doesn't give me a good sign of confidence that that
then they'll then conclude, Hey, he's our head coach. You're
either you're kind of in ory or out right. I
thought if they were to make a change, it would
be if there's not they're not gaining early returns on
next season.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
What that means for the That's when he said I
was What did he say? I was inoculated? What was
this the actual word immune? Immunized? Right? He lied? He lied,
and he he gave a soft landing spot to people
who chose not to be vaccinated or actually had a
kind of a kind of a harsh you know. But
he didn't say we, He said they, like dude, you know,
(37:21):
so he has a he has a credibility problem. You
know that the only reason he's come to become this
anti vax guy is because he was at one point
in time scared to reveal whatever his truth was. Like,
it does give you, it actually makes you respect Novak
Djokovic more because of what happened. Basically missed out on
(37:41):
what Too Australian opens because of it. Sure, so I
understand what Aaron's saying. I don't know if we become
a nation of cowards. But I also think that if
he's honest, If Aaron Rodgers is honest, he would tell you, hey, man,
(38:03):
I have a credibility problem. And it hasn't been the
same ever since I lied at that press conference. Why
I can't play for you because we can't. All right,
That's it for in.
Speaker 8 (38:13):
The ultimately face, it's just more of the cost of
what you're giving up than any misgivings about him as
a player.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
I mean, like, look, there's obviously you're gonna lose a
lot defensively, but you're gonna gain a lot offensively, and
you have to kind of prepare for that. And there
are no perfect players out there out there. Okay, what
about Miami. I mean, since we last talked, since we
last spoke, okay, h.
Speaker 8 (38:55):
No folly, but I think it's gonna be they either
completely re build from scratch and start over and blow
it up, or they do the same Miami route they've
done in past seasons, where they don't want to be
in a position to tank, so they're just going to
improve on the margins and that's a dramatic, you know,
philosophy shift. But I think that they're not going to
(39:17):
tiptoe around. I think that this is going to be
the time that they do blow it up. But if
they don't, I could see it being the same course
of action they lean on, you know, overachieving heat culture,
all those fun cliches that have validity do it. But
I do think now is the time that they're going
to make the painful but necessary decision to start over.
(39:38):
Because look, Doug, like they're accomplished much respect, but them
gaining the NBA Finals last season as an eight C
was impressive, but it wasn't sustainable, and I think now
is the time to start pulling that trigger.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
Okay, then, speaking of sustainable, people have questioned the sustainability
of what New York is doing. They have a three
game you know, they have a three games to two lead,
but how much gas is in that tank? If and
when they even vanquished Indy to take on Boston.
Speaker 8 (40:05):
Yeah, look, I thought they would have run out of
gas already against Indiana. I mean, they shouldn't be in
this series at all because you know, no Joyce Randall,
no O, John Andobi, no bog Tom Bugdanovich, no, Mitchell Robinson,
jo and Brunson's been a gamer, but he's not one
hundred percent. I think that they can beat Indiana. How
what can they do to Boston? I guess you have
(40:25):
to have the qualifier. This porzingis injury. You never know
what's going to happen with it. But I don't think
that they have enough against Boston, but I do think
that moving forward it is sustainable. I don't agree with
Raymond Green's assessment that this is a fluke, and it's
similar to what we saw with Trey Young with the
Hawks a few years ago. This is something that they
have an identity Jalen Brunson, as you know very well,
(40:48):
he is a winning player. He's a star. He can
continue to build off of that. He makes his teammates
better and injuries or not, the Knicks have an identity
under Tom Thibodeau that they are resilient team that will overachieve.
I think that's a great winning formula to sustain next season.
But in the short term, I don't think that's enough
against Boston because even if they sometimes play with their food,
(41:11):
their talent in depth is what it is.
Speaker 1 (41:13):
Okay, and then you have Minnesota jumps out to a
three a two games none lead and then back swings
the champs. Yeah. Obviously, Rudy Gobert has been the one
that people have pointed out that hasn't brought nearly what
A guy with his salary and all the mountains they
moved to get him, what what? What are your thoughts.
(41:34):
What are people saying about Minnesota and the sudden collapse
after that two games done lead on the road.
Speaker 8 (41:40):
Yeah, you know it doesn't fit well. But I don't
think that there's gonna be dramatic changes this offseason. I mean,
we have to keep in mind that the person that
pulled that deal, Tim Connolly, was the same executive that
helped build the Denver Nuggets into what they are. And
what what did the Denver Nuggets become? They became an
NBA champion, partly because obviously they have to, but they
(42:01):
leaned on the continuity formula. I think that's what Minnesota's
playing card is going to be here. And to be clear,
Doug like, they're not just happy to be here. They've
wanted to win a championship. They feel that they've shown
they have what it takes to beat the Denver Nuggets
in advance. So if they lose, it'll be a disappointing season.
But I don't think it's going to be about Okay,
we got to make dramatic changes here. It's more about
(42:23):
the internal improvements and then build off of that for
next season.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Mark, you're the best man, love talking hope, so with
you love to catch up in person when I'm back
out in Socao in the meantime, Thanks so much for
being our guest on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 8 (42:36):
Hey Doug, thanks so much as well. And I guess
i'll steal your line right I'll see you on the court.
Host
Doug Gottlieb
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On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!