May 25, 2018 • 39 mins
Doug explains the Warriors losing to the Rockets in game 5 and why the Warriors are a great team but not one of the most talented teams in NBA history. He discusses the NFL’s new National Anthem protest and why he thinks there’s a group of NFL players who are questioning why their union is making this such a big deal about it. And Doug talks to NBA Champion Caron Butler about the Rockets losing Chris Paul to injury and whether the Celtics can close out the Cavaliers in Cleveland.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the best of the Doug Gottlieb Show on
Fox Sports Radio. Boom, What Up America, Doug Gottlieb Show,
Fox Sports Radio. Well, we all got that one wrong.
I hope you had a great night, enjoyed that basketball game.
We weren't talking a lot about it, and we got
a game tonight which could hm could be the last
(00:26):
game we see uh Lebron James and the Calves uniform.
Could be the last or just the last home game
for the Calves this year, or could just be the
beginning of another story of Lebron breaking the hearts of
the Boston Celtics. All of these are possible. I guess
what is most likely is what we generally go with.
(00:48):
I'm fascinated by this, I really am. Um. There's a
there's a genius in simplicity, right, and sometimes we looked
so much for storylines and for narratives. So often times
we want to believe guys are clutch or not clutch,
(01:11):
that when a guy makes a shot it's confirmation bias.
When a guy misses a pass, it's confirmation bias. Take
Draymond Green, he did choke on the last play where
the ball was was was was forwarded up to him
from Steph Curry, but he had also scored the last
two buckets for the Golden State Wars. Was there somehow
(01:32):
more pressure in that particular moment than when he made
a three down four points and an in bounced pass
on the very previous play. We talked about this yesterday
with Chris Paul. Chris Paul hadn't come through in the clutch,
was what Clipper fans said, because well, the Clippers didn't
get past the second round, even though they beat the
Spurs in game seven. Last year, they beat the Jazz
(01:56):
in game six, only to lose in Game seven. But
Chris Paul hits a couple of crazy shots last night,
and so Chris Paul is now clutch, even though he
was actually six of nineteen and played hero ball down
the stretch and didn't make any of those shots down
the stretch like the the whole look, it really comes
(02:16):
down to this. Have I been disappointed by Kevin Durant
not taking over late in the last two games, but
I would also point out that it really is as
easy as the Warriors are not some dominant This is
not Kentucky throwing out ten five stars. It's not who
(02:38):
this is against the team of mid majors. It's not
the way it works. We would all agree Kevin Durant's
a superstar. I think we'd all agree that Steph Curry
is on on a bunch of levels of superstar as well.
And then you have Clay Thompson, who's as good a
shooter as you're going to find, and he's more what
(02:58):
you'd call a star player. Draymond Green's a star role player,
and everything else just kind of fits in place. But
what what people think is that the the same story
should be with the same with the same title of
the movie. Right. Take all the different Star Wars is
(03:19):
they have different characters, different points in the plot and
theme and the storyline, a bunch of different things kind
of they get sort of thrown together. Um, and the
Star Wars that are made now, or even the stories,
the prequels and the in between stories that are made now,
the c g I is different. Our expectations are different,
(03:41):
the movie makers are different. You go back three years ago,
four years ago when the Warriors won their first title, right,
and that team's composition the similarities are, Hey, look they
had uh, they had Steve Kerr. They had Steph Curry,
(04:04):
they had Clay Thompson, they had Andrea Goodala, and they
had Sean Limiston. That's what they had, andreymond Green. Those
players were all the same. The differences that are one
Iguadala has been out. Livingston is a you know, is
an older version of himself and he oh, he was
(04:26):
always limited. There is no Bogut, there is no Harrison Barnes,
and the league has kind of adjusted. They were ahead
of the curve and what they did confuse people and
overwhelmed people. And oh yeah, by the way, they were
also very fortunate. Every team they played, including the Calves
(04:49):
in the NBA Finals for at least two games, was
missing their starting point guard. Every team. The next year
they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. And last year they
were ahead of the curve with yet a different incarnation
with less of a bench. They had no Andrew Bogot,
and they had evolved and changed. This team is not
(05:10):
the strength of numbers of four years ago, and it's
not the seventy three win team of three years ago.
And oh yeah, by the way, the league has changed
and evolved and tried to catch up and match up.
And when Houston gets just a little bit of help.
With the fifth best starter or fifth best player in
(05:31):
the Hampton five being out for two games, they're able
to exploit it. How many times did you see in
that game Chris Paul attack, Jordan's Bell attack came on?
Loony attack? Uh Quinn Cook? How many times? Enough times
to make your head spin like wow? They keep Yes,
(05:54):
they attack Steph Curry because he's the weak link, much
like James Harden is the weak link, and Curry, though
you can score were on him, at least does compete.
It wears him down some at the offensive end. But
the idea that you would find the weakest link in
the chain is what makes the chain stronger weak. These
aren't just cliches, they're actually true. So when they when they,
(06:19):
I don't think you sold your soul. But they did
sell out to go and get Kevin Durant. It was
during a special time right to which they can make
everything work. And now by Houston catching catching up and
evolving and matching up, and Golden State being just a
(06:39):
little bit less than they used to be in addition
to being even less than that because they don't have Iguadala.
Now we have ourselves an incredible series. I really think
it is that you know, it is that simple. Everyone
has seen what Golden State does. They know how to
play off their Nonshooters be physical with Durant in the
post and hope he misses. Everyone knows steph Curry's moves,
(07:06):
knows what he does well. Sometimes he still makes sometimes
he doesn't like we we make these well. Kevin Durant,
he sucked in the fourth quarter, Like what did James
Harden do in the fourth quarter. It's really hard, especially
when you don't have a matchup that you can go against. Uh,
(07:27):
but it creates storylines. I feel terrible for Chris Paul,
and I know the people who are Clipper fans like
Chris Paul always gets hurt. Well, he wasn't always the
one that got hurt, but he did get hurt and
it does dramatically change this series. He's not gonna play
in Game six, and then tonight you have Game six
in Boston, excuse me, in in Cleveland with with Boston
(07:49):
coming in. Here's Steve Kerr. After the game. I think
Clay may have been in the far right corner, so
we had the floor spread. I thought I thought Drayman
just rushed it a little bit and fumbled it. Um,
But you know it was the play was unfolding nicely.
It just didn't turn out. Obviously, your sacrifice for throwing
the ball to Kevin durand are you sacrificing something. It's
(08:12):
a good option to throw the ball to Kevin Duran
on the post. It's a really good option. Look, my
thing with Durant on the post, there's nothing wrong with it.
It's that he he's so tall and skinny that there,
and they're the way the NBA rules or is officiating
the playoffs. They allow him to just shove him off
the post. So he catched his seventeen feet from the basket,
and I don't think that's necessarily where you want him
(08:32):
to get it. Um, here's Kevin Durant talking about Game six. Yeah,
we got another game at home. UM, game six. Still confident.
You know we uh, we had some opportunities to win
this game the last two games and we didn't close
it out. But we can learn from it. And you know,
we've got another opportunity at home was on Saturday, and
(08:52):
we'll be ready to play. It's amazing how balanced this
team is. It's scary because you're like, you, guys, realize
you lose one more game and it's all over. Work, right,
it's all over. But whether that's a calmness or an
understanding of of process over a result, or maybe they're
just in denial of how bad, how how bleak it
(09:15):
might actually look. This is this, This is all before
they knew Chris Paul was out for game six. This
is last night after the game. Here's Steph Curry by
the way, discussing Chris Paul. Shimmy, it was well deserved.
If you can show me on somebody else, you've gotta
be all right getting shimming on. So I'll keep shipping
and maybe he will too, so we'll see what happens.
I've long said this, The salary cap works, right, It
(09:39):
just it works. And what it does is it makes
you make a decision. Am I going to be top
heavy with a couple of big salaries and then just
and who do I fill out the rest of my
roster with? Remember the Warriors if you don't like, I
like the shot of Quinn Cook. But that is why,
(10:00):
for example, Lebron James will always have veteran players in
with him at the end of games because veteran players
make those or they just seem to always make those,
whereas young players have to. It's it's sometimes just about
hours time spent to which you kind of you understand it,
(10:20):
you get it, and you don't miss those shots. Whether
it's the stats tell you otherwise or not. It feels
like older players make that shot that younger players have
a tendency to miss. But the salary cap works. It
limits you to where you can really only have three
star players. And the reason the Warriors were able to
get away with it was Draymond was the second was
(10:42):
a second round pick, and then when he re upped,
though it was a lot of money at the time,
the salary cap changed and being a second round pick
and being a restricted guy, he wasn't able to get
the huge second contract others were. Then Steph Curry's second
contract wasn't as big as it should have been because
he had an injury plague first or seasons in the NBA.
(11:02):
But once you get down to once everybody gets to
making their peak value, you get limited. You have one
injury and it's not necessarily house of cards, but you're
not nearly as strong as you used to be. The
road ahead is bound and take some unexpected turns. Farmers
Insurance can help you understand your coverage options with our
practical knowledge game. For more than ninety years of experience,
(11:24):
we know a thing or two because we've seen a
thing or two. Fund Agent Farmers dot com are Farmers.
Michael Lee from Yahoo joins the show. Next, I'll ask
him if the Rockets can close out the Warriors in Oakland,
even though they won't have Chris Paul. That's next. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Doug gott Leap
Show weekdays at three p m. Eastern noon Pacific on
(11:44):
Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app. Let's
welcome to Michael Lee, senior writer covering the NBA for
Yahoo Sports. Michael, I know you didn't write the headline,
but I'm gonna read it anyway. Despite getting shimmied on,
the Warriors don't appear to be shaken on the brink
of a limp nation. Pretty good. Pretty good? Now? Look, uh,
I know that you heard this because you're I think,
(12:05):
in an uber on the way to the airport. But
Chris Paul is not gonna play in game six. But
let's first work back to Game five. What happened to
the fourth quarter that allowed the war to assume me
the Rockets to survive the Warriors, they did exactly what
they wanted to do, was to make the game ugly
and to really in put doubt in the minds of
(12:25):
the Warriors. You know, this is a really classic front
running team. And when you think about how easy it
is for them when they're of double digits, it's easy
to coast, it's easy to kind of float to the finish.
But when it becomes a tight game and you gotta
decide who's taking the shots and who's making the decisions,
who's making the passes, they look like a lost dunch
um really, because they haven't really been in those situations
(12:47):
too much. Um do they feed Kevin Durant, they feed
Steph Curry, doesn't Clay Thompson shot? What's his Draymond to
with a facilitator. It's almost like they still haven't solved
any of their issues. While the Rockets, on the other hand,
they've been tested through the entire year. Um, they played
close games, they played games without James Harden having been
at his best. They've had Eric Gordon hit big shots,
(13:08):
and it's sort of played out the last two games
where the team that's really been tested in those close
situations and needs somebody to step up ahead a shot,
that's the team that's emerged victorious. UM. The Warriors that
looked discombobulated on discipline, unfocused, and they're paying the price
right now against the team that has been telling us
all year we're better than these guys. We can beat
(13:29):
these guys. And now, you know, Chris Paul's injury sort
of you know, clouds that a bit. But they've they've
been a team they've told us they were all year.
How much of Golden Stage struggles comes down to it's
a four man team. It's a five man team, and
when you don't have Iguadala one Houston schooling to attack
that guy defensively and and to uh, everything else kind
(13:52):
of just doesn't seem to go as smoothly together. It
definitely affects Steve Kerr's rotations. But I don't want to
over a what the Hampton five lineup has that's been
because it really hasn't been very good. UM outside of
Game three. You gotta remember game too that the lineup
was getting you know, exposed. UM, that was one of
the best lineup worst lineups that they put on the court,
(14:14):
and then the guy outscored by seventeen points in Game two.
So yeah, under Ibadala, sounds good that he's not there. Um,
you know the excused, but they weren't that very They
weren't very good with him on the floor either. I
think one of the problems that they're having is that
the Rockets are are in in switching every possession, has
sort of taking away the brawl movement that that that
their offense is based on, and it sort of had
(14:36):
them guessing and sort of put Kevin Durant in a
tough spot because in those situations you have to go isolation.
He's their best isolation player and so he feels like
he has to carry them and veil them out. Um,
because guys aren't moving, guys aren't cutting, and the passing
laney that are knowing me there just aren't available because
of the defense that the Rockets are throwing at them.
So if you really got to give credit to what
(14:58):
the Rockets are doing on a defensive end, which not
really what you use you think of we think of
a Mike D'Antoni team, But to hold one of the
best offenses of all time under a hundred points three times.
He really got to start giving credit to what the
Rockets have done to check them out of their game
and to really have them you know, second guests and
just about everything out there. Okay, let's let's get to
(15:18):
Chris Paul. Chris Paul pulls his hamstring, gonna miss game six.
How much does that affect the Rockets huge? It's it's
big time because there were two players that really they
couldn't afford to lose. That's hardening Paul, you know, because
they were the game changers. They were the guys that
had the ability to take over a game and really
carry them over over stretches to Eric Gordon has emerged
(15:40):
as probably their most important player through the series because
he had that huge team too, and he hit big
shots in the last two games. There's gonna be a
lot more pressure on him now to step up as
a starter without Chris Paul. He just brought that toughness
that it's that nastiness. I mean you saw when he
shimmy the steps Curry space yesterday. He basic. We was
just letting him know, like yo, man, we're here. You know,
(16:02):
we're not going anywhere, like you you're not taking us
out like that, like we are the Rockets and we're
standing in your way. And I thought that was a
really definant statement. That really his attitude. That's sort of
you know, permeated throughout the whole team. And they kind
of have a little extra swag to him because they
have an all time great they have a Hall of
Fame point guard. But you take him out of the
(16:23):
equation and it makes it tougher because Mike Dintoni has
a historically tight rotation, they don't have very much steps Um.
So it's be tough to contend with the Warriors on
the road without you know, a huge piece of what
they do. Yeah, it'll be it'll be fascinating, um uh,
Steve Kerr said, and I believe earlier today. Look, he
(16:45):
loved the Quinn cook shot. It was the right shot
he uh he had he had no problem with it. Uh.
And he liked steps runner Um, he had no problem
with it. Like he just he thinks if the guys
continue to play, eventually it'll work out. This is what
he's saying publicly. How do you think he's dealing privately?
(17:07):
I think he's coaching his team through us, but by
letting us know that that's what he feels. He doesn't
want his guys a little confidence in what they've done. Um.
I think he also doesn't want to have too much
second gage to his decision to throw Queen Cook out.
There a guy who spent the first part of the
season in the G League. To put him in that situation,
no matter weapon on a shooter he is, He's never
been in that situation where he has to hit a
(17:29):
shot I go ahead shot, you know, with them down
in the final minute of a conference finals game. Um,
I realized that, you know, they have players with on
their bench who haven't stepped up and can't spread the floor.
But if I'm the Rockets, he's the only guy I
want taking those shots in those situations. And if you
look at the last shot he took, Chris Paul was
grabbing his hamstringk and limping up the court steph Curry
(17:50):
was open at the top of the key, so there
was a chance to swing the ball for one extra
pass to the guy who I'm sure ninety nine out
of a hundred fans would want to take that shot, uh,
instead of Quake Cood. Yeah, it's fast. I mean it
was it's a wide open look. He didn't catch it
cleanly and then had to take a dribble because he
was afraid, Like he was like, oh my god, you're
actually doing it to me. Who me It did a
(18:12):
little little look a little bit like ali in uh
In in Hoosier's before he went to the to the
free throw line. Michael Michael Lee joins us, let me
ask you. I know you're going to the Oakland game,
but uh, the game in Oakland, but there's also there's
another series. I think all of us operated under the
assumption it's going back to Boston. Lebron is gonna do
something heroic and bail them out and have them get
(18:34):
to the NBA finals. Um, what do you think percentage
of people like yourself that cover the NBA. Uh, feel
like is the likelihood that Lebron does just that we've
seen it so much. You know, we've seen his heroics,
and you know it's not necessarily blind faith. It's like
total faith that we know that he's capable of having
(18:54):
a brilliant performance and having that media is necessary to
win this series. Um. The problem is we can't have
that same kind of confidence in the Cavaliers. You know,
because like Lebron is proven in this series that he
could have a monster game, and it did in Game two,
we had a forty point triple double. But if they
can't get open looks for j R. Smith, if George
Hill continues to play play ghost, um, it's gonna be
(19:16):
a tough battle. Um. The Celtics have been so bad
on the road this this postseason that I think it's soul.
It gives you a little comfort that Lebron is gonna
come through with force of Game seven. Um, but his
supporting cast has been so flimsy that you can't have
a little bit of doubt. But doubting Lebron, questioning him
and betting against him has never been a wise move
(19:37):
over the last eight years, and this isn't in the year.
I'm ready to start doubting them. All right, what if
let's just play the what if? What if they lose it?
What if they lose at home to a Boston who
doesn't have Kyrie Irving and doesn't have Gordon Hayward. What's
our reaction? Then? Our reaction is what's gonna happen to Lebron? Now? Um?
(19:58):
You know, sort of interest in that in two thousand
and ten. You know, uh, he played a Boston team
that was an older veteran group when he was very
young and was wasn't you know what he is now, um,
and they beat him and sent him on his way
from Cleveland. Now we have he's very he's the old guy,
and he's playing a very young Boston team. And if
they beat him in six the same way the Celtics
(20:18):
beat him in six, you know, eight years ago, this
could be the end of his time in Cleveland again,
and it would be the same franchise. That's sort of
it's been essential to his development as a great, all
time great um once again, you know, playing another major
role in his career. So it could be the end
of his time in Cleveland from the same team, but
then totally different circumstances. Michael Lee, Michael great great stuff.
(20:42):
Stake travels and look forward to talking to you and
reading your work as this series either rolls on or
ends up with a surprising NBA Finals team. Thanks so much, Hey,
thank you for having me. I appreciate it. Fox Sports
Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Fox sports radio dot
Com and within the I Heart Radio app. Drew Brees
(21:02):
was on with Dan Patrick earlier today and Dan asked
Drew about the NFL's new policy on the national anthem.
Take a list. I think that the national anthem is
a way to unify everyone. I think by some people
kneeling and some people standing and all that. I think
that that's very divisive for our country, no matter what
(21:24):
you're protesting, because there's plenty of things about this country
that I think we would all like to see improvements.
I just don't think that the national during the national
anthem is a time to to voice those opinions. I
think that it deserves our full respect. Huh. That's a
That's a strong statement from a quarterback in Drew Brees
(21:47):
normally he gives you milk toast in an interview, right,
really does? Um? And I do? I think the Drew
is playing to a fan base. Remember, Drew still lives
in San Diego, huge military, uh military, that's the biggest
military town in the country. Um. Do I think that
(22:08):
Drew actually believes that? Probably does. I don't think he'd
say something he doesn't but didn't believe, But oftentimes guys
choose to not say anything and you can tell me
that it's not divisive, but I can prove to you
that it is. Here's how what's the definition of divisive? Right?
(22:31):
What what's the definition of it? Do you want to
take it? You want to take a guess? Divisive is
highly divid Uh, it's a here we go. Here's the
web Miriam Webster's definition. A cause or disagreement between people
causing them to separate into different groups. Do we have
people that think you should protest the flag and take
a knee. Do we have people that think you should
(22:54):
never protest the flag and not take a knee? Would
that be different groups? By death? Been? Like? It is
not divisive, Like it is inarguable that it's a divisive topic,
that it's a that it's a divisive event, a divisive
issue issue. Again, that doesn't mean that the cause for
(23:16):
some is not worth it. I do think there's also
a portion of football players that are sitting there going
are you kidding me? Look, police brutality is an issue.
We've done a great job bringing attention to the issue,
but um, hey, why is our union offering up to
(23:41):
extend so much, you know, trying to leverage this and
our play instead of better health care benefits, you know,
continue to keep our season shorter, getting rid of these
stupid preseason games which only cause injury. And oh yeah,
by the way, fully guaranteed contracts. It's it's honestly genius
(24:03):
from the owners. Genius genius. It's this is what you
do in politics. What you do in politics is you
get an issue that is so divisive that it takes
you away from all the other stuff you're doing. What
did you do, genius? Right? I mean, hey, oh yeah,
(24:29):
but you know you you make it about I mean,
take a look at what our current president did, even
when our last president. Did you make it about hot
topic issues that get people's attention, especially things that we
already have. I told you this the other day. There
is already a wall in parts of our country between
US and Mexico. But you make that a huge issue.
(24:51):
You make North Korea a big issue, You make moving
the moving the UH the embassy in Israel to Jerusalem
a big issue, and have those people and they're all
talking about meanwhile, all the other day to day stuff
that's the stuff that actually needs to be paid more
attention to. You don't pay attention to it. So I
(25:15):
think this is genius and the owners, well, wait, you
want to change that. You want to change that where
you can't kneel? All right, Well, this is what NBA
owners are gonna do. NBA owners that they don't really
want high school kids in the NBA. They really want
(25:37):
more refined players because their general managers, their coaches, their
presidents of team operations, they all want more proven products.
They also know that they have a they have a
better sense of who somebody is if they see a
more time in college and they guys have built up
their brand, the longer they stay in college. Truth be told,
most presidents GMS that they want guys to stay in
(25:59):
two years, maybe even three. But hey, do you want
to make that a big issue. Sure, we'll negotiate on it. Yeah. Absolutely,
you're gonna give us up. We're gonna give you that.
You're gonna give us something back, which is the same
with the NFL owners. It's an issue. But I'll tell
you what the NFL owners would would would fold up
shop on this issue if it meant keeping partially guaranteed contracts.
(26:25):
NFL Players Association has always been this way that they've
always chased after the bright shiny objects last time that
they had a lockout, they were really close to canceling
a preseason game, which would have cost their players checks
but also would have cost the owners in the wallet,
and they chose to kind of fold because those guys
(26:47):
needed money. Everybody need that first paycheck. It is a
divisive topic. Is a divisive topic. It is something that
splits us up. It is in arguable Drew brees opinion
is seen as strong and seen as the counter opinion.
But the truth is, I think if you pulled fans
(27:08):
and you pulled the United States, you'd probably have at
least fifty backing of him of him. What I think
is maybe more interesting is that here's Drew Brees, who
really hasn't offered up many strong opinions throughout his career,
stating something that would be counter to many of the
(27:30):
loud voices in and out of NFL locker rooms. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Doug Gottlieb Show
weekdays at three p m. Easter noon Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app. His nickname
is Tough Juice, following on Twitter, Instagram, or of course,
listen to him on Fox Sports Radio with Um Chris Mannox,
(27:52):
who's an NBA insider for Yahoo Sports. Of course, Karen
want to want an NBA championship, and he's one of
the most respected former players, uh currently in the media
from the from the NBA. Let's let's get to last night.
What's the last thing thoughts you have of Game five
in Houston? Listen, thanks for having me. You know, I'm
(28:12):
just thinking about Chris Paul and his injury and his health,
you know, and how long would this last? You know,
obviously being a former teammate and obviously a good friend also, Um,
you know, I'm pulling for him. Um, And you know,
I just hope that he's fine. That I've seen him
go down with this injury before, and he's returned relatively
quickly in the past, where it probably took probably seven,
(28:35):
you know, ten days for him to get back out
there and be efficient. We also seen in the past
in the playoff series where he had this injury when
he was plann against the San Antonio Spurs, and you know,
he was back out there relatively quickly too. So I
just hope he's able to recover quick because you know,
he'll be teeing a lot of basketball fans from this
experience and this is a great moment in his career.
(28:55):
When you're telling the basketball story about Chris Paul, no question, Um,
I've see the last night. He had some incredible shots,
kind of balancing out the fact that James Harden had
some but much better looks that that he couldn't couldn't
knock down. How do you think they found the offense
to beat the Warriors? Yell? I think he touched on
the dugger. There is Chris Paul, you know, just making
(29:16):
shots and men extremely efficient recognizing the mismatching look. He
did not make it complicated. You know how to go
in the gym and you got a bigger guy on
you got a smaller guy on you, the bigger guy
gets the ball. You know, it's the matchup. It's a
mismatched problem. And that's exactly what Chris Paul did. He
was coming off the dribble in the pick and roll
top of the Keith David West was garden him. He
had another big on whether it's Draymond Green, and he
(29:38):
was just you know, using his speed and quickness and
isolation ability and getting into the paint. Whether he was
drawing files, whether he was creating plays for teammates or
scoring the basketball, which you saw him do a ton
of that. You know, he took full advantage of it,
and they missed andre Go Dollar. That's the thing that
he brings to the team, not as scoring so much,
but his versatility on the defensive end the floor where
(30:00):
he just plays his rule to a t and he
doesn't need shots, he don't need opportunities. He's gonna just
you know, plug the gaps and and and play excellent defense.
It's it's amazing. I'm watching the same thing. Like hey,
all they're doing is isolating whether it's Quinn Cook or
Kevon Looney or or Jordan Bell, you know, anyone who
replaces him. And like, look, Livingston is a guy who could.
(30:22):
But Livingston can't play extended minutes. Obviously not a very
good shooter, and and isn't the big body or even
the ball handler as much as iguidala is. Is it
as simple as hey, DeAndre Go Dolla plays those past
two games, they win at least one of them. Yeah,
I think it's a simple as if Chris Paul doesn't,
they win. Um, the local adjustment for them is gonna
(30:44):
have to be, you know, getting onto the dollar backed out.
They're healthy. The welcoming signs for me if you're going
to State Williamson that he made the trip, he was
able to travel, and information and cold and you have
swelling and things like that at discomfort, they're not gonna
have to travel. They're usually going to have to stay
around the clock. With the medical staff home base. We
can get the necessary treatment that's needed, and you can
(31:07):
get into the gym, get your lab working, and also
get prepared for the next challenge and the dost game.
But what I did love about to go to State Warriors,
and what Steve Kerr did was he exercised the right
to utilize other guys. You saw a lot of mixed
lineups that you wouldn't normally see and that was for
numerous reasons. Because you're thinking big pictures seven game series.
(31:28):
Try to get these guys rested as much as possible,
but overhaul a minutes as coming you know in game
six and seven. Yeah, it's gonna be fascinating because they've
rockets have only played seven guys to pass two games. Ultimately,
do those six that are remaining that play, Like what
do you do if you're if you're Mike D'Antoni, do
you play your whole bench and sacrifice any chance of
(31:50):
winning games six so that you're at least partially rested
for seven. Listen, if I'm Mike D'Antoni, I go for
the win. You know, if you if you got them
on the uh, their heels against the wall and their
backs against the wall. Look, you throw everything out him,
You throw the kitchen sink at him. Because the thing
that happens all the time the sports were and and
(32:10):
we all been, you know, victims of this or on
teams that this happened with, where you know, with the
major guy goes down, you know, sometimes it's a relief.
You know, guys put their guard down a little bit,
don't come with the same sense of urgency. And Chris
Paul not playing in game six, you know, maybe they
put their guard down a little bit. Maybe they think
Eric Gordon can't come out there and have one of
those special performances. James hard is born and caple he
(32:33):
can go out there and score forty and sixty points
in the game. Then he can get you re miles
and assist in et cetera. So other guys have to
step up in a major way and look, this is
they're one way away from the NBA Finals. Let it
go and hang out. Coron Butler joining us in the
Doug Ottlieb Show. It most people think foregone conclusion. Cleveland
(32:54):
is going back to Boston for a game seven? What
do you think? I think so too. You know, I
just don't see Lebron. It's hard that did Everybody always
say the same record, but it really is. It's hard
to beat against Lebron James. You know, he's a law
that you know, poss us on moving skills of you know,
just coming back and you know, imposing fear and of
(33:16):
young athletes. And you know these young guys, you know,
they idolize them. They look up to them, whether they're
saying or not. And the Boston Celtics been the one
team that collectively come together and not showing that weakness
where they're gonna just praise him. They're gonna compete against
him and show him respect by showing him done. But
he's back at home, he's back in his kingdom. He's
gonna get the necessary cause that's needed. He gonna get
(33:38):
the favorable whistle. I wouldn't be surprised to see one
of the key guys of the Boston Celtics getting filed
trumpled early. That's gonna help the Cleveland captain. Lear's going
to run and if they can separate theirselves clearly from
the scoring standpoint attended twelve and fourteen points in the
first half, it's going to go in Cleveland's favor. So, uh,
what happens if they lose? All right, let the story start.
(34:01):
I don't even think people will start even pay attention
to the finals. I think it's gonna be all about
where Lebron goes next. I think that's gonna be the
story in the headline. Yeah, it's it's gonna be. It's
gonna be. It feels like a kind of a no
lose for Lebron right because he has performed so well
that if they lose, it becomes hey, didn't have the teammates,
(34:21):
you know, Whereas if he wins, it's yet another miraculous
comeback for Lebron where the other team was the better
overall team even though the other team is missing their
top two players. Yeah, it really are. But if you
look at the body of work and one Lebron has
been able to accomplish here in this playoff series. Doug,
he literally, and I said, at time time again, he
(34:42):
literally went to the y m C, A Lifetime Boys
and Girls Club, whatever, lifetime fitness, whatever you got near you,
where a whole bunch of guys just get together and
play pick up in shape man out he went to
and he said, look, I mean eight guys were headed
to the NBA Finals. And that's exactly what's happening right now.
It's amazing just to see his ability to be able
(35:04):
to do that and if he if he's able to
pull this out off. The discussion of the goat conversations
going to go to all the lights. Um, okay, so
what do you you think Cleveland goes back to Boston?
And then what do you think Cleveland goes back to Boston?
And then what do you think happens in Boston? Anything
can happen. Is anybody game? Is no favorite. I don't
(35:25):
have a horse in this race, but is anybody game?
But I will tell you that Boston played amazingly well
all season at home, particularly in the playoffs, and you
know I don't see that stopping. I say Boston to
win in seven. But listen, the best player on the
planet given an opportunity, a fighter's chance to get a
win on the road. That that that that smells like
(35:47):
you know, uh beforeal Dave barbecue to him. That's right
up this alley. What what's going on with kd? He
he took a couple of wild shots in game four
and then passed up on shooting the basketball coming down
in transition, and then in game five he didn't really
get the ball much in the fourth quarter, doesn't doesn't
make a field goal in the in the fourth quarter.
(36:08):
What's going on, Katie in your mind? Yeah, I think
it's a rhythm thing. I think the rhythm is important.
You know. Um, you know, it was a moment in
that game, not last game, but the game prior to
that where they played in Golden State and Clay Pompson had,
you know, guys kind of stuck with the basketball where
he probably should have kicked it out the KB. He
had amazing opportunity to step into a three point shot.
(36:29):
That's routine for him. But yesterday, you know, it was
a lot of isolation basketball. But that's something that he's
accustomed to, and you know, it was a lot of pressure.
Everybody knew the magnitude of that game. They knew that
the urgency had to be there, and it was just
some moments that you know, he missed out on the
best belief. You know, he's in the last today, he's
watching a ton of film. He got his guys where
(36:51):
they're getting him prepared and uh, you know, ready for
this next challenge. And I think he's gonna come out
and be a better version of himself and he's gonna
have a monster game and then try to use that
as momentum. Gore Thanto Game seven, All right, do you
think that one goes back to Houston as well? Absolutely? Yeah.
I just don't see the Warriors, you know, going down.
You know, Steph Curry is healthy, Kevin Durant is healthy. Uh,
(37:12):
Clay Thompson is healthy enough. Draymond Green understands that, you know,
he uh, he had a mishap right there in that
last possession. Didn't come down to that possession only. It
was a bunch of things that they did, the turnovers,
you know, just not being a single one another. It
was verily it was very recognizable that you know, those
guys just wasn't there. You know, they was turning the
ball over and they're not a customer that they may
(37:33):
have one guy that may be loose what they handled
with the basketball that's traditionally Steph Curry probably average about
three to five turnovers and those things because he's just
you know, using his creative ability. But that's not something
that they're accustomed to. And I think they're gonna bounce back,
and James Harner is going to have to have a
moric performance for them to go back to Houston. Would
have win, no, no question about last week it was
(37:57):
it was Mark Wahlberg, right what Mike wolverg Uh. The
week before it was Kobe Bryant. Who's the big name
guest on the show this week? Hey man, we're winging it.
We're winging it today and and then next week we're
gonna obviously follow back up with it. You know, another
big name. You know I always you know, you struck
So what you say you struck out? You struck out
this week? It's okay. I mean, like, listen, my producer
(38:18):
strikes out all the time. He didn't get me what
we do. We do a daily So what you're saying
is you struck out? Can you call me and call me?
I mean, man, we got the moment of our favorite man,
we don't need guys on there all the time. I
could make a phone call and get anybody Obama on
the show. Yeah, I'd like the Obama on this head
be great, be great. Obama show would be, would be phenomenal.
(38:38):
Karon Butler, Tough Jews. Check them out Sunday. That's Sunday
morning alongside Yahoo Sports NBA inside of Chris Manx. They'll
be reacting to I guess that's we reacting to a
game Game six in Oakland and potentially getting ready for
Game seven in Boston. I have a great moral day weekend,
Tough Jewess, thanks for joining us anytime. Roll pikere alright.
(39:00):
Coron Butler joining us on The Doug Outlip Show
This is the best of the Doug Gottlieb Show on
Fox Sports Radio. Boom, What Up America, Doug Gottlieb Show,
Fox Sports Radio. Well, we all got that one wrong.
I hope you had a great night, enjoyed that basketball game.
We weren't talking a lot about it, and we got
a game tonight which could hm could be the last
(00:26):
game we see uh Lebron James and the Calves uniform.
Could be the last or just the last home game
for the Calves this year, or could just be the
beginning of another story of Lebron breaking the hearts of
the Boston Celtics. All of these are possible. I guess
what is most likely is what we generally go with.
(00:48):
I'm fascinated by this, I really am. Um. There's a
there's a genius in simplicity, right, and sometimes we looked
so much for storylines and for narratives. So often times
we want to believe guys are clutch or not clutch,
(01:11):
that when a guy makes a shot it's confirmation bias.
When a guy misses a pass, it's confirmation bias. Take
Draymond Green, he did choke on the last play where
the ball was was was was forwarded up to him
from Steph Curry, but he had also scored the last
two buckets for the Golden State Wars. Was there somehow
(01:32):
more pressure in that particular moment than when he made
a three down four points and an in bounced pass
on the very previous play. We talked about this yesterday
with Chris Paul. Chris Paul hadn't come through in the clutch,
was what Clipper fans said, because well, the Clippers didn't
get past the second round, even though they beat the
Spurs in game seven. Last year, they beat the Jazz
(01:56):
in game six, only to lose in Game seven. But
Chris Paul hits a couple of crazy shots last night,
and so Chris Paul is now clutch, even though he
was actually six of nineteen and played hero ball down
the stretch and didn't make any of those shots down
the stretch like the the whole look, it really comes
(02:16):
down to this. Have I been disappointed by Kevin Durant
not taking over late in the last two games, but
I would also point out that it really is as
easy as the Warriors are not some dominant This is
not Kentucky throwing out ten five stars. It's not who
(02:38):
this is against the team of mid majors. It's not
the way it works. We would all agree Kevin Durant's
a superstar. I think we'd all agree that Steph Curry
is on on a bunch of levels of superstar as well.
And then you have Clay Thompson, who's as good a
shooter as you're going to find, and he's more what
(02:58):
you'd call a star player. Draymond Green's a star role player,
and everything else just kind of fits in place. But
what what people think is that the the same story
should be with the same with the same title of
the movie. Right. Take all the different Star Wars is
(03:19):
they have different characters, different points in the plot and
theme and the storyline, a bunch of different things kind
of they get sort of thrown together. Um, and the
Star Wars that are made now, or even the stories,
the prequels and the in between stories that are made now,
the c g I is different. Our expectations are different,
(03:41):
the movie makers are different. You go back three years ago,
four years ago when the Warriors won their first title, right,
and that team's composition the similarities are, Hey, look they
had uh, they had Steve Kerr. They had Steph Curry,
(04:04):
they had Clay Thompson, they had Andrea Goodala, and they
had Sean Limiston. That's what they had, andreymond Green. Those
players were all the same. The differences that are one
Iguadala has been out. Livingston is a you know, is
an older version of himself and he oh, he was
(04:26):
always limited. There is no Bogut, there is no Harrison Barnes,
and the league has kind of adjusted. They were ahead
of the curve and what they did confuse people and
overwhelmed people. And oh yeah, by the way, they were
also very fortunate. Every team they played, including the Calves
(04:49):
in the NBA Finals for at least two games, was
missing their starting point guard. Every team. The next year
they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. And last year they
were ahead of the curve with yet a different incarnation
with less of a bench. They had no Andrew Bogot,
and they had evolved and changed. This team is not
(05:10):
the strength of numbers of four years ago, and it's
not the seventy three win team of three years ago.
And oh yeah, by the way, the league has changed
and evolved and tried to catch up and match up.
And when Houston gets just a little bit of help.
With the fifth best starter or fifth best player in
(05:31):
the Hampton five being out for two games, they're able
to exploit it. How many times did you see in
that game Chris Paul attack, Jordan's Bell attack came on?
Loony attack? Uh Quinn Cook? How many times? Enough times
to make your head spin like wow? They keep Yes,
(05:54):
they attack Steph Curry because he's the weak link, much
like James Harden is the weak link, and Curry, though
you can score were on him, at least does compete.
It wears him down some at the offensive end. But
the idea that you would find the weakest link in
the chain is what makes the chain stronger weak. These
aren't just cliches, they're actually true. So when they when they,
(06:19):
I don't think you sold your soul. But they did
sell out to go and get Kevin Durant. It was
during a special time right to which they can make
everything work. And now by Houston catching catching up and
evolving and matching up, and Golden State being just a
(06:39):
little bit less than they used to be in addition
to being even less than that because they don't have Iguadala.
Now we have ourselves an incredible series. I really think
it is that you know, it is that simple. Everyone
has seen what Golden State does. They know how to
play off their Nonshooters be physical with Durant in the
post and hope he misses. Everyone knows steph Curry's moves,
(07:06):
knows what he does well. Sometimes he still makes sometimes
he doesn't like we we make these well. Kevin Durant,
he sucked in the fourth quarter, Like what did James
Harden do in the fourth quarter. It's really hard, especially
when you don't have a matchup that you can go against. Uh,
(07:27):
but it creates storylines. I feel terrible for Chris Paul,
and I know the people who are Clipper fans like
Chris Paul always gets hurt. Well, he wasn't always the
one that got hurt, but he did get hurt and
it does dramatically change this series. He's not gonna play
in Game six, and then tonight you have Game six
in Boston, excuse me, in in Cleveland with with Boston
(07:49):
coming in. Here's Steve Kerr. After the game. I think
Clay may have been in the far right corner, so
we had the floor spread. I thought I thought Drayman
just rushed it a little bit and fumbled it. Um,
But you know it was the play was unfolding nicely.
It just didn't turn out. Obviously, your sacrifice for throwing
the ball to Kevin durand are you sacrificing something. It's
(08:12):
a good option to throw the ball to Kevin Duran
on the post. It's a really good option. Look, my
thing with Durant on the post, there's nothing wrong with it.
It's that he he's so tall and skinny that there,
and they're the way the NBA rules or is officiating
the playoffs. They allow him to just shove him off
the post. So he catched his seventeen feet from the basket,
and I don't think that's necessarily where you want him
(08:32):
to get it. Um, here's Kevin Durant talking about Game six. Yeah,
we got another game at home. UM, game six. Still confident.
You know we uh, we had some opportunities to win
this game the last two games and we didn't close
it out. But we can learn from it. And you know,
we've got another opportunity at home was on Saturday, and
(08:52):
we'll be ready to play. It's amazing how balanced this
team is. It's scary because you're like, you, guys, realize
you lose one more game and it's all over. Work, right,
it's all over. But whether that's a calmness or an
understanding of of process over a result, or maybe they're
just in denial of how bad, how how bleak it
(09:15):
might actually look. This is this, This is all before
they knew Chris Paul was out for game six. This
is last night after the game. Here's Steph Curry by
the way, discussing Chris Paul. Shimmy, it was well deserved.
If you can show me on somebody else, you've gotta
be all right getting shimming on. So I'll keep shipping
and maybe he will too, so we'll see what happens.
I've long said this, The salary cap works, right, It
(09:39):
just it works. And what it does is it makes
you make a decision. Am I going to be top
heavy with a couple of big salaries and then just
and who do I fill out the rest of my
roster with? Remember the Warriors if you don't like, I
like the shot of Quinn Cook. But that is why,
(10:00):
for example, Lebron James will always have veteran players in
with him at the end of games because veteran players
make those or they just seem to always make those,
whereas young players have to. It's it's sometimes just about
hours time spent to which you kind of you understand it,
(10:20):
you get it, and you don't miss those shots. Whether
it's the stats tell you otherwise or not. It feels
like older players make that shot that younger players have
a tendency to miss. But the salary cap works. It
limits you to where you can really only have three
star players. And the reason the Warriors were able to
get away with it was Draymond was the second was
(10:42):
a second round pick, and then when he re upped,
though it was a lot of money at the time,
the salary cap changed and being a second round pick
and being a restricted guy, he wasn't able to get
the huge second contract others were. Then Steph Curry's second
contract wasn't as big as it should have been because
he had an injury plague first or seasons in the NBA.
(11:02):
But once you get down to once everybody gets to
making their peak value, you get limited. You have one
injury and it's not necessarily house of cards, but you're
not nearly as strong as you used to be. The
road ahead is bound and take some unexpected turns. Farmers
Insurance can help you understand your coverage options with our
practical knowledge game. For more than ninety years of experience,
(11:24):
we know a thing or two because we've seen a
thing or two. Fund Agent Farmers dot com are Farmers.
Michael Lee from Yahoo joins the show. Next, I'll ask
him if the Rockets can close out the Warriors in Oakland,
even though they won't have Chris Paul. That's next. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Doug gott Leap
Show weekdays at three p m. Eastern noon Pacific on
(11:44):
Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app. Let's
welcome to Michael Lee, senior writer covering the NBA for
Yahoo Sports. Michael, I know you didn't write the headline,
but I'm gonna read it anyway. Despite getting shimmied on,
the Warriors don't appear to be shaken on the brink
of a limp nation. Pretty good. Pretty good? Now? Look, uh,
I know that you heard this because you're I think,
(12:05):
in an uber on the way to the airport. But
Chris Paul is not gonna play in game six. But
let's first work back to Game five. What happened to
the fourth quarter that allowed the war to assume me
the Rockets to survive the Warriors, they did exactly what
they wanted to do, was to make the game ugly
and to really in put doubt in the minds of
(12:25):
the Warriors. You know, this is a really classic front
running team. And when you think about how easy it
is for them when they're of double digits, it's easy
to coast, it's easy to kind of float to the finish.
But when it becomes a tight game and you gotta
decide who's taking the shots and who's making the decisions,
who's making the passes, they look like a lost dunch
um really, because they haven't really been in those situations
(12:47):
too much. Um do they feed Kevin Durant, they feed
Steph Curry, doesn't Clay Thompson shot? What's his Draymond to
with a facilitator. It's almost like they still haven't solved
any of their issues. While the Rockets, on the other hand,
they've been tested through the entire year. Um, they played
close games, they played games without James Harden having been
at his best. They've had Eric Gordon hit big shots,
(13:08):
and it's sort of played out the last two games
where the team that's really been tested in those close
situations and needs somebody to step up ahead a shot,
that's the team that's emerged victorious. UM. The Warriors that
looked discombobulated on discipline, unfocused, and they're paying the price
right now against the team that has been telling us
all year we're better than these guys. We can beat
(13:29):
these guys. And now, you know, Chris Paul's injury sort
of you know, clouds that a bit. But they've they've
been a team they've told us they were all year.
How much of Golden Stage struggles comes down to it's
a four man team. It's a five man team, and
when you don't have Iguadala one Houston schooling to attack
that guy defensively and and to uh, everything else kind
(13:52):
of just doesn't seem to go as smoothly together. It
definitely affects Steve Kerr's rotations. But I don't want to
over a what the Hampton five lineup has that's been
because it really hasn't been very good. UM outside of
Game three. You gotta remember game too that the lineup
was getting you know, exposed. UM, that was one of
the best lineup worst lineups that they put on the court,
(14:14):
and then the guy outscored by seventeen points in Game two.
So yeah, under Ibadala, sounds good that he's not there. Um,
you know the excused, but they weren't that very They
weren't very good with him on the floor either. I
think one of the problems that they're having is that
the Rockets are are in in switching every possession, has
sort of taking away the brawl movement that that that
their offense is based on, and it sort of had
(14:36):
them guessing and sort of put Kevin Durant in a
tough spot because in those situations you have to go isolation.
He's their best isolation player and so he feels like
he has to carry them and veil them out. Um,
because guys aren't moving, guys aren't cutting, and the passing
laney that are knowing me there just aren't available because
of the defense that the Rockets are throwing at them.
So if you really got to give credit to what
(14:58):
the Rockets are doing on a defensive end, which not
really what you use you think of we think of
a Mike D'Antoni team, But to hold one of the
best offenses of all time under a hundred points three times.
He really got to start giving credit to what the
Rockets have done to check them out of their game
and to really have them you know, second guests and
just about everything out there. Okay, let's let's get to
(15:18):
Chris Paul. Chris Paul pulls his hamstring, gonna miss game six.
How much does that affect the Rockets huge? It's it's
big time because there were two players that really they
couldn't afford to lose. That's hardening Paul, you know, because
they were the game changers. They were the guys that
had the ability to take over a game and really
carry them over over stretches to Eric Gordon has emerged
(15:40):
as probably their most important player through the series because
he had that huge team too, and he hit big
shots in the last two games. There's gonna be a
lot more pressure on him now to step up as
a starter without Chris Paul. He just brought that toughness
that it's that nastiness. I mean you saw when he
shimmy the steps Curry space yesterday. He basic. We was
just letting him know, like yo, man, we're here. You know,
(16:02):
we're not going anywhere, like you you're not taking us
out like that, like we are the Rockets and we're
standing in your way. And I thought that was a
really definant statement. That really his attitude. That's sort of
you know, permeated throughout the whole team. And they kind
of have a little extra swag to him because they
have an all time great they have a Hall of
Fame point guard. But you take him out of the
(16:23):
equation and it makes it tougher because Mike Dintoni has
a historically tight rotation, they don't have very much steps Um.
So it's be tough to contend with the Warriors on
the road without you know, a huge piece of what
they do. Yeah, it'll be it'll be fascinating, um uh,
Steve Kerr said, and I believe earlier today. Look, he
(16:45):
loved the Quinn cook shot. It was the right shot
he uh he had he had no problem with it. Uh.
And he liked steps runner Um, he had no problem
with it. Like he just he thinks if the guys
continue to play, eventually it'll work out. This is what
he's saying publicly. How do you think he's dealing privately?
(17:07):
I think he's coaching his team through us, but by
letting us know that that's what he feels. He doesn't
want his guys a little confidence in what they've done. Um.
I think he also doesn't want to have too much
second gage to his decision to throw Queen Cook out.
There a guy who spent the first part of the
season in the G League. To put him in that situation,
no matter weapon on a shooter he is, He's never
been in that situation where he has to hit a
(17:29):
shot I go ahead shot, you know, with them down
in the final minute of a conference finals game. Um,
I realized that, you know, they have players with on
their bench who haven't stepped up and can't spread the floor.
But if I'm the Rockets, he's the only guy I
want taking those shots in those situations. And if you
look at the last shot he took, Chris Paul was
grabbing his hamstringk and limping up the court steph Curry
(17:50):
was open at the top of the key, so there
was a chance to swing the ball for one extra
pass to the guy who I'm sure ninety nine out
of a hundred fans would want to take that shot, uh,
instead of Quake Cood. Yeah, it's fast. I mean it
was it's a wide open look. He didn't catch it
cleanly and then had to take a dribble because he
was afraid, Like he was like, oh my god, you're
actually doing it to me. Who me It did a
(18:12):
little little look a little bit like ali in uh
In in Hoosier's before he went to the to the
free throw line. Michael Michael Lee joins us, let me
ask you. I know you're going to the Oakland game,
but uh, the game in Oakland, but there's also there's
another series. I think all of us operated under the
assumption it's going back to Boston. Lebron is gonna do
something heroic and bail them out and have them get
(18:34):
to the NBA finals. Um, what do you think percentage
of people like yourself that cover the NBA. Uh, feel
like is the likelihood that Lebron does just that we've
seen it so much. You know, we've seen his heroics,
and you know it's not necessarily blind faith. It's like
total faith that we know that he's capable of having
(18:54):
a brilliant performance and having that media is necessary to
win this series. Um. The problem is we can't have
that same kind of confidence in the Cavaliers. You know,
because like Lebron is proven in this series that he
could have a monster game, and it did in Game two,
we had a forty point triple double. But if they
can't get open looks for j R. Smith, if George
Hill continues to play play ghost, um, it's gonna be
(19:16):
a tough battle. Um. The Celtics have been so bad
on the road this this postseason that I think it's soul.
It gives you a little comfort that Lebron is gonna
come through with force of Game seven. Um, but his
supporting cast has been so flimsy that you can't have
a little bit of doubt. But doubting Lebron, questioning him
and betting against him has never been a wise move
(19:37):
over the last eight years, and this isn't in the year.
I'm ready to start doubting them. All right, what if
let's just play the what if? What if they lose it?
What if they lose at home to a Boston who
doesn't have Kyrie Irving and doesn't have Gordon Hayward. What's
our reaction? Then? Our reaction is what's gonna happen to Lebron? Now? Um?
(19:58):
You know, sort of interest in that in two thousand
and ten. You know, uh, he played a Boston team
that was an older veteran group when he was very
young and was wasn't you know what he is now, um,
and they beat him and sent him on his way
from Cleveland. Now we have he's very he's the old guy,
and he's playing a very young Boston team. And if
they beat him in six the same way the Celtics
(20:18):
beat him in six, you know, eight years ago, this
could be the end of his time in Cleveland again,
and it would be the same franchise. That's sort of
it's been essential to his development as a great, all
time great um once again, you know, playing another major
role in his career. So it could be the end
of his time in Cleveland from the same team, but
then totally different circumstances. Michael Lee, Michael great great stuff.
(20:42):
Stake travels and look forward to talking to you and
reading your work as this series either rolls on or
ends up with a surprising NBA Finals team. Thanks so much, Hey,
thank you for having me. I appreciate it. Fox Sports
Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Fox sports radio dot
Com and within the I Heart Radio app. Drew Brees
(21:02):
was on with Dan Patrick earlier today and Dan asked
Drew about the NFL's new policy on the national anthem.
Take a list. I think that the national anthem is
a way to unify everyone. I think by some people
kneeling and some people standing and all that. I think
that that's very divisive for our country, no matter what
(21:24):
you're protesting, because there's plenty of things about this country
that I think we would all like to see improvements.
I just don't think that the national during the national
anthem is a time to to voice those opinions. I
think that it deserves our full respect. Huh. That's a
That's a strong statement from a quarterback in Drew Brees
(21:47):
normally he gives you milk toast in an interview, right,
really does? Um? And I do? I think the Drew
is playing to a fan base. Remember, Drew still lives
in San Diego, huge military, uh military, that's the biggest
military town in the country. Um. Do I think that
(22:08):
Drew actually believes that? Probably does. I don't think he'd
say something he doesn't but didn't believe, But oftentimes guys
choose to not say anything and you can tell me
that it's not divisive, but I can prove to you
that it is. Here's how what's the definition of divisive? Right?
(22:31):
What what's the definition of it? Do you want to
take it? You want to take a guess? Divisive is
highly divid Uh, it's a here we go. Here's the
web Miriam Webster's definition. A cause or disagreement between people
causing them to separate into different groups. Do we have
people that think you should protest the flag and take
a knee. Do we have people that think you should
(22:54):
never protest the flag and not take a knee? Would
that be different groups? By death? Been? Like? It is
not divisive, Like it is inarguable that it's a divisive topic,
that it's a that it's a divisive event, a divisive
issue issue. Again, that doesn't mean that the cause for
(23:16):
some is not worth it. I do think there's also
a portion of football players that are sitting there going
are you kidding me? Look, police brutality is an issue.
We've done a great job bringing attention to the issue,
but um, hey, why is our union offering up to
(23:41):
extend so much, you know, trying to leverage this and
our play instead of better health care benefits, you know,
continue to keep our season shorter, getting rid of these
stupid preseason games which only cause injury. And oh yeah,
by the way, fully guaranteed contracts. It's it's honestly genius
(24:03):
from the owners. Genius genius. It's this is what you
do in politics. What you do in politics is you
get an issue that is so divisive that it takes
you away from all the other stuff you're doing. What
did you do, genius? Right? I mean, hey, oh yeah,
(24:29):
but you know you you make it about I mean,
take a look at what our current president did, even
when our last president. Did you make it about hot
topic issues that get people's attention, especially things that we
already have. I told you this the other day. There
is already a wall in parts of our country between
US and Mexico. But you make that a huge issue.
(24:51):
You make North Korea a big issue, You make moving
the moving the UH the embassy in Israel to Jerusalem
a big issue, and have those people and they're all
talking about meanwhile, all the other day to day stuff
that's the stuff that actually needs to be paid more
attention to. You don't pay attention to it. So I
(25:15):
think this is genius and the owners, well, wait, you
want to change that. You want to change that where
you can't kneel? All right, Well, this is what NBA
owners are gonna do. NBA owners that they don't really
want high school kids in the NBA. They really want
(25:37):
more refined players because their general managers, their coaches, their
presidents of team operations, they all want more proven products.
They also know that they have a they have a
better sense of who somebody is if they see a
more time in college and they guys have built up
their brand, the longer they stay in college. Truth be told,
most presidents GMS that they want guys to stay in
(25:59):
two years, maybe even three. But hey, do you want
to make that a big issue. Sure, we'll negotiate on it. Yeah. Absolutely,
you're gonna give us up. We're gonna give you that.
You're gonna give us something back, which is the same
with the NFL owners. It's an issue. But I'll tell
you what the NFL owners would would would fold up
shop on this issue if it meant keeping partially guaranteed contracts.
(26:25):
NFL Players Association has always been this way that they've
always chased after the bright shiny objects last time that
they had a lockout, they were really close to canceling
a preseason game, which would have cost their players checks
but also would have cost the owners in the wallet,
and they chose to kind of fold because those guys
(26:47):
needed money. Everybody need that first paycheck. It is a
divisive topic. Is a divisive topic. It is something that
splits us up. It is in arguable Drew brees opinion
is seen as strong and seen as the counter opinion.
But the truth is, I think if you pulled fans
(27:08):
and you pulled the United States, you'd probably have at
least fifty backing of him of him. What I think
is maybe more interesting is that here's Drew Brees, who
really hasn't offered up many strong opinions throughout his career,
stating something that would be counter to many of the
(27:30):
loud voices in and out of NFL locker rooms. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Doug Gottlieb Show
weekdays at three p m. Easter noon Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app. His nickname
is Tough Juice, following on Twitter, Instagram, or of course,
listen to him on Fox Sports Radio with Um Chris Mannox,
(27:52):
who's an NBA insider for Yahoo Sports. Of course, Karen
want to want an NBA championship, and he's one of
the most respected former players, uh currently in the media
from the from the NBA. Let's let's get to last night.
What's the last thing thoughts you have of Game five
in Houston? Listen, thanks for having me. You know, I'm
(28:12):
just thinking about Chris Paul and his injury and his health,
you know, and how long would this last? You know,
obviously being a former teammate and obviously a good friend also, Um,
you know, I'm pulling for him. Um, And you know,
I just hope that he's fine. That I've seen him
go down with this injury before, and he's returned relatively
quickly in the past, where it probably took probably seven,
(28:35):
you know, ten days for him to get back out
there and be efficient. We also seen in the past
in the playoff series where he had this injury when
he was plann against the San Antonio Spurs, and you know,
he was back out there relatively quickly too. So I
just hope he's able to recover quick because you know,
he'll be teeing a lot of basketball fans from this
experience and this is a great moment in his career.
(28:55):
When you're telling the basketball story about Chris Paul, no question, Um,
I've see the last night. He had some incredible shots,
kind of balancing out the fact that James Harden had
some but much better looks that that he couldn't couldn't
knock down. How do you think they found the offense
to beat the Warriors? Yell? I think he touched on
the dugger. There is Chris Paul, you know, just making
(29:16):
shots and men extremely efficient recognizing the mismatching look. He
did not make it complicated. You know how to go
in the gym and you got a bigger guy on
you got a smaller guy on you, the bigger guy
gets the ball. You know, it's the matchup. It's a
mismatched problem. And that's exactly what Chris Paul did. He
was coming off the dribble in the pick and roll
top of the Keith David West was garden him. He
had another big on whether it's Draymond Green, and he
(29:38):
was just you know, using his speed and quickness and
isolation ability and getting into the paint. Whether he was
drawing files, whether he was creating plays for teammates or
scoring the basketball, which you saw him do a ton
of that. You know, he took full advantage of it,
and they missed andre Go Dollar. That's the thing that
he brings to the team, not as scoring so much,
but his versatility on the defensive end the floor where
(30:00):
he just plays his rule to a t and he
doesn't need shots, he don't need opportunities. He's gonna just
you know, plug the gaps and and and play excellent defense.
It's it's amazing. I'm watching the same thing. Like hey,
all they're doing is isolating whether it's Quinn Cook or
Kevon Looney or or Jordan Bell, you know, anyone who
replaces him. And like, look, Livingston is a guy who could.
(30:22):
But Livingston can't play extended minutes. Obviously not a very
good shooter, and and isn't the big body or even
the ball handler as much as iguidala is. Is it
as simple as hey, DeAndre Go Dolla plays those past
two games, they win at least one of them. Yeah,
I think it's a simple as if Chris Paul doesn't,
they win. Um, the local adjustment for them is gonna
(30:44):
have to be, you know, getting onto the dollar backed out.
They're healthy. The welcoming signs for me if you're going
to State Williamson that he made the trip, he was
able to travel, and information and cold and you have
swelling and things like that at discomfort, they're not gonna
have to travel. They're usually going to have to stay
around the clock. With the medical staff home base. We
can get the necessary treatment that's needed, and you can
(31:07):
get into the gym, get your lab working, and also
get prepared for the next challenge and the dost game.
But what I did love about to go to State Warriors,
and what Steve Kerr did was he exercised the right
to utilize other guys. You saw a lot of mixed
lineups that you wouldn't normally see and that was for
numerous reasons. Because you're thinking big pictures seven game series.
(31:28):
Try to get these guys rested as much as possible,
but overhaul a minutes as coming you know in game
six and seven. Yeah, it's gonna be fascinating because they've
rockets have only played seven guys to pass two games. Ultimately,
do those six that are remaining that play, Like what
do you do if you're if you're Mike D'Antoni, do
you play your whole bench and sacrifice any chance of
(31:50):
winning games six so that you're at least partially rested
for seven. Listen, if I'm Mike D'Antoni, I go for
the win. You know, if you if you got them
on the uh, their heels against the wall and their
backs against the wall. Look, you throw everything out him,
You throw the kitchen sink at him. Because the thing
that happens all the time the sports were and and
(32:10):
we all been, you know, victims of this or on
teams that this happened with, where you know, with the
major guy goes down, you know, sometimes it's a relief.
You know, guys put their guard down a little bit,
don't come with the same sense of urgency. And Chris
Paul not playing in game six, you know, maybe they
put their guard down a little bit. Maybe they think
Eric Gordon can't come out there and have one of
those special performances. James hard is born and caple he
(32:33):
can go out there and score forty and sixty points
in the game. Then he can get you re miles
and assist in et cetera. So other guys have to
step up in a major way and look, this is
they're one way away from the NBA Finals. Let it
go and hang out. Coron Butler joining us in the
Doug Ottlieb Show. It most people think foregone conclusion. Cleveland
(32:54):
is going back to Boston for a game seven? What
do you think? I think so too. You know, I
just don't see Lebron. It's hard that did Everybody always
say the same record, but it really is. It's hard
to beat against Lebron James. You know, he's a law
that you know, poss us on moving skills of you know,
just coming back and you know, imposing fear and of
(33:16):
young athletes. And you know these young guys, you know,
they idolize them. They look up to them, whether they're
saying or not. And the Boston Celtics been the one
team that collectively come together and not showing that weakness
where they're gonna just praise him. They're gonna compete against
him and show him respect by showing him done. But
he's back at home, he's back in his kingdom. He's
gonna get the necessary cause that's needed. He gonna get
(33:38):
the favorable whistle. I wouldn't be surprised to see one
of the key guys of the Boston Celtics getting filed
trumpled early. That's gonna help the Cleveland captain. Lear's going
to run and if they can separate theirselves clearly from
the scoring standpoint attended twelve and fourteen points in the
first half, it's going to go in Cleveland's favor. So, uh,
what happens if they lose? All right, let the story start.
(34:01):
I don't even think people will start even pay attention
to the finals. I think it's gonna be all about
where Lebron goes next. I think that's gonna be the
story in the headline. Yeah, it's it's gonna be. It's
gonna be. It feels like a kind of a no
lose for Lebron right because he has performed so well
that if they lose, it becomes hey, didn't have the teammates,
(34:21):
you know, Whereas if he wins, it's yet another miraculous
comeback for Lebron where the other team was the better
overall team even though the other team is missing their
top two players. Yeah, it really are. But if you
look at the body of work and one Lebron has
been able to accomplish here in this playoff series. Doug,
he literally, and I said, at time time again, he
(34:42):
literally went to the y m C, A Lifetime Boys
and Girls Club, whatever, lifetime fitness, whatever you got near you,
where a whole bunch of guys just get together and
play pick up in shape man out he went to
and he said, look, I mean eight guys were headed
to the NBA Finals. And that's exactly what's happening right now.
It's amazing just to see his ability to be able
(35:04):
to do that and if he if he's able to
pull this out off. The discussion of the goat conversations
going to go to all the lights. Um, okay, so
what do you you think Cleveland goes back to Boston?
And then what do you think Cleveland goes back to Boston?
And then what do you think happens in Boston? Anything
can happen. Is anybody game? Is no favorite. I don't
(35:25):
have a horse in this race, but is anybody game?
But I will tell you that Boston played amazingly well
all season at home, particularly in the playoffs, and you
know I don't see that stopping. I say Boston to
win in seven. But listen, the best player on the
planet given an opportunity, a fighter's chance to get a
win on the road. That that that that smells like
(35:47):
you know, uh beforeal Dave barbecue to him. That's right
up this alley. What what's going on with kd? He
he took a couple of wild shots in game four
and then passed up on shooting the basketball coming down
in transition, and then in game five he didn't really
get the ball much in the fourth quarter, doesn't doesn't
make a field goal in the in the fourth quarter.
(36:08):
What's going on, Katie in your mind? Yeah, I think
it's a rhythm thing. I think the rhythm is important.
You know. Um, you know, it was a moment in
that game, not last game, but the game prior to
that where they played in Golden State and Clay Pompson had,
you know, guys kind of stuck with the basketball where
he probably should have kicked it out the KB. He
had amazing opportunity to step into a three point shot.
(36:29):
That's routine for him. But yesterday, you know, it was
a lot of isolation basketball. But that's something that he's
accustomed to, and you know, it was a lot of pressure.
Everybody knew the magnitude of that game. They knew that
the urgency had to be there, and it was just
some moments that you know, he missed out on the
best belief. You know, he's in the last today, he's
watching a ton of film. He got his guys where
(36:51):
they're getting him prepared and uh, you know, ready for
this next challenge. And I think he's gonna come out
and be a better version of himself and he's gonna
have a monster game and then try to use that
as momentum. Gore Thanto Game seven, All right, do you
think that one goes back to Houston as well? Absolutely? Yeah.
I just don't see the Warriors, you know, going down.
You know, Steph Curry is healthy, Kevin Durant is healthy. Uh,
(37:12):
Clay Thompson is healthy enough. Draymond Green understands that, you know,
he uh, he had a mishap right there in that
last possession. Didn't come down to that possession only. It
was a bunch of things that they did, the turnovers,
you know, just not being a single one another. It
was verily it was very recognizable that you know, those
guys just wasn't there. You know, they was turning the
ball over and they're not a customer that they may
(37:33):
have one guy that may be loose what they handled
with the basketball that's traditionally Steph Curry probably average about
three to five turnovers and those things because he's just
you know, using his creative ability. But that's not something
that they're accustomed to. And I think they're gonna bounce back,
and James Harner is going to have to have a
moric performance for them to go back to Houston. Would
have win, no, no question about last week it was
(37:57):
it was Mark Wahlberg, right what Mike wolverg Uh. The
week before it was Kobe Bryant. Who's the big name
guest on the show this week? Hey man, we're winging it.
We're winging it today and and then next week we're
gonna obviously follow back up with it. You know, another
big name. You know I always you know, you struck
So what you say you struck out? You struck out
this week? It's okay. I mean, like, listen, my producer
(38:18):
strikes out all the time. He didn't get me what
we do. We do a daily So what you're saying
is you struck out? Can you call me and call me?
I mean, man, we got the moment of our favorite man,
we don't need guys on there all the time. I
could make a phone call and get anybody Obama on
the show. Yeah, I'd like the Obama on this head
be great, be great. Obama show would be, would be phenomenal.
(38:38):
Karon Butler, Tough Jews. Check them out Sunday. That's Sunday
morning alongside Yahoo Sports NBA inside of Chris Manx. They'll
be reacting to I guess that's we reacting to a
game Game six in Oakland and potentially getting ready for
Game seven in Boston. I have a great moral day weekend,
Tough Jewess, thanks for joining us anytime. Roll pikere alright.
(39:00):
Coron Butler joining us on The Doug Outlip Show
Host
Doug Gottlieb
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.