Chris and Caron: 05/27/2018

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Fox Sports Radio's Chris and Karan Fox Sports Radio, Chris Mannox,
Yahoo Sports Karan Butler, two time All Star, NBA champion
good at time has ever talked to you? Karan? What's
happening man? Two games seven's, first time since nineteen seventy

(00:22):
nine we're gonna have two games seven's in the conference finals.
That's what's happened in Karan. I'm broadcasting year from Boston
a little bit later on tonight we head over the
TD Garden for I mean, in in every possible way, Karan.
It's going to be historic, might be too strong, but
it's gonna be memorable because if Boston wins, they're gonna

(00:46):
complete what is got to be one of the most
improbable NBA Finals seasons in as far back as I
can remember. And if Cleveland wins, because Kevin loves out,
it's probably going to mean we get it. One of
the great performances of all time from Lebron James. So
this is one of those games that you really can't

(01:07):
lose it, can you. You really can't, because I think
you touched on all the necessary things, Chris, where you
talk about the performance of Lebron James and what he's
gonna be capable of doing and you know, playing at
a high level, and because it's needed. Like before, it'll
be like, well, you know, you gotta get Kevin Love involved,
you gotta find a way. But look, there's no Kevin Love.
It's no other All Star out there. It's a it's

(01:29):
a it's a whole bunch of you know, ordinary guys
that could perform and have an out of body performance
if needed possibly, But Lebron is going to have to
be the catalyst. That's what he's been, you know, all season,
particularly in the playoffs. He's gonna have to play the
entire game, and you know, we're gonna see what the
young Celtics are made of. This is a Game seven

(01:49):
and TV garden a lot of pressure. Before they was
playing with house money, no expectations. But now you're playing
against the best player on the planet, the guy that
you idolize, look up to model your game method, and
he's standing in your way to go to the final.
Here's my question, and I agree with everything you said

(02:10):
about Lebron, best player of this generation, arguably the best
player of all time, but I wonder does he have
enough left in the tank to win a game like this,
because he played all eighty two games in the regular season,
led the NBA in minutes. In the postseason, He's played
every game, leads the NBA in minutes at forty plus
per game. In the playoffs. Two nights ago, less than

(02:32):
forty eight hours ago, he played forty six minutes in
a game the Cavaliers had to win. Now he goes
into a Game seven without his second best player, without
his wing man, and look, you know, get Kevin Love
involved all that stuff. Sure, that's that's a factor in
all this. But if you ask Lebron, he'd much rather
have Kevin Love in a situation like this than not.

(02:54):
Kevin Love is a reliable perimeter option. Kevin Love is
a great rebounder. Larry Nance Jr. Had a good game
in Game six. Can you count on Larry Nance more
than Kevin Love? I don't think so. Can you count
on Tristan Thompson more than Kevin Love? Probably not, at
least not offensively. This is going to take a absolutely
herculean performance from Lebron James to pull this out, And honestly,

(03:18):
I don't think he has it in him. I don't
let me do all the things I said, a couple
with the fact the Celtics are great at home ten
and oh in the in the postseason at home. I
think this is where King James rain ends. I think
that I think the pace of the game is going
to be extremely different with Jeff Green in there, and
you you you know how the game is played, and

(03:41):
you know, as a former player, I know that it's
expectations on other players. So you you know, you played
the mind game where you know, all right, Kevin Love
having score, yet I gotta go through him a couple
of times, is gonna slow up the pace. You know
that the way he scores, picking pop, I gotta run
this off. But now with Jeff Green, it's like you're
just fly ying up and down the court, being athletic,

(04:02):
planned with pace. I think Lebron has enough in the
tank to do that. The thing that was glaring to me.
You saw him get injured. He did not want anyone
to touch him. Stand back, let me walk on my
own will. Those things are the things that you know
the team's feed off of. You get that momentum, and

(04:24):
you get that momentum in your favor, and now Cleveland
has all the momentum they're playing with house. Look, no
one expect Cleveland and go to TV Garden and win
because of the Celtics. It. Celtic has been amazingly well
all playoffs and all the pressure is on them for
the first time this season. What are they gonna do
with it? Yeah, you know one strategy. I think Boston's

(04:48):
going to employ what you saw them use to some
degree at the end of Game six. You know, you
saw Marcus Smart on Lebron James and Marcus Smart gives
up about five inches and thirty plus pounds. But Marcus
Smart's a bulldog out there. He's physical. He's one of
the best perimeter defenders in the league. If he didn't
miss twenty eight games this season, he would have been
first team All Defense. I think there's no question about that.

(05:08):
One thing Marcus Smart did Karen in the fourth quarter
of that game is he started pressing Lebron James full court.
He started making Lebron James work from the second he
picked up that basketball as the de facto point guard
and bringing it up the floor and with If the
Celtics know that this is now not only the Calves
best offensive option, but unless j R. And George hill

(05:29):
And and Jordan Clarkson are making three point shots, which,
by the way, they haven't done on the road. They've
done effectively at times at home, they have yet to
do it in this series on the road. I think
Boston's gonna really try to wear Lebron down, and I
think that's a smart strategy. I mean, the guy has
a ridiculous well of energy. Can go to the two
three pointers Karani made in Game six, two of the

(05:50):
best shots I've ever seen the playoffs, step back, same spot,
fade away a six, eight, six nine, Jayson Tatum defending
him pretty well, and he banged down two threes to
seal that game. Those were great shots. But to try
to take the energy away from him, so maybe his
legs aren't there for those shots in the fourth I
think a good strategy for the Celtics is to be

(06:10):
aggressive with him full court, pick him up, make him
work every second he's out there on the floor. But
you're gonna see a lot of that. You're gonna you're
gonna see. But look, Chris, haven't everyone tried something new
every game? You saw that with you know, the first
round with Indiana, they wore him out and everybody's like, oh,
he's tired, He's not gonna have enough to make him

(06:31):
through the playoffs. Look what he did heroic performances. You
saw Toronto do the same thing through different bodies at them,
and then they realized that, Yo, he's still big bro.
I can't do nothing against big bro. Like you, you
still can't beat your big brother because he knows you
better than you know yourself. So he ended up winning
that series just because he's big Bro. And then now
this series, look, we're gonna throw We're gonna put smart

(06:54):
on him because he's gonna crowd him. He's gonna make
him work. He's so physical he can get into him.
And then we got bodies with throw out, with a
triple team of no Cavin love. Somebody else is gonna
have to beat it, and you know what, he's gonna
probably find a way to figure it out. It wouldn't
shock me if Cleveland win. I had Boston winning this
series because they had the young talented team, the youth,

(07:17):
and you know they just they don't fear Lebron James.
But you can never count out Lebron James. This is
a game seven, This is right up his alley. This
is a great stage for him to, you know, continue
to add on to his legacy. So let the chips
fall what he may. I'll tell you this much. If
the Cavaliers win this game, outside of the three finals

(07:37):
m vps Lebron picked up in the three championship seasons,
this to me would be the most impressive performance of
his career because it's he's thirty three years old. All
he's had to do to prop this team up in
the regular season, all he's had to do to win
games in the postseason. I mean the last couple of years, Karan,
this team has just cruised through the Eastern Conference playoffs.
They were in a dog fight in the first round

(07:57):
on now they did beat up on on Toronto because
they've got their number. But for two series now, they've
been pushed to a game seven. Now he's got to
go into a game seven here in a hostile environment
against the team that's great at home. I don't know
that there's a more impressive accomplishment that Lebron could make
outside of those championships than what he could do tonight. Look,

(08:18):
Kyrie Irvin is so valuable. He's this, he's that, he's
all things you're gonna take one of the top ten
talents off the team, his Robbin, the guy that that
that really hit the signature shot to seal the championship
for the Calves, And you're gonna take that guy off
the team. And then all of a sudden, look, Lebron, look,

(08:38):
you're you're you'd be lucky if you make it to
the playoffs because you're just not gonna have that number
two guys, which you know no longer. Not only did
he make it to the playoffs, he went through the
playoffs and he did everything that someone or everyone thought
that he couldn't accomplish. And now he has a chance
to come out of the Eastern Conference and he's one
win away, one forty eight minutes of play away from

(09:03):
proving all the doubters wrong. I think he can do it.
And you know what, Lebron has to be thinking, maybe
he doesn't that maybe it's just us to think stuff
like this because we're outside of the moment. But you know,
the Western Conference that whoever comes out of it Houston
or Golden State, and we'll get into that series at
a little bit later, but whoever comes out of it
is not as invulnerable as we thought they were coming

(09:25):
into that series. Now, maybe it's because both teams are
really good, borderline great, that they've exposed some weaknesses there.
But they're also injuries to consider. I mean, Golden State
has not looked like the offensive juggernaut aside from the
second half last night. Uh, you know, during this series,
they've got injuries, some bumps and bruises to guys like
Clay Thompson. Andre Wadalla is still likely out for a

(09:45):
Game seven. Who long knows how long he's gonna be out,
So the Warriors are not unbeatable. Uh, same thing with Houston.
I mean, we don't know where Chris Paul is physically
at this point. We don't know if he's gonna be
able to play in Game seven or how long that
hamstring injury is gonna linger with him. You know, Lebron
cannot only win a series here in this Game seven.
But if he does and if Kevin Love comes back.

(10:06):
Put it this way, there's a better chance now that
Lebron could win a championship then I would have given
at the start of this postseason. Absolutely, But you know,
you know, the the real thing I think it is
with that Houston, Golden State Series, Golden State is the
better team. But I think what happened is they really
really underestimated Houston. They really did, and and they underestimated

(10:27):
the the desire and the passion that they wasn't come
out there and play with. You know, you come out
and you you you blitz the team early on, uh
in in game one and you see some things and
then allstin you're still that second one, you think, you
know what, look we got them, you know, the same old,
same old. And then Chris Paul comes and he has
a heroic performance. James Harden, you know, having had that

(10:48):
signature game that you want him to have yet, but
he's been you know, playing and doing what he does.
And then Eric Gordon, I mean he's just been amazing.
Green been amazing. Where was he last? Like the second
half last night? He was great in the first half
and then he just vanished. He stopped shooting like he
was driving to the basket and he was looking for
kickouts right away. This guy was great. Eric Gordon in

(11:10):
that first half, he just went I don't mind if
he misses shots. He just went passive in that second half. Yeah,
you know, it's about flow and rhythm. And trying to
get you. You just don't want to go out there
and overcreate, but you want to play within yourself. And
what he's great at is playing off the ball, and uh,
you know, James creating for him or someone putting him
in some play action where he can create, like bringing

(11:32):
the ball up the court and just you know, doing
it all is not his game. He's capable of doing
it in pockets and in spots, but he can't do
that the majority of the game, and that's why he
was hindered. He didn't get the same opportunities and looks
that he wants was getting with a Chris Paul out
there in the game. Yeah, well, Game seven Boston Cleveland tonight.
We'll talk more about that. Game seven Houston and Golden State.
That's tomorrow night. Uh in Houston's Chris and Karan Company

(11:54):
Live and the guy go Fox Sports Radio Studios. Fifteen
minutes could save you fifteen cent or more on carn surance.
I visit Geico dot com for a free rate quote today.
All right, we come back. The Karen Butler booking experience continues.
He's got Kobe Bryant on the show before Chris Paul
came on at one point a little bit. Coming up next,
I should say Isaiah Thomas, the Lakers guard coming off

(12:16):
an injury. He's got a big offseason ahead of him.
He's gonna join the program. We'll talk to him about
a whole bunch of stuff. What what do you can
see from Boston, the former Celtic and of course what's
next for him in his career. That's next. Chris and
Karan here on Fox Sports Radio. It's Chris and Karan
Fox Sports Radio. Chris Mannox Yeah, who Sports. Karan Butler,

(12:38):
two time NBA All Star, NBA Champion. Great news, great
way to say to save you could save money. Switched
to Geico. Go to Geico dot com and fifteen mens
you can say fiftcent or more on car insurance. So, Karen, I,
as we've talked about this show before, I've been covering
the leagues. It's back when you're just a baby face
player man back in the day, back in the day,
when you were the young guy in those days. But

(13:00):
I'll say I've seen some great, uh regular seasons, some
great playoff performances. For me, what Isaiah Thomas did last
year both in the regular season for Boston and the playoffs.
One of the most impressive things I've ever seen, uh
covering this sport. Just a unbelievable season for Isaiah and
Isaiah Thomas, the two time NBA All Star, joins us

(13:21):
here on the show. I said, Chris and Karen, what's up? Man?
How are you doing? How are you guys doing? Hey?
Thanks for coming on the show, baby, bro. You know anytime, man,
any time? So Isaiah, right off the top, you know
the I want to ask you. I mean, you're in
the middle of your rehab right now from hip surgery?
How is the hip? Where are you? What can you
update us with? UM? Great? I mean, I'm finally I

(13:44):
can really shout finally paying for you now, like I fixed.
The biggest problem I had was that labor on which
everybody knows, and I never got that fix. So UM,
I decided to go in and get it fixed and
then and then really rehab hard. And I'm two months out.
I got um three or four more weeks too. I'm approved.

(14:04):
I mean, I'm so, I'm clear to do everything, and
I'm i'm I'm I'm excited about I'm excited about being
able to be healthy again. I haven't been healthy in
a while. Have they told you, you know, when you
know the playing basketball happens when you can expect to
be out there on the floor in full strength. Um, yeah,

(14:24):
right around July. I mean it was a four month
recovery process. Um, I'm at two months right now. So
when he when he hits the twelve week mark, I'll
be able to be clear to do all basketball activities.
I actually got cleared this week too to be able
to shoot and work out and um, and it's slowly
coming along. So it's it's it's all positive. I'm happy

(14:44):
with the decision I made and this is gonna help
me get back to where I was going. And you know,
we will never question you know, your your effort in
your heart, because I know once you put your mind
towards anything, you're gonna make it happen. But I want
to pivot away from the health discussion and just about
you know, the game last night the Warriors and the Rockets.
What did you see from each team? And who do

(15:06):
you have win in this series? And the I felt
like the Rockets had control of the game for most
of the game and took the took the third quarter,
and UM, I think they had a real big opportunity
to to to close out of a series on the road,
and I think it's just gonna be tough for them.
I think you can't count out the Warriors. Yeah, obviously
you can't countut can't count out the Rockets with them

(15:28):
being at home. But we don't know if Chris Paul
is going to be available, and that's a big that's
a big hit if he's not available with with the
with the with the Warriors being almost at full strength
without equal dollins. Song Um, I mean I would like
the Rockets to win, but I mean you can't, you can't.
You can't bet against the Warriors. They got they got
a lot of firepower. So I just want a good

(15:49):
game and hopefully it's a close game and it goes
down to the wire. Hey, now you got a little
bit of me and you when I when we say this,
you know two of your former teams playing against each
other for the conference. Know, you got Boston, you got
your Calfs. Obviously you know who do you got winning
this series? And you've been in both locker rooms and
one in particular that you know Brad Stevens. What makes

(16:13):
him so great? Uh? First, yeah, I answered that question.
Brad Stevens. I think his preparation makes him great. He's
he's he's prepared to the to the utmost. His coach
and staff is prepared for every situation that that that
you might see throughout a series, throughout the game. And
I think he prepares his guys the best out of
any coach I've ever seen. So to say that, I mean,

(16:37):
you gotta give the guys the credit because they go
out there and put the ball in the basket and
make the plays. But Brad puts them in the best
position to be the best basketball player that can possibly be.
And I think that's what coaches start supposed to do.
And then you got you go to Cleveland and you
got a guy like Lebron James. You can't bet against him.
I mean, he's arguably that the greatest player to ever played.
And in the Game seven in Boston, you know he's

(16:59):
gonna be locked in. He's gonna have this guy's locked in.
But I mean, this harn't Boston, as everybody knows that
and that crowd and and that that that that fan
base is gonna be ready, and I know them guys
are gonna be ready. So I'm just hoping, like you said,
I mean, like I said earlier, I'm hoping for a
great game. Um, I can't say who's gonna win. I
I don't think Boston it's gonna be. I mean, I

(17:20):
don't think Boston. I don't think the Calves can beat
Boston on the road. But you can't put it past
Lebon James in the game seven? What what young guys
showed you the most growth? I know you played with
a lot of them, and are you just like in
all of any particular guy where you just like, damn
he you know he I saw that potential, but I

(17:40):
didn't think he would tapped into it that soon. Um,
I'm not in awe of like because Terry's a good
friend of mine, so I knew with opportunity he would
be able to show the world what he got. And
then the same thing with Jalon Brown. We've seen what
he did as a rookie coming into the playoffs and
just playing big minutes and making big plays. So I know,
talent wise, they got the game to show the world

(18:02):
what what they got, but it's just the opportunity, and
their opportunities a lot bigger. And then the one. I'm
really surprised about it, Jason Team. I mean, he's a
rookie that it's facing Lebron James in the conference finals.
He's a rookie that being given the opportunity, the keys
to to do what he wants and and I'm I'm
excited about his growth. Like throughout this playoffs he's been

(18:23):
he's been a hell of a player that they've depended
on and and he's going to be a special player
in this league. Is said. Let me follow up with
what you said about Rosier, because he stepped in, you know,
mid season when Kyrie first got hurt, and he's been excellent,
you know all throughout. Tyler called rose Eira a throwback
type of player. What was it over the last couple
of years that you played alongside him that that made

(18:45):
you think he was going to be able to be
this effective? I mean, he loves the moment, like he
embraces the biggest moments, Like when I played with him,
He's hit some big shots and playoff games, regular season games,
and it's like, this is what I do. That's his mindset.
And I've always told him, when your opportunity comes, take
full advantage of it. And run with it. And he's
done that pass anybody's ever pass anybody or everybody's expectations.

(19:09):
And I'm so happy for my every every couple of
games throughout every series he's been in just to stay
locked in and just have fun with it. And he's
been a part of a Game seven, so like he's
been a part of a couple of them. So I know,
I expect those guys to be ready and locked into that.
You know, a guy like Al Horford I wrote about
a little bit today just Cleveland's always been in the

(19:30):
way of Al Horford when he was in Atlanta last
year with you guys getting beat and now here we
are in Game seven, specifically with Horford and that Tristan
Thompson matchup. What do you think Horford has to do
when a game like this to be effective? Um, continue
to make plays. I mean he's a guy that I
mean no matter what, you might look at the box
score and you might be like, man, he didn't do anything,

(19:52):
but he made so many plays that are not in
the stat sheet. And I think he just needs to
make plays, make baskets, be able to score when he's
called upon, and and leave those guys and Um, it's
hard to play against a guy like Tristan. I mean,
he's crazy out, been in both locker rooms. Tris is
a guy that you don't call any place for. He
makes difference on the offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, block shots,

(20:13):
playing defense, and just bringing energy. So you gotta match
his energy on both ends. And I think it should
be a good game to that you played alongside Lebron
James earlier this season with Kevin Love. I the lineup, Isaiah,
what are you expecting from Lebron tonight? What are you
expecting the mindset for him to be tonight. He gotta
he gotta have that that code mentality. You gotta have

(20:34):
that Corrown Builder mentality. You know, he gotta he gotta
go for I mean, he gotta have an exceptional game.
There's no way around it. With Kevin Love being out,
I mean, this might be a game where he has
to go for fifty and and I have a triple
that and do it all because like I said, it's
hard to win any game in Boston, but the game seven,
whereas one game you go to the finals or to

(20:55):
the next round, whatever it may be, it's gonna be tough.
So he got to bring it all and and and
I expect you to bring everything he's got. In your opinion,
the most important player for Cleveland not named Lebron James tonight,
it gotta be um. I think Jerr Smith has to
have a big game, and Jeff Green, whoever steps I
don't know if Jeff Green and Stepan the start lineup,

(21:17):
but I think somebody in that starting lineup has to
have at least twenty points with Lebron James to make
up for what Kevin Love is not going to be
able to do. I said before we let you go,
I started this conversation asking about where you're at physically.
I'll end it kind of the same way. I mean
a lot of people wonder what's next for you this
summer when you become a free agent. What are you

(21:39):
looking for? Like? What are you looking for the best opportunity?
Do you want to stay with the Lakers? Are you
looking for the most money? What's your mindset come July one?
I think the biggest, the biggest thing for me is
the best opportunity for me and my family, the best
situation for me, And I think that's what it has
to be and the only, the only thing it's about
is being happy in the situation, making sure it's the

(22:02):
best situation for for for me in my game, and
and the direction whatever team that I choose to go
to is is headed in. I mean, I I love
the Linkers. The Lakers organization is amazing. I love I mean,
you just never know when July first comes, so I
gotta keep my my options open, and I just gotta
make sure it's the best decision, the best basketball decision

(22:24):
for for for myself. And I'll go and I'll go
from there. I'll take it from here as they're always
great to talk to you. Man, You're you're a killer
out there in the court. I hope you get healthy
and can get back out there doing the same things again.
Uh next year. Thanks for joining us, Man, thanks for
having me. I get it all back. Don't work all right,
t you. I just want to say, Man, at the combine,
they do so much testing, a ton of testing on

(22:45):
the speed, agility, and they missed out on one huge
thing with you, Man, your heart. You have a huge heart. Bro,
you have a huge heart and a desire to be great.
I see it in you. You will continue to inspire. Man.
We all behind you. And keep being great, bro. Thank you.
I appreciate, appreciate you guys. All right, that's that's Isaiah Thomas,

(23:06):
the Lakers guard, joining us here on Chris and Karen. Yeah,
he's gonna you know, you, Karen, a guy like that,
you can't count up. You just can't ever. You know,
last pick and we don't. You know, everybody knows his
narrative right last pick in the second round. You know,
traded a whole bunch of times. Now he's got the
hip injury to deal with. You know, we didn't get
into too deep into this with him, but now I
think hip surgery is probably the best thing for him.

(23:27):
And you've you know, you played the game, you know this.
I always wonder why you never, you know, went through
with that early on to have that procedure. Get it
out of the way and and and get this, get
this fixed. I think wherever he winds up next season,
as long as he's healthy, he's gonna be an impact
player for that team. Yeah, he's gonna be fun. Like
I I'll tell you what, I had a labor tear
in my hip. Uh. It was during the second the

(23:48):
second goal around where we had to battle the calves
and you know, um, I end up being okay. You know,
I did a lot of core work and stripping my
core and it was something that you know, kind of
bothered my gate a little bit, you know for the
maner of my career. But I was able to play,
you know, another nine years and it was on the
back end of my career for the most part, you know,
and it didn't it didn't really bother me or anything

(24:10):
like that. I was still explosive. I was able to
be consistent. I played in the majority of the games.
So you know, for a guy to go get something
like that corrected, you know, he's gonna be fine going forward.
And just the desire. Man, he lives in the gym,
He eats, sleeps basketball, he watches the game. He's a
student of the game. He wants to be great and

(24:30):
he will, you know, and that's what he needs. You know,
he needs people to rally around him and support him.
You know, Kalod knows he's been through the ringer, you know,
the last couple of seasons, you know, playing with two
different teams, being traded, you know, just so many things. Man,
he went from an All NBA guy to you know,
possibly coming off the bench for some time, and now
you know he's gonna be back. Believe that he would

(24:51):
definitely be back back. Yeah, somebody could get a pretty
good bargain with Isaiah Thomas if they take a chance
on him. Uh after that surgery this offseason, it's Chris
and Karan here on Fox Sports Lay Area. A lot
more want to get into, including the Game seven between
Houston and Golden State. The Rockets could be down, Chris
Paul once again. They have a chance to win that
series on their home floor. But first let's check in

(25:13):
with Ilo. See what's going on out there. What's up?
By Lo, Chris and Karen. Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tehron
Lieu announced that shoot around this morning that Jeff Green
will start in place of Kevin Love tonight in Game
seven of the Eastern Conference Finals at Boston, would Love
sideline due to being in concussion protocol. Tip off at
eight thirty Eastern. It's the first time both NBA Conference

(25:33):
Finals have gone seven games since nineteen seventy nine. The
second act coming Monday is the Rockets host the Warriors
in Game seven of the West Finals. Meanwhile, the one
hundred second running of the Indianapolis five hundred is underway.
And here's how it sounded a short time ago when
the most famous words in racing were delivered this year
by Indianapolis Motor Speedway chairman Tony George. Start reminds me

(26:09):
of Rush Hour in the four oh five. Anyway, the
pace card this year was then quite ably driven by
none other than Indiana Patris guard Victor Oladipo. And right
now they have completed fourteen laps, all under green and
pulsitter ed. Carpenter remains in the lead. Earlier today in
Formula One, Daniel Ricardo won the Monico Grand Prix, leading

(26:31):
from wire to wire in front of a crowd that
included New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. By the way. Finally,
in Tennis, Venus Williams lost in the first round today
at the French Show. Indeed, I know Chris and Kron
here Fox Sports Radio Company live from the Geico Fox
Sports Radio studios. It's easy to say more on car
insurance with Geico, go to Geico dot com or called

(26:54):
one seven otto. The only hard part figuring out which
way is easier. Stive into that breaking news though, first
Koran with Jeff Green getting the start tonight for Cleveland.
Not surprised since you know, the Cavaliers starting group relies
on some spacing there for Lebron Jeff Green a far
better floor spacing option than say Larry Nance. Was what

(27:15):
do you think of ties decision to start Jeff Green
was a great decision, And you know, I think that's
the thing that he was touching on when he said,
you know, I think the reporter asked him in the
post game, did you see something that you know that
you guys can build upon and take into Game seven
and possibly gonna win on the road. And that's the
thing that he saw. The pace of the game, not
saying that Kevin Love wasn't needed or anything like that,

(27:37):
but when he was not out there, the pace of
the game and the spacing was a little different. You know,
you got Corver, You've got Jeff Green, you got Hill,
and then you've got Thompson that's just being a bruiser
in the paint. So he just you know, he's just
room and he's searching. All four of those guys can
come off screens. You know, they all can handle the
ball to the most part. Besides Corver, You're not gonna

(27:57):
see him do that too much. But he's capable of it.
But then now you space the floor and you give
Lebron what you give him lanes, you can't attack him.
He see where the double team is coming from. If
he's faced up, then he see you coming at him.
Now what is he really great at? Facilitate? He's one
of the best passing bigs ever to play the game
of basketball. So he see the double teams coming, he's

(28:19):
gonna pick it apart, gonna pass in two guys that
can create for their self and others. Look, you know
you heard Isaiah the last segment, say Jeff Green or Jr. Smith,
you know the most important player not named Lebron for Cleveland.
I'm on the Jeff Green bandwagon there because Jeff Green,
if he plays like he did in Game six, the
cast can absolutely win. If he plays like he's played

(28:40):
in a lot of games this postseason, which is, you know,
be a non factor miss threes. Um. I think the
cash can get the doors blown off on him in
a game like this, I really do. I mean, Jeff
Green during the regular season a thirty one percent three
point shooter. During the postseason, he's jacked that up a
little bit too. I think Karen in a game like this,
he's got to shoot thirty five from three. He does

(29:02):
because I think Boston's gonna give him some of those opportunities,
the opportunities they wouldn't give Kevin Love because Kevin Love,
I think, is a much better and more effective three
point shooter. I think Jeff Green's gonna have to have
a monster game, a twenty point game for them to
win because you put Larry Nance Jr. In And look,
I like Larry Nance a lot, and he gave Boston
a lot of problems on the glass because of his activity,

(29:23):
but he's not a factor offensively. You can leave him
from ten twelve feet out and not be worried about
him beating you from there. Jeff Green's that one guy
that if he's on the outside, he's capable of making
that shot. So if Jeff Green plays great, Calves win,
he plays awful, I think the Calves can lose by twenty. Well.

(29:43):
You know what's amazing and you talk about Jeff Green
is he is he in this contract here? Well? Yeah,
he signed a one year deal. Okay, listen, So this
is uh amazing opportunity for him and his family. This
is an amazing This is like a players dream, like
you play your whole entire career, where everyone in the

(30:04):
association of watching this game. Can he rise up to
the moment, Can he make shots? He All he has
to do is go out there. Last night we was
we had a discussion. I was talking to Jimmy Butler
last night and we have a dinner and I was
just like, Bro, if I'm Lebron James, this is what
I'm doing. I'm having dinner in Boston and I'm looking

(30:25):
at George Hill, I'm looking at Jeff Green, I'm looking
at Tristan time. It's like j R. Smith Like, look,
you can't make you can't score ten points. Like if
I throw you the basketball, can you just make an
open shot? You can't do? Like all I need you
to do is to make an open shot. Tomorrow, every
time I throw it to you, just shoot a high percentage.
And we're going to the finals. We're gonna make history.

(30:47):
We're gonna be talked about forever about this one. Like
even if they don't win the championship, just to just
to get out the Eastern Conference with this talent that
they have with this season, that Lebron has had with
all the adversity and things I've been thrown at him.
I'm Lebron James. I'm sitting down talking to my guys like, look,
I need you ready, I need you on deck, I

(31:08):
need you inspired, I need like I'm feeding him everything
that they need to hear. I'm I'm throwing all the
the the John Hills stuff and every like, I'm throwing
all the inspirational quotes everything. I'm throwing the kitchen st
adam this being inspired to play winning basketball just for
forty eight minutes, and you're gonna be a part of
history forever. Let me ask you about Jeff Green though again, Um,

(31:32):
why is Jeff Green never been as good as the
sum of his parts? And you played against him? And
when I say that, I mean, like, you know, you
saw him early on in Oklahoma City. He looked like
a future star. I mean, he was the fifth pick
in the draft. He was projected to be. But he
was a three point shooting, versatile big man who could
rebound a little bit. And now he's kind of become,

(31:54):
you know, really since Oklahoma City, he's become kind of
a vagabond a little bit, and he's he's oounced around.
He went to Boston, he went to Memphis, he went
to the Clippers, he went to the Magic. Now he's
with Cleveland. He just hasn't seemed to be able to
stick and be consistent. Why is that? You know, a
guy his career kind of mirrors is a Rudy Gay.

(32:15):
You know, a guy that you know has all the
athletic ability and all the potential possible, uh, you know,
but just never really like been a All star or
pretty all star or but was always on the cups
of doing something special. Um, and that was that was Rudy.
And I think Jeff Green, you know, falls in that

(32:36):
category where you know, he has a ton of potential
and um, you know, he can kind of change the
narrative or whatever people think about him right now. I
mean looking, he had a crazy situation where he had
a heart surgery and that kind of set them back. Uh.
And you know, injuries, you know, take on the life
of his own. But look, he's he's he's healthy now

(32:57):
and he has an amazing opportunity to do something special.
He's gonna have to play great, no question about that.
Let me ask you this about Boston. One thing about
this series. Is the Celtics just are our e Jekland
high type of team, you know, all postseason. I mean,
they've had a couple of good efforts on the road.
They want in Philadelphia, they should have won in Milwaukee
in that Game four of that series, but kind of

(33:18):
choked it away down the stretch. But other than that,
they got the doors blown off against them by the
Bucks in game three. The Cavaliers routed them in game
Game three of that series and beat them by double
digits um after that, How do you explain why the
Celtics are so good at home? Cannano at home and
have won some big games, including double digit wins over
the Calves. How do you explain why the Celtics are

(33:40):
so good at the Garden and and not everywhere else
that you know what, there's young teams, you know, young
teams are usually like that. You know where you know,
they play extremely great. You know, at home, you know,
it's comfortable, you have the fan support, you have you know,
everybody rallying them around you. You know, it's just a
comfort thing, sleeping your own band, all those things. And

(34:03):
then when you get on the road, you know, uh,
you know, it's it's just you guys. You know, it's
expectations and you know, you you know, unfamiliar, hostile environment.
Obviously you're playing against one of the great players in
the game and Lebron James, and that's been like that,
you know, throughout this playoff series. You know, you had
Janna's where you had to play against him, and he's

(34:23):
playing a particularly well in Milwaukee, so the same thing.
But they've been able to, you know, find a way
and crack the code, and they're gonna have to do
that tonight. But I really do feel like because they've
played so well at home all this time, you cannot
just rely on that. You know, you have to bring
a little bit some more to this game, because you

(34:44):
best believe number twenty three gonna bring it. Now. It's
christ and Garan here Fox Sports Radio. A lot more
to get to get back at that serious. Plus, I
do want to ask Coron about Al Horford and what
he has to do because Al Horford has been owned
by the Cleveland Cavaliers throughout the course of his career,
especially in the playoffs. Tristan Thompson factive again in this series.
What does Al Horford need to do to help the
Celtics get a win a little bit later on tonight.

(35:06):
I also want to get into the NFL's decision to
tweak their anthem policy. Some changes there that haven't made
really many people in and around the NFL all that happy.
We'll get into that next. It's Chris and Garan here
on Fox Sports Radio. Chris, Fox Sports Radio, Come when
you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studios. A
lot more basketball to talk about. We'll get into the

(35:28):
Celtics Calves Games seven, that one later on tonight. Rockets
and the Warriors in Houston. The Rockets had a chance
in the first half last night. Man, they were right
there in that first half, had a chance to unseat
the Warriors, got the doors blown off them. And Chris,
come on, what you mean when you hear a hit
like this player flow? You're talking over the hit twenty

(35:50):
years ago. I know, but it's still a classic. It's
a hit when you when you when, what's what's where?
May come on? Petty? Well Petty, yes we we but
Petty's dead, so have to respect Petty as gone but
not forgotten. Just let's just let's just play music here
for the show. Let's go music for the next fifteen minutes.

(36:11):
What do you think straight music? Well, I did a
heads up, Karan, when it's stuffing that comes on neither
like text me at a time or give me some
kind of high sign that you know that's a song
you want to keep keep listening to. Before we get
back though, too, Um to the basketball stuff. The NFL
issued a edict today or this week about how the

(36:35):
NFL anthem protests are going to be treated moving forward. Basically,
what they said is that if players want to kneel
during the anthem or don't want I guess don't want
to stand during the anthem, they are free to remain
in the locker room. Um. If they are out on
the field, they are required to stand or else the
team will be fine something. Now, there has been various

(36:57):
degrees of up roy Saw an executive with the New
York Jets said that he would pay all the fines
for any players Uh that would uh that felt like
they wanted to kneel on the field. Obviously, politicians, who
never shy away from the chance to pander, they've jumped
on this as well. Karn, what do you what did
you think about the NFL's tweaking its rules about the

(37:19):
national anthem. Well, you know, look, it's terrible for numerous reasons,
right because first of all, this really is about you
know Kaepernick that at the end of the day, it
is really about Kaepernick. And what he was doing was
he was kneeling before the injustices that was taking place

(37:39):
in America. It wasn't about the flag. It was just
about him making a stands against injustices taking place in America. Now,
you know, they twist the narrative and changed it and
made it about the flag. Unfortunately, you know, So now
that's the discussion, and now you're seeing you know players,

(38:00):
you know, they've taken their right and their freedom to
exercise their right on that platform and on that stage
and holding them accountable and and just h very very
immature way. You know. So what I would say is
that you know, they didn't go about this the right way,
and it's real unfortunate that they try to pivot away

(38:20):
from the real issue at hand. So going forward, man,
look I I pulled for all those players, you know collectively,
I know that they did their best, but you know,
unity cannot be disturbed, and what they did was they
have a fracture and unity they didn't have good representation.
I think from the top to the bottom that that
that that held arms and could have you know, made

(38:41):
the movement you know, more impactful, you know where you know,
you could have had everyone come together and stand for
the right things. But you know, the NFL dropped the
ball on this one. You know, Steve Kerr blasted the
NFL after this ruling. Uh, you know, made some headlines
for what he said about the NFL's decision. But the
b A has been fortunate in the sense that they

(39:02):
haven't had to, you know, deal with something like this.
I mean, I guarantee you, Karen, if if if a
black player took a knee in the NBA, you'd have
Donald Trump involved again, you'd have the same level of outrage. Uh.
The n b A is Um. You know, I don't
know what the exact figures out. It's a largely black league. Um,

(39:24):
why do you think that no NBA players elected to
follow the same path that NFL players did. Uh? As
far as what taking it during the anthem, because you know,
we had to write to exercise our vote, our voice,
you saw it. To ask me, is where Lebron and
the three other guys you know, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo, Anthony,
Chris Paul, they all got up and they said, look,

(39:46):
this is enough. It's no more like we're gonna stand up.
We're gonna use our platforms to talk about things that
isn't right in America. And you know, I think with
Lebron being the face of the NBA, the poster child
of the b A him saying that, and Adam Silver
understanding that, you know, you have to be diverse in

(40:06):
that space because over seventy of the guys that work
for you is all shades of color. So you have
to address these issues that affect them, you know, then
that's close to their heart. So that's why I mean
the NBA was able to, you know, get out in
front of things and talk about things, you know, and
exercise I right which we all entitled to. And the

(40:27):
NFL is you know, kind of you know, putting the
stoppage to all that and not letting them have the
opportunity to exercise their rights. All right, We'll get into
this and much more a little bit later in the
show Celtics and the Cavaliers, little bit later on tonight,
Rockets Warriors Tomorrow breaking it down those series. That's next.
It's Chriss and Karan here on Fox Sports Radio. It's

(40:47):
Chriss and Karan, Fox Sports Radio, Chris Mannox, Yeah Sports.
Karan Butler, two time All Star NBA champion, joining you
here from the Fox Sports Radio studios. A lot to
get into today, Karan. A lot to get in to
Game seven tonight, Celtics. They take on the Cavaliers Lebron James.
A chance to go to the eighth is eighth straight
NBA Finals. The Celtics a chance to complete what has

(41:11):
to be one of the most improbable, if not the
most improbable NBA Finals trip in recent history. I do
love and here it during the update, Koran. I do
love when a coach says something like ty Lou said,
which is, we have the blueprint to win in Boston.
But everybody, whenever anybody uses that phrase, Karan, it takes

(41:31):
me back to all the times that Oscar de la
Hoya would tell his fighters that he has the blueprint
to beat Floyd Mayweather, like he would tell him all
the time. He told Canello that he told a bunch
of other guys that he's got the blueprint to beat him,
and nobody has been able to beat him. So you
can have the blueprint right, you know too, you can
know what you have to do to win in a
hostel environment like the Garden against the more athletic team

(41:53):
in Boston without Kevin Love. But it's a whole another
thing to to try to execute it. Yeah, like you said,
you know you have a blueprint and you have a plan.
You can have it written down to a t. But
everybody got a plan, like Mike Tyson said, until they
get hit, you know, and when you get hit with
the reality of what's in front of you and um,
you know, if if if you're dealing with the offensive

(42:15):
firepower or some young ThunderCats and the Boston Celtics, that's
this plan with no fear and out there letting it
all hang out there on the floor, playing some inspired basketball.
It's pretty pretty much nothing you can really do about that.
But if the Cleveland Cavaliers come in there engage and
playing with the pace and giving Lebron James the necessary
space that's needed to be effective out there on the court,

(42:38):
then you're gonna have a problem. Boston, You really don't
have a problem. Do you think it's a close game?
Because I can easily see a scenario no Kevin Love,
Lebron James gassed. I could see a scenario with the
Celtics win by twenty. I really can. I think if
Cleveland wins, it's a narrow win at the end of
the game with Lebron doing something special. But I can
easily see the Celtics blow on. The door is off

(43:00):
this team, especially you mentioned playing with pace. The Calves
don't want to run. They want to play a more
patient half court type of offense and allowed Lebron to
dissect what they're doing out there. The Celtics, they want
to get up and down and then on their home floor.
They've been able to do that all postseason. Yeah, you know, look,
I don't see the scenario of them, you know, getting

(43:21):
getting beat by twenty. You know, I just don't see that.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers, I think that they come in there.
I think it's gonna be if if it's a closed game,
the Calves is gonna win. But like you said, if
they up by fifteen and twenty points, and hey, the
Celtics got a shot, obviously something's gonna win because they're
gonna be streaking and playing excellent basketball. But if you

(43:43):
get if you give Lebron chance, uh, Lebron James a
chance to sniff it out in the closed games, it's
it's it's a rap. The wild card in all this
is Jeff Green, right, I mean, Jeff Green is gonna
get the start in place of Kevin Love. He had
a very good Game six and helping the Cavaliers win.
But he is the definition Koran of inconsistent throughout the playoffs.

(44:03):
I mean the average. Uh, he shot thirty one from
three during the regular season. He jacked that up to
in the postseason. But he's gonna have opportunities, just like
he did in Game six, to shoot open threes, and
he's got to make him because no Kevin Love, all
of a sudden, the Celtics, they talk all the time
about staying in that shell, they're gonna be able to
send multiple bodies at Lebron once he goes to the

(44:25):
basket and try to force him to make difficult shots.
We know that Lebron is a past first type of guy,
like he wants to involve his teammates whenever he gets
the opportunity to. Jeff Green is probably gonna have five
or six open looks from beyond the three point lane.
He's got to make three or four of them for
this team to be successful. Yeah, and I think you
know Jeff Green, j R. Smith, cal Korver, all these

(44:48):
guys are gonna have to be clicking on all cyminers,
you know, defensively and offensively. And then most importantly Jordan
Clarkson you know him or Hood or you need that
that that that guy. I would have to say Hood
because he hasn't really had his fingerprints or no imprint
on this series whatsoever the playoffs. Either you know where

(45:09):
he can come out and just be consistent and if
you can make some shots, if you could be sound
the defensive end of the floor and give them something
of value to be an asset to the team besides
on the sideline clapping, that would just be huge for
this ball club on the road. What do you do
with Lebron if you're Boston, I mean, do you change
what you've been doing during this uh, during this whole series,

(45:32):
Because at the end of Game six, Karan, what I
saw were the Celtics being aggressive full court. They were
using Marcus Smart in that game. Uh, they were using
some of their smaller guys. If Lebron was going to
be the point guard, that the facto point guard of
that team. They were going to force him to work
full court. And I think that's an effective strategy because look,
he made some unbelievable shot at the end of Game six.

(45:54):
Those two three pointers rank right up there with some
of the best shots that I've ever seen. But if
after playing forty six minutes in Game six, he starts
to get worn down, I think the best strategy Boston
could have is being as aggressive as humanly possible with him,
you know, when he's uh, when he's in that backcourt,
and try to make him work all day. Yeah, I mean,

(46:15):
like you said, they're gonna try to wear him down
as much as possible, and granted so, but you know, look,
Lebron is different. You know, He's he's a guy that
you you know, he's he's able to impose his will
on games. We've seen him do it on series time
and time again. And look, all you're telling Lebron right
now is you know, to make that discussion linger even

(46:35):
more as who's the greatest player ever to play this game?
Who's the goat? All you have to do is this
bring forty eight minutes of unbelievable effort and energy to
keep that discussion going. And I think he's gonna bring that.
It's Christ and Karen here on Fox Sports Radio Company
Live from the get Go, Fox Sports Radio Studios, fifte
minutes could save you or more on car insurance us

(46:57):
a Geico dot Com for a free quote today. So
we had Isaiah Thomas on earlier in the show. Let's
bringing on another guy that played some basketball among other things, Karen,
among other things. This guy master P Percy Millity rapper, actor,
founder of No Limit Records, and he joins us here
on the show, master P. Christ and Karen, how you doing? Man? Hey,
what's going on? Yeah? All right, give me the scouting

(47:19):
report on master P the basketball player, because we know
it for two years the late nineties, you were in
camp Man, you were in Charlotte's, you were in Toronto
trying to make a roster. What was the scouting report
on master P? So you tell me this. If you're
the last cut on the team, that means you could
play every last cut on any team end up going

(47:41):
to a team and getting the job. So that's you'll
let you know right there, Because I mean Karina basketball player.
He knows how hard it is to be able to
make it through training camp, you know, so nobody can
make it through training camp and last that long skull
baskets in the NBA induded things that I've done. Unless
you're serious, Addie, what were your favorite memories of those

(48:05):
two training camps that you were in? You know, I
mean just just being able to compete, you know, being
able to compete. You know, I played college basketball University
of Houston and knowing you know, where I was at
as a pro actively and doing something that nobody has done.
I mean, come from the music world and being able

(48:27):
to play on a professional NBA team. It's never been done.
It is history. And my next job gonna be coaching,
coaching the NBA team. So with the experiments and expertise
I had. See, that's for a lot of people that
don't know you look, I grew up in that era,
and that's equivalent to Drake And I'm selling you a

(48:51):
little short, big bro, but that's equivalent to Drake being
on an NBA team right now in bawling. That's that's
what you did back in the you know, the two thousands,
in the late nineties and that was just amazing to
see that. So I don't think people can really put
that in perspective, but I'm trying to paint the picture
for him as much as possible. Yeah, well, I mean,

(49:16):
you know you've been around me. You you know, I mean,
to be able to play basketball at that level, you
gotta be tough, You gotta be able to do something.
I mean, you can't even get in a summer league
if you can't play back then you know, I don't
know now. I mean, you couldn't get on the court
at a summer league to go to go get into
a pro league. That's how serious it was. Like, I mean,

(49:39):
you gotta imagine Sam Cosell, Uh, Steve Francis, uh d
j O Strong, uh Dee Brown. I mean some of
the toughest guards in the in the in the world
was playing at that time. Alan Ibinson, Uh, I could

(50:00):
go on and on. Steph Curry, Dad played on the team.
Why where I played that in Charlotte at that time. Uh,
Anthony Mason Rest in peace. I mean, it was just
so many tough players. Derrick Coleman I played on the
team in Toronto with Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Uh, Charles Oakley,

(50:20):
I mean this is the real deal, man. Yeah, you're
dropping You're dropping names right there. So let let me
ask you how old does Vince Carter that master p
play with him? Like, good god, Vince Carter still playing?
You got twenty years of the association already. And that's
what I mean to ask, because he's seen so much basketball.
He named Anthony, Mason and Curry, all these guys, and

(50:41):
we're we want to talk about this series a little bit.
That's that's that's taking place this evening with the Calves
and the Celtics. What do you see from the young Celtics?
And do Lebron have enoughing to take to pull this out? Well,
so you can't never count Lebrin out. He's just a
super athlete. The Celtics is tough, toughting has always win.

(51:03):
Like you when you go in somebody else's house, that's tough.
Those guys that the Celtic has right now on their team,
they're young and they're tough, you know. I mean, these
guys are not going back down now anybody else. It
would be an easy night for Lebron, but the rest
of his team gotta step up. If the rest of
the team don't step up, it's gonna be a tough

(51:26):
night for him. Even though we know he's Superman and
and Lebron James is the King. They have your your
literally playing one against five. If those other guys on
Lebrian team don't show up tonight, I mean, this could
be it. And we know that he could do something
that could be incredible. Maybe he might go fit it

(51:47):
something pernas tonight because he's gonna need it. But we
all know he's capable of doing that. And if he
do that, he's gonna make history beating this team to night.
He would be the gravest player ever. Wow, So you
said you put him over Michael Jordan if he wins
this series tonight. If if he wins this tonight, he's
gonna be a step ahead to m j in my book,

(52:10):
that's this my opinion. So I'm not saying that from
what I have seen, the thing that Michael Jordans did
on defense that would make him the best overall. You know,
that's the only other thing Lebron would have to do
to get Defensive Player of the Year. Man. But his
phone ringing off the hook, man, all this stuff is
lightened up once you said to Michael Jordan comments. I mean,

(52:31):
it's true, though, think about it. I mean, for the
for the for the millennials and what's going on, Michael
Jordan is the greatest. But I'm just saying for him
doing this as a one man because everybody dolled Lebron
if he pulled us off. Everybody know it's one against five.
Mike always had one or two good players with him
at the same time, even though he was a superman

(52:53):
of his time. But this guy, I don't see those
other players on on this team. I see good NBA players,
but I don't see the time that you know, Michael
Jordan always had a Scott the Tippany always had a
Dennis Rodman, so it was it was a lot of
other help down there. I think Lebron don't have that
type of help. I mean, you guys in best you're

(53:14):
a basketball player, you know, I mean, what do you think? Yeah,
I think he's gonna Look. I think you can mention
him in the same breath as those guys. I said,
if he win the championship this season, not just this series.
I mean, this series will be remarkable, but but if
he go to the finals and win the championship. Hey man,
look best all around basketball player I pretty much ever seen.

(53:34):
And I think that's where the discussion is right there. Okay,
so you see the other game he caught up with
a guard and blocked the shot. Guy was on the
way to a layup for easy lay up. He ran
all the way from down the court. They're gonna have
to give this man defensive player before it's over. Yeah,
I definitely can see that happen. See, this is what's

(53:55):
amazing about you. And I'm intrigued by it. Like we
sit down and we have the discussion is all the time. Look,
you made over a hundred millions of dollars, you know,
independently selling you know, records while players with you know
a lot of entertainers were signing like these slave deals
to labels. And now you expressed, you know that you
want to be a head coach. Why would you be
a great head coach in this association? Well, so I

(54:18):
would be a great head coach because I understand the
athletes that are on the court. If you look at
the guys, they come from where I come from, They
come from nothing. These guys work hard to get to
where they where they where they at. But I think
with the proper leadership, now I could motivate these guys,

(54:39):
even some of these guys who think about it, if
you took a team that didn't have as great as
talent as some other teams, I would make those guys
work so hard because they will feel appreciate it. And
I think that's what the leader is missing. Now. You
know it's all about excess and those we get that.
I got the exces and old toys, but I got

(54:59):
the uh. You also have to be a player coach.
You have to be able to deal with people different.
And if you look at the Toronto coach, you know,
people might say, yeah, Pete, Pete want to coach the
Toronto repers. I say yeah, because I have the experience,
I understand the culture. I understand that every player gotta
be treated different. I understand that this is a business

(55:21):
with the NBA. But but being a people's coach, it's
gonna change the game because it's gonna motivate people to
want to work. And also I'm already successful, so they
know I'm not doing it for the money. I'm doing
it for the love because this is what I love.
Doing the same thing I did with going playing with
Toronto and playing with the Charlotte Harness. You know, you
can't just do this for money. A lot a lot

(55:43):
of these coaches is in it for the check. You know,
it's the passion and the love is missing in the game.
And and that's where the new millennials come in. That
where you know what a player came saying, oh, where
I make this amount of money. I don't make any
kind of money you could think, come, I would have
made that already, So I'm not gonna be intimidated by

(56:03):
your salary. And I think that's where the game changes
that I think if any team picked me up, that
will probably be one of the best teams because my
players are gonna stay and want to practice longer. You know,
I understand what they're going through, so I understand how
to treat them as young millionaires and understanding what they're

(56:24):
going through, and I think that has never been done.
So in order to be a good coach, you have
to have the experience, and you have to have been
through something. I've been through a lot, and I feel
like with my experience and my expertise at the game
on the court and off the court, is gonna change basketball.
That's like you're trying to get the first woman coaching.

(56:45):
Why why should she be the first woman? Because why why?
Why can't I be the first coach that can come
from something different? Come from here, pop? But I also
have a basketball background experience. I mean a lot of
the coaches that that's been in the league right now,
they probably they never played at a high level. Go
check it. The percentage is high. You probably have of

(57:07):
the coaches that actually played and understand the game. Most
of the coaches is all xs and ohs. Well, Mr P,
we that would be interesting to see you on an
NBA sideline coaching a team. I know you're busy, man.
Thanks for joining us here on the show. We appreciate
it alright. As master P Percy Miller the rapper and

(57:29):
uh future head coach maybe in the NBA. What I
want to talk a little bit about that, Karran. We're
up against the break here, but would Master P make
a good coach? And what does anybody hire him? There? Plus,
we'll get back into the conference finals. Game seven tonight
Boston against Cleveland, Game seven tomorrow Golden State against US.
We'll do all that next Chris and karan Here on
Fox Sports Radio. Chris aran Here, Fox Sports Radio. What

(57:54):
does it mean when Geico says just fifteen minutes could
save you fift or more on car Inshurts means probably
on the Geico geico dot com fifteen minutes ago. Karen,
you heard everything that Master P was saying about his
desire to be an NBA head coach. I'll be honest,
I didn't really buy much of it. I mean, look
at I can respect the motivation, the ability to motivate players,

(58:18):
but you know, and we're seeing in these you know,
conference finals. You know Brad Stevens, who I don't think
has much in common with any of his players, but
his ability to draw up the kind of plays that
guys just blindly believe in. That's the the greatest strength
of an NBA coach, isn't it Just what he does
in those huddles, out of time outplays, rotations. I mean,

(58:40):
I don't think you need to be this master motivator
to be a successful NBA coach. That's part of it,
you know, part of it is X and O's and
the other part is of it is being a leader
of men. You know, you got to galvanize the troops.
You have to have them believe in the vision that
they can't see. You know, you got to be able
to paint the picture. You have to show them success

(59:00):
that you know, a place where you've been and they
trust your your your leadership and I you know, as
you know, just having having a master p as a friend,
you know, uh, a mentor over the years I've seen him,
you know, you know, he made hundreds of millions of
dollars in the entertainment business. He's a marketing genius. He
understands how to lead people and insert insert them in

(59:24):
situations to be a better version of themselves. So with
that being said, uh, I do believe that he would
be you know, special and unique in that space. Whether
it happened or not has it would be yet to
be seen. But you know, uh, he's qualified and he
definitely deserves a shot. Who is the best pro coach
that you ever played for in terms of all that,

(59:45):
in terms of motivating being a leader of men and
the X and part of it. Hey, look, hands down,
pat Riley. Um. You know, Uh, pat Riley was you know,
uh the master motivator. Um. You know, he taught me
a lot about you know, life and how sports was
parallel to life, and about being consistent, you know, being
on time, you know, being prepared, you know for the

(01:00:08):
good and the bad. You know how to handle adversity,
and you know how to continue to move forward, and
you know, the most importantly always fight. You know, he
taught me those things you know, early on. And you know,
the best thing that ever happened to me coming out
the University of Connecticut with another Hall of Fame coach,
Jim Calhoun, is that I landed in the hands of
pat Riley. And that's the best thing that ever happened

(01:00:28):
to me as a man for my sports career and
my basketball life after basketball. You know, there are tricks
to to being a coach and how you you prepare
guys for games. And one of the things I think
that Boston's doing and that Brad Stevens is doing effectively
as this series has, you know, kind of gone deeper
and deeper, is keeping it light. You know, if you

(01:00:51):
listen to the public comments, you know from Stevens, it's
like this is this is awesome, Like it's it's great
being a part of this um. He's not putting too
much pressure on his guys he's saying this is fun.
He's kind of saying all the right things to keep
that team loose. I think that's the best way to
do it, because if you're a team that is basically
being led by a bunch of guys in their early twenties,

(01:01:14):
whether it's you know, Tatum Brown or Rogier, you need
to to not go into a game seven thinking that
you've got to make every shot or every possession is
is do or die. You've got to be able to
shake off a bad two or three minute stretching and succeed.
I really like what with with Boston's coaching staff has done
leading into this game. Yeah, I mean they've done an
excellent job. But you know it's also the players too.

(01:01:35):
I mean, you know they a lot of people say that,
you know, Brass Stevens getting too much credit or whatever,
but I thought he was an excellent coach, you know
from uh you know, from the college college days, you know,
being at Butler. What he is able to accomplish, dear um.
I thought that he you know, put the world on
notice then and on that stage that you know, he
can really coach, like this guy special, but he also

(01:01:56):
has a special group of unique talent you o, and
that that needs to be you know said, you know,
he has a special group of unique talented individuals that's
ready for the moment. And you heard Isaiah Thomas. Look
all these guys can play basketball. Young guys. Yeah, granted,
but if you can play, you can play. And you
understand that at an early age, you know, growing up

(01:02:17):
in the rec centers. If you can, if you got it,
you got it. And you know he has three to
four individuals on that team that could create shots for
theirself and others. Let me ask you this before you
to take a break. Um, has Terry Rosier given you
any reason to think that maybe you know, look, we
know what the Celtics kind of salary cap hell they're
going to be in the coming years. Right, you want

(01:02:39):
to retain uh Jason Jayson Tatum, you want to bring
back Jalen Brown. These guys are now you know, approaching
that you know, sort of level of max contracts. And
you know, Jalen Brown has got two more years before
he's a free agent. Jayson Tatum's got three. But you
can kind of project out right of of what their
contracts are gonna be. As as Terry rose You're giving
you any reason for pause to wonder that you know,

(01:03:01):
maybe Rogier is the guy to kind of build your
team around within the future ahead of Kyrie Irving. Look,
he's definitely a cornerstone of that franchise. And the guy
that you built around is obviously Jayson Tatum. He's he's
the young, you know, bright star, uh you know, capable
of doing pretty much anything on the basketball court. He's

(01:03:21):
gonna fill out even more with his frame that he
has um excellent basketball i Q. I think it's going
under the radar because you know, not even Mitchell had
a hell of a playoff run. But Jason Tatum, what
he's been doing in the playoffs, that's been so impactful.
And he's the reason why, you know, he didn't have
the numbers that he needed to have, you know, on

(01:03:42):
the road necessarily against the Caps, and that's why they
was hindered. You know, they wasn't able to you know,
be who they was supposed to be. But best believe
he's gonna play at an amazing rate at home. But
I would love to see Kyrie, you know, stay with
that team. I just think that they're they're building something
special for years to come. Who's to say that they
can't all this co exist will one another and just

(01:04:02):
be special and be special for years to come. You
see it in the Western Conference. Yeah, I think they
could all potentially coexist. That's probably a peril. That's like
three hundred billion dollars based on how good everybody is though, right, Well,
it's you're right, you know it, and it's a well,
I mean there are two things. One is, you know,

(01:04:23):
would Boston be willing to pay the kind of luxury
tax that they'd have to pay. I mean it's not
just the salaries, it's the penalties that come with it,
because the NBA's got these these luxury tax penalties that
could get significant over the years plus. And you know this, Karan,
if you're Terry Rozier, do you want to be a backup?
I mean, I know you want to win, but your
five years old. If you have the opportunity to be

(01:04:45):
a free agent or to go to a team, don't
you want to be a starter somewhere? Yeah? Absolutely, you
want to be a starter. You don't want to play
a second fiddle to no one. But you know, you
have to look at the big picture. You know that
that scenario reminds me so much of when I was
with the Clippers and you had Eric Blesslo coming up,
you know, Thundercat ready ready to play, deserving, But then

(01:05:07):
you had Chris Paul here, future Hall of Famer, season
vett Um nude ins and out was gonna win. You
knew exactly what you was gonna get night in and
out with him. But you know, you knew Eric Blesse
was coming, you know, and he was talented, So you
know it's gonna be interesting to see what happened going forward.
It's Christ and Groan here on Fox Sports Radio. We

(01:05:27):
got another series out there in the West that was
pushed to a seventh game last night. Golden State a
terrific second half. They blew the doors off the Rockets.
They'll head down to Houston four game seven. Will Chris
Paul play? How significant is it for Houston based on
what we saw last night? If he does, and we'll
talk about that, But first let's check in with David Gascon,
see what's going on out there. What's up David? Not much, guys.

(01:05:48):
The hundred second running of the Indianapolis five hundred did
not end in h too much of an excitement for one.
Danna Kopatrick. Her last Indi car race, she just crashed,
so now she has done for her career. Later right
now is many Cannon on lap. Ed Carpenter is in
second place. Meanwhile, mentioned the Eastern Conference Finals Game number
seven Tonight, Celtics and Cavaliers Cleveland will be rolling with

(01:06:10):
Jeff Green. He'll be starting in place so injured Kevin Love,
who was out. He was injured in Game six and
sustaining the concussion. Celtics right now only two and a
half point favorites in this ball game, despite the fact
the home team has won every single game up to
this point. And in Major League Baseball, it's prime time
in Japan. List it's not. It's two am out there
and they're watching the Yankees and the Angels right now,

(01:06:31):
Masa Hero to Knaka versus Show, Hey Otani pitching versus
Battery matchups today Otani right now, Bannon clean up for
the Halos. There's no score just yet. It's in the
bottom of the first inning. The Yankees have a couple
of runners on as we speak, Braves on top of
the Red Sox three nothing. Tyler Flowers with the second
home run of the season. It was a three run
shot Indians leading the Astros to nothing, and the Nationals

(01:06:53):
and Marlins just underway. They are scoreless. Gentlemen, pan here
Fox Sports Radio Company live from the Geico Fox Sports
Radio Studios. It's easy to say and more on car
insurance with Geico, go to Geico dot com or call
one nine four seven otto. The only hard part figuring
out which way is easier. So I'll tell you Karen.

(01:07:13):
Watching the Rockets last night, first half, I'm thinking, Wow,
this thing could be over. Man, this thing has done.
James Harden Uh, he came out, had an impact. Eric
Gordon was great, Eric Gordon that first half. It was
the best Eric Gordon I've seen a long time. Trevor
Rees is making threes, Gerald Green's tip making threes. And
then the second half starts and you've got Clay Thompson

(01:07:34):
having the half of his life. Steph Curry made some shots.
And now we're headed to a game seven. Do you
give the Rockets any chance of winning a game seven,
even with the game in Houston. Absolutely, you're still got
a chance because they the Rockets played amazingly well still
and they you know, they had pockets in the game
where Golden State just kind of imposed their will in

(01:07:56):
a game that desperation was dear and they was able
to pull through. But best believe you know, they was,
you know, they was. They were scared. They underestimated this
team without Chris Paul, and you know, the rockets came
out clicking on all cylinders and they had to walk
them down, you know, at home, you know, But best believe,
you know, with the possibility of Chris Paul maybe playing,
you know, getting out there for limited minutes or whatever

(01:08:18):
the case may be, James Harden, those guys forty eight
minutes stand within them and the opportunity to go to
the NBA Finals And obviously whoever comes out the Western
Conference is gonna be favorite to win it all, you know.
So it's it's it's gonna be interesting, it's gonna be
very Chris Paul. I don't even know Chris Paul well
and and you know the competitor that he is. But

(01:08:41):
even if he can be impactful offensively, Koran, you can't
put him out there if you can't defend, because I mean,
where do you hide him? Like there's nowhere, same place,
same place you hied James Hard. I mean, but Harden's
had to defend you know, he's had to defend Curry,
He's had to defend Durant at times. I mean, where
do you put him now? I'm just there, you know,

(01:09:02):
you say you can't defend I just figure out THO
James out A sorry little slow in the uptake. I mean,
but like you know, look, it's it's one of those
They're one of those teams that that don't have a
place you can you can hide him, like there's no
weak perimeter player. You know, if if if a Durant
was out or Thompson was out, they plugged in you know, Igwadoll,
if he was healthy, if Patrick McCaw could play, you

(01:09:22):
could hide to Chris Paul and one of those guys.
Now it's like, do you want to put him on
Looney and have have have to box Looney out in
the paint? I don't think so. I just don't know
where you put him any time out listen, uh, you
know Chris Paul future Hall of Famer, and one of
the reasons, one of the main reasons why you guys
are in this situation right now to compete. I will
if if he says he's going to give it a

(01:09:44):
go and he's capable, he's gonna play, and you know,
that's who we're going down, you know with, or that's
who we're gonna rise up with. But you know, he's
a huge part of the fabric of what this team
has become. Um, he imposed his will on the game
and he went out you know, and and and got
us a quality win when James wasn't playing his best.
So he's he's he's he needs to be awarded that opportunity.

(01:10:09):
It's his decision if he wants to play or not.
And if he's able, he's going to be on the court. Okay,
but how long do you put him out there? Because
do you disagree with me that you know, if he
can't defend at a reasonable level, he shouldn't be there. Yeah,
I mean, look, if he's not gonna be you know,
sharpened on point and everything. But look, yeah, I'm gonna
I'm gonna ride out with Chris Paul. I mean, he's

(01:10:30):
gonna find a way to be out there and be
successful and try to make it work. You know, whether
he's you know, not a hundred percent or whatever the
case may be, because obviously you know he's not gonna
be you just can't heal that fast. And he also
made that trip on the plane where I felt, you know,
if he wasn't gonna play, he should have stayed back
in Houston and got the necessary rehab, you know, information

(01:10:52):
dealing with the plane and all that stuff. Yeah, that
was that was crazy. That was weird, man, Like, you know,
if he already ruled him out he wasn't gonna play,
you're putting him on the plane, he's walking around. I
know you've got the staff there and they can all
treat him, but you know, not having to go through
the process of flying out to Oakland to to to
not do anything. That didn't make any sense to me.

(01:11:13):
And I don't know if it would have mattered, you know,
if if, if you know, an extra day, a full
day of treatment in Houston would have mattered versus the flight.
But it didn't make any sense to me unless you
think he's so valuable as a voice on the bench,
and we saw it during the game. He was vocal,
whether it was talking to the referees, talking to James Harden,
talking to other players. There's certainly is a benefit from
having Chris Paul with you. But if there was any

(01:11:34):
hope to have him back at any kind of level
for a Game seven, I would have left him behind.
You win that game, let him celebrate by himself when
Houston face time with him after, which is something I
don't know, but don't don't bring him out there for
for a game like that. Yeah, I totally agree with
that one. But yeah, you see what happens. I mean,
he must be feeling healthier than we all think because
for him to be able to be on that sideline,

(01:11:55):
get up, get down, be able to move around, be
mobile over there. Um, I I think he's gonna give
it a go, man. I think he's gonna give it
a go in Game seven. And I think he's gonna
be good enough to, you know, help them and and
be a positive impact for that team. And look, you
remember we saw that, you know when he was with
the Clippers. You know, when it was playing San Antonio.

(01:12:15):
He had the same hamstring injury, and he was able
to be out there and be effective. He hobbled a
couple of times throughout the quarters, but he was able
to go out there and he hit a huge shot
that put them over the hump. Again's the San Antonio Spurs. Yeah, look,
he's earned the right to kind of force his way
onto the floor if you really believes he can give

(01:12:35):
it a go. But at the same time, if I'm
Mike D'Antoni, the leash is incredibly short. I'm telling Gerald
Green that if it looks like he can't stay in
front of Thompson or Curry or defenderant you're in you
know it, it's go time, uh for Gerald Green because
you just can't risk it in a game like that.
You can't roll him out there and have him hobbling around.

(01:12:57):
And you know this as a player, Krin I saw
this with Jalen Roun in the the first round against
Milwaukee pulled up lane in that series of the hamstring injury.
He missed a game in that series. I don't think
that hamstring injury was as significant as the one Chris
Paul suffered. I mean, when Jalen Brown had the injury, Um,
you know, he was hobbling around, he was riding the
bike at halftime, he tried to come out actually at

(01:13:20):
halftime playing that one. Um. You know, I don't know
if body language or facial expressions mean anything, but when
Chris pulled up lane with that hamstring injury, you could
see on his face he knew it was significant. He
didn't even try to, uh to come back into the
game because he knew just how bad it was. That's
because he had it before, you know, and if you
had an injury like that before you know exactly what

(01:13:41):
it is, and you know he grabbed it. He's like, okay,
same most same, all right. Let me like he was
getting his mind ready for, you know, the process of
getting back as soon as possible. Like I know him
as a competitor. That's my little brother, you know, he's
he's he's gonna find a way to get back on
that basketball court one way or another. If he does

(01:14:02):
certainly be an impact guy. But I'd say the most
impactful player for Houston outside of James Harden's gotta be
Eric Gordon. And Eric Gordon played great in that first
half last night. I thought he was gonna have one
of those storybook games that reminded people that when he
was in New Orleans and you know, in Houston last season,
he was a starter. He was able to play at
a high level. He was viewed at as a borderline

(01:14:23):
All star type of player. But I couldn't understand Corona.
Maybe you can explain this to me, but I couldn't
understand the second half. He started getting way too deferential.
He was going to the basket and looking for kickouts.
He was hesitating on his three point shot. He was
on fire in that first half, and all of a sudden,
I don't even care about the fact that the shots
might not go in. He wasn't looking for him. I
couldn't understand that from Eric Gordon. Yeah, I mean, look,

(01:14:46):
like I said, you know, some guys are creators. Some
guys play off the the efforts and energy of you know, teammates,
and you know, in this particular case, I felt like
they kind of like dialed in on him a little
bit it and you know, he was trying to, you know,
play off the the versatility of James Harden, and his

(01:15:07):
stuff wasn't going for him. You know, he was having uh,
turnover problems and stuff like that. So it was just
one of those things where he's like, look, it didn't
click for him in the second half particular, and he's
gonna have to come back and be aggressive, and he will.
He'll be more assertive and more aggressive at home, you know,
like they always say to others or the support help
always play great at home and that's exactly what he's

(01:15:28):
gonna do. Alright eight seven seven nine six six three
six nine the phone number eight seven seven nine nine
six six three six nine if you want to weigh
in on either of these two UH Conference finals. When
we come back, I do want to talk about Al Horford,
a guy that think has enormous pressure on him tonight,
the Celtics big man. Not a lot of success against
the Cavaliers over the last few years. He's got another

(01:15:50):
big match up with Tristan Thompson where the Celtist need
from Al Horford. Talk about that next. Chris and Karan
here on Fox Sports Radio. Progressives new home Quote Explorer
was built to save you time and money by allowing
you to compare multiple quote options all online. So head
to Progressive dot com today and see if you can
say it's Chris and Karan here Fox Sports Radio. So

(01:16:17):
Karan at stake tonight for Boston and Cleveland as a
chance to go to the Conference the NBA Finals at
stake For me, though, I think is something more significant. Um.
I have a bet that I made with Dan Patrick
at the start of the season. Uh, you know when
Boston was rattling off things. Sixteen in a row. I
bet Dan Patrick that the Celtics we're gonna beat the

(01:16:37):
Calves to go to the NBA Finals. Now a lot
changed since then, but we decided that, um, the bet
would still stand. You know, a couple about a week
ago for this series UH started. So the bet is
that if if the Calves go to the finals, I
have to shave my head. And I'm not looking forward
to that, Karan, because you know, you actually have a

(01:17:00):
good head for the shaved head. I do not. I
have a horrifyingly bad head for that. It's it's egg shaped,
it's it's not good. It's not good. So if the
Calves win, I shaved my head on TV, by the way,
on his UM on his show. We have to do
that on the air. If the Celtics win, I get
to host Dan Patrick's show with Dan in the back row,

(01:17:23):
so I'll be able to kind of order him around
a little bit for three hours on a weekday here
on the Fox Sports Radio. So that's that's tight. That's tight.
I like it. I don't think that shaving my head
that was a good idea. Yeah, man, let it go, man,
let it go. Go to the Amber Rose. Look, that
doesn't work for me, man, that that doesn't work. You don't.

(01:17:46):
I'll tell you what If that happens and I have
to do it. Um, I'm gonna go into hibernation for
like three weeks until the hair grows back. You will
not see me, you will not hear from me. I'll
be gone. Your here can grow back in three weeks
after cutting your hair ball. Well, I'm not gonna take up,
you know, a razor blade to it. You know that
would be horrible. Do a buzz cut there. I'm lucky

(01:18:07):
with that. Let's take a phone call here, Nick in California,
your first Hey, Nick, Man, I just want to try
me in about what I thought the X factor was
gonna be for this game seven for the calvs. Larry Nace.
And this is the reason. I mean, in l A
County we spell the Celtics with an F if you
know what I'm saying. And anyone who's playing the Celtics,

(01:18:30):
you know that's my that's my favorite team. As the
Lakers aren't playing. So I hope, I hope uh and
Larry Nasky come out with a game. I know this
is gonna sound far a field, But I've seen it
many times where he'd be like five and fifteen and
he moves one peg up because of Kevin loves God Dings.

(01:18:50):
So you know it's possible five to one something like that.
But um, you know, I was never ever do I
think i'd root for the selling But considering that I
might have to see your egg shaped head, I will
maybe pull for the Celtics so that they go to
the finals and then you get to host dance show,
because that would be that would be a horror. Yeah,

(01:19:14):
I agree with that, Dick. Thanks for the phone calls.
People don't want to see the egg shaped head with it.
Was one of those kids that like, I couldn't wear
like hats because it just didn't you know, it just
didn't fit well out of my head. You had to
get a bucket bro. I didn't wear the bucket hat
back in the day. Oh yeah, no, the bucket hat

(01:19:37):
was great. I wear the bucket hat. Um. I wore
visors sometimes will be great. I did rock the visor
I had that. I had that on. So you know,
there are types of hats that could wear, but the
regular traditional hats, it it wasn't a good look. Let
me ask you this though. Uh Nick mentioned the X
factors there. He said, Larry Nance to me and X
factor's Al Horford. And I wrote a little bit about

(01:19:58):
Al Horford today on Yahoo. And you know, the Calves
have owned al Horford, Koran, you go back to his
days with Atlanta, beat him twice, swept him in the
playoffs last year, five games they beat him. And in
those clinchers, Karan, al Horford has not played well. He
didn't play well in the clincher in two thousand and fifteen,
didn't play well in two thousand and sixteen, didn't play
well last year as much as anyone, you know, because

(01:20:21):
of the history with Cleveland. I think the pressure on
al Horford here, it is a lot of pressure on
out and uh you know, I think Al's gonna, you know,
perform at a high level. I think he's gonna come
out there and be, you know, extremely efficient. But the
Calves haven't owned them. It's been Lebron, James Lebron's owned
the Eastern Conference was sometimes it. Yeah, Tristan Thompson's played,
you know, amazingly well defensively, and you know that was

(01:20:42):
ty lose. He was a huge adjustment for al Horford.
And you know, to put some activity and some physicality
on him. And that's what Tristan Thompson provides and brings. Yeah, Tris,
I mean Tristan. You look at the even now and
I put this in my story in this series, karre
on the on off numbers for when Horford is to

(01:21:02):
match up with Tristan and he has to match up
with anybody else are huge. It's like nine points per
thirty six minutes against Thompson. It's or against anybody else.
Our nine points against Thompson two against anybody else. So
Tristan Thom's gonna get a lot of playing time in
this game tonight. He's gonna get a lot of reps
on Al Horford. You know, both teams gonna play their

(01:21:24):
best guys as longest humanly possible. This is a monster
game for Al Horror because he's thirty one years old
and he's playing for a team that is willing to
trade anybody. So we don't know if Al Horford is
going to get this opportunity again in the conference. I
don't know more. Next, it's Fox Sports Radio. It's Chris

(01:21:45):
Mannix and Karan Butler. Fox Sports Radio. Chris and Karan
two time All Star NBA champion, Kran Butler, Chris Mannox
Yeahoo Sports Comedy Live from the Guy Go Fox Sports
Radio Studios fifteen minutes could say if fift or more
on car Surrance, visit Geico dot com for a free
rate quote. So about six and a half hours now

(01:22:05):
away from Game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. Some
information we're starting to get on this Game seven. Jeff Green,
who has been the backup to Kevin Love throughout the
course of this series. He's gonna get the start tonight
with Kevin Love out with the concussion. Green played really well,
uh in Game six. The Calves gonna need that and
more from him to win in Game seven. I don't

(01:22:27):
know what it is, Karan, but the Celtics on their
home floor, man, they're unbeatable. I mean that's not hyperbole.
They are literally unbeatable, at least in these Eastern Conference
uh playoffs. And you know you talked about the youth
of this team and the energy they feed off the crowd.
A lot of people listening might think that's just a cliche, right,
like young team feeds off home crowd. Young team plays
better at home. But I don't know how you look

(01:22:49):
at this and say that's not completely accurate. I mean,
the Celtics a bunch of twenties something's they just seem
to take that energy that comes from the garden crowd
and channel it into great plays on the are hey man. Uh,
As a father of five, I know one thing right
when I go to my my, my my kids performances,
whether it's recitals or basketball games or any sporting events. Uh,

(01:23:12):
when they know that I'm there in the crowd, it
gives them a sense of confidence where they can go
out there and be a better version of theirselves on
whatever stage that they're on. And people have to realize
that these Celtics are young. These are young men. Nineteen
twenty one year old man that's being thrown into the
inner the biggest entertainment business and entertainment stage in the

(01:23:36):
world in the NBA, that's association. And you know they
need that that that confidence and you know you get
that when you're on the home stage, playing in front
of loved ones, sleeping in your own bed, having that
familiarity in that routine, uh, that you so desperately need.
And they go out there and then they're able to

(01:23:58):
be a better version of themselves. So I know it's
so old cliche, like, yeah, you know, you get a rhythm,
you feed off the momentum. But that's exactly what it is. Like.
It's it's real, like it is this Like I was
that way, uh. And then as I got older, I
used to love to go on the road and play
better because I love shedding the crowd up. That was
my thing. I was like, oh I just came, wait

(01:24:19):
to shut up eighteen thousand. I just want everybody. I
don't wanted to be crickets in the gym. I just
want to hit a shot and just looking at everybody.
You know, that's a great feeling, Like it's a feeling
like no other. But these young Celtics play extremely well
at home for all those reasons, and that mindset you
talked about in the road is probably what Lebron James
is thinking right now. A chance to you know, once again,
shut up the home crowd uh in Boston. But I'm

(01:24:42):
I just don't know what the mindset of James is
gonna be or what it needs to be. I guess
in a game like this, I mean, he just played
forty six minutes, scored forty six points in Game six,
he banged up his leg. He's not really talking about
how severe it is, but it obviously is some kind
of factor in a game like this. Maybe not as
high as people think, as low as people think, but

(01:25:03):
who knows. But if you're Lebron and Kevin Love is out,
who is as reliable as they get for you as
a perimeter option? What do you do here? Do you
spend the entire game on the attack? Do you try
to win this game by yourself, or as we've seen
him do so many times, do you go out of
your way to try to get your teammates involved. Because
you have to know, if you're Lebron, that you can't

(01:25:25):
win this game by yourself, that you need sixteen from
Jeff Green, that you need twenty from George Hill, that
you need to get these guys involved early so they
get into their rhythm. What do you think the approach
of Lebron is going to be in a game like this?
I said earlier in the show. I think that Lebron
went to dinner with those guys and he sat down

(01:25:45):
with each of them, and he looked him in the
eye and he said, look, you need to be your
best possible version of yourself tomorrow. I need you to
make shots. I need you to be ready for the moment,
finding the seams of the ball and follow on through
with your shot and having enough confidence that the shot
is gonna go in. I need you to score ten points.

(01:26:05):
I need you to rebound the ball well, Tristan Kyle.
I need you to get open because you're a threat
on the offensive end, and you're gonna open up things
for me on the perimeter. And granted, Kevin Love isn't playing,
but I think it's gonna It's not gonna hinder them,
it's gonna actually help him because the pace of the
game can speed up to the pace or even higher

(01:26:27):
than the pace that Boston plays because they get up
and down the court. I mean they really want to
play at that pace because you start playing up and down.
I think that would favorite Boston, though, yeah, it may
favorite Boston and it may not, because, look, the sense
of urgency is going to be different for Boston because
why the pressure is on them. They're they're not expected
to lose a game at home, so that when they

(01:26:49):
miss a shot, it's like playing at the carnival. You know,
when you shoot the ball on that rim where you'd
be like, something wrong with that rim. It looks tight.
Every time I go to Santa Monica, Pere, they shrink
that rim, they squeeze it, and it's a more oval shape,
and it's the ball can barely fit through the hoop.
That's exactly what happens when you're in a tight situation

(01:27:11):
and you're like, I can't make I usually make that shot.
Your free throws don't go in all those things. Lebron
Ain don't have to deal with that pressure. He playing
with house money. Look, I'm coming on the road. Everybody
think I'm supposed to be here. They said I was tired.
I'm old. I ain't got Kevin Love, uh this and Dad,
Brad Stevens the best things and slice bread Terry Rose.

(01:27:32):
There is this Chris Manno's on the show hyping the
Celtics and Karen believe in me not hyping the sup
just to clear but you really think the pressure is
more in Boston. Yes, they got every I mean, bro,
they got all the talent, they got the basketball guru,
they got Brad Stevens. We have praised him enough like

(01:27:56):
on the other side and who else. No, but it's
still Lebron. It's still the greatest player maybe of NBA history,
in his prime now, in his prime. Yesterday he was tired,
and those are mutually exclusive. You can be tired in
your prime, you can't. Jordan was never tired in his prime.

(01:28:18):
Game he was tired. Yeah, he flew everybody out of Utah. Yeah,
allegedly the flu. He heard some stories. Maybe it wasn't
the flu, but was the cocktails flu. You know, you
never know what was going on in that game. But
I still think the press Cleveland, I mean Boston. You know, look,
it's it's cheap to say that Boston's playing with house
money right now. It is because they're here and they're

(01:28:39):
at home, and they've been great at home, and if
they lose this game, it would be disappointing. But I'm
not sure that that Boston's young guys are are going
to have that reaction that you're talking about, because I
don't think they think that way. I think they're they're
kind of oblivious in some ways. And that's a credit
of the coaching staff, because the coaching staff throughout this
whole series has basically been hammering home the idea of guys,

(01:28:59):
this is fun This is great. Don't put pressure on yourselves.
Don't you know, overthink things, you make a bad play.
Move on. This is fun, This is where you want
to be. I think Boss is gonna be the much
looser team tonight. I hope so. I mean they're young
and they're back at home, and hopefully they're loose. But look,
we we we saw Golden State right in their season.
They got a two m vps on that team. They've

(01:29:22):
been down that road before. And what happened was they
loose when they came out yesterday. I didn't think so.
I thought the Golden State was kind of tight, and
that's why Houston was able to make some of those
shots on the perimeter and get off to that outstanding
start offensively. And then Golden State that that that that
that desperation kicked in and they all got in involved

(01:29:45):
and engaged on the defensive end of the floor, and
then they start making shots. And then Clay Thompson, the
assassin that he is, he took over. So that can
possibly happen because you're expecting to just be good because
you're back home. Like if you're young and you're you've
never been in of Game seven or Game seven of
this magnitude against a guy like Lebron James. Look, you're
you're a spa like Look, ain't got Kevin love as

(01:30:06):
you can put your guard down a little bit. Ain't
no way we should lose this game. Who's the most
talented team? Let's be honest, Like, if Boston is the
most talented team in this situation right now, for the
third straight series, they haven't had the best player on
the floor. But for the third straight series, I think
they've been the more talented team. You know, because even
though they're young, it's a bunch of top picks, right.

(01:30:27):
I mean, Brown and Tatum were third overall, Rogier was
just outside the lottery. I mean even Horford at thirty
one years old and in his prime All Star. I mean,
they're they're the They're the deeper, and they have been
the deeper and more talented team in every game this series,
despite not having that one alpha out there on the floor.
But I'll tell you where Cleveland can win this, Karan,
and I don't think enough people are talking about this.

(01:30:49):
Cleveland can win this defensively because they can be more
versatile defensively. They're starting Jeff Green tonight in part because
Jeff Green can switch, and you know, today is NBA,
switching is everything. Boston's built the top ranked defense on
its ability to switch every single time down the floor. Cleveland,
with Jeff Green, the lineup can now do a lot

(01:31:11):
more of that switching. With Larry Nance in the lineup,
they can do a lot more of that switching. They
lose a lot, Don't get me wrong, they lose a
lot with Kevin Love. I think, you know, all things
being equal, you want Kevin Love out there on the floor.
But because they're going in a different direction, they can
be more versatile defensively, and for one game, Boston might
have some problems adjusting to that. Yeah, that's what I'm

(01:31:31):
saying about the pace of the game. Like I'm saying,
with the pace and the speed on the perimeter, because
now guess who Al Horford or Baines will have to
be closing out to, Uh, it'll you know, be be
Green up there. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. The pace
of the game is gonna favor the Cleveland Cavaliers. And
not only that, we had two guys on this show

(01:31:51):
who I respect tremendously, you know, for different reasons. We
had master p come on the show, and we also
had Isaiah Thomas I t Mighty I, and what they
both said is that, look, Lebron is the greatest player
all time. And I was just shocked. I was just
shocked to hear him say that. But the reason they
say that, if he's able to pull this off, he

(01:32:13):
is the greatest player of all time. And I said, look,
it'd be tough to argue it. It really would, because
forty eight minutes stand in the way of him being
continued in that discussion. He understands that his camp understands that,
and you best believe he's gonna come out there with
a he man effort. Do you is so subjective, but

(01:32:40):
do you think that does this? Is this a feather
in Lebronze cap? You can get back to the finals
with this team? That would Hey, brother, this would be amazing.
I think this would be one of the most amazing,
amazing championship runs I've ever witnessed in my life. If
Lebron's able to pull this off, it would be the

(01:33:00):
most amazing championship run I ever witness in my life.
It'll be I think, outside of his three championships in
the finals MVPs he picked up in them. Uh, this
would be the most impressive accomplishment. I think this would
be more impressive than what he did in two thousand seven,
largely because he was younger. Um, he had some veterans

(01:33:21):
on that that team. Larry Hughes was on that team.
Eric Snow was on that team. He had some guys
that could play on that team. And look, these gut
guys can play now. But there there's a blend of inexperience,
there's a blend of of inconsistency on this team. And
he's going up against the Boston team. It's an absolute
juggernaut when they play at home. So I'm with you.
You he wins this. He he does this, it's a

(01:33:43):
great accomplishment and it would nudge him up even further
in that debated. I don't like to have the greatest
of all time debate before guy's career is over. But uh,
you know, you win this, it's it's it's a you know,
top five thing, resume wise on your career. I think, yeah, whatever,
that's that's gonna think. I had a bad trafficking A
semi truck went by and said that you said that

(01:34:05):
he has guys that can play now on his team.
But nevertheless, uh, he's doing an amazing job of carrying
this team, and man, this would be the most impressive
run ever. Yeah, I'm I'm be certainly up there high
on that list for me, all right, Chris and Garan,
Fox Sports Radio. A little bit later on this hour,
Karen mentioned our interview with Isaiah Thomas, the Lakers guard

(01:34:27):
coming off that hip injury. We talked to Isaiah about
that and his thoughts about the Conference finals. We're gonna
replay that interview at the bottom of the hour. We
also want to get into the Conference finals between Houston
and Golden State. Did the Rockets blow their best chance
to get to the NBA Finals? Do they have a
shot at beating Golden State in Game seven, especially if

(01:34:48):
Chris Paul can't play. Get into that next Chris and
Garan here on Fox Sports Radio. See this is the
kind of song, Karan, I'd like to let breathe a
little bit, a little bit. That's anytime you get Tom
Betty play and you gotta let it roll a little
bit longer than usual. Yeah, I see, you're not even
talking a whole segment like let the hip hop you

(01:35:15):
want to let go for thirty forty seconds. I can't
stay silent for that long. That's not possible, Uh, scorson
Garan Fox Sports Radio. Great news is a quick way
you can save money. Switched to Geico. Go to Geico
dot com and in fifteen minutes, you could say fifteen
percent or more on car insurance. Orry. Bottom of the hour,
We're gonna check in with Isaiah Thomas. We spoke to
Isaiah in the first hour of the show' gonna bring

(01:35:35):
that interview back. Isaiah had some insights into where he
is physically, Uh, some thoughts on the conference finals coming up,
of course, and uh, what he hopes to have accomplished
next season, where he wants to be. We talked to
Isaiah ball all that more and when replay that at
the bottom of the hour. But last night, Karen, I
sat there, I couldn't believe it. First half. I'm thinking
to myself, Wow, Rockets might win this thing. They're in

(01:35:58):
Golden State where they once a couple of day is before.
James Harden's planning pretty well, Eric Gordon's planning out of
his mind. Trevor Rees is making threes. They're up by
what ten at the half and then they just imploded. Now,
I don't know if it's fair to say the Rockets
defense stunk in that second half or it was Golden
States unbelievable offense. But whatever changed in that second half, uh,

(01:36:19):
it was, it was significant and the Rockets just created
They're out of it. By midway through the fourth quarter,
D'Antoni was cleaning out the bench. I don't know. Does
that have a mental effect on players? Chron I mean,
they were in a position to win that series in
six games. I know it's two halves and you gotta
play all the way through. But to get blitz like
that in the third quarter, just run over in that

(01:36:40):
third quarter? Is there a carry over for that in
the game seven? Absolutely? And as mentally deflating because now
you you you you wonder, Okay, we end up losing
by All you're gonna do is remember the final score, right,
So Dana went in by twenty plus points, and then
you're gonna look at that score and like, okay, can

(01:37:00):
can we like did we wake them up? And can
we beat them? Because now they have the mental edge
and who was all the pressure on right now? It's
just like the Celtics, that's what I was saying. You know,
it doesn't matter when you're at home and you're expected
to win and play your best basketball. All the pressure
is back on you because you're expected to win at home,

(01:37:23):
you're expected to play well. Then that's when, like we
talked about, you're you're back at the pier the ball
that the basket is tight, it's like somebody played with
the rim or adjusted it or somewhat where the ball
can't go in. Some people rise up in those moments
and play, uh, you know, to a whole another level.
I know Chris Paul is capable of doing that. James

(01:37:44):
Harden will have his signature game, I think in Game
seven back at home, where he's gonna just let it
all hang out. And then some people, you know, fall
a little short at the moment because you have to
be so special every possession. And that's the thing about
the playoffs. Every possession matters more than ever. I've been
in those moments. I've been in those times where you're
playing in the playoffs and it's not it's not routine. Uh,

(01:38:08):
you know, possession basketball, it's like everything. If you gotta
fight for every position. You know, you go over to
film and the X and the ohs, and you know
what the tendencies is, k Yp know your personnel and
now it's just a battle of wills, like it's nothing.
You can't even address nothing else. We watch film on
these guys all season long, all series long. You know

(01:38:31):
what the guy is gonna do is can you stop them?
Can you win your match up? What's pat Riley would say?
Can you win your matchup? And that's what it comes
coming down to Game seven in both series. See you
mentioned Chris Paul. This is an area that we disagree
because you know, you think that Paul, if he's able
to do it, um, should be given kind of the
benefit of doubt and correct me if I'm misquoting it here,

(01:38:51):
but given kind of the benefit of the the doubt to
go out there and and try to play. Look, I'm
not against Chris Paul getting the start, being given a
few minutes, But for me, the second Chris Paul shows
that he can't defend, that's my biggest issue. I think
offensively he can be effective enough that he's an asset
out there on the floor, but there's nowhere to hide
Chris Paul defensively, Karen against the Golden State wars, and

(01:39:14):
he's been such a defensive asset to them in the
first part of the first five six games, uh first
five games anyway of this series, defending not just the
backcourt guys, but defending Kevin Durant, being versatile, being physical.
If he can't be at least seventy of the Chris
Paul he needs to be defensively, he can't be out there.

(01:39:35):
You can't. And as much as it hurts to see
Chris Paul sit on the sideline, you're better with Gerald
Green on the floor than Chris Paul if he can't
defend at a decent level. Do you want to deal
with that question or do you want to deal with
the post game where you have a situation where Chris
Paul is gonna he's his social media following is more
than the Houston Rockets, so he's gonna say, Hey, I

(01:39:56):
wanted to play. I would have loved to be out there.
Are you gonna have to deal with the backlash of
not letting Chris Paul play? So you have to give
him that not and you have to let him play now.
Granted you said your least will be short, but he
has to warm up, he has to get out there.
He has to be out there, and then you know
at well, I know as a basketball player, you know

(01:40:16):
when you're in the moment, you know it kind of
like your instincts and things that started to take on
a life of his own. Yeah, your first possessions maybe choppy,
and you may not get to a ball, you may
not look traditionally ready to you know, to a to
a writer's standard or something like that. But once you
get into the flow of it and get engaged and
get bumped a few times, you just start hooping. You

(01:40:38):
just start playing and you're not even guessing. It's all instinctive.
So I think that's what will happened with Chris Paul
if you get out there and play. Yeah, but you
think you can really shake off a hamstring injury like
that in three days. No. But but look what happened
in the series where he was with the Clippers. I
know you recall this where he went down and he

(01:40:59):
ended up playing, uh in the following game, and he
was extremely special. Now, he he was hobbling a lot
throughout the game. He was limping. They was like, oh,
and here we go, he's back out again. And he
stayed in the game. He kept it warm, he kept
a heat pag on it, They kept the misogying him
on the sideline, and he was able to get through
the game, and not only get through it, but they

(01:41:19):
got the quality win. Now, But could they I mean,
I forget who they playing that series that san Antonio
spurs Antonio, but did they were they able to hide
him in a game like that? My biggest issue Cross
is that there's nowhere to put Chris Paul that you
can you know, give him a defensive sequence or two off.
I mean, the best chances to like, you know, Kevin Looney,
who is gonna make Chris Paul work in the paint

(01:41:42):
and have to you know, box him out from getting
those offensive rebounds. Everybody else is in a level you know,
offensive player. Okay, how many how many minutes Joe Johnson
play last night? Yeah but that was garbage time, all right?
But he how many minutes he play with last six
to the year, maybe uh, you know, double figures. So
I'm saying, like, you didn't he get in? I thought

(01:42:03):
he was all right? So you've been You've been playing
seven maybe eight guys this series, and that's including Chris Paul.
So all of a sudden I mean, who do who
do you want to put in in place of Chris Paul?
Or do you just ride with Chris Paul? Look, this
guy got us here. He's part of the fabric that
got us here. Like, look, I'd rather take my chance
with him, you know, hinder, Chris Paul is better than

(01:42:27):
putting in other guys on that bench. The other guys
is Jerald Green. Like, I'm not saying you go to
the bench any deeper, Koran, I'm saying you go even shorter,
like you play six guys in this series like this,
and Luke Baba Mute is the next guy off the bench.
I think I know he can't. He's I mean, another
guy that's like basically playing with a broken shoulder who's
trying to, you know, get through through the pain. I'm

(01:42:49):
not trying to laugh because I've been there. I've got laughing.
I mean, I give you guys a done of credit.
I mean, like the you know people kind of you know, look,
there's you know it does like guys, the line that
guys are tired kind of I kind of not snicker
at somewhat, but you know it's like, all right, you're tired,
but Lebron James spends a million dollars a year. This
is his words, million dollars a year on you know,

(01:43:11):
recovery stuff. He's I don't know what his his house
looks like on the inside, but I'm sure there's a
chamber of some kind where you can, you know, recover
all this stuff. There's so much to be able to
cover physically, but the injuries that guys have to play
through are sometimes incredible, and you know, to go back
to what they do, you know, Green would probably get this,
would be the first guy off the bench. He's fine.

(01:43:34):
After that, maybe nobody else. Maybe you're Mike D'Antoni. It
is a six man rotation in a game like this.
I'm just saying, I can't trust Chris Paul defensively to
stop anybody. And if you can't defend, I don't know
how you can play in a game like this. Oh,
we'll see what happened. We'll see what happened, you know.
I Look, it's real, it's real, like complicated. When you

(01:43:57):
talk about you know, not being able to play a
future Hall of Famer and the guy that got you there,
and I totally get your argument. It's like, look, yeah,
but where else do you go, Like, who else did
you put in? All right, played Green more? But what
if he you know, if he's not the Green that
we've seen, because that's the reason why he struggled with
standing in the association on a consistent basis because he's

(01:44:20):
hit and miss. But I would I know one thing
about Chris Paul. He's gonna compete. He's gonna find a
way to have his impact on the game, whether it's creating. Defensively,
I mean, no one's really guarding nobody on the perimeter anyway.
I'm looking at the replay right now in NBA TV.
Nobody's guarding nobody. They're there, but they're not there, you know,
the traditional brush, you know, shadow defense. So look, I

(01:44:41):
want Chris Paul out there, you know, for personal reasons.
I want him out there, you know, I think he
deserved that right to, you know, go out there, experiment
and you know, hopefully it happens for I'm with you.
I hope he he's able to get out there. I
hope he'll be effective. I hope you know, I want
everybody healthy in series like this. It's not it's less
on to watch teams that are undermanned, and especially if

(01:45:03):
you're in the case of Houston, which was up three
two and had a chance to knock off mighty Golden State,
and now here they are, you know, a game seven,
their home floor, but maybe without you know, their second
best players. So you hope you can go out there
and give them real minutes and hopefully it's one of
those storybook type of endings for for his sake, in
uh in, Chris Paul, all right, we come back when
it talked to Isaiah Thomas, the Lakers guard, about what's

(01:45:23):
going on with him, get his thoughts on these conference finals.
But first let's check in with David Gascon. See what's
going on out in the sports world. What's up, David.
We'll strip things off. Guys in Major League Baseball and
Yankees threatening right now on the bottom of the third inning,
bases are loaded with one man out. There is no
score shift yet massa hero to Knocker versus Garrett Richards
in that pitching matchup. Speaking of pitching, Boston did not

(01:45:44):
get any of it today from Chris Sale and he
was now done for the afternoon. He went four and
one thirds innings, give up six earned runs on five ins.
Did strike out eight. But he's getting battered around right now.
But the Atlanta Braves six to nothing in the fifth
ending from Fenway b other scores around the diamond. Right now,
Indians lead the Astros three, one, Nationals one. Marlin's nothing

(01:46:05):
raised all over the Orieols seven and three. Indiecar career
is now over with for one. Dannika Patrick. We got
a problem that can turn number two. It's Danica Patrick.
Danica Patrick has spun exiting turnaber two. She has slapped
the outside wall, spun back down of the inside of
the racetrack. Heavy heavy damage to that Go Daddy Chevrolet.

(01:46:27):
As Danica Patrick is done here in Indianapolis. Caution on
the course involving Danica Patrick, latch tomplet here at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Yeah, they're through one seven now will
Power as your leader in second places. Ed Carpenter, gentlemen,

(01:46:52):
I mean, I'm finally I can really down, finally paying
three now, Like I think, the biggest problem I had
was that labor, which everybody knows, and I never got
that fix. So um, I decided to go in and
get it fixed and then and then really rehab hard.
And I'm um two months out. I got, um, three

(01:47:12):
or four more weeks, so I'm approved. I mean, I'm
so I'm clear to do everything, and I'm I'm I'm
I'm excited about I'm excited about being able to be
healthy again. I haven't been healthy in a while. Have
they told you, you know, when you know, the playing
basketball happens when you can expect to be out there
on the floor in full strength. Um, yeah, right around July.

(01:47:35):
I mean it was a four month recovery process. Um,
I'm at two months right now. So when he when
he hits the twelve week mark, I'll be able to
be cleared to do all basketball activities. I actually got
cleared this week to to be able to shoot and
work out and um, and it's slowly coming along. So
it's it's it's all positive. I'm happy with the decision

(01:47:55):
I made and this is gonna help me get back
to where I was going, and you know we were.
I never question you know, your your effort in your heart,
because I know once you put your mind towards anything,
you're gonna make it happen. But I want to pivot
away from the health discussion and just talk about, you know,
the game last night, the Warriors and the Rockets. What
did you see from each team? And who do you

(01:48:16):
have win in this series? And the I felt like
the Rockets had control of the game for most of
the game and took the took the third quarter, and um,
I think they had a real big opportunity to to
to close out of h a series on the road,
and I think it's just gonna be tough for them.
I think you can't count out the Warriors. Yeah, obviously
you can't countut can't count out the Rockets with them

(01:48:37):
being at home. But we don't know if Chris Paul
is going to be available, and that's a big that's
a big hit if he's not available, with with the
with the with the Warriors being almost at full strength
without equal dollin song. Um, I mean I would like
the Rockets to win, but I mean you can't. You can't.
You can't bet against the Warriors. They got they got
a lot of firepower. So I just want a good

(01:48:58):
game and hopefully the close game and it goes down
to the water. Hey, now you got a little bit
of me and you when I when we say this,
you know, two of your former teams playing against each other,
for the Conference finals. You got Boston, you got your Calfs. Obviously,
you know who do you got winning this series? And
you've been in both locker rooms and one in particular

(01:49:19):
that you know Brad Stevens. What makes him so great? Uh? First, yeah,
I answered that question. Brad Stevens. I think his preparation
makes him great. He's he's he's prepared to the to
the utmost. His coach and staff is prepared for every
situation that that that you might see throughout a series,
throughout the game, and I think he prepares his guys

(01:49:42):
the best out of any coach I've ever seen. So
to say that, I mean, you gotta give the guys
the credit because they go out there and put the
ball in the basket and make the plays. But Brad
puts them in the best position to be the best
basketball player that can possibly be. And I think that's
what coaches start supposed to do. And then you got
you go to Cleveland and you got guy like Lebron James.
You can't bet against him. I mean, he's arguably that

(01:50:04):
the greatest player to ever play. And in the Game
seven in Boston, you know he's gonna be locked in
he's gonna have his guys locked in. But I mean,
this aren't Boston, as everybody knows that and that crowd
and and that that that that fan base is gonna
be ready, and I know them guys are gonna be ready.
So I'm just hoping, like you said, I mean, like
I said earlier, I'm hoping for a great game. Um,

(01:50:25):
I can't say who's gonna win. I I don't think
Boston it's gonna be I mean, I don't think Boston.
I don't think the Calves can beat Boston on the road.
But you can't put it past Lebron James in the
game seven. What what young guys showed you the most growth?
I know you played with a lot of them, and
are you just like in all of any particular guy

(01:50:46):
where you just like, damn he you know he I
saw that potential, but I didn't think he would tapped
into it that soon. Um, I'm not in awe of
like because Terry's a good friend of mine, so I
knew with opportunity he would be able to show the
world what he And then the same thing with Jalen Brown.
We've seen what he did as a rookie coming into
the playoffs and just playing big minutes and making big plays.

(01:51:06):
So I know, talent wise, they got the game to
show the world what what they got, but it's just
the opportunity, and their opportunity is a lot bigger. And
then the one I'm really surprised about it Jason Tetum.
I mean, he's a rookie that it's facing Lebron James
in the conference finals. He's a rookie that being given
the opportunity the keys to to do what he wants

(01:51:27):
and and I'm I'm excited about his growth. Like throughout
this playoffs he's been he's been a hell of a
player that they've depended on and and he's going to
be a special player in this league. Is said. Let
me follow up with what you said about Rosier because
he stepped in, you know, mid season when Kyrie first
got hurt, and he's been excellent, you know all throughout.
Tyler called Rosierra a throwback type of player. What was

(01:51:50):
it over the last couple of years that you played
alongside him that that made you think he was going
to be able to be this effective? I mean, he
loves the moment, like he races the biggest moments like
when I played with him. He's hit some big shots
in playoff games, regular season games, and it's like, this
is what I do. That's his mindset. And I've always

(01:52:10):
told him, when your opportunity comes, take full advantage of
it and run with it. And he's done that. Pass
anybody's ever pass anybody or everybody's expectations. And I'm so
happy for my every every couple of games throughout every
series he's been in just to stay locked in and
just have fun with it. And he's been a part
of a Game seven, so like he's been a part
of a couple of them. So I know, I expect

(01:52:32):
those guys to be ready and locked into that. You know,
a guy like Al Horford I wrote about a little
bit today just Cleveland's always been in the way of
Al Horford when he was in Atlanta last year with
you guys getting beat and now here we are in
Game seven, specifically with Horford and that Tristan Thompson matchup.
What do you think Horford has to do when a
game like this to be effective, um, continue to make plays.

(01:52:55):
I mean, he's a guy that I mean, no matter
what you might look at the box score, and you
might be like, man, he didn't do anything, but he
made so many plays that are not in the stat sheet.
And I think he just needs to make plays, make baskets,
be able to score when he's called upon, and and
leave those guys and um, it's hard to play again
a guy like Tristan, I mean, he's crazy out then
in both locker rooms. Tris is a guy that you

(01:53:17):
don't call any place for. He makes difference on the
offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, block shots, playing defense, and just
bringing energy. So you gotta match his energy on both ends.
And I think it should be a good game to
that you played alongside Lebron James earlier this season with
Kevin Love. Either lineup, Isaiah, what are you expecting from
Lebron tonight? What are you expecting the mindset for him

(01:53:39):
to be tonight. He gotta he gotta have that that
Code mentality. You gotta have that Corron Golder mentality. You know,
he gotta he gotta go for I mean, he gotta
have an exceptional game. There's no way around it. With
Kevin Love being out, I mean, this might be a
game where he has to go for fifty and and
I have a triple devil and do it all because,
like I said, it's hard to in any game in Boston,

(01:54:01):
but a game seven, whereas one game you go to
the finals or to the next round, whatever it may be,
it's gonna be tough. So he got to bring it all.
And I and and I expect you to bring everything
he's got. In your opinion, the most important player for
Cleveland not named Lebron James tonight, they gotta be um.
I think Jo Smith has to have a big game,

(01:54:23):
and Jeff Green, whoever steps I don't know if Jeff
Green is stepan need to start lineup, but I think
somebody in that starting lineup has to have twenty at
least twenty points with Lebron James to make up for
what Kevin Love is not going to be able to do.
I said before we let you go, I started this
conversation asking about where you're at physically. I'll end it
kind of the same way. I mean a lot of

(01:54:44):
people wonder what's next for you this summer when you
become a free agent. What are you looking for? Like,
what are you looking for the best opportunity? Do you
want to stay with the Lakers? Are you looking for
the most money. What's your mindset come July one? I
think the biggest the biggest thing for me is the
best opportunity for me and my family, the best situation
for me, And I think that's what it has to

(01:55:05):
be and the only the only thing it's about is
being happy in the situation, making sure it's the best
situation for for for me and my game, and and
the direction whatever team that I choose to go to
is is headed in. I mean, I love the Linkers.
The Lakers organization is amazing. I love I mean, you
just never know when July first comes, So I gotta

(01:55:28):
keep my my options open and I just gotta make
sure it's the best decision, the best basketball decision for
for for myself, and I'll go and I'll go from there.
I'll take it from here as they always great to
talk to you. Man, You're you're a killer out there
in the court. Hope you get healthy and you can
get back out there doing the same things again. Uh
next year. Thanks for joining us, man, thanks for having me.

(01:55:48):
I get it all back. Don't work, hey T. I
just want to say, Man, at the combine, they do
so much testing, a ton of testing on the speed agility,
and they missed out on one huge thing with you. Man, Yeah, heart,
you have a huge heart. Bro, you have a huge
heart and a desire to be great. I see it
in you. You will continue to inspire. Man. We all

(01:56:08):
behind you and keep being great. Bro, Thank you? Thank
you really had expiration of season five. Christi on Fox

(01:56:31):
Sports Radio will take a break week back and seven
tonight specifically in that best players, not the best history
with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cavaliers a chance for Al
Horford to exercise his demons tonight. What does he have
to do last I'm gonna let this breathe for you, Karan,
thank you. U Uh. The Celtics ain't got a shot today.

(01:56:58):
If they wanted to just this this, this, christ and Karen,
this this, I can't do nothing with it. Oh you
had to go in there for a second. I was like, Wow,
has he got some stuff written down? Oh? Man, I
just freestyle man eighties baby baby? Do you believe that
something a shot today? Huh, I'm just jacket. I don't know, man,

(01:57:20):
I don't know. Like I said, Look, they're at home
a ton of pressure. Uh. If things go right for
them early they'll be fine. Um if not, Like I said,
if it's a possession ball game down the stretch, I'm
going with the King. Yeah. I think Al Horford needs
to have a big game today because Al Horford does
not have a history with the Cavaliers and particularly Tristan Thompson.

(01:57:44):
I mean Thompson has dominated uh the mh they get

(01:58:11):
the decisive game two points yeah last season points, three
repounds they or whatever reason. Really yeah, it really has.

(01:58:35):
But he's able to uh crowd him, stay with him.
From a physicality standpoint, He's big enough to you know,
build that wall. He's athletic enough to alter shots and
uh just show that activity, that necessary activity on him
on the defensive ending. He's a bruiser, like people don't understand.
Like look, I mean he got paid a significant amount

(01:58:57):
of money, but he brings a presence when he's an
engage that can just be game changing and that can
particularly be season like series changing. And that's why Lebron
m has him on the court as an asset. He
didn't play much early on in the playoffs, and then
he came in and he was the difference maker and
that that series against the Pacers, you know, um, and

(01:59:19):
he's he's he's making it. He's he's making a huge,
uh difference right now in this series with one of
the better players guard Al Horford. Yeah, look, everybody's gotta stiff.
Everybody's gonna step up. Well they do, I mean they do,
No Kevin Love. You know, if Lebron goes for I

(01:59:43):
think I don't think. I think it's gotta he's gotta
be chas he's been, Jeff consistent, not just this last couple.

(02:00:08):
Somebody else has to make place. So you're basically saying
Lebron just have to continue to do what he's been doing,
and and probably two other guys need to step up
and be consistent, like George Hill what he did last game.
Nance who played well, somebody's got play. You've gotta have
multiple guys, because even with Kevin Love, the Calves haven't

(02:00:29):
played well in Boston. They blame take one of your
best players off the floor, and everybody else is gonna
have to play way over their heads in the win
this game. So I don't I don't think Boston and
there's a lot of unknowns here, of course, but I
don't think Boston's gonna be intimidated by the moment. I
don't think they're gonna come out playing tight. I think
they're gonna play free, and that may not go their way,

(02:00:50):
but I don't think they'll lose this game because after
what they talk about playing tight, young, wild and free,
that's what you're saying, you go on camp, I think, yeah,
I like it though. I mean, that's the way you
gotta play like. You gotta have a sense of urgency,
but you have to, you know, be free out there,
not overthinking. You know what you're doing. And if they
do play that way, they'll be just fine. Boston plays

(02:01:14):
extremely well at home. All I'm saying is if there
is a chance or a shot, if anybody can pull
it off, it's Lebron James. I quickly give me your predictions.
Game seven Boston Cleveland, Games seven Houston Golden State. I
have Golden State winning Games seven in Houston by six.

(02:01:37):
I have the Boston Celtics winning this series. If Lebron
don't snap out, no need need something firmer Boston or Cleveland. Boston.
I got Golden State with the double digit win, and
I got Boston winning by blowout as well. Two blowouts

(02:01:58):
in Game seven. That's what, I'm predictable. We're back next week.
Stick with US, Chris and Garan, Fox Sports Radio Squat
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