Chris & Caron: 04/15/2018

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Yeah, it's Chris and
Karan Fox Sports Radio. Chris Mannix. Yeah, who sports Karan Butler,
two time All Star, NBA champion. What's happening Karan? Hey?
What's going on? Family? How? You? Not much? Man? But
comean you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio studios.
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Visit Geico dot com for a free rate. Quote. Well,

(00:24):
it's finally here, Karan. The NBA playoffs. Man, Oh, that's
what you just talking about. I thought you were about
to start the show off talking about Beatella. Uh no, no,
I'm not gonna be What did you last night? No?
I didn't. You know why because I don't care. That's
that's why you gotta care. Is the greatest performer on

(00:45):
the planet. I went, okay, I'll give you that, but
I was watching playoff basketball man from like I know,
but you check it out. Hold on, hold on, let
me have her moment. She's the only singer out there
that could chew bubble on the walk. You know what
I'm saying. She is saying, dance and not miss a step.

(01:06):
Oh oh hey, hey, I'm way. I'm way too white
for that. I'm way too white to be to be
doing that. Man, you you haven't seen like you ever
see you ever seen the movie Hitches. Yeah, so I'm like,
I'm Kevin James dancing in Hitch in the beginning. That
that's me. Like, that's that's what I got. That's that's

(01:27):
the best I got. Or like, uh, what was it?
Knocked up when they're doing they're doing the dice thing
and knocked up a little bit too much. That's me too.
I don't really have a lot of the world. I
go to the dice. I did a little a little
the dice move. That too, is all right, we get
that in comminent perfect, we found we found even ground.
But I watched a lot of playoff basketball. You've been
in the playoffs a lot of times your career, you know,

(01:48):
when you're a young player making their playoff debut, like
the seventies six is word last night? I mean, how
different is it, Karen in that first postseason game for
a player. I think the intensity of the game. It's
to the highest level. So you're trying to control every
emotion in your body and and still perform at a

(02:10):
high level. So it's it's it's tough, you know. I
I said the phrase two bubble gum and walk, and
it's tough to have that that dialed in focus and
also you know, be dialed into exactly what you need
to do, because you can get like off trail, you
can get uh you know, you can get off form
of your flow in your rhythm. And that's extremely important

(02:33):
because as you go, you know the guy next to
you gonna go. So they need everyone to be, you know,
on the string offensively and defensively. And you saw a
lot of young guys that really performed at a high
level yesterday. I was shocked. Yeah, it's what made it's
what made the Philadelphia seventiars win over Miami that much
more impressive. We're gonna dive into that werena dive everything
we saw uh yesterday. We're gonna talk to Ray Allen,

(02:55):
to the two time NBA CHAMPI he's gonna join the
show about fifteen minutes from now. He's making the rounds recently,
gotta new book that came out. Also, he's no not
to bury the lead, but a Hall of Famer and
be inducted uh this fall. But Karen, I want to
jump right in with something that you and I have
gone back and forth about lately, and that's Kauai Leonard
and Kawuai Leonard uh is injured, is not with the

(03:15):
San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs got whooped yesterday afternoon by
the Golden State warri is probably gonna get whooped in
four maybe five games at most. The Warriors look great.
We'll talk about that too later in the show. But
you and I have gone back and forth about whether
Kauai Leonard should push himself to get back into these games.
And I defer to you on this one. When you say, like,
if a guy's injured, you know he shouldn't play. You can't.

(03:38):
It's one thing to play through some pain, it's another
thing to play injured. And I respect that. What I
don't respect about Kauai Leonard is he wasn't there yesterday.
He wasn't with his team yesterday. And I've been hearing
whispers Koran, and mostly it's from people outside of the
Spurs organization. Maybe it's wishful thing on their part. I
put that caveat out there, but I'll be here in

(04:00):
Spurs about maybe Kawhi Leonard quit on his teammates. This
to me, and you you can tell me what your
read on of it was. This to me, by not
showing up Game one playoffs, you don't even show up
and sit behind the bench. Steph Curry was sitting behind
the bench. He was hurt. You don't show up. That
to me is a pretty significant sign that you quit

(04:22):
on your team. You know what, I'm waiting to see
what happens in game two and most importantly, what happens
in game three. Is there uh outside chance that he
possibly shows up and play in the series, or is
there a situation in which he was at something due

(04:42):
to his uh, you know, his rehab, or he's just
dialed in on getting back to where he's in New York.
The Spurs organization knows he's in New York and that's
what it is. Or is he in San Antonio, gat
his rehab done and that's what he's committed to getting
back healthy be Because if you're if you're and committed to,

(05:04):
you know, getting back to full strength, and you're not
on the sideline, and you haven't been on the sideline
for some time only pretty much for the home games. Uh,
that's something that if that if that's an understanding with
the Spurs organization. Then we as you know, viewers from
the outside just have to deal with that and and
and and respect that. So as long as they got

(05:27):
the proper understanding, I don't have any problem with it.
But it was glaring not to see him in the
back of that bench routed his guys on if you
were his teammate, And look, you're right, there's a lot
we don't know. But what we do know is that
Kauai is still not you know, doesn't feel like he's
all the way back from this quad injury. Uh. The
Spurs they have medically cleared him, but they're deferring to

(05:49):
him on when he can come back and actually play.
If you're his teammate, don't you feel a little abandoned
to some degree? I mean, don't you feel like he
should at least have been there? I mean, these these
NBA teams, Karen, you know this, They've got training staffs
that that are are in three or four or five
guys deep. If he was rehabbing, he probably could have

(06:10):
done it with the team out there. And if he
was even close to coming back, wouldn't he want to
be around the team. I just there's a lot of
this I don't understand about Kawaii. He to me, he
has some explain to do. He's gonna somebody, whether it's
him or the team, needs to explain why he wasn't there. Well,
it's as well documented that he has independent doctors and

(06:34):
independent team that's separate from separate from uh just uh
the San Antonio Spurs. So with that being said, it's
going to be different. It's not gonna be some desk
conventional And you know, he was missed, he was misdiagnosed,
he was mis evaluated, and um, he chose to go
another route. Now he's probably with his team and with

(06:55):
his people. So like I said, it's it's just the
understanding thing. If Pop know where he's at, if the
if the organization know where he had and it's an understanding,
it's like, look, I'm gonna be at the home games
or whatever. But best believe with all all this, you know, uh,
this this conversation around him not being behind the bench,
he's definitely gonna be behind the bench. If not Game two,

(07:18):
definitely number game three, well, I mean game three, they
could be down oh two and like you know, to
me and maybe I'm just playing devil's advocate here, But
to me, Kawuai Leonard, with his his depth of knowledge
on defense, could at least have offered up some some
insights sitting behind the bench. I mean, maybe it wouldn't
have been impactful in defending Kevin Durant or slowing down

(07:40):
that Golden State offense, but he could have been, you know,
kind of an assistant coach on the floor. I just
you know, unless he was actually receiving necessary treatment in
New York City or wherever for this quad injury. To me,
there is no excuse for him not being there. And
I've gone back and forth. I've vacillated here whether this,

(08:01):
this situation with Kauai and the Spurs is reparable. And
this to me was another check in the column of
it's not reparable, that that Kauai doesn't want to be there,
and that this is gonna ultimately end in the divorce. Yeah,
I mean, that's what it's been gearing up in. It
seemed like that's the momentum of the ultimate endgame for

(08:23):
this situation, is that is gearing up for uh, you know,
pretty much ugly divorce in the summer. But you know,
I don't want to rush the judgment on that because
we're we're all we're doing is speculating like we're understanding, Like, look,
we're look, why wasn't he there? Why wasn't here? Why
wasn't he on the court this season? Much? Why? Like

(08:44):
we don't know, like this answers we don't know. The
Spurs hold everything close to their chest, meaning that they're
not gonna let us into that space to understand the
real behind the whole story. And then also, Kauai is
the guy that don't don't really talk much, you know,
so he's not gonna, you know, comment too much about anything.

(09:06):
He's just like, look, I'll rehabb it, I'll be back
when I can, and that's it. If you were his teammate, though,
would you want him there? I would want him there.
I definitely would want him there. I would definitely want
him there supporting. Uh, you know when any any time
I ever got injured, was I broke my hand or
you know I tore my patella attending? You know, I

(09:26):
always was behind the bench. I was, i know, pushing
my guys on, and I was trying to be as
a bigger, big of an asset to the team into
the organization as I possibly could, and you know, I
just wanted to finish my job. But guys are different,
you know, guys are different. Alright, we'll talk a lot
more about this little bit later. Show'll talk about the
Warriors as well, the way Golden Staate got off, maybe

(09:48):
the reports of their demise maybe a greatly exaggerated eight
seven seven six three six nine. The phone number eight
seven seven six three six. Now we'll take a break
a little bit early here. Ray Allen, two time NBA
champion and future soon to be inducted Hall of Famer.
He's gonna join the show next Chris and Karan Fox
Sports Radio. It's Christ and Karan Fox Sports Radio. Chris Mannox,

(10:13):
Karan Butler. Just a couple of minutes, we joined by
Ray Allen, the former NBA guard, NBA Hall of Famer,
two time NBA champion. As a new book that's out
there right now is Making the Rounds. Delves into a
lot in that book, the relationship with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce,
of course, Rajon Rondo, Rajon Rondo. Karen played well last night, Pelicans.

(10:35):
That was the big upset. I thought Miami was gonna
knock off Philadelphia and then in the first quarter, look good,
but UH didn't quite work out that way. Good game
for for New Orleans and now the win over Portland.
But let's check in with rayality. He joins us on
the line right now. The former NBA guard NBA Hall
of Fame be inducted UH this fall. UH two time

(10:56):
NBA Champion NBA All Stars new book is from the outside,
my earning through life in the game. I love in Karen.
One thing I don't think you know about raised that
back in the day and raised younger years. I used
to kick his ass before games. It was it was ears.
You can't introduce my big brother Hall of Famer like that.

(11:17):
I'm just saying, I'm doing Ray for a long time.
That's how I that's that's my first memory of Rays
to the floor. He used to rebound there early and
I I'm already and I gave him a lot of
credit because he got me going on. I was. I
was a lean six one sixty pounds back then. I'm

(11:39):
telling you I could I could d up anybody right.
Let me go ahead. You gotta you gotta take the
credit right there. From that, He's saying you tune him
up to the fact where he got into a great
rhythm where he was able to go along and have
a Hall of Fame career. So you gotta tell a
lot of credit for that. Liked get it rough. I
know before me, Ray was just an average dumpshooter. That's uh.

(12:00):
I kind of pushed him in that dress and thanking
Christive Mom was wrong with Ray. You you've been on
this kind of book tour now for a couple of weeks,
done a lot of media on this. Let me ask
you the reaction to the book, the book to itself
has Has it been what you've expected. I think it's
been more when I've expected. Uh, when you finished playing

(12:24):
like we're such a bubble while we're when you just
don't realize how much as impact is he's having people's lives,
not just the people around you, like in the city,
but all over the world, Like as I've traveled, like
I'm translate the book in the Japanese, Chinese, and Polish,
and the only reason that works is because people there

(12:45):
wanted and the publishing companies out there, I know they
have big ward over So it's crazy to me to
know that you know, as I've gone out to these
different cities so far and people have come out and
you know, there's loved us, um what I've done in
my career, not even like behind the scenes everything and
come and I say this to you Chris definitely as well.

(13:08):
But we all have our own story, and it's writing stories,
you know, whatever it is, because what happens is too
often if we don't write, somebody else is gonna write
the thing, our life, their perspective, and then we move
sight of our own history. Was there a part of
this of your story, Ray, that was difficult to write
as you as you went through different parts of your

(13:28):
life and chapters of your life. Obviously most people that
know your recent career wanted to read about the Celtics
break up and going to Miami. But for you, what
was the most difficult part to write? Uh? Yeah, it
certainly was difficult. One is very therapeutic because you get
to make amends with certain things over your past. One example,

(13:50):
I always uh kids rust Binxton from Slam. He's not
Slam anymore, but he wrote that I was gonna fade
into obscurity um uh in ninety six and and take
draft class and he just He just threw names randomly
up there, and I was talking about the story and
I told him for the first I said this in
a book. For the first a couple of years, I

(14:10):
was so mad at Slam, and then after I started
growing up a little bit, I realized that was one
of the things that motivated me. So there's a lot
of things like that in the book that that I
try to point out to people that kind of propel
us forward like that, that it motivate us and inspire us.
And it's never really the good stuff. It's always the

(14:32):
stuff that somebody said negatively about us. Is something bad
that you had happened to you in your life and
you just realized how bad you want to be successful,
and that's why you fight harder. And that's kind of
the thing that you know, going through this book, going
through the past years of my life, what it allowed
me to understand is that everything that I went through
was for a reason, and that's why I have no regrets.

(14:54):
You know, every person, every individual, every team, like it
was just it got you to the next stage of
your life. So big bro, I see the forward was
done by Spike Lee, and I know that you have
a long time existant relationship with him from the movie
he got Game and beyond that any reason in particular
why Spike Lee ridden the forward and while you reached
out to him, Um, well, he and I have great history,

(15:20):
and he was really um you know, he got Game
with so pivotal in my in my growth early because
it taught me how to to to be more uh emotional. Uh,
it just characterized I always say that in order to
become a better basketball player, you have to become a
better person. And like they pushed me on set, you know,

(15:42):
my acting coach, Spike, and I had to do things
that made me so uncomfortable. And so every time I
think about anything in life, anywhere I go, somebody calls
me Jesus. You know, that's who I am to a
lot of people in the world. And I remember on
set Spike saying, your characters gonna be Jesus. I was like,
I was like, why would you name your character Jesus?

(16:03):
I can only imagine how that's going to play out.
But he just was so pivotal, pivotal, sorry, in in
you know how this game took shape in the basketball
landscape and in my career. So it just seemed appropriate
to have him write something, uh, to to jump the
book off in the beginning. So uh, it was it

(16:23):
was for me. It was very prophetic for for him
to be there and be that integral in my life early.
That's amazing. Just you know, congratulations again on the Hall
of Fame. And you know where were you when you
found out that you was officially in? Oh man, I was.
I was actually in another book tour and I hadn't

(16:45):
been running around the city trying to make different uh
interviews and you know radio stations. It was crazy, like
you know, and something was happening in the city where
I felt like I was five minutes behind, and I
was run around and uh, you know, I had to
do uh I Heart radio and I was in the
station all day long and I had I must have

(17:06):
did sixteen interviews, sixteen twenty interviews, and I had to
catch a flight at one. So I knew that the
Hall of Fame was gonna call me and let me
know if I made it or if I didn't make it,
you know, between twelve and one, and I was on
the way to the airport and La Guardia and um
my family was with me, so and they knew that
I was gonna get a call, so they tried to
stay with it, but I had to catch my flight,

(17:28):
so I leave them, say goodbye, get walked to the
gate airport security, and then I go to the bathroom.
And then I walked out of the bathroom and I
looked at my phone ring and I'm like, damn, I
miss a call, and so um they called me back.
And I'm sitting there now and I'm sitting at a
little seating the into a restaurant. The guy tells me

(17:49):
um from the Hall of Fame and says, You've been
inducted to the Hall of Fame. And you know, I'm
a I'm I'm a very private person, but I also
like to be, you know, around the people I do
in love. I love to joke around and play and I'm, uh,
I'm a very jovial person. But I had nobody to
share that with at that moment in the airport, because
you know how it is the airport around, you moot around,

(18:10):
you try to find your little corner and just kind
of hide out of it. And uh, it was. It
was like one of the most joyous moments because I
can celebrate with him, but I couldn't celebrate Howardly because
all the people that I knew and loved I couldn't
be around him at that moment. So that's kind of
where I was special. Man. That's special and and and
one of the things that that jumped out to me

(18:32):
as I I'm skimming through the book. Uh, it was
a moment you talked about in two thousand three where
you arrived at Key Arena in the an Tonio Daniel story.
Can you talk a little bit about that. Yeah, So, Uh,
it's for most people who don't understand, um, like the
rhythm of professl sports. Uh, in order to be good

(18:53):
at what you do, you have to, uh, you have
to have a routine, and your routine has to be
on point because your routine is going to develop other
people's routines or it's gonna throw people off one or
the other. Um. The game changed, whether you're home on
the road to changes, but you cannot change how you
do your job. And so I was just so used

(19:13):
to being everywhere at the same time during it the
same way, and that way I knew what my body
was going to be able to produce, so that there
was never any um guessing when I went out on
the court. I knew what my physical authorities were, what
I could my outboat was going to be, and so
with that, I would get to the arena the same
time every time, and this particular time I will park

(19:36):
in the same spot, and this particular time will pull
into the arena and there's a car right there, and
I couldn't believe. I'm like, who in the hell is
in my parking spot? Now? My name is not on it,
just I'm there, so only I just always took that
first spot, and you know, you're talking like, you know,
we're like something that small through me off and I

(20:02):
go into I knew whose car was. I go in
and Antonio Zani and I don't know what he were
doing and why he came that early, but you know,
we just I joked around, but I was serious about it.
I mean, why are you talking about partner spot and
neither to say. We played the Knicks that night and
I scored forty and he told me, and I'm parting
your spot again next game. Uh, And we laughed about it,

(20:23):
but he understood my point. You know, we laughed about it.
It's not that big of a deal, but it is
because this is what we build our lives and our
careers on is being able to be consistent do it
every single day, and that's part of one of my
reasons for being We're talking to real and the NBA
Hall of Families. New book is From the Outside, My
Journey through life and the Game I Love. He joined
me here on us here on the christ and Karanho

(20:44):
Fox Sports Radio, Ray um the the the the situation
with the former Celtics there when when you left, did
you anticipate that the relationship would deteriorate to what it
became in the subsequent years or did you think it
would be better. I didn't have any expectation on what
it was. What I did know was that I didn't

(21:07):
expect uh any any bit riol uh coming from them
like going forward. Like I just assumed that, you know,
we were still brothers and the respect was still there
for who I was because I hadn't changed who I
was and just I'm on a different team. Um. So
it was evident first game of season when I wanted
to give Katie founded he um, he acts like as

(21:31):
if I wasn't standing there. So I said, okay, cool, both,
I mean, I get it. You know, I'm on another team.
I know, you know, you don't. You don't mess with me,
no more like that. But then it just as as
the years went by, like there was so much you know, talking,
you know, I was hearing everything how I'm not invited
here and I can't go there, and I'm like, I'm like, there,
you just thought I did something you know, harmful to

(21:52):
the to these dudes. You know, it's just crazy to
me because I haven't even said anything about it the
whole time. And I still respect him. I still cherished
our time that we spent um in Boston and having
won a championship, that to me is what all that matters.
You were familiar with the dynamic in that locker room.
How much of that kind of vitriol do you think
was led by KG, by Rondo, by Pierce? How would

(22:15):
you divide that up? Uh? That was That's a question
that you have to ask those guys. Obviously you'll you'll
never get down to the bottom of it. But you know, once,
I once one of the things about me in that
locker room was, you know, everybody knew how much of
a you know, a character. KG was on the floor

(22:38):
and Paul and Rondo and Um and Big Baby and
and Perk and everybody like we had, we had some
dynamic characters, and so often times during games, my my personality,
I was always you know, just kind of very mild
mannered when I when I was on the floor. So
it worked out because you know, I was always cool

(23:00):
and a lot of things didn't get underneath my skin.
And that helps in locker room, like when when Kevin
is going to thousands, you know, Paul's somewhere and there,
and Rondo somewhere and there, but I'm always like, everybody,
let's just do what we gotta do. Let's chill out,
let's relax, and let's focus, you know. So that's kind
of like when you have veteran players in the locker

(23:22):
room for young teams, when you have a group of veterans,
whatever it is, you always got to have those personalities
on your locker room, in your locker room that when
things kind of get excited, whether it's on the court
and locker room, somebody can always bring you back down
because the thing about this is we're playing the game.
You win, you loose, But when things go a little funky,

(23:42):
somebody's gotta be able to say it's not personal. Let's
just focus and get better and work towards the next game.
When was the last time you talked to KG? I
have norma been that long? Yep, wow before I let
you go? Right? Uh? The you were tired at you know,
you were still playing really good basketball. Why didn't you

(24:03):
ever come back for that one more season? Um? Well,
after two thousand and fourteen, we had you know, most
of the team, Lebron went to Cleveland and you know,
the team kind of broke up, and uh, you know,
it wasn't it wasn't looking great for you know, the

(24:26):
prospects in Miami and then you know the other teams.
Was I gonna move uh to another city and try
to make it work and move my family and you
know the possibility and win the championship. There were so
many things up in the air, and I had there
are a lot of gums asking me, was I willing
to come playing it on the team but you know,

(24:47):
play a vet role where you sit on the bench
and help the young players. And I was like, honestly,
I'm I'm a great team player, but I don't know
if I'm wanting to do that, because I know when
I come, I'm coming to playing and I'm gonna put
in like I'm gonna over prepare to be ready on
the floor. So yeah, there was just nothing. Nobody ever
said anything to me that enticed me to to get
off the couch and come and play for them. So

(25:08):
I just I just stayed pat a big bro. Um. Yeah,
I just I truly want to thank you for coming
on the show. I mean I reached out and you know,
I just want the listeners to understand this true brotherhood
that we have. Man, I reached out one time, told
you that I needed you. He was like, see anything
for you. I just want to say that you've always

(25:29):
been the standard, you know, for you know, Yukon University
and just you know, a guy that everyone looked up to,
from the way you conducted yourself on and off the court,
the way that you handle adversity, the interviews and everything.
You're just always straightforward and direct. I appreciate you, big bro.
Thank you. Come on, I thank you for having me on.

(25:50):
And you know you're my brother, and uh, you asked
me for something and you know I'm gonna do everything
I can to facilitate it. Uh. You know, these guys,
everybody in this league We've been given something that we
have to cherish, not only just in basketball, but in life.
You know, think about the struggles that Martin du King

(26:11):
UH Bill Russell, UH Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, all these
guys that came before us, that that that had to
deal with you know, uh disruptive America and still couldn't
even eat at a restaurant, you know, anywhere in the city.
Like we don't have to deal with those same obstacles.

(26:33):
You know, we have our own obstacles now, but we
got to make sure that we look out for each other.
And it's not just a black and white thing, but
it's just uh making the space that you're in better,
you know, pulling somebody up, helping somebody out. Because the
thing is, I'm retired now. I can't do anything physically
anymore for the game, but I could help people. I
can encourage the people. I can motivate them and inspire

(26:54):
them to be better. And that's all of our responsibilities.
You know. We have to set our egos aside and
do we can for the next generation, because the next
generation there are difference makers. You know, we we we
got to grow these kids up. Now you look at
Parkland We gotta grow these kids up so they can
affect change for a better America. You know, the league,
the NBA. We want to have a great NBA so

(27:15):
we can make more money as a league. You know.
That's now, that's our responsibility is that's so it was
my privilege to be able to see you come through
Yukon and do what you've done and have a great career.
So now is your turn. I mean I wanted to
have I wanted to have Gay Pruitt on. I mean,
that was that was me and like I thought, you
were just he's out there, he's waiting for you to

(27:36):
call him, just saying, just saying, just saying, Hey, Ray,
congratulations on the Hall of Fame, on the book's success.
Always great to talk to you man, Thanks for joining us. Yeah,
for sure, Thanks Chris, Thanks nytime. That's Raalen. His new
book is From the Outside, My Journey through life and
the Game I Love. All Right, a lot more to
get to, but first let's check in with ILOs. See
what's going on out there. Good morning, Chris and Karen.

(27:58):
We begin in the b A where today's playoff action
tips off. At the top of the hours. The Celtics
host the Bucks. In Game one at three thirty Eastern
Lebron James and the Cavaliers faced the Pacers. That will
be followed by the Jazz visiting the Thunder and the
Rockets hosting the Timberwolves. One other note, the TV ratings
from yesterday's opening day of the NBA Playoffs were the

(28:19):
highest for the first day of the playoffs in five years,
and we're up seventeen from last year. NFL Eagles cornerback
Darryl Worley was arrested this morning in Philadelphia. NFL media
reports Worley was found passed out inside a vehicle blocking
a road at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, which is
right outside the Eagles practice facility, and that he was

(28:40):
arrested when he became combated with police, who tased him,
with a gun being recovered at the scene. The Eagles
said in a statement, quote where in the process of
gathering more information about Darryl Worley's arrest this morning unquote. Finally,
three major League baseball games today postponed because of whether
Yankees Tigers in Detroit, Cubs Braves at Wrigley, the Blue

(29:02):
Jays game at Cleveland last night, the White Sox game
at Minnesota announced that it was postponed today as well.
So a rough weather day across Major League Baseball. Chris
and Karen, we go back to you. All right, It's
Chris and Garan Fox Sports Radio Company live from the
Geico studios here in Fox on Fox Sports Radio. Koran,
let me ask you this. You played in Oklahoma City.

(29:22):
Did you know the radio broadcaster Brian Davis? You know,
the controversy that Brian has been uh gulfed in lately
is that during a game, uh last game of the
regular season. Uh, Brian was on the play by play
there the commentary and Russell Westbrook made kind of a

(29:43):
bad play and Davis said that Westbrook was out of
his cotton picking mind. Now we know what that evokes,
uh certainly from from some people. And uh Davis has
been suspended for one game as a result of this.
What did you think a the comment? You know, knowing
the man yourself, and and the punishment that was leveled

(30:05):
by the thunder hey listen, Uh, first and foremost, I
know him to be, you know, a really really great person.
You know, UM had numerous conversations with him, and you know,
know him away from I don't know him away from
the sport. I just know him in passing and had
you know, some great conversations with him. However, you know,

(30:27):
when you make reference to things, you have to be
extremely aware of you know, the posts of our environment,
the posts of everything, and understanding that when you're identifying
players or making references, you know certain things that can't fly.
And you know you could have just said, you know what,

(30:49):
that was a bad play, but out of your cotton
picking mind. It's certain things you just can't say, you
know what I mean, and you have to police yourself
from it. Now. Like some people say, hey, listen, it
doesn't mean that, because this is the true definition of it.
I'm telling you what it sounds like. And you know
it sounds uh, it sounds bad when you're making reference

(31:14):
to a player or a situation about a play or
anything that happened. When you're you're attaching that phrase to
the player, it it sounds extremely bad. Let's play the
audio from He's actually TV play by player man for
the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here he was in the last
game of the season, describing a play made by Russell
Westbrooks brook Bank Russell looking for Ferguson in the corner

(31:38):
for which Brook it is in the first half, and
he was actually saying it. I mean, I I forgot
the context of it. He's trying to be complimentary, which
he makes even less sense. I guess, yeah, that's what
I said. I don't think it was any true malice
behind it, because he's being positive in what he's saying.

(31:59):
I get what he's saying. But you gotta police yourself
and that and that that fact, because there's some things
that I want to say or make references and then
I'll be like, I can't say that that would come
across bad, you know what I mean. I don't even
know like how that even fits. Like if you're in
a general sense, if you use that phrase, you think

(32:20):
someone's doing something like nutty, like Russell Westbrook was making
great plays like that's I didn't really understand the context
of it either. Yeah, it was just kind of it
was kind of out there. But I mean, he's he's
gonna be fine. I mean going forward, I'm pretty sure,
like it's it's no hard feeling anything like that. But
you you have to be aware, you know, you have

(32:41):
to be aware of things. And like I said, everything
is touchy right now, you know what I mean, and
for valid reasons, So you gotta be you gotta be
extremely careful. Do you think it would have been ten
years ago? Would this have been a story if he
said something like that? Yeah? Yeah, I'm just wondering because
sometimes times, the times evolve and and and things change.

(33:02):
You know, sometimes things are a bigger deal now than
they would have been ten years ago. Yeah, I think
it would have been even bigger of a deal, you know,
ten years ago. Yeah, I think because I mean, we,
I mean, we as a society come a long way,
as you talk. You know, we just talked to Ray Allen,
you know, Hall of Famer Ray Allen, and he talked
about the Bill Russells and the Marl of the Kings

(33:24):
and all these you know that the strides that they've
made over the years. You know, Um, but we still
have a long way to go, you know. And in
reference to you know, identifying people and in phrases that
you use and everything, not saying that he did a
wrong thing right here, but it just wasn't right. And
you know, going forward, we have to you know, police

(33:45):
ourselves and saying and doing the right things going forward.
So it was a lesson learned. I think you know
him being highlighted in this space, well, you know, teach others,
you know, don't say certain things and be conscious of
what you're saying. By the way, you know Ray Allen.
Do you think Ray has bob by the relationship or
lack of relationship that he has with his former Celtic
teammates that listen, I know Rayal and as you know

(34:09):
one as a man, and you know and and to
as a as a great human being. And I know
that any uh, any relationship that you go through, or
any journey that you go through with someone, you're gonna
be affected because they're attached by that championship. And you
can't tell the story of basketball without mentioning that championship

(34:29):
team and that Big Three. And every time, you know,
you talk about it, even though it happened so long ago,
you're gonna always have to redress to readdress that story.
So of course he's gonna be bothered at about it,
but he handled he handles the situation with so much class.
You know, He's just like, look, I'm not gonna talk

(34:49):
down on these guys or anything like that. And you know,
I'm pretty sure in his heart of hearts, he would
love to, you know, be cool with everyone, just like
I think KG and all those guys as you know this,
I mean, we're so we're so much older now in life.
I think that you know, as you get older, you
appreciate this the simplest things, and you should move forward.

(35:11):
It's Chris and Kron Company Live from the Geico Fox
Sports Radio Studio. Is easy to say more in car
insurance with Geico, go to Geico dot com or called
one seven Otto. The only hard part figuring out which
way is easy. Alright, we come back a full slate
of games yesterday in the NBA, another full day. Say,
we're gonna get into that a little bit, including what
we saw last night, big upset, importantly late game, he

(35:33):
stayed up late. You saw Anthony Davis get his first
playoff win. We'll dive in that next. Chris and Karan
here on Fox Sports Radio. Chris Karan Fox Sports Radio
Show brought to you by Granger, the products and service
you need when you need him. Grange, you got your
back to help keep your facility running. Granger for the
ones to get it done. So Karan, I tried to
go on a limb uh before the playoffs started, said

(35:57):
that Heat over Sixers took him in seven games. I'm
not feeling all that confident about that pick after last night.
It doesn't feel good feeling it, not feeling it, not
feeling it what? First of all, I don't know what's
more surprising that, you know, Ben Simmons and even Marquel
Folds and the young guys in the six are showed up,

(36:19):
or the fact that Goran Dragic and a Sun Whiteside
who is an enigma didn't show up like they were
total no shows in game one of the series. Listen,
you know what I think? I really do feel like
coach Pop hit it on the head yesterday when he
came out to the press conference and everybody was asking

(36:41):
him like what happened and what do you do next?
And he's like, look, we can't grow overnight, we can't
get faster, we can't get quicker, or whatever the case
may be. And that's what you have with the Miami Heat.
They hung they had on defense and principles all season long,
so now out the scoring is is something that they're

(37:04):
hindered at. You know, you've got Wayne Ellington and you
got Dwayne Wade, who could you know, show you flashes.
Still it can be great in moments, but you know,
missing uh Waiters is huge and putting the ball in
dragging hands uh so much where he has to score

(37:25):
the ball in facilitate and then pretty much you know,
be somewhat of a liability on defense. It's just it's
a lot. It really is a lot. And that's a
void that I think that's gonna you know, bother them
down the stretch. But it is a series. It's incredible
watching Ben Simmons play though. I mean, this is a
guy that has no game outside of you know, fifteen feet,

(37:46):
Like he can't shoot it from beyond fifteen feet, but
he is still close to unstoppable out there because of
his ability to play make because how he plays off
the dribble. This is a six ft ten point guard
ope out there that carved up a very good defensive
team in Miami. I'll tell you what, Kran if you
would ask me, like six weeks ago, eight weeks ago,
whatever it is, if if I had to choose between

(38:09):
Ben Simmons and Joel and beating, what is the Joel
and beat all day long? I'm not so sure anymore. Like,
I don't know which one of those two players is
gonna be the bigger start. To me, it's almost becoming
in their their different positions, but it's almost becoming a
Durant Westbrook type of thing where you have two guys
who are both legitimately have the potential to be top five,

(38:30):
top ten players in this league. Yeah, they're Ben is
the real deal, and uh, I think that his upside
is it has no sellings on what he's capable of doing,
meaning you know, he's only gonna get better. So like
we're we're talking about the Rookie of the Year conversation
and we're talking about Donovan Mitchell of Ben Simmons. I

(38:50):
would say Donovan Mitchell had the better season because he
led a team in the Western Conference top three. But
you look at who's gonna have the biggest impact in
game changing career. I think Ben Simmons because you know,
he's a pretty much almost a walking triple double, and um,
I think he's a generational talent. So it's gonna be

(39:10):
amazing that's watching him for years to come. Yeah, and
once that jump shot, you know, gets going, he's just
gonna be really tough to stop. Let me ask you
because you mentioned Donovan Mitchell. Uh. Mitchell's brought up the
point in the last week that you know, Ben Simmons
shouldn't really be considered a rookie because he's had an
entire year to get physically ready mentally more prepared for

(39:31):
the NBA. Do you think the league should consider tweaking
that rule so that it's the Rookie of the Year
award is only for guys that are truly first year players. Uh,
you know what I think? So, because you know it,
it's it's so much attention being brought to it, and
let's face it, you're you're all you almost got a

(39:52):
cheat sheet when you're traveling and going through the process
already and not being a true rookie, meaning you know,
you're getting a feel of the back to backs, the preparation,
the workouts. And Ben Simmons, you know, to his credit,
I mean, he had an opportunity to go around the
circuit one full time where he wasn't nothing new to him,
and he's said it in some of his statements and

(40:13):
interviews where it's like, look, I'm prepared because I had
this first year run. Whereas with a guy like Donovan Mitchell.
It's it's all shock value, just like, look, this is
your first time being thrown in it and he's figuring
it out on the fly. Yeah. I think there's some
truth to that. I mean, Blake Griffin one rookie the
year after sitting out an entire season. Ben Simmons, I
think it's going to be rookie the year. I voted

(40:33):
for him, uh in my my ballot. I think that
maybe the NBA should pre consider that because physically you're stronger,
mentally you're stronger here just a sharper player. Yeah, I
think that's something worth looking at you all right, Chris
and Karan Fox Sports Radio gonna get back into some
of the NBA games from this past week and including
Spurs Kawhi Letter not there, big deal. That's naxt Fox
Sports Our or two of the show. Chris and Karan

(40:55):
coming you live from the Guy Go Fox Sports Radio Studios.
Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent center more on
car insurance. Visit Geico dot com for a free rate
quote today Now, Karen, I watched a lot of basketball
last night. Of recording to you, you watched on a
Beyonce last night, So I don't know what we're gonna
talk about this hour. Man. That mean I canna do
two things? Have Yeah, you're right, you had, you had.

(41:17):
I mean you've got nicer stuff than me though, like
you had one of those big NBA contracts. I'm still looking,
you know, on my I still at the Rabbit Eer TVs. Man.
You know, I'm still yeah the A B button, the
yes yes. So I love that B side. I do
love that B side button. There um so a lot
to get to. I want to talk about last night's games.
But later on this afternoon experiment is gonna take place.

(41:39):
The Cleveland Cavaliers there and actually against the Indiana Pacers.
Cavaliers the four seed in this postseason. This is where
all the talk finally comes to a head, right, all
the people that said, well, when the playoffs come around,
the Calves they flip a switch, there'll be a better team.
There's still the best team in the East. That's what
some people say. I'm on the other side of that argument, Karan.

(41:59):
I say, the Calves all their flaws defensively, they are
still going to be there. They're still going to be
a flawed defensive team. And I think they're gonna struggle
against Indiana, they probably win that series, but I think
they lose to the Toronto Raptors in the second round.
Now look at this matchup with with Indiana. What are
you expecting from Cleveland? You expecting that that switched to

(42:21):
be flipped in the calves to look like a contender
or something different. It's possible that the switch that we're
talking about could possibly be switched just because do you
think about what you saw with a championship pedigree team
and to go to State Warriors and what they was
capable of doing against the Spurs last night. Now, granted
is less competition out there from a personnel standpoint where

(42:45):
they have less guys that can create shots. But they
locked down and they raised the antie up, you know
what I mean. And offensively they was clicking on all
cylinders and defensively there was on the stream. Now fast
forward to today with the Cleveland Cave of Leers. Um
lebron is gonna have to be special, which he will be.
Um He's gonna be aggressive and so many storylines in

(43:06):
the history between him and Land Stevenson and UM coach
Nick McMillan. They're gonna they're gonna key in on him
to almost to a fault where it's gonna enable, like
a lot of situations with Kevin Love and others, to
step up in a major way. And you know, it's
gonna be the tell of the tape and it's gonna
be interesting to see who's who really steps up. You

(43:29):
know what I don't like about the Calves coming into
this series is that, you know, look, can they be
better defensively, maybe, but in going with a Jeff Green
Kevin Love front court to me, Karan, that tells me
that the Calves are basically saying, we're gonna try to
outscore you. Because Jeff Green is not a defensive player.

(43:50):
Kevin Love, we know he's defensive limitations and he's gonna
be playing five for this team. When I see that
front cord, that tells me that the Calves are saying,
we're gonna try to outscore you one ten, one ten,
one oh five, whatever it is, We're gonna try to
put up a hundred plus points every single night and
beat you. And look, they can do that against a
lot of teams, but in the playoffs over the course

(44:11):
of a couple of months, can you really win that way?
How many teams out there, and granted not every team,
in fact, no team has had Lebron James on it,
But how many teams out there can really win when
you're not playing high level defense? Put it? Put it
another way, Can the Calves win playing the type of
defense they played in the regular season? No, that they

(44:35):
cannot win playing the style of defense that they have
played in the regular season because they give up too
many points. And if you're playing that style of defense
and just focusing on the offensive end of the floor
where you're gonna outscore it, I'll score people. They don't
have the personnel necessary to just outscore people night in
the night out. So with that being said, I think

(44:56):
they gotta really dial in, and they're gonna have to
dial in even more or because why Lebron is gonna
have to do more from offensive production standpoint, I mean
he's gonna have to carry them, like literally carry them
through every playoff series this season. You're gonna have to
see a finals Lebron James in the first, second, third round.

(45:19):
Can you do that? Can he be that guy? We're
about to find out, but he happened to be that. Yeah,
I don't know that that's a lot to ask of
a guy, especially. I mean, look, he's he seems indefatigable,
but he's thirty three years old and he's gonna have
to play two ways, you know, for forty plus minutes

(45:40):
every single night. Let me ask this boy Indiana, because
then he hadn't won three out of four against the
uh the Cavaliers this season, but none of those games
came before the trade deadline for the Calves revamped the
lineup and brought in the Hills and the Clarkson and
Larry Nance. Um. Is there anything that the Pacers can
can take away from those games? Is there any kind
of confidence they can gain spite not having played this

(46:01):
version of the Calves team. No. I mean, if you
that you can shrink the floor. But Lebron isn't you know,
just the driver anymore. You know, he's a guy that
can consistently knocked down jump shots. So I think what
you do is what they did with Dame Lillard last night,
and they're being the Pelicans. You try to keep a

(46:21):
fresh body on him at all times, and you tell
your guys like, look, we're picking them up full court.
No downhill drives, No. And I know it's easy said
and done. But you keep you just try to wear
him down as much as possible and hopefully that he
have a human, a human like performance during the stretch

(46:43):
of this series, and you give yourself a fighter's chance.
And that's exactly what the Pelicans did last night with
Dame Lillard. And you know, the second half, he caught
a flow called a rhythm, and he did what Dame
usually does. But what happened, they fell up a little.
They felt a little short because of he wasn't great
the first half as he was in the second half.

(47:03):
He was awful last night, Karon. He was awful. Six
or twenty three from the field, four for nine, that's
pretty good from three point range. But played forty two
minutes and he was a jacking up shot, especially that
first half. I thought he was. I thought he was
just trying to force a rhythm in the first half
of that game. We know Little is great at coming
off those high screens and getting you to foul them
and and and taking that quick trigger three point shot.

(47:25):
But I thought he was forcing shots, and I thought
it was putting Portland in a tough situation. And give
I mean, look, give New Orleans all the credit for
what they did defensively, But I thought Lillard shot his
team out of the game early on in that one. Yeah,
he was trying to stay aggressive, you know, because at
the end of the day, right, we're all gonna talk
about the performance, We're gonna all gonna talk about the

(47:46):
game and what shouldn't have happened. And you know, the
toughest games for a home team just to protect home
court in game one, those are the toughest games. Like,
all the pressure is on the whole team because you know,
in the seven game series, you you you want to
start the series off with a W and it's so

(48:08):
important to get that first game at home where you
can kind of feed off that momentum. Now, now usually
you know the percentages go down a game two and
you probably dropped that one. But you go back to
their home and respectively, you know, split a series and
you know, bring it back home even and then it's
back in your favor. But to lose that first game
at home, that is devastating in the series. You know

(48:30):
who's that A sneaky great Seasons drew Holiday. Sneaky great
season came up with huge defensive plays down the stretch
that block of Pat Conington end of the game. You
gotta dunk that Pat Conton, you can dunk, gotta throw
that one down, Drawliday coming out of nowhere, all defensive
team player. And and Anthony Davis, I mean he was
just he was just a monster. That's gonna be Koran

(48:51):
a tough matchup for use of Nurkic if the if
the Blazers really want to play use of nurkis for
you know, thirty five minutes per game. He's not gonna
be able to match up with Anthony Davis at the
five spot. It's just not gonna happen. Who can and
and and what else do you put out there that Davis? Maybe? Yeah,
I mean is he is he mobile and agil agile

(49:13):
enough to stay with him? You know? Is he smart
enough to play away from the basket and get out
there on the perimeter where all that real estate is this?
Because now that's a whole another dimension to Anthony Davis
game which he's gonna hit you with. He's gonna dissect you. Okay, Now, okay,
you can bother me, body me up in the pain
in the post. Okay, cool, let me put you on
the perimeter and introduce you to this hip hop you

(49:36):
feel me like all this real estate and you got
a big trying to guard Anthony Davis out there. That's
why they're so unique. And you gotta give a ton
of credit to the coaching staff, Alvin Gentry region Rondo,
who's been remarkable with that team, you know, playing that
point guard position, and you said Holiday, they switched him
over and put him off the ball and playing that too,

(49:57):
he looked like the All Star Holiday back and Philadelphia
he's ball. Yeah, I thought the play calling and look,
I give Terry Stotts and and like you don't, I
guess you don't have to like preface everything with saying
give guys credit. But look at Terry Stotts is having
a tremendous coaching year. But but down the stretch, I mean,
what the hell is Myers Leonard doing in the game
at that point? Like, why is Myers learning the floor

(50:18):
much less? Why is he catched trying to catch a
backdoor pass when he hasn't played and god knows how long? Like,
what is happening there? What is Myers Leonard doing out there?
I thought, I thought the play calling down the stretch
of Terry Stotts a little bit suspect too. Yeah, I
mean it was it was rattled, and it was suspect,
but it was suspect before a reason because they was playing,
you know, desperate and you know, trying to play catch up.

(50:41):
You know, like we always say on this show, like
everybody got to play until they get hit, you know
the Mike Tyson phrase. And then all of a sudden,
you think that you're going to start off this game,
you know, extremely well because you're in ripped city, and
then all of a sudden, you get punched and you're
trying to counter like all that the game planning is
out the window. He basically had a strategy and then
he had to play catch up, and then they ran

(51:03):
out of gas when they got to the point where
they actually was down too, and then they had to
have late game heroics. Just fell a little short. Yeah,
you know. Look, I sat down with Neil Olsha, the
general manager of the Blazers, late last month, and one
of the things we talked about was, you know, with
this postseason, kind of dictate the future of this team,

(51:25):
because look, we've been hearing for you know, a couple
of years now that that if you've got to succeed
in Portland, maybe you have to break up the backcourt,
change up the dynamic a little bit. Now, they finished
the third seed, tremendous second half of the year. But
if they get beat Koran by the Pelicans, taking nothing
away from the Pelicans, but if they can't get past
the Pelicans when they're at full strength, They've got Nurkics playing,

(51:48):
you know, good basketball. You know their bench is pretty solid.
Zach Collins has come along. But if they can't beat
the Pelicans in the first round, doesn't that say something
about what this team is and maybe what its ceiling
is at some point? Yeah, I mean, listen, the backcourt
has been nothing short of remarkable and amazing for the

(52:09):
last couple of years. But you still need more things.
You still need someone at the three positions, someone else
at the four position. Like what what they lack is uh,
superior depth, and you need that in the Western Conference,
Like okay, if you really want to be a contender,
like you look at that that roster on paper and
in the standard in the in the team that you're

(52:30):
trying to go through now is the Houston Rockets. The
San Antonio Spurs went healthy and what we mean by
that is Kawhi Leonard and then the Golden State Warriors.
Can they go through any of those top three teams?
Can they possibly even be okay see in the seven
game series from a personnel standpoint, So that roster needs

(52:52):
to be addressed. Still, like you have to spend money.
I know it's Portland's but we talked about at the
beginning top of the show. The game is healthy, Uh,
basketball ratings is up. That means more money for the organizations.
That mean, you know you you have to figure out
a way to invest in the team while you got
this young wealth of talent. Right now you mentioned Kawhi

(53:13):
learned somebody want to get into uh noticeably absent from
the Spurs Wars Game one, not just on the floor,
but on the bench as well. How big a deal
is that? We're gonna dive for that next. Chris and
Karan here on Fox Sports Radio. Chris and Karan Fox
Sports Radio Company Live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio
Studios eight seven seven nine nine six six three six nine.

(53:34):
The phone number eight seven seven six six three six nine.
So Karen here in the studio. I've got the Celtic
buck Bucks game on one monitor. Last night, I saw
Steph Curry sitting behind the bench in Golden State. Right now,
I'm watching Kyrie Irving, fresh off knee surgery, sitting on

(53:54):
the bench in Boston, supporting his teammates there for him.
You know, I didn't see last night. I didn't see
Kawai Leonard anywhere to be seen last night. Now, I
know Kauai is hurt. I know he can't play, But
come on, you gotta be there for your teammates, don't you.
You gotta show up in a playoff game, don't you,
no doubt? But where where's the game at today? In Boston?

(54:18):
In Boston? Yes? Is that? Does that matter? Though? Like?
Does that really matter? I mean the game wasn't you know,
in San Francisco, and you know, uh, it's in the
Bay Area and Kauai is probably possibly in New York
with his you know, his team as a whole team.
Those those first class flights, Karan there, those are tough,

(54:39):
those are I mean, the meals aren't what they used
to be in those Delta flights. Heard I heard, I
heard the flights was canceled because what happened to they
were all canceled. Everything, everything was shut down to why like,
I mean, look, I like I like Kauai letter as
much of the next guy. I think, And I've talked

(54:59):
about this with you with others before. Uh, you know,
if if if he gets on the trading block, he becomes,
if he's healthy, as valuable a trade chip as Anthony
Davis would be if he was on the trading block.
That being said, it's hard to look at this and
not say Kawhi Leonard quittin his teammates like just not
being there to show up and just support them, Like

(55:21):
I don't know if he can have any kind of impact.
But this is also arguably the best defensive player in
the NBA. You've got a team that is explosive offensively,
You've got a player you go up against regularly, and
Kevin Durant sitting there, Like why not be there? Fly
out there, spend the time with your teammates. I just
don't get a kron Listen. I was watching the game

(55:42):
because you know, I'm so interested in doing play by play.
At some point I deal with college and I had
to I had to mute. I had to mute the television.
And I promise you, as Mark Jackson is talking about
the game. He said exactly what I was thinking in
my head. If I was calling the game, I was like,
this is a relatively a close game right now. When

(56:03):
mental Genobodi hit the shot going into the half, I
was like, okay, uh if I'm Kauhi Leonard, I'm looking
at this team and I'm I'm like, you know, all
they're missing is me. Yes, you know. But at the
same time, I still don't think he's healthy enough to
play in the playoffs. I mean, let's face it, he
didn't play pretty much none of the regular season, and

(56:24):
you know, going into the playoffs, I don't I don't
care who you are. You know, you want to play
at least ten games or something to develop some type
of flow of rhythm before you dive out there into
the fire. And he wasn't able to do that. So
you know, the chances of seeing him at all in
the playoffs are zero to none. Yeah. Look, if he's injured,
I get it. If he doesn't feel like he can play,

(56:46):
I get it. I mean, look, the guy's got a
lot on the line over the next year plus. I
mean it's gonna be a line for a five year
you know, you know, Designated player max contract that's eventually
gonna pay him fifty million dollars per year. I understand
all that, but not being there, how about fifty million
per year? Man, that's come on and we saw, like
we've seen, like what happened when you say I'm all

(57:09):
in with the organization, We've seen what could possibly happen.
So I think players are like really taking the page
out that book and just trying to get their self
right instead of putting the organization uh first. And I
understand that. Look, everybody's got their own business. Everyone's gonna
make business decisions here. That's fine. It's and don't play.

(57:31):
Just be on the damn bench. Alright? Eight seven seven
six three six nine the phone number. Let's take a
phone call here, Karen, Mike, and l A. You're up.
First name, Mike? Yeah, who are you? I mean, seriously,
like doesn't care? You just care about your opinion, and
you don't try to go shaming him for not going
to a meaningless First of all, hold on, hold on,
hold on, hold on, you can stand the line. Shut

(57:52):
up for a second. Who is who is shaming Kauai?
Who is telling him he has to play? I'm telling him?
Cop on a flight and go sit behind the bench
like every other injured player is doing right now. Who
are you? What? What does that matter? Who are you
to tell anything to kawaiat winner? Kron Butler doesn't even

(58:13):
agree with you. He's just agreeing with you because you're
on air with him saying some stupid Okay, go there
you go, tough guy. Everybody everybody's a hard oh, Koran,
everybody's a hard oh out there. I mean, look, I
am taking it to uh, you know, a different level there.
But I mean I'm just looking at this subjectively. I'm
seeing injured players right now, and You're right, the guys

(58:36):
that I'm talking about at the moment are guys on
home teams, right so those you know, Kyrie Irving's there,
it's games in Boston, Steph Cary's their games in Golden State.
But I truly believe, Karen, that if the Celtics opened
up in Milwaukee, that Kyrie Irving would be there. If
Golden State opened up in San Antonio, I believe that
Steph Curry would be there. I mean, am I wrong?

(58:58):
Do you think I'm that's inaccurate? You know what I
think if San Antonio and Golden State open up in
San Antonio. I think it's a chance that Steph Curry
would have been there. And I only say that to
say this because I saw him with the brace on
yesterday and I saw him going through his routine. And

(59:18):
you know this, this is what people don't understand about
the playoffs, right, They're not gonna give you full access
to all the things that you need access to where
where like if you need a gym for rehab. If
you say, hey, look, uh, you know spurs, can we
get a gym to get stuff in early? You know,
they come like, oh, you know, we're occupied that the
cheerleading squad is in there early and we got national

(59:41):
anthem rehearsal. And so they're not gonna give you access
to the gym. So if you're the the visitor team,
you want to keep your guy in uh in a
situation where you can get the most out of the situation.
So keep stuff back in and in San Francisco and
let him rehab and get right until he's ready to
come back. And thinking big picture, So that could be

(01:00:03):
this situation with Kawa Island or also you know they're
probably thinking big picture and and he's thinking, you know, look,
let me just get healthy. I can't I can't really
help them the way I want to, and it's gonna
drive me crazy being on that sideline. And let's face it,
he don't talk much anyway, you know, So let's just
get him healthy as possible and didn't go from there.

(01:00:23):
I think the other part of this, though, is, Look,
if this was Kyrie or staff or somebody else that
wasn't there, we might not make as as a big
a deal about it. But it is Kaira, it is Kauai,
and this is kind of another layer on everything that's
been going on with him. Like we've been reporting on
and talking about, a potential divide between Kyra between I

(01:00:47):
keep calling him Kyrie, between Kauai and the organization. Um,
you know this this clearly as you were talking about
last hour, clearly a disconnect with the injury, whether it
was misdiagnosed or mistreated, whatever it was, There's something going
on there between Kauai and the organization. So when he
doesn't show up for a game like this, it does

(01:01:08):
make you wonder is this another is there something else
that is is eventually going to contribute to a breakup
between Kauai and the san Antonio Spurs. It might I mean,
it's it's it's probably already passed that if I mean,
we're just from we're we're on the outside looking in,
and we're that's what we do. We speculate, right, So

(01:01:30):
we just assuming pretty much everything because why because don't
nobody know nothing. Don't nobody know the the reel of
the situation. So we're just assuming that, you know, they
they're not on good terms, or they Kauai wants out,
or why isn't he there or why? You know, Well,
if you were, if you were Kauai, would you speak
on it? Though? Like with you're right, we don't think
there's a vacuum of information. We don't have all the information.

(01:01:52):
But if you were Kauai, wouldn't you like last game
of the season between you know, between the last game
and the start of the playoffs, wouldn't you like go
to San Antonio and have some kind of media vail
and just talk about a little bit. Is that? Would
that have been a good move? That's not his character,
But I think I think, I think at the the
exit interviews where every player is obligated to be there

(01:02:15):
and say there whatever about the season and you know
going forward. I think that's going to be the moment
where your everything's gonna come clear. The ex interview for
the San Antonio Spurs, which could possibly come soon sooner
rather than later, that's when you're gonna get your clarity
that you want because you get to ask the uncomfortable

(01:02:38):
questions you know, to the player, um, you know, to
coach Pop and you know that they're gonna address it
because now it's not going to hinder the team going forward.
But right now you can't address that because you're in
the battle, you know, so you you one thing, you
have to focus on the players that's active in the battle,
and you got to keep them motivated. And they don't

(01:02:59):
need they're already against to go to State Warriors. They
don't need anything else to fight at the time. You know,
you'll want to fight a battle and then go fight
another battle, like you want to just deal with the
battle at here. Yeah, And look, they'll learn something in
the exit interview, and I promise you in the next
you know, couple of weeks after the season is over. Um,

(01:03:21):
it'll get out pretty quickly if they're shopping Kawhi Leonard
because I already know I can count on top of
my head two or three teams that are going to
immediately call San Antonio and ask about Kawhi letter. I
would imagine half the teams in the league are gonna
call and ask about Kawhile learn and if there is
a um, if there is interest in dealing him, that's
gonna get out very very quickly. And this is something

(01:03:43):
that they could uh start snowball a little bit over
the next couple of weeks. All right, we'll talk more
about this Kauai situation after the break, but first checking
with David Gascon see what's going on. What's up, David gentleman,
Good afternoon, Chris and Karen and you guys to pay
close attention to this Boston and mill Loft. You going
on right now for for this steal in a long
lady Tatum, Tatum saddle tips and on violent white hand

(01:04:05):
throw down. Okay, right back at you, yas, take down
with your Greek salad. Jayson Tatum is awesome Greek salad.
By the way, great line something's radio network. Maxwell. They
lead early on to one into seventeen. Jason Tatum so
far as got eight points. You have this game going
on right now fall by Pacers and Cavaliers. The nightcap

(01:04:26):
tonight is in Houston's the Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Switching over quickly. The Major League Baseball Oriels on top
of the Red Sox one to nothing, Man Machado with
an RBI double, and that affair Marlins on top of
the Pirates one nothing raised to Phillies nothing in. A
couple of ball games today postponed because of some bad weather.
That includes the Tigers, Yankees, Blue Jay's, Indians, and the

(01:04:48):
Cubs and the Braves in the National Football League. Not
a lot of things going on right now, but one
incident in Philadelphia. Darryl Worley, a cornerback for the Eagles,
was arrested this morning around six o'clock and he was
passed out inside of his car near a highway. Officers
can they arrested him also taste them too, because he

(01:05:08):
was combative with them. They found a gun at the
scene as well. Fellas Back to you, It's christ and
Grand Fox Sports Radio Company live from the Geico Fox
Sports Radio Students. Easy to say more in car insurance
with Geico, go to Geico dot com or call seven otto.
The only hard part figuring out which way is easier. So,
k We've got a few people who want to weigh

(01:05:29):
in on this debate about Kawhi Leonard. Should he have
been there, uh, sitting behind the Spurs bench with the team,
supporting the team, or does it is this much ado
about nothing? Dina in Pittsburgh, You're up next day, Dino, Yeah,
you know, I would think that it would be good
for him be there, but maybe he's in New York
giving an ex give an expert uh prognosis of his

(01:05:51):
condition because I talked to be with klawd injuries. You
could potentially have surgery. So okay, hold on, hold on,
hold on, like on Saturday like that, that's what he's
doing on Saturday. Like. It's possible if if he wants
and maybe he wants to play quad. I mean, he
doesn't say anything, so you really don't know what his
mindset is. But it's possible that the doctor in New York,

(01:06:15):
it's putting through some tests that may allow him to play.
But if he's truly injured, he may have to go
on the nine this off season to get repaired properly.
It's possible, and thanks for the phone calling. That's another
part of it too, Like it's a Saturday, Like, how
many doctors do you know that work on Saturday. It's
just you know, in a in a regular sense, if
there's no procedure needs to be had. Yo, it's crazy

(01:06:37):
you say that because my doctor just told me they
come visit him today. Like seriously, it was a Thursday
that I had. I had an appointment Thursday, and I said, look,
I can't make it. He actually told me to come
in Sunday at three o'clock and I was like, Sunday, yeah, Sunday.

(01:06:57):
It threw me off, I was. I was like, y'all
and on a Sunday, Yeah, yeah, of course, like I
come in on Sundays, you know, I go to church,
I do the service, and then I come in and
I'm working. It was his mind blowing. So that is
possible that that that could possibly happen. All right, But
we're we're stretching the truth here. I mean, like this,
like this, we're just giving you the real bro you

(01:07:20):
are you are that you're creating potential alternatives here, like
he could have had a doctor's appointment. My doctor just
told me. Look, the spurs didn't say that though. The
spurs probably could have come out and said, look, he's
dealing with his uh doctors. They had this sort of
like this nebulous side of statement saying he was returning
from injury management. I don't even know what that meant

(01:07:41):
when it came to kawhile and I don't understand any
of this right now, and a weekend doctor visit could
prevent him from going to the game. Let me let
me ask you this, how many times have you seen
Pop hold his tongue or bite his tongue with anything
that he had to address or say rarely? Okay, so

(01:08:02):
this is the biggest elephant in the room that has
to be addressed. And do you think for one moment
that he would bite his tongue and not say what
needs to be said going forward? Wait, yes, yes I do.
In fact, and when it comes to this, I think
this is different because if he's truly frustrated by all this,

(01:08:23):
and I think he is, if he's truly frustrated and
as stuff he wants to get off his chest, he
has to know that he's got to be careful because
even if there's even a slight chance of fixing this
situation with Kawhi, Leonard to continue to have a relationship
with Kawhi Leonard for the next ten years, as I'm
sure they dreamed of doing, you know, before the start

(01:08:45):
of this season. I don't think you want to go
out there and just napalm the relationship, do you. I
don't think you want to go out and say something
that you might regret in a couple of weeks. Listen,
I've seen him address the presidency, I see him address
I've seen him to dress players in the moment. And
the thing that stuck out to me as a free

(01:09:06):
agent and why I always thought that I would be
in the Spurs uniform, but other things and other opportunities
presented itself that I just went that direction, is that
Tim Duncan had always told me when I went there
to visit it free agency. One time, he said, Pop
is just he's gonna give it to you right on spot.
He's not gonna hold what he has to say. Don't
care he yells at me. As is that behind the

(01:09:30):
scenes or like publicly. But even if that conversation was
had to a degree, we would have known. We we
wouldn't know like we would know, like you know, because
everything else about Kauai is being leaked out, right, Tony
Parker come and saying, look, my injury was way worse
than it. He could be like, you know what, Pop
talked to Kauai. That would have been like, look, Pop

(01:09:51):
talked to him and they got to understand it. You
get what I'm saying, and that understanding Now we would
have been like, hey, Pop, did you talk to Kauai? Yeah,
I talked to man, he knows how. I feel like
that's something to that degree would have been put out there.
You get what I'm saying. So I don't think that
it's a real I don't think it's a real issue.
I really do believe that that young man is just

(01:10:13):
trying to get healthy and let him heal, Like I
just think that's the like he don't want to he's frustrated.
Is it therapeutic to be on the sideline? Why you're frustrated?
Like that's not gonna help him? So Pop probably like
you know what, Look, you stay with your team where
you're comfortable and just get healthy. Who do you think

(01:10:33):
that was closer to making a return? Steph Curry or
Kawhi Leonard Steph Curry, Steph Curry maybe, I mean maybe,
but Kauai. So isn't Kwai Leonard like he's working out
with the team. He's just or he was, remember Karen,
we were like, was it three weeks ago? We were
talking about a scheduled return date for Kawhi Leonards. So
he was building up towards a certain point and then

(01:10:56):
they scrapped that. He went back to New York. So
he's whatever he's feeling right now. This this he's getting
closer to being He's just not all the way there yet.
That that's another part of it too. Yeah, no doubt,
but I see like there, I haven't seen any footage
of Kauai warming up anything, but they more footage of
Marquel Folkstein dud Kawhi Leonard with the Prouter film out there. Yeah.

(01:11:19):
But you know, as players, this is what you learned,
like with teasers and everything. If you're close, like if
you're really close to plan, you work out in front
of the audience because all facilities have like a practice
court where you can be in the back shooting around
and working on your craft. When you come out to
the stage, the center stage where you're gonna play in

(01:11:40):
the actual game, and you want fans to see you
and you want the audience to see you. And it's
a national televised game, which all playoff games are on
one level, whether it's NBA TV or ABC A T
and T. You're gonna see the guys out there, you
know what I mean. And that's what Steph Curry did.
He he came on the court to let everyone know,
just so you just so you know, I'll be back

(01:12:01):
real soon. And this and this is how I'm moving.
I'm moving pretty good with this bracelet. Yeah, alright's like
one more phone calling this Jacob and Florida. You're up
next day, Jacob, Jacob me there, Hey, how's it going? Man?
I really think, I mean, what is the one thing
that the Spurs and that Pop hates more than anything.

(01:12:23):
It's the distractions. That's what the organization is known for.
So why would I think if if Kauai came back
and he's sitting on the bench, that's all Pop's gonna
have to hear is is questions about Kauai. So to me,
it would make sense that Pop or the organization would
tell him, unless you're a gonna play and give it,
you're all stay away. I think Pop, all right, let's

(01:12:47):
thanks to the phone called Jacob, let me ask you
this karan um is the distraction stuff real? Like I
was one of this as a media member. Like when
media members sit there and let's say Kauai was there
and Pop gets asked four or five different ways about
Kawhi letter, how much of that affects the locker room.
I think Jake dis nailed it. I think he really did,
because you have to and we just talked about it,

(01:13:09):
you know, prior to him coming on. Was it's a
battle within the battle, meaning like, look, we got a
game plan, we gotta go through, walk through, we gotta
talk about Tennessee's and and think all the things that
we didn't do better. And then on top of that,
we have to battle the question or the presence of

(01:13:31):
you know, our guy being you not being available, So
we have to continue to deal with this like that's
that's a lot that It really is a lot. And
you know with the organization like the Spurs one, they're
they're really they're really tight with what they release or
what they want to talk about. So they're probably like, look, Kauhi,

(01:13:51):
look this. If you're not gonna play, look this, get healthy,
stay away, do what you need to do and let
the guys, you know, reporting to guys from Afar. We
know you with us. You've been with us, You're you've
been the finals, M v P, you helped us win
a championship. You're a big part of everything successful that
we had going on for the last couple of years.

(01:14:12):
This get healthy, and I think there's something more there.
I think we're gonna hear about the Koran in the
next couple of weeks. Something is going on there. That's
uh that that we're not hearing about right now. But
we'll see. We'll see. Maybe maybe he winds up on
the bench and before Game two, or maybe he's back
game three in San Antonio sitting behind the bench there.

(01:14:33):
That's the thing right there. If he if he's not
on the bench in San Antonio. That's kind of asked
that question, Okay, that that Yeah, Well, we'll see what
happens in Game three in San Antonio. Right eight seven
seven six three six nine. The phone number eight seven
seven six six three six nine. We come back. There
was a lot of firings in the NBA. Head coaches,
coaches out of jobs. Even more could be out of jobs.

(01:14:55):
We could have as many as a third of the
league change coaches. But for the start of next season,
what's the best job out there? And what about the Knicks?
Where do they stand in all this? Talk about that
next Chris and Karan here on Fox Sports Radio. Progressive
new Home Quote Explorer makes it easier to protect what
you love. Just go online, compare quotes, and choose what's

(01:15:18):
right for you. Progressive dot Com is your home for
all things home insurance. Ah yeah, Chris and Karan Fox
Sports Ready, you can keep your Beyonce Karan, give me
Tom Patty all day long, all day long. That's what

(01:15:43):
I'm talking about. You can't really dance to it necessarily,
but uh that's how I roll. Yeah, man, you know
Gason's don't dance, we boogie? Okay? Nice? Nice? Uh so, Karan.
The the number of potential coaching changes this year is enormous.

(01:16:07):
Like I was making account the other day, and we've
already seen a handful of him. Charlotte just fired Steve Clifford,
the Hornets let go of Jeff Hornes sec. Now we're
reading that Mike Budenholzer could be gone in Atlanta. Obviously,
We've got Phoenix looking for a new coach. Milwaukee which
is in the middle of a dog fight right now
with Boston. Uh, they could have a new coach next season.
You can just many is the third of the league

(01:16:28):
could change coaches before the starting next year. But the
most interesting one to me is the New York Knicks. Now,
for years, the Knicks were looked at as kind of
a crappy coaching job. Yeah, they paid a lot of money,
but the roster it's stunk. They were kind of mismanaged.
Now you've got a team that has a legitimate franchise

(01:16:50):
player in Chris Asporzengis, has a good point guard, young
point guard in Frankneil Lakina, has another top ten pick
coming this June. All of a sudden, you've got kind
of the foundation there. You're not dealing with Carmelo drama anymore.
You got the foundation there for something real. I mean,
do you think the Knicks, if you're a prospective coach
out there, are you interested in that next job? Absolutely?

(01:17:15):
And listen that so many times we saw like we
we we've seen in this in this next situation where
the person that would be like the perfect fit for
the job, they kind of go the other way for
whatever reason. But I think it's it's been a long

(01:17:36):
time now that we have to address the realness of
the situation. And if I'm doling and and I'm looking
at this, you know this, this organization and you know,
a winning culture going forward and young nucleus and having
Porzingia's I'm thinking, who who else better to put in
that seat than Mark Jackson? Like he would be not

(01:18:01):
only would he be great for that the young nucleus,
I think that he'll be great for the city as
a whole, being from there St. John's and the connection
and you know, everything that he that he represents, this
speaks uh class and excellence and just someone that you
can really learn a lot from. He's the perfect candidate

(01:18:24):
for that job, do you think? So? I I have
my doubts. There go ahead, I question that a little bit.
I don't you know, I don't know what Mark Jackson
as a coach. And I say it's respectfully, but I
don't know what he's good at. Like I don't you know,
sometimes you look at coaches and you say, all right,
that guy like Brad Stevens, for example, Brad Stevens is

(01:18:47):
a tremendous kind of mind at work there. Um, you
know what he's accomplished in Boston. It speaks for itself,
even if in the assistant ranks, Like let's go up
to Portland. David Vanterpool, who I know is a proven
track record of of helping young guys developed. I like
him a lot, Charlotte steven silas a guy. I have

(01:19:08):
a lot of respect for um works well with young players.
You know, Mark Jackson, you know, went to Golden State
for a few years. It was turbulent, as you know
out there. It was a it wasn't the most stable
situation and when he left, granted there were roster moves,
but when he left, what Steve Kerr did kind of
help that team take off. So I don't know if

(01:19:30):
it's you know, I understand the connection former Nick from
the area. But if I'm the Knicks, I want to
bring in the best player development coach imaginable, and I
don't know if that's Mark Jackson, Kurt, I don't know
if he's the right guy there. You speak player development,
and I'm gonna say this, and I'm glad I got
two minutes to say it. Yep. If you look at

(01:19:52):
what Steve Kerr inherited, I don't I don't. I if
Mark Jackson was still in that seat, they was gonna
win a championship, do you think so? I know so
with no injuries, they was gonna win. You know, because
we wanted the first Pacific Division title in Clippers history.
And when we saw the Golden State Wars, we said,

(01:20:14):
you know what and in our in our rear view
mirror were saying, look, that team is on their way.
Mark Jackson got those guys committed. They're dialed into getting better.
And he can identify talent. He was saying his flash
brothers before anybody else was saying it. When he had
a press conference and he said, look, I have the
best shooters in NBA history on my team, everybody thought

(01:20:37):
he was crazy because he can identify talent. He's an
ultimate motivator. He has the respect of his team still
to this day, and he handled that situation with class
and most importantly, he has the experience to lead and
make things happen. People respect his opinion. Him and Jeff

(01:20:58):
Van Gundi so much on air. That's why people view
the games and they received the information of what they're
talking about. I know Jeff can get out there at times,
but it's it's a it's a great listen because the
basketball knowledge of those two guys, just like the people
that's listening to us right now, they know we they
know we great at what we do. You know what
I mean. Like, it's a lot of knowledge right here.

(01:21:19):
That's rights. I want to get into that in the
next hour with you a little bit, because, um, I
have some I have some more questions about Mark Jackson,
and I based this, Karen, honestly on conversations I have
with other executives about Mark Jackson and why he doesn't
have a coaching job right now. We're gonna get into
that next a lot more to get to talk to

(01:21:40):
more NBA, including Kawhi Leonard his situation. Fox Sports Radio.
It's Christ and Aran Fox Sports Radio Company live from
the Geico Fox Sports Radio studios. Fifteen minutes could save
you fift and more on car insurance if it's a
Geico dot com for a free rate. Quote today, what's happening, Karan,
our three here together? What's up everything? Watching a little

(01:22:02):
bit of hoops. I'm watching the Bucks right now against Boston. Yeah, look,
the Celtics. We knew coming into this postseason that finding
offense is gonna be a problem, Like where were they
going to get consistent offense When they were winning games
over the last month, they were getting kind of you know,

(01:22:22):
over their head performances from Terry Rogier. Uh, you had
Marcus Morris making a lot of shots. But over the
last week or so, we've seen them kind of come
back down to earth with some of their offense. Now
with no Kyrie for the rest of the season, Marcus
smarts out to the least, he said today game seven
of this series. Probably into that second round, their margin

(01:22:42):
for air offensively is so slim they're gonna have to
do some stuff through smoking mirrors. Because from a talent perspective, Karan,
Milwaukee's got him. Milwaukee's the seventh seed. But right now,
with the guys that put on the floor, to me,
they're the more talent the talented team. Yeah, you know what,
they got home court, they're still playing and the two garden,
and you know, that's that's special, and that's something that

(01:23:03):
you can't take for granted. And you know, as you
touched on, you know, Brad Stevens is you know, a
great guy that understands that the adjustments of the game.
So he's ward Yeah, he's gonna continue to make adjustments
on the fly and keep them coming at you. So
if you can make it a possession ball game at home,
you got a shot. All Right. We'll get into what

(01:23:23):
we're gonna see the later on today. I want to
talk more about the Cavaliers. I also want to get
into Kawai Leonard his injury. What does that mean for
the Spurs. Why wasn't Kawai Leonard with the team. We
discussed that at length in the last hour, but yesterday, Karen,
we had a good slate of games there and we
haven't touched on the seventies Sixers. And I went into
that series thinking Miami had the best chance of any

(01:23:43):
team in the postseason of of getting an upset look.
I thought the Heat because of their experience Eric Spoelstra
on the sidelines, they had some pieces there asan Whiteside
could defend em Bead when he came back. I thought
Miami could split in Philadelphia and that give them some
intem to pull off a series win. I'm not so sure.
After watching the seventies Sixers play in Game one, I

(01:24:05):
thought the Sixers might be a little bit rattled by
the moment they weren't. They looked like they've been in
the playoffs three years running. Ben Simmons was great. J
J Reddick was great. All throughout, they got great performances.
I thought Philadelphia was the most impressive team in the
first day of the playoffs. Hey listen, they looked like
poised season vets out there. And you know, as good

(01:24:29):
as Ben Simmons was, and the pace and environment in Philadelphia,
you gotta give a ton of credit to the others.
And what I mean by that is, you're thinking about
Earthson alias Olva, You're thinking about Marco Belinelli and two
ex Hawks, the Atlanta Hawks, having an impact on this postseason,
huge impact. And then JJ Reddick, you know, knocking down

(01:24:49):
shots everywhere, just doing the three stooges on us, Which
way did he go? Which way did he go? Like
having fun, just doing everything like it was a special
just to see everyone ready for that moment. You know,
I thought the mis eight the Miami made in that
game is not going to a hack of Simmons or
a hack of Marquelle Folds at some point, like I
know that might not be Erik Spoelser's thing, But when
Philadelphia started rolling there and the Heat couldn't get any stops.

(01:25:12):
It seemed to me like the right thing to do
would be to hack these guys who are shooting I
think Simmons in the mid fifties from the free throw
line and folks under fifty from the floor. I would
have followed them and made them make some free throws. Well,
it's a good thing that, you know, the playoffs isn't
like you know, March madness, where you know you're one
and done, so you're you're gonna have the opportunity to

(01:25:34):
make adjustments. And this team has to beat the Miami
Heat three more times and in game one. You know,
I've been a part of games where you get you
get blown out a game, and then you make the
proper adjustments and then the following game you come back in,
you do exactly what's necessary, and you walk away with
a quality win. So you know, they got some championship

(01:25:55):
pedigree guys in that locker room. Udonna's has them the
Wayne Wait you, Donna's not play and much, but his
voice is huge, and you know when he talked, they listened.
So it's gonna be some adjustments made, all right. So
you watched that game what kind of adjustments can Miami
make though, because it seemed like, you know, even when
the ball was going in the bucket, the Sixers are
getting out in transition, and I don't know, you I know,

(01:26:15):
how you compete with that. It's like I didn't think
what Miami was doing fundamentally was wrong. Defensively, they weren't
playing up on Ben Simmons, weren't playing up on Marquelle Folts.
They were just you know, Simmons was just reading the
defense and carving them up. I don't I'm not exactly
sure what adjustment they make outside of Gore and Dragic
and a sun white side not sucking in the next game.
They'd like them to be better in the next game. Yeah,

(01:26:37):
that's huge because they can't afford to not be exceptionally
well on the offensive end of the floor. And you know,
they got a guard movement better. You know, it was
too many times that when you looked up you saw
a great movement, Greatlaea, Philadelphia had great movements. So how
do you stop that? Will you get into the bodies

(01:26:57):
of them? You know, you you cut off that realist
day and you know every time you look up, you
can't have Ben Simmons swinging on the room, on the rim.
You know, those things that you can control. You can
control your effort and energy. You know, Now if they're
making shots and guys just having those out of body performances,
that's something that you just gotta live with. The basketball
guys touched that team that day and they they're in

(01:27:18):
the rhythm, they're in the flow. But it's certain things
that you can discourage, and you know, you have to
impose your will on the game. And I definitely believe
that it would be a different defensive game for them
as well as an offensive game game too. Let me
ask you this, when you when you've played for you know,
good playoff teams and you lose a game and you

(01:27:39):
lose when your stars played terribly, do you feel better
about your chances to win that next game because you
can assume that your stars in in this case it's
dragic and maybe even Whiteside are going to play better
or is it the opposite feeling? Yeah, you know, I
feel really confident about our chances going forward because I'm like,
you know what, they're gonna come them out and they're

(01:28:01):
gonna be a better version of their self. Now, all
we have to do is really address the issues that
that hindered us, you know, and if they compete at
a high level, if I get the other guys to
do what they did last game and compete for forty
eight minutes, and then also my my best players are
at their best, that give us a fighter's chance to

(01:28:22):
win the game. Yeah, that's a big one from my
game too. For Miami is gonna be huge because Joel
Embiad has already been ruled out for Game two. If
m beads out and he comes back for Game three,
I don't I don't know how Miami can rally and
win a series like this. But that's the interesting part
of the bracket, isn't it. Because Philadelphia, I mean, they
could roll all the way to the conference finals without
being you know, seriously challenged. I mean the Sixers that

(01:28:44):
they win that series, they get the winner of Boston Milwaukee,
they avoid Toronto Cleveland, those two teams the other side
of the Eastern Conference playoff brackets. So the Sixers can
go from a team that, what two years ago, had
ten wins to a team that can make the conference.
Wiles's unbelievable, it really is. But you know, that's the
that's the process and respecting the development of the guys

(01:29:07):
on the fly and you know, getting better relatively quick.
And you know, you you you draft guys and you
bring guys in that's ready to play at a high
level immediately. And that's exactly what you see with the
seventies sixers. Yeah. Well, we'll talk more about that series
as it goes forward. Boston, My and Milwaukee head to
the half, Milwaukee just a three point lead. This is

(01:29:27):
where coaching, by the way, Karan comes into effect. I
mean Brad Stevens being there. I know I praised Brad
Stevens a lot on this show, but I think he's
an excellent coach and excellent you know guy that can
break down, not not breakdown plays, but come up with
out of time out plays that are terrific. In Milwaukee,
you've got Joe Printing and I like Joe Pronty, but
he's an interim coach who's a veteran assistant, longtime assistant. Uh,

(01:29:48):
you know, coaching matters in the playoffs. Let me ask
you this then, in the postseason, if you've got a
great coach on the sideline, how impactful is it for
a team It's huge because you you need someone that
can adjust on the fly, right, So you need someone
that can be in the moment, but at the same time,
uh understand and see the big picture. And if you

(01:30:10):
don't make those proper adjustments on the fly, you know,
it can cost you. You know, because winning in the
playoffs you need a few things. You need a little
you know, you need guys to be special, You need
a little bit of luck, and you need a little
bit of you know, pretty much everything sometimes for things
to line up and for you to have a realistic

(01:30:32):
shot at winning. You know, so a ball gotta bounce
your your way. You gotta have one of those calls
that couldn't win either way, but it favored you, and
you got a little bit of luck from the basketball
gods and all those things in order to win. Because
guys are so dialed in from a KYP standpoint, that's
no your personnel where you know they're gonna be uh

(01:30:52):
dialed into the tendencies of the player, the team and
the flow and everything. So you need some things to
work in your favor. Who is the best playoff coach
that you played for? I had, I had two guys
that was just remarkable, and you know pat Riley was
one of them in the Rick Carlisle, Yeah, those are
those are two guys that are elite. But did did

(01:31:14):
they change in the postseason just because you trusted them more?
Why was that what made them so great? That's the
things that we talked about With Mark Jackson. I think
it was the respect. Uh, there was the ultimate motivators.
And I think they had the experience of you know,
being on the being in the toughest games before, or
playing in the toughest games theirselves. Uh. You know Rick Carlisle,

(01:31:38):
you know being a champion one one with Boston and
you know pat Riley his championship pedigree, and you know,
the just identifying situations understanding like going into the situation
of a game seven or a Game three, or going
to the first role game on the road in the
playoffs and already identifying everything that we we could address

(01:32:01):
and having a plan for it. It was just amazing.
That's to see them at work. Now. I'm gonna stop
you here though, because I think you just put Mark
Jackson on the same level as pat Riley and Rick Carlisle. Hey,
look I said I mentioned him in the same breath.
By saying that he's a guy that's like an ultimate
motivator experience in the respect of the players, and you
need that. Like, oh, okay, but let me ask you

(01:32:23):
this though. If look, you think Mark is is an
excellent coach, okay, okay, but he was let go in
two thousand fourteen. We're now in two thousand eighteen. To
my knowledge, I don't think he's even interviewed anywhere. And
if he has, it's one or two teams. Why do
you think the teams aren't interested in him? I think
they are interested. I think Mark, Well, we're not interviewing

(01:32:45):
him though, I've been doing an excellent job on that
on that sideline. You know with ESPN come you like Chris,
you know better man, you know how this thing worked.
You know Mark Mark, Mark has done an amazing job,
you know, in this insociation. And he had that team
poised and ready to win a championship. So whether Steve

(01:33:05):
Kerr or Chris Mannix or Karan Butler or anybody was
on that sideline, they was gonna win that championship next
year because they were just more talented than everyone else.
They was just ready for that moment, and they they
they was poised and ready for that championship run no
matter what, because he got them there, you know, like

(01:33:28):
he inherited that team. He got them, he got them prepared,
got him battle tested with the battles with the Clippers
and etcetera in the Western Conference, and they was ready
to be a better version of theirself. Like people forget
rather quickly everything that he you know, the adjustments that
he made and got them to that point, like all
of a sudden, this is like, Yo, Steve Kerrz is great.

(01:33:48):
He's amazing, Like he inherited amazing team. Like, no knock
the Steve Kerry. I respect him, I love him. You know,
he's a great guy. Always give us the best interviews,
and he's honest and straightforward. But at the same time
I think he would be He'll tell you himself like, look,
I inherit a great situation. I really did, like and

(01:34:09):
people just throw that out the window, like Mark Jackson
didn't get those guys to that point. No, I think
he did help get them to that point. But I'll
ask you again, there it's been four years since then.
I mean, how many coaches have been hired in between
now and then? I mean, what does it say that
that nobody's trying to hire him. That says that it

(01:34:30):
there's a lot of people out there that's not making
the best decisions for their organizations. That's what it. That's
what it says to me. Like if you look at
you know, uh, Jerry Stackhouse and look what he's been
able to do in the G League, he's probably gonna
get a job. Should but he say say he don't.
Then what say if Dave Fizdale don't come up and
get a job. And you see what happened in Memphis?

(01:34:51):
Was it him or was it the personnel? Because he
had those guys competing and he had been working hard
and he had those guys he was holding them accountable.
He was there on the sideline with the Miami Heat
and Eric's bolster and respected by one of the godfathers
of the game and pat Riley. You know, so what like,
sometimes the best people for situations don't get the job.

(01:35:12):
You know, it's and we know this, and let's let's
just call the space for space. Sometimes it's the best mascot.
Sometimes you can put the best person in that seat
where they're gonna just listen and and follow suit, but
not gonna be out there trying to be a leader
of men, young men, young multi millionaire men. You know
that's gonna, you know, challenge you at times, and you're

(01:35:33):
able to handle that. I want to stick with this
and we'll talk more about Kawhi Leonard to also the Cavaliers.
They open up the post seedings today. What kind of
switch can the calves flip? Will dive into that a
little bit later in the hour. Eight seven seven six
three six nine is the phone number? Eight seven seven
six six three six Nights Chris and Karan here on
Fox Sports Radio. Chris and Grand Fox Sports Radio, Chris Maddox, Yeah,

(01:35:56):
who Sports. Karan Butler, two time NBA All Star, NBA Champion,
Go here in studio Go Go Go showed its ship
birth Go Party like your Shipbert like grown Butler right
now and we vibe in a day man, I tell
you you can find me have Fox Hey, and we're

(01:36:20):
coming to you live from the Guy Go Fox Sports
Radio Studios. A good debate in the last seven crown
about Mark Jackson. My issue with Mark and it's not
on hissue. I don't know Mark Jackson all that well.
But my my thing is that you know you brought
up some some other coaches. You brought up Jerry Stackhouse
and and David Fizdale. And what separates them or what's

(01:36:41):
going to separate them over the next couple of weeks.
Is that Jerry Stackhouse I know is going to get
multiple interviews. Jerry Stackhouse, I know is going to interview
in Orlando. Is a lot of a connection there with
the the magic UH President f Wellman. I'm pretty sure

(01:37:02):
that Jerry Stackhouse is going to interview both in New
York and in Charlotte. Jerry Stackhouse in demand. I think
the same for David Fizdale, despite how it ended in Memphis.
With David Fizdale, my sense of it is that he's
gonna be able to kind of write his own ticket,
Like if he wants to work for a particular team,
he's going to either be first or second in line

(01:37:25):
to get those jobs. I don't get that sense from
teams and Mark Jackson. Mark Jackson, I think is going
to interview for the New York Knicks job. I don't
know the interviews anywhere else. Karan and like, I look
at those facts and I say, there's something about Mark
Jackson that teams don't don't want that, they don't want

(01:37:46):
him to be in their mix. I I I can
only look at what the last four years have been. Like,
Mark Jackson had a good run in Golden State. Everything
you said about what he did there is accurate. But
since then, there's not been one job that he's interviewed for.
And Mark Jackson, you know, wants to be a coach again,
and he's not interviewing for jobs. So I mean, what

(01:38:09):
does that say if if teams are just not going
to him and ask him to even interview for a job,
they're missing out. I mean that's fair, that's a fair,
fair perspective. I just they're just there's no real interesting
outside of New York right now. Man. I think I
think teams are just missing out. I think I think
they really are just just like when you you look

(01:38:30):
at a draft and you know, not even Mitchell slides
to where he's slid to, and the the evaluators are
people that as you know, analytical driven, people you know
that can't really you know, dive into you know, the
talent or the layers of a person. You know, because
like when you when you when you look for talent,

(01:38:52):
whether it's a coaching or you know, a player to
be on that platform and be you know, continue to
excel and be great. You know, you're looking for things
like professional like words like that stands stands out or
respected or you know, driven, motivator. You know, you look

(01:39:12):
for experience, you know, and what separates them from the pack.
And you know, um, all those things and and I
think Mark Jackson's Mark Jackson checks off at all those
He checks the box off at at at all those
And and you also look at you know, the last
two years with you know, the Golden State Warriors, his

(01:39:33):
record was you know, ninety eight and sixty six. I mean,
I mean, come on, bro, like that's that's a that's amazing,
and that's in the Western Conference. And I just think
that he's an amazing motivator. And you know, like I
watched him from Afar and I watched him in action live,
you know, competing against him, and I've seen the way

(01:39:56):
that those guys competed for him, and there's just no
reason why he shouldn't be on that sideline. What did
you think? And you mentioned that you you were playing
against Mark Jackson coach teams. One of the arguments against
Mark over the years and this plays into something that
Steve Kerr did after the fact, is that his offenses
were too simplistic, that it was a lot of just Curry,

(01:40:19):
Clay Thompson, isolation, heavy stuff, basic stuff that for it
was easy to kind of decipher for an opposing team
to figure out that offense. Steve Kerr came in and
mix it up a little bit, a lot more movement
in the Steve Kerr offense. You know, playing against his teams,
did you notice that at all? You know what I did.
But at the same time, that's that's the growth of it.

(01:40:43):
Because listen, basketball player, there's only so much that that
the coach puts you in positions to be a better
version of yourself, meaning like maximizing your strengths. But then
it's up for you to improvise. Like if you're a
really good player or a great player, or just a
professional as a whole, you know you're gonna find ways
to make the best plays for your team and your teammates.

(01:41:07):
So if you're out there and you you know you're
a pick and roll guy, you come off picking road.
I mean, you could shoot it every time, but you
know you're gonna uh draw so much attention that you
know you need to make the slot pass or to
bounce pass to this guy or and and and that's
just reads. It's all reads. Like I think the coach
can't make the read for you. I think as a

(01:41:28):
basketball player and as a basketball mind, he has to
continue to educate you to understand that that's what you
need to do as a basketball player. Yeah, coaches evolved,
and there's no question his next job, Mark Jackson could
be a different coach, have different offensive layers to it,
and and maybe that'll change things up a little bit
for him. Alright, eight seven seven six three six nine.

(01:41:48):
The phone number eight seven seven nine nine six six
three six nine. It's gonna jay out in San Antonio's
gotta thought of Mark Jackson. Hey, j what's going on?
Like the show? Appreciate thanks call. Yeah, I just gonna
have to go with Karan on this one, because I mean,
if you go to barbershop on the scool, you talk
to anybody, they'll tell you Mark Jackson would have had
about two or three rings. I mean, sometimes the executives

(01:42:11):
are wrong. Example Tom Brady. I mean sometimes you're slipped,
Steph Corey, he slept down, he slipped down and the drop.
Sometimes they're wrong. I mean, but you're the first person
I've ever heard you, an executive say that Mark Jackson
did make that team. He made that team, and we
know even in the barbershop, we know he would have
had about three or four challenge hip. It's it's it's

(01:42:33):
really easy. But I mean, I appreciate the phone called you.
I don't look. One thing Karen I would say is
that if winning championships was easy or no, I'm not
winning championships, if coaching superstars was easy, there'd be more
than a handful of coaches over the last two decades
that have been able to win them, right. I mean,
you know, Eric Spoelster proved he could coach superstars. Uh,

(01:42:57):
Gregg Popovitch has proven coach superstars. Phil Jackson has proven
he can coach superstars. It's difficult, Like Mike D'Antoni struggled
in l a with with big personalities, It's not easy
to coach a team with a lot of stars, not
in the sense of the personalities, but blending together the
talents of great players is difficult. I mean, you saw
it firsthand. You know how it happened. Like in Oklahoma,

(01:43:20):
city in Dallas, you had coaches that that that stepped
up and and developed these guys together. I mean, I
I think it's it's a little bit mislead. Could they
have won a championship with Mark Jackson, maybe, but I
don't believe that they have won three or four championships
with and and and and look at Okay, so Steve
Kerr goes down, right, who stepped in with Steve Kerr

(01:43:43):
went down the first time? Luke Walton did, but he
was running the Steve Kerr system. It was it was
Steve Kerr's entire offensive philosophy and that team coming I
think they were. They came off a championship, right, that
was the Luke Walton took over after they won the championship.
I don't know, they look different. They Luke Waon came
in and they won games. Was like they didn't miss
a beat. And then also Mike Brown, uh, you know,

(01:44:05):
he stepped in last season h for coach Kerr when
he had the you know, the physical situation, and he
didn't miss a beat either. And it wasn't the same
initial system that they was running. Yeah, they was doing,
but it was more pick and roll, you know, heavy
you know with some of these sets, and they didn't
miss a beat. You know, they ran through the Western
Conference and and I was watching it and I and

(01:44:27):
I told someone I think me and uh Michael rad Report.
We was talking and he was like, Yo, this is amazing.
You know, coach Kerr might not come back. And Mike
Brown said, listen, I'm telling you right now, Steve Kerr,
if he if he had on a pair of blue
blockers and they had to set him literally in the chair,
he's gonna be on that sideline to coach his team

(01:44:49):
in the finals because no matter what, he's not gonna
let Mike Brown lead the squad because then it's gonna
like it's gonna be evident that look in body pretty
much can coach the team because they're they're they're a
well old team that's just ready employs for a championship run. Now,
this is no not to Steve Kerr, like he's a

(01:45:11):
great coach, championship pedigree as a player and a coach.
All we're saying is that, look, Mark Jackson got them
to the point where, look, they police theirselves. They know
exactly what they need to do. You can give a
clipboard to Andre goodal in the huddle with Steve Kerr
has done and they performed exceptionally well. So they're at

(01:45:33):
that place where they just they know exactly what needs
to be done. This is barbershop talk, this is radio talk.
This is I mean, however you want to give it like,
this is what it is like. This is just the
facts of the case, you know, like you can't deny
it like it is. It is what it is. All right,
we'll talk more about this, get back to your phone

(01:45:53):
calls as well, but first check in with David Gascon
see what's happening out there. What's up, David Gentleman. Eastern
Conference first round match up is as good as advertised
right now with Milwaukee and Boston going back and forth.
The high post back to Bari caught it and slam
bits Bucks up ten. This run is now twenty six
to four on a bad running off on the Bucks

(01:46:13):
radio network. They're tied right now and fifty one a piece.
There's seven thirty seven to play in the third quarter.
That's the only game one. Pacers and Cavaliers will get
their Game one series underway, falling this one Jazz Thunder
tonight and then get the nightcap. I know you guys
have to staff for this one. Houston and Minnesota. Tip
off time is at nine o'clock Eastern, with the Rockets
hosting Game one. And Major League Baseball, guys, we had

(01:46:35):
four games. Now they're postponed because of bad weather. Tigers, Yankees,
Blue Jays, Indians, Cubs, Braves, and now the list includes
the Angels and the Royal So no Shohatani today on
FS one. That's unfortunate. Noah Syndergard is throwing darts right now.
He's got nine k's and four innings. Mets Lely and
the Brewers one to nothing in New York. Orioles got

(01:46:56):
a RBI double in the first thing from Madame Machado
and it's held up so far. In the fifth inning,
Orioles one, red Sox nothing, Pirates on top of the
Marlins three to one, and the Nationals behind a Bryce
Harper home run, his seventh of the season. Already in
the Rockies one to nothing. In the NHL, we're at
thirty minutes away from the puck dropping in Philadelphia. Game three,
Flyers and Penguins get the Jets in wild Tonight. Vegas

(01:47:19):
is in Los Angeles against the Kings, Chris Grand Fox
Sports Radio, Chris Mannox Karan Butler, two time All Star
NBA champion, joining you here on Fox Sports Radio. Come
you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studios. Easy
to say more in car insurance with Geico. Go to
Geico dot com. We're called on seven Otto. The only
hard part figuring out which way is easier. So Karen

(01:47:42):
later on tonight, Uh, your old teammate Russell Westbrook in
action and they go up against Utahn. That's yeah, favorite
Okloma City home court, but kind of a pick up
series there four or five matchup between those two teams.
I wrote something earlier in the week that you know,
if you look at the landscape of the NBA right now,
players with the most pressure on them. I think there's

(01:48:03):
a lot of pressure in this postseason on Russell Westbrook,
not because of of of what he's he's capable of
doing like an individually, but the ramifications of this playoff
for Oklahoma City are huge. If they go deep into
the postseason, chances are nothing guaranteed, but chances are you
can convince Paul George to stay. If they get beat

(01:48:25):
in the first round, it doesn't help and it doesn't
help Paul George's chances of sticking around in Oklahoma City.
I think there's a lot of pressure on RUSS because
Russell Westbrook is gonna be thirty in November. If you know,
if if Paul George walks, he could spend the next
three years in Oklahoma City, his prime years, basically competing

(01:48:46):
for playoff spots. If Paul George stays, you tweak that
team a little bit, and all of a sudden, you're
a team that competes for championships over the next three years.
So I think of anybody in the postseason, Russell Westbrook
has the most pressure on them. And that being said,
why not who's the guy that you would bet your
bottom dollar on when all the pressure and everything, all

(01:49:08):
everything is just lined up against them. And I would
say Russell Westbrook because he's a guy that's gonna go
out there, you know, from a mentality standpoint, closest thing
to you know, Kobe Bryant from a mentality standpoint that
we've seen, you know, in this new era, he's a
guy that's gonna go out there and let it hang.
You know, He's gonna let it hang all out. And

(01:49:29):
that's what you can respect about him. That's what I
love about him and respect about him. And he's gonna
give you a fighter's chance. And you know, I got okay,
see winning this series. I do. I got them winning
this series. I got them winning in seven. I got them,
you know, you know, causing a lot of chaos in
the playoffs. If healthy, If healthy, they can scare a

(01:49:51):
lot of people. Oklahoma City won forty seven games last year, Karen,
they won forty eight this year, despite the dish of
George and kerm ah Anthony. Did you think their regular
season was a disappointment. Nope, I just wanted to. I
just wanted to see them develop some type of chemistry
and some type of flow to them, which they did

(01:50:12):
in spots of the season, but I wanted to see
a little bit more flow coming down at home stretch
and then them coming into into the playoffs. We're just
an understanding that you know, this is what you do,
this is what I do, this is and now you
see that, you know, I felt like you saw that
in the last game, in particular, where Russ had got

(01:50:33):
the triple double and average the triple double for the
the second consecutive time. You know, in NBA history, being
the first to do that. And then you know, Paul
George is playing just amazingly well, and you know Carmelo,
I feel like he's going to be the X factor,
you know, in you know a Series one, in Series two. Yeah,
I was waiting for that surge at the end of

(01:50:53):
the year from them, and I just didn't see it.
I mean, they they want a bunch of games. I
think at the end of January, lost some in February,
once more in March. Then the end of the season
kind of you know, encapsulated what Oklahoma City, you know,
kind of was they lost three straight and then they
won three straight. He just never saw that that type
of consistency from them, though. Are you of the belief

(01:51:16):
though that, like like I sort of, you know, speculated
that if this team goes deep in the playoffs. Paul
George stays, if they don't, good chance, and he walks,
do you buy that? Yeah, you know what, I think
it's really not gonna And I think I read it somewhere.
I'm not sure. I'm not a hundred percent sure. I
don't quote me on it, but I probably run it.
I think I read it somewhere where he said what

(01:51:38):
him stand or leaving this not gonna It's like the
playoffs is not gonna matter. You think that's true though,
you believe him? Yeah, you know what, I think his
decision is made mentally already. Okay, you know, like I
really do feel like Paul George in his camp know
exactly what he's gonna do going forward right now today. Really,

(01:51:58):
I mean yeah, right now today. I think he know
in his heart of hearts what he's gonna do right
now today, next season and in free agency going forward,
like I would think I think he does. I think
Lebron knows. You know, I don't think. I don't think
guys go like really like I think it's a sound bite.
I don't think people are really going to the playoffs
and be like, oh, you know, he's one day at

(01:52:20):
a time, see what, Like you know, you know what
you want to do and what and it's your decision.
You know. It's interesting because I would I mean, this
is probably the biggest decision that Paul George is going
to have to make, right I mean, he's what years old, Um,
the next contract he signs is gonna take him through

(01:52:42):
those prime years, and right now, I don't know who
the I know the best option is out there for him,
is it? I mean l A closed the season pretty strong,
But does Paul George go to l A unless Lebron
comes with him? Does Paul George want to play with Lebron?
I also don't know about his relationship with Russ Like
it's seems like it's pretty good. And one thing people
don't know about Paul George is that he's kind of

(01:53:04):
a homebody. Like you give Paul George like a lake
behind his house, and he's happy for for all of
his days. All he does wants to do. All he
wants to do is go out there and fish. But
you really think he's made his call there, that he's
decided one way or the other whether he's gonna stay
in Oklahoma City Perspective Alert, It's gonna be really tough
for uh individual to figure out where he is gonna

(01:53:28):
make forty five to fifty million dollars a year at
for the next five years. This is this is tough.
This is gonna be tough. I don't know if I
want to make forty five fifty million dollars a year
for the next five years of my life in okay,
see or Los Angeles. This is this is a game changer. Man,
This this is so tough. You think you think he's

(01:53:50):
made that called already. You think he's already figured it out. Yes,
I really do. Like I don't think the playoffs is
gonna weigh in that heavy into his decision. I think
this is this the decision was made in his head
and amongst his camp already, and right now they're just
gonna go out there and play as hard as they can.

(01:54:11):
But I think I think the decision is made already.
What's gonna happen going forward? You think he wants to
play with Russell Westbrook the next four years? I think
he enjoyed playing Russell Westbrook. I really do. I think that,
you know, anyone that's a score, like you have to
look at you know, what what's out there, and like

(01:54:31):
when you're game planning and you're thinking longevity in this space,
you have to think about who you playing alongside and
the demand on your body, you know, night and the
night out. Because people people see one thing, like we
just addressed the forty fifty million dollars a year. People
see that and and they don't care how you feel
or whatever. They just wanted the results and playing alongside

(01:54:54):
other superstars and guys that you know, draw a lot
of attention, it's not gonna put so much the band
on you physically. And you see that with Kevin Durant
and and go to the State. You know, he's playing
alongside Clay Thompson and Draymond and obviously Steph Curry where
you know he can just you know, easily, and that's crazy.
He's so unique, but he could easily score thirty points

(01:55:17):
at night without just pounding himself to death. It's amazing.
Before we take a break, let me ask you this, if, if,
if Paul George does leave, does that reflect negatively on
Russell Westbrook? Having two superstars and Paul dres not on
the same level as Durant, but you know he's on
the next year. Having two big time stars walk from you,

(01:55:40):
despite being able to make more money staying there within
three years, does that reflect negatively on Westbrook. That's what
the storyline is gonna be. But the story but the
storyline should be that Sam Presley did an excellent job
of accumulating talent and getting the rental with Paul George.
That's what the storyline should be, but they'll turn it
into Paul George just couldn't have coexist with Russell Westbrook

(01:56:03):
because he's so dominant and he averaged a triple double
for a second consecutive year in the NBA history, and wow,
who's gonna play next to him? And then somebody's gonna
put some other stuff out there and this is gonna
be madness. But that's what the storyline should be. You
just you just are you writing my column for men?
Not doing sitting there writing my stuff for I appreciate you.

(01:56:27):
I appreciate you, my friend. Alright, Chris and Karan Fox
Sports Radio eight seven seven six six three six nine
and number eight seven seven six three six nine. We
come back. Kawai Leonard noticeably absent from the Spurs bench
last night and the blow up loss to Golden State.
Do you have a problem with that? Should Kawhi Leonard
have been there? We'll dive to that next. Chris and
Karan here on Fox Sports Radio. It's Chris Karan, Fox

(01:56:51):
Sports Radio. That's Tom Petty Joe, brought to you by
Granger Products and Service. You need when you when you
need him. Grangers got your back to help keep your
facility running Granger, but the ones are getting done. So, Karen,
we've been uh spent parts of the last three hours
talking about the Kawhi Leonard situation. San Antonio. The Spurs
had practice today and Gregg Popovich was asked, UH, any

(01:57:16):
chance Kauai rejoins the team during the series. Pop said,
you'll have to ask Kauai and his group that question.
Come on, like you're telling me there's not a massive
rift here, huge drift, Koran, this is a problem. He's
not coming back. He's not gonna see the bench in
San Antonio. It's an issue with these guys, this team.

(01:57:38):
There's a divide here. Man. That's a that's an honest
assessment of the situation. Should he not know? Should he
not know? Though, Karan? Should he not know? If Kauai
is gonna come back, don't know? He shouldn't he He
don't know. Kauai is trying to get back healthy. So
that's a question that if the media asks a question,

(01:57:59):
they gotta ask Kauai and the people his his doctors,
because now he has an independent doctor that's representing him. Now,
like that's that's dealing with him. It's not in the
house like all other situations, whereas like what we're accustomed
to is okay. Uh, Kyrie Irvin's not playing in the playoffs.

(01:58:20):
Why we know because Brad Stevens addressed it before Kyrie
addressed it. Why did Brad Stevens addressed it? Because the
Boston Celtics medical staff are handling him. That that's why,
like everything's right there in the house. They give him
the information they don't know because Kauai is trying to

(01:58:42):
get back healthy and he has an independent medical staff
that's dealing with him now because why he was misdiagnosed
by the San Antonio Spurs medical staff. So that's why
we're at this spot. That's why we at this place.
It's okay. It sounds it sounds to me, though, Karen,

(01:59:03):
like like the Spurs have no idea where Kawhi Leonard
is or what he's doing right now. It doesn't sound
to me like the Spurs no, he has had an
appointment yesterday and couldn't make the game, or has an
appointment coming up on Monday and can't make the next game.
It sounds like they have no idea where he is

(01:59:23):
or what's going on with him at this point. That
you asked me to look at listen to the honest answer.
If Pop had said, well, he's getting checked out on Monday,
I don't know that that that we don't know, and
and you're right, he's getting a second opinion. He's going
through somebody else. But if this was you, wouldn't you
be communicating with the team as well. Wouldn't you be

(01:59:43):
telling them like what's going on the day to day
with all this, Maybe not the medical staff, but at
least the coaches, with Pop, the president of the team.
What was the question? I forget which part I was
asking either as the three questions, but the question to
Pop it was any chance Kauai rejoins the team during
the series. And he's like, I don't know. You have

(02:00:05):
to ask Kauai or his medical staff do you think
it's normal for he really don't know if Kauai is
gonna actually continue to do his rehab or if he
elects to join the team. He really don't know yet
because they probably already had the discussion of Kauai, look,

(02:00:28):
just get healthy, get healthy, and then you know we'll
go from there. And obviously he's not healthy yet, So
like I think the big problem for us as like
me as well, being in this space. We want answers
and we can't get the answers that we want, so
we gotta like we gotta just like assume so many things.

(02:00:48):
So we just like, you know, we're out there with it.
We're reaching out. Yeah, I don't know. I I think
that that answer to me continued to make me believe
that there was something going on. Is something going on
between Kauai in the San Antonios parson. We'll see if
he shows up for game two. We'll see if he
shows up for game three in San Antonio. Let me
ask you this quickly, if he if he's not there

(02:01:08):
for game three in San Antonio, well your opinion and
all this change. My opinion will in San Antonio if
he's not their game three because now you get time.
So whether you have you know, uh, prior appointments or anything,
you will want to be at the home game. So

(02:01:28):
if that, if he's not there, I'll be like, oh wow, okay, yeah,
gotta be a little bit more. By the way, in Milwaukee,
down four of the Celtics, I mean, they're not gonna
win this game, Like they're just not in to the
third quarter. I mean come on, Bucks, how are you
getting beat by a Boston team that can't score? That's
going like year jumpers. You said it though, you know
Brad Stevens runner up of the Year. Man, that's why

(02:01:50):
I don't think they're gonna win this game. Like they're not.
He's doing an excellent job. Runner up Coach of the Year.
Brad Stevens was doing an actullent job. I got him
as my Coach of the Year. Karna put on petty.
I gotta drawn him out. Karen. Always good to talk
to you, my friend. Will do this again next Sunday.

(02:02:11):
Appreciate it, buddy, my god man, take care brother. All right,
we'll talk talk to you guys next week. It's Chris
and Karen Fox Sports Radio eight seven seven six six
three six nine is no phone number. Stick around a
lot more to come here on Fox Sports Radio.

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