The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 05/24/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: May 24, 2021

Despite losing game 1 of the playoffs, Colin explains why Laker fans shouldn't be worried about their match up with the Phoenix Suns. He does have bad news for one NBA team that lost the first game of their playoff series and why we could see a big upset early this postseason. He also tells you why he was right about Phil Mickelson and wrong about Chris Paul. Plus, 16 year NBA veteran Derek Harper joins the show to discuss the Mavericks potentially upsetting the Clippers and if the Lakers are in trouble dropping game 1 to the Suns.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey,

or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening to The Best of Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday. From 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1, find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. A Monday and what a Monday it is live in Los Angeles. It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio and FS1. What a weekend.

I mean hockey, NBA, Phil Mickelson, Soccer, If you love sports, it was one of the great TV weekends in a year. I mean, it was just a couple of years. It was absolutely fantastic, and Joy Taylor is joining me. One hour from now where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong. I watched as much television outside of an NFL season as I have watched in years. Yeah, it was a great weekend. The couch got a lot of usage.

Well, my house is being torn down, so I didn't have the couch. I laid in bed all weekend. Either way. Okay, so let's start. What do you make of this weekend? Does it matter? Does it not matter? Okay, let's just talk Lakers' sons.

Let's start there. That's the biggest brand in the NBA. Laker fans, here's the reality with Anthony Davis. Celebrate when he's great and tolerate when he's not. That's who he is. The good news is I still like the Lakers and the series is far from over. of the many things LeBron James will go in the record books for, LeBron has won 60% of his playoff series when he lost the first game.

All time, the NBA percentage is 21%. So he's three times better. Remember, the sons were favored in this game. They're not favored in the series. They were favored yesterday. The Lakers are favored in the series. Why were they favored? Well, the sons have been off for a week.

They were the better rested team. Their younger had a ton of energy. It was the first playoff game for Phoenix in 11 years. You could feel the intensity and the juice in the arena. Phoenix at home, this was a celebration of a once-proud franchise. Now the series simmers down. Both teams are equally rested. Chris Paul's not 100%.

And Anthony Davis, who's, never been highly motivated, just wildly talented, has always need to be pushed and prodded. And he is because he was so bad. We've all worked with an Anthony Davis in our life, somebody that's super talented but doesn't have a ton of fire. You got to kind of light a fire under him is the old saying. Well, Anthony Davis admitting after last night's game, yeah, I was terrible. I'm horrible. I'll be back. By the way, Anthony Davis, who was the best high school player in the country and then led Kentucky to a national championship as a freshman and has been marvelously talented forever. Should never have the worst plus minus in any basketball game he ever

plays in. He not only did, nobody was close. He was awful. But I do think he'll be the key factor going forward. And I think the Lakers win the series. Why? DeAndre Aiton's a very talented big for Phoenix. Sunder small. But he's only 20, I don't believe he's going to lock down AD for the series. And the sons don't have a lot of bigs. Their backup center appears to be Dario Sarich. I didn't know he was a center. 6-6-J Crowders, another one of their biggest guys.

Listen, they're talented, but they're not big. And now Anthony Davis is motivated, which you have to poke and prod them in light of fire to get the best out of him. That's reality. But when you get to a playoff series, it's always been a book. not a pamphlet. Regular season, you're just handing out flyers. Not a lot of depth. Message isn't long. You look at a little tape. Team just flew into town. That's not what a playoff series is. A playoff series is a book with chapters. Every chapter can be different. And LeBron James has been in a lot of these playoff series. And Frank Vogel has been in a lot of these

playoff series. So regular season, this happens all the time. But the idea that Phoenix is going to beat the Lakers four times in the next 10, 12 days, I don't buy it. I don't think they have the experience. I don't think they have the size. And that's okay. Nice win for Phoenix. They deserve it. I grew up and the Phoenix Suns were fantastic. They beat my Sonics regularly. In fact, the last time I cry during sports. May have been the Suns beating My Sonics with Paul Westfall and Alvin Adams and may have been Connie Hawkins and Garhird. I forget who it was, but they were great for years.

It's good to have them back. All right. So I want to talk about the Knicks. There's a lot to talk about, but I want to talk about the Knicks. I want to tell you a story. Is that, yeah, you know, you watch movies and Hollywood, these big companies, right? Like they put stars in movies. They put Robert Downey, you know, Tom Cruise.

Denzel, they put stars in movies because that's supposed to attract us. But about 20 years ago, there was a movie called My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It was fantastic. And we only kind of knew one person in the movie. It was John Corbett who had been kind of a big deal in another franchise called Sex and the City. And we didn't know anybody. We don't know anybody. and I immediately, 10 minutes into the movie, fell in love with the family.

How? I didn't have any connection to anybody. Because they were so vested in one another. They loved each other so much. They were so flawed. They were so ridiculous. And they cared about each other so much. It just poured through the screen.

And you fell in love with this family. And in a weird way, that's the Knicks. They have one guy from a franchise. guys we kind of know, Julius Randall for the Lakers. And then I'm sitting around deeply invested in a team full of guys I couldn't care less about. I got Alec Berks and New Orleans, Noel and Reggie Bullock and an old Derek Rose who doesn't even play the same way. And I've got Alfred Payton and Taj Gibson. Why do I care about the Knicks?

I'm not from New York. I care about them because it's so easy to like people that are so vested in one another. They are so limited. This team is so limited, but they're my big, fat New York Knicks basketball team. That's what they are. That's the movie poster. They're not great. Julius Randall is their best player.

He was awful yesterday, and he's not a top 25 player. but yet the Knicks hung around against a clearly superior offensive team in Atlanta. It shouldn't have been that close. I mean, you're relying on Alec Burks to carry you yesterday. An old Derek Rose. But it just goes to show when you're all in. I've said this about our country. You're in one direction.

You're defiant. You're coachable. You believe in one another. You can be completely limited. If you look at this roster, I mean, the Lakers got rid of Julius Randall. He was one of the first they got rid of. Forget Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart. Now, they shipped him off early.

Can't hit threes. Just look at this roster before the season starts. We never think this is a playoff team. But they totally buy into Tom Thibodeau, who hasn't changed his expression once in 32 years in the NBA. And I buy into the Knicks. Now, yesterday what happened? Well, Trey Young happened.

He's the best player, most talented player on the floor. It's a great young player. Hit a basket, won the game. The key for the Knicks is, don't get too high, don't get too low. You've got a soul. The Knicks are something. They are something. They're not something great.

They're not something with a high ceiling. But for Julius Randall to play as bad as he has played, probably in a month, and to hang around a much better team, it was great to see the garden mostly jammed. the passion, there's a soul, they believe in one another, and I was here for it. The last eight Nick games, they've had five different leading scores. And yesterday it's Alec Berks. What? Wouldn't he the guy in Utah that never panned out?

Taj Gibson, I remember him more from the Bulls days. But it's great. I sat there and I'm like, why am I so into this team? They're not even pretty. They're not artistic. I mean, I get when you fall in love with Steph or John Morant, you fall in love. I mean, I get Dame Lillard. There's guys out there.

You're like, I can't take my eyes off him. You could take your eyes off the Knicks in one second. There's not a lot there. Trey Young, hard to take your eyes off of. But don't get too high. Don't get too low. This is exactly what the series is going to look like. It's going to go six or seven games.

It's never going to be pretty. The Knicks are not built to be pretty. But when you're invested in each other, it is so easy to fall in love with the team or a family or a business. It was a really good watch. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that

not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line.

We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it.

And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions.

bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the hard way. Open your free, IHartRadio

app, search Learn the Hardway, and listen now. You have to be careful about overreacting to the opening game of playoff series. Now, it does help to win the opening game. It does matter that Atlanta went on the road, and odds makers, the bookmakers liked Atlanta to win this series,

and it is big that they went on the road and beat the Knicks in their place in game one. It probably bodes well. But, you know, Knicks in Atlanta to me, Portland and Denver to me, those feel like six, seven game series. One of them has to be a little troubling. So the Clippers at home lost to the Mavericks. Now, the Clippers are a better team. How do I know this?

because the Clippers won 47 games this year. That's with Kauai missing 20 games and Paul George missing 18. Two All-Stars missed a combined 38 games, and they still won 47 games. Dallas won 42, and that's with Luca, their star, playing almost every night. And Tim Hardaway, their third best player, mostly playing every night, 70 or 72 games. The Clippers are the better team. They won more games, missing their stars. They were at home.

This should be fairly easy work. Dallas's best players, a kid. The Clippers, two best players, are veterans. They've been in multiple playoff series. Dallas is also a bad defensive team, 20th. Rarely does a bad defensive team beat an excellent defensive team in the playoffs. The Clippers, two stars, both great defensive players, Kauai and Paul George missed 38 combined games, and they still finish top eight in the league in defense.

So I have a more experienced team. I have a significantly better defensive team. I have a young team that's led by a kid that just knocked him off. Yes, there is reason to worry. Once again, the clippers were awful down the stretch. Last six and a half minutes, they were terrible. They were at home. This is the matchup they actually wanted.

Remember, they bailed the last weekend. They sat all their stars because they wanted Dallas. By the way, Kauai and Paul George were rested. This is also the game. The Lakers being down 0-1-1 is not the Clippers being down 0-1. Okay, Lakers were on the road. Clippers were at home, and the Clippers off last year's disastrous bubble performance, this was the game to redeem themselves.

This is why Ty Loo said, we want our guys healthy, we want them rested. Okay, here it is. What? Six and a half minutes left. Paul George said after the game, it's no big deal. I don't feel any pressure. Here is Paul George after the loss. We expect to play better.

We expect to be more dialed in game two. We're not looking at it as just because of who we have. if we're expected to win. And we got the same pressure as every team that's in this. It all comes down to who's the last team standing. And that's just the pressure every team goes through. It's no different than how we're approaching this. We've got to be better for game too.

And, you know, I plan on this team bouncing back. It is not the same twice last year in the bubble. Just last year, the Lakers were down 0-1 and won a series. The Lakers have a history of overcoming, of winning championships. The Clippers do not. And I said this last week. There is a weight on the clipper's shoulders and it just got heavier. Steve Balmer's the owner.

Temperamental, big voice, high energy, really smart and demanding. Okay. He did not pay double for this franchise what the reported value is for two quick playoff exits with stars. And I said this last week. We've all had somebody in our family. We've worked with somebody where they walk in the room and everybody gets a little tense. Everybody's all tense. There's a lot of pressure.

This is the biggest staff in the NBA. It's the highest compensated. There's people on this executive staff with the clippers, two and three and four down that are making like way more than the NBA average. Steve Ballmer pays his people well, but he demands production. And this does not feel like everybody else. Miami's down 0-1. So what?

They got to the finals. Pat Riley's got a trophy room. Eric Spolster has got multiple trophies. Heat being down as a slight underdog 01 is not the Clippers as a favorite at home with two-star veterans off a lousy bubble being down 01. I don't buy it's all feels good. Nothing to see here.

I think there's a lot to see and it's potentially trouble. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays and noon east. 9 a.m. Pacific. What's up, everyone? It's me, three-time NFL all-pro Sean Marriam. And I have a new sports podcast called The Lights Out Podcast with Sean Mariam. This podcast is special to me as I get a chance to talk to some of the best who've ever done it on the field or the track.

So whether it's talking to a Super Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup Series champion, the Lights Out podcast will bring it to you the only way I know how to. I'm giving you the best insight from the best who's ever done it. Listen to Lights Out with Sean Merriman on the I-Hart. Heart Radio app or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators and voices that not only deserve to be heard but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations,

stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Cliford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or we're you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look

Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode, with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 was big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we, are in possession of the thing, and we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid?

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, I Heart Radio app,

search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Golf's been trying to sell me since Jack Nicholas sort of wandered close to retirement. They've been trying to sell me on the next thing. And two guys get me to a TV set, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, for different reasons. Kobe Bryant scored 60 points in his last game. The greats still possess greatness.

They just can't give it to you nightly. And golf and sports is always sort of in a hurry to push the new thing and get rid of the old thing. But if you watch that gallery with Phil Mickelson yesterday, nothing against a lot of guys in the tour, but it doesn't look like that. Massive crowds for Phil Mickelson, who at 50 years old becomes the oldest player to win a major, the PGA championship. He's also got three masters. He's familiar and he's comfortable. It's why we're on our ninth iteration of Fast and Furious.

It's why we've had seven different Batman's. It's why there's been 26 James Bond movies. It's why the office and friends and Seinfeld get hundreds of millions of dollars from these streaming services. People like comfortable, and Phil Mickelson is completely comfortable. He takes us back. I got nothing against Bryson DeShambo. have another 16 egg omelet, your 13th protein shake of the day. But he doesn't make me feel the way Tiger Woods winning the Masters a few years ago did.

Or the way Phil Mickelson makes me feel. You know, I always said this about Trump. He wasn't my cup of tea, but he did make a big chunk of America feel a certain way. It's not a way I feel, and it's not something I appreciated. But if you want to be a successful politician or you want to be a big brand, make me feel something. Don't try to lecture me on this or lecture me on that or convince me on this. When I watch Phil Mickelson, I see a guy that has blown majors. He's totally vulnerable. He used to rely on talent. He wasn't very, he wasn't in very good shape, to be honest with you,

in his 20s and 30s. Now he looks like that's the best shape he's been in. The tournaments mean more. He knows he hadn't have a ton left in the tank. In fact, I read this this morning. He had not been registered as a top 20 player in nine months. He couldn't make cuts. So all I know is I sat there on my bed, not my couch, because my house is getting, you know, redone and blown up and whatever termites now I found out yesterday. Whatever it is, he made me, Phil makes me feel some way. One more herd?

The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Here we go. where Colin was right? I warned you all last week about the Clippers' late game issues. They look like a bunch of talented guys at the YMCA that have never played together. The last six minutes against Dallas, a reminder, Dallas is a poor defensive team. The last six minutes, the Clippers were two of 12 and 0 for 7 on threes.

This is a problem. This was the redeem game. It's just they brought in Rondo to fix this. Because I live in Los Angeles, the Clippers, all their games are on, and I see a lot of Clippers basketball, this is a bad late game basketball team. They'll blow you out from time to time, but if it's close, the fact that Dallas's defense gave them issues is a problem. Where Colin was wrong.

What's fair is fair. I got to give credit to Chris Middleton. the box. He hit a big shot. Now, my problem with Chris is always, he's not a great player. He's a very good player. His career average is, you know, like 17. He's about a 19 point of game guy. Last year, without Drew Holiday, they needed him to be great. He's good. So when you ask a player to step up a level that he's not, you're disappointed. But he is a shot maker. And now that's what they need him to be. He's their third best player and he's very valuable because you cannot trust Janus at the free throw line to hit a three. Yesterday, he couldn't even hit twos. So this is what Middleton can do.

He can hit shots. Don't ask him to be a number two and drop 32 a night. That's not what he's going to do in the playoffs. But he can hit shots and he deserves credit because I've been banging on him for years. Where Colin was right. About half dozen times a year, I say, sports is actually now mostly dominated by old guys. Saban, Bruce Ariens, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Andy Reid. Now it's Phil Mickelson. Careers last longer than ever now

because you can spend money, easier to stay in shape, and Mickelson looked like the best shape he's been in at 50 for a long time. It was a wonderful moment. I know we always want to bury the old guys, but there is something embraceable about what I saw yesterday, the old guys can still be great.

Not every week and not every night and not every golf tournament. But when they want to bring it, they can be the best in field. Where Colin was wrong. I would have voted Chris Paul first or second in my All-Star or in my MVP ballot. He didn't even get nominated. He wasn't even one of the three nominees. It went to Steph Curry. It went to Joel Embed, who missed 21.

games and it went to Yokic. I don't know. First of all, Chris Paul played 70-72 games. Second of all, even yesterday when he hurt his shoulder and could not shoot, his value being on the floor is so substantial. He's a great defender. He shows up every night. His leadership skills late in games.

How is Phoenix this good late in games with all these kids? They're good because of Chris Paul late. They weren't the previous 11 years. I got nothing against Steph, but you got to kind of make the playoffs for me to think you're an MVP, and the Warriors weren't really good this year. So I have missed on Chris Paul. I find that NBA voters prefer the story or the stats over the word valuable, so Chris Paul get snubbed. Where Colin was right?

Maybe it's because I worked in Portland, but does everybody understand how good Dame Lillard is? If he played in San Francisco, New York, L.A., he would be the toast of the league. You know, there's only one other player in the history of the NBA that has won a series on a last second shot twice. Dame and Michael Jordan. First of all, he may be along with Steph the best peer shooter in the league. He may be the best clutch player in the league. I mean, but the NBA just buries him. Their game Saturday night was on at 10.30 Eastern.

That's when it started on a Saturday night. Yeah, everybody in New York's hanging around a TV set at 10 o'clock and a Saturday night. He is a remarkable closer. I mean, honestly, I say outside of Steph, one shot to win any game, I take him over LeBron. I take it, Janus and Bede, even Chris Paul, one shot to win a game. Ice and his vange, as clutch as anybody the league has had shooting a basketball late in the last decade. Where Colin was wrong.

I was a Zion guy over a John. Marant guy, but I will say this. This kid is insane. And also, it is a guard league. The hand check is gone. John Morant can get to the basket anytime he wants against anybody. You can't defend him. He carried his team to the playoffs this year.

He carried him into the playoff game last year. And as much as I like Zion, he's nowhere to be found in the last two years. Friday night at Golden State, the kid was sensational. The world's watching him, right? 35, 5 for 10 on threes, and he outplayed Steph. Now, he was just more efficient than Steph was. So I'm a Zion guy, Zion's personality, the strength in which he plays, feels like a face of the league.

But in turn, you know, Jaws had no injury, so I don't have to worry about the injury thing. And the other thing is, he's a true point. When you're a true point, you control the, it's a quarterback, you control the tempo of the entire game. The kid is just, he is, I. I think as Chris Broussard said an hour ago, he's Westbrook, but plays more under control, has a better feel for the game than Westbrook. I know, I know I'm banging on Westbrook, but the kid's really a natural point.

Westbrook's just a great athlete. Where Colin was right. Greg Popovich and Greg Popovich's ego, nowhere to be found in the playoffs. He refuses to evolve. You got to shoot threes. You got to. I mean, it's the reality. It's no longer a running.

league in the NFL. You've got to pass the ball 50% of the time because that's what the Andy Reid's do. That's what the good teams do. That's what the Bruce Ariens do. That's what the Sean Patens do. Seven years, no titles. Three years, no relevance. They gave Kauai away in a trade. Why? Because Popovich was upset the way Kauai wouldn't buy into his system. I've said this before. Tony LaRusa, Bobby Knight. The old guys that stay relevant like Nick Saban, of all Mike Shashefs. If you fall in love with yourself or your system, you'll get irrelevant really fast in sports.

And that's what Pop and the Spurs are now. Where Colin was right? The Patriot signed quarterback Brian Hoyer translation, Jared Stidham is out. Cam, Mac Jones, and Brian Hoyer will be the rotation. Nothing against Jared Stidham, the Auburn kid. But he wasn't great in college. Every ESPN analyst kept, I know ESPN's based up near the Patriots headquarter.

quarters kept telling me, oh, practice. Oh, there's a lot. And I kept saying, I watched them in college. This is okay. They do a decent size, okay arm. But I have this theory, and it's on Jordan Love 2. If you can't practice with a football team for a year, and I don't hear a buzz about you, you don't got it. You were hearing a buzz about Mahomes. Peter Schroger was telling me about Patrick Mahomes a year before he played. You heard a buzz about Garapolo. You heard, oh, this kid Garapolo. If you can practice for a year,

and I hear nothing, I see nothing, there is nothing. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Derek Harper, his number 12 jersey has been retired by the Dallas Mavericks. could do it all. He was a two-time all-defensive player, still leads the Mavericks all-time in steals.

He could score. He still leads them all-time and assists. And he had a wonderful career. He played for the Knicks. He played for over a decade with the Mavs. He's now a broadcaster for the Dallas Mavericks, and he joins us live. So let's just talk about those Dallas Mavericks, Derek, because I think they're not yet a great defensive team. and yet with six minutes to go in that Clipper game, they made key stops. And I said, of all those game ones, a lot of them don't feel like they mean a lot. But for a young team that this is a confidence builder, I thought it was a substantial win for the Mavericks and a disheartening loss for the Clippers. What was your takeaway in their late game performance?

I kind of agree with your sentiments, Colin, when you start talking. about game one. I think the game was more important for Dallas than the Clippers, mainly because I just think the Maverages, to your point, they want to build some momentum, some confidence as a basketball team. And I think still in game one, did that. Obviously, Luca is all-world when it comes to the game at this stage in his career. But collectively, Dallas was a better team on both sides of the basketball, and they put

a lot of pressure, Colin, if you would, on the Clippers, a team that I think everybody is waiting to see whether or not they can handle the pressure of the playoffs. They had a debacle finish last year with Kauai and Paul George. And I really feel like Dallas is playing with House money and can beat the Clippers. That's simple for me. You know, it's interesting. When you watch the Clippers late in possessions or late in games, they have struggled now for two years. We know they have the talent, but if you were, if you were coaching the Clippers, how do you turn around their late game woes? You know, Colin, I would tell them not to give a, you know what.

I think the guys like Paul George, they listen to the noise, and that you can almost care too much sometimes as they go to superstar player. You care to the point where you're worried about what people are going to say, what they're going think about you at some juncture and throughout the series. And I don't think LeBron gives us a heck what people say, say. I don't think Kyrie Irving cares. Kevin Durant, they don't care. So they go out and I think it frees them up to be themselves.

You know, you can do it for three quarters, but what basketball in the NBA comes down to, especially, Colin, doing the playoffs is quality possessions, whether or not you can execute, get what you want on both sides of the ball. And so far, the clippers had been able to do that. They blamed a lot of it on Doc Rivers system. Doc is a good friend of mine. And I respectfully agree with it then.

I respectfully disagree with it now. I think guys like Paul George Corwell Leonard, this is why you were paid the big bucks. This is why you need to find a way to step up and make a difference this time of the year. No question about it. Now, I don't feel the same way, Derek, about the Lakers. First of all, the sons were more rested. they were at home. You know, it just felt like you could feel the 11 years of no playoffs.

This was the biggest game in Phoenix in over a decade. And I kind of felt like, you know, I mean, the Lakers just kind of walked into a no-win situation. Are you worried, though? Anthony Davis, you know, it's funny. Some guys are talented. Some guys are just motivated without talent. You know, the late Kobe Bryant was motivated and talented. I always feel with AD that you've got to light a fire under him about three times a month.

And does that worry you that he is kind of, he kind of sleepwalks through big portions of games and series? You know, Colin, it doesn't worry me. You know, I played for the Lakers for one year. I played against them throughout my career. So I'm not going to, I'm not going to make any bones about it. I hope the Lakers lose against the Phoenix Titans. Monty Williams is a great friend of mine. I played with him in New York.

And when it comes to AD, why should you have to light a fire under a guy that's an all-pro, all-N-V-A basketball player that most people think as a top-10 player in this league? Once you get to the playoffs, you should be self-motivated as a team.

And you should go out and you should set the example that's needed to be. I think a bigger problem for these guys is just the coach. easier. Injuries will slow you down as a team. They're clearly slowed the Lakers down somewhat. LeBron is not 100%. Anthony Davis missed 30-plus games with an Achilles problem throughout the year. And I don't think basketball is a game this time of the year that you can just turn on and turn off like a switch.

And the pressure, as AD alluded to, the pressure is solely on him to find a way to be better, to play better. They're playing a very energetic team, and I think that's the worst matchup for a Laker team that has dealt with a lot of shortcomings as far as injuries are concerned. You know, back in the 94 finals, you were one of the most dependable Nick scores when you guys played the Rockets. You guys lost in seven games. But it's funny, if you even go back to Walt Frazier, who was like a seven-time defensive, you know. My favorite player all the time. Yeah. That's my guy.

Now, he may have been cool, and he had a nice jumper, but he was about defense. and then Pat Riley's teams were about defense, and this team's about defense. So when I watch the Knicks, they do take me back, you know, to a bygone era. This is what they've always been. Even the Willis Reed-Walt Frazier team was really about defense. They are so limited offensively, Derek. How far can they go? Well, that's an interesting question.

And I think to answer that question is they got the right matchup because I think these teams are really evenly matched when you start talking about what they do as a team, both offensively and defensively. It took the youngster, Tray, Young down the stretch to make a huge shot getting to the rim and finishing off the Knicks. But I don't think that there's a lot of pressure on New York. They're kind of playing with house money as well. Coach Stimidot has this team believing in themselves as a defensive team. And Derek Rose and Julius Randall, I think they can make enough bad baskets. and create enough offense late in games where the Knicks will stay in this series.

I suspect that this series will go seven games, and I think it will be anybody's series to win. But I just think defense for the Knicks has to be the front of what they do. It has to set the tone for them as a team. And, you know, man, you're getting close games. All it takes is a bucket here and a bucket there, a stop here and a stop there, and you can find yourself successful. So I like the Knicks chances. I love my time in New York, and I'm rooting for the Knicks.

You know, it's interesting. We know James Harden, Kyrie, and Kevin are three of the top four or five offensive players in the league. It's interesting. Not only are Kyrie and Harden great finishers and great players, but in the history of the NBA, I'm not sure there's ever been a back court with two guys that can get their own shot anytime they want. I mean, Clay Thompson's more of a catch-and-shoot guy. You know, Gail Goodrich was a guy. that for the Lakers, Jerry could create his own shot.

Gail was more catching a shoot. I look at these two and I think, do you ever worry about Brooklyn that that back court is so damn talented, points come so easy, that in crisis, in close games, it could be a problem. I don't think so.

I just think greatness, the greatness that they have, you're talking Hardin, you're talking about James Hardin and Kyrie Irving in the back court, and then you have KD, probably the best player in the league, pound for pound, if you look at what he brings as an offensive player. I don't worry about that. I worry more about their focus, especially Kyrie sometimes.

I worry more about whether or not they can defend. You know, Boston is not going to put a lot of resistance up as far as the worst Brooklyn is going to play was game one. Yeah. I think things get better for the next. I don't think they're going to fall down and not play. Like they're not going to play like they played the other night. They're going to be better. They're going to be more focused.

They're going to be more, you know, tied together, if you would, as a team. And Boston is just shorthanded and don't have enough to handle what Brooklyn is. But moving forward, when they start to face Philly and they play the Milwaukee Bucks, Colin. That's when you can concern yourself a little bit because there's more defense. There's more manpower on those other top Eastern conference. team that can challenge the nets. But I think the next is going to win the nets, barring any injury and staying healthy, I think they're going to win the championship.

It's just that simple because they can look at each other and turn a switch on the offensive end of the floor, not overall, but they can certainly get hot at the right time and, you know, go on the kind of runs that it takes to win a championship. By the way, you do Mavs games, so you see Luka every night and you played 16 years, You played 16 years in the NBA. You were a former first round pick. Does Luca even remind you of anybody you played with or against in your career? You know, we're always trying to compare people, right?

They try to compare you to Skip Bayless and different people right on the air. And I love Skip, but I'm a Colin Cowherd band to the end. Luca is Luca, man. And the one thing that I can, the biggest compliment I can pay this kid, man. He's just in his third year. And when Luca faces the best players in the league, Paul George, Kowah Leonard, LeBron James, James Hardin, Kevin Durant, he plays his best basketball. And to me, that's a guy that's waiting. He's waiting to seize the moment of an opportunity to outdo the best in the league.

And I don't think you can take that kind of stuff for granted. He's not afraid of the moment. the only thing you can question about Luca is his shot selection sometimes. I think it's very difficult even for him as a player. But man, when it's time to strap him up and put him on and walk down the alley, I'll take Luca Donchich against anybody in the NBA. He was my MVP. I know Yokic is probably going to win it.

But I just think what Luca is as a player, you can't duplicate it. I don't care how great the other guys are. Yeah. Derek, I love having you on the show. Anytime you're in L.A., you just come here. Anytime. Sit in the chair. We'd love to have been in studio, man. Thanks, Derek. I would love to, you, Colin. Take care, brother. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite.

Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. In 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.