The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 06/22/2021 - HOUR 1 - Kevin Durant, NBA, Clippers-Suns

Episode Date: June 22, 2021

It's hard for Kevin Durant to be the face of the leagueTom Brady wasn't bashing who you thinkThoughts on the NBA Western Conference FinalsCarl Nassib is a wonderful storyGuest: Ric Bucher 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.

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Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 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.

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I don't care what 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 IHeard Radio app,

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You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on a Tuesday live in Los Angeles. It's the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. Joy Taylor is back, a little under the weather yesterday, still fighting that East Coast flu she brought with her. How are you? I'm doing good. Voices a little hoarse, but we're good.

We're here. You know what? We play hurt. Of course we did. That's what we do every day. We play hurt. It's good to have you. And we talked about this yesterday, Joey. Just so many good stories in sports right now.

And Magic Johnson, the great Magic Johnson, one of the great basketball players of all time. And certainly the most influential basketball player probably in the history of Los Angeles. And that's saying something, by the way. There's been a lot of great athletes. His business, his outreach all over the town. He's everywhere in Los Angeles. Now part owner of baseball team. the Dodgers. But he said yesterday on another show and another network that LeBron has one year left

and then it's Kevin Durant's league after that. And I thought it was an interesting statement. And I thought, all right, let's go back. Speaking of magic, let's go back 40 years. It's 2021. Let's go back to 1981. Most of you were not watching the NBA in the 70s. I was kind of. But that's kind of when the league felt like it got big. David Stern stars. the 70s didn't really have a face in the league. I mean, it really didn't. There was a bunch of different champions. I mean, Dr. Jay, kind of.

So let's go to 1981. And let's look at who has been the face of the league. So in 1981 to 83, Magic had a title with Kareem. Magic really helped the rebirth of the NBA. David Stern, the new commissioners like, let's promote the players. Magic was the face of the NBA. It was his league. Larry Bird also came in about the same time,

and then Larry Bird wrestled it away from him for about a three-year period, mid-80s, where Larry was winning MVP's, Celtics were giving the Lakers a hard time. Magic wrestled it back from him at the end of the 80s to close out the decade. Magic now, the hook shot, winning championships and MVP's. So the 80s was Magic and Larry's League. There's no dispute. As good as Isaiah Thomas can be, it was Magic in Larry's League. They were the most marketable.

One was East Coast. One was West. One was a Celtic. One was a Laker. It was really a great time. I remember it well. It really felt like the... In sports, I look back and I think that's the beginning of the NBA for most people watching our show.

That really feels like the beginning. For most people under 60 watching the show. So it was magic and birth. Then we go to the 90s. Well, you know what happened there. It was Michael Jordan's League. From about 90 to 98, even when Michael briefly left for about a year, year and a half, it's still Michael's League. Only people went in it because Michael wasn't there.

It was Michael's league. And then for about a seven, eight year period, like 99 to 2007, when centers mattered, it went Duncan, Shaq Duncan. That was the, Tim Duncan came out of college and was completely polished his first day in the league. And Shaq was the big personality. They were opposite human beings, right? One, the big personality, one very reticent, but they kind of, they were the faces of the league. And then, for a brief time, the great late Kobe Bryant for about a two, three-year period, 2008, 2010, went to finals, finals, finals, won a couple of them with Pow Gasol. He was the face of the league.

From that until today, it's been LeBron's League, 10 years, with a tip of the cap to Steph Curry, who in the later years kind of try to wedge in there, but it's LeBron's league. So I want you to think about that, first of all. 40 years, seven people. Five of the seven are very engaging personalities, magic, and Michael was glamorous and Shaq and Kobe and LeBron and style and personality and the great smile and they embraced it. Bird, feisty and combative, Duncan reluctant. So it does prove like Kevin Durant's personality, he's a little combative and feisty. so is Byrd.

You can do that. He can be sometimes withdrawn. So is Duncan. You can be face of the league. But it's harder. It is harder. Market size, again, is not everything. Duncan was the face of the league in San Antonio.

So now let's get to Kevin Durant. Could he be the face of the league? Well, it's interesting. In his three stops, I'd argue he's never been the face of the team. In Oklahoma City, what was his frustration? management sided with Westbrook. As wrong as they were, they were really wrong, Kevin got frustrated with the coach and the GM who wouldn't confront Westbrook,

who was very difficult to play with. Kevin was called at one point Mr. Unreliable. Westbrook was more popular. Then he goes to Golden State, and he was their best player, finals MVP. But the culture was created by Steph. Steph is the Bay Area. It was Steph's team.

And then he goes to Brooklyn. Okay, it's his team. Well, not really. The last two weeks it's been his team. But in the regular season, the hottest the Nets got was when Katie got hurt and Hardin took over. And weren't we on this show saying, man, Hardin really is a valuable player.

He really is. I came on and said, I always saw him as a score. James Hardin's actually really valuable. He's a really good distributor. he's trying on defense. It's hard to be the face of the league when three different times you haven't necessarily been the face of your team. And we do this all the time.

We confuse brilliantly talented with the face of something or the culture setter. No, Kevin Durant is the most effortless, brilliantly gifted score in basketball. And I would argue that's probably been the last eight years. Maybe I'm wrong on the timeline. Maybe it's 10. Maybe it's 7. Maybe it's 6. But he's a little withdrawn.

He's a little competitive. He's a little feisty. And I'm not really sure he really wants to be that. Kevin Durant this year and next and next, as long as he's healthy, will be the most gifted score. in basketball. But don't confuse that with being the face of something, the most important something. I don't think right now the NBA necessarily needs a face of the league.

I think they're getting closer to the NFL. I think what's ironic here is the NFL was always very corporate. Actually, it's becoming, it's borrowing some NBA stuff. Let's let our guys celebrate. Guys are getting shoe deals. star quarterbacks have an opinion. And the NBA, I think looking at the NFL, is trying to borrow some of their strengths.

Why can't we just have good stories, good teams, fun people to root for, big market, small market, it doesn't matter. And actually today, I would watch a Phoenix Suns Milwaukee Bucks final. And I think it would be fascinating. And I didn't think that for a lot of years when smaller markets got in.

I don't think the NBA needs a face. I think they've been too beholden to that through the years. Remember, when Magic and Bird took over, the league was a little bit of a mess. It had come out of the 70s. Many teams were bordering on bankrupt. It had a little bit reportedly, you know, there were some drug concerns in the league.

It didn't have a face. The Lakers were the best franchise. Not a lot of teams were making money. it wasn't well run in the 70s, playoff games. I'm not joking. We're on tape delay after the 11 o'clock news.

I wish I was joking. I think the NBA actually, despite its critics, is moving into an interesting time where there's so much global talent. There are so many gifted players, you're not beholden to one guy.

I've got to be honest. I love watching Zion, and then I watch Tray Young and John Morant, Devin Booker, and I can't take my eyes off them. How about the NBA borrows a little from the NFL? They don't need one team and one guy. Because I've watched the NFL over the last several years, and it's helped them borrow a little from the NBA. You're noticing that, right?

The NFL watched the NBA and said, damn, they're good on social media. Man, the talk shows talk a lot about it. Skip and Stephen A and everybody all would talk in NBA. The ratings aren't that huge. The NBA is star-driven and they let their players celebrate and have fun in social media. And the NFL looks at that and goes, we can use a little bit of that. I kind of like that.

And they have. And the NBA looks at the NFL and thinks, you know, Kansas City wins a Super Bowl. Tampa wins a Super Bowl. It doesn't even matter who wins a Super Bowl. It's just a bunch of good stories, good teams, feels like some competitive balance. And this year, we've got the clippers better than the Lakers, the Phoenix Suns probably better than all of them, and the Milwaukee Bucks ready to take on the Atlanta Hawks. And every night I'm watching, they don't need a face.

They did in the 70s, they did in the 80s, they did in the 90s, they did when Jordan left. They don't now, in my opinion. All right, so Tom Brady, you know, for a nice guy, holy smokes, Tom swears. So he calls out somebody last night, and I don't think he's calling out who everybody thinks he's calling out. We'll talk about that next. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I Heart 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 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 what you're 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, 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 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway 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, 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? 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 iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now.

Hot water that never runs out. Go to Navian. Navian tankless water heaters. The web address is easy to remember and free. Tankless made simple.com. Tankless made simple.com. So uninterrupted is the show. It's LeBron James Maverick Carter,

sort of production company. have a show called Uninterrupted where they bring like celebrities on and comedians and sports stars and they kind of barbershop it and just have a big open conversation. They're swearing. There's big laughs. And Tom Brady appeared on it and was asked, it was kind of fun. He was asked, you know, when it got down to it, those last two or three or four teams that you were interested in, how did that go?

One of the teams, they weren't interested at the very end. I was thinking, you're sticking with that mother. All right, who's he dogging? So Tom wanted to go to a team. Who was he dogging? Now, let's just run through it. Many people think it's Garoppolo. It's not Garapolo.

Garapolo just been to a Super Bowl. Garapolo and Brady have the same agent. A really nice guy, smart guy. I know I'm Don Yee. You're not going to dog Garapolo on television because Don Yee, Garapolo and Brady, there's a commonality there.

That's not who he's dogging. Trust me on that. You could say the Chargers. Because there were a lot of rumors were the Chargers? Well, the Chargers, remember Tom said, stick with somebody. They weren't sticking with somebody. They were moving off Phillip Rivers, and they wanted Brady. In fact, in a weird moment of fate, I actually called the Chargers and told him. Brady signed with Tampa. And their reaction was, oh, damn, let me call Don Yee. It wasn't the Chargers. It wasn't Tennessee.

There were rumors about Tennessee because Tannahill had just beaten Brady and was red-hot, and you would look silly saying, that guy, he just beat you and played well. It wasn't the Colts because they weren't sticking with anybody. They had just acquired Philip Rivers, but they were interested in Brady. He wasn't really that interested in them. And then there's the Saints that was talked about. Drew and Tom are very respectful, about as respectful as, you know, competitors can be. They really like each other.

He would never say that about Drew Breeze. It's also not Derek Carr because Brady wasn't interested facing Patrick Holmes twice a year. with a Raiders bad roster and he's not, you know, West Coast was always a challenge. And that got in the way for the Chargers too. It was West Coast, right? It felt like too far west. And they have a bad roster. First year in Vegas, Gruden.

So Tom Brady liked three teams. This I know. Tampa, where he signed, the Chargers. He liked their weapons. He liked their roster. But it was West Coast and that hurt in Chicago. He was into Matnaggy, like Tampa, good enough offensive line. number one receiver, Alan Robinson, good defense, big city.

You figuring out who it is? It's Mitch Trubisky. He really considered three teams. He considered Tampa, the Chargers, and Chicago. He wasn't going to go to San Francisco. Garapolo Don Yee there. He'd just been to a Super Bowl. The Colts, it's Peyton Manning's team.

Chargers, Raiders, mostly out west. Tom wanted to stay on the coast he's been playing on. it is a shot at Mitch Trubisky, who for the record, is now a backup. So what Tom is saying as the goat to a now backup is a reasonable thing to say. Wasn't Tannahill, not Derek Carr. Derek Carr and Tanyhill can play. Those guys can play. Garoppolo, by the way, for all the criticism he gets, we know Kyle Shanahan's a great coach.

Kyle Shanahan's won like 18 to 20% of his games when Garoppolo doesn't start. Garoppolo can play. was with him for three years. He can play. He got to a Super Bowl. His only year is standing up in San Francisco. He got to a Super Bowl. So it is Trubisky. That's the answer. And that's the truth. Joy with the News. Turn on the news. This is the Herdline News. That was some detective work there, Colin. Thank you. There's just Sherlock Holmes over here. That is pretty harsh language. Obviously, it's in the moment and Tom's it's funny, but you can start boiling it down. You're not going to make, you're not going to do it to a friend. You're not going to do it to somebody that beat you.

You're not going to do it to somebody you share an agent with. The chargers and the Colts aren't sticking. Sticking is the key. When Don, when Tom Brady said, you're sticking with. Right. That means a guy that's played for a couple years and hasn't been very good. Yeah, you're not talking about a rookie. Of course. Great process of elimination there. So the Sons and Clippers will be playing game two without their stars again, both Chris Paul and Kauai Leonard have been ruled out tonight. CP3 is still in health and safety protocols, and Kauai is sidelined with the knee injury. The sons are five-point favorites tonight, according to Foxbad.

Yeah, and, you know, first of all, in a weird world, it's kind of fair that both Chris and Kauai are out, right? So the other guys, your Devin Booker and your Paul George, have to really take the series over. But I'll say this is that the last eight games, the sons have won all of them, That's a tough place to play. And though the Clippers did overcome 2-0 deficits the previous two times, we have not seen a team since Chris Paul has been healthy in the playoffs and on the floor. Nobody's really outplayed them for a game.

The Lakers had a great quarter. Didn't like Anthony Davis have a great half or a great quarter against them, but I don't think this is a team you can overcome. I think Utah is a team you can overcome an O2 deficit because they can't defend the wing. This team can defend Kauai and Paul George. Look, I'm not going to count the clippers outs at this point. I think that's kind of silly to do that.

But I'm with you. The sons are just playing really complete basketball right now. They're minus $4.50 to win the series right now, according to Fox Bet, bucks are favored minus $500. I mean, Booker out of 40-point game. his first career triple double 40 13 and 11 I'm Paul George had a nice game too 34 points four rebounds and five assists but the sons are just please forgive my pun on fire right now boom they are though I'm firmly on the Suns bandwike yeah I love the

energy that they play with they're fun their fans are fun it's I heard you talking yesterday I watched the show even though I was off how sad would it have been for the sons to have this team be playing the way that they have after the tragedy they have been over the years and not have fans this year. The fans are so hungry in Phoenix. It's a really nice story. I don't want to hear about market size. I find the sons with this band of talented young kids in this veteran guy who can't get a break in his career. Chris Paul cannot get a break. Got traded to the Lakers. League said, no, go to Donald Sterling. Like it did not get a break, get sent to a tanking team. And the sons were bad when he got there.

I think the Sun's story is an incredibly marketable. I love it. I love the Sun Story. And that's not like, I want to give the Clippers their credit where it's due. Like me and you both wrote them off after Kauai was ruled out and they've been playing with a lot of heart and I'm happy for Tailu. But I am like, I'm on the Sun's bandwagon right now. So there were high hopes for the Nets for the KD. Gehry and Harden altogether this season.

Obviously they fell short of their goal, lost of the bucks in the second rounds. And while GM Sean Marks didn't call the season a fail, or he is expecting some changes this offseason. Inevitably, there's going to be change here. That's the tough thing with, you know, with pro sports. You know, you'd love continuity throughout and so forth. But there's going to have to be changes. And they may not all be because of a decision that we decide to make.

You know, our players have to make these decisions too. We'll come together as a collective group. And again, the opportunity for them and the opportunity for us is to go out there and put the best Brooklyn Nets team forward to start training camp next season. Well, they've got to get a better bench because what's happening, Joy, is they have no bench, and therefore you're asking players with injury histories to play absurd minutes. It's just not, I mean, Kevin Durant, at this point in his career, is 33 a night. That's it, not 43.

No, I couldn't agree more. We know what Hardin doesn't really have an injury history like that, but Katie does and obviously Kyrie does. you're not going to move off of the three of them. He talked a little bit about it. It's too early to discuss their futures, but they're obviously committed to them. We know that. They're under contract for another season, the three of them and a player option heading into 22, 23.

But that's the core. But you're absolutely right. When you have this kind of history, you have enough data to know you need a stronger bench. Now, they lost Spencer Dinwiddie, who I thought would have been huge for them with all of these injuries. But he's going to reportedly is going to decline his player option. Jeff Green, Tyler Johnson, Bruce Brown Jr. And Blake Griffin are all free agents this offseason. I'm with you.

You have to figure out a way to get a much stronger bench. And that's not to say that this is going to happen again, because I don't think that this level of injury we're going to see again next year. Obviously, there's always injuries, but shortened off season, condensed season. Everyone's dealt with it. We know that. I do think there will be less injuries next year. But you can't count on this, especially late into the season.

I don't look at the Nets season as a complete failure. Obviously, they had championship expectations, but the injuries were astounding across the board with the Nets and across the league, obviously. But you can't overcome that, no matter how many stars you're up in your team. Like the Lakers season, Anthony Davis showed up out of shape. Like, that's kind of on the player.

That's disappointing. Kyrie and Kevin Durant had injuries because they've been a little brittle in their career. Now, Hardin had to play himself in shape, but he was great in the regular season. The Lakers season, to me, feels like a disappointment. This feels like what happens when you put a super team together and have literally no bench and one guy gets hurt. And if you look at the history of super teams, they don't win their first year. They just don't.

They don't. So they needed some more time. I do think they'll be back next year, but they definitely have to fix their bench. So Ben Simmons clearly struggled in the playoffs, especially at the end of this series with the Hawks. Doc River is confident the team has a plan in place for him to improve his shooting before next season. I believe without going in detail what we're doing, I believe we know what the right work is and the right type of work and the right way to do it. You know, you can do the work all the time, but if it's not done in the right way and the right type of work, you may not improve. After being here for a year, I really do believe we've identified what and how.

And now we have to do the do part. We have to work to do it. It's not going to be an easy job, but it's definitely a job that Ben can do. Guys, Ben's not a shooter. We've got to come to terms with that. That's it. That's it. That doesn't mean he's a terrible player. No.

It doesn't mean he doesn't have extreme value. It just means that if you're going to have Ben Simmons on your team, playing a lot of minutes, you need to build your team around the fact that he can't shoot. That's it. And don't have a big. I'll say it again. Golden State has two great shooters and no big. They're a smaller team.

Ben could be your point forward, your point center. It'd be great. He'd be a great fit there. Stop trying to make players into what they're not. When you have enough data, he's been playing long enough. You know that he's not a shooter. I'm not Ben Simmons, obviously, but years ago I worked at another company. And they didn't know what to do with me.

I wasn't a host. I didn't do play-by-play. And one of the people said, you know, we're going to put you on games. And I went and did a football game. and it was a play-by-play guy, Sean McDonough, an analyst, I forget who it was, and they put me in there in the middle. And it was the most uncomfortable thing because I didn't want to step on the play-by-play guy or the analyst. And I remember thinking driving home from Syracuse. It was Syracuse played Washington.

Why are they trying to make me what I'm not? I just talk sports and have opinions. Hope you like it. Let's just own what Ben is. Long, strong, defends, passes well, good vision, put it on the deck, can't shoot. So go to a team that's smaller, surrounded by shooters. There's about four in the league right now. He'd be more than fine.

He'd be a nice, nice player. That'd be great. It's an elite defender. Yeah. Well, the best guard defender in the league club. He has huge upside and great skills. He just can't shoot. Stop trying to make him into a shooter.

The data is there. He shot 55.7% in the regular season. Average 14.3 points per game this year. Last year, 58%. He doesn't shoot. He's not a shooter. Those are all, yeah, I mean, this, and by the way, he is great around the iron. He's impossible for a guard to defend.

So he can score, he'll give you 18 a game. None will be three-pointers. It's okay. Stop it. It's fine. It's good. We're all good. Yes.

Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. You know, I was talking about to start my show, the face of the league. In 40 years, we've really had seven players who were the face of the league. Some players don't want it. Generally, you're looking for.

a great player, Magic, Kobe, Shaq, LeBron, Michael, who are also sort of fun. Just their big personalities. Now, birds a little cranky and feisty. Duncan was kind of reticent to embrace that. It can happen, but generally you're looking for somebody who puts his arm around it. Face of the league, to me, Zion feels different game, powerful, big smile, played at Duke, shoe exploded, but the New Orleans things gets on his way. I don't see him as like a, generally it helps not to be coastal, but on a really winning franchise.

Rick Buecker now joins us live. And I said this about Kevin Durant. On all three teams, he was the most talented player, but I could argue it was always Steph's team. He struggled in O KC because management and coaching preferred the aggressive nature of kind of Westbrook. It drove KD. Nut. He thought he was the guy. and then with this team, when he got hurt and Hardin took over, they actually went in a great winning streak.

And so I don't see it as a criticism. I don't see Kevin wanting to be the face of the league. I don't think he's really that guy. And that's absolutely fine. That is absolutely, to me, it's like, why does he have to be the face of the league? Why can't he just be the best offensive player? Your thoughts?

Yeah, no, I think that's fair. Honestly, my issue or my problem or the struggle is that I'm not sure exactly what Kevin Durant wants. And I am somewhat suspicious that Kevin Durant doesn't know exactly what he wants. That he's still seeking that, I don't know, validation, satisfaction, gratification from playing the game. because he's had the opportunity to be the leading scorer in the league. He's had the opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond. He's had an opportunity to be a champion. Now he is leading the Brooklyn Nets and basically has had the opportunity to form his own team

and come close to running his own franchise. And yet there still seems to be this, I don't know, difficulty in appreciating where he is and what he has and that he's, still trying to prove something. So that is the challenge. I mean, faces of the league that have been most successful is that we can feel and love and appreciate their passion and their comfort in who they are and what they're doing. And we can love the game because they so clearly love the game. I think Katie loves to play. What he's trying to get out of playing the game is, still an uncertainty to me and I believe is an uncertainty to him and as a result

anytime you feel kind of uncertain about somebody it's hard to embrace them and see them as the as the leader or the figurehead of whatever it is that you're enthralled with you know I the Ben Simmons stuff is interesting I have thoughts later on this but when you're going to trade a player you often want the player to look good you want to say nice things about him so he has more leverage in Philadelphia Philadelphia. That ain't happening. Right. Well, it's funny because the Eagles with Carson Wentz, a bunch of stuff started leaking that he was not good in the locker room. You couldn't trust him. And the Eagles got nothing in a trade despite the fact he's a brilliant talent who the game got in his head. Simmons, now watch the Sixers. Doc comes out very fixable. We can fix this. I think they're going to go in a rehab tour. Because what happened to the Eagles was, because Simmons and Went to the same, by the way. Great talents. The game got in their head. They just, they need a rehab. One's going to the Colts. But if I'm the Sixers, I'm not going to do what the Eagles did,

which is let a bunch of stuff leak that he's a bad guy and he's hard to play with and you can't correct it, right? Like you want to say nice stuff about him. Sure, but here's the reality. They need to make a move before next season starts. And the tape don't lie, as they like to say. We've seen what Ben Simmons is. And this is not like one year. This is, he's five years into his career essentially because the first year he didn't play and he had the greatest opportunity ever with a broken bone in his foot to do nothing but form shoot and to develop a stroke. Stand still at being 610, 611, he can shoot a standstill jumper. He can shoot a standstill three-pointer. Make no attempt to do that.

And then after his first year in the league, when it became clear that he needed to, a jump shot to be his most effective self, did not do anything to achieve that. In fact, if you look at the percentage of shots that he's taking beyond 10 feet, it has steadily decreased, as has his efficiency in taking them. So that is the great mystery. And you talked about it earlier in the show with joy. And here's the reality. He's not a point guard. Yes, he's talented. Yes, he has skills, but he's more built to be a power forward, a ball handling power forward, than he is a point guard, because it's not just a matter of not shooting from range. He's not attacking and creating. Alfred Payton couldn't shoot from range, but he was still trying to attack and create for others.

Ben does that at times, but he's at his best doing it in transition. You get into a half-court set. I mean, you saw it during the playoffs. They basically had him handing the ball off. to Seth Curry and saying, bringing the ball up court, handing it to Seth Curry, and then running to the dunker spot. That's like being the base player in a band. You're just doing the baseline. And for a guy who's got a max contract and that you're calling a point guard, that's simply not going to work. So, I mean, ultimately, what everything, everything points to him needing a fresh start someplace else. And much the same way, another guy that was supposed to be the next Philadelphia 76th point guard, Markell Fultz, had to go someplace else to restart his career. I think Ben Simmons has to go someplace else, and he has to adopt a different mindset and a different position

if he's going to make good on anything that he has talent-wise. All right, Clippers' sons, Phoenix won without Chris Paul, huge edge. I thought the Clippers could have stole one. I do think they're bigger. They got more veteran players. I think they match up really well with Phoenix, and Phoenix is just, right now, confidence is such a thing in these playoffs between players and teams and Phoenix believes last eight games. They win by an average of 15 points.

Is there anything, like this morning of, I think it's a six, seven game series. Do you lean with any team after game one? Probably lean clippers, quite honestly, because I thought that they could steal that game, and I look under the circumstances, 48 hours, less than 48 hours, you're playing. in the next series while the sons really had the opportunity to gather themselves and even had a little bit of time to adjust to the fact that they were playing without Chris Paul. You're playing at home. Everything tilted in their direction. I thought that the one mistake that the Clippers made is that Paul George and Reggie Jackson tried to do too much. I keep hearing about how Paul

George has to dominate from people that have been in the game and supposedly know the game. They haven't been watching the Clippers play, honestly, because they are at their best when Paul George doesn't do too much. Be aggressive, but when he's rebounding, when he's playing defense, and when the ball is moving and everybody is getting involved, that is when they're at their best. And if you look at the four teams remaining, this whole idea that you need a big three or you need to lean on your superstars, it's been the exact opposite. The four teams, have all relied on their depth and versatility. They've had guys like Terrence Mann and Kevin Heter and these lesser lights who have had the opportunity and the ability to step up because the

stars have given them room to do so. That is how this is going to work. I mean, Devin Booker was sensational in game one, but campaign was given the opportunity to be just as aggressive and made good on it. To me, that's really going to determine. who the next champion is. And not to circle back, but that's the loss that the Philadelphia 76ers have in all this, because now you have two teams in the Eastern Conference and the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks

who get to discover that about their team. Their stars get to discover and come into the next season with the confidence of what it takes to get to the conference finals and potentially win a championship. Sixers are getting the benefit of none of that. So you want to talk about benefits? Simmons, you want to talk about Doc Rivers. The Philadelphia 76ers have an expectation problem

that is only worse now that they've got some teams in the east that are going to be more averse in what it takes to win and win at the end of the season than the Philadelphia 76ers. Rick Buker, we got to run. Good seeing you. Bukes, appreciate it. Hawks, Atlanta tonight. I'll take Milwaukee in five games. Clippers, Sons. I'll take the Sons again tonight, but I think it's a six game series. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Mallor, along with my trusty sidekick, David Gascon, would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey.

You're asking what in God's name is the fifth hour? I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mallor show, a cult hit overnight's on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture, if you will, a world where we chat with captains of industry, in media, sports and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 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 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 what you're saying.

Yep, that's me, CliverTaylor 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 Podcasts, 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 Jek. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a 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 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. 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, 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? 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, Keir Gaines. We have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Great to have you in on a Tuesday. I saw something the other day and I couldn't believe the media gave it any attention.

But the media, myself included, we do this too often. We spend time giving air time and a microphone to crazy people or people. people that don't deserve the airtime. There was a story out there that a third of Republican voters thought Trump, the election, was stolen from him. And I thought to myself, well, there's more Democrats in America than there are Republicans, 55 to 45, and none of them think that. None of the independent voters, 6 to 8 percent think that. And a majority of Republicans don't think that. That's the story, that we don't have a bunch of crazy people. A small group of wackos can't get over their delusion. Why give them time? Let's focus on positive and reasonable people. Yesterday, an NFL player who I do not know did something and it's courageous. It shouldn't have to be

courageous, but unfortunately it does take courage to do this because there's a percentage, small as it is, of Americans that if you don't live like them and look like them and think like them and do exactly what they do, then you are different and I can't accept that. But a player came out and was courageous and said this, and I thought it was a wonderful NFL moment. What's all people? I'm Carl Massive. I'm at my house here in Westchester, Pennsylvania. I just want to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest. I really have the best life. I got the best family, friends, and job a guy could ask for. I'm a pretty private person,

so I hope you guys know that I'm really not doing this for attention. I just think that representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are just not necessary. But until then, you know, I'm going to do my best and do my part to cultivate a culture that's accepting, that's compassionate, and I'm going to start by donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project. I like to meet Carl, love to have him on the show, and I just like to talk football. Not about his lifestyle, but we have to. Because there's that small, percentage of people who can't embrace anything that's not exactly like them.

John Gruden rushed out to thank him. So did Mark Davis. So did all the smart people. Media, let's embrace it and celebrate it and support people who support Carl. We have microphones and they're very valuable and newspapers and print and TV. Let's stop giving air time to angry people, loners on the internet. internet, people who can't handle anybody that doesn't live exactly like them, and people who think because their candidate lost, it was stolen. There is a responsibility all of us have in the media.

On this show every day, Joy and I select topics. Many are not worthy of airtime. Sometimes we don't get it always right. But this story is worthy because suicide is a problem in America with young people who are gay and different and not like your son or daughter. Great day for the NFL. Great day for Carl. Happy for him. Thought, if you'd like? Yeah, I think it's very important.

I'm happy for Carl. You know, it's obviously still a very scary thing to do to put yourself out there and, you know, put yourself out for scrutiny and the reaction from those people. Although I will say I overwhelmingly saw a lot of acceptance and kindness and respect and especially from around the league in the sports world. But, you know, to his point, representation is very important. Seeing people that look like you,

seeing people that are the same sex as you, seeing people that have the same lifestyle as you, especially when you're a young person is incredibly important. And that's why he mentioned the Trevor Project, and that's why he mentioned representation, and that's why he also put in his written statement that studies show that having an accepting adult when you come out as a young person can drastically affect

your self-esteem and of course lower suicide rates in LGBTQ kids. So you can be that person, you can be that adult, you can be that coach, you can be that family member. And the more that it's talked about, the more accepting people are. And it's educational as well, obviously. Like having someone like Carl out there, putting himself out there, representing for his community, can help educate that percentage of people that you are talking about. One of the things I love about sports is just take the NFL or the NBA. NBA. NBA kids come overseas. Yeah.

They go to G League. They go to big schools. They go to small schools. And they all harmonize. It's about ball. In the NFL. Some go to Alabama. They're great five-star prospects. First round star in the NFL.

And yet half the league is undrafted. What makes sport so great is you get all these kids from different walks of life. Some quarterbacks come from quarterback families. And then some quarterbacks are doubted and undrafted and Tony Romo becomes an American icon. It's all about ball. It's all about harmonizing. It's all about bringing us together. Good for you, Carl. Our two next. 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 fun. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On the Look Back at it podcast. From 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 you here, 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. It 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. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college. college football journey or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford 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 Podcast, 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. Thank you.