The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 07/19/2021 - HOUR 1 - Bucks-Suns, Giannis

Episode Date: July 19, 2021

Can the Bucks be a dynasty in the East?The Suns are getting overpowered by the BucksThere's a reason the Suns aren't shooting a lot of FTs in the FinalsGuest: Chris Broussard 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 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, 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, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Thanks for listening to The 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. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go on a loaded Monday live in Los Angeles. It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening,

we're on iHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio and SF1, and one hour from right now, 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern, Colin Wright, Colin wrong, plenty of both. It is great to have you in. joy on another eventful voyage around North America this weekend. She is back after a trip in Vegas. I'm sure did you gamble it all? I didn't gamble a lot, but I did not win.

Great food. Great food city. Yep. We went to SDK, which is always great, very consistent in the Cosmo. And it was a great time. You ever been to the catch? To catch. Catch.

Yes. The catch. I haven't been to catch in Vegas. I've been to catch in L.A., though. I love catch. Yes, it's great restaurant. All right, let's start with this. There's been this feeling in the NBA with a lot of fans.

And it's a real thing that the only way to get a dynasty in this league, or even when a championship, is to attract superstars to your glamorous city. Miami's done it multiple times. Lakers have done it multiple times. And it leaves a lot of people in the NBA. NBA feeling left out. Well, the Dallas Mavericks, and that's a big city too, and it's got some glamour, but they did it another way. They drafted Dirk Novitsky from overseas, developed him, and then eventually surrounded him for one year with all the right pieces and they won a title.

Proving you can do it that way too. But that felt like sort of a one-off, right? And then there's Milwaukee. And they're doing it the Dallas way too. Janice, be patient, loyal, develop, get the right coach, and add some pieces, B, B, plus pieces that anybody could get. You know, Portland could get a PJ Tucker, Memphis could get a Drew Holiday, Bobby Portis. The difference with Milwaukee, though, is this the new dynasty, and I know it sounds crazy, but to be a dynasty, you have to get to the finals every year. Look at the East this morning.

Boston feels like they're in a rebuild, right? Philadelphia, you saw the stories last week. They're breaking up the band. Simmons and Embed will be no longer. Miami? Lightning in a bottle last year, not really close. Here you have Janus, a defensive player of the year, a two-time MVP, and probably finals MVP by tomorrow night.

And that's just entering the last three years into the data bank. And unlike old LeBron, Janus is not brand obsessed. Like old brittle KD, he's not a wander, nor is he bothered by social media or media criticism. Unlike increasingly old and increasingly brittle, Kyrie, he's not strange. Young and healthy Janus, let's play word association. Humble, grateful, healthy, loyal, focused. Is this the new dynasty?

Is this the new face of the leak? It would be a very different kind of superstar. Not brand obsessed. Not a wanderer. Healthy every night. Discourages ego. By the way, you can do it both ways and I watch both ways. Been watching the NBA for 40 years.

I love my Sonics. Back in the 70s, they were more like Milwaukee. And I love the Healds. I love the Warriors. The Brooklyn Nets give us lots of content. But the Milwaukee way for most of this league is more relatable. Most cities aren't cool. Most fans aren't either, and they know it.

Say what you will about LeBron James, but the NBA has lost over 50% of its ratings. I'm not one of them, but many of you are over the last three years. 50%. And in fact, when you dig deeper into the data, it indicates that local TV ratings are very strong in markets where teams draft and develop the players. There's a sense we're all in this together.

We'll support you, Janus, when you're not great. We're with you, Janus, when you are. We're with you, Janice, when you disappoint us the last two years, and we celebrate together by tomorrow night. Lakers ratings with LeBron and AD, Brooklyn's with K.D. Hardin and Kyrie were in the dumper. Look it up. The Jazz weren't.

The Bucks weren't. The Spurs weren't. The Warriors weren't. Maybe Yonis is exactly what the league needs. Maybe Milwaukee is what the league needs. And I am not anti-mobility. You've listened to me for years, many of you. I am pro-mobility in my own life.

I celebrate LeBron going to Miami back to Cleveland and L.A. But for a lot of fans, there's a disconnect. Not talking about brand, not mentally a wanderer, a little more loyal, discourages ego. Yonis had an interesting quote this past weekend, and I felt that it resonated with a lot of fans. I figured out like a mindset to have that like when you focus on the past, that's your ego, I did this. We were able to beat this team for all.

I did this in the past. I want that in the past. And when I'm focusing in the future is my pride, like, yeah, next game, game five, I do this and this and this. You know, I'm going down. That's your pride talking. It doesn't happen. Like you're right here. And I kind of like try to focus in the moment, in the present.

And that's humility. That's being humble. That could work too. Maybe that's time to run the league. Maybe this face and this personality, grateful and humble. There's room for that too. Interesting stuff. I want to shift to free throws.

I pick Phoenix to win the series. And one of the reasons I picked Phoenix to win the series was free throws. I said, I think these two teams are going to be in close games. Phoenix is one of the best free throw shooting teams in the league. In Milwaukee, Yannis can't hit him. And that was one of the things I said last week. Like these games are going to be four and five point games. I mean, even the other night, we felt Milwaukee kind of dominated it.

Look at the final score. It's four or five point games. Tomorrow night, it's a four or five point spread. They're close games. So I said Phoenix hits free throws. Milwaukee star Yonnas Kant. And then Nick Wright, you know him. Nick Wright said something yesterday to me last night in a podcast.

It was one of those. Nick said, free throws are overrated. What? Come on. That's outrageous. You should be suspended for that. I think he's right. The Lakers dynasty was built on Shaq.

He couldn't hit free throws. The Spurs dynasty was built on Duncan. nor could he. LeBron's number one liability the last 15 years, the free throw line. Sometimes he dreads it. And Janus looks like he'll be the finals MVP.

Dominating bigs get to the free throw line so often, increasingly in a very finesse league that is efficiency the most important thing. Is it okay for Janus to go 10 for 20 if D'Andre Aiton's only going six for six. Yonis has 66 free throws in this series. He's made 39.

Second is Devin Booker with 29. DeAndre Aten's third was 17. Yes, Chris Paul is an unbelievable free throw shooter. But the sons rely on jump shots and don't get to the line they did in all season. And Chris Paul is worn out by the physicality of Drew Hall. he's not getting there either. That Janus is so physical and so aggressive that he initiates so much contact. He just gets to the free throw line so often.

So that if he shoots 58%, he's still hitting 12 to 13 a night out of 23. It trumps everybody else's 5 for 6 and 6 for 7. Nobody thinks McDonald's has the best burgers, but they make the most money on volume. It's the Walmart. The target, the Costco strategy, we sell everything. Buy it from your bananas to your blouses, to your shoes, to your kayaks, to your detergent. We sell everything. They don't maybe have your favorite detergent.

It's not that perfect kayak or perfect pair of socks, but you can go there and you get everything. Everything about analytics is efficiency. That's what analytics are in baseball and football. A smarter way to do things. That's what technology largely is. We can do everything in our phone now. Don't always have to get into our car. We can door dash it and comes to our house.

It's just easier and more efficient. I don't have to go to the store. And I'm for efficiency too. But sometimes it just gets trumped by volume. Bigger, stronger, more. Sometimes Trump's efficiency. Milwaukee's a bigger, older, stronger team. Janice is simply longer, stronger, and more aggressive,

and he doesn't shoot 80% at the free throw line. But he has lived there through the finals. And that has trumped his efficiency. They should win this title, and I believe they will tomorrow night. Props to Nick Wright, who blew my mind with that. Also, what's really interesting is, And I, one of the things I like about the conclusion to a season is that we are all, myself included, sort of prisoners of the moment.

You know, every game feels like this is the way the series will be. But I went back and I looked at every series with Phoenix and Milwaukee. And this is really becoming what the previous six series for these two teams were. Maybe we shouldn't have been. I shouldn't have been surprised. One hour from now, Colin right, Colin wrong. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard 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 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 Jay 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 So Thank you for 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.

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, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood,

pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. When a season comes to its conclusion, you look back and think, oh, I should have seen it. Should have seen it coming. So I've liked, I, bizarrely, joy as my. witness, I picked Milwaukee to win it all. And the two reasons I picked Milwaukee to win it all months ago was we've dismissed them. There'll be no pressure. I believe that. And their players, look at their roster, don't get hurt. In a condensed season, everybody was falling apart. So this morning, I could say, told you so. But I did pick Phoenix to win this series.

And it's really interesting as I watch this come to a conclusion. And I do think Milwaukee wins convincingly tomorrow night. I think they're just leaning on Phoenix. And Phoenix is a small basketball team that looks tired and shot. But go back to every Sun series. They went up on the Lakers, 1-0. They went up on Denver, 4-0. They swept him. They went up on the Clippers,

2-0, and they went up on the Bucks 2-0. Interesting, all four series. Look at the last three series for the Bucks. They fell behind to Brooklyn, 0-2. They fell behind, remember Trey Young, Big Knight, 0-1 to Atlanta. They fell behind to Phoenix

02. And it looks like they're going to win all of them. Now, why would that be? Well, Phoenix, very young, very athletic, very up-tempo, very fast, jumps on you. It takes a game to sort of recalibrate. They also tend to play at home. They played at home in all those games. They're great at home, and they came into every series, the more rested team. In a condensed season, that matters. How about the bucks? Well, the bucks are an old. team. They're a veteran team. They're a team built on size and power and strength. It doesn't blow you away. But over the course of a series, Atlanta, Brooklyn, the sons, we've seen the same thing.

They just dominate you on the glass. They beat you up physically. And when you look at this series, Chris Paul looks every day of 36 years old. DeAndre Aiton is just exhausted. He's feels like he's on an island fighting off all their bigs, Brooke Lopez and Bobby Portis and Janice, and David Booker is just trying to save everybody and trying to score 45 a night. Are the Suns essentially the Miami Heat of last year? One star, Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul,

surrounded by a bunch of really talented young guys, playing with a ton of energy. They jump on leads with teams, up-tempo, A lot of jumpers rely on them. And then in the end, the Lakers who had size and LeBron and Dwight Howard, Javail McGee, and Anthony Davis, lean on the kids. The adults lean on the kids and wear them out because that's what I'm seeing now. What we know about the NBA, the grownups beat the kids, even when the kids take a series lead,

and even when the kids are really talented. I mean, you go look right now at the size of Milwaukee. They are per player, two and children. is taller and 25 pounds heavier per player on average. That's what the Lakers were last year against Miami. By the way, the previous year, Toronto, Sergei Botka, Mark Eaton, Pascal Sey Akum, Kawhi Leonard, big physical, Mark Gassal, big powerful physical teams don't necessarily shoot the three great, leaning on a finals opponent over the course of four games and five games

and six games, the adults, the bigger, stronger, older adults wear out the kids. Mark Gassall, Pascal Seaccom, Sir Jabaca, Kauai Leonard. They did it to the NBA three years ago in Toronto. Lakers did it last year. Bucks are doing it this year. Joy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the. The Herd Line News. It's almost as if basketball is a contact sport. Well, you know, it's funny. So Janus came into this league really skinny.

I mean, you go back and look at YouTube videos early on. He was very young. He is now, whereas Katie body is the same as it was five years ago. You look at Janice's body. He is so ripped. I mean, D'Andre Aiton's a big man. That's 611, 260. He's a crouton in the salad.

bowl of Janus's life. He is tossing him all over the floor. Yonis is so strong. And everything he does, he leans in. So Phoenix, he plays downhill. He plays downhill. He plays a little like LeBron when LeBron was relying a lot on his physicality. Yeah. Initiates contract every contact every time down the floor. Yep. So a report service last week that Damian Lillard was planning to request a trade from the Blazers. He then was speaking to the media later that day. This happened on Friday. Predictably, he did not confirm that he was going to request a trade as Team USA heads into the Olympics, but he did speak on it and he acknowledged the team needs to make some changes

to be contenders. Number one is not true. And secondly, I'll also say that I haven't made any firm decision on, you know, what my future will be. We've reached that point where it's like, okay, but it's not enough. Do we actually want to win it all? Do you know, is that what we're shooting for? And we got to do things to show that, you know, we got to, you know, put action behind that.

So, I mean, we're talking about the Bucks, obviously, who have built things the right way, right? Now, they did make some changes this offseason to guys that have contributed mightily throughout the playoffs, which are PJ Tucker and Drew Holiday. And who are stars in their own right. They're not Janus or KD or Dame, but they are what I thought was, has been the difference maker truly for this team. So, you know,

the bucks built it the right way similar to how Portland has built it, but what is the thing that's going to take you over the edge? What are the changes that you need to make to get yourself into the NBA finals and win a championship? And putting the right pieces around Dame are important. I don't necessarily know they need a third star. Well, to me, their bigs are good enough and Dames great. For the last three years, they've had a player named C.J. McCollum, who is a 23-point-of-game guy.

Portland, people think I'm out of my mind. I would call the Clippers. I think Dame and I just seems to me either blow it up and start over, call Golden State and take their lottery picks. You can go to Philadelphia and get all their length and Ben Simmons and DiBel. Or you can go to the Clippers. and try to make a deal for Paul George. I don't think the clippers are taking that call right now because Kauai Leonard is out for... Until the All-Star break, yeah.

I mean, he is in ACL surgery. That takes a long time to come back from. I don't see... Portland to me is in quicksand. What can they do, if they keep Dame? What can they do to become a championship team? I don't see the path. I don't see the players. I don't either.

And Dame is very aware of what his future needs to be if he wants to cement himself on the next level. like as with a championship. Obviously, he has everything else he needs. He has the respect. He has the numbers. Yeah. He has the money. But that part of your legacy is important if you're a player as good as

Damian Lillard. Now, he was very noncommittal either way. He did deny it in this case, which of course he's going to do. Not saying that he is lying, obviously. I don't think he has made a decision yet. I think he's focusing on the Olympics. And he wasn't going to take away all of the shine from Team USA by talking about a trade.

Nor does he want to deal with that right now. Like he's playing in the Olympics. There's no need to do it right now. But I'm with you. I don't know what you can do. I mean, they've made the playoffs for the last eight seasons, and they've been eliminated in the first round for the last five years. NBA quicksand.

Terrible you get lottery picks. You find, you know, you find your great player or you're really good in a championship team. The worst place to be in is drafting like 13 to 16 to 18. And Portland's always in that space where they're good, not terrible, not great. And I don't know what they, if you look at that roster, You can trade C.J. McCullough. Now, by the way, maybe it's Philadelphia. You get Ben Simmons and give me somebody who can shoot, and maybe that's it.

Dame, Ben Simmons, and another piece from Philadelphia. But I think Philadelphia wants more than C.J. McCollum, although I would add, M.B.C.J. McCollum, Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, that could win the East. I mean, but can you win a championship? I'm not sure. That's what Dame is trying to do. So Kevin Durant doesn't shy away from criticism on social media. On Friday, he joined a chat on Twitter spaces

and the conversation turned to his time with the Warriors. And he pushed back at the notion that he is jealous of the love his teammates got when he was with the Warriors. He said, show me any indication of me ever being pissed off about not getting a love in the arena, ever. Have you ever seen that from me? Or did you hear that through a bunch of narratives being created? Like, I hate my teammates or I'm jealous.

I saw my jersey all around that arena. everywhere I went in the Bay Area, people showed me love. I never talked about that. So where did that come from? He also pointed to Ethan Strauss's book as one of the reasons that the narrative exists and he is frustrated that fans believe Strauss over him. Well, anytime you leave a great family, there's going to be questions about why did you leave a great family? So when you leave Steph Curry and Clay Thompson and Draymond and Steve Kerr, the obvious question is, why? Why would you do that? So I don't, This is one of these where I don't have a problem with what KD's saying, but I think, I don't think Ethan Strauss, who I know well,

is writing a book on just rumors and he's getting sourced. I've been told by people close to the Warriors that I trust that there was a lot of, you had to dance around. Remember that during the parade? There was that quote from Bob Myers. He took the microphone. And we all went, oh. It was an unfortunate quote.

It was that, yeah. But by the way, it wouldn't be if you were just, I mean, if you did that and joked about Dianne Aitin and Phoenix, everybody knows he's going to be there forever. Yeah, but KD. is not DeAndre Aiden, and that's in the disrespect to DeAndre Aiden, but Katie is on another level. That's right. You have to treat guys like that, who, by the way, came to

your team and helped you win two championships, you got to treat them a little differently. You can't make jokes, and you have to know who you can joke with. Like, we all know people you don't joke with. Right. And that's just fine. Like, that's how they are wired. And some people you can joke with, and that's fine. I think for KD,

I don't know, I don't know Katie personally, but if you're talking about why do people think it's strange that you left Steph and the Warriors and that in that dynasty, I think Katie apparently, like if you look at his career, he doesn't, he likes change. Like he likes new challenges. And Brooklyn is a new challenge. You can't say that he went there to get away from the super team narrative because now he have Hardin and Gehry.

So it's like it's a new super team. So I think he just likes new challenges. I don't think he has a, he had a problem with them getting love. He, they won those championships because he was there. Like the foundation was there, obviously, but he put them over the edge to win those championships. So we're one week away from finding out if Aaron Rogers was going to show up a training camp. Training camp is just a week away.

Isn't that crazy? That's great. So tight end Mercedes-Lewis, friend of the show, is optimistic about his quarterback being there. He said, I hope so. I hope to see my guy there. I think so. So we'll see what happens. Well, seriously, that's where we are.

Yes. Yeah, I thought it was a very accurate assessment of what's going on with Aaron Rogers right now. If he skips training camp, which I don't anticipate he's going to do because why? If you're going to play this year, why would you skip training camp? Well, the Packers have to find him if he misses. Yes, it's not up to them. So he would lose $2 million, a little over $2 million if he skips training camp. But I don't know what the value to the team is of him not being there.

Like if he's going to play this year, you might as well try and win. You have to be there. I think he's going to be at training camp, but I'll be honest with you. People, you know, I follow Twitter enough to see what the people are saying, and I think that's valuable for us. Like, what are the people saying? And people are saying, this is Aaron Rogers story. It's a lot about nothing.

He's the MVP of the league. He has, according to the Peter Kings and the Adam Schaefter is not happy. He resents the Packers. And apparently they resent him. It's not nothing here. Now, I think he's going to return like you. But in a week, what if he doesn't? You can't tell me this is not a story.

It's a gigantic story. When we have been talking, listen, we are not, Colin and I are not the ones making this up. We are talking about this because other people, multiple people, lots of people are talking about it. It is obviously a thing. If Steph Curry, the equivalent of Aaron Rogers, popular, huge, iconic,

and we thought he would not, he was struggling with the Warriors front office and ownership and may not return. We would spend every show on it. So the idea this isn't a story. It's Aaron Rogers. It's the Packers. He's a quarterback in the national football league.

And even if he does show up at training camp, I still think it's a story because I believe this is just him at this point setting the groundwork for not being there next year. So whether he's at training camp or not, it doesn't mean that this is all still a very valid situation. Yeah, joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.

The Hurd-Lie News. Well, Chris Broussard, this finals has surprised me, but it looks like Phoenix looks fatigued and small. And Chris Brouss brought these bends the best or nothing, joining us now. You know, it's funny, Chris, for a long time, the NBA, sometimes medium-sized markets and smaller markets feel like you've got to have a glamorous city. You've got to be Miami and the Lakers and that's where stars play. And then you got the Milwaukee thing where they were patient, they developed it. them. They added reasonable pieces. Pieces anybody could get. Drew Holliday.

A Bobby Portis. These aren't glamour players. And then I watch them and I look at the East and I say to myself, is this the next dynasty? Homegrown, humble. By the way, I like all the Healds. I like all the Lakers. I like the egos. I like all the wandering. I like all the mobility. You start looking at the East, Chris.

You start looking around this league. if they win that tomorrow night, it doesn't necessarily feel like a one and done, does it? No, it certainly doesn't. Now, they wouldn't be guaranteed to win the East. It wouldn't be like the Bulls with Michael Jordan or the Three Pete Lakers or even the Hedels, as you mentioned, who we knew were clearly the best team in the East year after year. Because Brooklyn, the only question with Brooklyn is will they be healthy? And then, Kyrie, where will his mind be at?

That's it. I think most people, you put the two teams. side by side are going to pick Brooklyn. So there's that. We'll see what happens in Philadelphia. But I think Brooklyn and Milwaukee will be the two teams in the East fighting it out. Here's what I do like about the bucks and why they do have a chance to continue to win going forward.

Janus, in my view, Colin, is improving before our very eyes. All right? We're no longer think about it. We're not focused anymore on he can't shoot. He's missing all these threes. He's missing all these mid-range jump shots because he's playing inside more. He's not posting up, but he is doing his damage in the paint more than ever. And when he's on the perimeter, he's making the right decisions.

Like he's making, he is making some great passes to his teammates, whether it's for layups underneath the basket or three-pointers in the corner or whatever it may be. and I think Drew Holliday and Chris Middleton, he's kind of leaving the perimeter scoring to them. So if Yannis continues to play this way, and then over time continues to improve his jump shot, they can be very tough, you know, in the future. So there's a chance there that they could continue to win championships if they win this one. It's really interesting. When Michael Jordan dominated the league, there were just physically things Michael could do.

There were shots he made that are still like. iconic. When LeBron dominated the league, when Shaq dominated the league, again, there was a physical dimension nobody else could do. You remember LeBron's first six or seven years in the league? He was chasing guys down and guards and blocking shots. In the last two games, Janice has made plays, Chris. I'm not sure another player in the league could do. That block of DeAndre Aiton, I can't think of an, I don't think Embed is that quick. And I also think that Alley Upe, where Yonis is running down and beating guards. down the floor, is that when you look at Janice's physical development, you know, Nick Wright

said it. He said, you know, free throws are kind of overrated with the Dunkins and the Shacks and LeBron's. When you can physically do stuff, others can't, is Yonnes the face of the league if he wins this title? Well, Colin, he is certainly helping himself in these press conferences, isn't he? Yeah. I mean, what he's saying is great. I mean, you can't help but like the guy. You know, and then he's got the mental toughness that I think people are drawn to. I mean, the fact that he'll go to the free throw line and shoot an airball or two, and then the next play, he's driving again trying to get to the foul line. I know.

People react to that. The fact that, you know, a year ago or even entering these playoffs, we were down on him. Oh, he can't get it done in the playoffs. He's overcome that. So there's a human element that you just love about Janus. And obviously the nickname the freak is appropriate because we have not seen anything like this. He's a seven-footer who doesn't post up like Shaq

but can't shoot like Kevin Durant or Dirk Novitsky. So what is he's just an incredible athlete who can pass the ball, who can handle the ball, and he does all these things around the rim that are incredible. I believe this, Colin, as great as Janice is, he's probably only 75% of what he could be. Yeah. Because when I put his work ethic and mental toughness together, I say, like, what if he becomes just an adequate mid-range shooter?

And I don't mean I don't necessarily want him like he used to be where he's handling the ball up to top of the key and bringing the ball up. But what if when he gets it on the wing 18 feet out, he's going to hit it most of the time. Yeah. And he can shoot the three. adequately like he would be unguaratable so

I said years ago and it felt I don't want to I say years ago he's there's a few guys that you can see and you would say they could be in the goat conversation not that they will be the goat or whatever but you can see the

potential there yeah there's the potential I'm not saying he'll ever be that but the potential is there for him to be in the conversation if he can keep winning You know, it's really fun. You know, it's when I watch him play, it's interesting, Chris. I think I talked about this last week.

There's a little bit of footage of Lua Al Cinder at UCLA as a freshman. And if you go back to Loo Al Cinder in high school in New York or UCLA early, he ran the floor very well. People may have forgotten Sam Bowie at 7-4 actually ran the floor pretty darn well. And there's part of Janus's game where, and I'm not saying he's going to be. be Karim Abdul-Jabbar. I'm not saying that. But there is a physical component to Kareem. He had the most unstoppable shot in league history, and he was all NBA defense. It must have been 12, 13 times. Ironically, started his career in Milwaukee. And there is, when I watch him

running the break and when I watch him down low, I mean, I remember as a kid, Kareem was just, there was no anecdote. There really wasn't. If Kareem was on a roll, he got you 36. And I think, and I may be crazy. You know, we always compared LeBron to Michael, even though Michael was more Kobe and LeBron was more magic. If I said to you, give me three players who were Yonis, the first one that pops into my head is a young Lou Alcindor, Karim Abdul-Jabbar. If I said three guys with Yonis, who is he? Who do you see? Well, let me say this. There were guys, I mean, Wilk Chamberlain was a track star. He could run the. floor.

Yeah. Shack, you remember early in Shacks, Corrine? He'd do it kind of jokingly, but he could do it. Dribble the ball up court against the break, make a nice pass. But back then it wasn't, Big Men automatically played inside. Remember Ralph Sampson? Yeah. Who wanted to shoot jumpers from the elbow and everybody said, oh, he's soft.

Look at him. Get inside and bang, big fella. And so Kareem told me a couple years ago, if he were playing the day and coming up as a player, he said he would play like Janice. And I believe he would because, as you said, Kareem had that athleticism. Oh, yeah. He had those skills.

There's video footage. Remember, he played Dr. J. 101. And Kareem was, he beat Dr. J. pretty badly because he actually had athleticism and skills to go with his length. So I actually think that is a fair comparison. Kareem just, at that time,

you weren't afforded the opportunity as a big to play on the perimeter and do all of those things, but I think it's a very appropriate comparison, and Janus is kind of like the next, you know, version of Kareem. Look, Kareem won six, and he's got a, Janus has to keep winning. But here's the interesting thing, Colin. And this, you know, a lot of people criticizing Janus, right, and saying, oh, Chris Middleton's really the Batman. And Yonis doesn't close. Well, Kareem really wasn't the closer. I mean, I know you could always, go to him for that sky hook.

Right. And they did it in 1988 when they beat Detroit, right? But Kareem needed a guard to get him the ball. You know, he needed Oscar or he needed magic. That's when he won his championships.

So Janus is not that different in that he does need another guy. Yeah. When you're a seven-footer and you don't shoot it that well, you're going to need somebody else. Shack needed Wade or Kobe. You're going to need somebody else. So Yonis,

is not unique in that, yeah, he needs a great perimeter player to play along with him. Great stuff. Chris Broussard, Fox Sports NBA analyst. Nice job. You ever notice Chris is the best dressed guy at our network? It doesn't even matter. During season, off season, he's a million bucks. Somebody get his tailor. Good seeing you, buddy. Wow. Thank you, my man. Thank you. You bet. Chris Broussard. I love him. All right, Colin wrong. 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, I'm Doug Gottlieb. The podcast is called All Ball.

We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches, we talk to players, we tell you stories. You download it, you listen to it, I think you like it.

Listen to All Ball with Doug Gottlieb on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you guys. 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 what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford 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 where 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 Jette. 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 IHeartRadio 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 personal. on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. So, you know, fans tend to always complain about officiating, especially in basketball. Suns fans are like, we can't get the whistle. Well, the Suns didn't get the whistle all year because they're a finesse team that relies on jump shots. They don't initiate a lot of contact.

The Suns are very good at shooting free throws, but they didn't get to the free throw line all year long. They were like 25th or 28th or something in free throw attempts. Milwaukee is big and physical. They get to the free throw line. They don't always make them, but they initiate more contact. Janice's game is leaning into you around the basket initiating contact. But I understand why fans do complain about it because so many of these championships in these sports feel arbitrary. And it's random calls that could go either way.

College football is the only sport right now where fans don't do a lot of things. complaining about officials in the biggest games because Alabama just looks better than everybody and no reasonable person can watch Alabama play 95% of their opponents and not see their bigger, stronger, faster with better coaching than all the other teams. What's there to argue about? Alabama's not dominating this sport for a decade because the officials are all from Tuscaloosa. There's not a lot to argue with them. Occasionally by the end of the year they'll face a Clemson that can knock them off and even Clemson has to play great. and beats him in the last second.

So when you watch the Bucks and the Sons, it's very typical. Is that this series started, we thought it was all Phoenix. I liked him in six. A lot of people did. Even when they lost game three, I thought, yeah, that's what happens. The team trailing wins it. And then game four, I'm like, oh, and then game five, it's like, we got a different series. This series has been two different series, early all Phoenix, late all Milwaukee.

I mean, think about the Kansas City Chiefs. You know, there was a lot of dynasty talk. Joey and I would kind of roll our eyes after they won their first Super Bowl. It was like, Dynasty. I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Like the Patriots lasted 20 years. Let's slow down on this thing. You're going to have to pay Mahomes.

So Kansas City's favored again this year. And that's considered like the potential, the greatest potential for a dynasty in the NFL is Kansas City, right? They got maybe the best coach, the best quarterback, great owners, no chaos. I mean, they're in a division with kind of the dysfunctional raiders and the Broncos don't have a quarterback, and the charges are always talented, but they always crush our dreams. And the last two Super Bowls, Kansas City's been in. They got blown out in one, I mean, destroyed, and the other one, they trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter. And San Francisco completes one pass over the top.

They were this far away, and they're o' and two in Super Bowls. Even Tampa this year, which looks fully loaded, right? The Buccaneers, they're not favored to win. Kansas City is again. You go back to the NBA. You think, very rarely to team separate, you think Shaq and Kobe separated, but Shaq and Kobe were dominant for one year. I mean, the first year of that thing, the Blazers took them seven in the Western Conference finals.

I was there, and the Blazers led by 15 in the fourth in L.A. At the Staples Center, I was there. Okay. And then the Warriors dynasty. Yeah, it was easy in year one. The next year, they trailed three to two to Houston until Chris Paul got hurt. You go to the Heedles. Four years, they won two, one of them on a Ray Allen jumper, you know, at the buzzer.

The easy year, they trailed the Celtics 3-2 in the Eastern Conference finals. I understand why fans blame refs. These championships are inches not feet apart. 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 helped make you funnier. 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 I-Heart 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-Hard 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 we're.

and 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 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 Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered 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.