The Herd with Colin Cowherd - All Ball - Lakers/Clippers Big Picture; LeBron's 2019 Reality; Ric Bucher on Lakers Chemistry, Warriors Expectations; Zion Injury Concerns

Episode Date: October 24, 2019

This week, Gottlieb gives his takeaways from the Clippers opening night win over the Lakers, his bigger picture projections for both teams, why LeBron isn't a Top 5 Player anymore, and why he isn't buying the LeBron point guard experiment . NBA Insider and Senior Bleacher Report NBA writer Ric Bucher also joins the pod with his reactions to the Lakers/Clips opener, Zion's injury, and why he thinks the Warriors would be better off missing the playoffs in their lost season. Make sure you download, rate and subscribe here to get the latest All Ball Podcasts! 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

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Hey, what up? Welcome in. I'm Doug Gottlieb, and you are listening to All Ball, all basketball all the time. With this pod, it's kind of like talk about whatever you want, as long as it's basketball or life, revolving around basketball. And because we do it once a week, week. Sometimes it is in generality. Sometimes we get to react to

one game or one big moment, right? By the way, just kind of side note, you can listen to the Doug Gottlieb show, 3 to 6 Eastern, 12 to 3 Pacific every day or download that podcast wherever you download podcasts on the, or listen on the IHeart radio app, series XM217

or 203. We talk all sports and of course some basketball, a lot of football this time of year. But we get to react on a daily basis to the big stories. This pod, it's just about basketball, but oftentimes we don't get to react to one game. I want to talk about the Lakers and Clippers,

and the interesting things I saw from the first game of the NBA season, and I talk about the Pelicans, et cetera, and to the Zion Williamson thing. So let's not bury the lead. LeBron James has a new teammate. His name is Anthony Davis, and Anthony Davis was terrific. With the exception to the fourth quarter,

where he only got two shots, didn't score a point. And some of it is on Anthony Davis. He settled for a pull-up jump shot. He wasn't able to get open. Some of it's on his teammates. LeBron James turned it over two or three times, trying to throw it into him late in the game. And some of it is based upon how they are playing right now,

essentially without a point guard. LeBron James started at the point, and the numbers were, eh. I think he got credit for five turnovers, but by my count, there was nine. So friendly, L.A., LeBron, scorekeeper, happens. Happens. You'll be on the road sometimes and you'll get, you know, a couple of extra.

It generally works out over the season. But LeBron was not great. Let me start with LeBron James. He's one of the greatest players to ever play basketball. We can do the debate on a podcast if he's the greatest ever or whatever. But that's not what this is about. And this is a really hard thing for some people to conceptualize. I want to talk about LeBron today.

right i don't i don't want to i don't care right now about lebron cleveland's first time when he scored 25 in a row you know for against the pistons the eastern conference finals i don't want to talk about lebron in miami and the failures early and success late i don't want to talk about lebron i want talk about lebron 2019 late in the middle of november after his first game it is not blast me to say lebron james is not a top five player in the nbaa anymore Just not. Now, does he have a top five mind? Of course.

Is he one of the greatest players of all time? Yes. No one's arguing otherwise. He's a great player. And he may go down as the all-time leading score. Like, there's records still for him to be set, which are remarkable. And he could win another title with the Lakers. They're not that far off from being a championship team if we would all agree that

the clippers are right there in the discussion, right? Like, that's a lot closer game than the final score may lead you to believe. And I know that the clip. The Clippers didn't have Paul George, but the Lakers didn't have Kyle Kusma. And the disparity between bench and starters was so great, so massive, that when you consider the Kuzma likely to play with the second unit, a guy who averaged 19 a game and has gotten better or not worse, should shoot the three better or not worse.

Kuz, you're plugging in 20 points a game. I don't know if you're plugging in 20 points a game for the Clippers, and you're like, wait a second. and you just said the same thing about Kusma. The difference is that Paul George is still going to average over 20, but that's going to be to the detriment of some others, right, to the detriment in terms of the shots of Mo Harkless and to the, you know, I kind of go through the different guys

and he's going to get his and it's going to cut some of the minutes of some of the other guys, depending on where he plays, how he plays. The same will be said for Kuz only, look, Jared Dudley's not going to be in the rotation. I don't know what they're going to do with the back of point guard situation. I have a suggestion, which is a pretty obvious one. But I think it's a much bigger addition offensively for the Lakers than Paul George's. And that may be hard to conceptualize, but I think if you kind of go through it and go through the lineups, you'll understand.

LeBron James in 2019 does look leaner, is moving well. And this is weird. What happens when you say this is people who don't really understand the sport kind of lose their mind. But LeBron James has never been really a guy who's a great perimeter defender. There was the series against the Bulls where he shut down Derek Rose. But a lot of that was the way in which Rose played, right? At the time, Rose was mid-range and driver and get to the bucket guy.

and it allowed LeBron to give him space and recover and challenge every shot. You fast forward to now, and LeBron is not only not really a perimeter defender, if you look when Anthony Davis is playing the five, the guy that Kauai Leonard would prefer to go at, if he had Anthony Davis, he had LeBron James, and he had Danny Green, he wanted to go at LeBron. LeBron is the weakest of those three defenders. It doesn't mean that he doesn't, and people are, yeah, that chased down block,

It doesn't mean that he doesn't play any defense, but his attention to details not great. He's never really been a boxout guy. There's a really, really big turn late in the fourth quarter where they fouled Montrez Harrell. He makes the first, misses the second, and LeBron doesn't even offer to try and box out Patrick Beverly. Beverly gets the offensive rebound, passes to Harold, who gets an ann one, makes a free throw. So it's a four point, because of a four-point trip.

And the Lakers, it should have been a one-point trip. would have had the basketball and I think they'd be down five instead they were down eight and that was essentially the game so when you say these things you become a lebron hater to fandom and tv guy who doesn't really really know ball but all of you are downloaded this podcast because you really know ball i would hope or wanted to learn about ball and lebron just has things that he's never done he's never played without the basketball so he doesn't move without the ball well he doesn't defend off the ball well in terms of guarding a shooter. It's never been who he's been, right?

And he doesn't really box out. He did take a couple of charges last night, which is great, which, I mean, I can't remember the last great player to step in and take two charts. So I'm not saying he's a bad teammate or a bad guy. I'm saying there are things that he's never had to do because he's been able to get away on pure athletic ability for so long. and now as you get a little less athletic

and guys are playing harder than you, Pat Beverly steals that ball. That's a big one. But if you watch Kauai Leonard, who had 30 in, when we're recording this, last night's game, the guy who he most wanted to go at, who struggled to contain him laterally

and challenge his shot was LeBron James. So it's not crazy to say LeBron was the third best player on the floor last night. Right? if he's third best player on the floor and those aren't all the top five guys, here we go. I don't think he's a point guard. Actually, I know he's not a point guard.

And what happens is we start to get into this, well, Gottlieb, you're non-shooting, Rondo before Rondo, true point guard. What do you know about this point guard as opposed to scoring point guard? That's not what I mean. There are little things that point guards do in the NBA. that he has never been asked to, nor will he ever do. Like when you're 35 years old, there are just things you're not going to do. He plays too slow.

The first thing that happens when you go from college to the pros is you realize that 24-second shot clock changes everything. Now, keep in mind when I was playing professional basketball, we did play a lot like LeBron likes to play, which is get the ball in the front court, get to one action, maybe a second action or ball screen or ISO, and play. But that's not how the NBA is more like Europe now, where you advance the ball or advance past the ball,

you get into multiple actions. And then maybe at shot clock, after moving the ball side to side, now we have what we want, the third or fourth action, ball screen, lift on the, and everything's kind of moving, and you'll have an open shooter. and it's like poetry. It's much more like soccer. The NBA has become much more like soccer.

And when you don't get the ball, watch LeBron on a made shot or a miss shot. He doesn't get a deep outlet pass. He doesn't play with great pace. A lot of times he crosses the mid-court line with 18 seconds left in the shot clock. By the time he gets in the scoring zone, it's like 16 seconds.

Okay, now you set everything up, 14 seconds, and you come off, and now you're into end of shot. shock clock time. It may not seem like a lot to you, but that ball needs to be in the front court, in the scoring zone with 20 on the clock, in the scoring zone at latest 19 on the clock. Those seconds are incredibly valuable. It makes the defense sprint back. It gets everybody in position. It allows multiple actions to occur. And multiple actions mean multiple closeouts. Multiple closeouts give you openings within the defense.

And so the pace by which he's playing makes it harder or not easier to play offense. Secondly, because he always, when he's playing the point, initiates the offense, it's not really where you want LeBron with the ball. Like the Lakers only really have two players who play going downhill. You want LeBron after the ball is reversed, get it to him. now he's attacking going towards the basket. Like he's a freight train. He may not move crazy well laterally,

but for one step, the Euros using his shoulders. Like he's ridiculous. But because he's coming down and either initiating the offense or starting with the side ball screen or starting with the high ball screen, it doesn't have the same. One, attacking without a pass,

doesn't do the, doesn't have, you don't have the defense moving and having multiple closeouts. And then two, you're not tired, but it's just a lot of LeBron. And that's not really how basketball is played anymore. Now it's get it up, attack, get it to the other side, attack, you know, get it to a ball handler, play downhill, attack. And that's not how the Lakers are able to play with him at the point.

So that leads us to how I think they need to fix it. I could not believe that Alex Caruso didn't take off his sweats. Now, Alex Caruso, to those of you who have been paying attention to Lakers, undrafted out of Texas A&M. His dad actually is the color voice of Texas A&M. And full disclosure, my dad coached his dad at crazy, right? Caruso's a very good athlete. He's big. He's 6'4, so he can switch on to Kauai, for example.

He's an improved. He was not a good shooter early on his professional career, and that's what kept him in the G-League. He's become a guy that can make shots. He's a very, very good athlete. He's a very good defender. And he's a true point guard. And so all of these things are made easier. But instead, you have Vogel playing, I mean, I don't know his, I don't understand that.

I'll get to the Contavius Calvill Pope, but you're playing Quinn Cook, who, Quinn Cook's a two guard. He's not a point guard. And I pointed this out last year on this and on my radio show that one, one of the things least discussed with the Warriors, they were like, well, look at the disparity of Warriors when Kevin Durant sits out or when Steph Curry sits out. Well, that was only pointing out how Quinn Cook is kind of a borderline G-league player. Like, he's so little, he can't really switch defensively. He's only a shooter. He doesn't create shots for others. And it's hard to be

5-11 and play in the NBA. It's even harder when you're not really a point guard and you're not a dynamic pick up full court defender, right? So he's just out there trying to get buckets, and that's a hard role. You don't have to be good. You have to be Isaiah Thomas, you know, when he was with the Celtics in order to be super effective that way, because you're so ineffective at the defensive end. So the first thing is that LeBron James, he doesn't defend like a point guard picking up full court. He doesn't get back defensively like a point guard. He doesn't push the ball like a point guard. And I think it takes away from many of the things he does like to do offensively.

And it's the common misconception that coaches have. A lot of coaches that didn't play, have. Is they like, well, we have LeBron James in a high pick and roll. What's the difference if he brings it up or doesn't bring it up? Completely different way of attacking a defense. And the challenges for him without the basketball are completely different. And it's things that Caruso can do. And I don't think the team will get, we'll,

will live up to their potential if they play as currently designed. And here's the last thing. I know there are people saying, well, what about Rondo? Look, look at advanced stats. Look at traditional stats.

Rajan Rondo has been washed up for five years. 2009 was a decade ago. It doesn't mean he wasn't a fantastic player in 2009. but he's had an ACL injury. He's had normal wear and tear.

He's never been a good shooter. He hasn't been a good defender, he hasn't been a good defender, let alone a great defender in years, in five years. And I think the Lakers are living on the reputation of Rondo, which will only undercut the likelihood they are successful. Like they're not going to win that way. And then the Contavius Caldwell Pope thing is, look, I don't know why they resign him,

but I do think he has some value if he's at the very end or slightly out of your rotation, right? But here's a great way I look at Contavius Colwell Pope. This is really important. Been in the league, I think, seven years. And all of the teams he's played on haven't won. Now, it's fair to go like, hey, dude, Anthony Davis was on teams that didn't win. He was the best player on teams that didn't win. That's fair.

They did get to the playoffs a couple of times. He did have some injuries. Contavius Colwell Pope plays like 70 some odd games a year. He doesn't get hurt. So he's been a starter on different teams for like seven years and none of them have won. What does that tell you? It doesn't mean he stinks. It just means he's not really a starter if you want to win in the NBA.

he'll they play charlotte on Sunday i'm sure he'll hit four threes but when they play real teams he gets exposed he makes boneheaded plays on inbounded classes like last year against the bucks or last night he gets lost defensively and he doesn't make shots he's just look there's 450 NBA players he's absolutely one of them you know he's one of the top 300 guys but the idea that he last night a blown call changed a game this morning the internet lost its mind Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross.

Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different. intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

Join me, Keer Games, 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. 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 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.

Hey, everyone, it's Ryder Strong and Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And now the Podmeets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, Traitors, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you.

I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough. Did people not like it? Yeah. Just because we? Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion in the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a.

a bunch of ha, who, ha, who, again, we are experts. So make sure

to tune into PodMeets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to PodMeets Tworl on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. A top 50 or 100 guy, I mean, the data doesn't lie. How many years does he have to play a major role on bad teams

before you go like, hey, he's part of the problem, not part of the solution. So I think the Lakers, I think Anthony Davis is terrific. They got to find a way to get them the ball. I think that Frank Vogel was a little rusty as a head coach. I think their infatuation with Rondo is going to come back to bite them if they don't go to Caruso, who's younger and can get after defensively.

And look, I think they're a good team. Danny Green played out of his mind last night. They need to play every Bradley more. Kyle Kuzma will solidify their bench. they're going to be a really good team. To be a great team, LeBron can't be the full-time point. They got to go with Caruso or go trade for one because Rondo is not the answer. Quinn Cook is not the answer.

Contagius Caldwell, Pope is not the answer. And all of those were exposed last night. And LeBron, at 35 years old, doesn't defend the way he used to. I think he's better off the basketball for the most part in possessions than on the basketball end of shot clock. He's got some bad habits that needs to clean up. He jumped up in the air with nowhere to go and had some turnovers, a deflected passes.

And they got to figure out a way to get Anthony Davis the ball in important times. Teathing can be a real nightmare for your little ones. So are you looking for the best relief to soothe teething pain? Well, Highlands, Natural's baby oral pain relief can help ease the pain. It's gentle, natural active ingredients like chamomile and arnica. They'll soothe your baby's mouth and gums. No chemicals, no funny business. Highlands is a kinder way to care for teething.

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nonstop through the holidays. You got cards, gift tags, lists, cookie receipts, mostly cookie receipts. Plus, you got to get travel docs as well. You know, you got to get those reimbursements. And nothing will ruin the fun like good old-fashioned cartridge conyption. That's when your printer's pricey ink cartridges. run out of ink at the worst possible time. And you can't help but lose it a little. Or a lot. It's frustrating. But, all-ball community.

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after having a total cartridge conyption. With Epson Eco Tank, kiss expensive cartridges goodbye. You can just feel and chill. Who doesn't want some more chill around the holidays? Epsom Eco Tank. Learn more at Epson.com slash all ball with Doug. Let's welcome in to Rick Buecker from Bleach Report. You also, of course, see him on Fox Sports One.

You can hear his work at radio.com. He was at Staples Center last night. Buk, that felt like a playoff game, did it not? It was, yes, it was the energy and the effort. I mean, I got tired watching. I was like, God, these guys are playing so hard and so fast. This is how hard and fast they were playing. Pat Beverly always looks out of place.

And he did at times, but everybody else kind of played playing with that same kind of frantic energy that he always. plays with. And yeah, for, you know, the whole one in, you know, it's one out of 82, that's not the way these guys approach this. And it's, it's going to be a lot of fun watching this back and forth. Even being there in the building, and people talking about whether it's, you know, they'll ever be a Clippers town or whatever, the, a Lakers chant went up and the Clippers crowd was able to drown them out at one point. I don't know that I've ever heard that before. I'm not saying that it's going to become a Clippers town, but there were some gains made by the Clippers in general in Staples

Center last night. So far, I've gone through the Lakers and my take on LeBron and the team. Give me kind of your overview of what you saw from the purple and gold? Well, number one, it got me thinking, when was the last time that we saw a LeBron statement game? And I dare say it was Christmas Day last year, and he got hurt. And this was the opportunity to make a statement game. And I've heard all about the rest and the number of days that he's had off. And what I found interesting was he was dominant early on. He was taking it to the clippers and successfully, and he couldn't sustain it.

He couldn't sustain it at either end of the floor. Now, I don't know, you know, there's times where LeBron will make a business decision and say, this game is not worth my all-out effort. I feel the way this game was in the balance, this wasn't one of those games where he would make that decision. decision. I'm just not sure he's capable in big spots of sustaining it. Now, to your point about utilizing all the other pieces, yeah, I think there's, I think, one, you can't anticipate that you're going to get a performance like that, Danny Green, every night or on a consistent basis. I think we've seen that. You're going to need to get it

from other places. But the other part was that playing through Anthony Davis, and certainly they tried to post him up a lot, he's not, he's not a playmaker. He's not, I don't know that he gets

you great open shots for other guys. And so then it becomes a matter of, you know, this whole idea of LeBron saying, we're going to play through him. I don't know if he doesn't do that. Yeah, he doesn't. First of all, it's not the old days of throwing the Patrick Ewing, double team comes, throw it out, right? Right. Nobody double teams now because you want those, as dominant as he was in the post, analytics tell you, go ahead, take it, and we'll stay home. But that was one of my big things with this team, which is they don't have shot creators. Like those aren't, you go through the list. And that's why I cannot believe they didn't give Alex Caruso a look. Like, that's a guy that can play down.

Hill that can create shots for some people that can take LeBron off the ball. He's a very good defensive player. I don't understand what Vogel was looking at. I think you got caught up in the Anthony Davis's dominating low post. And by the way, Anthony Davis, only two shots in the fourth quarter because that gets harder and harder to even get the ball into him. Well, and this is the beauty of the clippers. And in a way, they've taken a page from the Warriors.

They got multiple bodies that they can throw at you. And that's what they did with AD. And he had fresh body, Patrick Patterson, Montrez-Herald. They would switch, and there was times where Kauai was comfortable being on him. Michael Green, I think, wound up on him a couple of times. They had three, four fresh bodies they could put on him, and I think that that's why by the time you got to the fourth quarter, he would back down to a certain point, and he was either taken a fade

or he was looking to, please double team come, please double team come, because I don't have the energy to beat this guy one-on-one to get to a spot in the paint. And so there's that, and that to me is the great distinction between these two teams. The Clippers played good defense last night, and at times, and I think they can be much better, and that's without Paul George, I think they can be much, much better. they didn't play good defense, and I don't know with that group how they get better. I look at the clippers, and I think they're going to beat up. They're going to wear down a lot of – they can just put the clamps on you defensively,

or at least they're going to be able to. Now, one other side. It was interesting. You know, the modern has all sorts of places for guys to hide and for coaches and players to meet. And I was walking out of the locker, the Lakers locker room last night, and the hallway that leads from the outside hallway into the player's actual locker room, Frank Vogel and an AD in that hallway, a conversation, like a intimate conversation.

And I thought, wow, this is good. game one. And we're having that kind of conversation in this place in the locker room. It's going to be interesting to see where this goes. But clearly, my speculation, I feel like Frank's going to talk a lot to AD because I don't know that he feels like he can talk to LeBron. There is a feeling around LeBron. You know, when he talk about his nickname the king. And unless you're of strong personality, he gets treated like a king. People are afraid to approach him and tell him what's what. And for this team to go where it goes, it needs to go, as you mentioned, there's some elements.

This is the other part. This is the other part when it came to the Kawhi-Lebron comparison. Kauai gets into a rhythm, a very familiar rhythm offensively. He does not rush. He surveys. He's going to go where he wants to go. LeBron is, it's amazing for all that he's done. He plays really erratic at times.

There was times last night where he was playing way too fast, and I'm thinking, if anybody should be composed, like Kauai, yes, he's got that experience. But LeBron, too. And it just kind of shocked me. I thought he played. There was a lot of times in the second half where he played too slow. You know, he's playing the point guard position. You've got to get the ball into the front court.

Yes. You know, in order to get into your multiple actions. And he's like walking it up and trying to, it's like at the playoff game. Like, hey, dude, that ain't how you play now. Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying.

And nobody's telling you exactly. what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you close. to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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, Keir 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. 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. Hey, everyone, it's Ryder Strong and Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And now the Pod Meets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, traders, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor.

So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough. Did people not like it? Like what was just because we?

Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion in the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of who. Ha, ha, ha, who. Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune it. to Pod Meets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to Pod Meets Twirled on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. Doug, there was a minute left, and they were down by 9 or 10. Yeah. And he's pounding the ball at the top of the key. And I was sitting with the scouts, and the scouts, and we looked at each other. We're like, what's he doing? I just, I don't know, people say he's smarter than everybody else. There are times where clearly he's smarter than me because I had no idea at times what he was doing

and I was surprised by some of the things that he did. Yeah, a big, big miss box out that Patrick Beverly got an offensive rebound ended up being instead of a one-point trip, a four-point trip for the Clippers. That was kind of the death-nill. and, yeah, I'm up. All right, so I guess we haven't seen the rest of the league. But the other point that I was, and I want to get to your thoughts on Zion in a second. But there's two other parts.

One, let's get to the Clippers. Does what does Paul, like, what do they look like with Paul George? I know more is usually more. Does Paul George screw him up in any way? It will be interesting to see just because. Because, like, for all the platitudes that I gave Kauai, I think Kauai can be more efficient. I think there were times where he forced it a little bit, where if you have a Paul George on the floor, if there have somebody else that he, well, hopefully, trusts that he's going to get to a certain place.

You're going to see that it's not there, swing it and allow Paul to go. and even in certain situations allow Paul to be a playmaker. I feel as if the clippers can use one more playmaker. And, you know, Doc has the experience. I mean, that's a big distinction between these two teams, too, these two teams, too, is that Doc dealt with superstars before and multiple superstars, and I think he's going to find a way to give both of those guys the opportunity to shine. and you've both of these players have had a recent experience where they've had to play with another

ball dominant type player and and have done so successfully. So I'm expecting that they're going to find a way to make it work. And I just, I'm just laughing because there was at one point, I'm forgetting who had the ball, I think with Lou Williams had the ball at the top. And Patrick Beverly, I was watching him in warm-ups, and he could not. Not only could he not miss shooting threes, but he was wearing all the swag of not missing three. Like he would hit one, and he'd do a little backstep shimmy, and then he'd get ready and take

the next one, and he'd hold his form, and it was like, Patrick, I was like, wow, that might have a game tonight. And then he could not hit one in the game, and there was at one point where Lou Williams, Pat was wide open on the right wing, and Lou looked right. at him and went, no, I'm not doing that. Going the ball the other way. My point being, I just, I think that Paul's going to add another good set-up decision maker on the floor, and it's going to ultimately make them better.

And defensively, my God, you ask, you add Paul George. If you're giving me the Paul George that played healthy and OKC last year and the way he went after it, they are going to be scary. This is going to be Kauai and Paul George can approach that Jordan Pippin Plateau of the Dobermans and being able to really put pressure on you when you try to get into your offense. This clip is brought to you by State Farm. At State Farm, they know it's important to ensure the things you love. They also get that everyone has a budget. That's why they have options, like insuring your car and your home, getting you great. great rates on both. It's a good idea to consider State Farm. For surprisingly great rates,

like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Call or go to StateFarm.com for a quote today. If you could talk to me a little bit about the process you went through, and I think it's good to not pat yourself on the back, but to put it out there so other people can kind of hear what it takes. Like, I don't know. I always look at like this. Like, what do I want? I wanted to be a WWE superstar. All right, what does it take to be a WW superstar? What are the tools I will need to give me every possible opportunity I can get? And so I took the tools of acting classes, improv classes, wrestling school, everything I possibly can to knock on the door of WW. The people of the, everyone on that real world show would wear my t-shirts, would always ask me to do

the MIS. Like, they were so supportive. Like, you don't get it that very often. You really don't. Listen to the My Cultura Podcast Network, available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey, everyone, it's Dramos from Life as a Gringo podcast. IHeart Radio's sounds of my culture is brought to you by State Farm. At State Farm, we know how important it is to celebrate Hispanic heritage every day. That's why we support My Coutura and invite you to continue enjoying all its great podcast.

We also know what it takes to manage money, no matter the budget. That's why it's a good idea to consider State Farm and their surprisingly great rates. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Camilla Cabello, it is amazing to have you here. And listen, as you know, our podcast network, we celebrate Latinos all year long. So for you, what does Latino culture mean? I love my culture and it inspires me every day and even more as I get older. I feel like so much of who I am has come from my Cuban and Mexican heritage from the songs that I grew up listening to, to the closeness of my family.

I think that as I get older, I'm going back to reading in Spanish and listening to more music in Spanish. And it just makes me feel more connected to myself. Support Coutura all year long by listening to the My Coutura Podcast Network, available. on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. These days, it can be hard to find and hire the right candidates for your small business. That's why LinkedIn Jobs made it easier to find the people you want to talk to, faster, and for free. Create a job post in minutes on LinkedIn Jobs to reach your network and beyond to the world's largest professional network of over 770 million people.

Focus on candidates with the skills and experience you need. Use screening questions to get your role in front of only the most qualified people. Then use the simple tools on LinkedIn jobs to quickly filter and prioritize who you'd like to interview and hire. That's why small businesses rate LinkedIn jobs number one and delivering quality hires versus leading competitors. LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates worth interviewing faster. Did you know every week nearly 40 million job seekers visit LinkedIn? Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash reach. That's LinkedIn.com slash reach to post your job for free.

Terms and conditions apply. Another team that you know a ton about that has been discussed a bunch is the Warriors. By the way, I have to ask you, Doug, am I being overly exuberant as a result of seeing what I saw last night? No, I do think, like, I think. Is there anything for me to tap the brakes? No. I would say, like, we haven't even mentioned Montrez-Harrel, who, I want to talk about a junkyard dog. Like, he is tireless, he is tough.

Yep. He is the size of power for, but can play the. the center like he's he's dynamic got those guys you know the thing about about anthony davis is you want anthony davis to play some five he wanted no part of montres harrow on the boards none no none you wanted no part of that that's that's a man's game ball goes up and he wanted no part of it and lebron's not really into that either right um yeah so i think it's a really and i love how they you know like landry shamit as opposed to queen cook or contavius colwell pope landry shamit's better. He's much younger, but he's experienced and playing the playoffs more than anything.

Like he knows what he is, whereas Contavius Colwell Pope is trying to be a starter when, that's what he's been his whole career, but he's not. He should be a, he should be playing 15 minutes a game. I thought, you know, so I like Landry Schammett better than what they have. Obviously, Lou Williams never seems to age. He's kind of a walking bucket. There are going to be some nights when he takes some bad shots and he shoots you out of a game. But I like a lot of the things, I like a lot of the things that you like. And I was interested because I talked to some of the Clippers guys and like, well, we might not be that good early because, you know, we're adding Kauai.

It's so different. And we might not be that good in the middle because we're going to add Paul George and it's so different. But by the end of the year, we should be really good. Like, damn, by the end of the year, you look pretty good night one. whereas I would have thought the Lakers were further ahead, even though they didn't have Kuzma. And I was a little disappointed. I'm not, I just, I don't think that,

and I'll give Frank a little bit of a pass because he hasn't coached this team before in a real game. And he hasn't coached in a year and a half and hasn't coached at a high level in the NBA in five years or so. And so maybe he's trying to figure it out. But if he hadn't figured out that Contavius Colwell Pope is not the guy late in a big game, I can't really help.

Well, and injury-wise, preseason, I mean, they didn't play, they didn't play those guys long stretches. No, no, but you've got to know what you're looking at. But Davey and LeBron in particular, I mean, playing against the Warriors, I don't know that that's really much preparation because they could do with everything. I want to ask you about the Warriors. I want to ask you about the Warriors. I feel like even more, even more strongly that this is a gap year when Steve Kerr kind of

lowered expectations, hey, we don't expect Clay to play this year. I don't know if people understand how much turnover that roster has had. I think what happens is you... Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to SportsClyce on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier 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, as 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. 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. Hey, everyone, it's Ryder Strong and Wilfredel from PodMeets World. And now the PodMeets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, traitors,

and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough. Did people not like it?

Like what was just because we? Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion at the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of ha, hoo. Ha ha, ooh.

Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune in a PodMeets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to PodMeets Twirled on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. see Steph and you're like, well, Steph's going to give you 35 maybe.

Right. We got Draymond, so he can still play small. He had DeAngelo, who's going to average 25, right? And they just, they just, they do the box score thing. And then you get clayback and that's another 25. Like, you're fine. Like, I don't know if people understand that, and I know that Andre Godala was not a regular season player.

But you lose Andre Godala, Sean Livingston, Kevin Durant. Like, the team was built. on versatility and on defense as much as it was the shooting and the shot making. And oh yeah, by the way, like one of the great things about KD and more importantly about Clay is what they do at the defensive end. With no clay, you now only lose the absolute lights out shooting. Clay takes a man and maybe a man and a half away from the defensive end,

but he's also a great defensive player. You lose all of that for at least half to three quarters of the season. And, like, I think they'll be very fortunate to be a playoff team. I think you're right. As of right now, if, and there was a lot of talk, again, at the game last night with people with personnel from other teams about, you know, OK, C's going to be better than you think. A big question is whether CP3 buys in. But if Oklahoma City is in the playoff picture, I can name eight teams right now that are definitively better than the

Warriors. And you're absolutely right. I think people just look at the names or they look at the, it's so hard to imagine that the Warriors go from a perennial champion or NBA finalist to not being in the playoffs. But it is. Look, you said that they were built on versatility and depth, and that's what they originally were built on. But the reason that Kevin Durant was such a saving great, is that they went from that depth to that absolute, you know, top-heavy power house. And you had four great players in Steph, KD, Clay, and Draymond. And now you're trying to go back to the versatility.

But those guys, these guys have all not been proven, haven't played an NBA game together. And when you had that versatility, you had, you had, veterans like a Maurice Spates. You had veterans like and Andre Godale. You had veterans like a Sean Livingston, like a Leandro Barbosa.

Like we've completely forgotten what made the warrior special before they added KD. And we assume, hey, let's just go back to the versatility, strength, and numbers thing.

Like, yeah, but Steph's the oldest guy in the team. They've gone with super young guys. They're going to figure out who they like out of this group. But I even think the warrior's own expectations

are this is a gap year. Yeah. Well, and that's going to be the real battle is they're in a brand new arena, which is gorgeous and inexpensive. And I think if you got Bob Myers and Steve Kerr alone, and they would tell you, look, there's no reason for us to, you know, beat our heads against the wall to make the playoffs this year. Like we shouldn't, let's not run Steph and Draymond ragged trying to get this done or, you know, trying to prop up DeAngelo Russell and make him look either like he belongs as part of the nucleus here or that, you know, to bump up his trade value. Let's approach it the way we always have and see where it goes. And if this season goes sideways, then so be it. And we get a lottery pick.

And now we add a legitimate quality player and we bring Clayback next year. and now we've got something to build off of because they're capped out. So you're not, you know, the whole free agency thing is not going to work for you. But try telling that to Joe Lacob because Joe Lacob has this, you know, he's still determined to live up to the light years comment. And that's why they, you know, signed a Willie Colley Stein and DeAngelo Russell. It's like, you know, we're smarter than everybody else. And they've added so many guys, even from what I've heard about, like, Jordan Poole, and I don't know him.

It was kind of a passing remark. Like, they've lost, they built such a great culture, such a unique, dynamic culture in terms of not just the talent, but the kind of guys that they had. And Steph and Dremont are of the mind. We can infuse this in,

you know, we know what it's like, we know what it feels like. you bring us guys and we can draw them into the culture. Well, I'm not going to say that they can't, but I think that that's a very tall order for the guys that they added. And so the real battle here is not going to be the warriors with the rest of the Western Conference. It's going to be between the coaching staff and the front office and ownership in terms of what direction. they should go and really how hard they should be pushing to make the playoffs and try to be a force in the postseason. Because I just don't think they have it.

If they make the playoffs, I don't think they're a threat. And I think that's what was behind Steve. Like, Steve talking about Clay, you know, probably not going to play this year. And then having to walk it back, I can't help but think that was, you know, somebody in ownership going, hey, we're like, we don't want to talk that way. Like, we don't want to put out the possibility that Clay comes back and we make a run. We, like,

we want to approach things different. And I think Steve's, I think Steve's on. I don't, I just, you've bought the goodwill of the Bay Area. You have this great arena, which, by the way,

I went to, and, like, it's, it's an attraction in and of itself. Try, like, killing yourself to make the playoffs this year,

just doesn't seem, light years ahead. It seems imprudent because you're going to wear Steph out. You're going to wear Draymond out. And then when you do have and lose out the opportunity to add a legitimate young talent, and for

what? So you get Clay back and what? Like, even with Clay and DeAngelo Russell, that's duplicative. I don't, I just, I don't see any reason. I think the smart play for them really is to not make

the playoffs this year. As you call it a gap year. I think that would be the, that would be the light years ahead. Yes. And you get to longer off season, you know, you know, you know, staff's going to play in the Olympics, right? So you don't want him to play, you know, and I don't, you don't necessarily have to, I don't even know if it's intentional. Like, we can do this thing where it's intentional. I don't think they have to be intentional. I just don't think, like, there's a bunch of teams we don't even discuss. I mean, obviously, Portland, Utah, Denver at the top, but then in the middle, you mentioned Oklahoma City, we'll see what they look like. the pelicans will see what they what they look like we'll see what the timber wolves what they look like

you know the mavericks i'm excited to see what they look like um you know like we're we're going deep here in this in this side okay let me millions of americans are getting back to work career builder calls it the great rehire and we want to help you get the best jobs before everyone else career builder gives you the competitive edge to get the job you want at the salary you want with the benefits you want. We even send job alerts so your perfect job lands right in your inbox. Go to careerbuilder.com today or get left with whatever jobs are left. Find your next job fast at careerbuilder.com. This clip is brought to you by State Farm. At State Farm, they know it's important to ensure the things you love. They also get that everyone has a budget. That's why they

have options, like insuring your car and your home, getting you great rates on both. It's a good idea to consider State Farm. For surprisingly great rates, like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Call or go to StateFarm.com for a quote today. I can post a picture that a girl that is way... Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly.

what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action

with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games.

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

And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you here 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, Keer 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.

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, Podcast 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.

Hey, everyone, it's Ryder Strong and Wilfredel from PodMeets World. And now the PodMeets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, traders, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor.

I obviously haven't watched enough. Did people not like it? Yeah. Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion in the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of, Oh, aha, ooh.

Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune at a pod meets twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to PodMeets Twirled on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A skinnier than I am, a size 2, a size 4, the same exact picture. And I look vulgar because I'm thicker. But if a thinner girl does it, it's not that much of a big deal. And that's what I'm not okay with. Because why?

Why? because I have cellulite because I have thick thighs. I can't do that. I can't feel sexy in my own skin. And those are the things that I want to break because there are so many women like me. And I want to be and represent us, you know. Obviously, there's always room for improvement. I always want to look better.

I want to work out. I want to lose weight. But in reality, this is the body God gave me. And I've never really been skinny. Listen to the MyCultura podcast network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. These days, it can be hard to find. find and hire the right candidates for your small business.

That's why LinkedIn jobs made it easier to find the people you want to talk to, faster, and for free. Create a job post in minutes on LinkedIn jobs to reach your network and beyond to the world's largest professional network of over 770 million people. Focus on candidates with the skills and experience you need. Use screening questions to get your role in front of only the most qualified people. Then use the simple tools on LinkedIn jobs to quickly filter and prioritize who you'd like to interview and hire.

That's why small businesses rate LinkedIn jobs number one and delivering quality hires versus leading competitors. LinkedIn jobs helps you find the candidates worth interviewing faster. Did you know every week nearly 40 million job seekers visit LinkedIn? Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash reach. That's LinkedIn.com slash reach to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Let me get to the other topic is Zion. And you and I have discussed him and I've tried to paint him, try to lower some expectations.

there. But David Griffin comes out. And now what he said was, you know, anybody says he's not in shape, you know, but he didn't say what I've been saying, which is like, hey, he's got to lose some weight. Now, I've seen guys on TV say he's not going to lose weight. He's got to change his body type, you know, which, again, like we're all coding things up. But when you hurt your knee in college, no matter how freak it was, he did not look. And when you see him in person, you're like,

that dude looks like a football player, right? He just has a different build, which is what they're saying, and I agree with. But when you saw him get hurt in Summer League, he didn't look nearly as fit as he had previously. And though he's looked fit now, he's just, you know, to jump like that, it's the landing and the torque put on those knees. You know, we had a guy at Oklahoma State named Roy Canley. Roy Canley has since passed away. Big Roy, he was, he grew up in Louisiana and his, he was so big and so poor when he was a kid. Louisiana, that was very well done.

Yeah. So he, Shaq sent him shoes because he wore like a size 21, 22 shoe or whatever. And so Roy showed up on our campus out of junior college and he was 7172 gigantic hands. And he was like four bills, four bills. And coach was like, look, you can't, you're not. not getting onto a basketball floor until you're, I don't know, under 380 or 360 or something like that. I mean, he was just massive.

And it was always a fight and he never, I don't think you ever played a game when I was there and the next year at some point. That year he got, they found him like he was like sneaking Twinkies and stuff like that. It was funny, but he's passed away and so I don't want to get into it, right? But the point is that I almost feel like that's what the Pells should do. Just draw a line in the sand and go like, hey man, look, Blake didn't play his first year. Ben Simmons didn't play his first year. We want you to play.

But let's figure out a way in which you can get under, I mean, 260? I don't know. He's 6.5. He's 6.5. Right? 6'6 with shoes on. He's 6.5. So you've got to get him under, no matter how thick he is, you've got to completely change his diet and change some of his body and lighten him up.

Otherwise, it's just too much weight with how he jumps and plays. I get that. And I think that could alleviate some. of the problems, but the greater issue to me is something that you cannot change. And that's the foundation of his game, which is all explosive movement, lateral spinning, twisting. Like, there's, it's, it's dynamic and it's amazing and it's breathtaking. But I think about, like, he's built basically the way Charles Barkley was built. And Charles played with, a lot of weight. But Charles had a completely different game. His explosion was straightforward.

It was, it was, and he had, he had the ability to get himself in places on the floor and then explode over you or pass you with a step. With Zion, his game isn't as nuanced. And first of all, like, you know, Chuck could, Chuck, just because he could shoot from range and he had a mid-range step back, like, he could make you come up on you, and then he could just kind of blow by you almost on a straight line. Like, Zion doesn't have that. Everything that he has is, I'm spinning laterally and I'm going in different directions. And to me, that's where the torque comes in.

And, you know, short of saying, we're going to up your skill and we're going to. to like fundamentally change the way you attack the game. I think you're going to run into the same issues. It's a lot. Again, I think I mentioned it when we talked about it. Like, Derek Rose, because when he came in, like, just the straight up pull-up jump shooting wasn't quite there. Like, he needed all that dynamic spinning torque to do what he did.

I see Zion is just a bigger version than that. And, you know, I would dare say that one of the reasons, that Derek has, like, been able to kind of find his way the last couple years and stay healthy is because he has changed the way he attacks. He's become a little more methodical and straight line. And that's where, you know, everybody's kind of caught up in the weight and what kind of weight, the condition. And I just, I look at the fundamental way he plays and the body that he has.

And I'm thinking, man, that's like a vault on casters. Like, it's, it moves really fast. Moves in ways you would never expect something like that to move. And yet it's going to tip over at some point because it's just physics. It doesn't allow you to torque that way on ligaments. You can, you can strengthen everything as much as you want. Your joints can only take so much. So, Buk, I guess the question becomes.

if you're pointing out that this is the way he plays, regardless of the weight, I mean, at what point do you go, man, might have a lemon, right? Like, everyone's had that car that no matter how, even Lexus, even infinity, even, you know, you pick your supposedly best-made cars, there is one that somebody drives off the line,

like, you know, I don't know the brakes work here. I don't have the transition. Like, there has to be a legit fear that they have a lemon. Yeah. Yeah, and I mean, there should be great concern. And I understand why David Griffin would tamp down any of that or any talk of that because the number one pick, I mean, not just the number one pick. The only reason the pelicans are on opening night against the defending champions just because of Zion Williams, let's be honest. And he wasn't there. That's why they were there. Now, the one plus that they have is, I think they have a lot of depth. I think they have a lot of versatility. And there's plenty of reason why you wouldn't have to play Zion heavy minutes or a heavy role. You can find a way to incorporate him without having to overuse him.

And that's the way I would approach this season. I would be looking at, you know, and again, now you got the negotiation with him and his people, like, don't worry about rookie of the year. You know, we're going to play you 25 minutes a night, and we're going to put you an action that allows you to go to the rim but doesn't ask you to do, you know, too much and see if that, and meanwhile, try to develop the rest of his game. But I do think, like, with a car that you drive off the lot and it has issues,

like you need to immediately begin. You can't just, it'll work itself out. We just need to get the oil hot and let it run through the system and it'll be okay. It's like, no, you know what? We need to take a fundamental approach. We're just driving this car in town. We're not taking any long trips.

We're not taking any windy roads. We're going to keep it under 45 speed limit as much as we can and kind of coax this thing through the season. I think honestly, I think that's the approach you have to take until Zion gets to a point where his game becomes less physically dynamic, and he begins to be able to use the mental skills that he has. I do think that he sees the floor well. I do think that he's a – for all the hoopla,

he seems like a good kid who wants to play within the team confine, And so I think there's a way to get there, but they need to approach it with the idea that we're trying to extend the shelf life of this guy right from the start, which seems kind of crazy being a rookie and all that. But I think that's the way they have to approach it. Support for this podcast in the following message comes from American Express. With Amex Platinum, once-in-a-lifetime perks happen all the time. The high-end airport lounges that make layovers enjoyable. The dining perks that open doors to new restaurants. The 1,200 fine hotels and resorts properties with elevated benefits,

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Official rules at never going to give it up.com. No purchase necessary. Enter by February 27th, 2022, 17 plus 50 U.S., D.C. and PR. Last thing, is this the year the Sixers finally figured out? I'm still, I have my reservations. I just, if it's not this year, then they're in trouble because of, like, the Al Horford, the Al Horford signing to me is a lot of money for a guy who doesn't really solve your problem. And to me, it all comes down to Ben Simmons.

and what he is, and it's a little bit, I see a little too much of AD in him in terms of, is he that guy who's going to impose his will? And is he a guy who's going to take on the challenge every night? Ben Simmons has to be that. He can't be the nights where he defers or he decides, you know, my scoring's not there, whatever. And I believe Mbid is the best player on that team, but Ben Simmons is the guy who's going to have the ball in his hands. And I just don't see a way in which you win a championship when your point guard can't shoot. It sounds like an oversimplification. And Ben has a lot of other

things that are plus. But that is such a minus in today's game that all those other pluses, don't see them overcoming it. We can still have plenty of time to check out Houston we haven't discussed. Portland. You know, Denver is trying to do it in numbers and through Yokic. Of course, you want to see the more bucks. I'm not buying that. I'm not buying that.

Look, Toronto showed why I believe that people have undervalued who they are, because they learned so, they learned so much last year. They're going to win. Look, I don't know what they're going to be in the post season. that's where they're really going to miss Kauai. But there's going to be no situation that is uncomfortable for them. They know how to execute under pressure. That's going to win them a lot of games this year.

They just have an institutional knowledge of how to play in Latin. There's not going to be a situation that phases them. And meanwhile, you've got a lot of teams around the league that are, are going to be trying to figure it out and figure out how they want to play with the game on the line. And I think that's going to end up giving the Raptors a lot of wins against teams that we might look at and say on paper are actually better. The most fascinating, it's going to happen in two places, right? It's DeAngelo going to the Warriors a little bit, but to me, Kyrie playing for the Nets,

considering how the Nets have played. Like I don't know if this hasn't been This hasn't been discussed enough And you and I have both worked at At both at these places talking about And covering the NBA games But I haven't heard anybody on TV say like Do we not realize that here's a team

That was a pick and roll Total analytics Great Culture team And you bring in a guy who Yeah, he can play pick and roll But like Kyrie's an ISO guy And he is not an analytics guy He is not an at the rim.

He's an unbelievable finisher. He can make threes, but he's not like a pure analytics player. Like meshing those two styles and his personality with the, just the great feelings they had last year, I think that's going to be fascinating. Yeah. Well, and I was just, I was looking at the, the Las Vegas and first coach to be fired list.

And not, I think Kenny Atkinson did a great job last year. but he's got something that he has to figure out this year, and he wasn't on that list. Like, I was really interesting. And if you got, like, Terry Stotz is on the list, Quinn Snyder is on the list, I'm thinking, those guys don't have the same issues. They don't face the same issues,

and they've had actually more success and have a better relationship with their star players. And I'm not wishing anything on Atkinson. I don't think he's going to get fired. I think Brooklyn is smarter. I'm just saying if you're looking at coaches who are in difficult situations, Kenny Atkinson is certainly on that list. No question.

And it's one of those that I don't know if people understand what they're walking into. Maybe the talent is so, but they didn't win on talent last year, right? They won on culture and on analytics and they beat up on the teams. And catching by people. And catching people by surprise. Nobody was talking about Brooklyn at the beginning last year. go out the night before you're going to play the Brooklyn Nets? Yeah. It was, I mean, and, and for all that, they were 42 and 40. I mean, they were, they were a little bit like that Orlando Magic team,

the doc, you know, went 41 and 41, didn't make the playoffs on the last day of the season and got a coach of the year award for it. It's like, they were a nice team. They were greater than the sum of their parts because they didn't, you know, they didn't have any stars. The Angela Russell ended up being the all-star. Terris Lavert doesn't get hurt. He's probably the all-star. I mean, they got it from a multitude of places,

and that's what Boston thought they were going to have last year. And then Tyree upset that. So that dynamic is going to have to change this year, and I just think everything that made them what they were last year, you and I agree on this. Everything that made them what they were last year

goes out the window the second that you sign Kyrie Irving just by virtue, not intentionally, just by virtue of how he plays and the kind of player that he is. And the kind of person that he is, he wants to be, he, he so wants to be somebody who everybody likes and everybody respects and leads, and he just hasn't shown himself to be that guy, no matter how interesting his logic is as to why he wasn't how he, like his grandpa dying, whatever, like, yeah, but before your grandpa died, people didn't dig you in Cleveland, right? Like, it's kind of who you are, but maybe, maybe, you know, like all of us have hit situations that we learn from in our life and you allow a guy who's not old to evolve. If his grandfather, if that whole personal connection to Brooklyn makes him come to the team and say, you know what, I just want to be a, a word.

worker among workers, I want to make the nets great in honor of my grandfather, then I would say, okay, now you got something. But I haven't heard that. Like, it's one thing to have the emotional, personal story that sounds really good. And then there's one that turns it into something that is definitive and operative and affects how you approach your job. I haven't seen that, those dots connected. It's why he's in Brooklyn. It doesn't tell me he's going to play a certain way in Brooklyn.

And that is going to be the determining factor. Awesome. Appreciate you popping on the pod. Radio.com. You can get all of his audio stuff at Radio. com. Read his work at Bleacher Report. And, of course, see him on Fox Sports One and speak for yourself. And all undisputed, Colin Cowherd, all the different TV shows.

He's the one and only basketball stage, Rick Buecker. Beak great stuff. Great being with you, Doug. So look, that's kind of an early take. What we're going to do next week. This is kind of a lot of people do your basketball preview. I want to have everybody to see all these teams play. And then we'll have some guests on from who covered these teams and what they take.

Now, it's so different when you see a team actually play. In the meantime, you can always comment on the pod at Gottlieb shows the Twitter handle. We have the Facebook page for the Doug Gottlieb show. You can listen to Doug Gottlieb show 12 to 3 Pacific Coast time, 3 to 6 Eastern. Fox Sports Radio, Fox Sports Radio.com, IHeartRadio app, Sirius XM 217 or 203. In the meantime, enjoy the hoops. I know there's baseball, I know there's football, but this is a great place to just download, listen, don't subscribe, don't be afraid to rate us, review it.

It does actually help the podcast. In the meantime, hope you enjoyed the complete recap of the first. night in NBA hoops and get you ready for the NBA season. I'm Doug Gottlieb, and this is all ball. Teathing can be a real nightmare for your little ones. Highlands Natural's baby oral pain relief tablets can help ease the pain. It's gentle, natural active ingredients like chamomile and arnica, soothe your baby's mouth and gums. Made with ingredients derived from plant, minerals, and other sources, free of harsh chemicals. You can count on Highlands. For serious pain relief for your teething baby. Highlands is a kinder way to care for teething. Visit highlands.com

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