The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 05/09/2019

Episode Date: May 9, 2019

Colin says this Warriors season is not over without Durant and explains why.  He thinks Kyrie Irving just simply does not fit in Boston.  He compares the Lakers to a lottery winner that has no idea what to do with the money.  Plus, Chris Broussard explains why LeBron James and Kyrie Irving need each other now more than ever.  Presented by Perky Jerky. 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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Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this? Alliance last. Tell me what you know. Is somebody

coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to the best of Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on a loaded Thursday. The topic gods have granted us some gold bars.

This is The Herd, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We are live in Los Angeles on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me. Lakers dysfunction. K.D. could be gone forever. A Kyrie Irving, mass. It is great. It was quite a day in the NBA yesterday.

I mean, I could break down the baseball regular season. I'm going to pass on that today. I'm going to pass on that today, Joy. A lot going on. Let me start with this. This is a concept that even though we've seen it materialize, basketball fans struggle with this. I talk about this all the time.

The concept that you can lose your best player and actually get better. Maybe it's short-term, not long-term. But when you've got a KD and you've got a Kobe, we've all played basketball at the Y. You go into a gym, there's a great, great player. He's better than everybody else. And you stand around watching him, and you don't move as much, and you don't cut as much. And long-term, K-D and the Warriors are a better team. More ammo to their arsenal.

Short-term? I'm not so sure. When Kevin Durant's not playing, the Warriors aren't better. I'm not saying that. they are however different and their different is damn good they move more they cut more they're more fluid

they're more frenetic they stand around less draymond green is empowered they're 29 and 4 when katy doesn't and step does play don't tell me Houston's got this series and I would say Houston actually if you ask James Hardin who he would rather face.

He'd rather face the Warriors with KD. Because when KD plays and Warriors never been a great stamina guy, what's the knock on him forever? He melts down at the end of seasons. He looks tired. When KD leaves, did you watch the Steph offense running, cutting? Hardin was chasing him all fourth quarter. It's not that Hardin was off in the fourth quarter.

He was gassed. It's not that he was missing shots. Hell, he wasn't even taking them. He took three all quarter. He's averaged almost nine a quarter. He's averaged eight in the fourth quarter. He took three made two. The KD Warriors are more static and long-term they're better.

But Hardin and Chris Paul get your track shoes on because the Steph warriors are running all over the floor. They have to because they lose. a prolific score. They've got to make more screens. Cut harder. Pass better. Space better. Get the ball up the floor quicker. And I thought it turned hardened. It was a track meeting. He didn't want to be involved. He's never been a sprinter. He's never been a sprinter. And that's why this morning everybody's like, oh, it's over for Golden State. No, they're just different. We've got statistical analysis. With Kevin Durant, they're the best team in basketball. Without Kevin Durant, they won 73 games a title and came within a Kyrie Irving jump shot of winning a second team, second title.

So with or without KD, they've been great. They've been dominant. Seventy three wins without him. Steph wins without him. If not for a Kyrie jumper, they win twice and get 73 wins down. And then they add him and they're really great. But it's two different teams. Draymond is energized when Katie's off the floor. Feels like it's Steph and Draymond's team. You can feel the energy. He talks more. He's feistyer.

And this is a concept basketball fans struggle with. And the other reason Golden State's a dynasty and Houston's just really good because Golden State loses the best basketball player in the world. And they've got a two, Steph, and a three, Clay, and a four. Draymont and a five, Iggy, and a six, Looney. Championship teams have layers of excellence. Just like championship companies have layers of excellence. It's not just Alabama's defense.

It's not just Tom Brady. And the reason Houston is just good and not a dynasty is Katie leaves, Hardin struggles, and they're not the same team. If Hardin's not great, and they may win this series, but Hardin will have to be great. If Hardin isn't great, Houston's a good, good, good team. When Hardin's on, when Hardin's scoring, they can be amazing. But last night is why Houston's just a good team and the Warriors are a dynasty.

People forget how good, how good Michael Jordan's Bulls were. Scotty Pippin was a top 50 player. Dennis Rodman was the best rebounder ever. Ku-coach was the best European. Steve Kerr at the time was the best shooter in the league. Jim Paxson wasn't far behind. Ron Harper was a 25-point-of-game player who went to be a reserve. They had the best coach.

Golden States got layer after layer after layer. They were a better team, and I'm not saying long-term, but they're a different team and last night a better team than the second best team in the league without KD. Steve Kerr afterwards. Liverpool yesterday came out with just one of the great wins in soccer history. After the match, their manager, Yergen Klopp, said, our boys are fucking giants.

That's what he said. And I know how he feels. So I apologize to my mom, who is probably watching, but our guys are fucking giants. Like, that was an unbelievable victory tonight. It really was. And that's why they're a dynasty, and Houston's just really good. Houston.

Uh-oh. KD's out. We've got to switch up. Couldn't do it. Golden State lost the top guy. And for like seven minutes, you're like, I like this new style. It's actually kind of more fluid and fun.

That's the difference between the Utah Jazz and the Bulls. And the good Sonics and Blazers teams and the Bulls. And the Showtime Lakers and those really good Nick teams and those pretty good Indiana pacer teams, layers, second gear, third gear, fourth gear, bench, coach. That was impressive last night. Let me shift to this. Yeah, I was wrong on that Boston Celtic thing.

Yeah, Milwaukee's way better. Bench is better. Stronger, longer, taller, more passionate. Kyrie Irving thing never worked. Two years, didn't work. He doesn't fit with a coach. He didn't really fit with the roster. And here's another thing.

He doesn't really fit with the city. I always thought that mattered. Michael Jordan felt Chicago, city of big shoulders. Michael was big. Oprah was there. Siskel and Ebert. Industry leaders. There's no better fit in the history of basketball than Magic in L.A.

Glamour player, glamour city. Kyrie doesn't even feel like Boston. Larry Bird did tough, gritty clutch to lunch pail city. By the way, Kevin Garnett to me felt like Boston. Trash talker, frugal, tough, don't get in his face, intimidating. Paul Pierce, overachiever, gritty, played Dief. defense. Julian Edelman embodies. Tom Brady has a supermodel wife. He's a grinder watching tape. Kyrie just doesn't feel like Boston. We already know he doesn't fit with his coach. We already

know he doesn't fit with his roster. But I always thought it felt like Detroit's good teams in the NBA are tough because Detroit's tough. And the 70 Steelers, the Steeltown USA, they were tough. They may have had a glamorous quarterback. They won with defense. Dallas teams. always a little flashy with Aikman, Tony Romo, and Dack. I always feel there's a perfect harmony with the all-time great teams. They almost feel like their city. Kyrie doesn't feel like Boston. He's not into practice.

He's not a grounder. He's not into the community. He's an ISO guy. I don't know anybody anything. He's just an unbelievable basketball, brilliant solo act. He's very much acapello. I don't feel the harmony. Steph feels like Silicon Valley.

Duncan felt like the system. He felt like pop. He felt like family. Even after the loss last night, Kyrie just feels like he's just his own guy doing his own thing. And it just doesn't fit. In general, what kind of things are you looking for, I guess, in your life?

And what kind of things, kind of situations would be a positive situation that you want to be in when you're going to be honest I'm just trying to make it back to Boston first you know safely you get to see my family decompress you know do what humans beings do

Kyrie also has something I would call the number one pick syndrome John Wall's got it Kyrie's got it Blake Griffin had it Ivors and had it D-Rose once you're the number one pick you see yourselves as a one and the truth is Blake Griffin's not a one

he's a two John Wall's a two Kyrieza 2, Derek Rose a 2 Iverson is a 1 if he's willing to play well with others but when you're picked number 1 in the world to the world's best basketball league most

number 1 picks are not magic in LeBron. They've got all sorts of flaws. They'll develop emotionally and physically into a better player. But there's been a lot of number 1 picks who were really over skilled twos,

Wall, Kyrie, Rose, Blake, Iverson, and they all had the same dilemma, and it wasn't a lack of talent. They didn't play well with others. The number one pick syndrome. They see themselves elevated above everyone coming into the league. Forget once they're there. They see themselves from day one. I'm a number one pick.

Therefore, I have to be a number one guy. Kyrie's not. He doesn't have the personality for it. You could argue. he doesn't have the size for it. Historically, Steph Curry is a very unique scoring small point guard that wins a title.

I just don't feel like Kyrie fits here. I thought he would. I thought he was kind of the icing on the cake, the great closer. They had the coach, they had the cast, they had the closer. It just doesn't work. It's okay, by the way,

not the end of the world. He's got options. There'll be a lot of bidders. Not everybody works everywhere. Drew Breeze didn't work with the San Diego Chargers. He worked. Boy, Drew Breeze feels like New Orleans. That's okay.

Not everybody works everywhere. The first place you go is not always the best place you go. First marriage, not over as the best marriage. But I thought even after the game, sitting at the end of the bench, sort of indifferent. I was wrong. It just doesn't work. Good news is he's got a bunch of options. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m.

Pacific. Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio app. 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.

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in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant this plant to a billion dollar fraud.

But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth,

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 hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now.

Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WMBA standout, Kate Martin, and rising hockey star, Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that.

Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but. Don't ever feel like you don't feel on. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything.

Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. The Lakers who have been imploding for mostly every day since seemingly forever have become one big dysfunctional salad. Here's a couple of stories that broke yesterday. Number one, that Kurt and Linda Rambis overruled Jeannie Bus and the Bus family on hiring Tyron Liu. who we thought two days ago was a done deal. Here was the second one that came down yesterday.

The people close to Jeannie Bus are telling her to trade LeBron. Okay. I do believe, I talked to somebody close to LeBron last night, I do believe LeBron would demand a trade at different times in his career, but he won't now. He's in L.A., his wife, his kids, they like the community. He's got the homes. He's got the business.

He's got his family. I think there was a point in LeBron's. life. He would have just said, get me out of here. LeBron's got his rings. He's got his legacy. He's got his titles. He's got his money. He's got his brand. I think LeBron's really frustrated right now. But I've also been told that he and Rich Paul are just standing back. They're not imposing their will. And there's always a sense that LeBron's running everything. They're not imposing their will. They're sitting back and watching it happen. And what they're probably thinking is today, we should have imposed our will. they have not. The Lakers are starting to feel like, and this is weird because they've always had money,

they're starting to feel like a power ball winner. You ever seen those powerball winners where they don't even know how to spend the money? And all of a sudden they buy like six horses, a hovercraft, nine jet skis and a tiger to roam the backyard and four Winnebagoes. The Lakers literally, they land LeBron with their lump sum payment, the greatest free agent ever. And then they're like, all right, let's get Rondo. He can't shoot. I know. How about Lance Stevenson? He's He's weird. Yeah, I know. How about Javelle McGee?

He's an odd bird. Uh-huh. Well, what about Michael Beasley? He's trouble. It doesn't last anywhere. I know, but we got all this money. Let's have the Rambus family run everything. Let's have the people that really matter LeBron and the coach that really fits him Tilew.

Let's alienate him. They don't know what to do. They got that lump sum LeBron payment, and they've just made bad purchases ever since. Players that don't fit LeBron, guys that can't shoot. Kurt Rambas struggled as a coach. Now that families, and I know the Rambas family, I like them. But you cannot, one of the things about sports is nothing in sports is as corrosive as bad ownership. You can fire a coach, you can fire a GM, you can trade a player.

But the reason the Detroit Lions don't have a Super Bowl and the reason that Cleveland Browns don't have a Super Bowl and the reason the Bears should have more is they've historically had bad ownership. the Raiders in the last 10 years, not great ownership. You can't overcome it with draft picks. You can't. It all starts at the top. And right now, let's be honest about this. I've been saying this for five months and I get pushback living in Los Angeles.

This is worse than you think. It's just now all coming out. Like it is worse than you think. You know when a president leaves the White House and somebody writes a book and they're like, oh my, I know it was a little crazy. Oh, holy hell, it was really bad. They're going to write books about this White House. It's going to be worse than you think.

This is a mess. And I'll tell you what's really scary if you're LeBron. Monty Williams chose Phoenix. Let that bake. Phoenix is coaching purgatory. Monty Williams is talented. Chose Phoenix over the Lakers. We should have all seen this.

I should have seen this. Paul George chose Westbrook over LeBron. They had brands. we knew what they were. Kevin Durant, LeBron, are tight. Probably whispered in his ear. Tough to play with. I think LeBron would demand a trade at other times in his life. But now it's family.

Now it's a wife. Now it's his kids. Now it's their schools. We can all relate to that. Even rich people have the same. Tom Brady's worried about where his kids are going to school. LeBron James is worried about moving his kids around the country. I know you think, oh, he's rich.

It doesn't matter. Yeah, does it matter for Brady? It matters for Kobe. it matters for LeBron. You want your kids in the same school. You don't want them bouncing around the country. They've already sacrificed because you're a star if you're Kobe, you're Brady, you're LeBron. I don't think he's going to demand a trade. But I think now we all thought that LeBron and the Lakers were these two massive well-run brands. I think the Lakers now hurt LeBron. And I think deep down, if he didn't have the rings the title, the net worth, and the businesses, he'd be freaking out. I think now he's just discouraged, disappointed, disillusioned. But I don't think he'll

They'll demand a trade. But this, they'll write books about this Laker team in this White House down the road. This is just the stuff that's getting out. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. All right. Chris Broussard, former New York Times, odd couple Fox Sports Radio. What a topic God. Topic gods today gave us all sorts of stuff, Chris. All right.

Let's start with that. Let's get the Laker thing out of the way here. I don't want to go too Laker crazy on this, but ties out what's next? Well, I mean, you see the names out there. Jason Kidd, who they wanted to be on this staff, could end up being the guy. I think that would probably be LeBron's choice at this point. By the way, Milwaukee got significantly better when he left. Yeah, yeah, no question about that.

Lionel Hollins. I love Lionel Hollins. I love his style of coaching, which is I'm the boss. He's tough. Right, and I like that. And he had great success. in Memphis, it'd be interesting. I don't know, it'd be interesting to see how that worked with

LeBron. Frank Vogel, I think, is a good coach, not for LeBron. I don't think he'd get LeBron's respect. Woodson, Mike Woodson, would be, you know, he'd be pretty good, too. So... Let me throw this at you. The story that Rambuses are suggesting to Jeannie trade LeBron and get

a cachet of gifts. What do you make of that? You ain't getting a cashier of gifts. That's the problem. First of all, if you trade... LeBron wants to be in L.A. He came here. One reason was basketball, another reason was family, another reason was business. If he gets traded somewhere else, the other team's got to be like, he's not going to be happy.

And we've seen LeBron Salk. So if you trade him somewhere, that's the first, there's four reasons you're not getting anything. And I was just talking to a GM this morning about it. One, is he going to want to be there? And if he's not, you got a problem. Two, the perception. Now, LeBron and his guys will tell you the reality is different. The perception is that he takes over the franchise.

A GM doesn't want that. Third, expectations become championship robust. If you don't win the championship or get to the finals, you might lose your job as a GM. What GM wants that? Fourth, whether this is true or not, a lot of executives think LeBron is falling off. He's still great, still top five, but not the guy that no matter what you have around you is carrying you. to the final. Okay, I'm going to throw a team at you and just give me a minute on this.

If Sixers lose tonight, you've got to blow some stuff up. I'm Jeannie Bus. Lonzo and LeBron. You go to Philly. We get Simmons, who Philadelphia doesn't fit, and I think there's Elton Brand already suggested trading him. Right. You give us Butler, you give us Simmons,

we'll give you LeBron, and Butler, well, you can't trade him because he's a free agent. Do a sign and trade. But if you tell me Butler Simmons for LeBron and Lanzo, I got my point. I don't even know if it's that, well, look, I'm just throwing it out there. I think there are two teams that it might make sense to trade for LeBron. One is Boston.

Because, Danny, they're a great historic franchise that I don't think LeBron would frown on being a part of. And Danny Aege is like, let's win all in. Let's win, okay? And I think LeBron could go there. So I think that makes some sense. The second one is Philadelphia. Now, you'd have to work it out with clutch. Ben Simmons is a clutch client with Rich Paul.

So they all have to be involved. Are they all happy with this? But I like LeBron and Philly with M.B. No question. Hey, Simmons and LeBron are interesting trade pieces. I was saying last summer, if LeBron, if it's just about winning, where can I go and stack more rings, go to Philadelphia.

I know it was about other stuff and there's no problem with that lifestyle stuff. That's fine. But if it's just about basketball, you should have went to Philly. Here's another one. Your guy, Embed, because of the health concerns.

What about him to the Lakers for LeBron? Yeah, but then Simmons and LeBron have a similar style game. Yeah, but look, if I have LeBron and Butler and Tobias, I'm competitive in these. But I like your Simmons-Lebron. Because right now, LA's disappointed. Philadelphia is kind of a mess if they lose tonight,

and they get all sorts of players. Philadelphia is the one. I don't want Butler in that if I'm the Lakers. Because I don't want to give you my franchise. All right. Chris Brouss are joining us. So last night, Charles Barkley's like, it's over. You know, Golden State can't win.

And my takeaway is we have data here. 29 and 4, the Warriors when Katie's out and Steph can play. Now, I don't think they'll win in Houston. But I actually think they'd win. the Warriors would win a game seven without KD and Golden State. Look, I'm glad you're saying this because I've wondered, am I the only person on the planet that understands that Kevin Durant was a luxury, not a necessity?

All right. The Warriors did not need Kevin Durant to win championships. They already won one. Or 73 games. They won 73. They beat a, and I'm going to say it, great OKC team. That OKC team with KD and Russ was great. They should have beat the war.

They had them 3-1. I don't know if they were to beat Cleveland or not, but they beat them. And then, with all due respect to LeBron, Kyrie, the Cavaliers, most people feel like if Drayman's not suspended for game five, Golden State wins that series. Yes. So they could have been two-time-definite champion. And 73 wins. Yes.

What happened with, this is what's happened. Katie goes there to Golden State. And over time, Steph, Clay, all these people, they see, he's the best. player. Like, he's by far. As great as Steph is, KD's the best player on that team. And they see it. And over time, they naturally began to defer to him. And so they're still good enough to win titles, but you see it's not as smooth and free flowing as it used to be. And last night, soon as he's gone, Steph takes over. Oh. I'm KD reminded us. I'm Kevin Durant. He reminded you, I'm Steph Curry. And also, they're more fluid. Hardin's running around the floor chasing him. I want to, I

I want to discuss Hardin what happened. What's happened to Chris Paul, who rarely looks at the basket. All right, we talked about the Lakers situation and the Warriors we both think could win this series without KD. It'd be harder, long term without him, but short term, they're different. And I think what I saw last night, Hardin, it wasn't that he was bad. He shot three times and made two. I think the Warriors without KD are a nightmare for Hardin because little skinny steps running around the floor and coming off cuts And Hardin's always been like a stamina concern.

It's chasing Steph around and Clay around. And I'd have Harden looked gassed. No, that makes some sense because there's going to be a lot more player movement. And your defense is going to have to work a lot harder without KD. Oh, way harder. That's a great point. Two things about Houston and why I feel confident Golden State will still win the series. One, I just like Golden State even without KD.

They're 29 and 4 without KD the last three years. Okay, Steph and Clay's numbers both go up. But beyond that, Houston, Chris Paul. What's happened? I don't know if it's age or if it's the system fit. Because he's basically a two guard. And he's not a great two guard. He's a point guard.

Eric Gordon is better this morning. Eric Gordon is the second guy. No question. And PJ Tucker's playing a more valuable role. The last three games, Chris is averaging 13.6 assists on 33% shooting. This is his moment after getting hurt last year. So I don't know if it's that or if it's just. Remember, we've seen him struggle at big moments in the playoff.

So let's see what I got questions about what he's going to do. And then Harden, to your point, he wasn't playing badly. I'm talking about the last seven minutes. No, no, he wasn't bad. And they were getting decent shots. Eric Gordon hit a couple big shots. Hardin made a nice pass to Capella. But here's what shocked me.

And this is why I'm concerned about the Rockets. Hardin was not on the ball most of those last seven minutes. There were times Eric Gordon brought the ball up twice with both Harden and CP3 on the floor. The ball was in CB3's hands at times. The way they've played the entire season, the entire playoffs, the entire first 44 minutes or whatever it was, 42 minutes, was hard in handling the ball, doing everything.

And then the last seven minutes, he's not handling it. What's going on? Is that Hardin going to Gordon saying, dude, I'm going to let you bring the ball up, because I got to chase Steph. Like I think Hardin. Is it that or is it him running from the walk, running away from the moment? I don't know.

But it's something to watch for and something that makes me think of all those big moments where Hardin hasn't delivered. I've always been a Chris Paul fan. Last night it was he could have taken him off the floor. Generally, he was star basketball players. When Kyrie's on the floor, Yonis on the floor, Kauai, you can just see the star. Like LeBron never disappears. last net, I'm like, is Chris Paul on the floor? He was just another player.

He was just, and by the way, shooting 33%. Okay, so we've addressed those two things. Let's move into this. I said, Kyrie doesn't fit the coach. He doesn't appear to fit the roster perfectly. He doesn't even feel like Boston. He's kind of a

you know, I always felt Kevin Garnett was kind of a tough guy, was kind of a trash talker, had an edge to him. That's Boston. Boston's angry when it wakes up on a sunny day. There's a chip. Edelman feels like Tom Brady's a grinder.

Havelchek. There's guys that work. Paul Pierce felt Boston to me. See, I would say Pierce wasn't Boston either. But Pierce played defense. Pierce plays defense. Pierce would get near faith. Pierce says, I want to guard Kobe. Boston's tough. Not always talented but tough. Kurt Schilling felt like

Boston. Angry, tough. Is Brady tough? He's a grinder. He's a grinder. He's a grinder. Boston likes work. I look at Kyrie and I'm like, you know what, Kyrie's great. Boston's awesome. It just wasn't destined to work.

He didn't feel like Boston. He doesn't feel like Brad Stevens. It's okay. Let me see. I just want to say this. And Kyrie deserves a lot of criticism. No question. But why is Brad Stevens getting a pass?

Brad Stevens, who was crowned as the next Greg Popovich. In fact, as Greg Popovich. Right. He was right. He had a bad year. Look, every coach in the league knows the X's and O's. And you got little engine that could coaches in the NBA, some of them. And that's what he is.

Now, the question is, can he coach the Rolls Royces? Because if you want to win championships, you need a coach who can coach the Rolls Royces. It's funny about that. For a lot of fans that have never seen Greg Popovich in person, he's overpowering. He's huge. The head, the beard. He's like 6'6. He's loud. He's intimidating.

Popovich looks like a former NBA player. When you see him walk off the bus, I've been there in Portland, watch him walk off the bus. He just looks like an old NBA player. Stevens looks like an accountant. There's something to be said about that. Like Brad's always like that meek, nice, went to Butler guy. There is a possibility that stars look at him and think college coach.

B players like him, but A guys are like college coach. Right. When you have guys that are just trying to show that they belong in the league, or trying to, you know, win that next contract. They're going to do whatever it takes. And that's what he had at Butler. And that's what he has had until Kyrie. Even Isaiah Thomas was a six-man chip on his shoulder.

He was of that mold. And now you got you a Mercedes-Benz in Kyrie, and you couldn't make it work. So you have to be able to manage egos, bring them together. I've been told that Brad doesn't like confrontation. And Kyrie kind of, that's one reason Kyrie was out. kind of talking and bringing stuff into the media because Brad wasn't going to really address it. Yeah, Dan, Tony doesn't like confrontation either.

No, he doesn't. And so Brad, Steve, I'm not saying firing him. He's a very good coach. But I'm just saying he should not get a pass on this. Now regarding Kyrie, and I'm going to tie it back to LeBron. If I'm LeBron James, I want to stay in L.A., so I'm not asking for a trade. Go all in on getting Kyrie back with you. Lakers?

That's what he should do. No, this week. We said this this morning. Go see Kyrie this, like soon, whenever Kyrie's ready, but he winds down. And I know it would look humbling of Kyrie, like he's going back to his leader. You, if you're LeBron, you've got to get the narrative out there. No, I need Kyrie just as much as he needs me. My favorite band of all time is the Eagles.

They fought the entire time. They were together records. They separated. They had some success individually. Then they got back together and they were great. They fought the entire time. This idea that every marriage is just hand in hand, I've been married in relationships. I've been in relationship.

Arguing is okay. The Eagles argued. It's a great band. Not everybody's you two and all buddy. Shaq and Kobe fought. Phil Jackson. The bottom line is LeBron and Kyrie worked. Now they broke up like the Eagles.

They did have some success. But they worked together. One guy is a true A and controls the ball. The other guy is an overskilled two who doesn't want the media. LeBron's great with the media. Like, Kyrie just wants the ball. He doesn't want the responsibility running the team. Scotty Pippin, I covered him.

Scotty didn't like the media. Scotty didn't like the responsibility. He was a super talented too. Michael, it's all the way he dressed. Michael loved the podium. Michael loved the moment. Michael liked the media. Michael loved being a one.

Kobe loved being a one. Kyrie's good enough, but he's a two. What's wrong with going down in history as Scotty Pippin? that's what Kyrie, and even more so, because he hit the biggest shot, arguably the biggest shot, one of the biggest shots in NBA history. If I can't get Kyrie, and LeBron's got to find out relatively quickly, you know, you got time, but from Kyrie, okay, can you, will you come? Then I'm all in on Kimball Walker, if I'm him.

I don't think he's getting KD. I don't think he's getting K-D. I don't think he's getting Kau. Unless they know something we don't know, then don't even bother with them. You have to show Kyrie, you're my first choice. And then if you can't get him, show Kimba. I'm all in on you because I got to ask, as much as I love Kyrie Irving, his game is phenomenal, best handle ever clutch player.

If he had not teamed up with LeBron, how much more would we think of him than Kimba Walker? We might think of him like Kimba Walker. That's a good point. All-Star team every year. Team loses, doesn't make the playoffs. You go out in the first run. Yukon, Duke, both great college star. Yeah.

So Kimba might be, we've seen signs that Kimba. would play well in the clutch. This is good point. So, but, and then I'm Marcus Morris, Bogdanovich, some shooters. I'm hoping the rambuses are listening. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

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. 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 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 Slicalife-Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness.

So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets. meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant, this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds,

just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. 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

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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,

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professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout, Kate Martin and Rising Hockey, star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you,

but don't ever feel like you don't feel like you don't feel on. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale,

like being able to fail in front of the entire, entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Katie's injury, Kyrie's meltdown.

I think, you know, the psychology, NBA dynasties are unlike NFL dynasties. dynasties tend to last a little longer. And when they end, it's usually because of free agency. NFL doesn't pay the guys like the NBA does. NFL guys are like, hey, I'm going to get paid. And NFL guys will peel off a really good team and say, I want to get paid. NBA guys make a lot of money. Their dynasties usually end because of, you know, some ego, a little injury.

So it's all different. But I see the KD stuff. I see the Kyrie stuff. And I started thinking about all the crazy things that could happen between now and July 1st when free agency starts. So I'm going to take you through what I would, if you're telling me ideally, and I know how you think, Colin, you love big markets. I like traditional powers being good.

I like stars moving to great teams. So it's time to travel into the future. Let's jump into the herd hot tub time machine. Roads, when we're going, we don't need roads. The herd tub time machine. Okay, let's travel forward. the ping pong lottery this Tuesday, May 14th, the night of the NBA lottery. The Knicks, and they've got 14.5% chance win the NBA lottery.

There's only two other teams that have a chance the Knicks do. So they win the lottery. That's very exciting. Now let's travel forward to June 16th. Game 7 NBA finals. The Warriors get there without KD. They beat the bucks in an epic series. This is my wildest fantasy.

It's a great series. And now KD. Not there. Warriors went again without him. Steph's team. It's in KD's head. Let's travel now to June 20th. Night of the NBA draft, Nick Select,

the most profound college player, have seen in 15 years, Zion Williamson from Duke. Fascinating. Nice picture. Where to go, graphic department? That's good. That's going to look amazing. And Adam Silver, by the way, is tall. So that's really amazing. So now we travel to July 1st. First, every agency. Kevin Durant signs with the next. So this is what you want.

Kevin Durant, I'm saying for fantasy. Kevin Durant signs with the Knicks. He and Zion are together. Kyrie doesn't go to the Knicks. LeBron talks him back in to playing together, like the Eagles. Band breaks up. They get back together. The Lakers are now relevant.

I don't want to see LeBron Peter out and do nothing for four years. That's not good for the league. It's not any fun. I like watching LeBron play. LeBron and Kyrie are now together, by the way. They don't have to give up anything, Joy. They got Kuzma. they got Lonzo, they got Brandon Ingram, they got Josh Hart.

So they don't have to give up anything. Right. Okay. So now the Lakers, that's a real team. We wouldn't deny that now. They're a real team. Celtics, knowing they have to get through Janus and Kyrie has left them, trade for Anthony Davis. Because Boston's sitting there thinking, okay, Janus is the future of the East.

If we don't combat him, we have no chance. If you watch that series, Milwaukee was just bigger and stronger. So Anthony Davis, and they've got the pieces to get him, goes to the Celtics. So the Celtics now are Anthony Davis, Jalen Brown, probably Gordon Hayward, Jason Tatum's gone. They're still good. Kauai Leonard, at the last second, hard to protect, goes to the Clippers. A playoff team that won two games over the Warriors. Steve Ballmer, Jerry West, Doc Rivers.

They bring in, it's a really interesting team. he's their silent assassin star The Clippers now have a real rivalry in L.A. with LeBron and Kyrie. Now, Jimmy Butler, Philadelphia, a lot of pieces. He signs with the Knicks. Oh. So I get Durant's, you're one,

Butler's, you're very talented two, and the kid phenom, Zion, not Kyrie. I don't think that's the best fit. I want more size and athleticism. in the east. How did Kyrie look against the bucks? If you want to get past Milwaukee,

you better have size. Butler's 6-6-6-11, Zion 6-6-1-5, and powerful. So the Knicks and the Lakers and the Clippers and the Celtics, Zion, now we return back to today, Thursday, May 9th.

Not nearly as interesting. Well, still very interesting day, but. By the way, Nick Wright had some good stuff. on first thing first this morning. I got to play this bite. Nick has this sourced, laid out how the Lakers botched the Ty Lou higher. Listen to this. The reason he was not offered the job a week ago is Jeannie, as had been reported, was worried about the optics, worried that it would look like LeBron was in charge. Jeannie then had dinner

with Magic, and Magic told her, you cannot worry about the optics. It is about maximizing the time with LeBron. Ty is a good coach. LeBron will respond. to Ty, go with him. And then Linda and Kurt Rambus stepped in. Linda and Kurt Rambis, and this is what I'm reporting, slowed this whole thing down and said if you're going to hire Ty, you need to make some demands. Do not offer him more than three years. And when Ty asked directly, why are you offering me a three-year deal when Luke got a five-year deal? He was told, matter of factly, we are hiring you to coach LeBron more than we are hiring you to coach the Lakers. LeBron has three years left on his contract and at that point, Tailu said, I don't need this and walked away. The Lakers tried to

spin it like they walked away. That has now been roundly refuted. Good stuff by Nick. Also, and I think you and I talked about this, I was told, and Arash Marcosi confirmed this today. I was told Luke went to the Lakers and said, I'm out. That was not him getting fired. Yeah, it was a mutual separation. And Arash Marcos, the L.A. Times came on today and confirmed what I had been told. So I trusted my source. But, you know, this idea, Luke fired, Ty get out of here. It didn't end the way it's working in Lagerland. 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. In every episode, we're cutting through the

noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. 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 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward.

At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world, like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman.

Multimillion dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. on Humor Me with Robert Smygel and Friends,

me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L'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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Thank you.