The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for Dec 20, 2019

Episode Date: December 20, 2019

 Colin explains why the Bucks beating the Lakers means absolutely nothing. He doesn't understand why Carson Wentz still gets no respect despite winning with almost no healthy receivers. He thinks the Patriots are better than anyone is giving them credit for. FS1 NBA Analyst Chris Broussard discusses the Lakers and what could be the issue in the playoffs for the Clippers. Plus, Jason McIntyre gives Colin tomorrow's headlines today with a special holiday theme Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. you just understood.

That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to her. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs.

This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game 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 SportsRadio.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 an absolutely packed Friday. What a big weekend. It will be a football. This live in Los Angeles is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening.

I'm on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. One hour from now, blazing five over five. over 500 games now. A couple of teams may be quitting. Other teams are energized like Kansas City. Blazing five in one hour. We are packed today. Jammed today. Albert Brear, Eric Dickerson, Chris Broussard, Joel Klatte, Jason McIntyre, and Joy Taylor joining me. Joy, how are you? I'm great. I'm very excited for this weekend. Very excited. NFL games tomorrow. Let's start the day talking about the NBA. We may have I have seen the four best teams in the NBA play last night. I'll get to the Clippers and the Rockets after the break.

Let's start with Milwaukee at home, beats the Laker. Everybody's freaking out, past the torch. Time out, time out, time out, time out, time out. Milwaukee's one of those very young, talented teams that doesn't have a title. And so these national TV games against the big villain, LeBron James, means so much to them. This is the Derek Rose Bulls team, the 2015 Hawks, last year's Denver team, regular season games for teams that haven't won a title, at home, small market Milwaukee, big villain Los Angeles.

You watch the first eight minute to that game. Milwaukee treated that like the prize fight of the year. Folks, all I care about is the playoffs, and the playoffs are different. Number one, in the playoffs, teams are equally rested. Lakers were playing the last game of a five-game road trip. Aren't you tired after 12 days on the road? Lakers did not look energized. They didn't bring their passion until later,

and by that time, at halftime, it felt like it was about 75% over. Secondly, when the playoffs happened, we all know stars get the calls. They do, so don't whine about it when it happens. Stars elevate and roll guys, supporting cast guys, like Chris Middleton shrink. Last year, Chris Middleton's field goal percentage,

three-point percentage, and points all went down. He was hot and cold. Don't take too much from this. LeBron's played in games that matter, that 20 million people are watching. Last night, it was probably 2.5 million people watched in Milwaukee. That's the biggest sporting event, not called the Packers in Milwaukee that's happened in years.

It felt huge, and Milwaukee came out, swinging and landing punches and they were hot, and it won't look anything like a finals where the Lakers would not be on the last game of a road trip. In fact, I was actually impressed with the Lakers two or three times last night. They made charges and came back. They could have mailed it in. They had a great road trip. They could have mailed it in.

They did not. They kept chopping away, chopping the wood. They got close. In Milwaukee, it was their night. They got to a huge lead. Ask yourself this. in May, NBA playoff basketball. These games are close, right?

Who do you trust to hit a big shot for the Lakers? LeBron can hit him. Anthony Davils will hit him, and I trust Danny Green because I've seen him do it in Toronto and I've seen him do it in San Antonio. Three guys. Who do you trust for Milwaukee in June? Janus.

You don't trust Chris Middleton? I saw Chris Middleton last year. He wasn't a prize recruit. He wasn't a dominant college player. very nice number three or four in a championship team. I like him. I don't trust him. I trust three different Lakers, LeBron, A.D. and Danny Green, because I've seen two of them do it.

And I know Anthony Davis can deliver in the postseason because he's a remarkable player. He's probably the number two or three player in the league right now. Folks, the number one seed in the east in the last, let me look this up, 16 years. Only three times in the last 16 years has the number one seed in the east got to the finals. Two of those are LeBron. It was just an awesome fun night in Milwaukee. It was a great day in Milwaukee. Didn't the Brewers pick up a first baseman?

And the Packers, you know, they're first in their division, right? And Milwaukee beats the vaunted Lakers who stole Lou Alcinders years ago. We hate those guys. But in the end, Milwaukee right now in the NBA, is nothing more than a cool story. Do you know Milwaukee's never Yonis has never beaten a healthy functional roster in the playoffs? He beat Detroit last year for his first

playoff series win. That didn't have Blake Griffin. Oh, by the way, they were below 500. And then he beat Boston, which is highly dysfunctional last year. I don't know if you've noticed they're way better since Kyrie Irving went to Brooklyn. They're a great story. He's a great kid. He's totally relatable. This game meant nothing.

Here's Yonis afterwards. I'm supposed to be here. I wasn't the number of my picks. AD was, you know, like the brand was, like I didn't supposed to be here. I didn't supposed to, you know, go against these two beasts. So I'm just happy that, you know, I'm here. I'm happy that I'm going through the process and I'm always want to, you know, be better, do better for my team.

And that's what gives me joy. You should be joyful this morning, but it's just joyful this morning. It doesn't have, it's December. It doesn't, no passing torches, it doesn't mean anything. I'll get to the rockets and the clippers. Clippers melted down last night. Troubling sign, I'll get to that in a second. But I'm going to be incredibly unbearable Monday.

If Carson Wentz, throwing to lawn chairs and deck furniture, beats the Cowboys who are totally healthy. I'm going to be unbelievably unbearable. It's just, you don't even, it'll be awful for a cowboy fans. I just put on earmuffs or something. Because if Carson Wentz can win this weekend, there's this weird anti-Carsson Wins thing in the NFL. For the record, with all these great quarterbacks,

and there's a bunch of them right now. New guys, old guys, he's seventh in the NFL and passing touchdowns. No, I'm not joking. He's seventh. We got Mahomes. We got Lamar. We got Russell Wilson. We got Deshawn.

We got Aaron Rogers. He's seventh. And they have no receivers. He's seventh. He's saving them. And yet Michael Irvin yesterday. has to talk about Dak and Wence. They're going to meet this weekend.

Takes another little shot at Carson Wents. Listen. I do like both of those quarterbacks. You know, Dak has way more wins right now. I was studying that the other day than Carson Winson. And I love that. I love him for what he does on the football field. But even more than that, his leadership,

the team loves playing for him. When you can get the quarterback to be the heart and soul of a team, you got a great thing because you have all the guys wanting to play for the leader of the team. I've heard rumbling that's not the situation with Carson Wentz when Nick Foz was there. And I think that hurts the quarterback

if that is the perceived perception in the locker room. I'm just a subtle shot at Carson Wentz. I know that DAC has a better record against Carson Wentz when they've played, but it should be noted in those Cowboy Eagle game, Wence has 11 touchdowns, two picks. Dax's

got eight touchdown, seven picks with a better offensive line. It's funny about Carson Wentz. It's amazing we do this in the NFL. We just pick people we just don't love. For whatever reason, you guys couldn't put your arms around Andrew Luck. You just couldn't. You make a million excuses for Aaron Rogers. You didn't like Andrew Luck and you don't like Carson Wentz. So in 2017, the year the Eagles, they go to the Super Bowl. He's the leading MVP candidate that are 11 and 2 when he gets hurt. He's a monster. Seriously, he was like Mahomes. He was a monster. He gets hurt.

Nick Foles takes over. Nick is then awful against the Cowboys, awful against the Raiders. But he has home field, thanks to Carson Wentz. He is not very good against Atlanta. Julio Jones doesn't catch a ball. He would 95 out of 100 times. They beat Atlanta. Following week, they get Minnesota off the Minnesota Miracle.

The Vikings are emotionally, totally flat. And then they get to a Super Bowl, and Foles plays his butt off and deserves credit. But everybody in the world got credit for that win in Philadelphia. Doug Peterson, the coach, got a coach. book. Nick Foles got a statue. Lane Johnson got famous. The city got a ticker tape parade. Philadelphia fans got more obnoxious. The owner got more net worth. Carson Wentz was hurt, got no credit. The following year he comes back off the torn ACL. And this is the year I'm told he lost the locker room. Okay. He lost the locker room. That's interesting. His passer rating

1M is completion percentage yards per game, all career highs, 21 TD, 7,000. and 11 games, and he lost the locker room. I would hope my quarterback delivers those kind of numbers as he's losing the locker room. I don't know what it is. Aaron Rogers, you guys make a dozen excuses for. Deshawn Watson, I like him, but what's his signature win? Frankly, a lot of disappointment in the playoffs.

Baker Mayfield, it's Freddie Kitchen's fault. Not to you Jackson's fault. It's everybody's fault, but Baker. But Andrew Luck and Carson Wentz, you just don't want to put your arms around him, add any context to anything. The closest thing to Patrick Mahomes in this league is a thrower is Carson Wentz. That's the closest thing to Patrick Mahomes. I think Mahomes has a little more wizardry and a little stronger arm. It's not that much stronger.

Carson Wentz this weekend is down to backup running backs, a series of tied ends. a guy that played for something called the San Antonio, what was it, Commodores or something? Commanders, my bad on that. Can't believe I whiffed on that. Commodores, commanders, what's it matter? And yet, it's a two-point game according to Vegas. And it's only a two-point game

because everybody's beat up for Philly and nobody's beat up for Dallas. And the only reason, it's a two-point spread as Carson wins. And if he wins, I am going to be unbearable on Monday. I'm going to get I'm going to get my highest rating ever in Philadelphia because I am going to, I am going to I don't know what I'm going to do.

I don't even know. I don't even know Sunday night what I'm going to do if Dallas loses. You better win Dallas. Like Michael Irvin said, yeah, wince guys, no good in the locker room. Everybody got credit for that Super Bowl, except the guy that got him home field.

The guy that was 11 and 2 got hurt was the MVP. Everybody got credit except that guy. Coach got a book. Nick Foll's got a statue. Nick Foll's got a contract. Lane Johnson got famous. You got a parade. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeard Radio app. 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 in 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 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, Keir 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 Hardway, and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations

about all kinds of stuff, like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, Hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What?

Come out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows.

Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us

on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get to fly. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that, I said.

You figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So the Rockets last night lost to Houston. Again, it's a regular season game. It's not the end of the world.

I don't really care about the result. Westbrook played well. I know all you fan boys out there love that. You'll go crazy. That's fine. What does worry me, though, are things in the regular season that can stick for several months. Like an injury. If Kauai Leonard really actually wink, wink, got hurt and was out in May, that sticks.

But there is something emotionally about the Clippers, and I think they're a little bit fragile. The Clippers this year, everybody's talking about. you know, this is the year, right? So last night was the classic Clippers big game. Had a lead playing well. Something goes wrong and they completely unravel. And that's my number one concern about the Clippers. It's not their coaching. It's not their talent. It's not their depth. It's not their effort. That's not the issue. It's not their owner. It's not their GM. It's this. The burden of being the favorite. It's much easier to be Toronto last year. We're up in Canada. We got swept the year before.

Nobody thinks were anything. Everybody's rolling their eyes. We're underdogs in games. And the Warriors fall apart. That's much easier than, yeah, I mean, you got Kauai. You can give them the whole regular season off because it's all about the ring. Okay, the Cubs had a lot of all-stars and a lot of good teams for years. And the Red Sox had a lot of teams that were better than the Yankees for years.

And the L.A. Chargers were 14 and 2 at home with 10 pro bowlers and lost to the Patriots in San Diego. It's a big difference pursuing Raptors last year and being pursued. And outside of Kauai, I mean, they bent the knee for Kauai. They basically said, take as many games off as you want. It's all about the ring. So everybody in the room with the Chargers knows it is all about the ring. I mean, I've never seen a team that has never done anything really notable in the regular season, not care about it. It is all about the ring.

It is all about the title. Getting our own building, changing the pair of. I'm in Los Angeles. And ask yourself, the Lakers have multiple people who have been in finals games. Quinn Cook, LeBron James, Rondo, Danny Green, Javelle, McGee, Dwight Howard, and frankly, the Lakers themselves. Clippers? Not really. Kauai.

That's it. Paul George has struggled in big games. I like him, but he struggled. So last night, a little bit goes wrong, and they just find ways to lose and find ways to unravel. And this is what I've said. There's nothing I doubt with the Clippers. I love them organizationally.

I think the world of them. But, you know, it's like they could still win. I mean, Philadelphia, the Philly Special did beat New England. Philadelphia had been known for losing big games, not winning them. And the Cubs didn't win a World Series and the Red Sox have won a couple. Chargers still haven't. But there is a difference between, oh, this team is built solely for the championship. For the record, LeBron's O has been built for.

that too. But LeBron's been there before and he's played as a favorite. This is what separated Tiger Woods from every golfer I've ever seen. Tiger Woods would go into Sunday with a lead and he played like he was chasing, not being chased. I think only once he's lost a Sunday lead. Greg Norman's a great golfer. Dustin Johnson's a great golfer. Rory McElroy's a great golfer. I've seen them go into leads on Sunday and panic because they're not used to being the favorite. Tiger often played better on Sunday with a lead. LeBron, I always think, plays better as the favorite. So I thought last night was a little troubling.

Doc Rivers figured it out very quickly, sent a message to his team. I thought we had a chance to knock them out, and we didn't. And then I thought in the fourth quarter, it was more our composure. I thought we just lost our composure overall as a team. You know, it happens, but it shouldn't, and it's a good learning lesson for us. Yeah, Rockets were looser, more aggressive.

I thought they played smarter, and they played like a franchise that had been in some of these big games, you know, with Golden State. They played like, oh, we've been in this big game before. We've been in these intense games before, and the Clippers unraveled. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. New England plays Buffalo tomorrow, and it's just, it's funny how it's worked. Josh Allen's a very good quarterback for Buffalo. excellent young player, but he and Sam Darnold, if you just took out their New England games against Belichick, would have really impressive numbers. New England's defense has

eaten Josh Allen alive, under 50% completion percentage. Now, we know that New England is struggling, right? We know offensively Brady now. In fact, I saw a stat this morning. He's completed fewer than 60% of his passes in five straight games. That is so not Tom Brady. But going to go to number again. The high-power chiefs have scored 394 points this year. The Patriots have scored 372. The Patriots are still bizarrely competent. They've got a better defense than Kansas City. They're point differential. New England is better than Kansas City. You know, New England's got this Donald Trump feel to them. They're on top. They're really annoying. We question their character. But you look at the challengers and you're like, maybe Biden, maybe Baltimore.

if the AFC playoffs started today. If the AFC playoffs started today. So the Patriots and the Ravens would have a buy. Okay, then I think Kansas City at home beats sort of a choppy Pittsburgh offense. I think I would take Houston at home over Buffalo, but with absolutely no confidence. Then I would get Kansas City at New England and Houston at Baltimore. Now, I'd like Baltimore and a blowout over Houston or Buffalo. But if you go to that New England Kansas City game,

how many of you really knowing that Kansas City won the first encounter, Belichick, Brady, special teams, edge, defense edge, I mean, experience edge, big game edge. Kansas City's got better weapons. So, you know, I understand, and I don't think this is a team capable of winning the Super Bowl, because I don't think New England matches up with Baltimore. I don't think they match up with San Francisco.

I don't think they match up with New Orleans. I'm not sure they match up great with Seattle. They match up pretty well with Kansas City, especially when it's 9 degrees. And if it's windy like it is in Boston, they match up pretty good with Kansas City. The rest of the AFC is Buffalo, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Houston. I mean, come on.

You trust any of those teams? I still trust New England. And if you took out Baltimore, just took Baltimore out, I think I'd have to sing a different tune. But you can't take Baltimore out. So I think Baltimore wins the AFC. But I think they're a little more competent New England than we think. And if the playoffs started today, buy week, Kansas City, home, how much would you put on Kansas City? One more herd?

The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Chris Broussard, our first time really having you in for hoops this year. Last night may have been the four best teams in the NBA. Did you think it meant anything that Milwaukee came out swinging, landing blows? Lakers were playing catch up all night. Do you make anything of that? I did.

I made two things out of it. I think there are three teams on the elite level. The Lakers, the clippers, and the bucks. I don't put Houston on the same level as those three. Milwaukee was more important for them last night because you're at home. And they haven't proven anything. The Lake LeBron, that loss isn't going to mean anything to him. He's proven it in the playoffs and the finals.

Janus and the Bucks haven't. So it was important for them to have a statement win. What I also learned, Colin, though, is that the Lakers are, I love their attitude toward this season. Like they are serious about this regular season and winning this championship. And I say that because they have so many times. times last night, they could have just folded. They could have folded at half.

Yes. I mean, they're down huge early. Then, I mean, how many times did they rally in the third quarter and early in the fourth? They cut it to 10. They cut it to 12. And the bucks come out and hit a big three, get a big basket. Next thing, you know, is 17 points. And they kept fighting.

They had so many opportunities to say, you know what? It's not our night. We'll get them in L.A. It's not a big deal. And they didn't. And that shows me. I mean, Anthony Davis, on a bad ankle and at one point holding his side, plays the entire second half. Now, some people might look at that and say, what are they doing?

Why are they taking this so serious? I look at it and say, oh, they're ready to win this championship and they're going hard. It reminds me of, not that they're going for 73 wins, but it reminds me of Jordan's year when they went for 72 wins as the Bulls and then went on to win the championship. I see that type of attitude and serious and focus in these Lakers. Yeah, I still feel there are one three-point shooter shy. Iggy, by the way, was in L.A. yesterday. Buddy sent me a picture from the gym. Andre Iigua was in Los Angeles.

Yeah, he was shooting back right next to where I work out in the club next door. Buddy sent me pictures of Iggy. Steph, by the way, has been there a couple times. So there's a lot of talk on the NBA, Andre Aguadala, which I think the Lakers need about one more guy that could hit a three. because they got, you know, KCP could hit one, Danny can hit one, LeBron can hit one, Kuzma occasionally can hit one, Quinn Cook off the bench, it feels like they need one more guy that could get a bucket.

Well, more than that, they need a perimeter defender. We've raved about the Lakers defense all year, right? Oh, they're tremendous defensively. They're tremendous defensively at the rim. Okay, they're long and they block shots and all that. Perimeter-wise, they're not that great. Now, Avery Bradley's a good defender. Rondo can be, LeBron can be, Danny Green.

But last night, they got torched from three-point range. And they've gotten torched several times this year from distance. So I think that's where he would help him even more so than shooting the threes. Okay, Rockets beat the Clippers again. It's regular season. But I didn't like how I thought the clippers unraveled. And this is what worries the Clippers. There's the burden now ring or nothing.

They've bent a knee basically for Kauai. And they're unraveling here in a regular season game in December. That worried me. Anything jump out to you? Yeah, I'm not worried about their demeanor because, one, you got a great coach who knows how to handle personalities and Doc Rivers who's been there. So I think he can control the roster. And your best player, Kauai, and really Paul George as well, they're cool customers.

You know, Kauai especially. Nothing's going to get him off his game, get him out of his pace. So I think they'll be fine in that regard. a couple things that bother me about them. One, I wonder at times, because they're only 7 and 7 on the road. I know Kauai's missed some of those games. They're now 0-2 against,

they were O'N-2 against Milwaukee. They're one and two against Houston. I know George missed one of those games. But I wonder if they're taking the regular season too much for granted. Like too much laissez-fri-old. Like, it's just, you know, like last night, obviously Kauai missing every fourth game or so.

that can hurt your chemistry. There's no question. Right? Because guys aren't used to playing with him, especially when you have another star like George, who when Kauai's not there, he's got one role. When he is there, he's got another.

And the second thing, Colin, is there the opposite of the Lakers in many ways, in one in their approach to the regular season, but also in their defense. The Lakers are great defensively at the rim, but not so much on the perimeter. The clippers are great on the perimeter, but not so much as.

at the rim. So guys, you saw last night, if you can get past their perimeter defense, you got an easy lane to lay up at the rim. And I think that's the concern. You notice something else. And this tells you how they're viewing the regular season. Kauai didn't guard James Hardin at all. I don't know if he ever was on Hardin last night.

They're not going to give you any. No. They're not going to give you any of their game plan. You know that Kauai would be on James Hardin in the second half of a big game. They just put him on him and take him out. They're hiding him right now. Now, maybe that'll work just like the load management and you win the championship and then we'll all praise you.

But if it doesn't work, I wonder, at some points, you've got to get used to what you're going to do in the postseason in the regular season. Now, we know this in the NBA. There are just certain teams that are fun in the regular season, but you can just see it doesn't translate. I was talking to an NBA scout two nights ago about Utah, and I like Utah.

He goes, they're not athletic enough outside. of Donovan Mitchell. He goes, that's going to be really hard to stop LeBron and Anthony Davis and Kauai and Paul George four times in two weeks. Utah's good, but they're not quite athletic enough. And he goes, that athleticism will win you game or two. You can shut somebody down. So I look at Houston and I look at them and I think they're good defensively when

they're in the mood, but there are, I don't think Westbrook's very good, Harden. I don't really buy them. I think they're fun. Even last night. They're fun. They're a good watch. That's exactly what they're. They're the Foxy model that you like to hang with, but you're not really marrying her.

Yeah, you cannot trust her. Right. And that's what, hopefully that wasn't sexes. But this is what the Rockets are. They're sexy. They're fun to watch. They're must-see TV and all of that. Here's the only hope, Colin, that they have of being a contender.

The only hope. Health? No. Last night, they need to learn from last. night and see we don't have to be all hard and all the time. God, they can get. But sometimes I don't blame the team or the coach. That's James's style.

It didn't used to be. Remember, this is a guy that was, I get it. You grow and you become better. But he was coming off the bench in Oklahoma City. And when he came off the bench, he was a distributor. Westbrook would be off the ball and Hardin would handle it and run the offense and distribute. This is what I'm saying. he's averaging 38 points a game.

Westbrook's 23. I would like, I think they'd be better off if that was more like 33 for Hardin and 26 for Westbrook. Or even they both come down and Eric Gordon averages 18 or 17 when he gets back. Because Colin, there's never been a team in NBA history that had a during the regular season that won a championship that had a score averaging more than 32 and a half points a game. Ever. That was Michael Joy. Ever. He averaged 32.6 points a game when they won the championship,

and that's the highest scoring average ever for a guy that won a title. When Wilt was averaging 50 and 44 and 38, they never won. When Jordan averaged 37, 35, 33, they never won. If they couldn't do it, I don't think Hardin can do it. And you've got help. Westbrook, he's not going to do what he did last night. No, but he can take over quarters. And then you got Capella who can score.

Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker can hit shot. So Austin can do some scoring for you. Austin Rivers. So they need to, Don Nelson once, when he's coaching the Milwaukee. You know, he's over in Hawaii is smoking dope now.

Nelly? Yeah, no, that's last time I talked to him. He didn't talk to him. I saw him. He's just smoking dope in Hawaii. Not surprised. He really is. Nellie, when he goes to Milwaukee Bucks,

he once had a player average 26 points a game. He told that guy, I need you to bring that down to about 20. He brought it down to 21. They went from 38 wins, no playoffs to 49 in the playoffs. Next year he brings it down to 20. They win 60 games and go fairly far in the playoffs.

So my point is sometimes less is more. Yeah. But look, James Hardenow is dealing with the shoe brand. He's going to be historic. He has to make the decision. Do I want to average 38? And be historic. And be historic and go out in the second round or average 32 and maybe we win.

Well, and the error thing is, the error thing is, it's easy to say, well, once he gets to the playoffs, he won't worry about it. But if you play a certain way and teammates get used to this 39 a game, they start sort of looking to you. They don't work as hard to get the ball. You don't work as hard off screens. So you have to create, I mean, Lamar Jackson running is great. But in the end, it's Lamar Jackson's passing, which doesn't allow you to cheat on the running. So they want to show you all that passing as they go into the playoffs. And so Lamar can get.

more yards running if Baltimore said we're going to make him historic. But Baltimore's coaches are like, we want to keep elevating the past game, fewer rushing yards. We don't care about that stuff because eventually it includes everybody. It forces teams to defend you differently. Chris Bursar joining us. By the way, Janus, I'm reading all these passing the torch things. I just want to acknowledge, LeBron's been due eight or nine finals, one three.

Yonis, no finals, no titles. We're not passing the torch, right? No, you don't get the torch until the postseason. And especially when our last glimpse of you in the postseason, you were struggling mightily, averaging 22 points a game from 27 in the regular season. Let's go back to last year against Toronto. They were beat four straight games. Tell America what happened.

Well, they closed off the lane and said, Yana, shoot the jumper. And he shot 44% from the floor compared to 58 in the regular season. Now, I will say this, last night was a glimpse into the future. and it's a scary future for everybody outside of the team that has Janus. Hopefully it remains Milwaukee. He shot five of eight from three. And Colin, in December eight games, he has shot 47 threes and hit 21 of them. That's 44%.

If he becomes a 35% three-point shooter, a legitimate three-point shooter, it may be over. Oh, come on. How are you going to stop him? Listen, he's had a nice eight games in December. I'm just saying that's a decent little sample size. In December. I'm not saying he's going to shoot 44%.

But if he shoots 35%, and he had the nice little turnaround, Jay from the mid-range in the fourth quarter last night, this guy is about 80% of what he could be, which is scary. So I'm with you on the torch is not passed because you have to do it in the playoffs. He doesn't have to win it this year. But if he gets to the finals, plays hero. heroically and loses to the Lakers. How about we get him to a finals?

You're down on Janus. He's a great kid and a great story. But God, if I have to hear about another big that's going to own the world, Carl Anthony Towns, Joel M. Bede. No, the difference. Andrew Bynum was going on. Every guy you mentioned cannot bring the ball up court. That's the difference between Janus and even Anthony Davis.

If I have AD, I need a guard to get AD to rock for the most part. Janice can take the ball. That's why Luca, Janice, they win games because they don't need to wait for you to give me the ball. 58% from the floor last year in the regular season. 44% against. It won't be the case this year. Maybe he'll go down to 46%.

He's going to trust me. He's coming. The torch will be passed. It just wasn't last night. All right. Chris Broussard. Good to see you, buddy. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m.

Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, F.S1 and the I Heart 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. 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 reel. 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. And for more, follow Timbo Slic 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, 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, 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 Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clifford Taylor the Fourth.

And on my podcast, The Clifford Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Come up. Quarterback on office blue with 42.

Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted. this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us

on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the bar like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah. You figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down to. Get your ass up and down court and you're going to get the bomb. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jason McIntyre,

former newspaper guy bailed on that industry and got into digital and TV and radio for Fox Sports Radio and FS1. It's great to have here. He is bizarrely accurate. Well, not last week. Last week it was a bit of a speed bump for me, let's just say. I had a rough one. That's okay.

I'm 52% for the year on my NFL picks. It's not bad. It's been a weird year last week. I don't buy into this bad beat thing. I got hosed on Seattle. Fairly bitter about it. I got hosed on Seattle. It was a push.

They were so much. They were up 30 to 10 with like seven minutes left. I got hosed on it. I would have called the commissioner if he cared about me. All right, here we go. All right. Tomorrow's headlines today. What's the headline going to be for Rams Niners?

It's a rematch from a game the Rams got destroyed in earlier this season. I believe the headline will be Jingle All McVe. I love the Rams. Maybe third favorite pick this week is the Rams in a revenge spot. And here's why. The 49ers season, Colin, comes down to next week against Seattle. That essentially will be for the number one seat. If you can lose a game, and they did lose last week to the Falcons,

this game doesn't mean that much to them. I mean, again, I'm not saying they're going to throw the game, but the focus is on the Seattle game next week. And Gurley did not play in the earlier meeting. He had a rough one against Dallas. And as we've talked about almost every week here, No NFL team is as good or as bad as they were last week. And the Rams were awful.

So I expect a max effort from McVey. I stayed away from this game. The team that gets humiliated in the NFL last week, Rams, always plays great. By the way, that was the Houston Texans got destroyed. By Drew Locke and the Broncos. And then the bet of the week last week was Houston going to Tennessee and winning. Okay. What's the headline going to be tomorrow's headlines today for Cardinal Seahawks?

Well, if you sense the theme, I just talked about 49er Seahawks. I kind of like the Cardinals here, Colin. The headline will be a Murray Christmas to all. You're pretty good. Kyler Murray, yeah, you can see. I like this kid a lot. Oh, he's got to be the rookie of the year. Now, Jacobs has been very good for Oakland.

But Kyler Murray, I think he's exceeded expectations. 22-year-old quarterback coming in. People are like, this guy's a baseball player. I've liked what I've seen. He really crushed the Browns last week, look good. He's fun, right? He's dynamic. I told Joy the other day, Baltimore and Arizona are so fun to watch.

They look different than anything else you see in the league. And, you know, we're big on different, right? Both of us kind of came up not being typical guys, me with the website, you, going your radio route. And, like, I think I like what Murray is doing. And I think the Cardinals pull an upset here. If there's an overrated team in the NFC, it's got to be Seattle. Green Bay. Well, Green Bay, too.

but Seattle's 11 and 3, and their point differentials, 26. 26, that's like a 500 team. They got a lot of breaks. I like the Cardinals to go into Seattle and pull an upset this week. Tomorrow's headlines today, what will the headline be for? Chiefs Bears. Now, I heard this was in Blazing 5, and I'm not on the same side as you. The headline will be, my homes alone.

By the way, a great Christmas movie. I know you sit around the campfire with the wife and kids. It's my favorite Christmas movie of all time. You have to. I mean, these people who say die hard as a Christmas movie? No. You can't watch that. Home alone.

Home alone one and Exorcist 2. Anyway. Exorcist 2. Listen, Pat Mahomes has looked good and there's all this excitement about the Kansas City Chiefs defense. Oh, they shut down Tom Brady. Colin, I don't want to go off on Brady here. If you look at the stats since week 9, bottom three quarterback in the league in quarterback completion percentage, quarterback rating, yards per attempt.

Tom Brady struggled. That KC defense, shut down Oakland and Philip Rivers. I'm not buying it. I like Mitch Trubisky fighting for his job, right? In Chicago, big, big show up here by the Bears. Give me the Bears over the Chiefs. Tomorrow's headlines today,

what will it be for Monday Night Football Packers, Vikings, fascinating game, no Delvin Cook? I'm trying to lobby Colin to come to this game with me. Are you going to watch it at a bar? I'm not going to Minnesota. Yeah. But we will go out, watch it. the game should be fun.

And the headline will be Rudolph guides the slate tonight. Kyle Rudolph, come on, how good are these? Right? Kyle Rudolph and the Vikings. So the line on this is kind of fishy, Colin. They're begging you to take green bag. Yes, and it's almost like,

the guys in Vegas setting the lines who built casinos in the desert may or may not know the Packers are fraudulent, right? Five and a half. And guess what, Joe Public, who's going to the game, I'm going to put 20 bucks on this. give me the Packers, Aaron Rogers. I'm going to put 50 bucks.

The Vikings are definitely the side here. Mike Zimmer at home. I know there's no Dalvin Cook, but I don't think it matters. I love the Vikings here. By the way, Green Bay, the trend I've seen with Green Bay, and it doesn't mean you can't win games, but I think it really hurts you against better teams, and I think Zimmer's a terrific coach.

Oh, yeah. Green Bay is great on the script. They are tremendous in their first two drives. Yes. They're a bad adjustment team. They've done nothing. Nothing in the third quarter. And again, you can get away with that.

McVeigh found that out except against Belichick. This is an adjustment league. Tomlin's a good adjuster. Pete Carroll, John Harbaugh, Andy Reid. Mike Zimmer's a good adjuster. Matt LaFleur does some things I like. If I told you, I think the Minnesota Vikings could be a sneaky underdog to get to the Super Bowl. You would say, Jason, you're a smart man or not feeling?

Again, Kurt Cousins, Colin. The narrative out there is, oh, he stinks. He's 0 and 8 on Monday night football. I like this Vikings team. They're kind of under the radar in the NFC. I like them a lot. I think there are years. I would have believed that.

I just think the Saints are really good. I think San Francisco is really good. I think Seattle is exceptional. So I just don't like this year's not the year. All right. Finally, tomorrow's headlines today. What will it be for Cowboys Eagles? So we saved the best for last, the biggest game of the week,

everything on the line. and the headline will be Dak throws balls to men from Philly. Fala la la la la la. Give me the Eagles, Colin. Tell me you didn't take the Cowboys here. I did, but wise guys, Vegas is leaning Philadelphia. So the line hit three.

Dallas was favored by three. And all of a sudden a tsunami of money comes in on the Eagles. It comes back down. Again, all signs point to, wow, Dallas just beat the Rams last week. Of course they're going to beat Philly. They killed them last time. But you know how these things. work. Do you trust Jason Garrett in a big spot with everything on the line?

I just don't know how Philadelphia scores points. Well, does Dallas defense is that good? I mean, Josh Allen moved the ball on them. Tribisky moved the ball on them. I, you know, I think Dallas is criminally overrated. I love the Eagles here. This would be my favorite pick of the week. Wow. Philadelphia Eagles to show up and I think the Cowboys were Joy's Super Bowl team. Yes. Maybe someone else is. A lot of people like the Cowboys this year. And they have shown out sometimes. I'm also with the Eagles.

I'm with you on this game. You got Eagles. Okay. All right. So Colin, you're on an island here. That's where you like to be, right? Oh, it looks like he's changing his mind. By the way, I made my biggest bet in the history of my life.

My biggest college bet, Whitlock, I put my money where my mouth is. I took Clemson. I'm not going to say the dollar amount. Clemson's offense. I'll say it again. Clemson faces SEC teams regularly. They're used to that. NFL level speed. Ohio State has faced no offense with this skill position speed. If they don't

get to Trevor Lawrence, because I do think Ohio State's D-line, the game comes down to Ohio State. They have to get pressure on Lawrence. If they do, they can win the game. If they don't, I don't think Ohio State can stop them for three and a half hours. After you told me about this, I pulled out my kids' college tuition and put it on Clemson. My wife gave me the okay because you feel good about Clemson. Dabo Sweeney's going to come through. I got Clemson. Yeah. I think Clemson wins the title. I think Clemson takes down Ohio State than LSU. By the way, it should be noted that Clemson crushed Alabama and the five previous classes for that team were not top five classes. Now Clemson is winning the recruiting battles.

Have you looked at the quarterbacks Ohio State has faced? None of them are NFL quarterbacks. Now they've got to face Trevor Lawrence, who's a machine. I mean, Jack Cohn moved the ball on them, the Wisconsin kid. He's not an NFL guy. No. What is Trevor Lawrence going to do? I think Clemson wins double digits, yeah, I like them a lot. Wow. Hey, yeah, it's your big bet. Mine as well, but don't tell my parents, you know, they'll be upset. All right, Monday, where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong.

I do like Oklahoma to cover but not beat LSU. How do you feel about that? You see the suspensions for Oklahoma? Yeah, there's two of the guys that don't care about. Well, they're leading sack guy on the defensive end, and you've got to get pressure. But he's got like nine. What is that? Okay.

They're down like their fourth string running back. Be careful. If it hits 14 and a half, I'll back you. It's at 14. We'll have a great holiday season. 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 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their Between Songs, banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up guys? This is Clifford Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast,

The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, Hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck. My mama want you to weigh better. What?

Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season.

And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moment. If we didn't talk ever again, I was funny. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come in to you, he's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs.

This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed Human.