The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd’s Instant Reaction - Lakers Eliminate Warriors, Lakers/Nuggets WCF Matchup

Episode Date: May 14, 2023

Colin gives his instant reaction to the Lakers closing out the Warriors in 6 games, why they would be an all-time outlier if they win it all, what future hall of famer the Dubs need to cut ties with for the dynasty to survive another season. He also previews the Nuggets/Lakers Western Conference Finals matchup, and who he expects to face off against the Heat in the Eastern Finals.  Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates! #Herd #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The volume. Well, it is a beautiful Saturday morning where I sit in Southern California.

I hope you're having a great day. This is a not-so-instant reaction about 16 and 18 hours after the Lakers in the six games finished off the Warriors. And I have some thoughts. First of all, the reason that a LeBron James or a conference. Kobe Bryant in his last game or Tom Brady in his last year can still be so dynamic is because the better you treat your body, the better it treats you as you age. We've all seen somebody who's 50 years old and looks 60 and they haven't eaten right, haven't slept right, haven't taken care of themselves, and you can see it.

And then you'll see somebody that's 70 and looks 58 because they've taken care of their body. And as you age, it is punitive if you don't. And so LeBron has his ability to not on a nightly basis, but in a series once or twice to summon this energy and this greatness that no other player in year 20 has ever had. He was the best player on the floor last night for a majority of the basketball game. And by the way, some of it's generational. I mean, Michael Jordan was steaks, cigars, wine, and late night card games. That was his generation. So now, would Michael, with the enormous amount of money today, I think Michael was smart enough to know, I'm going to extend my career, get another contractor too.

So much of this is economic where players see. You know, if you can get that extra contract because you've taken care of your body, it is life changing, right? It's generational money for your kids' kids. LeBron has always been smarter than the average player and the average star. he takes great care of his body and last night is the reason why. This has been a team, I think for me, a very unique Laker team. They were bad before the big trade deadline move. Bad.

They were bad team. They weren't great defensively. Westbrook wasn't engaged defensively. It was toxic. And then they made sweeping changes bringing in guys who have been abandoned or bounced around the league, Malik Beasley, Jared, Vanderbilt, DeAngelo, Russell, DeLoehl was abandoned by the Warriors quickly. Minnesota gives him away.

So he comes back to Los Angeles. And I think one of the reasons I've struggled to appreciate the Lakers in the second half is, and I've never thought the Warriors were a championship team this year or the Lakers. Lakers was easier to say that. But people I respect really did. And because generally championship teams, and there's four teams left, and Denver's going to be a handful, and so I presume will be the Celtics in the championship.

I think they'll beat Miami in probably about five games, five, six games. But the great teams, and we know what they are, let's take the MJ Bulls because that was the most disgust in our lifetime, you knew almost every night the production you were going to get and the game you were going to get from Scotty Pippen and Michael Jordan. You knew you were going to get Paxson and Steve Kerr, dependability, or a Tony Kukosh or Rodman's rebounding or defensive effort. And that's the difference between great players and good players is consistency, right? you kind of get, though he can drive me crazy at the end of games, Jason Tatum pretty much delivers eight out of ten games the exact same performance. You know what you're getting. You're going to get your 25 plus points.

You're going to get real good defense. Good players. James Harden now, he's a good player. Game to game, you're not sure what you're going to get. And I think with this Laker team, think about it, if it did become a championship team, it would be one of the least consistent championship teams ever. Anthony Davis is great offensively. every other game, and he is your best player.

Michael Jordan was not great every other game offensively, either with Shaq or Kobe or Tim Duncan. So Anthony Davis, always good defensively, is great offensively every other game. LeBron James is truly great in spurts only, although last night's the exception, generally in spurts three or four times a series, he can take the game over for four to five minutes.

That's what he is now. Austin Reeves is your third most dependable player and he's undrafted. Dilo is hot and cold, though very talented. But again, there's a reason he's bounced around the league and he's coming to the Lakers for a second time. And then it's a bunch of guys that role players who are generally not dependable on the road, slightly more dependable at home, Alani Walker, a Vanderbilt. That's not a championship team. And so their inconsistency and their low ceiling offensively is just hard to wrap my brain around.

Now, some of it may be the West is weaker this year. Paul George and Kauai not available. Suns fell apart. Maybe it's just the West is weaker. There is a lot of occasional greatness. There's not a single Laker that you know what you're getting every single night offensively, not one. I mean, even the Warriors who the Lakers beat, you kind of know what you're getting from Steph every night offensively. You know, it's 24 or over, some nights better than others, dominant ball handling.

He's going to break down your defense. You're going to get a number of assists. You kind of know what you're getting. So it's a very unique team. I think Denver's a tough challenge. First of all, because it's at 7,000 feet, it's really, really a tough place to play. They also, unlike Golden State, have a formidable, productive offensive center. They're going to stretch you out a little bit.

They're also younger and more athletic in spots. Michael Porter, Gordon, Jamal Murray. It's a younger, more athletic team. And they don't have a player like Andrew Wiggins who, you know, took a large chunk of the year off and we felt like coming into the last two series, he was playing his way into shape and playing his way into form. They're a number one seed. They've been good all year.

They're healthy. They're deep. And they spread the scoring out. So Denver's going to be a handful. And they're really, really good at home. And the elevation's a big part of that. I think Denver matches really well up with the Lakers. But at this point, I've doubted the Lakers the entire second half.

I'll have to think about it more this weekend. Maybe I should just surrender and pick the Lakers the winner. all. As far as Golden State, they've got their own issues here. So there's a big difference between losing and feeling you were better and then realizing you were probably lucky the series went this long. I mean, let's let's be totally honest about the Warriors. If Deerrin Fox doesn't hurt his hand, do they beat the Warriors? You got a break. They got a break against the Lakers because the schedule was every other day. That was not playing in L.A.'s favor. with LeBron's age and 80s brittleness.

That kind of played in a golden state's favor. There's two things that end the dynasty. Ego and age. They don't have a ton of ego. Age is a factor. The other thing that extends a post-dynasty drought is delusion, where you start rewarding players and can't be honest about what they now are, Clay Thompson.

We all know that you bring Steph back. Everybody they acquire will be on Steph's timeline. That's why they moved off number two pick James Wiseman. He just wasn't ready and why Cominga didn't play in this series. Anybody they acquire will have to be on Steph's timeline, capable of helping him win a title now. Dramon Green is still second team all NBA defense. He's a catalyst, a screen setter, excellent passer. He's going nowhere. Those two are the heart and soul of the Warriors. But Clay Thompson is a shadow on both ends of what he was four years ago, pre-injuries. He's He's not an elite defender.

He's often a liability. It's why they brought Gary Payton the second back. And offensively, he is, he really struggled in this series outside of one game and mostly one half. So if you want to give him a contract and romanticize rearview mirror Clay Thompson's career and reward him for what he's done previously, that's how you extend droughts post-dynasty. If I was the Warriors front office, I would try to. initiate something that creates some front court scoring beyond Andrew Wiggins. They get all their scoring Wiggins and smaller.

And with Kvon Loney, incapable of really adding much offensively, it's hard to have him and Draymond on the floor at the same time. So I think they have to create some sort of scoring threat. Carl Anthony Towns maybe, I'm not sure if he's a great fit. He can be kind of squarely and those kind of players don't work with the warrior system. they have to find somebody offensively a big who's at least 16 to 18 point a game score to take the burden off Steph and Andrew Wiggins. Maybe you have to give up Andrew Wiggins for that. Maybe you finally make the pivot to Jonathan Cominga, who's just too raw for Steve Kerr to play now in big games.

But I think if you look at the history of dynasties, they end when they get old or they have egos. Kobe and Shaq was ego. Warriors now feels like age. Spurs felt like age. Miami Hedels felt like age, not really ego. Maybe some ego. But I think when you really get into trouble is when you don't reconstruct it. So I would look for the Warriors to try to make some move, move some parts.

I really like Moody off the bench. Gary Payton, Steph, Drayman, I'd like to keep Wiggins. You know, Jordan Poole is somebody I'd be willing to part with. I think he's a much better player being the man instead of backing up the man. Be that as it may. I thought he was under control last couple of games. the series. How great have the NBA playoffs been so

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Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Cliverts Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and a TikTok podcast network on TikTok. So the Lakers move on to Denver. Can't wait to watch it. Tomorrow, I'm going to take the Celtics to beat convincingly the Philadelphia 76ers.

That has been a wildly entertaining series. The Sixers, to me, are a pretty easy team to figure out. A lot of flair, a lot of personality. do not trust them at all. And for all the misgivings I've had about the tandem of Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum, I trust them to come prepared, play defense, to take leads. I think, I'm not sure, but I think the Celtics led the NBA,

first or second in the NBA in point differential this year. They win comfortably a lot. I worry when it's tied with two minutes to go and Marcus Smart is getting the best shots. But my feeling is the Celtics will roll. They will then beat Miami in five or six. And I don't know what the heck to make of the Nuggets and the Lakers. I need to watch a couple of games. My gut tells me Denver's a number one seed, deeper, younger, real scoring at all three levels.

But I haven't been right about this Lakers team in two or three months. And that's what makes it so fascinating. I know there's this constant, you know, the sky is falling opinion on the NBA. But a lot of that comes from two areas. The NBA season is too long. Come on, 82 regular season games. Let's evolve. Get down to 68.

And load management, which stinks, hurts the league. Fans go to games on Big Friday and Saturday nights. You take a date, you take the family, and three of the four stars don't play. It's not good for business. Sorry, we'll all get over it, but it's not good for business. I think it feels like a disconnect between stars and fans, and fans pay a lot of money to go to NBA games. But you can't deny the passion, the intention. intensity, the fun, the storylines, and the drama, even though last night was a blowout.

I mean, you are watching a dynasty potentially end, and you're watching one of the most unique potential championship teams with LeBron and A.D. I can ever remember. Good stuff. A not-so-instant reaction. Hope you're having a great Saturday afternoon. Talk soon. Make sure to check out the Draymond Green show. I brought Draymond Green into the volume. because one of the more entertaining voices in sports, unique perspective, understands behind the rope, also chops up with guests like Gary Payton, Zach Levine, Tracy McGrady.

Make sure download the Draymond Green Show wherever you get your podcast, only on the volume podcast network. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite, unhumored me with Robert Smygle 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing huge. human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.