The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd’s Instant Reaction - Lakers/Warriors Game 5

Episode Date: May 11, 2023

Colin gives his instant reaction to the Warriors' 121-106 Game 5 home blowout over the Lakers to cut L.A. 's series lead to 3-2 heading into a pivotal Game 6, and explains the key to the W from a team standpoint, the Andrew Wiggins factor, and why the Lakers should feel confident despite the loss.  Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates! #Herd #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Time for an instant reaction as the Lakers go down. Pretty impressive performance by the Warriors for a lot of reasons. But I thought this was interesting. So field goal percentage, Lakers 48%. There's still a couple seconds left in the game. Warrior shot 51%. Not a huge gap there. They both shot over 37% from three.

They were both excellent at the free throw line. The Lakers shot 14. Free throws made 12. Warrior shot 15, made 14. Assists pretty even, blocks, even, steals, even, turnovers, exactly even. Points in the paint. 54 for the Lakers, 52 for the warrior. So how did they win going away?

Rebounds. The smaller warrior team had substantially more rebounds. and that to me was the difference in the game. Energy. Higgins finally played with great aggressiveness, physicality and energy. Draymond, racing, pacing up the floor, great energy. This was not, I mean, let's be honest,

Steph was good, but so was AD for the first three quarters. LeBron was good. So was Draymond. You know, Draymond mostly has had a very good series. Clay Thompson continues to struggle. But when I look at this series, Andrew Wiggins tonight, I thought brought something

that he really hasn't in this entire series. So Wiggins takes, you know, two months off of the Warriors. They're not the same team. They miss his perimeter defense, his twitchiness, his scoring, his mid-range game. He comes back against Sacramento, right?

And we all kind of felt like, we don't know what we expect. I thought he played better than I expected. So I had hoped that he would be even more engaged from a physical standpoint, more locked in, more capable of giving you 36, 38 minutes. Until tonight, you got nothing from Wiggins. He is a huge part of this team. He's a former number one pick for a reason. Long, quick, twitchy, nice mid-range game, can drive and finish at the rim.

Athletic. Tonight, you saw what happens when he is engaged. physically and aggressive. You know, that was always the knock on Wiggins, that he had all the tools. But, you know, when he was in Minnesota for years, he dropped 26 points. You didn't remember any of them. He could kind of vanish, disappear in games. I thought tonight there were several moments where he was very crucial on back-to-back

possession. So let's start with that. Andrew Wiggins, a big factor tonight. And he hadn't been. The second thing is, Steph's played well and AD's played well throughout the series. I probably would have pulled LeBron and A.D. sooner. You saw A.D. got whacked upside of the head. LeBron was limping. They wouldn't have got to that point with me. We've got to be honest about it. Sometimes tonight, it just felt like the Knicks were going to win. Right. Like, they got a lead.

They kind of controlled the pace. They were in control of the game. Brunson shot making, playmaking. It was the Knicks night at home. I felt like it was the Warriors night at home. The Lakers just felt like they guess every time they get close, Steph hit a basket, Steph at a basket, Wiggins a basket, Dremont a basket, pool a basket. So we know AD and LeBron are playing at a pretty high level. We know that, you know, Steph has played at a remarkable level. But I thought Wiggins and Draymond Green were excellent tonight. You know, Steve Kerr was quoted saying on a radio station in the Bay Area that, you know, Steph, Clay, and Draymond are the future. And that when Kerr was with the Bulls at the end, they were spent emotionally and

physically. I think Steph is as good as anybody in the world at what he does. And Draymond made second team all NBA defense. Still, you saw him tonight. He can be an offensive catalyst, his screening, his assists, his pacing, handles the ball very well. Dremon and Steph are very, very important. Boy, I don't know what you do with Clay Thompson. He's really struggling. He doesn't have a ton of energy offensively. He's no longer an elite defensive player. and they have Gary Payton if they need that and Moody. So I don't know what they do with him. I know he means a lot to Steph and Draymond and Kerb.

I don't know what you do with that contract. I took some notes in this game. My first set of notes were in the first quarter, seven threes for the dubs and they only lead by four. So my initial impressions of this game is the Lakers are getting very easy twos. The Warriors are more spectacular. Seven threes at home.

Still a close game. My notes in the second quarter, Anthony Davis, again, too many easy buckets. But then Steph right before the half hit a couple of threes and it was 70-59, three at the buzzer. And at that point, I thought, I really felt like it's just not going to be the Lakers night. Every time they get close, we saw it in the fourth quarter. Every time they got an inch back, they get it to nine, they get at the 10. Steph hit a three. Third quarter of my notes were Lakers, lethargic to open now 7559, Wiggins Jam, L.A., way too many turnovers. Dramon, highly offensive-minded, good pace. And then I put

230 left, Warriors up by 16, then some other notes. LeBron limping, AD's done, get them out of the game. I think tonight, though, like the Knicks at home, I thought tonight was a pretty predictable outcome. And, you know, you can tell it was really important that Jordan Poole has really struggled in this series. And I've said this, and I said it again today. It's hard for him. I believe he's a starter in this league, just not for the Warriors. And he's too often compared to Steph, and that's a bad comp for everybody in the league. You put him in Orlando, you put him in Houston, you put him somewhere else.

He gives you 24 points, big offensive energy. He's creative and clever. He didn't play much defense. Hey, Hardin didn't for a decade. Luca doesn't. Kyrie didn't. If you score 25 a game, people forget the defense. Mello's a legend in New York.

Never ever played defense. You get the offense figured out. You got fans. You have supporters. You'll find a place in this league. So I don't want to hear about, you know, Jordan Poole doesn't play much defense. Clay Thompson doesn't play much defense anymore. All right?

And Poole can be more consistent and more spectacular on offense than Clay Thompson often. So I thought Jordan Poole, it looked as though Steve Kerr had said to Jordan Poole before last game's disaster in this game, he said, hey, Jordan, not everything has to be spectacular. You can shoot a mid-range jumper. You're trying too hard. And I think that's one of the things about being a backup to Steph Curry. Steph is so spectacular that you come in and you're just automatically compared to Steph Curry. and I think Jordan Poole's really talented. It doesn't play any defense.

But he is really clever, can beat people off the dribble, can get a shot. Not as many guys in this league can get a shot by themselves without a screen as you think. So I thought Poole played pretty well. Steph was great. Drayman Amazing. Wiggins completely utterly engaged. Here is the latest report, and it's disturbing on Anthony Davis. According to Mark Spears, he was wheeled into the Laker Law.

locker room in a wheelchair. Now, he was hit on the side of the head. There were reports he was poked in the eye. It was much more than that. He was banged upside the head. And my takeaway, he may have a little bit of a very, very mild concussion. Otherwise, why would he be in a wheelchair? So if the report, and I trust Mark Spears, he knows what he's doing. If Anthony Davis at 6-11 is in a wheelchair, after being banged up side the head, he's probably having some stability issues. Bob Polinka, his agent Rich Paul, are reportedly huddled by the Laker locker room. So they wanted to get Anthony Davis. Obviously, they wanted to get him off his feet.

They didn't want him wobbling into the locker room. So that is concerning. I would have pulled him out earlier. You know, when you had 2.30 left in the third quarter and the Warriors were up by 16, I went to Twitter and said, hey, should we get AD off the floor? Should we get LeBron off the floor? I didn't think it was, you know, crazy to suggest that. So AD got banged in the head after that.

And the report is, my guess is that he's wobbly and they wanted to get him off his feet. Take a quick break. Back with more in a second. Some good news, though, for the Lakers. How great have the NBA playoffs been so far? Miami. Upsetting the number one seed Milwaukee Bucks. How about warriors, kings go seven?

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Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions. my journey from basketball to college football or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. All right, best wishes and cross your fingers with Anthony Davis. But as I look at the box score, the very encouraging part for the Lakers is they shot 48% from the floor.

And they were a little sloppy with turnovers 14. And they had them in spurts, but they also created 14 turnovers. But they continue to get, I think, really, really good looks. And I think it's also encouraging that more Austin Reeves, more of a role player. DeAngelo Russell both played well. Schroeder gave you 14 points. I think Lonnie Walker is somebody they're getting more and more confidence in. I thought the Lakers had really good looks. I thought when they attacked the rim, the Warriors were much more aggressive defensively. Dramon had blocks without fouls.

Maybe you get those calls in Los Angeles. The Lakers did not get those calls tonight. So one of the things that's been very clear in this series is that the Warriors are scoring more spectacularly. But the Lakers continue to get a lot of good looks and a lot of mid-range and close looks. They're an old school offense with some limitations on shooting the ball. They hit 10 threes tonight. That's okay for them. But I did feel like, especially in the first half, that the Warriors, the degree of difficulty. on their shots, and Steph can hit them, is just much higher than the degree of difficulty for the Lakers.

And I'll give you a football analogy. When you watch a football game, the first couple of series, I always look for who gets the easier yards. If you can get consistently six yards running the football, your receivers have a little more space on the completions, those are easier yards. if you're really trying to grind out yards. You're really, you're getting down to third and third and three. And, you know, they bring out the chains again and you make it by a half. And every first down is a struggle. Over the course of a game, I like the team early that gets easier yards.

And the Lakers in this series get more quality, easy looks. The Warriors are just much more spectacular. So, you know, my takeaway coming up for. game six in Los Angeles, do I think Wiggins, Dremont, and Steph will all play this well? Can Wiggins back this up with another great performance? I don't doubt Steph will shoot well, and Dremon will play well. But you had three players for the Warriors play fantastic basketball. Jordan Poole, I thought, bounced back a little, didn't take as many high-risk shots.

This series, you know, this is the longest stretch, Anthony Davis. has played big minutes and remain healthy. This series may come down to a finger cross on Anthony Davis's health. The only reason I suspect they put him in a wheelchair is just for stability as a big guy walking. They wanted him off his feet because he didn't get hit in the legs. He got hit in the side of the head. And you can see him grabbing his head. He looked woozy.

So, you know, and again, this series, it's one day off. And then you're playing a game on Friday. day. So this would be a great time to get two or three days off for Anthony Davis. And this is one of the things I worried about with the Lakers. LeBron is substantially better with that second day off. Anthony Davis is a better player with a second day off. Remember, go back to game one. When they had a two and a half day rest advantage off that Memphis series against the Warriors, how good do the Lakers look in that first half against the Warriors at Chase? Their energy, their dominance down low, their physicality. and the next game didn't have that huge rest advantage. The game was much closer. So cross your fingers for Anthony Davis. Three to two, Lakers still lead.

My only real thought about the New York Knicks beating the Miami Heat was one of the things about sports. It's not just about deciding who you are, but what you're not. And Jalen Brunson creates so much clarity. A plus leader, a plus playmaker, a shot maker. You're set. You got your quarterback and your leader for seven years. Many as you want it. He just moved into his prime.

You're set. Carmelo, you had a great natural wing score. Didn't really commit the defensive end. I never thought he was a great leader. He was just talented. Brunson gives you the quarterback leadership thing, the toughness. You got your playmaker. He's going to have his hands on the ball for a majority of.

of the offense. You also have excellent size and length. I'd keep R.J. Barrett. I'd probably move Julius Randall. But the Knicks not only know what they are. They know what they're not. They got to go out and get another elite score. They know exactly what they need.

And they got some bodies to move. So I don't think they're going to win this series, but you go into the offseason. You know, a lot of these teams, like Memphis, what is John Morant? Can you really, is he a one or is he a talented two? The team often plays better when he's not around. They have a higher net rating when he doesn't play. What are the Grizzlies? They have talent. They have depth. I know exactly what the Knicks are. You got your mature quarterback for as long as you want him that's going to lead this franchise, size, length. And you got to, I believe, a tradable player. I think Julius Randall, I mean, the guy gives you great effort. He's a three on a championship team, maybe a four. You can't tell me he doesn't have value. He commits on the defensive end, excellent rebounder, great effort guy, he's going to play a lot of games.

I'd probably try to move him. If not, you keep him as a three. But as I watched that game, I thought, what a great place to be. Like, what a great. It's like in the NFL when you finally find your quarterback. Okay, that box is checked. Now I've got to get a left tackle. I got to get weapons.

I can get an offensive coordinator or a head coach. Let's get an edge rusher. But if you can't get the quarterback right, everything else is waiting to get the quarterback right. The Knicks have their leader, dependable, lean on me, shotmaker, ball in his hands, their quarterback for as long as they want him. And he's just a terrific player, an absolute pleasure to watch. Maybe he'll never be iconic like a Jeter and a mellow in, you know, in New York. York, Lawrence Taylor, maybe he'll never be that level. But they got their quarterback. And those Villanova guys rock solid, coached hard in college, willing to be coached hard,

want to lead. All right, there's instant reaction. We'll see you tomorrow on FS1 and Premier Radio. Make sure to check out the Dramon Green show. I brought Dremont Green into the volume because one of the more entertaining voices in sports, unique perceiving. 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. 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 Hale. 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 human potential. Either way, the podcast's

Superhuman documented at 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.