The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 1 - Suns, Mavericks, Harden

Episode Date: May 16, 2022

What should the Suns do now after losing to the Mavericks? The Celtics brand and how the match up against the Heat The Sixers should not re-sign James Harden   Guest: Ethan StraussSee 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to.

Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tontons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The 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 Heard at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go live on a Monday.

Finally back in Los Angeles, it's the hurt. Wherever you may be, however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, one hour from now. Colin was right, Colin wrong, a lot of wrong this week. I wasn't even on the air and I was wrong a lot last week. That's when you know you're wrong. is joining me. I am back well-fed with culture and history on my side. Joy, it's great to see you. Thanks for filling in. You were amazing. I heard thank you so much. Yeah, it was great to have you back.

Everyone's excited to hear about Italy, which you said it was amazing. It was. And so was sort of the weekend. We had four game seven yesterday. The hockey ones were great. The basketball one stopped. But I want to start with this. Despite the legendary brand of the Boston Celtics, Last 35 years, one title. That's it. Beat the banged up Lakers in 2008. They didn't even been there one time in 12 years. That's it.

The Lakers, meanwhile, are a bit of a mess, right? Easy to roll your eyes as a Celtic fan. But in that same time span of 35 years, they have eight titles. Two biggest brands, which would you rather be today? I'd be the Lakers. I mean, yes, the Celtics have been. consistent. So is yogurt and wheat thins. The Lakers are up and down, but yeah, the Lakers pivot often and pivot regularly and win regularly.

Yes, you've been consistent. Eight straight years. Ooh, in the East, the Pack 12 of college football, congratulations. Who cares? None of that matters for Boston. The Lakers and the Celtics are the biggest brands in the sport. 35 years, Boston's become the reliable 401k. You put money away.

You'll never get rich, but you'll be safe and content. You'll be able to retire and have a stake twice a week. Congratulations. I've seen that multiple times. It's quite a life. But for big brands, you've got to do better. Yeah, the Patriots were consistent to in Boston, and they got six rings. I've seen the Tatum, Jalen Brown, Marcus, smart thing.

It's adorable. But let Memphis celebrate consistency. You beat Milwaukee without Chris Middleton at home, in the east, in the second round. And as much as I admire Janice in the box in the last six years, four of them they've been eliminated in the first or second round. Congratulations for becoming the NBA's 401k. but the Lakers in that same time span have sold eight companies and got in the bag eight times. I'll take that because the Lakers aren't as patient. They pivot off coaches.

They pivot off stars. They pivot off contracts. They take big swings. Tatum, Jalen Brown, Marcus Smart. Show me the money. This is the second biggest brand. In the early parts of the NBA, the biggest brand, the biggest brand, There was no number two.

You lose to Miami. What are you? What have you done? Brad Stevens moved upstairs. He got so frustrated. So as you beat Milwaukee yesterday, I thought, oh, that's okay. At home, second round, in the east. No Chris Middleton.

That would be a huge moment for Memphis. Maybe even a gigantic moment for Dallas. It's not a big moment for Boston. Boston, you have a very good defense, but if Tatum's not hitting, you're very limited offensively. Do better, do more. 35 years won title, a banged up Lakers team. The Lakers may be a mess now, but in 35 years, better every four, four and a half years, they bring home the bag. That's what the Patriots did.

Consistency, I'm not interested in it. I'm not interested in consistency. Alabama's consistent and wins. New England's consistent. wins. Serena, Federer were consistent and win. Consistency matters if I get some at the end of it. San Antonio was consistent for 15 years. I got four or five titles out of it. I got nothing to show for it. Oh, we beat Milwaukee. Probably not if they had Chris Middleton. We played our starters. The last game of the season. That's probably why you won. I mean, Grace and Allen shouldn't have been

on the floor. He was terrified. Bobby Porris is a liability. Hell, you better win. You better win. big. But I think you all realize in Boston, the Patriots set the standard. Don't be wheat thins. Be gold bars. More titles than we'll talk. Let's talk about Phoenix. Well, the basketball gods are a cruel bunch, and they have rendered their decision on Chris Paul. You will not be winning any titles. I know it's painful. I like Chris Paul. It's not Charles Barkley didn't win a title. Dan Marino didn't win a title. Chris Pauls and I won a title. The basketball gods have rendered a decision. So what do the sons do? Bring it back. Really? I know. 64 wins. Got to the playoffs. Terrible for a decade. It feels good to win those regular season

games. But the great thing about losing to great teams and losing to great players. And the Mavericks are not a great team, but Luke is a great player. There is an advantage to this. Great creates clarity. You know, you watch American Idol in its prime and you'd see the, you know, the, you know, the Underwood or like one of the great singers, like every year that they'd have a great singer. And it just created clarity. You're like, oh, she's great. He's really not that great. He's terrible. It creates clarity. Great creates clarity. You're in Silicon Valley, Apple. Oh, our stuff's good. It's not the iPhone good. Luca showed you the truth. Devin Booker. is a two. A good two, but a two. McHale Bridges, quite a ceiling. DeAndre Aiton,

not much use when you trail late and need threes. And Chris Paul's 37, he's old. Phoenix needs to take a huge swing. And they should thank Luca for that. Because he is so great, so capable of getting his own shot every time down the floor, so capable of elevating others, so so inspired, so unintimidated by anything, he showed you the way. He showed you that Booker's a two. If I'm Phoenix, I let DeAndre Aiton walk, I get another elite score. That's where I spend my money. Hopefully Booker is a great two for years to come in the Valley of the Sun.

But I'd probably limit Chris Paul's minutes. And by the way, you know I love Chris Paul. But there are certain industries in America where people do not age fast. Accountants. I mean, you could have an accountant for 60 years. Radio hosts. People do it for a long time. Attorneys, tax attorneys. I've been doing it. My firm's been all since the 60s.

And then there's professions where people age really fast. Like overnight. Pro Sports. Peyton Manning, MVP to benched for Brock Osweiler. James Hardin overnight. The hell is that. Chris Paul, 37, last four games of this series. These are pro athletes.

They're the world's best athletes in the NBA. Your weaknesses, they happen fast. That tax attorney, have another donut for breakfast. You'll never be able to tell. Chris Paul couldn't stay in front of anybody. And it's time. It's time to find the next Chris Paul. He's not going anywhere.

But Devin Booker was not a serious MVP candidate despite being the best player on the best team. But I think Luca, as infuriating and defeating and discouraging as it is today, Luca did you a huge favor. Luca showed you the truth. 33 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists a game shooting nearly 50%. Devin Booker scored 23 at 43% and struggled, struggled. never elevated others struggled to consistently get a good shot. Yes, I know today in Phoenix it's a bad day, but sometimes, you know, my wife says this all the time.

You know, you can be a great example for your kids or a horrible warning. Your kids can learn from both. You can learn as a pro basketball player or executive or coach or a team from a debilitating loss or a great win. They're both teaching tools. Luca showed you the truth. Booker's a two. Hell of a two. Good two. Love to have him for the next 10 years. Chris Paul's limited. He's 37. He got old fast. So did harden in the east like overnight.

Came out of the bed, woke up. You're like, oh, he's a step slow. Can't get past anybody and Chris can't stay in front of anybody. Chris Paul's going to be back. Use his guidance, his metal, his toughness, his intelligence, his moxie. But take a big swing because Dallas isn't getting worse. Luca's just now moving into his prime. Oh, he's going to be no fun to play for a decade. This isn't the best Luca. He came into the season out of shape.

This is like LeBron, year four in Cleveland, was it four or five? He got to this championship with the Spurs, and the Spurs like vanquished him in four games. Everybody's like, yeah, LeBron's not clutch. Twelve years later, he made his eight straight final. That's what you're looking at. Luca is the truth. Chris Paul, after the loss.

You know, you play long enough and you don't win. Every time you lose, they're going to say it was your best chance. But I think for me, us is, we'll be right back next year. Tell you that much. I'm not retiring tomorrow. Thank God. You know, hopefully I'm healthy. Come back.

But keep playing. Good coach. Great city. Great culture. some depth, let Aiton walk, go get another score, get a little younger at point. But there are a lot of different ways to learn your future. And that was one of them. It was ugly.

It was, got to be honest, I didn't see that one coming, trailing by 40 at home. But you can still learn from it. Eddie Johnson, son's TV analyst, who's got lots to say he'll be joining us next hour. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd. Weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're 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 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jette. And I'm Alex English. We pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack,

so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so. Thank you finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way 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, Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. It is great to be back. I missed you. I hope you guys missed us.

Joy and Alex, Curry held down the fort. Thank you so much for that. So, you know, I was saying, I was introduced to sports on a black and white television in a Frank Lloyd Wright designed house on the coast of Washington,

which was not ideal because it had a flat roof in Grayland, Washington, and it rains every day where I grew up. So we had a lot of leaks. I was down in the basement, black and white TV. The first game I ever watched that I remember watching was Washington against Miami, Super Bowl, Garoia Premium, 14 to 7, Miami won. And I remember watching an early Lakers Blazers game.

But the 70s, now I'm starting to be like, you know, eight, nine, 10 years old. And it was a great time. I loved the NBA. What you're currently watching, as I watch this weekend, is you're watching the 70s NBA with way better marketing, way better revenue. The NBA is doing very, very well. But you have one really great transformational player per team surrounded by excellent players. I'll give you an example. In the 70s, they were called the Washington Bullets.

They had Elvin Hayes, and then they had excellent players around him. Sheneer, Kevin Grevy, Bobby Dandridge, Wes Unseld. I remember them well, their uniforms. The Sonics had Gus Williams, who was their star from USC and his prime. But they had Jack Sykma and Lonnie Shelton and John Johnson and DJ, Dennis Johnson. And the Knicks had Walt Frazier was their guy. Earl Monroe and Dave DeBusher. The Warriors had Rick Berry was their star. Then Jeff Mullen, Clifford Ray, the coach Al Addles. I can go through all. Portland had Dave Twardwick and Jeff Petrie and Maurice Lucas, but they had Bill Walton. They all had a Hall of Famer and then really nice complimentary pieces.

Sixers, by the way, had Caldwell Jones and Bobby Jones and George McGinnis, but they had Dr. Jay. Dr. Jay was the first player that, you know, the Afro, the style, the hands, the swooping that we all kind of fell in love with in my age group. That's what we're watching. All of these teams have one great player. Tatum's going to be a Hall of Famer. Luke is going to be a Hall of Famer.

Some would vote him in now if he retired. Yana's going to be a Hall of Famer. Steph's a Hall of Famer. And then there's no great teams left, though. Like the 70s, we don't talk about 70s teams. We don't talk about 70s NBA teams. There's no great teams. These are not great teams.

Now, Golden State has the most offensive talent left. Celtics have the most defensive talent left. Miami's got the best depth and bench left. And Dallas has the greatest score left. All have something special. All four can win it. Absolutely. I think I like the Celtics and six over Miami. No great conviction. I think I like Golden States matchup against Dallas and six. I think health could be a huge factor.

These teams are not good enough to overcome. None of them are good enough to overcome a big injury. They're just not. And I was thinking about it this weekend flying back. I was reading Jeff Perlman's book, Three Ring Circus on Kobe, Shaq, and Phil Jackson. It's fantastic. The Lakers won three straight titles. And if Marl Malone was healthy, I think they beat Detroit for four. And it was nothing but chaos. Kobe hated Shaq. Shaq hated Kobe.

Phil Jackson was in Jerry West. It was a mess. It didn't matter. We watched the documentary Joint Idea, Michael Jordan and Jerry Kraus and Rodman didn't show up and Scotty Pippen is jealous and Michael's a jerk and he's punching Steve Kurt. It didn't matter. They won six titles.

And we watched Clay and Steph and Katie and Dremont and Kee didn't get along. They're fighting. It didn't matter. They just won. Great teams can overcome injuries and vanity and scuffles and fighting, turmoil and chaos. And the GM, it's the coach. And the coach hates the GM. And the team hates the star and the star.

Everybody's jealous. That's not what we have here. All four of these teams have absolute clear ceilings. But the 70s NBA was really, really fun. And everybody could win every year. There were like five, six teams every year. And all of these can win. But they've all got ceiling.

Golden State feels a little old, like a little creaky. Clay's not the same. Steph always feels like he's close to getting hurt. Draymond's still remarkable, but he's past his prime. So is Andrew Wiggins, who's been a revelation. Dallas, after Luca, Boston, after Tatum, they don't play well. They don't win. And I'm not even sure Miami has a closer.

I like Bam and I like Jimmy Butler. And they just kind of outlast everybody. The NBA is much healthier than it was in the 70s. It is rolling in international talent. It is rolling in revenue. The players are big personalities. Yeah, Simmons, Kyrie, James Harden, eye rolls. You pay guys $30 million.

That's what you get. But it's got much better marketing, and it is the 70s NBA. But people badmouthed the 70s NBA. I grew up with it. It was fun. The Knicks were good early 70s, and here came. the Lakers and then Dr. J's coming in and then the Sonics and the Blazers and the why can I name all the players why do I remember all the coaches I can go through starting

lineups for all of them why because it stuck it mattered it was fun players were fighting and yelling it was like you had you had basically you had like a just enough pasta for six people and there were seven kids everybody was fighting because everybody was an inch away It's not like the Warriors dynasty. It's not like the, you know, the Showtime Lakers, Kareem and Magic, the Bulls. It was like, yeah, maybe we can beat him. Probably we can't. Anybody can win here.

I don't have great conviction. I do think Boston defensively is going to make it really hard for Miami, really hard for Miami to get any consistency or fluidity offensively. And I think actually Golden State matches out with Luca okay. They can throw a little draymond at him for 10, 12 minutes a half. They can throw some Andrew Wiggins at him for a little while. I think they'll make it a little difficult for Luca. Little, heavy on the little.

But I think it'll be fun. I like it. I like villains. I like superpowers, but this is fun too. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. While you just mentioned the Warriors, they bounced back from, you know,

if it's appropriate to call it a blue. low out loss. It was a disaster of a game in game five. That was a fun series. It really was. New kids on the block and the old guys hanging on. It was a fun series. It really was. And it had a lot. And that game five

outside of it being one of the worst watches in NBA history for anyone who wasn't a Grizzlies fan was pretty remarkable. A team that wasn't a team that had won multiple championships, I don't know if they would have gone on to win the series after a loss like that. And they did that without job, which

was so impressive from the Grizzlies. But they did get the win. Clay Thompson led scoring for his team knocking down eight three-pointers, 30 total points. And Steph Curry had 29, 11 of them coming in the fourth quarter. So they eliminated the Grizzlies, four games to two, and we'll host the Mavs for game one on Wednesday. This was an incredible series. It's obviously disappointing not to have Jough for the end of the series. I think it might have gone seven. And even though it didn't, I think obviously what you saw, in this series was a young, fast, exciting, well-coached team. Oh, I think-Men's on the rise and the Grizzlies.

Yeah, they draft well. Like, Memphis has got it going. Like, this is not just jaw. This is like a really good scouting department. Like, they draft well, develop well. They're not going anywhere. Their GM-1 executive of the year. Their coach is right there at the top for coach of the year.

Fans are crazy. It's a wild environment. It's a great overall situation for Memphis right now. I don't think there's anything to hang your head about. This is a championship team. They have the experience. They're able to overcome. They don't get scared when they get down.

You can't. This is in the history of the NBA, you do not win that series if you're Memphis. Take the bubble year out when the young teams won. Remember the bubble year was weird? You and I were like, why are the young teams beating the old teams? Take that year out. Memphis never beats Golden State in this kind of, the kid never beats the old guy that still has a punch left. No, this was a great series. And again, like they lost jaw.

And that's an almost impossible thing to overcome. Like, obviously they were a great team during the regular season without jaw. They went 20 and 5. Postseason is a different situation. You saw it for one game. They blew Golden State out. And then in the games at the end of the series, Golden State did what they do. So I think it's really exciting for Golden State, too.

Like, they are playing a different type of basketball because they missed the postseason for a few years. They kind of had that downturn. If they win a championship again this year, it's an official dynasty. They can throw Draymond on for 15 minutes a half. half at Luca and Jonathan Cumminga, 6-7-220, super athletic, throw him for about six minutes a half. Wiggins a little bit. Phoenix doesn't really have any Matt.

Chris Paul can't guard him, Booker can't guard him. McHale Bridges can try, but Luke is thicker. I think Golden State has people that can throw at Luca and just get him down to shoot 46%. Average 29 and a half, not 32 and a half. Just make it a little more difficult. Well, even outside of Luca, and you saw it. because despite how badly things ended for Phoenix, let's not forget, it was a seven-game series. Dallas had their nights where they did not show up. You're going to have to live with Luca at some point.

It's going to depend on the role players with Dallas because they're going to game plan for Luca. And Luca's going to get his buckets regardless. Everyone else is going to have to step up. And are they going to be able to do that consistently against a team in Golden State that has won championships that knows how to overcome? They're very well-matched-up team. I think it will go, I think it'll go long. think it'll be a long series, but that's going to be the question in that series. Well, Doc Rivers had some questions about whether he was in the hot seat already in Philadelphia, but apparently he won't have to worry about his future. Darry made it clear during exit interviews that Doc will return for a third season with this team.

Mori said he loves working with Doc and that the organization believes he's a good coach, and they have a strong chance to win a title with him. He was, I don't know if you heard any quotes from Doc. Yeah, he was very spicy. He did not really take any arrows at the end of this season. this series, which, look, I don't think that Doc doesn't work hard. That's not the question that I have with Doc Rivers. He was kind of implying that, you know,

the writers and reporters were saying he doesn't care, like he's not doing his best work or something like that. That's not the concern here. The concern is the Sixers haven't reached a conference final since 2001. They've got really good players. You have two Hall of Famers on your roster. Banged up or not, at this point, we can't discuss injuries. Everyone's dealing with injuries. everyone. And I don't want to lay this at the feet of Joelle Embed who had an MVP level season

and was dragging up and down the court giving everything he had. One thing about Joelle and B that I don't question is whether he cares about winning. That dude cares. James Hardin fell apart. Once again, he is not a postseason player. He is a all-time great score and a regular season player. He does not have any success in the postseason. That was on James Hardin. You brought in James Hardin to do that and he gave you nothing in Clutch Chime. I mean, literally nothing. Nothing in that game in clutch time. You could not rely on them in any capacity, not for scoring, not for playmaking for anything. So I don't know what the sixers are going to do. They may end up having to keep Hardin, but. Oh, I've got strong opinions on that. That is, in fact, well, I'll talk about that.

Yeah. We'll get into that. He was, he was, in that series. Oh, no, he was in, in the second half, he was a ghost. When people do things repeatedly, believe them. Yeah. I've seen this second half. We have more than enough evidence that this is who James Hardin is. That's right. This is who he is now. Yes. So the bucks have been eliminated from the people. postseason losing to the Celtics in seven games, but Janice still put up incredible numbers in the series. He became the first NBA player in NBA history to score at least 200 points, get at least 100 rebounds, and have at least 50 assists in a single series. He had 20 points, 9 assists in five turnovers in, I'm sorry, 25 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and five turnovers in game seven against

Boston. I'm with you. I think if Chris Middleton is available, this is a different series. Yeah, I do. It's nothing against Boston, but it's, this is not a great enough. I mean, Grace and Ellen was terrified to be on the floor. Bobby Portis was a liability. They just don't. They have to have Chris Middleton given them 18 to 23. Well, we talked about this at the start of the postseason that this year was very unique. There was no super team.

Even the best team in the league Phoenix had holes. Every team had a vulnerability. And it felt like it was really open to anybody to make a run and win the championship. But obviously, everyone's going to have their picks. But even now with the final four, teams. I don't know how anyone can say with really strong conviction that they are for sure the team that's going to go on to win

the championship. Everyone is very even and, to your point, none of these teams can overcome a major injury. None. So, I mean, listen, you have to make do with what you have, and the honest was incredible, but that's just a lot to overcome. You're losing your second best guy. Yeah, we had the heedles, then we had

the Warriors with KD, we're going through a, LeBron got old, and the league's current situation is good, very good to good teams, all with a strength, cannot afford it. If Jalen Brown got hurt for Boston, the series is over. If Bam got hurt for Miami,

can't win the series. And that doesn't mean, that's not an excuse, it's just, this is probably always going to come down to the healthiest team, which can be on the individual for taking care of their body

and some of its luck. Luck favors the prepared. You're going to have to rise up in certain moments. But Janus was incredible. He still showed he's the best player in the league. But, you know, Boston took advantage of the situation and kudos to them. Good stuff. Joy with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. So it's interesting. I want to talk about this James Hardin situation. And so there's a feeling in the, I've heard this a lot from NBA people. I completely disagree with what NBA people are saying. NBA people are saying you have to resign James Harden.

Because if you don't, it sends a message to stars. Hey, you made them a promise. Okay. So I went out this morning and on the staff, and I asked the staff, go look at the last five or six NBA champions. Did any of them have a terrible contract? No. Now, Dallas has won DeVise Burton's $16 million a year. He doesn't play much.

It's not a Westbrook contract. It's not a John Wall contract. If you signed James Harden, it would be the worst contract in the league. you're out of the championship window. You don't have to be perfect to be an NBA champ, but you've got to have some bench and you've got to be a little flexible at the trade deadline. You got to have flexibility to fix your flaws.

You sign hard and you can't. And I hear this all the time. What kind of message will it send NBA stars if you don't resign Hardin? They want their money. Like you'd call up an NBA star and say, we'll give you $170 million. You know, I can't because, you know,

you promised hard. Hardin's a dog. He didn't play defense. He quits on teams. He showed up fat in Houston. I mean, that's documented. Players don't look at Hardin and go, man, they really screwed over a good guy. They really took advantage of Victor Oladipo or Jimmy Butler or Bam out of Bayou.

That's different. Hardin, Simmons, Kyrie. You get what you get. They're selfish. They're divas. They're difficult. They quit on teams. They won't get faxed.

Whatevs? Philadelphia has an advantage here. Hardin was so bad at the end of this series. Number one, Daryl Mory can get saved by his owner. His owner goes out publicly and says, I overruled Mory. We're not signing him. Daryl's off the hook. Daryl can talk to free agents and go, you know, I wanted to sign him, but the owner,

crazy guy upstairs said no. Secondly, fans in media in Philadelphia, very punitive, very loud, will side with a team. Nobody wants Hardin back. Nobody wants him back. And the other advantage, other stars want to take care of their families. They don't care. I mean, in the perfect world, you would go to a company that treats everybody well. Tell me an NBA star that's going to be offered $150 million that's going to go.

You know, I would have. But four years ago, I didn't like the way it treated Hardin. It really rubbed me the wrong way. I'm not going to accept the money from a good team. I'm going to go to a crappy team and get less money. people don't think that way. Stars do not think that way. The kind of money that would be offered by Philadelphia is star money.

They don't care about Hardin. Hardin sometimes doesn't care about getting home before a game. He doesn't play defense. He's quit on teams. He comes in out of shape. That's why he dies at the end of a playoff series. So Philadelphia cannot sign Hardin. Let him opt in for one year.

If you signed Hardin, look at these numbers. It's over. It's over. I like that they won the trade. And I still think at least their guy played. Harden played. But you can't sign him. Let him opt in for a year.

And then at the trading deadline, move him. And if he doesn't want to show up and he wants to pout, good. But I'm sorry. I think the core four is very, very good for Philadelphia. Embed's 29 a game star, MVP level guy. Maxi is an ascending star. I can get 22 a night from him. Tobias Harris is a three or a four.

Go get a Spencer Dinwiddie. Go get a really good player. Thibble is a great defensive player. If we have another pandemic, I'd prefer he get Vax. But the point being is, I like your core four. I like where Philadelphia is at. But you sign Hardin, you're out of the championship window. And by the way, you're not with Thibble and Maxie and I'm beating Tobias Harris.

No, you're not. Because now you can go get what Miami has if you don't sign them long term. A bench. a legitimate backup center if M. B. gets banged up, which he is prone to do. That's kind of a perpetual issue. But go back and look at the great championship teams in the last five, 10 years.

Not a lot of terrible contracts because you have one. No bench, no flexibility. And championship teams need both. All right. I got good stuff today. I go for a couple days off. And I got all this stuff stored up. and I'm sitting around drinking wine and eating pizza

and coming up with rants in my head. It's got to go somewhere. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Mike check. Do you want exclusive insight from the biggest names in the sports game? What's good?

This is national champion and former pro baller Chris Johnson. Let me tell you a little bit about my new series, KJ Live. KJ Live is the only show featuring me going one-on-one with the brightest basketball minds on the planet to get the real. And when I say real, I mean that real.

I got legendary Hall of Famers, elite coaches, and the top basketball insiders bringing you a unique perspective on all things who's culture that you will not find anywhere else. To make your next move, your best move, and tap in with me on KJ Live, wherever you get your podcast from.

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

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clever 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with a little Kim?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you're just so you. y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. So, oh. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it 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 Fantine, 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, 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. Ethan Strauss is a host of the Warriors in an NBA podcast, The House of Strauss, one of the smartest guys in media outside the box thinker. He is joining us now live.

So you covered the Warriors in the league for years. I do think they match up with Dallas pretty well. I'll get to that in a second. It's fascinating. Jason Kidd got a job as an NBA coach and bombed. And yet in this series, and we all love Monty Williams, whatever it was, he found kind of his groove. It kind of worked. What do you make of? By the way, I don't think people thought he was a good hire, Ethan, if I recall. No, no. This is one with the

intelligentsia. NBA Twitter, if you will, were dead wrong. He's been coach of the playoffs. And I wonder if it's a sea change in NBA coaching column. Now, this is a crazy direction to take it. But Louis C.K. did a recent YouTube series on the U.S. presidents. He categorizes, and people can think whatever they want about Louis C.K. But he categorizes all the presidents as either nerds or cowboys. I think that's true with NBA coaches. You had the era of the nerd. The former players didn't grasp analytics. They didn't get the three was more than two. So you had to get these nerdy coaches who had their intricate systems, the coach Boodnolser out there in Milwaukee, for instance. But now the former players do grasp. that three is more than two. They do grasp the analytics, and it helps to have that swagger. It helps to have that buy-in from the players. So you have Jason Kidd confidently calling out Luka and saying he has to participate on defense.

That's a harder thing to do when you're a boon-n-olzer, when you're a guy who hasn't played. But Jason Kidd is respected. Does Jason Kidd focus on some sort of intricate system? No. If you look at the clips of him, he is trapping Devin Booker, and he's like a point guard out there. It's practically the sixth man. He's on the sidelines. He's yelling when to trap.

He's directing traffic. So there's something interesting happening in the NBA right now. You've got three out of four former players in the final four. It seems like the era of the nerd coach might be shifting a little bit to the air of the cowboy coach. Jason Kempifies that. Yeah, no. It's a really interesting thought. I do think the Warriors can throw Cumminga, Draymond Green, Wiggins at Luca.

but it's an interesting Warriors team. Ethan, you covered them. They feel old. They feel vulnerable, do they not? Yeah, it does feel a little similar to end of the last dance vulnerabilities, right? Yeah. And what's tricky for them, it's the entire core, absent Jordan Poole, who's new, feels mortal. Feels like it's harder for Steph Curry to get off that three-pointer.

Clay sometimes looks like game six clay. But there are a lot of nights where it's more short. shots and points, right? And it just seems like they're getting by on a lot of guile. And I got to say, I'm trying to even remember what the series odds are. It's no slight to the Warriors necessarily, but it seems like they are overtly favored. I think they are minus, they are, yeah, minus 6.5 in their first game at home. It seems like that's a brand name selection in the gambling community. It seems like the Mavericks should be getting more respect. If we're not doing it based on brand name, based on the 2016 thinking, and we're just looking at the rosters and taking away the labels.

Yeah. I was saying it's the 70s NBA I grew up with, which gets criticized, but mostly because the league wasn't well run. The marketing stunk. The revenue was in peril. The league now is very, very vibrant. I found this now, the game seven stunk. I found the first two rounds exhilarating. I think the stories are great. I think the stars are fascinating, young, international, domestic. What do you make of the current NBA? It feels like the NFL, Colin. I don't know who's going to win the championship. The Warriors might have been favored in the series,

but it feels more like a toss-up to me. And I would be shocked if the Miami Heat ended up winning the title out of this final four, but any of the others make sense to me. I feel as though the sun's getting knocked out and the way they got knocked out, devastated, humiliated, destroyed. it kind of just spoke to the random feeling of this. And if not the random feeling, just the sense that there are possibilities. It's not predictable.

And it does seem to be resonating. I think it's been an incredible postseason, notwithstanding the Boring Game 7s, but the unpredictability, the sense that you, a fan, you could have your team win the championship. Nobody thought Dallas would have a shot of the championship going into this season. They seem to have a legitimate shot. I think that speaks to how the NBA might finally be getting some of that parity it always wanted. You know, it's the Harden, the Doc River situation, the K.D., the Karee. You know KD a little.

You sparred with him multiple times. Deep down, I said this couple weeks ago, I think he needs to go to the owner and the GM and just say, it's time to move off Karee. In fact, the GM ripped Kiree as I was gone last week publicly, which I think he had to get the OK from Kevin Durant to do. that or at least felt comfortable. That was my interpretation of what the GM of Brooklyn did. He got the okay from Katie to rip Kyrie. What was your interpretation? Yeah, and it's interesting. There are reports coming out that Kyrie is getting turned down by Nike. I don't recall such reports usually making their way in the media. I'm not alleging any

conspiracies, Colin, but there just might be an effort behind the scenes in Brooklyn. There just might be a green light that we're sick of this guy. It's time to go after him. Uh, you know, no holds barred, whatever sort of phrase you want to use. And yeah, I think that is informed typically with the other superstar because it's not like this organization just changed characterologically overnight. This is an obsequious operation. They kiss the butts of the stars out there. If they're turning on a dime like this and crushing one of the stars, they have to have gotten some internal okay, I believe, from the guys in that roster. All right. I don't know who I like. I think if Golden State stays healthy, I'd take them. I think I like them. You're not a big prediction guy, but your thoughts about who you'd take. I guess I'm going to go with Boston. I'll go with the Celtics. There were people who were saying that it was the Eastern Conference Finals, that last semi-finals with the Bucks and the Celtics and maybe the NBA finals. I'm going to go with that. They're just a really well-balanced team. They've got that core that is coming into their age at the exact right moment. I'm a little skis.

Paird kicking a team that has never won it or never been in the finals. You know, it's very hard for teams when they just get in the finals. They get blitzed a little bit. But if I have to pick one team and make a prediction, I'm going with Boston. Ethan Strauss, Warriors NBA podcast. It's called House of Strauss. It's a great scene you game, my man. Fantastic, Colin.

Anytime, man. You bet. That is interesting. The Cowboys and Nerds. I don't know which president, Louis C.K. had. Obama, Clinton, Reagan would be more cowboys. Well, like anything in life, there's big swings. You're going aggressive in one direction. That doesn't work out.

So we go all the way to the other direction and that doesn't work out. And as most things do, they land somewhere in the middle. You'll always have a little bit of both. But what works best as someone who's relatable and can communicate while also implementing the changes and analytics of the game. Yeah, no, it is interesting, though. You've got some, you know, when players first got the jobs, I think we were all like cynical.

I mean, just naturally, it's new. And it's like now, I mean, I watched Jason Kidd in that series and I'm like, really, he's coming. It's okay to fail, by the way. Well, yeah, I mean, that's the point. Jason Kidd going into that job, it's his first time doing that job. He doesn't come up through the coaching ranks. Like, this is an actual job outside of just telling people where to go on the basketball court. There's a whole other actual job you have to do.

And a lot of times they fail the first time because everything else that comes. with it you were not prepared for because you never focused on that when you were a player because you were focusing on being a player. So it's not surprising that he's having success now. He's had the experience of what being a coach is. Fun stuff. Well, I am back. I still have a little jet lag, Joy. Joy travels every week to Ecuador and has no jet lag ever. Yeah, I got in last night to LAX at like 1030. From where? From Miami. And you have no jet lag. I mean, I'm tired, but you know, professional. Let's go. Let's do this. I got some coffee. Make me seem like such a wuss.

All right, hour two, where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong. Great to be back on a Monday. It's the hurt. 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?

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 I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you

get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to learn the hard way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional

who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far far away, such as the biology

of Tontons and Wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.