The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Moneyline Monaco - LeBron/Lakers down 2-0 to Jokic, Nuggets + Game 3 lookahead

Episode Date: May 20, 2023

Alex Monaco reacts to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers losing Game 2 to Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets. Monaco breaks down how and why the Lakers lost their lead late and could not recover in Denver. Then, Monaco discusses why he still thinks LeBron and Anthony Davis will come back from down 2-0 and win the series. Monaco fully expects Davis and the Lakers to bounce back in Game 3, while the Nuggets come back down to earth, and for the series to be tied at 2 headed back to Denver. #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The volume. What's up, everybody? Alex Monaco here. Thank you for watching the Moneyline Monaco podcast on the Volume Sports YouTube channel. We are live Monday, Wednesday, Friday, wherever you get your pods. We are on Amazon Amp streaming Monday through Friday making picks, making bets. It's us first, though, books. I'm trying to win with you.

So come follow me at Moneyline, Monaco. Let's win together. Here we go. Star Redity now is. Insanity later. We start off. The Sports Gambling with MoneyLine Monaco podcast, Alex Monaco here, fired up to be with you. Will the Frank Costanza Seinfeld quote, fresh off this Lakers Nuggets game two?

Thank you for joining me. Volume Sports YouTube channel. We are on the Heard podcast fee this weekend, volume sports across all platforms, wherever you get your podcast. and of course, Moneyline Monaco across all social media. And I want to welcome you to my new favorite partner on the Moneyline Monaco podcast here, GameTime, the fastest growing ticketing app in the United States. For last minute, amazing deals on tickets to NBA, NHL, or MLB games.

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We are off the Eastern Conference Finals talk for this episode as solely Lakers Nuggets. If you've been rocking with me, I am all over the Miami Heat. Took them in game one plus eight and a half. Thank you for the Christmas with the cranks present. And we took the heat on the Monaco money line. What do you think? We go by Money Line, Monaco. We don't take a little three to one dog.

How you doing? Jimmy Butler and this Miami Heat team. Now, it's interesting to note the theme of this playoffs has been home court domination, unless your name is the Boston Celtics. Now, prior to game two, Celtics Heat, the seas were four and four. at the TD Garden. Everyone else left in the tournament. LeBron and the Lakers,

the Joker and Gotham, those Denver Nuggets, and the Miami Heat, all undefeated at home in the playoffs. That is fascinating. Now, we talk, tail of the tape here, game three.

It was fascinating, how fast this line moved. The books, depending where you shop, laid four game three Lakers Nuggets, minus three and a half, minus 158. This puppy steamed up so quickly to Lakers minus five and a half. They are now minus 220 on the money line.

Clearly the whole world is going to be betting the L.A. Lakers. Now I caught Collins monologue the herd Friday morning. Made an excellent observation. Lakers got boat raced in game one. 12 round in a boxing match in game two. Now, I'm going to sit here and talk this out.

Now, I'm on the Lakers to win the West. I'm on them to win it all. I'm on them to win the series. I am a Laker fan. I'm going to try to call it down the middle and point out what we're noticing, but also build an argument to try to sell you. And this is genuinely,

genuinely try and sell you. why I do believe the Lakers are going to win this series. I want to start out, though, with what the Lakers did do well. They tied the first quarter, really should have won it, and they won the first half. Now, this was a Laker effort in the first quarter in the first half of game two. That was brilliant. Now, if you look at the box score, particularly on the discrepancy from game one to game two, you're going to notice how much this Lakers defense locked in.

And you see it in the stat sheet. Double digits on steals, seven blocks. They won the turnover battle. They won the points in the paint battle. And this was a team that shot 88% from the charity stripe in game two. You're sitting there saying you do all of those things. You'd like to think you won. Now, 14 Denver 3s to a Lakers 8.

when you both shot 43% this series is so close in game one the teams shot 54.8 and 54.9% from the field in game two the Lakers shot 43.9 and the Nuggett shot 43.8

from the field. This is down the middle. We're talking about splitting hairs. Yet how we take in our sports broadcasting shows. Are you going first take debate with it? Are you going sports radio?

Do you go national? Do you go local? How do you consume your sports when we're a mids series? Says a lot. Not just about who you are as a sports fan, but how are you going back to the sports book and making your adjustments and decisions? Now, Murray leads all scores in game two.

Clearly the storyline, 37 points. 23 4th quarter points I'm ready to break all my knuckles into a wall with the Lakers having 24 it simply cannot happen

but if we're calling a spade a spade we've seen this happen in the NBA playoffs Devin Booker's taken over a game 3 James Hardin's taking over a game 1 Jason Tatum's taking over a 50 Burger Game 7 as has Curry we even saw Lonnie Walker

a role player take command of a fourth quarter win a game and Jamal Murray comes out and does it. Now, this is a team that was very, very fortunate to have Jamal Murray go ballistic because this roleplaying unit, Bruce Brown, Contavius Colwell Pope, fell much more back down to their quota to where they normally live. Bruce Brown 12, Contavius 8. This is who they typically are, not a 25 for Bruce Brown last series or a game one Contavius 21. Now, you take that element and you also couple it with the idea that Murray only had 14 points coming in, this Lakers team, who again had to come up against a prepared Denver team that knows all of the little intricacies of the whole. home court advantage. Now, people talk about the altitude. I don't know how much indoors. It carries versus that mile high or outdoor Denver Broncos Stadium. Clearly, the Lakers looked a little

lethargic on the energy side. That is to be assumed. I don't want to sit here and say they lost the game because they gave up. They lost the game because Anthony Davis fell off a cliff offensively from a 40 piece in game one to an unthinkable, unimaginable, 18 points on a egregious four of 15 shooting. And we're at the point with AD playoff performances where my gosh, are we really doing this? Are we really going every other like James Hardin who just got doc fired and may want to go back to Houston for a pressure free,

suck a free Sunday? Come on, dude. Anthony Davis needs to step up, and LeBron James, for the love of Game of Thrones, needs to stop shooting threes. How many more threes? He's one of 20. One of 20. He's missed 19 straight threes in the fourth quarter. Colin made a great point, and it's true.

He's just trying to catch his breath. Even J-Mack said it out the gate. He was tying his other shoe just to buy himself another 30 seconds. this team is gassed. LeBron's 38. He's gassed. He's a human being. But they need to support LeBron.

Now, LeBron in the paint is shooting over 70% in the playoffs. They missed that huge bunny, that toe in the line baseline layup. He had a couple of really bad down the stretch performances on those possessions or decision making. I don't want to come down on them too hard. But, you know, this was a game where AD's off the whole game. DeAngelo Russell is yet to check into the freaking series yet. And Rui Hachamura is scorching with 21 last night, or Thursday night, I should say. And you can't get anybody else to give you any love.

Now, Ham goes with Vanderbill out the gate in the lineup. Obviously, a defensive play. I didn't hate it. But outside. of Austin Reeves of all people. And LeBron's going to give you what he's going to give you. But Austin Reeves gave you a 23 and a loss and he gave you 22 and a win. And another loss, excuse me.

But a steady effort and performance for this team. Now, the role support from Reeves and Rui was huge. And you can build off that going into game three as we talk out game three here. 8 of 10 shooting for Rui, 5 and 9 on 3s for Reeves. DeLo on 3 of 8. Now, I did do some due diligence here. I've done the research to really find out

how important DeAngelo Russell is and his output to this Lakers win and loss category. And I mentioned to you earlier in the week when Kyle Lowry goes 10 plus points, the heater undefeated in the playoffs, well, if you go down, and you talk Lakers wins and losses out.

So this is a team that was an 8 and 4 cover. And four losses on the covering came as the dog. They've been a 6-0 ATS favorite and favorite in every home game. But on this role playing thought, when DeAngelo Russell score 17 points or more, the Lakers are undefeated. When DeAngelo Russell has held to 15 or less, they lose. 10.3 in the losses, 18.3 in the wins.

And you pull up the box score, baby. And DeAngelo Russell with 8 in game 1 and 10 in game 2, checks that trend out down the middle. Now, he stayed after to shoot. Clearly didn't matter. He's dealing with John, with Bruce Brown. Look, dude, Bruce Brown's a role player making headlock. lines off the court. If you know, you know, you don't, you don't. Baby mama drama. Stop dancing.

Talking to a 2K. 79. You're DeAngelo Russell. Yes, you're on your fourth team and your second stint on the Lakers. That's beside the point. You have the ability to sway this series because AD is on and off. LeBron is consistent, but the closing at the end there was a little problematic. Reeves is so young and so unproven in the spot. You don't want to lean on it on Austin Reeves. And you got lucky with that Banking 3, quite frankly. He didn't necessarily know what to do with the Rock with five seconds left. You need DeAngelo Russell to step up.

Now, an interesting conversation when my youngest brother basketball, Savon, shout on my guy, Benji, made an excellent observation. I live in a diehard, born and raised, three brother, Laker household. this series where the Nuggets go 2O out the gate is exactly how series used to go with the Lakers in the OOs. Lakers Blazers, Lakers Blazers,

Spurs, Lakers Kings. Matter of fact, you go to that 2000 run. The Lakers beat the Kings went to five. Lakers beat the Blazers, went to seven. Now, with the seven against the Kings in 2002, this is

how series used to be. Protect your home court, do not let anyone get into your arena and take your soul and thus making it long, drawn out, battle tested, banging bodies, blood is shed, tears are had type series. Yet, we live in a skinny jeans, cookie cutter, you flop, you get a foul. You Italy, cereal, roll and tumble, you get a foul. That goes for my guy LeBron, as well as it goes for other stars. everyone's calling them lay flop. I don't love it. It is what it is.

It's a softer league. But I'm bringing you back to the past to remind you that particularly once you get to the conference finals, even the Nuggets, even the Nuggets with Carmelo Anthony, who did get to that Western Conference Finals, would have shown you that kind of an effort at home. Jonti Billup, shout out that awesome Nuggets team back in the day. it's a dog fight. There are no super teams.

And when it comes down to the wire, will you protect your home court? Jamal Murray did just that. Now, the Lakers are on their longest home winning streak since 2018. They are perfect at home. You just heard me they are perfect against the spread at home. Now, I absolutely fired like Django with it. When I saw that line at minus three and a half minus 158,

absolutely slammed it for your daily double. I'm already locked in. Do I recommend five and a half? I do. I think it's a Lakers team that wins the first quarter, wins the race to 10, wins the first half, wins the game.

Remind ourselves. Remind ourselves that these Nuggets role players came back to Earth. They are not as deep as we think. Christian Brown is nothing but an energy guy. Bruce Brown was a defensive acquisition initially. Reggie Jackson ain't getting PT.

This is a contavious Caldwell Pope off against the X. A great start to the series, but I don't see him putting up 20 again. Come on. And go down the list here. Michael Porter and Dora Jeff Green. and I don't see Aaron Gordon taken off in this series.

Look, who are we fearing? The Nuggets held surf. Jamal Murray had one point less than the Lakers as a team. Yokic has had two triple doubles in as many games. That you could say

was all the Lakers had or you could say that's as best as the Nuggets are going to play. Michael Malone, wanting to give bulletin, board material. You can't take the Sacramento out of the guy. All I got to say is he's sitting there actually pissed off. No one's talking about the nuggets on first take.

My God. No one even wants to talk about the nuggets moving forward with LeBron James in the playoffs, Anthony Davis in the playoffs, and the largest brand in the basketball world, not named the New York Knicks, the playoffs. You're upset that the mountain west side of the NBA geographical world isn't getting the love? Dude, besides the point, but just funny to sit there and get wedding crashes rule number six with it hot and bothered when you won the game. You want the front page win the series and they will not be winning game three and it is in the pudding.

And it is in the stars. Now, how close this series is does not dictate 2-0 in the column, in the win-loss column. But this Lakers team was leading the whole second quarter, the whole third quarter, got better rule support than the Nuggets. They just ran into a Jamal Murray takeover. Okay. Well, we got the 80 bad game out of the way. And if you really call what it could be, this Lakers team could have. taking game one as much as they could have taken and should have taken game two.

Game one would have sucked the soul out of the nuggets. Game two should have been theirs. Now, this was a Lakers team that would go all in methodically formula wise, energy wise, and then sort of pedal back in these first two series. You saw it all in game one against the grids. They peddle back in game two. They mailed it in. Same thing with the dubs.

They don't have that luxury anymore. But what they do have on their side, is a couple of guys like a D low, like an AD bad game, that are prime, right for a top shelf statistical evening. And that will ensue. Now, the nuggets are a perfect 10 at home.

You go on the road with the nugget. You take a road trip, a little Colin Cowherd analogy with the same girl on the road, all of a sudden it's the Seinfeld episode. Might not look and appear the same in the same light. Let's go to the other booth. If you get that joke, I love you. If you get the reference, this is a Nuggets team that has dropped games on the road in the playoffs.

And a Nuggets team that double digit swings in the negative drop-off offensive output-wise from home to road. The Nuggets are not a perfect pen on the road. They will be exposed. Everyone thinks the Lakers are done. This is not a tired Lakers team. They may have been tired in Denver. They're not tired on the season. LeBron knows how hard it is to get to this point,

how much it means to take down a grizzlies and a warriors. Let's not overcomplicate things. The team shot the exact same percentage by point one in game one in game two. Okay? Let's also mention, and let's call it down the middle, the Lakers are getting the whistle. The Lakers got the whistle a lot of game two. You don't think they're going to get it in game three.

it's the NBA. If you think silver advertisers, money behind the league doesn't know that if the nuggets make the finals, no one will care

outside of the die-hard NBA fan. You kidding yourself. Billions. Billions of dollars. I'm not saying that to tell you the fixes. And I'm telling you, it ain't going to be a sweet. Take the Lakers in game three.

Thank me later. I will absolutely be double Kastanza dipping on the Lakers to win the series. Western Conference Finals plus 350. Thank you today, tomorrow, the next day. Better role players in game two. A bad game from AD. A couple of huge missed opportunities at the end for LeBron. They almost won.

And we're calling it a Nuggets routing. it is insulting as much as the heat plus eight game one line was. That's how insulting it is. The Lakers are going to double-digit route the Denver nugs. And this puppy's going to go seven into Denver, and we are going to watch and see if Jamal Murray can do that again when all the chips are in the middle, baby. I'll fire it up on a Friday.

Thank you for tuning in. Sports gambling with Money Line, Monica. We're not going to build an SGP for the pod. We're just going to let you know. We're on the Lakers first quarter, first half, full game. I am absolutely loving a 2-2 back to Denver, best of three. Let's tango. Baby.

Game time. Top shelf app. Shout out everyone for listening. Means a lot. Money Line Monaco across all social. Alex Monaco on Twitter, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, on the Volume Sports YouTube channel. Don't forget, as always, to hug your mothers.

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