The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Draymond Green Show - Steph's Return, KD's Injury, and LeBron's Comments

Episode Date: January 12, 2023

Draymond Green discusses the Golden State Warriors’ odd home loss to the Phoenix Suns that featured the return of Steph Curry, Andre Iguodala, and Andrew Wiggins. Then, he breaks down what the team needs to do to right the ship. Next, Dray gives his thoughts on how Kevin Durant's injury will affect the Nets and what to make of LeBron James's comments about the Los Angeles Lakers. Produced by: Jackson Safon #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The volume. Looking to get more out of the NBA season? Well, now's the perfect time to download FanDuel, America's number one sports book. Right now, new customers get a no-swet first bet up to $1,000. That's free bets back if your first bet doesn't win. The promo code is always Colin. FanDuel has tons of betting options. I like the same game parlay.

Bet a little, win a lot. Fandul's app is safe, secure, easy to use, and you get paid your winnings really fast. The no sweat first bet up to $1,000, promo code Colin, make every moment more this season with Fandul, an official sports betting partner of the NBA. 21 plus and present in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, and Louisiana. Permitted parishes only. Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia. First online, Real Money Wager Only.

refund issued as non-witrable site credit that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook. Fandul.com. Gambling problem, 1-800 next step or text next step to 5334-2-2-Arizona, 188-8-9-7-7-7-7-7-7 or visit cccccccccccccccog. Connecticut, 1-800-G or visit Fandul-Dol.com slash RG in Colorado, Indiana, Jersey, and Virginia.

18777-7-7-1-1-1-7. In Louisiana, 1-800-2707-1-1-7-1-1-7 for confidential health in Michigan. 1877 H-O-P-E-N-Y or text H-O-PENY-N-Y-4-6-9-9-N-N-E-Ret. One-Hon-8-N-N-T, visit 100-Gambler. Visit 1-800-Gambler. What's up, everybody, welcome back to the Dremont Green Show. If you missed our episode with Stephen A. Smith, the great Stephen A. Smith, from earlier this week, you should definitely go back and check that out.

I would highly recommend that you go back and listen to that interview we had, Stephen A. It's hard to say Stephen A is in rare form because, quite frankly, I'm not sure I've ever seen Stephen A have an off day. But in saying that I think that really speaks to his greatness and, you know, everything that he embodies about sports casting and, you know, talk show hosts. Like, I think, you know, people talk about Stephen A in sports. And the reality is, he's incredible. probably the best in sports at what he does. I think when talking Stephen A, you have to start putting Stephen A up there with, like,

great talk show host and, like, great personalities on TV outside of sports. That's how good he is, and that's how good he was in our interview. And I highly recommend that you go check that out. It's definitely some gyms in there, ask some tough questions. really, you know, to get his take on different things as, you know, his take can be different sometimes than our take. And you're hearing that interview, like him giving me some size of things to hear out that I wouldn't have necessarily saw that point of view before hearing his take. So, you know, one thing I've learned in adulthood is you always want to hear both sides

of the story and just his takes on some things were absolutely incredible. So make sure you go check that episode out if you haven't already. If you love the dubs, you know that January is a key month for us. Big matchups at home against Phoenix, Brooklyn, Memphis, and on the road against teams like Boston and Cleveland. Going to be a lot of fun to watch on television. But what if you actually could be at those games? For last minute, amazing deals on tickets,

not just to the dubs games, but your favorite NBA team, check out Game Time, the fastest growing ticketing app in the U.S. And it doesn't stop with the NBA. Game Time has tickets to the NFL playoffs, NHL and college basketball games. Even concerts and comedy shows too. So if you're in New York and you want to go see the Knicks take on Cleveland or the Lakers, game time has you covered.

Or if you want to see Adam Sandler live tonight this weekend, anytime soon. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and redeem code green in all caps. For $20 off your first purchase, terms may apply. Again, create an account into the code green, That's G-R-E-N for $20 off. No matter where you live, get out and have some fun this week.

Download game time today. Last minute tickets, lowest price, guaranteed. Let's get into the stuff that we need to talk about, the landscape of the NBA and what's going on. Number one, Steph Curry's return versus the Suns. Very happy and excited that Steph is back. these last few weeks without him have been tough. Now, we've been winning, well, until as of late, losing the last three.

But I put together a five-game winning street at the beginning of Steph's absence. And that was kind of great. We were in a really unstable position coming out of Brooklyn and coming back from that road trip and then losing Steph during that road trip. Everybody's going haywire and wondering what the hell is going to happen. and to go on that five game when the streak was great. Now, the last three games,

we have to get back on the right side of things. But to have Steph back was absolutely incredible. And, you know, I think initially you can kind of see a little bit of the rust, miss some shots that he would normally make, and wasn't quite as aggressive as normal, which is a normal thing. And saying that as the game went on,

you started to see him find that rhythm and you started to see him get more aggressive. And I think that bodes well for us. We're about to start a five-game road trip, and we all know our struggles we've had on the road. So I think this road trip is really coming at a good time for us. And, you know, get out on the road, get together with the guys, spend some time and start winning some of these damn road games.

So extremely excited and looking forward to the road trip, but definitely was happy to have Steph back. Andrew Wiggins came back since the last time we've talked. And, you know, it's great to see Wigs back as well. And then Andre Iguodala made his season debut, which was also great and bodes well for the dubs. Now, in saying that, I think when you get guys coming back from injury, especially missing the amount of time that guys missed,

it was weird because as players, you kind of settle into those roles and then it abruptly ends. You know, Dante DiFenzo has settled into a role with those guys being out and it abruptly comes to an end. You know, and the list goes on and on and on. And so I think that's also a very weird thing. And with so many guys coming back at one time, you know, the rotations get funky and the play calling gets funky.

And there's no one's fought. You know, it's not Steve's fault. It's not anyone's fault in particular. It's just what you have to go through and reincorporating guys and especially so many guys at one time just getting them back in the mix. And so I felt like last night's loss to the suns was kind of a byproduct of that,

where we're going in, we're kind of figuring out, you know, who shoots here, the ball goes there, figuring out, refiguring out the patterns. Because quite frankly, when Steph is out, we're a totally different team. Steph and Wigs out, we're an absolutely completely different team. And then Andre out, you know, some of these guys on this team, which you have to realize has never played with Andre.

And so you're figuring those things out as well. And so I think, you know, last night's loss was definitely somewhat of a byproduct of that. Now, in saying that, it's no excuse to go lose at home to a Phoenix Sun team that's probably down for their top five players. It's no excuse to go lose that game, but we did and we have to move forward. But that was a shitty loss. And can't do anything about it now. I've got to go back and write the ship, and we got to do it on the road.

So it's tough to see Drake get ejected from that game last night. You know, but, you know, things happen. And for us, we have to turn our focus to the next game, which is Friday at San Antonio. And I'm excited about that game, by the way. Playing at the Alamo Dome, never played at the Alamo Dome as obviously they were already moved to AT&T Center by the time that I came in the league,

which you always ride by the Alamo Dome, and you know the history of the Alamo Dome. and they're trying to break the attendance record. Now, a part of me is like, why the hell the game has to be, when we're coming to town and you're trying to break the attendance record and all of this, but quite frankly, we face a lot of things like that. You know, over the years, Dallas will have whiteouts when we come to town and different things.

And so from the business side of things, I always wonder, like, if you're trying to break the attendance record and the big catches like we're doing this at the Alamadon, do you really want to waste your, a game against the Warriors with Steph Curry coming to town and the draw that that brings. Do you waste that game and do it at the Alamo Dome? I don't know. I think that would be an interesting question to have would say the president of a team and just really understanding that business side further.

But I am extremely excited about that game just because the opportunity. The last time I played in the Dome had to be college. Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was college in the NCAA tournament. And so, by the way, excited for the experience, but playing in domes is weird. Like the depth perception when you're shooting the ball, it's like so much space behind. You're used to shooting in a gym.

And even in the arena, it's still kind of enclosed. But a dome? Like, the depth perception is crazy in a dome. I remember playing in the aircraft. Carrier Classic, which was the first one played in San Diego, my senior year against North Carolina on an aircraft carrier, and like, you're shooting a ball and looking at OpenC. And it was the weirdest thing. And you get some of that in a dome.

So not really excited about the debt perception. It is great that we'll get a chance to practice there before the game. But I am excited about the opportunity to play in the Alamo Dome that, you know, all the guys playing in before I ever made it to the league. and then also seeing if they'll break their attendance record. I think that'll be cool to be a part of that game. So looking forward to that. And then most importantly, to really write this ship back

and get back on a winning track and start this road trip off right. And the San Antonio Spurs team, they're not laying down to nobody. They're giving tough games to everybody that plays. So we got to make sure that we come in, locked in, ready to go, and do the things that it takes necessary to win a game in the NBA, but more importantly, to win a road game. as those tend to be a little different and a little tougher than the home game.

So I'm looking forward to that. When we return from this road trip, obviously we got the scorching hot Brooklyn Nets coming to town and was really looking forward to KD getting an opportunity to play in front of the fans that he was able to capture two championships and go to three NBA finals in his three years here. was really looking forward to that for him. And obviously, KD just went down with a knee injury.

They're saying to MCL spraying and he'll be out for about a month. I don't know. Injuries are never good. So let me say that first. It's never a good time to be injured. But it'll be interesting to see, you know, the nets, like they're rolling. And it's not, I think the interesting thing is it's not just KD. and Kyrie.

Like Ben is playing a lot better. Adding T.J. Warren back to, adding T.J. Warren to that lineup has really been a spark for them. And it's been really good. T.J. is playing well. Seff is back. Joe Harris. Claxton is playing really well.

And so there's still going to be a team to be reckoned with, even with Katie out. But it'll be interesting to see how much of an impact that it does have. I think they have won 18 of their last 20 games or 19 or their. their last 21. So they're in a really good spot, but, you know, injuries, injuries are tough. And so I'm definitely wishing Katie well, get well soon, brother, come back healthy, having an MVP year. And like I said before, to see Kevin have an MVP year like he's having a special

because for him to get mentioned in that category, not only does he have to be playing great, but his team has to be doing great because when he plays great, everyone's just so accustomed to it like the LeBron effect, like the Steph Curry effect, where you kind of get bored. And it's been interesting to see how people have gotten bored with like those guys' performances. And yet Joker now is kind of getting into that category of where you just expect the dominance. But it doesn't feel like people has gotten bored with Joker's performances yet. And I wonder why.

Like, is it because of the assists as well? and it's just not scoring, but LeBron is full of assist. Steph Curry, averages, I think, more to six assists for his career. KD. against assist. So I don't know. I've been trying to figure that one out, but it seems like with Joker's production that he's starting to work himself

into that category of people just expecting it. So, and I say bored, maybe bored isn't the right term, but it's just so expected that you've got to be so above and beyond to get mentioned in the MVP. category. And so to see Kevin mentioned now in the MVP category, obviously before the injury, it's great to

see him getting his due because he plays at that level pretty much every time he steps on the floor. And so it's good to see that. And we'll see how that plays out and how many games he misses. And you know, depending on how many games

he misses, that question always comes up of how many games do you have to play in order to win MVP. How many games do you have to play in order to win defensive player at a year? Like that question always comes up and the conversation always comes up. So hopefully Kevin doesn't miss too many games and, you know, he can continue to have a great season. And if MVP is in his future, he can go capture that. Steph Curry coming back from injury, looking forward to Steph getting back to that MVP level that he was playing at. He gets back

to that MVP level, which I have no doubt that he will. Our team can take the jump and he can work himself back into that conversation. So I think it gets interesting. But like I said, wanted to wish Kevin well on his injury and his recovery because you just, you never want to see anyone get hurt. Looking to get more out of the NBA season? Well, now is the perfect time to download Fandul, America's number one sports book. Right now, new customers get a no sweat first bet up to $1,000.

That's free bets. back if your first bet doesn't win. The promo code is always Colin. Fandul has tons of betting options. I like the same game parlay. Bet a little, win a lot. Fandul's app is safe, secure, easy to use, and you get paid your winnings really fast.

The no sweat first bet up to $1,000. promo code Colin. Make every moment more this season with Fandul, an official sports betting partner of the NBA. 21 plus and present in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, and Louisiana. Permitted parishes only. Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia. First online, real money wager only.

Refundit refund issued as non-withdrawable site credit that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.Fandul.com. Gambling problem, 1-800-200 next step or text next step to 5334-2-A 888-8-8-9-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7. Or visit catt. Connecticut, 100, Gambler, or visit fandul.com slash RG and Colorado, Indiana, Jersey, and Virginia.

18777-7-0-0-N-1-7-1-1-7-1-1-7-1-1-7-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-Gabler. In Louisiana. Amongst other news around the NBA, one of the biggest stories of the week has been LeBron's comment. Y'all know what the beep should be going on or should be happening. I'm sorry. and I saw a lot of people start talking immediately about essentially LeBron throwing his teammates under the bus. And I did not take that away from that comment. What I took away from that comment was, and LeBron went on to clarify on Twitter,

that his focus is on the guys in the locker room. what I took away from that comment even before O'Brien went and clarified what he meant was trade those draft picks because the draft picks does not help him and it doesn't help that current team. And so that's what I took away from it. So when everybody went up in arms that,

like, that he was throwing the teammates under the bus, I was a little, I wasn't confused by it because I know what people took away. from it, but that just wasn't my take. My take was more so that, you know, everybody's been talking about, again, it's been the biggest news in the NBA, everybody's been talking about the 2027 draft pick and the 2029 draft pick. And I just thought it was interesting because I just didn't take away. He was saying, oh, this guy needs to be traded or that guy needs to be traded.

I thought it was more about, like, maybe the draft picks. Like that was my reading of the situation. It wasn't necessarily that I was reading that Brown was throwing his teammates under the bus. Especially, I think at that point, they were like maybe on like a five-game winning streak or something like that. So I just didn't really understand why people would think immediately that it was the throw the teammates under the bus thing. as I said, I thought it was more so, if anything, like if you wanted to make anything of it, I thought if you're going to make anything of it,

then if I was going to make something of it, I would have made something of the draft pick situation. I wouldn't have necessarily made much of the teammates, like as far as the guys, he takes the floor when and is in the locker room with every day. So I don't know. And in saying that, I'm not in their locker room. I'm not with their team.

I don't quite know. I have not talked to Brown or anything about that, nor will I, as I have my own team to worry about. But as you know, I keep tabs on the NBA at all times, whether that's for just me as a fan, whether that's for to gain a mental edge on somebody, because you best believe if we play to Los Angeles Lakers. And I believe LeBron was saying that the teammates should be traded. Oh, you better believe I'm telling those teammates, your boy, you don't even want to play with you when we play against them and kind of trying to get in their head a little bit.

So that's another reason I like to keep tabs on the NBA because at times you get in the game and you need to use some of those tip-bits to get under a guy's skin, to get in the guy's head, to kind of affect their game and try to get that mental edge. So you best believe. If I believe that, I'm using that for a mental edge. However, I didn't quite think that was the case. Who knows?

That's on them to figure out. It's not really my problem. But I was going to talk to you about it because I know it's been news around the NBA, and that's what we do. Whatever you make of it is what you make of it. But in saying that, that's going to be a wrap for this top of the show. We'll be back next week with another top of the show

with what's going on to run. the association. Keep you up to date. I always share my thoughts, and we have a very, very, very fun guests next week. Very intelligent. A legend in the NBA is now my teammate in a different way. Hint, hint.

Jamal Crawford will be our guest for next week's show. Make sure you check it out. Very, very, very, very. excited about this guest. Jamal and I came into the lead was one of those guys who really like just embraced me and we were, he was with the Clippers.

Like, and as you know, at that time we kind of had that little thing brewing against them the two young up-and-coming teens, which one would be the next one out the West. Obviously, we all know how that ended up turning out. But one guy that really embraced me and that I got a lot of respect

and a lot of love for. So, excited to have a conversation again. If you have not seen this week's episode with Stephen A. Smith, make sure you go check that out. Also go hit the merch store and get your merch. You will start seeing me in the merch. Get yours now. Code Dre 23 for a discount.

Don't miss that discount. Go get yours now. That's a wrap from this episode of the Draymond Green Show back next week. Peace.