The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 2 - Are the Suns for real?

Episode Date: April 12, 2023

Fox Sports NBA Analyst Ric Bucher joins the show in studio to explain why he has skepticism about the Suns contending for a championship  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Now let's get this party started. listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go. Hour 2 and a Wednesday. All loaded up live in L.A. It's the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making that as part of your day. Slight correction on my movie sports take.

I don't think there's a lot of great sports movies. Let me correct it. I amend it. There's three great sports movies ever. Three. Moneyball, Rocky, and Hoosiers. Those are great movies, period. Then there's a half dozen movies. Remember the Titans, Longest Yard,

Brian's song. Those are great sports movies, but you and your buddies, you know, in the all-time great Roger Ebert list, Brian's song, and remember the Titans are not in it. Hoosiers is an all-time great movie. That's a great, great, I mean, you got Gene Hackman in a movie, and he's not doing slouchy stuff here, okay? And then you got money ball, you got Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. Any given Sunday? God, come on. Jamie Fox, and I think. I love Jamie. That's not a great, that's not one of Jamie Fox's eight best movies.

Remember the Titans isn't in the top seven for Denzel. It's a good sports movie and Denzel's great. But I'm talking Hoosiers is, if you did my 20 best movies ever, Hoosiers is going to get considered. It's the untouchables. It's maybe not Goodfellas or Silence of the Lambs, but it is a good movie. The rest of those are just sports movies

and our standards solo any given Sunday. That's a good movie, man. You are like the fun police when it comes to sports movies. Hey, anti-fun, cowhert. No, I'm not. Top Gun? Best thing I saw last year.

I won't dispute that. I am nothing but fun, but my standard is high. You can't just throw me a 78 mile an hour fastball and say, this sports movie is great. No, great is Goodfellas. Platoon. Those are great movies. Spielberg. Those are great movies.

Those are iconic, legendary films. I'm just saying sports in that bucket. You just don't like really anything. You're like five sports movies. Hoosiers, Money, Money. Moneyball, Rocky. Great. Forget sports.

Great movie. Blue chips. Shack. Nick Knoky. Penny Hardaway. Shack. Well, he left out Shazam. I mean, God.

Blue chips. Okay. So I got to say this. I thought Miami would win last night, but we said, take it land in the points. Miami's got no offense. So Miami came out flat, and bottom line is they don't have enough guys that can make baskets

to catch up when they fall behind. And it's time to, like, Does Pat Riley, the only question about Miami, does Pat Riley at 78 years old have one more big deal in him, i.e. Damien Lillard. Because Jimmy Butler doesn't shoot threes. Bam out of Bayou should be a number three on a championship team. Tyler Hero starts for him. He should be the first guy off a bench for a championship team. So Damian Lillard, as the kids say, this ain't it. You're not going anywhere with this team. You're falling further behind Miami, Philadelphia. It's not enough guy. You got a great head coach. You got a great culture. But the roster is in need of.

scoring. If you look at the offensive stats for Miami, this isn't good enough. They have totally maximized because of a great coach and a great culture. They have maximized Jimmy Butler, Bam at Abou, and Tyler Hero. But Tyler Hero should be coming off the bench. Bam should be a three or four in a championship team and stop. Listen, they maximized it. They've done a great job. They got to the final in the bubble when all the old teams were sad and played poorly. They got to the championship. Last year, had a good year. Maximized it. They're a little bit like, it's a little bit New England Patriots. You're winning on coaching and culture and intelligence and efficiency and

efficiency. You got to make baskets. They don't have enough guys that can make shots. And so if you're counting on 37-year-old Kyle Lowry to bring you back in the game last night, you're not it. So, I mean, Jimmy Butler, I love him, you love him. But if you look at where the league is and you look at where the east is, Milwaukee, He's a little old.

You cross your fingers with the Celtics and Robert Williams' health. This team needs scoring. I mean, flat out. Here's Jimmy Butler. I mean, as far as the confidence goes, we have to stay confident. We have to know that we are capable of winning. If we start out the right way and if we rebound, obviously. But it's just, I don't know, shots don't go in.

We don't defend. We foul. That's never the recipe for success with us. So come Friday, we got to play, like, legit, the exact opposite that we play tonight. So defense, toughness, smarts, efficiency can absolutely get you to the playoffs, win playoff series. Very, very highly doubtful. That's going to win you a championship. And let's be totally clear about this.

Right now, the top five or six teams in the NBA tend to be able to get you buckets. And Miami needs another shot maker. I just wonder if Pat Riley can engineer one more big deal. Damien Lillard's what they need. If you can figure out of getting Dame, I don't know what you have to do for it. Give up Bam out of Bayou, I don't know. But they need a shotmaker.

They've got to get some threes. All right, Rick Buecker, our weekly stop by, joining us in studio, covering the NBA since the early 90s. Good to see you, Bukes, Howard. We haven't done dinner in a long time. You know, tonight's not a bad dinner night. No, we haven't. Because a bunch of stinkers on TV tonight.

You actually, you invited me over to the house for dinner. You made dinner, which was very impressive. And then now he's just ghosted me after that. It was like, you know what? You got the full Colin Cowherd experience. Introduced you to my daughter. That's it. I'm cutting you off. I don't know why that is, but... Let's go out tonight. It is. I haven't been out in a while. I haven't had a cocktail in a few days. Let's roll it tonight. Okay. Yeah, you look a little parched. Okay. So, I said this earlier. Laker fans are like, man, that's ugly. And I'm like, no, it's kind of how they're going to win.

Tough defense. Get to the free throw line. Hit your free throws. This is old LeBron, best AD I've seen in years, and then you cross your fingers.

Jared Vanderbilt had no points. They didn't want DeAngelo Russell near the ball late in the game. True. Last night is kind of how they're going to have to win. Is it not? Yeah. No.

We have a text string with the speaker. crew, right? And they were like, please, don't give us, I don't want to see another game like this. I'm like, if you want the Lakers to advance, you've got to see at least four more games like this. Because that's the only way that they're going to win. And LeBron did, LeBron was awful for the better part of the night. He made two plays at the end, the three and the end of regulation. And then the drive and the kick to Dennis Shooter for the big three in the corner. But other than that, I mean, they made their run to get back into the game in the third quarter when he was on the bench. Yeah.

The mythology of LeBron James at this point is far greater than the reality of LeBron. He's still a very good player. In spurts. In spurts. Now, are you going to be able to do that? So essentially, LeBron closed out. He was the better closer than Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson, or an exhausted Carl Anthony Towns. Conley.

Lonely and Kat were great early. Yes. Great first half players. Yes. Yes. But you get to the fourth quarter and the Lakers did dial up their defense and they couldn't get a whistle going to the cup. People were like, why did they stop driving?

Because when they drove, they weren't getting a whistle. So they started settling for jump shots. And Carl Anthony Towns was exhausted. So ultimately, the Lakers were good enough to beat the Timberwolves, which I expected them to be. It's just hard for me to imagine if that, is their game, what we saw last night? It mostly is.

It is. It has been. And it has been good enough to beat the teams down the stretch that they faced. Average teams narrowly. At best. Right? A lot of Utah, Chicago, Orlando wins. Exactly.

And sons without KD. Exactly. That's not hating on the Lakers. That's just having a clear-eyed view of where their success has come from and grading their success. And again, the Memphis Grizzlies. you mentioned it earlier about youth not being served in the postseason. And that's one one concern about them is that they are a young team. But sometimes your talent, the talent disparity is so great that that doesn't matter.

And that's where, again, can the Lakers keep it close enough, close enough where LeBron can give you a few magical moments and still get it done? That's going to be the challenge. They were exhausted against Minnesota. Minnesota doesn't even play that fast. Memphis plays one of the fastest paces in the league. They do. So yesterday, you know, as a steward, America's honesty broker,

I have to admit when I drive home and think I'm a little too hard on somebody. And I generally am talking about young kids. So I don't want to be too hard on young guys. So we got into this debate yesterday. I said I'd take Brunson, Jalen Brunson over Trey Young to build my franchise. But then I'm driving home and I'm thinking about it. Well, Brunson, a second round guy, played at Villanova, three years in college. He's older.

And I was thinking about this. The day, from the day, Steph Curry and Michael Jordan stepped in a college campus to the day they got to the finals was nine years. Trey Young's 24. Yeah. Top 10 score, led the league and assists. And you watch him last night. And are we picking him apart when he came into this league one year out of high school, not fully formed?

And we're just watching him develop in front of our eyes. Yeah. No, it's fair from a talent perspective that we're not giving him enough credit for what he is. He continues to impress me. Big game player. And for as undersized as he is, he's figured out how to be a three-level score. That's impressive. The issues with him and the Atlanta Hawks is not just talent.

It's personality and it's the fact that as good as he is, if you're not going to play any defense, then you need to be able to score and score against anybody. And he can't do that. There's certain matchups where he just struggles. He'll continually shoot, but he's not going to score or he's not going to score. He's a little stuff and a little dame, but neither. But it's a little of both. Exactly.

And from everything that I'm hearing, and I've heard it enough times that there has to be truth to it, it's a matter of a lack of leadership. Guys just don't like playing for whatever, whatever it is. The locker room's not in love with him. Let's be on. Can let me defend him here? So Jalen Brunson's a better leader. But Jalen Brunson plays at Villanova, which the whole culture is built Jay Wright on leadership

and toughness. He takes three-star guys, they stay forever, and they come out like grown-ups. Sure. And he literally goes and gets blue-collar kids, and their dads are cops, they're tough guys. He coaches them hard. Tram's a kid. He's a star. One year at college, they baby him because he's so good.

Off to the NBA. And they were like, you're 24. Why aren't you a leader? First of all, it's a land of beautiful people in Atlanta. He's a rock star. He's got people fawning over him. He's not a leader. So go sign leaders.

surrounding him with leaders you're not going to be a leader yeah in 24 years old I was walking in hallways in college pulling fire extinguishers out come on he's a kid am I wrong I'm just I'm still trying to wrap my head around a guy in L.A. saying that Atlanta is the land of the beautiful

people. Atlanta's got great looking people no no no no no no I love Atlanta my wife's from Atlanta so I know all about that I just okay you know but you're asking him to do it's like asking it like when you ask this international player Janus why aren't you going to

leave Milwaukee. International players feel indebted to their first team. So that's who they are. You can't ask a one and done kid in Atlanta getting rich, hey, where is your leadership? He's not reading those books. Understood. But can you get Trey Young to take a step back

now and say, no, you're not that guy? Like, you'll be our score. How about go get him a Chauncee Billups? How go get him a grown-up? Surround him with grown-ups. Quinn Snyder's smart guy. How about surround this young, talented guy would like the right people. That's a fair point, and they went and got DeJonthe Murray instead,

who is also a great talent, but not the most mature player. So you make a fair point. I sound like a dad today. Yes, but here's the problem. So you get a new coach in there, you get a new GM. Are they looking to rehab the old guys pick, or are they like, now, you know what, let me start from scratch. that more often than not, they start from scratch.

So I know they've denied the rumors. Another mature guy, Steph Curry, three years of college. Another mature guy, Damian Lillard. Yep. The guys that we look at is like leaders, LeBron's a complete outlier. It's generally guys who went into a college program, stayed three years, were coached hard. Well, here's the thing, too. LeBron went to, got his school in Miami.

He wasn't a great. People Revision is history now. You can ask anybody on those teams in Cleveland when LeBron first got there, he wasn't the leader of those teams. It was the veterans. James Jones was one of them. Eric Snow, another. Like, people are going to laugh. They're going to be Eric Snow, a leader. I'm telling you, they were the leaders.

Then he went to Miami and he watched Dwayne Wade, his buddy firsthand, show him what it was to be a leader. and he learned as he has. Like I give I give LeBron all the credit in the world that he has evolved both in his game and his leadership and any number of fronts. But we've got this, again,

the mythology of LeBron as he came in whole and he remains whole now and it's just, it doesn't match reality. Yeah, well, Michael Jordan's got some mythology too. I'm not arguing that. I'm just saying. That's why you didn't get lying to the house for the second time. Yeah.

Okay. Apparently. Okay. So here's a question. So I'm going to throw this at you. You're a sage when it comes to the Warriors. Shawshank Redemption, by the way, is one of the movies you forgot. And Dennis Hopper in Hoosiers.

You've got to mention that when you're mentioning Hoosiers. Yeah. Great movie. Yes. All right. Sorry to disrupt, but it's been bothering me since I was standing over there listening to this blue chip conversation. Good Lord. Blue Chip.

That's a great movie. I'm not sure if that took a good movie. I'm sure if that's a good basketball movie. All right. So let me throw this out there. So we know the Draymond Jordan Pool clash. Yes. Create some chemistry issues.

We know that. Yes. Steve Kerr was mad the video got out. Not sure he was mad about the punch. Pool is very immature. 100%. You hear constant, constant shade thrown at him. If you listen to the comments, when Steve says, we played dumb tonight.

Yep. He's talking about one guy. One guy. Yep. So, but he is valuable. here's what's interesting. They bring Gary Payton back, who's going to be huge against Sacramento. Yep.

He's a great defender, and Deeran Fox shut him down. So now Poole's numbers are going to shrink. Kaminga's been playing. Wiggins coming back. Kaminga's numbers coming down. So a team that's had a little bit of a chemistry imbalance, I think Kerr's got a lot on his plate here. He's going to have to pull back Pools numbers, add Peyton,

pull back Kaminga, who's starting to play real minutes now, Wiggins. This feels like this is going to be. to be, forget the winning the game thing. Are there some chemistry, TNT situations here with the Warriors? I would be worried about that if it was any other team than the Golden State Warriors, led by Steph Curry, and Steve Kerr.

Because they demonstrated it all last year. Don't forget, Steph Curry willingly came off the bench. Not one, not two, but three games for Jordan Poole at the beginning of the playoffs. And as the playoffs progressed, Jordan's role diminished each series. And it did not get in the way of the team getting the job done. So when your best player sets an example, I will do whatever it is best for the team, even if it means coming off of the bench when I'm Steph Curry.

After the first game, if he wants to start, he starts. but he's like, you know what, Jordan's got it going. Let's let him get it going. Let me work my way back in. I just believe that Steve's going to, if he needs to play Gary more than Jordan, he will play him. If he needs to pull Jonathan back, he will do it. Like I just, I believe that the leadership there and their success, because here's the, and this is the huge difference.

This is the advantage that the Warriors have that nobody else has. It doesn't mean anything if you make those sacrifices and you don't get the ultimate prize. But when you make the sacrifices, when Jordan Poole plays less in the finals, but you get a ring, you're like, hey, trust us. We know how to do this. And you're like, I can't argue because you got us there. And that is a very powerful thing that, quite honestly, other than Milwaukee, nobody in the least. has right now. So your MVP. Are you uncomfortable with that discussion? No, actually, the awards,

I'm uncomfortable with awards because I looked at who I put on my all-NBA teams and I put Anthony Edwards on my second team. And I apologize to DeMontas Sabonis, who I put on the third team as a result. Okay. Yeah. Not great. But here's the thing. I'm not an awards guy, so I don't care. I really am not. Yokic, to me, is more an efficiency player than, I mean, he averages 22 a night. He shoots 60%. I don't think he jumps off the television screen. He doesn't carry him in the playoffs, but either does Embeded.

So give me your basic, because he doesn't play a ton of games, not as many as you'd like. Your reasoning for most valuable player for Embed is? Because he was, I mean, pretty simple. He was more dominant than the other two players when it comes to their teams. Everybody makes a big deal about James Hardin led the league and assists. Hardin giving the ball to Embed

was the most prolific combination in the entire league. Hardin let the league and assists because he plays with Joel Embed and Joe L. Embed is a better three level scorer than the other two. You can also, you can close with MB.

That's an important. important aspect for me. The games are won in the last minute. It's why I will go to my grave saying that Kobe Bryant was a more important player than Shaquille O'Neal on those championship teams. Because Shaq could dominate for the first 46 minutes. You couldn't have him on the floor or give him the ball in the last two because he couldn't make free throws. Well, that goes back to my theory that there's no great movie ever with a bad ending. Ever. That's true. You can have a story arc it's a little weird in the middle. There's never been a great movie.

You're like, what a bad ending. The knock on shack was Duncan for early parts of his career. Get him out of there with three and a half minutes left. It's why the value of Manu Genoblee was often undersold because he was the guy, even more so than Tony Parker, was the guy that you went to at the end of the games. He's the guy that you put the ball in his hands. And you can do that with M.B.

So look, I mean, anybody who's going to, going to stump for Janus. Emmanuel Acho was still trying to convince me yet. My ballot's already in. He's still trying to convince me why Janus was the MVP. Or Yokic, this was the first year. Up until the All-Star break, I had Yokic

at the top of my ballot, because I didn't vote for him the last two years. So for me, it wasn't an issue of he's going to win three in a row. This arguably was his best year. It just wasn't, for me, it wasn't as good as M-B'd overall. He was dominant on more knights than the

other two. Okay, I don't do clipper topics, but I am fascinated by this team because expectations high, impatient billionaire, Kauai's different. I think Paul George is underrated. So I think it's a bad matchup. I think Phoenix is going to roll them. Chris Paul and Kevin Durant took some time off. They're rested. They're ready to go. I think one of the reasons it worked is Katie's the perfect plug and play guy. The second reason it worked, he's exactly what they needed, which was late, defensively and a shotmaker who didn't need the ball. So I think the suns are going to roll. And I think it's fascinating.

First of all, do you believe Phoenix rolls the clippers? No. I believe clippers are capable of winning that series. No rim protector. Who's the shot creator? The Vita Subox. What? He plays well against Aiton.

And you can say, well, who's going to guard Kevin Durant? Who's going to guard Kauai Leonard? He came on. And if I look at the difference between the benches, that's really what it's going to come down to. I'm with you on the concern about who's going to be the playmaker. But I could say the same with the Phoenix Suns and Chris Paul. Chris Paul offensively can still get the ball where it needs to go. Defensively, teams are targeting him now.

Yes, he's a little older. And so I just, again, I think the matchups are interesting. Now, I'm off the clippers. The clippers and the bucks were my. I pick for the finals. You're off the Clippers. Yeah, I just, they're too immature. I'm going bucks, sons, and the bucks win.

Buck's sons and the sun. And the bucks win? Yes, but this is the last year. They've got to move out. They're getting old. They're getting, oh, there are nights and times you watch them. They're unathletic. So this is the last year.

It's like Miami, the last year, you're like, you know, Badiye, Mike Miller, Rayall, and you're like, De Wade couldn't play back to backs very effectively. it's like they're getting really old. This is Milwaukee's, it's constituted now, constructed. This is their last for this group. Then you got to make, because like Middleton's not the same player. Ingalls average in what, seven a game? Right. Jay Crowder's a three and D guy, but like three years ago today, not the same player. You got to move off this team. Brooke Lopez is going to get paid and then he's not going to, I mean, he was, he's been fantastic this year. Okay. So I am a believer in the sons. I do, yeah, so Jay Mack was not a believer in KD.

you're not really a believer in him. Just because I don't think he's the greatest player in the history of basketball, doesn't mean a lot of believer. Are you one of these guys critical of KD? No. No, Rick just criticizes LeBron. So you know what he is? I'll say this.

Here's what's interesting. KD's got little Phil Mickelson. We know in LeBron's great years he's not the same. Interesting. We know he's not. Like, we know Tigers better than Phil. But Tigers' last seven years have been sad. Yeah. Phil took the live money. That's the best he's looked. If you're finishing second at the master, that's the world's best golfers. And he had a, you can still play. And you're like, what if his next five years he wins the U.S. Open, a PGA championship again? He wins a, like, Phil's ending nicely. Here's my thing with Durant. We understand now Durant doesn't play 82. And it's okay. We're all good with it. I mean, if I bought that team and I bring him in, I'm like, dude, I want you for $65.

play the home games. I don't care about the road. Bottom line is, if he can stay healthy, this Phoenix thing for KD. Golden States getting a little old. Clippers are dysfunctional. Lakers are going to break this thing up. We don't trust Denver.

You just don't trust this Phoenix thing. I don't because, one, they have no bench, and they gave up a ton of assets to get Durant. I don't see how they get better going forward. Because they have Kevin Durant. Okay, but he's 34, 35 years old? I'm 58 or 9. I'm bringing heat every day.

Listen, our president may be in the next term, 86 or something. Everybody's banging on old people. By the way, who's the only guy that gets people into a theater? 60-year-old Tom Cruise. Who was the best player on the floor last night? 109-year-old LeBron James. You guys are all banging on old guys. Yesterday, he reduced Dr. J to a role player in the NBA.

You know what? I fell upon the expendables. Have you seen that? Expendables has every old action star you could possibly want, including Sly Sloan, right? It is, what a horrific movie. Just because they were once good and they have big names. And I'm not, hey, look, I love Stallone movies. You don't buy, let's go back to Kevin Durant.

Yes, I'm going to put you on the spot. Okay. It's not Kevin Durant. By the way, it's not Kevin Durant that I don't believe in with the Sons. It's everything else. I'm not sold on Devin Booker in stepping up in the place of Chris Paul. Like, who's the leader of that team? Chris Paul and Lonnie?

Chris Paul has reached his expiration date. Time out. Like, he won't be, I would be shocked if he's on that team next year. Okay, that's fine. I don't need him on the team next year. I need him now. Who's, will you make a move? Oh, no, wait a minute.

But you're saying, you were saying that you believe in. the Suns now and moving forward. I believe in Kevin DeVos. Going forward. Like you believe that they're going to be like the next. If I get DeAndre Aiton, Kevin Durant, Monty Williams, Devin Booker, Chris Paul, maybe his last year.

Maybe if Chris Paul comes back last year of the contract, you're like, we need you to play 52 games. Make him in the home ones. Don't ever play. Don't play. Don't play back to backs. I don't know. His toughness and leadership and smarts is hard to duplicate. I don't have a problem saying that they have a shot at winning it this year. I probably am leaning Golden State right now to come out of the West.

Oh, boy. But, but Phoenix, this is Phoenix's last best chance. I'd say the same for Golden State. One of those teams is going to grab. Listen, this owner for Phoenix, he's going to go over the salary cap. He's going to do a Joe Laker. Yeah, but you know what? But the new collective bargaining agreement

penalizes teams for going over the cap in a way that they have not previously. Like how? And that you just can't, like the warriors would not have had the where, to sign Dante de Vincenzo. Dante de Vincenzo is not going to play in the playoffs. If Gary Payton's playing big minutes? But Dante was an important part of the... No, you know what?

I disagree. Dante is an important part of this team. But he's not... Where are his minutes in the playoffs? But those... Again, if you're going to... If you're talking about winning championships, it's not your first three players.

It's not your four players. It's like, how good are your seventh and eighth players? Oh, those guys don't matter. Those guys matter if you're talking about winning championships. You know that. We're going to have to have a deeper discussion about this over dinner. Okay. What are you doing tonight?

I don't know. I might be busy, but I'll see. I got to talk to my people. I don't even have people. Want more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

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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 taun tons 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. At the end of your first year, Discover credit cards automatically double all the cash back you earned. Everything

doubled. Seriously, check it out. Discover.com slash match J-MAC with the news. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. As much as I want to convince you, Jerry McGuire is a great sports movie. We're going to talk about LeBron and the Lakers last night because their victory sets up a meeting, Colin, with the second-seated Grizzlies.

Lakers did go two-in-one against the Grizz this regular season, but Guys missed games, John Morant was out, blah, blah, blah. It doesn't mean that much. However, Dylan Brooks, who is a really good defensive player, but also a bit of a goon, went to Oregon, gets in fights with everyone around the league. Here's what he said about facing LeBron and the Lakers. I wouldn't mind playing LeBron in the seven-game series. The legacy's there.

First time back in the playoffs, knock them all right away in the first round. they'll test us good, you know? They got good pieces, good players, and I'll be a good first-round match for us. What's wrong with that? First time back in the playoffs, there's a dig. Knock him out in the first round, there's a dig. Come on, man.

Dylan Brooks is a classic, I don't want to face this guy because he's a punk, but man, I love to have him on my team. Patrick Beverly-esque, if you will. Rodman and all the, Draymond Green, everybody bangs on him. You die to have them on your team. Yeah. I don't have

I'm not Patrick Beverly's over the top Dylan Brooks is an essential part of a championship team Early read on the series Goes a lot of games If the Lakers stay healthy It's a six or a seven game series It's a go either way series

I still think after watching last night Because last night's what playoff basketball is It's hard to score That's what last night is Everybody's fighting through screens This Laker team man, those points, who's your third score? I think that's actually a bonus.

You don't know if it's going to be Schroeder? Is it going to be Austin Reeves? Is it going to be DeAngelo Russell waking up? How many great championship teams ever did you say this? Forget about your third score. I don't know. It could be Dennis Schrooter. Who lit up the bucks in game seven last year for the Celtics?

Grant Williams had like 573 points. Yeah, but I also know what I was getting from Marcus Smart, Jalen Brown, and Jason Tatum every night. Okay, fine. Who was the huge factor in the finals for the Warriors against the Celtics? We know what Curry's going to do. Andrew Wiggins was instrumental. Andrew Wiggins was the number one pick. He's also considered a bust.

He never got to the playoffs. He wasn't a bust. He wasn't as good as we thought. He was averaged in 2019 a game. He wasn't a bus. On a garbage team, not going anywhere. Come on, man. He was awesome in that series.

I know people say Tatum was bad. Andrew Wiggins was a big part of that. No, he's a great player. He's a great player with the Warriors. I'm not going to say the seventh player matters. Dylan Brooks is an essential part of championship. teams. It doesn't matter if it's lame beer or it's Rodman or it was feisty Rick Fox or all the great championship teams have a guy that's annoying that gets in your kitchen that's difficult

that pushes that and Dylan Brooks is important. But Vegas agrees with you. I believe I saw the Lakers are plus 110. Memphis only minus 130 for the series. So that's pretty close. It's not overwhelming for Memphis. Stephen Adams is out. Stephen Adams is out. Brandon Clark is out. They have no front court depth. Yeah. It's a big advantage Anthony Davis should have a very good series. Game one, I saw Grizzlies' favor by three. Have you bet the Lakers yet or are you going to do it like in the next five minutes? I would take the Grizzlies to win the first game of the series.

And then I think it's... I may have already bet the Lakers. I love them. Everybody's down on them now. Watch any show, any radio, TV, internet, everybody thinks the Lakers are garbage and frauds. Oh, they look so bad last night. That's how they win. People just love the Lakers in game one. All right.

Next up, Dallas Mavericks. Oh boy. They went from fourth in the west to 11th over the final two months after acquiring your favorite point guard, Kyrie Irving. Now, in his exit interview, Dallas GM Nico Harrison, he's a former Nike executive. He didn't seem to have any concerns about the Kyrie Luca pairing going forward. One, I think the two work together. I think Luca and Kai worked together. I think I've said this several times to most of you. I think when you have that talented of a player and two, that talented of a player, that talented of. two players, I think they work together.

I really think it's the players around them, kind of knowing their role with having those two guys out on the floor at the same time. I think that's the thing that we need to work on. That is everything the opposite I want to hear from my GM. You think they work together? The evidence is there. It did not work at all. The opposite happened. Colin, I love Luca.

That's two guys who don't play any defense at all. Well, Trey Young and Luca, by the way, gifted offensively, will never be even good defensive players. So it's the job of a GM to build around it. The Warriors knew very early. Steph was small, little spindly, had ankle issues. So they went and got tough guy Draymond and Clay Thompson could defend. And every year they go out and they get deep. Gary Payton's a defensive guy, not offensively polished.

So if you look at the way the great teams do, they find their star and what isn't there, because there's no perfect basketball player. So if you go look at LeBron when he went to Miami, what did they bring in? Badi A could hit a three, Ray Allen could hit a three, Mike Miller could hit a three. Because LeBron and D. Wade are great athletes, but not pure shooters. So Pat Riley built what they weren't. The Warriors have found a way to protect their guy, Steph Curry. Luca, they doubled down on the defense and scoring. It's like that's not how you build a franchise.

Like Tray Younger Luca, they're going to play the way they play and give you 30 a night. So figure out a way to build around what they don't provide because your fool's gold, if you're going to convince yourself, Carmelo Anthony, after about year four, was ever going to be an elite defender. So surround him with guys that will defend and let him get his 32 and dominate the ball. So I would say all of that is 100% spot on. and it says that the Atlanta Hawks have done that around Trey Young. Clint Capella last night. Yeah.

I think he had every offensive rebound in the game. They destroyed the glass. DeAndre Hunter is a 3-and-B wing. Yeah. Right? They trade for Dejanta Murray, who's a very gay... And they won. He's a plus defender.

What I'm saying, I think the Hawks have something here. I'm not just going it off last night. You know I love Quinn Snyder. He's a great coach. Great coach. Look what he did in Utah. I think people are sleeping on the Hawks, though. This Boston matchup is bad.

We'll talk about it later. Finally, NFL Draft. Colin. Yeah. Bryce Young has now surpassed C.J. Stroud, best odds to be selected. A lot of shows out here, followers. One show's got leadership. This show.

Remember that? Everybody else has fallen in love. What was the show in America? Oh, wait, it was ours who told you, Bryce Young's going to be the number one pick. C.J. Stroud plus 150. Anthony Richardson fading and Will Levis has no chance. Your shoulders hurt from carrying American sports debate, too, because mine do. They're getting sore.

My lower back is a little... Folks, the market is like we're going to move. We're hearing smart things come from a certain show. We are now changing the lines in America. Everybody was on C.J. Stroud. And we're like, you don't trade all those picks and players for C.J. Stroud? It's ridiculous.

Can I just reveal a text someone sent me about the draft? Literally moments ago. Because I've been asking questions. This guy's very connected. Who said this? You've been mentioning two tight ends a lot. The kid from Notre Dame, Michael. Mayor and then Kincaid.

Yeah. Someone says there's a guy at Georgia named Darnell W. Six-seven guy. Yeah, no, no, no. He's probably second round, but he's a... No, no, no. He's going in the first round. It's happening.

According to my guy, this is happening. Well, who's your guy? I think I'm going to review that on air? This is someone who knows... This guy, who's getting his bottle of wine Friday? We're going to hang out Friday? Why are you talking about your guy? He will not be there.

He will not be... He's connected very closely... To what? Tight ends in America? To the NFL draft. We'll just say that. close to some players. Like when I say a guy,

when I say my guy, I clarify, like league executive scout. I'm going to be a little more vague than you are. I got a feeling your guy is the guy you steal shots from on your wreck team. No, it's not. But at any rate, keep an eye on this kid,

Washington, six, seven. He's going to go in the 20s in the first round. He's a big, big boy. George just didn't use him great. He got limited receptions last year, but he is a monster. It doesn't shock me.

It's an average receiver draft. It's a very good tight end draft. Better tight end than receiving. Terrible safety draft. Average receiver draft. And an overstated quarterback draft. Or offensive line. I think it's pretty good.

Yeah. And tight ends, really good. Can you text Clatt and tell him what's going on with the office line? I don't love his mock draft today. Not my favorite. Love him as a guy. I don't like his mock draft. J. Mack with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd Lie News. Endless hot water. on the environment, go to tankless maidsimple.com. It's Navi and 15-year warranty, The Hurt. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeard Radio app. What do you get when you combine a three-time manager of the year at a three-time national sports writer of the year? It's the Book of Joe podcast. Hey, this is Tom

Verducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network, and Sports Illustrated. And I'm Joe Madden, and we're going to be around to talk a little bit about managerial decisions, playoff games, and what may have occurred in the dugout, maybe in the 1980s. I can't wait for this, Joe. We're going to dive into what goes on in the dugout and behind the scenes in Major League Baseball. Cars, whined, whatever else we want to talk about.

Listen to the Booker Joe podcast on the Iheart radio app, on 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-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 which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball. 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. 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 taun-tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to boil your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Saturday on FS1, two NL Powers hit the diamond as Christian Yelich and the Brewers face Mani Machado and the Padres catch the first pitch at 4 Eastern on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. So if you don't think the Lakers are a serious championship contender, and I do not, what is the next best thing? Let me throw this at you. To stay alive long enough in the playoffs for AD to rebuild his rep.

How about one series, seven games against Memphis win or lose? But not long enough so that AD inevitably gets hurt because he does. and these are harder, more physical games. So if they go seven in Memphis and he averages 31 and a half points, 11 and a half rebounds and three blocks, 36 minutes never gets hurt, he's going to have a big boy market. Because you know, you know, if the Celtics don't win or the sons don't win or the Warriors don't win, they're going to look for size, right? Move off D'Andre Aiton and Phoenix, roll the dice.

And you know the Mavericks and the Knicks, they're going to take a big swing. If the Knicks get doused, swept, they're taking a big swing. Julius Randall is going to be a three, not a two, or some nights a one. So due to LeBron's age, this initially felt like a really good fit. But now LeBron's giving you 50 games a year. So you cannot pair him with a guy that can't play back-to-backs. So LeBron now going forward needs to be paired with guys like Austin Reeves, guys that can play 75 games a year.

Now, you'd like more talented guys than Austin Reeves, but you get the point. young guys who are going to play every night, ascending guys who can play every night, because LeBron can't. So it may have felt like a perfect connection, chemistry-wise. AD and LeBron, the first week they played together, it was, but it's aged very quickly.

And so what is the best case scenario if you don't think this is a championship team, and they can't trade buckets with Phoenix, Golden State? They just can't Denver, Boston. They can't, Milwaukee, Philadelphia. It is to AD plays really well, stays healthy, you get six or seven good playoff games and that he's a dominant force. Because I'm here to tell you, you know if the Celtics and the Warriors stumble in the playoffs or the Clippers,

they're not going to run back exactly what they have. If Robert Williams gets hurt again, like Boston's over it. You can't bubble wrap him. They're going to make a big move and go for Al Forford's old. Robert Williams can't stay healthy. What are you going to do? Janice isn't going anywhere. M. Bede's not going anywhere.

Evan Mowgli's only getting better. You've got to have it big. So if you don't consider the Lakers a championship team and I don't, that makes sense. All right. A lot of good stuff today. Very excited. And Bryce Young has now moved up,

betting favorite to be number one. We set it for two to three weeks. You do not move up in the NFL draft for a guy with no juice. CJ Stroud is certainly capable, but there's no juice. He's not a great athlete. He didn't have a great arm. He's just accurate.

Will Levis is a project. Anthony Richardson's a project. You move up to get Bryce Young. And by the way, who is small, doesn't have a big arm. But as I've said now in recent years, I don't need everybody to be a 401K. If he can stabilize the franchise for four years. By year two and three, just go draft another quarterback. Speaking of the draft, what about that movie draft day with Kevin Costner?

I watched it recently. And? It's fine. It's not one of his 10 best movies. Definitely not. Hour three next. 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

get your podcasts. On The Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors.

Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to Look Back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 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, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show.

This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clivert Show on the I-Hard 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. This is an IHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.