The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 3 - NBA grades

Episode Date: May 22, 2023

More on the NBA playoffs Colin gives his NBA playoff grades   Guest: Mark MedinaSee 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. 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 herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching Heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. He's been at every Nuggets Lakers game so far, Denver, younger, more athletic, more dynamic, frankly, more shopmakers. Mark Medina, NBA, writer is joining us. Are you surprised that LeBron and AD have been so overwhelmed? Yes and no. I think on some respects, you could argue that the Lakers really have tapped out and kind of overachieve this season when you're looking at, you know, the age that LeBron James has had,

the inconsistency of Anthony Davis has had, as well as the role players. So this same identity got them to where they are of being a two-intense start, overachieving after the trade deadline because of the Russell Westbrook deal and then scraping by into the playing tournament. But clearly they've run into a brick wall with the Denver Nuggets. I mean, Nicole Yokic and Jamal Murray have outplayed LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Their role players have outplayed the Lakers' role players. And you wonder, even if the Lakers try to put up an effort tonight to save face in game four in L.A.,

this could be over before it even starts. So game two, the Lakers outplayed the Nuggets for a long stretch and then couldn't make stops. And then Yokic became a facilitator in the fourth quarter. Is there part of it that the Lakers got a little bit of a break with Memphis? Their bigs were hurt. And Golden State, smallest team in the league. Wiggins didn't play for big chunks of the season. And then all of a sudden they met a real team that has their length and athleticism.

and it was an odd year, but they've, they were fortunate. They got, their two playoff matchups were perfectly made for them. And this is just the reality of who they are. No doubt external circumstances helped as far as the opponents go. The Grizzlies clearly aren't ready to be a consistently winning team. The Warriors, they were banged up. They didn't look like the Warriors that were accustomed to seeing with Steph Curry and Clay Thompson. but I think also some things have caught up to the Lakers.

The attrition has caught up to LeBron James, where he's not able to be as effective as he was during the regular season, the first rounds of the playoffs. Anthony Davis, he's continued that kind of on-off switch. Every other game being dominant, not so much the other game. But I think what's interesting,

Colin about Anthony Davis is it hasn't been as much about him not being aggressive enough. It's the role players not covering up for some of his weaknesses, as well as helping them move in a lot for your space because they're not hitting outside shots. DeAngelo Russell was considered a huge positive since the trade deadline with changing the dynamic of the offense prior to Russell Westbrook. He was hitting a lot of shots. In this series, he's a minus 53 on the floor. So all those things combined at once has resulted into a pretty weird predicament where they're in with being down 03. When you talk to people around the league, Rick Buey,

was on earlier. I think it's more of a coaching issue with Joe Missoula. I've seen it. I stated this. We've seen this a lot in all sports. You elevate an assistant. They're just not ready for the moment and expose arguably the best coach in the league so it's on display, the best and the weakest. And unlike a college sport where it's one game and it dissolves into the ether, game, game, this mismatch is all of us, national TV. We're seeing it play out over and over and makes Missoula look worse, Spolstra look maybe like the greatest coach ever. I think you have to make a move in the coach.

Mostly the roster is fine. Is that what you're hearing around the league? I'm looking at 100% the same way you are, Colin. What's interesting is conventional wisdom in the NBA, it's always about talent at the top, health, and then coaching. But here we've seen clearly from last season what the Celtics look like with a different coach,

and they're a dramatically better team. And here, while players like Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown and some of the role players certainly aren't blameless to be embarrassed in such a pivotal stage in the playoffs and not bringing their A game on a consistent basis, a lot of this comes down to Joe Mazzula's preparation and his tactics, you know, his delay with calling timeouts, always wanting to go small instead of using someone like Robert Williams, a third, or Grant Williams on a consistent basis. but I think what will be interesting moving forward is that as much as we've seen a lot of coaching changes these last few weeks, even for really good coaches, this is a coach that was selected by the Celtics Brass with Brad Stevens. This isn't a situation where now a new ownership group has come in. They want to put their fingerprints on it. This was their guy. So do you wonder, is there some level of patience thinking, A, it's a rookie head coach, let's see him learn, or are they going to look at what we've seen that clearly,

they're a much better team prior to his arrival. You know, Tatum's an interesting player. I said this. Boston's sort of a loud obnoxious town in its politics and in its talk radio and its sports. And they love the confidence of Big Poppy and KG and Bird and Brady and Gronk. They love that. They feast on it. That's not who Jason Tatum is. He's a little bit of an odd fit in an in-your-face town.

he's sort of he's not an in-your-face guy he's very you know he's he's the prep school the duky he's got an elegant game the other day or maybe it was like seven to ten days ago he was asked about his game and he said I'm one of the best players in the world

and as he said it I didn't even believe that he thought it was true like he was embarrassed to have to say it and I would not move off Tatum we got we talked about this earlier is he the world's best two or is he a one? Because I'm watching him juxtapose with Jimmy Butler. He looks like a two. Yeah. I think that he can be both players. And I think that he's about the right things internally as far as his work ethic and player development. But at some point, when stuff hits the fan, you have to be in a position where you can carry a franchise.

Even if the coach is wrong. Even if the coach is wrong. I mean, coaches, what often happens is they get in the way with role players. Sometimes their schemes can catch up to them, but they shouldn't get in the way of a player's superstar player's ability to take over a game. Sometimes it gets in the way if they're trying to rein him back in. But clearly this is not the case. That's what you saw with Jimmy Butler, sometimes in his previous stops with other teams. Sometimes that just wasn't a right fit because they didn't appreciate enough of his competitiveness. And sometimes he went overboard. But here, clearly with the Miami Heat, it's a perfect fit where in Jason Tatum's, it's almost the opposite.

I mean, I think it's very telling early in the series that as Jimmy Butler's taking over the games in crunch time, Jason Tatum is taking a step back with missed shots. And he has the potential to correct those things, but I would have expected he already would have had that in his DNA. I don't want to talk about the finals yet. I want to throw a couple things at you. Carmelo Anthony announced his retirement. I acknowledge he's a Hall of Famer. And I've said this with quarterbacks. Cam Newton, people loved him. I didn't think he never had back-to-back winning seasons. He would go from great half to bad half.

I thought Cam's career was more based on explosion plays than like consistent excellence. But there are quarterbacks that I like, people don't like their star basketball players. I like more than other people. Carmelo, to me, never really truly committed to being in great shape playing defense, but he was a shotmaker and one of the best we've seen in 25 years. How do you view his career? Well, Colin, I'll be transparent here. I'm a Syracuse guy.

That's where I went to school. So I'm going to look at things through that lens of the championship, him being one of the most dominant scorers. I think that he had the strength of a bull and grace of a swan. He had amazing footwork, one of the best shot releases. But no doubt, I think as later, on in his career, his weaknesses started to expose himself a little bit. And that clearly explains why he went almost a year without playing in the league. Now, to his credit, he eventually was willing

to adjust of taking on a lesser role and show that he can be a winning player. But it is the ultimate, what if, Colin, that if he had the foresight that LeBron James and Dwayne Wade had of being very calculated with not worrying so much about what's best for your business with your contract and try to team up. How would have his career played out? Some of that circumstantial to his defense. The other part is if he adjusted his game a little bit earlier, would he have been able to have the kind of relative success that he had in Portland in his final year with the Lakers of being a star player that was showing that he was willing to take on a reduced role? But with all that said, he is one of the most dominant scores ever in the history of the game and

props to him for that. Here's something where I think he made a business mistake. In 1970, 71, L. Cinder told the bucks privately, I want to go to Los Angeles. He did not make it public. He told the brass publicly and very smart, knowing that they could get more in a trade. right so the bucks ended up if you go back and look at what they got for him it was a remarkable group of players and picks he didn't make it public mellow made it totally public he wanted to go to the nix limiting the power and leverage in negotiations by new york they had to give up too much to

get him and then he arrives in new york and he's this beautiful chandelier in an empty mansion And it goes to show if you are unhappy, wherever you are, strategically work behind the scenes. When LeBron came out with a letter, it caught us all off guard. We thought he was going to stay in Miami. LeBron's always made brilliant business decisions. KD. and Mello are transformational talent. They've been clunky in the strategy part of their game. Yeah.

And I think so when he left Denver, because he was at the time, that was an ascending franchise. He just made it too damn public. I normally want out. I want to go to New York. Well, the Knicks are like, you're killing us here. So you have to, and Denver, by the way, to their credit, knows, well, we have, you gave the Nuggets front office all the power.

Yeah. And the Knicks, you took a punctured all of their power. Well, look, Colin, even you're looking at these trades 10 years ago, it would seem impossible in the social media age for things to work out nice. the way it did with Kareem Abdul-Jabar. I think the larger point that you had is on the head that with him going to New York, they had to sell the farm to get there, and all of a sudden, it's just him. And to his credit, he did a great job given the circumstances,

but he also didn't do himself any favors with his part in not having enough roster balance around him. Same thing when the Knicks trained to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City loved him, but they just figured, hey, he's too much of a cap number here, especially with the fact they have Russell Westbrook and Paul George. And so it was one of those things he could have adjusted a little bit earlier. He did save face with then signing those veteran minimum deals with Portland and the Lakers. But no doubt, the ultimate what if his career would look like if he was a little bit more proactive earlier in his career with those business decisions you talked about. Okay, so you covered the Warriors.

You've been a national guy. You've covered the Warriors. So I have to ask one warrior's question. It's easy to say get rid of Jordan Poole. but Curry takes nights off and he's aging. When he's off the floor, they need a shotmaker at his position. Clay's not the same player who was three years ago. They're very heavy in back court talent.

They have one-wing score Wiggins and no front court scoring. They're not going to sit there on their hands. Everything's based on Steph Curry's timeline. So they could move a comminga, but then, you know, they need more talented wings. If you had to guess the move the Warriors make, It's going to be on Steph's timeline. They're not going for draft picks. They want guys.

I think they need scoring in the front court. Carl Anthony Towns feels a little squirly for their taste. Remember they got DeAngelo Russell and moved him out. It didn't work. Yeah. But 17, 18 a game. When they had Bogot, somebody, any front court scoring would, you know, you're going to have to go through Yolkich.

You got to have somebody. Is there a guess on your part? it's hard um i i know philosophically they're clearly when the season ended leaning on you know what for all the strengths and recent warts we're going to continue to lean in on building around step clay and draymond this idea of investing in the young players we didn't feel that we got enough of that this season and so i don't think that they're going to just trade jordan pool and jonathan comming or any combination of it just for the sake of it it will have to be the right deal but i think clearly where they're going to go. Now, that doesn't mean that they're going to extend Clay Thompson

right away. He has a year left on his contract. Draymond Green, assuming he opts out of his player option, I think that they'll re-sign him, maybe not at the dollar figure that he wants, but clearly they're leaning in on them because they've shown through those championship runs. They know that they can at least get some things out of them, including last year. We're with the young guys, it didn't feel like they got what they expected. I don't know what that deal was. looks like, though. Clearly, I think that they need some more backcourt help for Steph, for Clay, because Clay is not the same player as he was pre-injuries, but I don't know what market there is going to be for Jordan Poole, considering the strengths and weaknesses we've seen of him this season.

I think they're going to have to go through the West and Yokin. So you've got to have, you've got to have some length. They're very small. Sometimes you realize that you may have a, you may have a window, they were small ball. And then all of a sudden, a big, team and a long team comes into the league and they're younger than you and you have to adjust. I think they got to get bigger. I think the small ball thing served it's purpose. But if Denver's around, Porter's long, Yokic long, Gordon long, hell, KCP for a guard is long. They're a bad matchup for the Warriors. I was talking to a scout about this. He's like, this was when the playoffs started. I said, what do you think Warriors Denver? He's like,

that's not good for the Warriors. That's not a good matchup for the Warriors. They're a bad road team. try winning in Denver. Yeah, what's interesting, Colin is this is kind of explains why they got James Wiseman a few years ago in the draft to have that kind of size. His injuries and the fact that he, they didn't feel that he was ready with the minutes that he was given, made them think, let's just pivot, we'll lean on Dremont at the five, Kavanaughn. And while they're certainly serviceable players, to your point, they can only absorb so much. I mean, Dremont can do everything on the court, but he can't do everything at once. Kavon Luni, a huge fan of him.

but at some point it's law of diminishing returns when you're just giving so many minutes to a role player. So yeah, a lot of tough choices they have to do. And we'll see if even Bob Myers is there to make them. Great to see you, buddy. Likewise. Appreciate you always talking hoops. You bet, Mark Medita. 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.

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 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, 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 Podcast, 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 Blow Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. podcast. Jemak with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. We're starting the NFL with Trey Lance, focused on getting ready for the 20, 23 season. Trey Lance, I mean, geez, what a forgotten guy. He hired private quarterback coach Jeff Christensen to work with him. Christensen also worked with this guy named Patrick Mahomes, so that's not bad for Trey Lance. And he said he noticed a big improvement in Lance after watching Mahomes. throw, he said. It was something I was telling him to do that he

wasn't quite doing. And then he saw Patrick apply it perfectly. And I think that visual buy-in, that mental buy-in helped him pass that mental hump. And to his credit, he just kept getting better. Over the last seven days, every day was a substantial jump. He wants to be great. And he's one of

the few kids whose actions match his words. He shows up every day and wants to learn. Should I buy a Tray Lance MVP ticket right now? Should I grab a one up? I am worried. about a quarterback who has to think about throwing. Like that stuff's natural or it's not. Like that worries me, right?

Like, I mean, there are things, I mean, there are players who may struggle with a playbook early. They may struggle with a current system or a coach or a relationship. I don't want my quarterback overthinking, throwing the football. It's either natural and easy or it's not. If I told you you could only buy stock in one of these three quarterbacks, What would you buy? Brock Purdy.

Jordan Love, Trey Lance, or McEnroe Jones. Maconroe Jones. Why is that problem? You really like this guy, huh? I thought you would say Trey Lance. You love Trey Lance. I think he's a big, strong athlete and a good kid,

but at some point, when new information arrives, I have a new opinion. You get on a flight. You and your wife are going to Europe. And all of a sudden, you find out, as you're an hour, out of your destination, it's a major lightning storm. Do you want the pilot with new information to fly right into it? No, new information means new plan. Yes, a lot of us thought, oh, big, strong kid, works hard, I met a nice kid, and then you get new information that he is struggling, and the Niners are concerned on basic, you know, 12-yard drag routes, curls, repetition. So,

I got new information. Once that stuff gets into your head, it's where do I go with it? I guess you go with whoever's coaching Patrick Baholves. Bring him on down. Maybe he can help me. Next up, Mack Jones. That's why I mentioned him.

Took a lot of criticism for a very putrid 2022. Down season for him after that, I'll say questionable Pro Bowl selection as a rookie. This year, hey, he's already showing improvements. Reportedly getting positive reviews. Coaches and teammates, Colin, are saying Mac Jones looks confident. Yes.

And is leading like we know he can. Yeah. He also looks energized by the addition of O.C. Bill O'Brien. You know what this is? This is hype season for every single player in the NFL. They look great. They're making strides. Go ahead. Say nice stuff about Mac Jones.

You love the guy. Go ahead. He had a very, considering the tight end and the lack of wide receiver talent, he had a very good rookie year in the tougher AFC. Remember that division at the time, I think had Brian Flores. cover coaching Miami and excellent defensive coach. Sean McDermott, Buffalo, excellent defensive coach. And he went out there and put up like Matt Ryan's career average numbers. And all I get is nothing but disrespect. I think he's exactly what we thought he was out of college, which is nothing off script, fairly low ceiling, but can absolutely move the football when given

reasonable weapons. Juju Smith-Schuster is a reasonable weapon, not great. I know the audience has to be like, what is Calhurt seeing this guy, Mac Jones? So I'm just going to point out, Vegas is not believing in this Patriot seat. So let's say there's a nuclear option. They win six games.

They go six and eleven. I know you've talked about moving off Belichick, but is there a chance? Belichick says, no, no, I'm not the problem. This quarterback yet. See, I got him a new O.C., and he couldn't do anything. This is Mac Jones. This is Jack Jones is probably his last chance.

Didn't I tell you I thought it was very strange? The minute the Patriot season ended. And Belichick's not prone to do this. Belichick came out immediately and said, I'll be back next year. Eliminating the stories in the Boston media. Belichick's no dummy. So he wanted to make it very clear. If I'm gone, that guy fired me.

He put the pressure on. Kraft. First press conference after the team. I'll be back. I've never done that before. Yeah, that's right. So what he did is he positioned it. If I let go, Kraft fired me. Go attack him. Bill knows. There's no chance they're firing Bill Ballichick. No, zero chance they're firing him. Well, they're replacing him potentially. Six wins they're going to replace. I don't know how he's thread that needle. Hey, we're going to move him upstairs to the front office. He's going to lead our draft, even though they're drafts into March of Crack for a decade.

We love Jason. We're going to move him to an auxiliary sales position because we think he has so much potential there. Yes, yes, yes. Of course. All right, let's wrap up in the NBA. Nuggets Lakers tonight. It's crazy. Remember early in this series you were talking about point spreads and everything?

There's a zero interest in this. I just look, the Lakers are somehow favored tonight. By what? The Lakers are favored. Okay, I'm going to take Denver. All right. Listen, they did have chances. Listen, we could talk all we want about the Lakers.

They were in game two. And they were in game three. Yokoage was in foul trouble. Lakers leading in the third. No, game two. KCP takes over. Game two, I thought they were controlling the game. They took the crowd totally out of the game in Denver.

Well, after Jamal Murray calmed down, you know, we had 30 and the half. I mean, it went from a one point game to a 12-point game on two minutes of Jamal Murray. I mean, that was the game. The Lakers played very well. The crowd was subdued and all of a sudden, Jamal Murray got hot. The crowd explodes. Seasoned. It felt like, okay, big trouble.

However, Nicola Yolkich is a realist and he knows LeBron is the goat and hear his thoughts on game four tonight. To be honest, I'm not going to say that I'm scared, but I'm worried because they have LeBron on the other side and he's capable for doing everything. So we are going to come here with the same mindset, same focus, and I think that's going to put a situation to win a game. I don't know. You don't have to have action on every game. That's the cool thing about gambling. You don't have to bet on this. But is this a game where LeBron closes the season says, listen, this ain't on me? And he proves to everybody, I can get mine and I can deliver and look at the supporting cast. Schrooter's giving me Jack Squad in this series. Can't even defend Jamal Marie. Well, DeAngelo Russell has been a dumpster fire. $30 million is his salary.

This could be a game where LeBron goes off to close out the season. Now, I don't think they win, but I would look at LeBron. LeBron props. Right? LeBron's not going to fold up tent and just quit. It's not in his DNA. That's possible. I still think I get the better team in points.

That's a good... Well, Denver's clearly the better team. Yeah, they are. You want to look ahead real quick to the finals? Denver heat. I like Denver. I think Denver's got more good players, more shot makers. I know it sounds crazy.

And you also, you're facing a really good team with really good players, a really, really capable coach, a good culture. Who are Jimmy Butler? Oh, I mean, Butler will get his, but they can throw a ton of length at him. Aaron Gordon. And I think there's some dog on Denver. Well, Bruce Brown, did you see him talking trash to J. Ellen's or Russell? Hit that key three, looked at the Lakers bench and does the ice in my veins.

I was like, damn, a sixth man is talking trash to the Lakers. They had no answers. Bruce Brown's playing really good. This team is just strong. They have like no weaknesses, top six players. Denver's really damn good. They're not deep, but I like how you. Yokic becomes a facilitator in the fourth quarter.

Oh, yeah. I did think he had 15 in the fourth, but he had zero baskets in the first two games in the fourth quarter. Yeah. Like, I don't know if he was slow playing it, tired. But by the way, they have one contributor in their rotation over 30, and that's Jeff Green. Everyone else is young. This team's not going anywhere. They're not going anywhere.

Jemak with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lie News. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, Weekdays, and New Newnies. Mr. 9 a.m. Pacific. Two NBA insiders podcasting twice a week

to plug you right into the NBA great vibe. All happening in only one place. This League Uncut. The new NBA podcast with me, Chris Haines. And me, Mark Stein. Join us as we team up

to expound on everything we're covering, hearing, and chasing. Listen to This League Uncut with Chris Haynes and Mark Stein on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get, your podcast. 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, 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 celebrate. 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. 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. Groundbreaking runs in the family. So does safety and innovation. The 2023 Mercedes-Bens, eight new SUVs. Learn more at MBUSA.com. So we're going to hand out J-MAC some grades for the postseason. It's just troubling because historically you've been like the most lenient teacher ever, just handing out grades like candy on Halloween.

I'm concerned for some of these calls. Let's get started. What grade would you give LeBron James for his playoff performance? C-plus. What? First of all, he's the worst three-point shooter in the entire playoffs. Okay. Now, he leads the Lakers in scoring, but there's, you know, there's concerns that he's kind of gone.

What's the easiest shot I can take in the second half? He only gets a C-plus. So he's almost averaging a triple-doubling out of C-plus. Okay. What grade would you give Anthony Davis? I would give him a B because he does lead the team in rebound. blocks and contested shots. His defensive rating has plummeted because he's facing Yokic,

and offensively you get a good game every other game. Okay, Colin. Let's go to Austin Reeves. What's his grade? I went back and forth on this. Based on what he is, potentially, how about a B-plus? Because I don't think he's a B-plus playoff guy. He has a team high plus 77 when he's on the floor, so he's good for winning.

He's been a winning productive player. He's leading the Lakers in fourth quarter scoring. I know. Undrafted player. Yeah. So, again, there's limitations on what he can do, but I think for what they ask of him, he's been pretty darn good. Okay.

What great would you give DeAngelo Russell? F. Awful. I mean, he's got the worst plus minus, minus 53 of any player in the conference finals, all four teams. worst defensive rating worse net rating for the Lakers he's been a disaster he has been an utter disaster

I'm so curious to see what his market is this offseason all right let's go with my guy Jamal Murray his grade is A plus plus oh yeah highest graded student leading score 30 plus points in all three games by the way he really turned the series around in game two in a very tight game

when he went crazy in the mile high city and really that moment changed the series. 23 points in the 4th. Yeah, that moment, his fourth quarter changed the series. It sucked the life out of the Lakers. And really, I think for a young team was kind of the we've arrived moment. By the way, he had 30 in the first half of the next game. So we had 53 points in three quarters.

Unbelievable. All right, what grade would you give Nicola Yokic? A. Top two in points, rebounds, and assist this postseason, and seven triple doubles, A student, no question. Michael Porter Jr., MPJ, baby. I'm going to give him a B plus. He's finally arrived.

Length, he has the best plus-minus of any player in the playoffs. Wow. Isn't that crazy? So he's been a tremendous player and an asset, his length. You can get a little jumper from him. Michael Porter, we've been waiting a long time for this, and this has arrived. Okay. All right, let's go to the Eastern Conference.

Marcus Smat from the Boston Celtics. give him a grade. D. You know, he's got as many turnovers as made baskets in the conference finals. So he's shooting 35%. He has really, really, he's looked old in these conference finals. Now, you've been trying to trade this guy for a minute. Jalen Brown. C-minus.

Now, let's be fair, though. He does, I mean, he is averaging 17 a game, and he gives you good effort on defense. But he leads all players this postseason. 52 turnovers. He can't handle. All right, next up, go easy on my guy, Jason Tatum. C-minus. Most missed shots of any player

has not made a field goal in the fourth. I mean, Jalen Brown is not shooting well, but it's a bad hand. Well, he's got bad hand. Tatum had 51 a record in game seven to win the series. Saved him in game six. The difference is Brown is struggling yet still aggressive. Tatum is struggling.

and isn't. I can't fault a guy for an injured hand. What way would you give Jimmy Butler? A plus plus. What do you want me to say? He's made more mid-range jumpers than both Tatum and Jalen Brown combined this postseason.

He's made 32 mid-range jumpers. I like it because I like layered basketball. I love the mid-range jumper. So I've always loved Chris Paul. Not everything has to be a three. Jimmy Butler is way old school. He would have been great in Jordan's era. way he'll fight you

taunt you mid-range he's got a little kawai leonard but more available he's got a little bit of a throwback player he better than kawai leonard uh what grab would you give Gabe vincent i got to give him again on what we expect from him he's an a student

you think he's a C student i didn't say it 29 points in game three that's the most by any undrafted player in the conference finals history so when a student overachives In my class, I give the curve. I give him an A.

Wow, that's... Okay. Austin Rees couldn't get an A, but Gabe Vincent can't. All right, moving on. Bam, out of Bayo. We'll wrap up. Well, Austin Reeves is down 03. Also true.

Bam, out of Bayou, I'll give me an A-minus. I love... I will say this. Playoff career high, 18 points, 51% shooting. He's been efficient. Highest net rating of any player. super active, great length. Like, I've had my issues with BAM.

Sometimes he feels like in big spots let you down. I think he's been great. And I think he had a couple of dunks yesterday. He's playing with confidence now. That dude, BAM is playing downhill. He is playing with a ton of confidence, and we're done. Do we have time? Can I say something? Go ahead.

Gabe Vincent against the Bulls in that playing game that they almost lost. 27 minutes, 0 for 2, 0.2, 0.0 points. I mean, I can't understand what's going on with Miami. He did nothing. in that game. Seriously. See you tomorrow. It's the herd.

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 acapella 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 I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith ruling. 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.