The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Alvarez Possibly Done, Rockets Good W & D'Antoni Speaks

Episode Date: August 19, 2020

So much larger than life. Yeah. Lunch timers is the Matt Thomas show. 1201 in H-town. What's happening at lunch timers? Ross Villarreal with you. It is the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas. It'll be me.

It'll be Brendan Riley. It'll be you at 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-2-1-3-21-1. 225-7-90. You can also send tweets to at SportsRV. Matt is dealing with Family Matters, so he'll be out today. Should be back tomorrow as soon as possible here on the show. So we got a lot of things to get to, a lot of things going on. First off, out of the gate, expected any moment now. It'll be Astros manager, Dusty Baker, joining the show, as you know, the Astros with another win last night against the Colorado Rockies. So they swept their half of the two-game set.

Now they head to Colorado for another shortened two-game set with a day game or a game this evening with an odd to start time, a 740 first pitch here on Sports Talk 790. We'll have the 630 on-deck show for you here. And then tomorrow it'll be another afternoon game. So tomorrow, just FYI, it'll be the Astros here on Sports Talk 790, I believe. and then it'll be the Astros. I'm sorry, Astros here. Yes. And then it'll be the Rockets on News Radio 740K-T-R-H. So we've had these conflicts time. I got it right. I got the thumbs up from Brendan. Thank you so much. Brennan, I feel so good because I actually argued on air with Joe because I had it wrong. So my deepest apologies to Joe Georgia. I was like, Joe, I think you're wrong. And then I looked it up and I was wrong. So look, I'm getting confused. Our management is getting confused. board operators are confused. So you might be too. Anytime there is a conflict or anytime you're looking for the Astros and you turn on 790 and you say, where are the Astros? Check 740. Anytime you're looking for the rockets on 790

and you're like, where are the rockets? Check 740. Either of the games is always going to be here on Sports Talk 790 or on our sister station News Radio 740 KTR8. So things are humming along for the Astros. You have the game one win for the Houston Rockets against the Oklahoma City Thunder. And it was just as smooth as butter yesterday for the Rockets. We'll definitely get into that game as we go along. But a 123 to 108 win over the OKC Thunder.

And we're coming into this one, there were a lot of things to be worried about or things to be concerned about it if you're on the rocket side, right? Well, what about the revenge factor? Chris Paul, he's going to go off. And we're worried about him. and how much he's going to bring to the table and how much we know how badly he wants to beat the

Rockets. Chris Paul was solid. Chris Paul was good. Seven to 14, 20 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists. I would eat 20 point nearly a triple double. You would say he was even good to very good. But Chris Paul wasn't all-time great transcendent. And I think that's what he's going to have to be in order to beat the Rockets. And another thing we were worried about coming into the game yesterday, well, what's going to happen? Is Eric Gordon going to have his shot? Is he going to going to be okay. Who else is going to produce because Russell Westbrook is out. Well, James Harden went for 37 and I had 11 rebounds and three assists. And then Jeff Green went for 20 plus and Eric Gordon went for 20 plus. So you're okay on those fronts. So it went about, like I said, about as

smoothly as you could have hoped for. There wasn't a whole lot of drama in that game. And you know, it's fun right as sports fans to have these terrifying games where you don't know what's going to happen. But what's even more fun sometimes is a ho-hum 15.1. in an opening game where you have a lot of question marks coming in, and that's what happened for the Rockets. All right, as I mentioned, we're going to have Astros manager, Dusty Baker, joining us on the show, and we've got him here to talk about the Astros, and they're now winners of six in a row. They've won seven of their last eight. So please to be joined by Dusty Baker. Dusty, it is Ross Matt is out today. I'd have to say how much changes in a week

here in baseball. We know it's a day-to-day game, a week-to-week game, but last week, our last couple of weeks were saying, hey, man, what's going on? Now you won six in a row, you won seven of eight. Got to be feeling a little bit better. Yeah, well, you are feeling a little better. I mean, you're not completely relieved because, you know, we still got work to do. And, you know, like you said, a couple weeks ago, you know, we were trying to figure things out. And I was hoping that, you know, that between Stromi, the staff, you know, we could, you know, figure this thing out. And fortunate for us, you know, we're getting some breaks.

You know, we're getting some very good pitching. Our offense has been down lately. You know, we have some big key guys that are, you know, out of the lineup. But, you know, our defense and our pitching is picking us up. And so we're finally winning some of those close games that we were losing last week or two weeks ago. It's like, oh, no, we're in extra innings again. And then they always get the hit when they need it. And now we're starting to get the hit.

So it's a positive feeling, you know, on the team. It's good to see the guys celebrate. But, again, the road is the real test. I've talked to other teams, and the road is completely different than, you know, how it used to be because you've got to stay in the room. You can't go out. You can't do anything. You've got to replay the games in your mind in the room.

And so hopefully we'll get off to a quick start here tonight in Colorado. Yeah, you've got five games coming up on the road, Colorado, and then San Diego after that. And, Coach, Skip, you mentioned the pitching and how great it's been. Zach Grinky was fantastic last night. Can you just tell us, give us a perspective? I mean, you've obviously been around the game for a minute or two. What is it? What kind of different cat is Zach Grinky?

And what was it like when you first met him? And how does he go about his business? Well, I mean, he's different. But, you know, I mean, they told me about my, I mean, the same thing about myself. I remember I was meeting the Lussel for the first time, you know, my teammate. And he goes, man, they threw the middle way. Well, they threw the middle way when they created Zach Grinky. But, I mean, he's a competitor.

He knows what he's doing. You know, he's a joy to be around because he doesn't say much. But when he does, it's funny most of the time. And, you know, just to watch him pitch, the guys are amazed. I tell all our young guys, you know, watch high pitches, watch how he sets hitters up, watch what he does. I mean, you can learn more from Zach Grunkey than you can learn from a guy 3098. not even nine miles an hour because everybody can't do that.

I mean, he is a pitcher, and, you know, the pitch is left-handed. You know, most left-handers are not power pitchers, and so they have to have more savvy and then sort of trick you, trick you, and to me, he pitches left-handed. All right, and let's go ahead and get, unfortunately, you've been having to do this all year as well. Get to the infirmary report. You had George Springer scratched late.

What's the latest on him? Well, you know, George came to me on the plane. He said he's ready, but, you know, he had to go. give another cast can yesterday during the game he sent back to the game in the seventh inning.

And he was sore yesterday but he said after the game, he's okay. So we'll see him we get to the stadium. We've got a lot of guys kind of, you know, banged up. You know, Michael Brantley's doing a lot better.

You know, he's on the trip that could come off, hopefully Saturday or Sunday in San Diego. And so, you know, we lost with Don Alvarez, you know, it looks like he's done maybe for the year even, maybe, you know, we'll see. Pearl Anderson's doing well.

Who else is doing what? Diaz is doing well. You know, we've got a few guys there, you know, within probably the week of ten days are coming back. All right, then, did you mention Michael Brantley in there? What's the latest on him? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mentioned Michael in the beginning. And, you know, Michael could come off Saturday. We'll see.

And, you know, we've got to get him well this time so that he don't go on and off, you know, the, you know, the I am. Because he is a major part of this club, a major part of the club, not only physically, but spiritually and mentally, and the guys follow Mike, you know, they call him Uncle Mike. And, you know, I mean, it's a good reason. So, you know, we're looking forward to getting him back. And you mentioned George Springer said he's ready to go,

but I didn't feel like he's one of those guys. his arm could be falling off, and he'll tell you he's going to be okay and good to go. What is it kind of, you have to deal with a guy who always wants to play, but you kind of sometimes have to save him from himself? Well, you do, but I mean, how do you know how honest he's being until he takes the swing or until he dies back into the base. But, you know, I got my eyes on him, and, you know, we need him, but, you know, he also needs himself. And, you know, he does come to play.

We have different energy when he's on the field. And so, like, I'll just ask for today when I get to the stadium or pick D.C., sometimes you're injured and not hurt or not injured. I don't know where it goes, but what happens is that some injuries aren't going to heal until the wintertime. You know, I mean, they seem like they're healed while you're playing, and then soon as you bump it or hit it or whatever, then you go, you know, back again. So I hope this is not one of these injuries, and hopefully he can, you know, do the well very soon. Astros manager, Dusty Baker, here on The Matt Thomas show. Let's talk a little bit about Jose Altovae 04 last night. We know he had the couple of days off last week, struggling still.

Is this one of those things where we're making too much of it because it's a shortened season, or is there something up with Jose or he's just got to clear his head? What's the issue there? Well, it's probably all the above. I mean, you know, when you're not used to not doing it, doing well, I mean, it's tough to take. And, you know, I mean, you certainly not going to find it sitting down, you know, not playing.

And the only way to find it is to play. And, you know, he's doing all we can, you know, to try to get out of this thing. But, you know, you have to remember, it didn't take him two days to get in this mess. And it's not going to end this hole. It's not going to take you two days to get out. So it's going to be a steady process. So, you know, hopefully you get one-one-one or one-for-three, a couple walks, and then 2, 2, 2, and then the next thing, you know, you know, he's off and rolling.

And so anybody that's ever been in a hole, it doesn't look like there's any way out. You know what I mean? But you have to crawl out. Fall into the hole seems like that you've got to call out. So that's what it's all about. It's going to be a daily thing. You know, we're going to have to stick with him. And the main thing, he's going to have to stick with himself.

And, you know, he's one of those popular guys here. And, you know, there are some guys around baseball. I'm looking at Yelage. I'm looking at a whole bunch of quality guys that are, you know, that are struggling. And they ask why, you know, who knows? But, you know, as long as they don't put too much pressure on themselves, as long as we can keep running some games in the meantime without them,

that I would help Jose and definitely help us. All right, well, let's go on to the pitching there. Five of the last six games, you guys only allowing one run. And in the other game, you only allowed two. So what has it been like with this turnaround? and a lot of guys, a lot of unproven guys in the bullpen stepping up for you. Well, I mean, it's been, it's been, hey, guys, you know, whoever's up next, you know, do the job.

I don't care if you're 15 or if you're 51, with the experience and no experience, I mean, we have to try to find a way to do the job. And, you know, these guys, I hear them all the time that they give up somebody else's runs. They'll apologize to that other guy. And so, you know, they're coming together, coming together at the unit. Stromi's doing a great job, you know, keeping them positive. You know, we're trying to, you know, keep them spaced out because most of those guys aren't guys that are picked two or three days in a row.

You know, most of them down there are starters that are turned relievers out of need. And so we really have to, you'll see one day we don't use this guy and people like, why don't you use this guy? Because they're not conditioned yet at this point to be used back-to-back days. and I really don't like using them back-to-back-to-back-day. So if you're just doing it, we can't. But, you know, if we're going to get out of here, man. I've got to go. All right, Dusty, thanks a lot, man.

Appreciate it. Dusty's got to go. We've got to do what he needs to do. All right, appreciate it, Dusty. Thanks for the time, as always. All right, we're going to take a quick break here on The Mad Tom show. My name is Ross v. Real. You guys want to react to anything that Dusty said, the Astros's winners of six in a row,

in a row seven of their last eight. They're not giving up more than two runs in six games. the pitching has been fantastic. 713, 212.5.790 is the phone number 7132-1-2-5-7-90 tweets to At SportsRV. It is the Matt Thomas show. We'll be back after this short break. Hey, it's Coach Dan, Tony. Step back three and the quarter is good.

Matt Thomas, my favorite voice in Houston. Now, that's the low exaggerating. Back to the Matt Thomas Show on Sports Talk 790. You know, it looks like he's done maybe for the year even, maybe. Can you play that one more time, Brennan? I know that this is hurting, but... You're down Alvarez, you know, it looks like he's done maybe for the year even, maybe... When, you know, when that happened, look, thanks a lot to Dusty Baker making time for us on the show here. He had to jet there at the end. That happens.

Like, me and Brendan, when he's... When Dusty said that, we looked up at each other, And we just were like, oh, no. Did he just say what we think he said? And it sounds like he did. All right, 713, 2,1, 2, 5, 790. You have George Springer. Look, we got the updates from Dussie there in the last segment. George Springer sounds good news on that front.

He said he told him on the plane that he's ready to go and he's ready to get after it. So hopefully we'll see him in the lineup. He can work it out, swing the bat, and he'll be okay on that front. And Michael Brantley apparently supposed to come back soon. But, man, this is just such a bizarre. story and such a bizarre happening for the Astros. I mean, Jordan Alvarez, who missed all this time with COVID-19, and apparently I guess he's just had creaky knees for about a year now, it seems like. I mean, they were talking about, we were talking about his knee soreness. It seems like

last year. And then, of course, in spring training, they were talking about it, and Dusty was talking about it. What's going on with his knees and what's happening with Jordan Alvarez? He comes back. He hits a home run in his first at back. Everything is cool and hunky-dory and amazing. And then next thing you know, he's on the IL. And now it sounds like apparently James Click was hinting at it earlier with Sean Salisbury this morning. And now Dusty Baker, things not looking good for Yordon Alvarez. So, I mean, it is what it is.

The Astros can win games without him. It just would have been nice to have, I mean, a young phenom launching baseballs into the outfield seats would have been nice to have for the Stroes in their lineup, especially with what else is ailing them, with George Springer going down, with Michael Brantley going down. I mean, we're talking about on last Friday. Think about how nice that was last Friday

to just be sitting here and saying, wow, your on Alvarez just to hit a home run. And Michael Brantley's coming back. He's going to be in the field tomorrow. Well, not so much. 713, 21, 2, 5.790 is the phone number. How you feeling? 713, 212, 5, 7.9.

It just seems like if it's not one thing, it's another with the Astros this year. And it's hard to be upset right now because they've won six straight. And the pitching has been fantastic. I mean, look at that, that gym. What a travesty that he did not get a win out of there. But you had the Rockies pitcher, Antonio Sinzatella, whatever you want to call him. I just call him Antonio, I just call him Tonyo because we're bros like that. he pitched very well for the for the Rockies yesterday and it was quite frankly a lineup that

you're not normally going to see for the Stros I mean you had Miles straw leading off because of George Springer being a late scratch and then you had Abraham Toro in there Jack Mayfield is not normally going to be in the everyday lineup for the Stroes so just just a travesty that Zach Grinke wasn't able to get a win out of that but he the first pitcher the first starting pitcher all season to go into the eighth inning for the Stros and then Inoli Paratus came in and he was good. Well, Ryan Presley gave up a run, but it was a guy that was already on second.

And then Andre freaking scrub. That guy, for somebody who's issuing walks, it seems like left and right, he still has yet to give up an earned run this entire season. So he's pitching well, and the Astros got another win. And it's funny because it's just funny, and I wanted to talk more with Dusty about this,

but we just don't have time. Baseball is just one of the weirdest sports in this. way. How the Astros can go from Snake Bit to they can't buy a win in close games. You're losing by one and two runs to the A's and the Diamondbacks and giving up games late and things aren't going your way. And literally one week later, everything is going your way and you're winning a ton of one run games. Your last four wins, all by three of them by the margin of two to one and then one by three to two. You only see something like that in baseball. But there you go. The bad news pouring in from Dusty Baker.

Apparently, we should not be optimistic about Yordon Alvarez and the rest of the time. And this is just, isn't this just another reason to call this not a real major league baseball season, Brennan, because of these types of injuries. And it just, it doesn't feel, it feels, it's just surreal. It doesn't feel like real baseball right now. I mean, no, very much so. And you may have already mentioned this, but I'm doing a whole bunch of stuff over here real quick.

I do think it's worth pointing out, he didn't. make it a definitive. He said maybe twice. I mean, it's still bad news one way or the other, but I just think that we should mention that. Yes, that's true. There are nothing, I said maybe, or he said maybe twice. So he says, maybe he's out for the year. Maybe we'll see. So, same thing. But all these maybes, man, and Justin Verlander and Roberto Osuna, and the ups and downs and the yo-yoing and Jose Altuve struggling, just a weird-ass season, man. And this is just a more bad news. And it's, look, I don't fancy the Astros a World Series contender right now, but if they are going to have that shot, if they are going to get hot in the playoffs, which,

I mean, we've seen it look no further than last year, what the Washington Nationals did, how they started off just cold, and then they caught lightning in a bottle and went all the way to win the World Series. I mean, on paper, the 2019 Astros were much better than the Washington Nationals. But we're not much better, but they're a better team. It went to seven and the Washington Nationals made the plays. The Astros, what were they like four outs away or whatever it was from winning the World Series there in that eighth inning at home in game seven? And it just didn't turn out their way. If the Astros are going to do that and do that type of thing and catch the lightning in the bottle, I thought one of the ways they were going to be able to do it was off the

the backs of their lineup and the strength of their lineup, win fully healthy. They're still one of the best lineups in baseball. And we've seen teams when we're World Series on the backs of a really strong lineup of the last couple of years. So that was my hope. But hey, maybe I'm flipping that on its head and it's going to be hot pitching. It's going to be Zach Grinky going out there and Brandon Belak and Christian Javier and Framber Valdez and Lance McCullors. Maybe those are going to be the guys who are going to carry the Astros if they're going to

want to rise up to the level of World Series contention. Just weird season that continues to get weirder, unfortunately, here for the Houston Astros. 713, 212, 579, the phone number. It is the Matt Thomas show. There is no Matt Thomas. Today, he should be back very, very shortly. 713, 212, 570 tweets to at Sports RV. We've got a lot of things to get to here on the show.

The Rockets win game one against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Astros have won seven of eight. Charles Barkley with some very interesting, strongly worded comments about James Hardin on TNT last night. We got all that good stuff to get to and more here on the Matt Thomas Show. here on Sports Talk 790. To speak on H-Town Sports, you have to live H-Town Sports. Sorry, ESP in Connecticut. This is Houston's Sports Talk 790.

In left center, Blackman in right center, 0-1. And that is line past the drawn in infield and in the left. Coming in to score is Toro. And the Astros win at a walkoff, 2 to 1 and 11. Miles Straw comes through. And the Astros have won six in a row. Miles straw, the last second replacement for George Springer last night with a walkoff single there for the stroes in the 11th inning.

And yeah, I'm interested. How are you, what are we feeling like? What is the state of the extra inning rules now? How are we feeling about it? Now the Astros having, it seems like they got an extra inning game about every five seconds, but now six extra inning games for the Astros. Astros in 23 games. That seems like that's well above average.

I don't know what the average is, but at least they haven't had a 13-a-fair in a little bit, so that's been a little while. But last night, you have the 11th inning situation, and I thought it was curious. And I wanted to, I had a week. Dusty Baker had to go because, I mean, he's busy out there, and they just got into Colorado,

and they got a game to get ready for and all that good stuff. But I was going to ask him. I had one more question for him. I was going to ask, what did you think about Carlos Correa, getting pinch hit for Martin Maldonado there at the end. And then immediately he got assent to first base on an intentional walk. This little cat and mouse extra layer of strategy.

I kind of like that, right? Because we always talk about I'm American League guy or I guess you grew up Tigers fans. You're always American League all the way. See, it's different for us Houstonians, Brendan. Growing up, I was, we were National League, National League Central, hated the Cardinals, hated the Cubs, pirates who cares, they sucked for years. But, you know, oh, the Superior League is the National League

with the intense and nuanced stratagems in order to make the best for your team. No, that's how I felt when it was National League. Oh, you can do double switches. Yeah, okay, cool. To me, I was like, it's not all this extra strategy. Once you figure it out, once you watch a lot of American League baseball, who would you rather watch at bat?

Would you rather watch a pitcher flail and try to bunt or just strike out? Or would you rather watch Yordon Alvarez at the plate? It's pretty simple. Well, a healthy Yorda Alvarez if and when that happens. But I think I like this little element of the, do I intentionally walk somebody? Is there going to be a double steel? Is there going to be a sacrifice bun? I know everybody's mad about it because we're not used to it and this is not baseball.

But I think it adds a little intriguing element to the late inning contests. Yeah, I'm with you. I think all sports, but baseball in particular, does have this just massive change is hard to swallow. I think, like, it seems like everybody in the world is on team, start this in inning later. Give us one inning of regular baseball. Yeah, that's what I want to. When we get normal. But now I get it for the midst of the pandemic and the short season, et cetera.

I honestly don't have an issue with keeping this around in some form after this season. Yeah, that's what I, we'll have Dusty on again. Of course, he'll come on every week because we are your home for the Houston Astros here on Sports Talk 790. And of course, I mean, the Astros are every other game. It seems like they're getting into an extra inning game so we can ask him about that. But I just wonder, I mean, all the added strategic elements you come from or you get with an 11 inning game like that. So who do I intentionally walk? When do I intentionally walk?

When do I bunt and all those types of things? And what are the numbers and the analytics? because I think you're more likely to have one, I think you're more likely to stop one run from scoring. I checked the run probabilities like a week or two ago. I believe if you have first and second with no-out, rather than just second with no-out, you're more likely to not give up any runs

because of all the forceouts that are out there. So I wonder if you should just intentionally walk somebody right off the bat, especially if you're the road team, right? Because it doesn't matter if one run scores. You probably don't want to do that as the home team and put two on base for the road team because then they can score more than one. So maybe in a tie game and you're the road team, you always go with that? I don't know. I don't know.

Just an extra added element there for the baseball squadron and what kind of moves are you going to make. But Carlos Correa, as I mentioned, pinch hitting late. He should be back in the lineup today. It was a scheduled day off for him. But he's hitting very well. over 304 he's hitting his OPS is well over 800. He's been obviously awesome this entire time. The crazy thing is when this lineup is fully healthy,

when you had last week, what we were talking about, with Alvarez hitting and then Michael Brantley probably coming back, at that point, Carlos Corre was seventh in the lineup. And everybody wanted him hitting above Yuli. Well, Yuley's hitting like crazy now too. Guys hitting home runs. He got a couple of hits last night. I just love watching Yulee Gurriel at the plate.

He's so unorthodox. And that's another thing to me is kind of fun about baseball. Like in 2020 in the NBA, everybody has the same little set shot form that they learned in AAU. And you don't have all the guys with the crazy weird funky releases like a Reggie Miller back in the day because he just learned when he was a kid. And the thing about baseball is just all the different types of swings and different types of deliveries and the leg kicks and all that type of stuff. And Yuleiguriel is just a pure joy to watch the plate. And I remember, it's confessional time now, Brendan. I remember when Yulea Guriel first came up to the Astros,

and he struggled like his first couple of weeks. And he has this long looping swing. And me, not a hitting coach, but playing one on radio, I was like, man, I think he, you know what, he's got a time that exactly right with that long looping swing. I don't know if he can pull this off. I'm not sure that Yule is going to hit at the major league level. Well, that's why I'm not a hitting coach.

And that's why I'm an idiot. because Yuli Guriel has been really good as a major league level for the Astros. I think like hitting stances and movement in the box and such is probably one of the most over-critiqued things in sports. Okay, well, that was me in 2016. When Yule first came? No, no, I'm not grown. I haven't grown and I haven't learned anything. I'm still going to criticize and I'm not going to know what the hell I'm talking about.

But that's okay. Yeah, I mean, Yulea Gureel has just been hitting amazingly. And yeah, I was the first one. I want to pull up his first numbers of like the first month in the season of when he first came up into the major leagues. I remember being like, I don't know what this guy. I don't know if this guy's going to be here long term. I don't know if he's going to be able to hit. Well, he turned it on and then he's just been hitting very well for the Astros the last couple of years.

And he's been one of their best hitters the last couple of weeks. He's really turned it on. Funny that you don't see people who are the Astros hitters, haters bringing up Yuli Guriel, who was on the 17 Astros, or Carlos Carraya, who is on the 17 Astros. They're more quick to point out that George Springer is struggling and that Jose Altova is struggling. Not that Alex Bregman has turned it around. Not that Yule Grielle is tearing the cover off the ball as of late.

And not that Carlos Correa has been fantastic, basically since day one of the entire season. Pretty curious to me that you don't bring those guys around. But you know what? I'm trying to be better. You're talking about being better, Brendan. I'm trying not to worry about Astros haters on Twitter's account. That's like my new, it's not a New Year's resolution. It is my August 19th resolution.

Like, I can't control these idiots and I try not to worry about them as much. I have to imagine you're going to see a fair share of them today. Yeah, I already got one guy in my mentions. Like, oh, he gave me the, the Seinfeld. That's a shame when I tweeted out that Yordon Alvarez is going to be missing time or possibly the entire year. So you already got that coming up for me. So that's cool. But yeah, it's, it's something that I'm trying to get better. better at. Man, you should embrace it. No, no, because it's just, it's too much hate.

I don't want to have hate in my heart, Brendan. I'm a lover, not a fighter. I get that. I get that. I try to be optimistic in most things in life, and I try to focus on the bright side. I can't focus on these two-bit idiots who have been following baseball for six months, who are upset about the Astros, and they're jumping on everything that gets done and it happens when Jose Al-Tuve is at bad.

But when Yuleiguriel is launching home runs. in the Crawford's boxes, they're quiet. Or when Carlos Correa is getting a two-run double that he's lacing down the left field line, they don't say anything. And when Carlos Correa is being awesome, or when Alex Breggman is turning it around at the plate, still getting on base like crazy with what he's walking,

and he's got it on base of 3.71, and he's hitting with power again, and he's being back to himself. We don't hear a peep. But Jose Altuve, who, oh, heaven forbid in baseball, someone struggles for 25 games. When he struggles, oh, he's there ruined.

Oh, well, you, what is it that Oral Hersheyers said? It's easier than no than when you're guessing. As if Jose Al-Tuve, I don't have the numbers in front of me. I'm going to guess Jose Al-Tube didn't strike out swinging zero times in 2017, 18, and 19. It's just, see, now you got me riled up, Brendan. This is your fault. I'm upset.

Whoa, wait, what did I do? This is 1,000% your fault. I'm blaming you. All right, we're going to take a break here on the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas. You guys want to get in if you had not heard the news. Dusty Baker, it's not news, right? Dusty Baker, just some disconcerting statement that he made here on a sports talk 790. He said it's possible that Yordon Alvarez is going to be out for the year.

He said maybe twice, so it's just a maybe, but obviously not great news to hear. You want to react to that? You want to talk some Astros? 713-2125-79. 7-1-3-1-1. 1257. 90 is the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas.

Coming up next. Speaking of bad news, something in Oklahoma has happened that's going to devastate this nation. We'll talk about that next here on the Matt Thomas show. This is Craig Ackerman. The rockets are certainly popping

the polypropylene. I know Matt Thomas all too well. Hey, by the way, this is my new catchphrase. Nothing but nylon. Tell all the hundred to lay down. Well, if the harrowing terrible news could not get any worse today, we have now heard that according to Jeff Lowe, yeah, pump this up, Britain.

Why do I know some of the words to this? Well, the Tiger King Zoo is getting shut down in Oklahoma. The Greater Winwood Exotic Animal Park, owned by Jeff Lowe, formerly owned by Joe Exotic, has now set to close, effective immediately. Did you watch Tiger King, Brendan?

I did not. What the hell's wrong with you? Were you one of those guys that's like, oh, it's so popular, I'm not going to watch it because screw everybody. No, I'm really not that guy. You weren't doing anything during the pandemic. It just didn't appeal to me.

I was watching other stuff. Well, crazy-ass documentaries don't appeal to you? Well, anyways, it doesn't matter. So this is devastating news. It has, let's see, Jeff Lowe said he's taking it, he's closing the park. The zoo is closed to the public, effective immediately. It says, the Tiger King phenomenon has definitely changed our lives in many ways. And it'll continue to make us a target of every nut job and animal rights loon in the world, but we are prepared.

As of today, we have decided to close the zoo. immediately. So there you go. Jeff Lowe is closing the zoo. So if you had summer plans of heading up to Oklahoma, first of all, what the hell is wrong with you? Second of all, you're not going to be able to go to the Tiger King Zoo. So some sad, sad news from Jeff Lowe on the behalf of Joe Exotic

and his zoo that is now closing there in Oklahoma. All right, Matt Thomas Show continues here on a sports talk 790. 713-2125. 790 is the phone number 7.1. 13, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 5, 7.9, if you want to get in, we're talking about the Astros. We're talking about the lineup. We're talking about the pitching. We're talking about the news that Yordon Alvarez is not looking so hot.

Maybe, should we just do, maybe at the top of the hour, we'll do like, you can only say nice things about the Astros. Or you can only say good things about the Astros and be happy. We're not going to talk about Yordaun Alvarez and the fact that the guys had creaky knees for a year. How does this happen? What? Can we get to the bottom of this? And people are tweeting me at Sports RV. They're saying, do the Astros have a team doctor?

Brendan, to your knowledge, do the Astros have a team doctor? I would say, yes. I would say they have a medical team. What is this knee mystery that has been plaguing Yordon Alvarez in his knees? I don't understand. Does the guy, does he have some kind of degenerative, uncurable knee issue? I'm trying to figure this out. Why did he come back for two days?

He's on the AL, now possibly he's out for the year. Maybe, according to Dusty Baker. I'm trying to figure this out. So, yeah, you people are tweeting me if they have a team doctor. Yes, the Astros have a team doctor. I just don't have any answers. I just don't know what's going on here. And that's what's just kind of making it.

The yo-yoing is what makes it kind of frustrating for me in the up and down. So you have this thing with Yordon Alvarez. He's out for a while. He comes back for two games and then he's gone. You have Michael Brantley. Oh, he's out for one game. He worked out this morning. He's going to be on the field on Saturday.

Oh, never mind. He woke up. He's worse than ever. And now he's on the IL. Now you have it with George Springer. Oh, he's back in the lineup. He's been, he's wearing a freaking wrist protection, whatever you would call a wrist brace.

And I'm like, I don't know that he's close to coming back. Well, he comes back. And the guy plays so crazy in the field. He's just got no filter. or as far as, or no, just doesn't hold himself back at all. He's either going zero or he's going 100, which you love, and it's fun to root for and all that type of stuff. But if he can't control your body in the field and you're swinging out of your shoes and

all that type of stuff while you have injuries, it's not good long term. And so you have the George Springer, and he's ready to go and all that type of stuff. And as I was saying to Dusty, the thing about George Springer, who told him, Dusty said he told him on the plane today, he's really, ready to go. George Springer's could be profusely bleeding all over the place with his arm nearly ripped off by Joe

Exotic's Tiger and he would say he's ready to go put him at first in the lineup tonight because that's the kind of guy he is. That's the type of dude he is. And you love that about him? But it makes him an unreliable source when it comes to his own health. And so they're

going to have to see how he looks. You're going to have to keep your eye on him as Dusty said. So just the injuries mounting up. And it's not just the Astros. It's every team in baseball. And that to me, this season that started off weird

because it didn't even start and then you go into this scenario where you have all these teams coming back late in the season and then guys aren't on their throwing programs. You have had myriad arm injuries for pitchers all throughout the league and with the Houston Astros.

You still have the St. Louis Cardinals, at least they're up to 11 games played now, so that's good, but they're still like 10 behind anybody else in their entire division. It's just a weird-ass season, man, and it just keeps getting weirder, and it's not getting better, and right now, I want to be feeling great about the Astros. Right? That's where I should be.

They've won six in a row. They've won seven of their last eight. So I should be happy, right? I think you can be happy and not. You could be happy and say at the same time. I'm concerned. I'm concerned because you know what? This team, the expectation levels are higher. I'm not worried about winning.

I wasn't really worried about the Astros in the regular season as was. I think that because of the loose playoff structure, they're going to make the playoffs as is. My biggest worry so far that I was thinking about them as I want them healthy for the playoffs because I think they could possibly catch lightning in a bottle and go on a run. That's what I want, right? That's what you're hoping for in any season, especially in baseball. but certainly with the three-game series in the first round and the weird playoff structure this year, that's definitely something that's going to happen and going to be a possibility.

Because quite frankly, the championship window, I think, is possibly drawing to a close for the Astros. Michael Brantley, free agent after this year. Josh Reddick, free agent after this year. George Springer, free agent after this year. I think Yulegurell, has he got one more year or is he a free agent as well? I'm not sure. And then you got Carlos Correa, although he's not a free agent, he's only under control for one more year. So there could definitely be, we could be seeing a changing of the guard for the Houston Astros over the next couple of years.

So yeah, it's a shortened season. Yeah, it's going to have an asterisk put up on it, which people try to do with the 2017 Astros, but I don't care. Like Carlos Correa said at the beginning of the season, everybody is on the same playing field. everybody's got a short season. Everybody's going to have to deal with the weird playoff structures, especially in the first round. So everybody, it's even. And whoever is the champ is that year's best team.

And you know what? I'm down with that. And I would be excited for it. And the way the starting pitching is going and the way the bullpen has been pitching as well, five of the last six games, the Astros have not given up more than one single run. And the game, they gave up more than one. they gave up two.

So the pitching is turning it around. The pitching is looking great. And this just feels like if it's not one thing, it's another. It's how it's been for the Astros as of late. So I want to be excited. I want to be happy. They won seven of the last eight. But I'm also concerned about the future.

I'm less concerned about the regular season results. I'm more concerned about how good this team can be in the playoffs. And if you're not going to have a guy like Yordaun Alvarez and in your everyday lineup, a guy who can just come up, literally out of Corpus Christi, hadn't really been in shape for a month and just not even get a hold of one all the way and send it 340 feet

the opposite way. That's a guy that you won in your lineup every day. And unfortunately, we're getting the news that looks like that might not be the case for your Houston Astros. All right, 713, 212-790 is the phone number. 713-212-5-790.

Positive vibes only in the next segment. Now, can I hold it for more than a segment? I guess we'll have to wait. But if you guys want to get in, that is your phone number. You can also send me tweets to at a sports RV. The Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in game one of the playoffs yesterday. If you guys want to talk about that.

And, of course, everything going on with the Astros. It is the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas here on 790. When we come back, we're going to play. We're going to come up with some happy music. We're going to play some Astros highlights. We're going to play some Rockets highlights. And we're going to talk about good things that are happening. that make you feel good in 2020 because quite frankly it hasn't been a lot so far.

All right. Back in a second here on the Matt Thomas show. Second hour next. Is the Matt Thomas show. Rivers into the front court. Bounce past Green on the right block. Posting on Paul, into a cutting house, cut back door. Nobody saw him. Laid it up and in. 12 in a row for Houston. They're up 17. And the Rockets and Russell Westbrook in particular, they are loving it. In the morning, got to thank God, I don't know, but today seems kind of eye. No barking from the dog, no small.

And Mama cook the breakfast with no hug. I got my girl. And that's hit sharply and just fair past Aronado down the left field line into the corner. That'll score Bregman. Gurriel racing the third. He's being sent home. And the relay will not come. Gurriel scores standing up.

It's a two-run double for Carlos Correa and a two-nothing Astros lead. Picked up by Jeff Green. Green to a trailing Gorton. Uh-oh, he launches this one from Osceola County. Bounced off the front rim and dropped. Last week, messed around and got a triple double. Freaking brothers every way like MJ. Outfield, the top in, left center, blackman and right center.

Oh one. And that is line past the drawn. and infield and in the left. Coming in to score is Toro. And the Astros win it in a walkoff, two to one and 11. Miles Straw comes through. And the Astros have won six in a row.

Gordon to Tucker, to House, back out front to Hardin, gets by one, by two, by three, and lays it up and in. As if the Red Sea had parted. Right down Broadway, James Hardin with a layup, he's got 37, Rockets up 17.

You know what? Yesterday was a good day. A little ice cube to open up the second hour of the Matt Thomas show, Ross, Vireal with you at 713, 321, 2,5.790. 7.1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 2, 5, 790. A weird Tuesday, and we're going to have a weird Thursday as well. A couple of afternoon games here. I mean, this is just what happens. I mean, there's always day baseball games in baseball.

Not usually on a Tuesday, but it is what it is. They're doing the two games in Houston, then two games in Colorado for your. Houston Astros, and so they'll have another afternoon game on Thursday. And then now you've got this bubble. I'm kind of starting to think the NBA should do this every single year. It's almost like the NCAA tournament where you have basketball on all day. And so, yeah, some of the early games you get, you can probably knock off work early. Like right now, there's literally Nets and Raptors playoff basketball happening right now on NBA TV.

I think it's kind of cool. Maybe it's because of me because I don't have a regular 9 to 5 job. but you had on what a couple of days ago you had the Denver and the jazz game tipping off at like what 1130 mountain time i think we should do this every year brendon it's awesome i think it's awesome for everybody who like because they're playing in orlando there's no fans it's awesome it would suck if the rockets were playing a noon game at home in the playoffs yeah i think it's pretty cool yeah okay maybe it's going to be different you don't want to have fans getting there at that point of the day or anything like that i think it's pretty cool yeah okay maybe it's going to be different you don't want to have fans getting there at that point of the day or anything like like that. But man, it's just, it's been pretty cool to have the playoff basketball going like it is. But yesterday you have the Astros with the two to one win over the Colorado Rockies. Zach Grinkey, just a boss yesterday, eight innings pitch, seven strikeouts, three hits, zero walks and still stayed under 100 pitches. That dude has just been a man possessed after his first start where he was a little bit shaky for the Stroves. Since then, he has just been nails.

and where the Astros have desperately needed it with the starting pitching and all the question marks coming into it. I mean, when you had Justin Verlander go down and you already had question marks and you already had Jose Arkiti heard and he still hasn't pitched a single pitch on the mound for the Astros up in the major league level for a guy like Zach Rankie to come up and step up like he has, he is earning every cent of the, what's the pro ration on his $35 million? I don't know what it is, but he's earning every cent. of it. He was been spectacular. He was amazing yesterday for the Stroes. Unfortunately,

he wasn't able to get the win. But now 1.84 ERA on the season for Zach Grinky. And he has been fantastic. And it's really been the pitching for the Astros that is getting everything going. You've had the eight innings from Grinky. Anoli Parades came in and he was good. Ryan Presley gave up a rum. He gave up a run on a single and it wasn't his fall, not necessarily not his fault, but he started with a guy on second base. Things things are going to happen. And then Andre Scrub,

I'm just saying, Brendan, since Andre Scrub has been on, since I interviewed him last week, he has not given up a run. And he didn't give a run before that either. But I think I don't want to take all the credit, but I feel like I have to here on the show.

So you got to Astros winning, six in a row, winners, seven of their last eight. And you also have the Rockets yesterday in the Oklahoma City Thunder in the game yesterday. I want to hear from my Rockets guys who hate the Rockets and say that James Hardin is never going to perform in the playoffs

and he doesn't do anything. If James Hardin was 2 or 12 from 3 yesterday and scored 18 points and the Rockets lost, I know you would be calling. You know who you are out there. 37 points for James Harden, 6 of 13 from 3 point. He was just look cat-quit getting to the basket.

And what was really impressive to me for the Rockets, especially in the first quarter. They only gave up 20 points to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and that really was the tone setter. After that, the defense loosened up a little bit, but the first quarter was really where the tone was set. It really allowed the Rockets to get their lead and impose their will on the OKC Thunder.

Coming into that game or coming into this series, the big thing everybody was talking about, oh, the three-guard lineup for the Thunder. It's going to be so tough to stop. It's going to be Dennis Schrooter and Chey Gilder Alexander and Chris Paul. How are the Rockets going to defend? defend against this? Well, Chris Paul was good. He scored 20. Decent. Shea Gildjus Alexander had nine points and Dennis Schrooter could not hit the broadside of a barn. He had, he went 0 of 5 from the

three point line in 32 minutes. He scored six points. A combined 67 minutes for Shea Gilgis, Alexander and Dennis Schrooter last night. They scored 15 points. Chris Paul was over-extended a little bit, in my opinion. He played 37 minutes. But he's just got to be more aggressive for the Oklahoma City Thunder, I think. And it's not in his DNA and it's not who he is. But I think he's got to be a guy who, I mean, getting up 14 shots and only attempting four free throws, that's like, that's a first half line for James Harden. And I understand that they're two different kind of cats with two different mentalities. But I think if the Thunder are going to be successful in this series, if they're going to be winning games and stealing games from the Rockets, that Chris Paul is going to have to be

dropping 30 plus for them to win those games. So good defense from the Rockets. They played well. And how about Jeff Green being a key playoff contributor for the Rockets? Who saw that coming? Jeff Green signed off the street to a 10-day contract in February for the Rockets last night in the playoffs, 22 points, 8 of 12 from the field, 3 of 7 from 3, which means he was a perfect 5 of 5 from 2. and he also dished out four assists, grabbed six rebounds. He's been really, really good in the situations. What we were worried about when the Rockets didn't have Russell Westbrook,

what we were worried about is what's going to happen with the other offensive opposite. And who knew who knew it was going to be Jeff Green? Jeff Green's the answer, Brendan. It almost seems like, I mean, we've seen a couple guys be the answer at times. Obviously, Austin Rivers has been the answer. I don't know who else is created. Yeah, but I like Austin Rivers, a dribble drive game. I think he's a good score

for the Rockets when he's aggressive and when he's himself. He was like, let me pull up the, it was like one of five or something last night. He was not good. Yeah, one of five from the field, four points and 19 minutes. I said it to ND earlier today. If nothing else, I think it was reassuring. It was comforting to watch what they were able to do without Westbrook

in that game. Yeah, I think so. I think, well, obviously it helped that the three point shot was falling. I think early, like, in the first half of the game, they made like 46% of their threes. And if the Rockets are going, up against a conglomerate of the best players in the history of the NBA and they're knocking down 46% of their threes, they're going to be holding their own. And you're just not going

to beat the Rockets if they're going to make that at that clip. They shot 38.5% for the game. If they're over 37% on the season coming into last night, they're 24 and 1. And 37% is like slightly above league average. It's not like they have to shoot the lights out. all three of us yesterday picked the Rockets at 6. I'm just curious. I'm not asking you to change your take, but how do you feel about that after one game? I feel really great, but I also know that there are going to be games where, look, it's a make-or-miss league and the Rockets are a make-or-miss team. I was nervous going 6, though.

It made me feel so much better about 6. Yeah, I feel pretty good about that. And we talked about how important yesterday. We talked about how important game 1 was for the Rockets because you don't have Russell Westbrook. And if the Rockets got down 0-1. Russell Westbrook is beating down the door and trying to say, hey, I need to come in, I can play, I'm good. He's almost like in what we were talking about in George Springer. He's an unreliable source into how healthy he is because it's a blessing and a curse.

You want somebody who wants to be on the floor that much. You want somebody who is beating down the door and begging for more playing time. And that's the type of DNA that Russell Westbrook and George Springer have. But you also want to hold him back because you have to think of the long term. how many minutes can he give us? How effective is he going to be and what's going to be the long-term effect on playing him tonight? So if the Rockets had gotten down in an 0-1 hole and Russell Westbrook who's running around and looks somewhat relatively healthy

because he was the Rocket's number one cheerleader last night and jumping up and down out of his seat and all that type of stuff, you know that he would be banging down the door and saying, I need to be playing tonight, and the Rockets might consider rushing him. So the fact that they won this game and then hopefully can win again on Thursday, I think that helps keep at bay the thought and the action of possibly rushing Russell Westbrook back into the lineup for the Houston Rockets. So they got the job done last night. They won by 15.

They're now up 1 and 0 on the series. They got the next game coming up on Thursday. That'll be on News Radio 740 KTRH. That starts a 3 o'clock tip on Thursday. So we mentioned it earlier. You're looking for one or the other. It's going to be either on Sports Talk 790 here, where you're listening to me now. Now, hi, appreciate you, or our sister station, News Radio 740, KTRHR.

We're going to take a break here on the Matt Thomas show. Without Matt Thomas, you want to get in. 713-212-5-790 is the phone number 7-13-212-5790. He tweets to at SportsRV and at Brendan Riley underscore Matt Thomas show continues after this short break. Don't go anywhere. Hey, it's Eric Gordon. Gordon for three in the lead. Matt Thomas is my favorite voice in Houston.

EG for three. You're listening to the flagship. Sports Talk, 790. Home of the Rockets. Welcome back to the Matt Thomas Show. Without Matt Thomas. Matt Thomas out today. He should be back shortly. It's Ross via Real. It's Brendan Riley. And it's you guys on the phone lines.

Been a little quiet, but that's okay. If you want to get in right now, they're wide open at 713. 21, 2.5.790. 713. 2.125.790. You can send your tweets to at. sports RV. So all the news of the day, we were talking in the last segment about the Rockets. They win yesterday, 123 to 108 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Astros win as well.

They've now won six straight, seven of their last eight games. And quite frankly, it should be eight in a row if Ryan Presley hadn't given up that one game against the San Francisco Giants. So things should be looking up for us here in Houston as far as the sports are going. And it was just really, it was great to see. I just, you don't always get the, the, uh, the easy, ho-hum, nothing to worry about game in, in the playoffs and certainly against these two teams and the Rockets and the Thunder, I think are, are quite evenly matched. It was just encouraging to see them kind of, just go about their business and be very

businesslike and take care of the Oklahoma City Thunder and not have a whole lot of drama left in that game because that was one of the ones we talked about it. The storylines. for the NBA playoffs. This is one of the best storylines in the entire first round playoff matchups. I mean, maybe the Blazers and the Lakers is a good one, which, by the way, Trailblazers up 1 and 0

on the Lakers. Something to keep an eye on there. Could it be Rockets Blazers in the second round of the playoffs? If it is. If it is? Would you actually feel better about it? I don't even know if you would. I think I would. This is what I want.

All I want is that one game to go be a knockdown, dragout seven game series. I don't care who wins. I want the rockets to sweep. When everybody rested, I want Russell Westbrook with as much time as off as possible. And would I be more scared of the Blazers or the Lakers? I still think the Lakers.

I mean, I lean that way, but if the Blazers take care of business, I think it tells you how much they're really not an eight seat. If they go out and sweep the Lakers, okay, I'd be a little bit worried about the Blazers. If they go out and take care of them and then they're just awesome and sweep them out of the building out of the bubble,

I would be scared of the Blazers, but right now I'm not scared of the Blazers. I think that's fair. Because in my head, I just like, I don't know, man, the Blazers look really good. So in my head, it's like the Blazers are going to win convincingly. Yeah, we'll see. This happens all the time in the playoffs. We make too much out of one game. And Mike D'Antony said in the post game last night about the Rockets.

Hey, it's one game. I mean, we've seen teams lose by 20 or 30 or more and then come back and bounce back in the playoffs. Wasn't it the Bucks who took out the who destroyed the Raptors in their first game of their series last year and the Raptors came back and won that series? In fact, they went up to O. Yeah, they went up to O. People thought that series was over.

And then they lost. And yeah, I think it was Paul Pierce who was like, this thing is over or whatever. I can't remember exact phrase he said, but he looked like an idiot. And then you have Charles Barkley last night. These NBA pundits, I swear, Charles Barkley last night said if the Blazers win,

they're going to sweep the Lakers. So he has them sweeping. He got out of brew. He got a broom out on T&T and everything. He also had some interesting comments to say about James Harden, but we'll get to those in a minute. And then another thing is, is there anything Paul Pierce hates more than LeBron James?

Did you see what he said? No, what did he say? Paul Pierce said if they lose in the first round, this is a, this taints the legacy of LeBron James, who Paul Pierce already went on record and said that he is, that LeBron James is not a top five player. discussed this before. LeBron hasn't lost

the playoff series before the finals since I think it was 2010 is what we said. Damn. Is that right? I mean, he didn't make the playoffs last year. And he's lost in the finals many, many years, but it's just, that's such an absurd take. Paul Pierce just hates LeBron James. And there was something really crazy he said

like a year or two ago that like the, he said LeBron James isn't any better than he is. Or something like that. Something like that. I don't want to quote. I don't want to I don't want to put words into Paul Pierce's mouth, but I'm sorry. Look, I like Paul Pierce. Paul Pierce was fun to watch. He was, I mean, as far as like a guy, he had old man game when he was at Kansas. Like, he always had that old man game and he was fun to watch, but come on now. Paul Pierce is salty because in the NBA, we've always seen it go from, I don't want to say dynasty to dynasty, but like you had the clear favorite, right? And it was LeBron's Keith who ended the Celtics. Yeah, that's true. And the Celtics had made the finals in 2010. They could have very well won that series, by the way.

If Kendrick Perkins were healthy, they would have been champions in 2008 and 2010. In 2009, did they get knocked out by LeBron's calves or was it the magic? I can't remember who knocked them out in 2009. But, yeah, Paul Pierce is definitely jealous of the career that LeBron James has had. and all the accolades and how he's lionized and all that type of stuff. And there's one reason for that. Paul Pierce, LeBron James is better than you.

I'm sorry. It's the truth. I know you don't want to believe that in your heart, and you get these Hall of Fame caliber athletes, and they think they're the best of all time, no matter what. But don't be so salty against LeBron. And then the reason he said he wasn't top five is because he had all good teammates. Anybody else you're putting in the top five had great teammates as well.

It's a team sport. Magic Johnson, do we have to go through the list of teammates that he had? the Kareemes and the James Worthies and those types of guys. And of course, Larry Bird and Parrish and, I mean, he had Dennis Johnson and Kevin McHale and all those types of guys. Nobody wins without teammates. Nobody becomes in the top five without teammates. Michael Jordan had Scotty Pippen, who is one of the, I think, criminally underrated

as an all-time great just because Michael Jordan outshined him from a points per game standpoint. But as far as assist, rebounds, steals, all that type of. You know who had more per game than Michael Jordan that whole run? Scottie Pippen. But anyways, everybody had good teammates. And Paul Pierce is super salty about LeBron James, and it kind of just makes me laugh. I actually was thinking about pulling that audio before the show.

I was like, I don't even want to give Paul Pierce the time of day, but here we are. 713, 21, 2, 5, 790. The phone number 7.13-1-2-5-7-9. Let's go to Larry Galveston here on the show. What's up, Larry? How about it? I'm well. What do you got?

Well, I tell you one. But, you know, this business about everybody getting down on Jose Al-Tube is just really wearing me out. I mean, he is one of the very best players that we have on our team. And I personally, and you can agree or disagree with me on this, obviously, but I really think that Dusty Baker should have told Jose, when Jose says, supposedly went in and talked to him and told him that he wanted to move, he wanted to be moved down in the order. It comes back to the same kind of deal like when Springer was really, really hurting in the America League Championship Series and 17 going into the World Series.

And, you know, everybody was calling for Springer to be stuck down in the bottom of the lineup. up, and AJ Hinch called Springer in and said, look, man, I got your back. You're one of the leaders of our team, and I'm leaving you in the lead-off spot. And personally, I think that that is what Dusty Baker should back up and take a look at, and he ought to move Jose back up there and give him a good, strong handshake, and let Jose just start having fun and playing ball again because he is one of the very big backbones of our team. And that's all I got.

All right, Larry. I mean, that's all well and good. I appreciate you getting in and thanks. But I mean, Dusty Baker, one of the things that a – one of the things of a manager does in baseball is you have to have your guys back and you have to listen to your players. And Jose Altovae, to me, it was a selfless act. He says, hey, man, I'm struggling. You can't keep putting me number three in the lineup.

These other guys deserve it. It's not about me. It's not about my ego. It's not about me being a very high in the lineup and anything like that, which he had not been that far down in the lineup since 2012. It's not about that. It's about these other guys. And I want them moved up because I'm struggling and I don't deserve it.

I'm not earning this honor that you were bestowing upon me by putting me number three in the lineup. And I'm sure there was a discussion. I'm sure, Dusty Baker said, you sure? I'd rather keep you up there and you're this and you're that and you're a three-time batting champion. I'm sure there was a back and forth. I don't think Jose Altuve just walked in and said, hey, man, move me down. And Dusty goes, all right, talk to you later. There was obviously some kind of discussion over his spot in the lineup.

So I definitely get your point about what you're saying about Jose Springer. I mean, not Jose Springer, George Springer, not being moved down in the playoffs. and that paid off. But if you're a veteran guy who wants to have a selfless act and say, I'm not earning this spot, move me down, which Dusty said has only happened to him one other time in the history of him being a manager, the long history of him being a manager, I think you kind of got to listen to your guy.

And that's okay because you know what? It is going to benefit the team if he continues to struggle, which so far he has. So I got no issue with it. I thought it was just very cool and selfless of, Jose Altova to say, I'm not earning my spot, move me down, hopefully sooner rather than later, as we've been saying a lot during this pandemic. He starts to hit pretty well, and then he can get moved back up and back to his old spot. He's got to get back to being Jose Altuve.

But right now, he is not Jose Altuvae, and the Astros are still winning, and they're only 23 games in, but it's only 23 games of a 60 game season. It's easier to say only 23 games in, if it was. 162, but unfortunately, everything getting magnified, as Dusty Baker talked about there, when we had him on earlier in the show, which will have some of that conversation for you coming up later on in the show. My name is Ross Vier. You're listening to the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas.

713-212-5-790 is the phone number if you want to get in. 7-1-3-2-1-2-790. We're going to take a quick break here. Be back at a second on the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. Talk Cougars football. Weekdays on Sports Talk 790. Here, Cougars football. Saturdays on KPRC 950.

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Brendan Riley underscore. So talking a little bit about the Astro. and they're now 13 and 10 feels a lot better than the six and nine they were after getting swept out of Oakland about a week and a half ago. So things looking up there. And then some other good news, of course. Well, not good news. A good game. A good result.

A fun game to watch there as the Houston Rockets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 123 to 108 last night to take a one to nothing series lead over the Thunder in the best of seven series. James Harden last night, 37 points, 11 rebounds, three assists. He was spectacular. Also got some big contributions from Jeff Green and Eric Gordon, some guys that you knew we're going to have to step up if the Rockets were going to be successful in this series without Russell Westbrook. And the game was on TNT last night, which means you're going to get a lot of loudmouth dumbassery from Chuck and Shaq and to a lesser extent Kenny. But they always have fun. It's a good show. It's the best show on sports. as far as in the studio. The laughs are there, the analysis. Ernie running the ship.

It's always a good watch. And so last night you had Charles Barkley making a very interesting declaration about James Hardin and his scoring ability. And he got some pushback from the other guys on the panel. Here's Chuck last night talking about Charles. I mean, this is Charles Barkley talking about James Hardin. I've said it before.

James Hardin is the best one-on-one player I may have ever seen in my life. You can spread... Ever seen your life? In my life. No, no, no. I mean, James is the best of this ever. Stop it.

No, hold on for a second. Don't say in your life. Stop it. I'm helping you out. Stop it. He's not in your life. Don't say you in your life. Just hold it.

Just can I say what I want to say? What you want to say? As great as Michael and Kobe were, and they're better players. They weren't the three-point shooters to James was. No, James is the best one-on-one player. In this era that I've ever seen, But I would say that if you, I don't want to be a hater.

I'm just leaving it. If you put those guys in this era, come on, come on. But those guys weren't great three-point shooters. Like, Michael's- As great, listen, it's great. That wasn't the style of play. They would have moved that, but you've seen Michael do this. You've seen Kobe hit.

Oh, no. They would have taken more. But they would have taken more. You don't know that. They would have. And you don't know if they would have been as great as shooters as James. I'm just saying, hey, listen, I'm entitled to my opinion. You don't, hey, listen.

James, it's great. Jay's great. All I'm saying is. The one category makes you the best ever? No, he's the best one-on-one player in his era. Yes, he is. The one category makes you the best ever. Because he's a better shooter that makes him the best player.

But I'm saying, he can score just like those guys. I agree. I agree with that. He's the best score in this era without question. And I would love to learn how to score the way he does if I was a player, because everyone's stealing all of his moves anyway. Three scratch. three straight scoring titles for James.

That's right. Three straight scoring titles for James Hardin. So Charles Barkley says James Hardin is the best one-on-one score of all time. Not talking about defense, not talking about championships, not talking about any of that stuff. So I ask you, Brennan Reli. First of all, you're young in the game. You know, you're a younger guy. He would obviously be talking.

I don't know how much memory did you ever have. You were born in, what, 93-ish? Yeah. Okay. So Michael Jordan retired in his best and his first best, well, I'm sorry, for the second time. The second time Michael Jordan quit basketball. You were like five years old. Yeah.

In reality, I watched Jordan as a wizard. Yeah. Okay. He was pretty good as a way. He was a good player. He was dropping 50 then. He was a good player, but he wasn't what you knew him as. But you kind of have seen highlights.

And of course, I imagine you watch the last dance over the summer and all that type of stuff. So he's on the short list. Kobe is another guy that they brought up. I think, so what do you think about that declaration? James Harden is the best one-on-one player of all time. At the bare minimum, I think there's too much pushback. I struggle because, like, of the love I had for Kobe, but I don't think he was as efficient.

Like, the efficiency with which James Hardin scores is what's really hard to argue with. If you're talking one-on-one, which is what they got into, I would at least present LeBron James. He's not the shooter, but he's still a good shooter. And he's going to be able in the one-on-one game to do it in more ways. That being said, I wouldn't outright take LeBron. I'm okay with the statement that James Hardin is the best one-on-one score ever.

I actually am going to disagree with all he is. Duran? Yes. Kevin freaking Duran. I mean, Kevin Duran is quite frankly, he's a better shooter than James Harden. That's just a fact. And you look at the numbers and it's really not even particularly close. he can rise up for the men rage.

He is uncontestable with that length that he has and the smoothness which he can score. If I need, if the entire world's, the future of the world, like aliens come here and they say, hey, we have this robot and we need you to score one bucket on him to save Earth. I would want prime Kevin Durant. I really think I do. Yeah, the reason I, as soon as you started to say that, I said Durant,

I realized that I was done talking. I almost like forgot him. Yeah. Because he's, I mean, he's had an Achilles injury and he's been out now. Now, is he right now?

No. And he's on the wrong end of 30 at this point. And Kevin Durant, we'll see how he bounces back from one of the most devastating injuries you can have in sports. But as far as a guy, you're talking about the, James Harden becomes the one of the seventh players in NBA history to win

three scoring titles in a row. And the first since, Kevin Durant did it. three times in his first five seasons in the NBA. I mean, Kevin Durant is one of the all-time scoring machines. But don't you think James Hardin is a fair answer? I think it's fair. I think you can put him in the top five.

I think you can even discuss him as number one. I don't have a problem with it. Yeah, I don't have a huge issue with it as well. I think, look, I understand that there's going to be some, I might catch some hate on this or something, but Kobe Bryant was not as an efficient of a score as James Harden has. And those are just the facts.

And, you know, the guys talked about Kobe Bryant and, well, he didn't really play in the three-era. I mean, yes, he did. Now, Michael Jordan, I'll take that argument. Guys weren't taking a ton of threes in his era. But the three-point era started to ramp up during Kobe Bryant's career. I mean, he had years where he was launching

five, six, three-pointers a game. So that's a pretty fairly high number. So, and he was never an efficient three-point score in his entire career, 32.9% for his career. So I think as far as the three-point shot, Kobe was to me just more of a volume guy and a score and one of the all-time great scores and one of the all-time great players and a Hall of Famer. And by the way, much better in his career defensively than James Harden could ever touch. Kobe Bryant was like, I don't know, eight times or something like that, first team all defense. So one of the great two-way

players as well, I think is what adds into Kobe Bryant and his resume. But we're talking strictly one-on-one scoring. I think I go Kevin Durant ahead of James Hardin. And then it's tough to argue with the eras of Michael Jordan and then you want to throw Kobe Bryant in the mix. And how about how about we just throw Karim Abdul-Jabbar in there? Who stop in the freaking skyhook? Just about nobody. I just stay away from discussing guys that I couldn't pretend to have watched. Yeah, I didn't watch a whole lot of Kare. I didn't watch a whole lot of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his career, but I mean, I've seen a lot of highlights. I watch a lot of old games.

I'll watch the hardwood classics and all that type of stuff. So to me, the Skyhook was just unstoppable. You're talking about a guy who is the all-time leading score, multiple-time scoring champs, six-time champion, and I think Kareem gets overlooked, criminally overlooked all the time when he's brought up as far as one of the all-time grades and stuff like that. All right, we're going to hit a quick break here on the Matt Thomas show here on Sports Talk 790. But I've got to talk to you about how you're feeling.

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This is DeViscer Tackle, DJ Reader. The Matt Thomas show continues on Sports Talk 790. Real Texans, talk here. Hardin, OKC on a 9-2 run. Hardin pulls back, tries to end that run with the three, and does just that. 30 for James Hardin. Oh, he ended up with 37. And he ended up with a.

victory for the Houston Rockets, 123 to 108 over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ross, we're back with you on the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas. A couple of things to set out for you. Coming up in the next hour, we'll have the conversation with Dusty Baker. He was with us with some not-so-great news on Yordon Alvarez. It's not necessarily news. He said he might be done for the year. So we'll have that interview, a good conversation with Dusty overall.

Just not only that, he was talking about the pitching and the guys getting some wins together, the latest on what's going on with Jose Altuve. We'll have that conversation coming up for you at 2.30 here on the Matt Thomas show. But in the meantime, we can get to you folks at 713-212-5-79. 7-1-3-2-5-7-90. As mentioned, the Rockets getting the win. And now I want to know over the Oklahoma City Thunder. We also have, we'll have some Mike Dan Tony coming up for you in a little bit.

He spoke after practice today. I think he knows that. it's one game. Anything can happen. I mean, do you think the Milwaukee Bucks are panicking right now after losing one game to the Orlando Magic? Probably not. Nor should they be.

We've seen teams get up 2-0 and come back and lose series. We've seen it all the time. So the Rockets do have a game in hand. And I did mention it. It was an important game for the Rockets because of the Russell Westbrook situation. Actually, let me go ahead and play this for you. The latest from Mike Dantonie, this is him speaking to the media, probably about 30 minutes ago.

Here's what he had to say about Russell Westbrook and the latest on what's going on with him. You know, I have no idea in a sense. I don't know how long he's going to take. It's going to take a little bit, but he's working hard and he's feeling better every day. And the images are looking better,

but I don't think it's too early to say how many days because I don't think anybody knows. There you go. He doesn't think anybody knows. Does any coach or manager in this town know anything about what's going on with guys? guys, I hope so. So there you go. They're keeping it close to the vest. That's the right move. We can come on here on these radio shows and we can complain.

And well, we need a return date for Russell Westbrook. Well, that's not smart. And this has just happened in the playoffs before. If you remember, you remember when Chris Paul got hurt at the end of that Warrior series in game five and he'd missed the, it was like a couple of minutes left in game five in the fourth quarter. He went down with the hamstring injury. and the Rockets played that close to the vest. They tried to act like Chris Paul maybe could come back in a couple of days. We all got our hopes up.

And then, well, we know what happened there. The Rockets, first of all, got screwed by the refs in both of those games. And then they screwed themselves by going 0 for 27 from 3 in a stretch there in game 27. As I was sitting there in the press box watching my hopes and dreams of a Rocket's championship crumble in front of my eyes as an annoying national NBA rider who will not be named. Two seats to my left is going, oh my gosh, they're shook. This is absolutely incredible. Shut up. Timbon. Anyways, so the Rockets kept it close to the vest

there. They're going to keep it close to the vest with Russell Westbrook. All they can do in the meantime is continue to win games, and that's what they did last night, because you continue to buy yourself time. The Rockets get in an 02 hole, you're going to start pressing for Russell Westbrook. They got an 0-1 hole. Russell Westbrook's probably going to start pressing. and maybe Mike Dantonie might say, you know what, the season might be over, so we've got to roll him out at some point, why not right now?

So the Rockets not only got the victory, an important victory in a game one, not a must-win game, but an important one. So you can kind of keep Russell Westbrook at bay, and you can keep other guys looking good and fresh in having them contribute. Eric Gordon, I thought, was fantastic last night. Overall, getting to the basket,

he was 5 of 11 from 2 with all 5 of those being lay up some close shots for him there. And he's looked really quick since he's come back. A couple of weeks missed with that ankle injury. He looks like he's in good shape. He looks svelte, as you would say. And I thought he looked pretty good getting to the basket for the Rockets last night. Then he knocked down a couple of threes. And that's been the big concern for him.

He was matched up against Chris Paul defensively a couple of times last night. and everything, especially in the first quarter, looked really crisp defensively for the Rockets. And they're switching everything. Everybody was playing right. They won a whole lot of miscommunications. Yes, Stephen Adams was used as a low post presence against the Rockets. But, I mean, there was times where he was getting the ball ripped.

There was a time where Robert Covington went and intercepted an entry pass. There was a time where even Chris Paul tried to throw an entry pass for Stephen Adams. when he was getting fronted and he just sailed it over his head because in 2020, you're not going to be working the post a whole lot. And we had Barry Trammell of the Oklahoma on yesterday saying it's not going to help the thunder if they try to work Stephen Adams in a post a bunch to take advantage of a small lineup. And that's absolutely right. Because outside of really Joel Embed with the Philadelphia 76ers,

who I'm pretty sure the rockets aren't going to be meeting anytime in the playoffs, you have people, if they're trying to pound you down low, you're working with guys who aren't used to having their back to the basket for extended periods of times. You're bogging down their offense, and you're taking them out of their rhythm. So that's one of the beautiful things about this switch everything defense that you can run in 2020.

You couldn't really run it in 1993. You're going to have Hakeem Olajuwon dropping 40 on your head. I mean, look, I love P.J. Tucker, but Akema Lajuan will probably do some dirty work on P. Jay Tucker in the post there because he's just one of the most skilled post scores of all time, and the Kareemes and the Patrick Ewing's and the David Robinson's and the Shaquille O'Neal's. You say, what's the best counter to the switch everything defense that the Rockets play? Well, having Prime Shaq would help.

That's pretty much it. I mean, you just don't have that in 2020 in the NBA. So if they want to run some Stephen Adams at the smaller Rockets defenders, they can do that. They're just going to be out of the rhythm. he's not great at it unless he's within about five feet of the basket and you're just going to take yourselves you're going to bog down the offense so really good stuff from the Rockets yesterday but it is just one game but it was an important win now 1-0 against the Oklahoma City Thunder

all right we're going to take a break here on the Matt Thomas show you want to get in 713212-5790 is the phone number we got some more stuff from Rockets head coach Mike Dan Tony we'll hear from Dusty baker so all that good stuff coming up final hour of the Matt Thomas show is next don't go anywhere This is the Matt Thomas show. 2 o'clock here on Sports Talk 790. What's happening, late lunchers? Ross Villarreal, Brennan Riley with you on the Matt Thomas show.

Without Matt Thomas, he'll be back soon. You want to get out on the phone line, 713-212-5-790 is your phone. Number 7-13, 212-5-7-90. Mostly topics of the day. We talked a little bit about the Astros. We had Dusty Baker on earlier today. He'll be back with it. Well, not back with us.

going to be a rerun, but that's okay. Great conversation with him. We had him on earlier, and we'll have that coming up at 2.30 if you missed it. We also will hear from Rocket's head coach Mike Danton. He played some of the bites from him in the practice availability today after the Rockets go up 1 to nothing after winning the 123 to 108 in the afternoon matinee basketball. It'll be another afternoon game tomorrow. That'll be on Sister Station News Radio 740 KTRH. That is. is a 230 tip off, I believe, yeah, yeah, 230 tip off for the Rockets. Tomorrow, that's on KTRH.

We'll have the Astros and their day game here on Sports Talk 790. And we keep on reiterating it. I'm going to keep saying it. If you're looking for the Astros and you turn it on us and you don't hear it, it's probably on 740. If you're looking for the Rockets, you turn on us, you don't hear it. It's going to be on 740. So News Radio 740, KTRH, and Sports Talk 790 are your homes for playoff Rockets

Basketball and the Astros. if they've now won six straight seven of their last eight games. All right, the phone lines are open if you want to get in. 713-212-5-7-90. 7-1-3-2-5-7-90. As mentioned, Mike Dantonie speaking to the media earlier about an hour ago at this point,

or less than an hour ago. So I mentioned the 100 win. Mentioned how important it was for the Rockets. But also, as Mike Dantone knows, this ain't his first rodeo. It was in his first time in a playoff series. you can't get complacent after getting up one-oh. You know that Chris Paul wants this one bad,

as PJ Tucker said a couple of days ago. So they're going to bounce back. Billy Donovan's a good coach. The Oklahoma City Thunder had the same record of the Rockets, and it's not an accident. They're a pretty good team, even though the Rockets are the 4 and the 5. That doesn't mean anything.

So you get up 1-0 in a playoff series. It doesn't mean the series is over, and Mike Dantone recognizes that. There you have to rely on the character of your of your team and understand the urgency the way to play with and actually we're one to zero so what you know and we're just trying to

try to bring that message home and again I have complete faith in the guys they know what we're talking about and they've been through it and hopefully we can carry it on so you go he says we're up one oh so what that's the absolute right mentality and I think one of the things is is this This Rockets team, I know that we talk about their false and we talk about this and that.

They've been through some wars. There are some guys who are veterans on this team. I mean, Russell Westbrook, when he comes back, he's a guy who's been in this league 10-plus years. He's been to the finals. He knows. Same thing for James Hardin, despite those who want to criticize him and say he's a playoff choker, which is a false narrative. If he was a playoff choker, he wouldn't be, I believe, third amongst active players with 35-point games in the playoffs.

He has 20 of them, 20 times. James Harden has scored 35 or more in the playoffs. That is third most behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Those two guys are pretty good. So if you're on the, if this is your list of anything in the playoffs for active players, it's LeBron James, it's Kevin Durant, it's you and it's Steph Curry, and that's the top four. I don't think you should have a label as a playoff choker. Maybe that's just me.

But these guys have been through these wars. these guys know. They're getting up 1 and 0 and doesn't mean everything. It doesn't mean anything. So that's what you need. That attitude that Mike Dantone just had there, you need it reflected in tomorrow's game

as they try to go up 2O and tighten their grips on the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mike Dantone also, we played the audio in the last segment. He doesn't know what's going on with Russell Westbrook. He kind of throws his hands up and says, the images are looking good. So I guess we're talking about the MRIs. Is he getting an MRI daily?

where is the MRI machine in the bubble? Is that like a, like, hey man, you go down to the left, you pass the ping pong, you go past the pickle ball, and then on the right is the MRI machine. Do they have one there? I feel like each team just has one, like a hotel room, dedicated MRI room. How big is it MRI machine? I mean, I know it's pretty. Can you wheel one out? Does every team have their MRI?

Are guys just standing in line? Six feet apart, of course, social distancing. Are they just standing in line? at the MRI line when you get one there in the bubble? Like what are they doing for medical services? Is it like Cinderella and Snow White? Are they your nurses or something? I don't know what's going on there in the bubble.

I don't know how they're getting MRIs all the time for Russell Westbrook, but apparently Mike Dantone says they're not revealing a whole lot. So there you go. There's your update on Russell Westbrook. The update is there is no update. We don't know what's happening. So Mike Dantone saying that and also talking about teams, here's 30 seconds from Mike Dantone on.

not repeating the mistakes for the Rockets. You know, the great thing about the tape last night is that we made mistakes, but it wasn't the same mistake over and over. Once we made a mistake, we corrected it. Once we made a mistake on something else, we corrected it. So that's really good for, you know, experienced team that they can figure out what they did wrong and then not let it happen again. And that happened last night.

But we have to correct some things that we think they might be trying to do to us the next game and be ready for it. And that's the thing, right? Defensively, they look really smooth. In that first quarter especially, I mean, it was suffocating defense from the rockets. And quite frankly, in the last few years, except for in 2018,

you wouldn't really associate the Houston Rockets with suffocating defense. And it's just, it's about doing the right things. It's about doing the small things. It's about anticipating. I think they do a really good job of that. Chris Paul, when he was a rocket, he was one of the best I've ever seen.

Just playing passing lanes and knowing what the other guy is going to do. And I think Robert Covington is really good at that. As I talked about earlier, when he had intercepted an entry pass to Stephen Adams when they were trying to post him up. These guys just all have really good instincts. And they're communicating. They're locked in. And I think a lot of it, quite frankly, has to do with James Hardin.

This is the best defense he's played in his life. he's one of the things that would happen is quite frankly he would be scoring 40 and then on the other end he would seem like he was taking plays off he wouldn't do great on perimeter defense he would do the james hardin move that would frustrate the hell out of me he would let his guy go by him and then just try to poke the ball out and try to force a steal and if he missed or sometimes he would foul or the guy would just have a free free rein to get a free layup and that'd be frustrating and we're not really seeing that much with James Hardin on the perimeter defense. He's keeping guys in front of him. He's doing a good job on the post defense. And another thing that would frustrate me in years

past with James Hardin's defense is that he would just lose guys on, he would be ball watching and lose guys on basket cuts and just let them go and start drifting towards the ball and let somebody have a wide open three in the corner. And he just hadn't been doing that as much. It's a locked in James Harden. I think because he's in the bubble, right? I don't know if this is like a baseless thought because keep in mind, I've really only been watching the Rockets since the bubble. But I wonder, it's felt like they've played physical defense. Does not having a big almost like get you excited as a wing to have to play more physical? Well, yeah, I think you have individuals who like, who like muscling up people.

Eric Gordon is the guy who likes to be physical. I mean, that guy just bull in China shops his way to the basket all the time. He's a physical dude. James Hardin, for all the people want to make fun of him and all that stuff, he's a strong dude. And he's showing it on defense right now. And PJ Tucker, I mean, you know, tell me PJ Tucker doesn't like rug getting rough and tumble down low. Of course he does. Same thing for Robert Covington.

I think a lot of it has to do with the personnel and a lot of it has to do with that being infectious and that being the defensive identity of the Rockets is that, yeah, we're maybe we don't have a lot of set. We don't have any seven footers on the roster, but we got guys who are going to be physical with you. And I think there's absolutely something to that. So, I mean, you look at those guys and what they can do there on that end of the ball. I think it's no accident that we're seeing this team, I think before the last game against the 76ers, where they really didn't play any of their starters. They were like third or fourth in the bubble in defensive rating. Now it's a seven-game sample there, so you don't want to take too much of that.

But before that, in the regular season, overall, the Rockets were 15th. defense. And if you want to be a contender, you got to be like the Bucks who are top 10 in defense, top 10 in offense. You got to be like the Clippers, top 10 in defense, top 10 in offense, Lakers, top 10 in both as well. Rockets are going to have to be up there if they want to fancy themselves contenders. They say defense wins championships. In reality, it's a focus on defense, getting locked in on defense, which wins championships because you got to score points too. All right, 713, 212, 790 is the phone number. If you want to get in, 713-212-5-790,

if you want to get in on the rockets and how you're feeling about them winning after the 123-108 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Also talking a lot about the Astros. And I think mostly our focus has been, yes, there was the Yordon Alvarez news. But if this pitching is going to continue, you're talking about a dangerous team,

even without Yordon Alvarez, if let's just, let's be optimists because that's what I like to do. If George Springer can be okay, which Dusty Baker said he told him on the plane, he's good to go. But George Springer always thinks he's good to go. If he can be okay long term, you get Michael Brantley back, this is still a very, very dangerous lineup. If you get that one through nine going. So that's what we're looking for with the Astros.

And if this pitching continues the way it is, I mean, credit to Brent Strom and these guys, they are working magic right now. Andre Scrub is pitching well. You got Brooks Raley, Blake Taylor, Brandon Belak as well. These guys that you have not heard of. Christian Javier, of course, was the minor league pitcher of the year for the Astros,

so he's a highly thought of a prospect. But, I mean, all these guys who are not necessarily expected to be long-term contributors for the Astros, they're contributing right now, and hopefully they can get it going. You say, well, I don't know if they can do it for full season.

Guess what? It's a shortened season. You're a third of the way. through. So they don't have to hold it together for that much longer for the Astros to make a playoff run to get into the playoffs and then make a run. So hopefully that can happen. And that's definitely something we'll be keeping an eye on for the Astros now 13 and 10 on the season. And big time home field advantage there at Minutemade. They're 10 and 4 at home. So obviously that home crowd has really been juicing up the Astros. Dusty didn't

mention it's kind of hard on the road. Not being able to leave the hotel. I think you're going to see a lot of teams like that having some issues on the road without leaving the hotel and all that type of stuff and the protocols and how regimented everything is. That's definitely something to keep an eye on. All right, we're going to take a break here on the Matt Thomas show. You want to get in? 713 212.5-790

is the phone number 7-1-3-212-5-790. Coming up next, it's not necessarily a college football update, but it's something that has me scared about the viability of fall college football. We'll talk about that next. We've also got Dusty Baker coming up at 230. It's the Matt Thomas show short break here. Don't go anywhere.

Hey, it's Jeff Blum. Blum Fact number 14. I was on the White Sox in 2005. Yeah, sorry about that sweet, H-Town. We're all good right now, right? World Series champion! Back to your lunchtime champion, Matt Thomas. This is what gets the people going. Welcome back to the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas.

It's Ros V. Real. How are you? Hope you're doing well. You want to get on the phone line? as you can do so. They're open at 713. 212.5-7-9. 7-9. Talking a lot of Astros, talking a lot of rockets, as they both won today.

It should be a happy day. But, well, it's lukewarm. We'll have the conversation with Dusty Baker coming up in about 12 minutes here on Sports Talk 790. Guys do not want to miss what he had to say on a number of topics, including the latest on Yorda on Alvarez and the other guys that are injured, Jose Al-Tuve. 0 for 4 again last night. And, you know, the way that I approach this is,

I want to just say it's baseball and these things happen. And it's a smaller sample size. But I know everybody wants to act like he's mentally ruined and stuff like that. But he is hitting 168 on the season. It is continuing. It just seems like it's getting worse before it's going to get better. Earlier in the week, he had had a couple of things. of hits and he was hitting some balls hard.

So I was like, okay, that's one of the things. Sometimes in a baseball and a slump, but even before you start hitting, you start hitting the ball hard and then they're finding gloves because you're just snake bit. But now, after even a couple of days after that, it doesn't look like he's

close to turning it around, but he can flip on a switch. I don't think that he's a guy who just completely forgot to hit after how to hit. He's a three-time batting champion. He's an MVP. He's been in the MVP conversation. multiple times. I think he's going to be okay.

It just sucks that he doesn't get 162 games to turn it around. He's only got the 60 game season, and of course he's under the magnifying glass because of all the offseason drama for the Houston Astros. All right, 7-13, 2-1-2-5-7-90. The phone number, let's go to Gerard on the southwest side here quickly. What's up, Gerard? Hey, what's going on, Ross?

What's up? All ain't too much. Before I talk about the Rockers game, a quick thing on that, too, baby. Man, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, uh, teams, uh, got a book on him, man. He keeps swinging at that off speed pitch, man, uh, it soles up in the strike zone, but by time he commits, man, it's out of the, he's out of the strike zone. Um, all speed pitch, uh, he keeps, uh, especially when he gets in them two strike counts, man, they're going, they're going to throw him at an off speed pitch, uh, on the outside,

lowering the top of it. That was, uh, Craig Bezio at Killings Hill throughout his career, but he was able to, you know, uh, still have a hall of fame career, man, you've got to get that, uh, taking care of. You know, when our two-year-old at first count, came into the Major League Baseball. He was a real good contact hitter. He rarely struck out. And then he developed power last two or three seasons.

He developed more of a power game. And I don't know if he's, you know, I don't know if he's, you know, kind of caught up in the middle of, you know, when he's trying to work his way back, do I want to be more of a contact hit or I want to still be more of a power here like I've been in the last two or three years? I don't know if it's been some kind of conflict with him with that in that aspect. But I don't know, man. I just know what I watch him, man. They got a book on them, man. Throw that off speed pitch.

And they show up in the strike zone. And then by the time he swings, it's out of the strike zone. Like, along the way, man, he keeps swinging over the top of that, man. He's going to have to kind of lay off that and make him come into the strike zone. And then he's one of the best fastball hitters in baseball. As we've seen when he hit that fastball off of Chapman to take the Astros to the World Series. But quick thing on the Rockets, man. I thought Dad Tony did a good job, man.

I was anticipating Oklahoma City was going to trap James Hardin and get the ball out of his hands. And I think that Tony was anticipating that too. So he had Jeff Green bringing the ball up and had James Harden playing more off with the ball. And I think that's a good counter move to teams that are looking to maybe trap James Hardin.

You know, they're letting Jeff Green bring the ball up. They let him other guys Eric Gordon bring the ball up and letting Hardin play more off of the ball. And that's one of the things you can do to counteract with teams, try to trap you. And another unsung hero last night was P.J. Tucker. P.J. Tucker was unbelievable.

You know, you look at his stats. You know, he's three for eight, nothing special, but he does all the dirty work, all the intangibles, man. He did a good job on Adam. You get a good job on the switches, playing good defense on Chris Paul in the guards of Oklahoma City, Gildreds and all those guys. He did a good job on the switch,

keeping those guys from being effective, man. He just a guy that is a glue guy, man. out of every team needs, man, junkyard dogs, type of player that does it third work, man. And I thought he was tremendous last night. All right, thanks, Rod. Appreciate it. Put you on the clock, and there it goes.

Yeah, it was, Jeff Green adds an extremely interesting wrinkle and element to the Rockets offense. Like you said, he was bringing up the ball a little bit. They had James Harden. I don't even know when I saw this last. James Hardin was setting screens for Jeff Green last night. And that's something that is also a nice. little wrinkle, an interesting wrinkle to the astro.

I mean, to the aster. They're both going on right now. The Rockets, offense. And the way that he can, he's smooth handling the ball. He's getting to the basket. Two times in the first quarter, he had an and one off of a layup and one off of like a little floating fallaway push shot there in the middle of the lane as well. I mean, the guy, Jeff Green, he has just been a revelation for the Rockets.

And not necessarily a revelation in that he's dropping 50 a night. or anything like that. But he's exactly fitting the role of what you need when you have superstar players, when you have guys who are going to be taking up giant chunks of the payroll, when you can get a supermax contract, right? You have guys who are eligible for those. It's because they're making the first team all NBA. It's because they're winning MVP's and they're eligible for what are called the supermax

contracts. And James Hardin and Russell Westbrook both fit that. bill, so you got to pay him $40 million. And the salary cap's like $100 and change. So those two guys by themselves are taking up $80 million of it. And then Eric Gordon's on a max contract as well for the next couple of years. So

you have all those guys eating up the salary cap. You know what you're going to have to do as a general manager? You're going to have to say, well, we're going to have to find some guys on the cheap who can contribute. We're going to find some guys who are maybe one man's trash or one team's trash is our treasure. Jeff

Green was signed off the streets to a 10-day contract in February by the Rockets. Jeff Green just scored 22 points, drop four assists, grab six rebounds, played solid defense and was a decent secondary ball handler for the Rockets in their offense for over 30 minutes last night. It's crazy. It's incredible. So Darrell Mori, that's another checkmark in his, on his resume. as far as a nice little find there.

And think about the other guys who are contributing on this team. Think about a Daniel House Jr. signed off the street for the Rockets, playing 30 minutes in a playoff game last night. Think about Austin Rivers, dropping 40 early on the season. Now, Austin Rivers wasn't a very effective last night. Only playing 19 minutes, only scored four points. But he's a guy who's been contributing for the Rockets. And those are the kind of guys that Daryl Moore is going to have to find.

You're going to have to find some diamonds in the rough. You're going to have to find veteran guys. You're going to have to find unproven guys. You're going to have to find guys overseas and all that type of stuff when you're already stocked with the superstar guys, which the Houston Rockets are. So Jeff Green been awesome for the Rockets. Ever since, I think he scored in double digits in like nine straight games or something

like that in the entire game and all the games in the bubble, Jeff Green has been incredible. The guy's 33 years old. He literally played for the Seattle Super Super Bowl. It's he and Kevin Duran. I think they're the only ones left who have played when there was actual NBA basketball in Seattle. And he's contributing right now for the Houston Rockets. So, I mean, it's been awesome.

It's been amazing to have him. And you can tell that he continues to earn Mike D'Antony's trust. We always talk about the rotations and guys that Mike D'Antony trusts and guys that he doesn't. It's very clear. like what Gerard said, you had him bringing up the ball a little bit. I saw when you have James Harden setting screens for Jeff Green, you know that Mike Dantone, his baby is his offenses, and he's not going to get you into the mix unless he trusts you.

So Jeff Green definitely earning the trust of Mike Dantone and playing well for the Rockets, but it's just one game, but they do lead the Oklahoma City Thunder 1 to nothing in a best of 7 series after the 123 to 108 win last night. All right, 713-212-5-790 is your phone number if you want to get in. 7-13-2125-7-90. You can also send your tweets to at SportsRV. We still got the college story to get to.

We still got Dussie Baker and all that good stuff. The Matt Thomas Show with you till 3 on Sports Talk 790. Short break here. Don't go anywhere. Good morning, strippers. Shower with the Matt Thomas show. Wash off the glitter and daddy issues. segment of the Matt Thomas show here on Sports Talk 790, Ross, via real with you.

If you want to get in a little bit of time left on the phone lines, if you'd like, 713, 212-57-1-3-2-1-2-790. You can send your tweets to at SportsRV and at Brendan Riley underscore if you'd like to get involved in that way. So a couple of things to report on the coronavirus front. First of all, you have the NBA, 341. players tested and no positive test. So it's crazy.

They're using regular testing, sanitizing, social distancing, wearing masks, and that seems to work. That's kind of crazy that that would happen. And who would have seen that coming? But good news there on the NBA front. So 341 tested players in the bubble again,

and they have not had a positive... They have not had one single positive test and they started the bubble, correct? They might have had some very, very... early on? I don't think inside, I think maybe some players when they were working out at home and stuff like that, you had some. Players who did a wait to come

into the ball. Yeah, exactly. Russell Westbrook, of course, had the coronavirus, and he was battling that, and he was late to the Rockets camp, but since then, well, as far as from a respiratory standpoint, I think he's been okay, but he has had this quad injury that's bothering him. We got the update

from Mike Dantone a little bit after 1 o'clock. He basically says he doesn't know. It's going to be a couple of days and we'll see there. So the good news there on the NBA as far as the coronavirus testing there. But some bad news. You know what? Just go ahead and hit the song, Brendan.

Oh, baby. Old Notre Dame. What the hell are y'all doing out there? Had you seen the news of what's going on in Notre Dame, Brendan? I have. Well, we got the update like two days ago. I wanted to talk about it yesterday on the show. And there was like 153.

positive tests on the Notre Dame campus. And these kids were tested before they were allowed to come back on campus. Notre Dame tested them before they could get back. And somehow these idiots have had an outbreak. What's going on over there, Notre Dame? College kids reliably make bad decisions. So apparently the word is, I think it was last I saw was 22 positive tests. It went from like 73 to 150 something, and today it's 220, and it's from like one or two off-campus parties.

Did you hear that? So these kids went to some party, and there was a gigantic massive outbreak at one party. Were you all just sipping off and put your mouth on the same keg or something like that? You can't do keg stands in the midst of a global pandemic? Come on, kids. I mean, we know that that's like one of the biggest ways it spreads, though, is these massive events. Yeah, well, yeah, keg stands, I think is definitely one where it's. going to happen. So, I mean, that's the thing that's kind of making me worry. I mean, is

apparently, this according to Brett McMurphy, after Notre Dame advance announced, school would move to online classes through September 2nd. The Irish are not able to practice today and possibly Thursday. And so what's going to happen with that? This is why, this is why I think the Big Ten and the Pac-12 are not playing, because it's just difficult to say, if you're the NCAA and you are these athletic directors and you are these presidents and you say, they are not here because we make money. They're here because they are student athletes and their students first, and we're here to facilitate a good old-fashioned, rock and fun time for these football players

so they can have a wonderful environment. If you're selling all of that, how can you have these practices in these games if there's going to be an outbreak? And remember how I said, we talked about how baseball, it was like three days before there was an outbreak in baseball? How long did it take for a major university to have an outbreak? break that it's affecting football. They haven't even played a game yet.

So I don't know, man. That's what just keeps, I keep wondering and not necessarily worrying because I'm not the one that's going to be getting sued. I'm not the one making an order for everyone to play college football in the midst of a global pandemic and all that type of stuff. But I just think it's going to be interesting what is going to be the long-term effects of this. And it's not even going to necessarily be this year or next year.

because, I mean, think about the Ed O'Bannon lawsuit for the name, image, and likeness issue with the NCAA. How many years did that play out? And he wrote a whole book about it and all that type of stuff. And he won his judgment, I think, within the last few years. But that thing drug on for a long, long time. I'm trying to find the Albanian versus the NCAA. It was decided on August of 2014, and it was filed in 2009. So that judgment took five years before it got resolved.

So I think if you have, I just feel like there's going to be outbreak somewhere and you're going to have somebody catch it. They're going to say it's because of the program. They're going to say it's because they were trying to make money, not because they had the student's best interest in mind. And then that's where I think this could be very bad for the NCAA football a long time. In six years, is college football and college sports the way we see it? right now, Brendan? No.

I don't know what to predict it will look like, but it'll be different. Yeah, it's just, it's really just going to be hard to figure out. And that's what I think. I mean, so you have this outbreak. Apparently it was from one or two parties. One or two parties, 200 positive tests. Tells you how fragile things are. And then the crazy thing to me is, yeah, I mean, who lives in more close quarters than college students, too?

You're talking about guys who are in dorms with roommates. or in suites with a bunch of people. You have guys sharing bathrooms. You have, I mean, in dorm halls, from what I remember in UT, one of the dorm halls of Kin Solving, it was a girls dorm. I was not supposed to be there after curfew, but sometimes I was. All the girls in the same hallway just shared the same bathroom. And so, I mean, that's what some of these dorms are like.

You got all these people in close quarters living next to each other. Obviously, breaking news, viruses spread. And the coronavirus is very easily spread. So, I mean, it's easy to say, hey, these kids don't have to go parties, but they're not going to listen to you. And, I mean, it is what it is. They're young adults. They think they know everything. They're running the world in their minds.

And if you're not going to stop them from going out and partying and trying to have a good time because it's college. And it's time to go out to have a party. So, I mean, we're in August 19th. we are not one week into the season. We are a couple of weeks away from the season. We've already had this outbreak. You know what it feels like? What does it feel like?

The Miami Marlins outbreak. Yeah, I mean, that's happened two days into the Major League Baseball season. This happened. There's not even, I mean, you're going to tell me that the only place in the country where people are having parties is Notre Dame. Notre Dame of all places. Shouldn't you guys be at Mass? What's going on over there?

When's Chapel? You shouldn't be at the parties at Notre Dame? What's Rudy Ruehger have to say about all this? Which, by the way, did you hear the story that Joe Montana came out and said the whole Rudy's story was a farce? No. And then they kind of just, not a farce, but it's been known for years that they didn't put out. They didn't put their jerseys on the coach's desk and say, we're not playing unless Rudy plays. But apparently the guys that carried Rudy off the field after he got his sack and nobody cheered for his sack, Joe Montana said.

The guys were just pranksters. Like they were just clowning. They were just making fun of Rudy Rudiger when they carried him off the field. that's not very nice Joe Montana but anyways I just wonder I mean this is it took a week a couple weeks into August and there has not even

been college football yet and we don't know that this is affected the football team either but the way it does affect the football team is we were sold that if they're going to be having students on campus then the players could go on campus well Notre Dame just had to cancel all their classes and everybody's going to online only

so if these are student athletes who on the football team, supposed to be getting ready for an ACC slate, you're going to have to be canceling the practices because they're not supposed to be on campus, because they're students first, according to the NCAA. All right, that's going to do it for the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas. My name is Ross Vieer. Real. Thank you very much for listening to the show.

I appreciate you very much. Thanks to Brennan Riley, producing, getting involved doing a great job, as always. Thanks to Dusty Baker for some good stuff with him. Now you've got the A team. It's Adam Clanton. It's Adam Wexler. We're coming up next here on Sports Stock 790.