November 23, 2024 • 34 mins
Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.
Turner Sports and NBA TV analyst Greg Anthony joins the show to discuss the NBA East and West Standings, the trouble in the Philadelphia 76ers locker room, and his thoughts on Bronny James’s rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
It is my honor and privilege to have my next
guest to talk about the NBA. We used to work
together at ESPN on NBA shoot Around, that's what it
was called.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Then.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Obviously he's moved on the bigger and green of Pastors,
tn T, the NBA, the whole nine, calling games all
over the place. Being the astute expert basketball and analyst
that he is. He's my buddy, the one and only
Greg Anthony. What's up, big time? How you doing man?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
How's everything?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Steve and A.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
I'm doing good, brother, No complaints man, just enjoying the
start of the season.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I feel you on that, man. It's always great to
talk to you. First things first, I mean when when
you heard let me get before we get on the court,
before we get the news on the court, let's talk
about inside the NBA, because those are your compadre, Shaquille O'Neil,
Charles Barkley, Kinny Smith, Ernie Johnson. We heard the news
months ago that you know what they weren't gonna be.
You know, they lost the NBA deal and this would
(00:57):
be there last year. Now we've learned they're gonna be
carried ESPN, but still being produced in Atlanta by TNT.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
It's a big, big deal. I love it.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
I'm happy for us as basketball fans. I'm happy for
the public. I'm happy for them.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
How are you How did you feel when you heard
the news?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
I was excited because Steve that you know that that's
probably the most iconic sports show in terms of a
pregame show we have in America.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It doesn't matter the sport.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I mean football is king, obviously, but there is no
show show that really resonates more with the fans of
sports and more entertaining than what they do on the
inside the NBA show. So the fact that it's going
to survive, I think is awesome. Uh the fact that
they also get to basically keep everybody employed that's involved
(01:46):
with the show in Atlanta, because I know for Ernie
that was a big deal.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I think that's also incredible.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Listens like, you don't have to be a huge basketball
fan to be a fan of that show. You know,
the chemistry those guys had, the entertainment value you get
from that. I have a lot of friends who aren't
necessarily basketball fans, but they're fans of that show. So
the fact that that's gonna continue on I think is
an awesome feat for them, and I think the fans
(02:13):
are gonna be the biggest beneficiaries.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
And Greg Listen, man, may I have people asking steven A,
what about you? Whatever I like, I'm gonna be fine.
I'm gonna be all right. Don't worry about me.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But I know this.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
But I know this much for somebody like me who
used to do shoot around along with you, we had
Kevin Fraser and then the late John Saunders. God rest is,
so we have Bill Lambia and then Tim Leagler. I
don't know of any basketball fan, any basketball.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Pundit who could have a problem with this.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
We know that's the A team and that that's just
a chemistry you don't mess with.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Now, I think you hit it right on the head. Listen.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
You obviously have a huge vehicle with which in platform
with which to state your case and offer your opinions
on a variety of subjects. But that into it too
itself is a unique, iconic show and the what they've
established over all these many years. I am glad, Listen,
(03:05):
you know how much I love you and appreciate what
you do for the for the sports world in general.
But that niche that they've created. I'm glad to hear
that they're gonna keep it unique because listen, even as
talented as you are, it would be really difficult for
anybody to kind of ingratiate themselves within what they do.
So you know, let that be its independent entity. I
(03:28):
think ESPN's gonna benefit. I think the NBA he's going
to benefit, and the fans as a whole are gonna
benefit with the fact that that show is and that's
it's gonna stay the same. They're not gonna tweak it
or change it. That's the beauty of it. And I'm
gonna wish those guys the best because you know, all
those guys that there's not a better and closer group
of guys like their chemistry, uh, their their humility, and
(03:52):
the fact that they can laugh at themselves man like
even for me.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Like I might miss the game, but I'll still watch
their show.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
You know, I got a youngest, so I can't always
watch every game, but I always I'm gonna be able
to tune in and check those guys off. There's never
been a time they've been on air that I haven't
found myself crying from laughing.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
And so I'm excited.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Ga.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Listen, man, if you're asking about me, Hell, I benefit
by not being on the show.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Could you imagine me being.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Subjected to Charles Barkley and that Shack.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
And the fool Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I mean to just see what Shack and the food
did to me last year in Vegas.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It was hilarious.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
But look, and that would be weekly that they would
get you every threek.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Listen, you got enough fun lest somebody else execs, you're gonna.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Be all right.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
I am all right, trust me on that. Let let's
get to the basketball court right now, because I gotta
tell you. The Boston Celtics are reigning defending NBA champions.
But the story of the season thus far, particularly in
the Eastern Conference, has been the Cleveland Cavaliers. I can't
deny it. I mean they won their first fifteen games.
When they were lost the other night to Boston, I mean,
(05:00):
they came back from a huge deficit, was in a
position to win the game, but it didn't work out.
What the hell has made Cleveland so much better this
year than they were last year with the same roster
essentially all being a different head coach.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Well, I think Kenny Atkinson has tweaked a few things
in terms of what they do. Listen, this is very similar.
I'll take you back to the beginning of the Golden
State Warriors dynasty. Okay, you know when Mark Jackson was there,
and Mark had done a good job. They got to
the second round, lost and sixth with San Antonio, and
they decided to go in a different direction. And it
(05:35):
wasn't that Mark wasn't a good coach or a great
coach for that matter.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
It's just that.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Sometimes you need a different set of eyes that can
see something that you may not be able to see
from the inside. And so I just think he's I
think Kenny's made some subtle changes in how they approach offensively,
but I also think the biggest adjustment has been the
fact that their players have all gotten better, you know,
and the Donovan's even gotten better, Like, even though his
(06:02):
numbers aren't as good, he's a better player because he's.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Able to trust his teammates more. You know. Evan Mobleagu's
gotten a little bit better.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
There is Garland, he's gotten better, Jared Allen's gotten better.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Their bitch has been terrific.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
And you know, one of the things that's happened to
the NBA is that because of the three point shot,
it's created a dynamic now where you just can't physically
overwhelm teams. And I'll take you back to like when
I was in college, like one of the advantaged. Basketball
is a game of possessions. That's what it all comes
down to, right, And when we were in school, we
(06:35):
could dominate the backboard and we could turn you over,
so we could create an extra fifteen eighteen possessions a
game because of our physical gifts. Right when I was
with the Knicks, we could shoot thirty nine percent from
the field and win by twenty because we could out
rebound you by twenty we could force eight more turnovers
against you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So we would create all those extra possessions.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
But now with the advent of three point shooting and
the fact that now guys can play the court so
much bigger, it's harder to impose your will physically, and
that's that's brought about more skill in the game. And
so that's one reason why they've been so good and
one reason why Boston's been so dominant as well. And
while Cleveland is the story, I would also say Golden
(07:17):
State's the story or in the Western Conference what they've done.
You know, nobody saw them potentially being up at this stage,
maybe having the best record in the Western Conference.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
But those two teams, in a lot of ways, they
marry each.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Other in that regard and that they they win the
possession game and they have that tremendous thread of the
three point shot.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Plus with Cleveland they do.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Have with that two headed monster down low, the ability
to own the paint. And Mobley's gotten better. And the
last thing I'll say about those guys, they're the team.
Much like Boston. Every guy on their roster loves their role.
They don't have anybody that's doing something that they wish
they weren't or wishing they could do something else. They're
all comfortable. Evan Mobley's not a first option. He's comfortable
(08:01):
in what he's doing. Darius Garland's not a first option.
He's comfortable with his role like all their guys are comfortable.
And one thing, and you play sports, you know this.
I always tell people you never want to ask an
athlete to do something they're not comfortable doing.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
You know that that's a recipe for a court disaster.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Right now, they got a bunch of guys that what
they're asked to do on a nightly basis.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
They are in love with well.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
I gotta tell you, I would have been more in
love with Golden State if I didn't sit at home
and watch the game from start to finishing.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Them be down by forty in the first half against Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I know they got the record, I know they are
number one seed, but damn, I mean that was a
beat down that particular way. And in the case of Cleveland,
what I've noticed is that Atkinson has put the.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Ball more in Mobley's hands.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
So Mobley's averaging about eighteen the game, more than he
ever has in his career. He's shooting nearly thirteen shots
a game, and he's being allowed to make decisions, which
is taking some of the on ball pressure off of
a Donovan mitchew Anda Darius Galland even though that's your
backcourt to a lesser degree, my question to you would
be this, based on what you do broke down in
terms of the athleticism because of the shot, the three
(09:03):
point shot that has been implemented into the game and
how that's car sort of changed the game to some degree.
And they're not asking anybody in Boston or Cleveland or
to do something they don't want to do.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
How am I to feel about my New York Knicks?
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Will call Anthony Towns at the five essentially with Mitchell
Robinson being out. I know he's been playing well, but
how am I to feel about the Knicks based on
what we've seen thus far? They're nine to six, third
in the Eastern Conference, but still something seems to be
missing compared to what we saw last year in the postseason.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Oh listen, I feel great as a Knick fan right
now because the chemistry is being developed and they're still
able to win games without a whole roster. Because even
when Mitchell Robinson comes back, you know he's not gonna
play forty minutes tonight. He's gonna take up another twenty
four minutes for you. So you're still gonna have much
like you see with Anthony Davis with the Lakers. Anthony
(09:52):
Davis is embraced playing the five, and that's what you
see Carl Anthony Towns doing, embracing that position. You know,
they're not having that old school mindset where listen, at
the five, you're not banging anymore, right, Your BIG's got
to play in space today and so if I'm the Knicks,
I love the fact that you got two guys that
can comfortably create a situation where the defense has to help,
(10:16):
Like nobody's guarding Jalen Brunston, Orkarl Anthony Town's single handling.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
So I think they're gonna be terrific.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
I love what og is doing, Bridges Josh Hart, Like
the only concern in some of its injury is their death.
And we all know that Tom Thibodeau loves to run
his main guys. He's gonna play them heavy minutes, So
there is the concern of injury and them wearing down
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
But I love where they are.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
And the other thing to keep in mind, like you
gotta really throw records out. The NBA is at a
golden era. It's it's getting a lot like the NFL.
It's parody, man, Like anybody, we only have probably two
or three, what I would say, are bad teams. You know,
where you don't have to play well to beat them.
You know, when I I played, you might have six
(11:01):
or seven, maybe eight of those. You don't have that anymore.
And so because of that, you're gonna lose more games
in the regular season than most would like. But that
doesn't mean you can't get it done. Come posting. And
that's the reason why we've had six consecutive different champions
right and I wouldn't be surprised if we had a
seven this year.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
You know that, just because of the parody, I have.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
To transition to a team your son is playing on.
That's the Orlando Magic. I tell your son, being courage,
he's not getting much playing time. I'm only averaging about
nine minutes right now, but he'll be fine. Don't worry
about it. Keep working, Keep working on your game, like
your daddy taught you, you'll be just like But you
look at the Orlando Magic. They've won seven of their
last eight. It's all been without their best player, Paulo
(11:42):
ben Kiroll, who's a bad brother. This brother's gonna be
something special. I'm looking at Orlando right now and ga
I walked into the season thinking Philly.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
New York and Boston.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Now I'm thinking Boston, Cleveland, Orlando in New York.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
That's what I think. That's what I'm looking at right now.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Why is Orlando, led by Jamal Mosley's second years coach,
doing the damn good job? What is it about them
that makes them look so good right now.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
Well, I think the first and foremost they are head
and shoulders above everybody else defensively, like they have the
best defensive back court accord in the league. They have
the best And people don't talk about Franz in this regard,
but Franz Fagen is a hell of a defender. And
then they've got great defense on that back line. Like
right now, think about it. They went into LA and
beat up red hot Lakers team without three starters. Wow,
(12:33):
they didn't have Polo. You talked about him and we
know his brilliance, but they didn't have KCP last night.
They didn't have Wendell Carter Junior last night either, and
they were still able to go there. And that was
also the second of a back to back. So they're
a really good team. And there's something else about the
league today. Young players are not in awe of others.
(12:54):
You know, they respect great players, but this Orlando team,
they understand who they are and no matter who they play,
they say, look, if we do abs C, if we
execute our game plan, we're gonna have a great chance
of winning. And so you've seen this natural progression and
Jamal Moseley's the biggest reason why, as the coaches and
powered as young players they bought in.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Each year they've gotten better.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
You know, they they've gone, they've grown and wins I
think twelve games each of the last two seasons, so
they went so twenty two to thirty four to forty
seven thirteen lasts. So I expect them to be about
a fifty win season, fifty game win team, but they're
gonna be hard to be because they're starting to get
comfortable winning. They're starting to get comfortable playing against great teams,
(13:37):
and so I'm really looking forward to them one getting
healthy and then seeing how they stack up against Boston
against Cleveland, who if you remember, they took Cleveland the
seventh last seak they did in that first round, So
they're for real and they're gonna be there.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
And the other thing that's scary about them is.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
That their two best players, their best basketball is in
front of them, like they're they're still you saw last night,
We're Franz. He just was the Eastern Conference Player of
the Weeks last week. He's gonna probably be an All
Star this year. If Polo gets back in time, he'll
be a two time All Star. If he's able to
get enough games in. But they're legit, man. They're a
(14:13):
great young team. They got depths, they're long and athletic.
The shootings still have work in progress for him, but
it's getting better.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Once they get healthy and they're legit.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
Man, it's gonna be fun to watch them on this
journey here moving forward.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Los Angeles Lakers was the team they beat last night.
I guess the question would be, first of all, I
got Anthony Davis as my leading candidate for MVP.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Right now, I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
I think I'm right an absolute monster. He deserves credit
where credit is due. He's finally embracing the role that
Lebron and the Lakers have wanted him to embrace. I
can't throw shade on JJ Reddick. I think that he's
doing a damn good job as a rookie head coach,
certainly paying a lot more attention to detail, is very
very passionate holding cats like D'Angelo Russell accountable, which I
think is important. Connect I was a real big tom
(14:59):
fan of them after him number seventeen. I watched him
in the NC Double Tournament last year for Tennessee. I
believe Lebron has as well, even though people are accusing
him a line of watching Connect, I don't want to
hear that everybody's saw Connect if you're watching the n
CUAA tournament. But what are we to make of the
Lakers in light of how Lebron has looked, how Anthony
Davis has looked, but still looking at and purviewing the
(15:22):
landscape in the Western Conference, how are you viewing the
Lakers right now?
Speaker 4 (15:25):
I like where the Lakers are, you know, and last
night listen, they just they they they laid it there
at the free throw line. You know, I wanted to
say something else, but we're doing. I don't want to
get in trouble for using some bad language.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Well you ain't got to worry about it, but go ahead.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Yeah, they shipped the bad last night. They missed four
or six free throws down the stretch. You make, they
make two of those, they win the game.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
And Ad as great as he's been, and he has
been brilliant this year too.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
You know, he missed those last two.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
You missed three of his last four, so that that's
why they lost that game.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
But they are right where they want to be.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
In part of why they're there is because if you
look at the last kip of the West, you know,
Okayse's dealing with all the injuries.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
They just got Harry steinback.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
They've still been good obviously the twelve and four, but
they're still a young team.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
You know, Dallas who everybody you think about.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
Dallas and Minnesota two teams that played in the conference
finals a year ago. They're both struggling this year because
of the weight of the expectations. In the Minnesota's case,
I just don't think they're quite as good. They're not
as deep as they were a season ago. And that's
why if you look at the Lakers, you know how
Lebron thinks. He's not looking at Golden State or OKC
(16:38):
feeling like, man, we can beat them now.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
He might.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
They still might struggle if the matchup were Denver and
Denver is healthy. But Denver's roster doesn't scare you either.
And so if I'm a Laker fan, I feel like
they got a great chance. I could literally see them
being a top four team in at Western Conference and
the team that we should we talked about Orlando seeming
they don't sleep on Houston.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I think they're gonna win.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
I was sitting that I was getting ready to go there.
What the hellthy the third seed? What the hell's going
on with them?
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Yeah, they're really good. They're a great defensive team. Remember
they were five hundred team a year ago. Yeah, and
they've got again, Like you gotta the thing about the
league that you got a factor in is that young teams,
their players have the most room to grow. Like they
don't have to go out and make wholesale move to
get better. They can just let the evolution of their
(17:27):
talent grow. And so you look at it, even though
he got hurt, but a ched holmgerm. You know, even
as Ga his best basketball, he's still getting better. You know,
Jayalen Williams, all these guys are getting better now. They
did go out and address some issues because they were
a horrible rebounded team. So they go get Hartstein and
then they bring in a dog and Alice Caruso on
the perimeter for his defense.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
So they're gonna be there.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
But they're still a young team, and so in the playoffs,
you could see why team like Dallas could beat them,
because all you gotta do is still a game in
the postseason. You know, you can get blown three times
in the postseedon still wins serious, that's right, you know,
So like with veteran teams, they're not gonna put a
lot away. In fact, you'd rather get blown out. It's
the fifty to fifty games. You go look at that
Dallas OK Series. It was the close games. That's what
(18:12):
Dallas won. They won the close games. And that's why
a team like the Lakers now that they've got this
newfound shooting with connect and.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Think about it, the Lakers Reeves hasn't been very good.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
D'Angelo and Russell's been benched, yeah, and yet they're still
playing well. They don't have a backup center in essence
right now, you know. But you talked about j. J.
Rex He's done a hell of a job. And I
just think again, because of the parody, there are just
so many good teams, and it's gonna be hard to
string together these long win streaks for teams right now,
and I think the Lakers are gonna be there.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Let me try to peel some quick answers from you.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
You say, like you do you talked about Minnesota not
being a better team.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Are you saying that? Do you see? Do you feel
the same way about the Knicks? Do you think the
Knicks are a better team with.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Karl Anthony Towns since you think Minnesota is not a
better team without them, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
I do, And I don't think that Minnesota's not better
because just because they lost car Anthony Towns, they don't
have as much depth as they had last year. And
I think with the Knicks it's the different. Remember, the
Knicks aren't whole yet. They still you know, they don't
have everything in place, but the core of their team
they're fine. The Knicks are trending upwards. You know, they've
(19:20):
won four in a row. They're a really good offensive team.
I can make the argument because Porzingis is out that
they got the best starting five in basketball, because they
got five guys that can all make plays, and.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
So the Knicks are. The Knicks are gonna be fine. Man.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
I'm telling you, we got a long way to go
with this season. But man, this postseason because of the parody,
and it's gonna be some really good teams that don't
make it right. You know, we not even you talk
about think about Memphis. Don't sleep on Memphis.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
I don't know yet. It's like watching John Moran.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
I know what this brother can do when he's healthy
and he's on the basketball court. And I'm a huge
fan of a guy like a Marcus Smart. But obviously
they made their trade, they made them.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
More, their changes and what have you.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
And I'm wondering about how Memphis is going to look
and then I bring this up about Boston the reigning
defending champions.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Is their real parody ga or.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Is it just looked that or does it just look
that way because Porzingis is not healthy yet?
Speaker 4 (20:15):
No, No, I think there is real parody. I do
think the Boston is the best. I still think even
though Cleveland's had to start, I do think Boston healthy
is the best team. But I don't think that they're
over that They're not. Last year, I thought they were
heading shoulders better than everybody else, and it proved to
be that way with how they played in the postseason.
This year, I still think they're the better team, but
(20:35):
everybody now, once you're the top dog, everybody then starts
figuring out how they got to beat you, and so
they start building out the roster accordingly. And so that's
why I think now while Boston is the best team,
there are a lot of teams that nobody fears them.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Like of the elite teams. You know, New York won't
fear them.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
I don't think Cleveland after even after that loss, the
way they came back in that game and the fact
Darius Garland was three or twenty one, They're gonna feel
like they've gotten closer. Orlando's gonna feel like they've gotten closer.
So and it's gonna be similar in the East. Man,
we've never had this much depth in the NBA since
we've gone to thirty teams. Bro, Wow, we have it.
We've never had this much. Think about who's at the
(21:15):
bottom of the East right now. Philly is two and twelve,
Milwaukee six and nine. No, those are two great young talent,
great team, not young, but great team. Same thing in
the East. In the West. That's you said.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
You're a savanna in that regard, because that's exactly where
I was going. Number one, what the hell are you making?
What on earth is going on in Philadelphia? Not only
is Embiide hurt, not only is Paul George hurt, but
they having team meetings, player only meetings and then diming
out to the media. How Tyrese Maxi called out Joel
Embiid for tardiness and being laid and hurting the team
(21:47):
and what have you. This is not good. What are
your thoughts about that?
Speaker 2 (21:52):
In Philly?
Speaker 4 (21:53):
Well, I give Tyrese, who I know pretty well Max
a lot of credit for being willing to be a leader,
but I think that's part of the problem.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
He shouldn't be the leader.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
And if what we're hearing is true, then that also
means that MB hasn't been a pro because there's just
no excuse for you being late to everything and not
feeling like you completely invested. And I'll tell you what,
quite honestly, I put this on the organization because if
you've allowed this stuff to manifest, then that's on you.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Shame on you that you've.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
Allowed this to happen, because that's the one thing I
learned playing with some truly great players. In fact, like
generally your best players are your hardest workers. Like if
you go to Boston, I guarantee you they will all
tell you that Tatum and Brown are the hardest workers.
If you go to OKC or Golden State, I guarantee
you they will tell you that Steph Curry SGA are
(22:49):
the hardest workers. And that's really the formula for success.
If you want to have a championship level team. You
don't think Joki is the hardest worker in Denver. Like you,
great players set the tone with their by leading by example.
You don't have to have a big voice, but you
lead by example. And the fact that we're hearing that
(23:09):
and we haven't really gotten any pushback, I think their
season is probably I don't see that they will.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I don't think they even will make the plan. I'm
gonna be honest with you, and it's early in the season.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
But I'm not feeling good. And Paul George doesn't look right.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Man.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
These two injuries had it looks like his body is
starting to fail him, you know, because those are injuries
that your body wouldn't normally allow to happen if you're
sharp and you're and you're right. And I just think
he's had a lot of miles is the reason why
the Clippers didn't want to give him that extra those
extra years. And Philly ran out there and did it,
(23:45):
And I just don't know if we're gonna see Paul
get back to that level. I'm pulling for him because
I love the guy. I want to see him get there,
but I'm worried about the city.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
I love him too. I'm worried about his health. I'm
definitely worried about.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
The sixers or and be owned what Ti Max he
said In terms of his accuracy, he said, I gotta
do better, make no mistake about that. And obviously the
only thing that I don't want to hear about the
Clippers damage and then pay Paul George. What the hell
you doing paying Kawhi Leonard either? He just is hurt,
if not more so, So don't get me started with that.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
What's going on with your boy? Doc? Rivers and Milwaukee?
Speaker 1 (24:15):
They won two straight, but they're three games under five hundred.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
They obviously started out slow.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
I don't know how much faith I'm to have in
Milwaukee right now.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Well, I will say this, Steved, and I've said this
on there.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Listen, when your two best players are playing as well
as they are when they're healthy, and you don't win games,
that means your team ain't that good.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
That means the rest of your roster isn't very good.
Speaker 4 (24:36):
Now they don't have Middleton, so that obviously makes a
huge difference because once you if you can, if Middleton
can get back to what we have seen from him,
and I don't know if he can't.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Let's be real, he's coming off two ankles surgeries.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
But if he can get back to even just being
a legit third option, now they get interested. Now they
can get interesting because I feel like Dame and Gianni's
chemistry is really finally where we would have liked it
to be, you know, because you remember, they ain't talked
about it.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
He didn't his first time in his career.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
He didn't really train in the offseason because he was
afraid of getting hurt because he knew he was getting traded, right,
And so now he looks like he normally looks. Gianni's
you know, we talked about Anthony Davis. If Milwaukee had
a better record, Giannis would be the MVP favorite right now.
I mean, he just been off the charts, how good
he's been. So I feel like they're trending in the
(25:26):
right direction. And again because of the parody, you know,
you talk about they're six and nine, bruh da ain't
but three.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Games out of the fourth spot. So they're fine. They're fine.
I'm not worried about it.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
I don't see them as a championship team because I
don't think they have enough athletes or and when I
say basketball players, you know, on a great team, your
guys gotta be great at what you ask him to do.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
And I just don't know.
Speaker 4 (25:52):
If they're supporting Kaz can be great at all those
other things anymore, you know what I mean? Brook Lopez
has got no content slow down there. Young guys aren't
quite quick.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Question.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Put you on the spot.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
What's the chances you think that Jannis asked out of Milwaukee?
Speaker 3 (26:10):
I don't ye after the season, after the.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Season, after the season, I could see it.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
Listen if for them, they may have to make a move,
because otherwise you're gonna waste his ability, you know, if
they if they get knocked out in the first round
this year, and he's brilliant. They don't have a roster
with a lot of flexibility. They don't have a lot
of young guys that others are gonna be interested in.
So it's gonna be really hard for them to make
(26:37):
moves to bost of that roster. Like what we saw
the Knicks just do right. You saw the move and
to get cars of the towns. They had flexibility to
make moves.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I don't think.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
I don't think Milwaukee's flexibility is there, and I think
that you might see a scenario where you'd have to
move him because you're not gonna be able to get
off Dame and they just don't have enough.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Now, having said that, they.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Could still get high and come by the time we
get there and find themselves in the conference finals, because
those two guys are playing at a high level. And
if we see Middleton come back and play at a
high level, then then it's a different ball game.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Two more questions for I'll let you get on out
of here. One. Who's your rookie of the year?
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Oh man, far I'm gonna tell you right now, I
don't have one. I don't think nobody's really separated. I
think we've seen a lot of young guys have flashes.
You know, Recha Cher has had had some good games,
dunk connects, had as good as stretch as anybody.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
That's who I was gonna go with.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Don't you know?
Speaker 4 (27:33):
He came into last night averaging in the last five games.
He's almost twenty five games. That's who with, So he's
up there. But that's my point. Though nobody set them
nobody's differentiated themselves. No one set themselves apart. So I
really don't have a Rookie of the Year right now.
I didn't think it was a great draft to begin with,
and I think that that is yet to be determined.
(27:55):
Like we could talk MVP right you you already have
a sense of that like I do. I don't have
a sense on the Rookie of the Year. And the
fact that you could say Dalton, I think that speaks
volume to the fact that nobody else is really elevated
yet at this stage.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Last question relatively delicate one. We saw Rich climb In
a month ago tweet out about the negativity of the
media and how you know, he wishes things were better
and sports are supposed to bring us together. We saw
yesterday we learned that Lebron James retweeted that tweet from
a month ago and basically announced to the world that
(28:31):
he was stepping away from social media for a little while.
My attitude is this, first of all, I don't want
to hear about the national media being thrown under the
bus when y'all are part of it too, you know,
acting like they ain't a part of it, when you
got podcasts and all this other place, No you in
the moucking mind with the rest of it.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
That's number one, number two. And I want to be
very respectful when I.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Say this as a father, a former NBA player who's
a father and your son is now playing in the NBA.
When I saw that from Lebron James, I'm like, Lebron James.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Approach at age forty is still playing like a top
five player on the planet.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
So ain't nobody talking about negativity towards him? If they're
doing so, they're talking about Bronny and that's what Lebron
must have been alluding to to that.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
You say what I would have to agree.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
Listen, and you know this, we have never had an
athlete as accomplished as Lebron James catches much heat and
vitriol and hate. Is that fair to say?
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (29:34):
Like, yeah, we've never seen anybody. And again I'm not
saying you have to like him, but you gotta respect
what he's done. But even at this stage of his career,
there's nobody that gets more vitrio or hate. And the
fact that he's comfortable with that tells me. The fact
that he's uncomfortable it's because of his son. And I
think that his son hasn't necessarily been able to handle
(29:58):
the height, the expectations and the negativity, and therefore it
has really made him look at it. And I'm speaking
of Lebron in a different way. Right, all the great
players they can handle criticism. Hey, the all these got
they they don't get caught up that Listen. The reality though,
is now everybody's got an opinion.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Right.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
We used to say opinions are like assholes. Right, everybody
got one. The difference was though you didn't hear everybody's
opinion before. Right, you know, most people didn't have the
opportunity to respond to Stephen A. Smith directly and actually
have you hear what was said. And it's not going
to affect you. But I guarantee you as a father,
(30:41):
if that same type of rhetoric or vitriol was directed
at your child, it would affect you differently, There's no
question about it. Listen, Lebron is dealt with more crap
over the last just as he's been in la.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
It is never shot away from it.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
He's always had courage, He's always spoken his mind, whether
you agree with him or not. He's never been one
to shy away, very much like you in that regard. Right,
But it's different when it now becomes one of your child,
your children, because you're vulnerable for them.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Man, you want to protect your kids.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Can I throw this caveat out to you to close
this out? Something needs to be added to that, Especially
one is of your doing because of what he said
about Brownie before he got to the NBA. I want
to play with my son. My son is better than
some of these NBA players in the league right now.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
These are things he said.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
So I think it's one element, which you're absolutely on
point about about his son, But it's another thing when
you instigated it, arguably because of the things you were
saying about your son in comparison to others, and you
put your son unintentionally. He certainly didn't mean to hurt
his son in any way, but that's the unintent consequence
(32:01):
of his acts.
Speaker 4 (32:03):
I think you hit it on the head because the
reality is you assume that your child can handle it
the way you can, and the reality is I think
it's hit him that Broni's struggling with. He's struggling with
the expectations. You know, and I've said this about Lebron. Listen,
there's been in my lifetime, there's really only been There's
(32:23):
been three athletes now that have been this hype and
actually have exceeded the expectations. That was Tiger Woods, Lebron James,
and now Kaitlin Clark. Those are the three because because
Michael didn't come in with that kind of hype. Michael
was the third pick. Kobe didn't come in with that
kind of hype. He's a thirteenth pick, didn't really even
play that much as first.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
You know what I'm saying. Lebron and Tiger came in.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
They were superstars before they had ever even started to
perform at the highest level, and not only did they perform,
they exceeded the expectations, much like we're saying with Kaitlyn Clark,
right and so, But most athletes are given a period
of grace.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
And the problem for BRONI is on his own level.
Speaker 4 (33:05):
He was there was so much hype and expectation around
him and the fact that it just hasn't materialized even
to the point where he's even performing at a high
level in the G League yet. And I think that
has weighed on him somewhat because you can only imagine
the level of hatred and nastiness that somebody you don't
know can spew about your son and have somebody else
(33:28):
pick up on it. And I think that that can.
And it's not just Lebron, it's his wife, it is
his other kids because they gotta deal with that too,
Like they probably are comfortable with all that hate going
at Lebron because that's that's.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
All they know. Course, so so that I agree with
you there, brother.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
My man is always good to talk to you, always
good seeing y'all be watching and listening to you call
a game, and that seeing you on TV tonight, actually
appreciate you so much. Man, hope you well. Wonderful happy
holidays to you and yours.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
But man about you two man be said Man, God
bless the.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
One and only Greg Anthony NBA, TV T n T
basketball analysts extraordinary. Yes, I'm willing to openly admit hell
that man has forgotten more basketball than I ever know.
He used to give me lessons on the sport of
basketball all the time.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
I ain't ashamed to tell you. I ain't a shame
to tell you
It is my honor and privilege to have my next
guest to talk about the NBA. We used to work
together at ESPN on NBA shoot Around, that's what it
was called.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Then.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Obviously he's moved on the bigger and green of Pastors,
tn T, the NBA, the whole nine, calling games all
over the place. Being the astute expert basketball and analyst
that he is. He's my buddy, the one and only
Greg Anthony. What's up, big time? How you doing man?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
How's everything?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Steve and A.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
I'm doing good, brother, No complaints man, just enjoying the
start of the season.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I feel you on that, man. It's always great to
talk to you. First things first, I mean when when
you heard let me get before we get on the court,
before we get the news on the court, let's talk
about inside the NBA, because those are your compadre, Shaquille O'Neil,
Charles Barkley, Kinny Smith, Ernie Johnson. We heard the news
months ago that you know what they weren't gonna be.
You know, they lost the NBA deal and this would
(00:57):
be there last year. Now we've learned they're gonna be
carried ESPN, but still being produced in Atlanta by TNT.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
It's a big, big deal. I love it.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
I'm happy for us as basketball fans. I'm happy for
the public. I'm happy for them.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
How are you How did you feel when you heard
the news?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
I was excited because Steve that you know that that's
probably the most iconic sports show in terms of a
pregame show we have in America.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It doesn't matter the sport.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I mean football is king, obviously, but there is no
show show that really resonates more with the fans of
sports and more entertaining than what they do on the
inside the NBA show. So the fact that it's going
to survive, I think is awesome. Uh the fact that
they also get to basically keep everybody employed that's involved
(01:46):
with the show in Atlanta, because I know for Ernie
that was a big deal.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I think that's also incredible.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Listens like, you don't have to be a huge basketball
fan to be a fan of that show. You know,
the chemistry those guys had, the entertainment value you get
from that. I have a lot of friends who aren't
necessarily basketball fans, but they're fans of that show. So
the fact that that's gonna continue on I think is
an awesome feat for them, and I think the fans
(02:13):
are gonna be the biggest beneficiaries.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
And Greg Listen, man, may I have people asking steven A,
what about you? Whatever I like, I'm gonna be fine.
I'm gonna be all right. Don't worry about me.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But I know this.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
But I know this much for somebody like me who
used to do shoot around along with you, we had
Kevin Fraser and then the late John Saunders. God rest is,
so we have Bill Lambia and then Tim Leagler. I
don't know of any basketball fan, any basketball.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Pundit who could have a problem with this.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
We know that's the A team and that that's just
a chemistry you don't mess with.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Now, I think you hit it right on the head. Listen.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
You obviously have a huge vehicle with which in platform
with which to state your case and offer your opinions
on a variety of subjects. But that into it too
itself is a unique, iconic show and the what they've
established over all these many years. I am glad, Listen,
(03:05):
you know how much I love you and appreciate what
you do for the for the sports world in general.
But that niche that they've created. I'm glad to hear
that they're gonna keep it unique because listen, even as
talented as you are, it would be really difficult for
anybody to kind of ingratiate themselves within what they do.
So you know, let that be its independent entity. I
(03:28):
think ESPN's gonna benefit. I think the NBA he's going
to benefit, and the fans as a whole are gonna
benefit with the fact that that show is and that's
it's gonna stay the same. They're not gonna tweak it
or change it. That's the beauty of it. And I'm
gonna wish those guys the best because you know, all
those guys that there's not a better and closer group
of guys like their chemistry, uh, their their humility, and
(03:52):
the fact that they can laugh at themselves man like
even for me.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Like I might miss the game, but I'll still watch
their show.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
You know, I got a youngest, so I can't always
watch every game, but I always I'm gonna be able
to tune in and check those guys off. There's never
been a time they've been on air that I haven't
found myself crying from laughing.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
And so I'm excited.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Ga.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Listen, man, if you're asking about me, Hell, I benefit
by not being on the show.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Could you imagine me being.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Subjected to Charles Barkley and that Shack.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
And the fool Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I mean to just see what Shack and the food
did to me last year in Vegas.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It was hilarious.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
But look, and that would be weekly that they would
get you every threek.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Listen, you got enough fun lest somebody else execs, you're gonna.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Be all right.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
I am all right, trust me on that. Let let's
get to the basketball court right now, because I gotta
tell you. The Boston Celtics are reigning defending NBA champions.
But the story of the season thus far, particularly in
the Eastern Conference, has been the Cleveland Cavaliers. I can't
deny it. I mean they won their first fifteen games.
When they were lost the other night to Boston, I mean,
(05:00):
they came back from a huge deficit, was in a
position to win the game, but it didn't work out.
What the hell has made Cleveland so much better this
year than they were last year with the same roster
essentially all being a different head coach.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Well, I think Kenny Atkinson has tweaked a few things
in terms of what they do. Listen, this is very similar.
I'll take you back to the beginning of the Golden
State Warriors dynasty. Okay, you know when Mark Jackson was there,
and Mark had done a good job. They got to
the second round, lost and sixth with San Antonio, and
they decided to go in a different direction. And it
(05:35):
wasn't that Mark wasn't a good coach or a great
coach for that matter.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
It's just that.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Sometimes you need a different set of eyes that can
see something that you may not be able to see
from the inside. And so I just think he's I
think Kenny's made some subtle changes in how they approach offensively,
but I also think the biggest adjustment has been the
fact that their players have all gotten better, you know,
and the Donovan's even gotten better, Like, even though his
(06:02):
numbers aren't as good, he's a better player because he's.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Able to trust his teammates more. You know. Evan Mobleagu's
gotten a little bit better.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
There is Garland, he's gotten better, Jared Allen's gotten better.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Their bitch has been terrific.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
And you know, one of the things that's happened to
the NBA is that because of the three point shot,
it's created a dynamic now where you just can't physically
overwhelm teams. And I'll take you back to like when
I was in college, like one of the advantaged. Basketball
is a game of possessions. That's what it all comes
down to, right, And when we were in school, we
(06:35):
could dominate the backboard and we could turn you over,
so we could create an extra fifteen eighteen possessions a
game because of our physical gifts. Right when I was
with the Knicks, we could shoot thirty nine percent from
the field and win by twenty because we could out
rebound you by twenty we could force eight more turnovers
against you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So we would create all those extra possessions.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
But now with the advent of three point shooting and
the fact that now guys can play the court so
much bigger, it's harder to impose your will physically, and
that's that's brought about more skill in the game. And
so that's one reason why they've been so good and
one reason why Boston's been so dominant as well. And
while Cleveland is the story, I would also say Golden
(07:17):
State's the story or in the Western Conference what they've done.
You know, nobody saw them potentially being up at this stage,
maybe having the best record in the Western Conference.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
But those two teams, in a lot of ways, they
marry each.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Other in that regard and that they they win the
possession game and they have that tremendous thread of the
three point shot.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Plus with Cleveland they do.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Have with that two headed monster down low, the ability
to own the paint. And Mobley's gotten better. And the
last thing I'll say about those guys, they're the team.
Much like Boston. Every guy on their roster loves their role.
They don't have anybody that's doing something that they wish
they weren't or wishing they could do something else. They're
all comfortable. Evan Mobley's not a first option. He's comfortable
(08:01):
in what he's doing. Darius Garland's not a first option.
He's comfortable with his role like all their guys are comfortable.
And one thing, and you play sports, you know this.
I always tell people you never want to ask an
athlete to do something they're not comfortable doing.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
You know that that's a recipe for a court disaster.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Right now, they got a bunch of guys that what
they're asked to do on a nightly basis.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
They are in love with well.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
I gotta tell you, I would have been more in
love with Golden State if I didn't sit at home
and watch the game from start to finishing.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Them be down by forty in the first half against Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I know they got the record, I know they are
number one seed, but damn, I mean that was a
beat down that particular way. And in the case of Cleveland,
what I've noticed is that Atkinson has put the.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Ball more in Mobley's hands.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
So Mobley's averaging about eighteen the game, more than he
ever has in his career. He's shooting nearly thirteen shots
a game, and he's being allowed to make decisions, which
is taking some of the on ball pressure off of
a Donovan mitchew Anda Darius Galland even though that's your
backcourt to a lesser degree, my question to you would
be this, based on what you do broke down in
terms of the athleticism because of the shot, the three
(09:03):
point shot that has been implemented into the game and
how that's car sort of changed the game to some degree.
And they're not asking anybody in Boston or Cleveland or
to do something they don't want to do.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
How am I to feel about my New York Knicks?
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Will call Anthony Towns at the five essentially with Mitchell
Robinson being out. I know he's been playing well, but
how am I to feel about the Knicks based on
what we've seen thus far? They're nine to six, third
in the Eastern Conference, but still something seems to be
missing compared to what we saw last year in the postseason.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Oh listen, I feel great as a Knick fan right
now because the chemistry is being developed and they're still
able to win games without a whole roster. Because even
when Mitchell Robinson comes back, you know he's not gonna
play forty minutes tonight. He's gonna take up another twenty
four minutes for you. So you're still gonna have much
like you see with Anthony Davis with the Lakers. Anthony
(09:52):
Davis is embraced playing the five, and that's what you
see Carl Anthony Towns doing, embracing that position. You know,
they're not having that old school mindset where listen, at
the five, you're not banging anymore, right, Your BIG's got
to play in space today and so if I'm the Knicks,
I love the fact that you got two guys that
can comfortably create a situation where the defense has to help,
(10:16):
Like nobody's guarding Jalen Brunston, Orkarl Anthony Town's single handling.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
So I think they're gonna be terrific.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
I love what og is doing, Bridges Josh Hart, Like
the only concern in some of its injury is their death.
And we all know that Tom Thibodeau loves to run
his main guys. He's gonna play them heavy minutes, So
there is the concern of injury and them wearing down
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
But I love where they are.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
And the other thing to keep in mind, like you
gotta really throw records out. The NBA is at a
golden era. It's it's getting a lot like the NFL.
It's parody, man, Like anybody, we only have probably two
or three, what I would say, are bad teams. You know,
where you don't have to play well to beat them.
You know, when I I played, you might have six
(11:01):
or seven, maybe eight of those. You don't have that anymore.
And so because of that, you're gonna lose more games
in the regular season than most would like. But that
doesn't mean you can't get it done. Come posting. And
that's the reason why we've had six consecutive different champions
right and I wouldn't be surprised if we had a
seven this year.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
You know that, just because of the parody, I have.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
To transition to a team your son is playing on.
That's the Orlando Magic. I tell your son, being courage,
he's not getting much playing time. I'm only averaging about
nine minutes right now, but he'll be fine. Don't worry
about it. Keep working, Keep working on your game, like
your daddy taught you, you'll be just like But you
look at the Orlando Magic. They've won seven of their
last eight. It's all been without their best player, Paulo
(11:42):
ben Kiroll, who's a bad brother. This brother's gonna be
something special. I'm looking at Orlando right now and ga
I walked into the season thinking Philly.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
New York and Boston.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Now I'm thinking Boston, Cleveland, Orlando in New York.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
That's what I think. That's what I'm looking at right now.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Why is Orlando, led by Jamal Mosley's second years coach,
doing the damn good job? What is it about them
that makes them look so good right now.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
Well, I think the first and foremost they are head
and shoulders above everybody else defensively, like they have the
best defensive back court accord in the league. They have
the best And people don't talk about Franz in this regard,
but Franz Fagen is a hell of a defender. And
then they've got great defense on that back line. Like
right now, think about it. They went into LA and
beat up red hot Lakers team without three starters. Wow,
(12:33):
they didn't have Polo. You talked about him and we
know his brilliance, but they didn't have KCP last night.
They didn't have Wendell Carter Junior last night either, and
they were still able to go there. And that was
also the second of a back to back. So they're
a really good team. And there's something else about the
league today. Young players are not in awe of others.
(12:54):
You know, they respect great players, but this Orlando team,
they understand who they are and no matter who they play,
they say, look, if we do abs C, if we
execute our game plan, we're gonna have a great chance
of winning. And so you've seen this natural progression and
Jamal Moseley's the biggest reason why, as the coaches and
powered as young players they bought in.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Each year they've gotten better.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
You know, they they've gone, they've grown and wins I
think twelve games each of the last two seasons, so
they went so twenty two to thirty four to forty
seven thirteen lasts. So I expect them to be about
a fifty win season, fifty game win team, but they're
gonna be hard to be because they're starting to get
comfortable winning. They're starting to get comfortable playing against great teams,
(13:37):
and so I'm really looking forward to them one getting
healthy and then seeing how they stack up against Boston
against Cleveland, who if you remember, they took Cleveland the
seventh last seak they did in that first round, So
they're for real and they're gonna be there.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
And the other thing that's scary about them is.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
That their two best players, their best basketball is in
front of them, like they're they're still you saw last night,
We're Franz. He just was the Eastern Conference Player of
the Weeks last week. He's gonna probably be an All
Star this year. If Polo gets back in time, he'll
be a two time All Star. If he's able to
get enough games in. But they're legit, man. They're a
(14:13):
great young team. They got depths, they're long and athletic.
The shootings still have work in progress for him, but
it's getting better.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Once they get healthy and they're legit.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
Man, it's gonna be fun to watch them on this
journey here moving forward.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Los Angeles Lakers was the team they beat last night.
I guess the question would be, first of all, I
got Anthony Davis as my leading candidate for MVP.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Right now, I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
I think I'm right an absolute monster. He deserves credit
where credit is due. He's finally embracing the role that
Lebron and the Lakers have wanted him to embrace. I
can't throw shade on JJ Reddick. I think that he's
doing a damn good job as a rookie head coach,
certainly paying a lot more attention to detail, is very
very passionate holding cats like D'Angelo Russell accountable, which I
think is important. Connect I was a real big tom
(14:59):
fan of them after him number seventeen. I watched him
in the NC Double Tournament last year for Tennessee. I
believe Lebron has as well, even though people are accusing
him a line of watching Connect, I don't want to
hear that everybody's saw Connect if you're watching the n
CUAA tournament. But what are we to make of the
Lakers in light of how Lebron has looked, how Anthony
Davis has looked, but still looking at and purviewing the
(15:22):
landscape in the Western Conference, how are you viewing the
Lakers right now?
Speaker 4 (15:25):
I like where the Lakers are, you know, and last
night listen, they just they they they laid it there
at the free throw line. You know, I wanted to
say something else, but we're doing. I don't want to
get in trouble for using some bad language.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Well you ain't got to worry about it, but go ahead.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Yeah, they shipped the bad last night. They missed four
or six free throws down the stretch. You make, they
make two of those, they win the game.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
And Ad as great as he's been, and he has
been brilliant this year too.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
You know, he missed those last two.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
You missed three of his last four, so that that's
why they lost that game.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
But they are right where they want to be.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
In part of why they're there is because if you
look at the last kip of the West, you know,
Okayse's dealing with all the injuries.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
They just got Harry steinback.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
They've still been good obviously the twelve and four, but
they're still a young team.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
You know, Dallas who everybody you think about.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
Dallas and Minnesota two teams that played in the conference
finals a year ago. They're both struggling this year because
of the weight of the expectations. In the Minnesota's case,
I just don't think they're quite as good. They're not
as deep as they were a season ago. And that's
why if you look at the Lakers, you know how
Lebron thinks. He's not looking at Golden State or OKC
(16:38):
feeling like, man, we can beat them now.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
He might.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
They still might struggle if the matchup were Denver and
Denver is healthy. But Denver's roster doesn't scare you either.
And so if I'm a Laker fan, I feel like
they got a great chance. I could literally see them
being a top four team in at Western Conference and
the team that we should we talked about Orlando seeming
they don't sleep on Houston.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I think they're gonna win.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
I was sitting that I was getting ready to go there.
What the hellthy the third seed? What the hell's going
on with them?
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Yeah, they're really good. They're a great defensive team. Remember
they were five hundred team a year ago. Yeah, and
they've got again, Like you gotta the thing about the
league that you got a factor in is that young teams,
their players have the most room to grow. Like they
don't have to go out and make wholesale move to
get better. They can just let the evolution of their
(17:27):
talent grow. And so you look at it, even though
he got hurt, but a ched holmgerm. You know, even
as Ga his best basketball, he's still getting better. You know,
Jayalen Williams, all these guys are getting better now. They
did go out and address some issues because they were
a horrible rebounded team. So they go get Hartstein and
then they bring in a dog and Alice Caruso on
the perimeter for his defense.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
So they're gonna be there.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
But they're still a young team, and so in the playoffs,
you could see why team like Dallas could beat them,
because all you gotta do is still a game in
the postseason. You know, you can get blown three times
in the postseedon still wins serious, that's right, you know,
So like with veteran teams, they're not gonna put a
lot away. In fact, you'd rather get blown out. It's
the fifty to fifty games. You go look at that
Dallas OK Series. It was the close games. That's what
(18:12):
Dallas won. They won the close games. And that's why
a team like the Lakers now that they've got this
newfound shooting with connect and.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Think about it, the Lakers Reeves hasn't been very good.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
D'Angelo and Russell's been benched, yeah, and yet they're still
playing well. They don't have a backup center in essence
right now, you know. But you talked about j. J.
Rex He's done a hell of a job. And I
just think again, because of the parody, there are just
so many good teams, and it's gonna be hard to
string together these long win streaks for teams right now,
and I think the Lakers are gonna be there.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Let me try to peel some quick answers from you.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
You say, like you do you talked about Minnesota not
being a better team.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Are you saying that? Do you see? Do you feel
the same way about the Knicks? Do you think the
Knicks are a better team with.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Karl Anthony Towns since you think Minnesota is not a
better team without them, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
I do, And I don't think that Minnesota's not better
because just because they lost car Anthony Towns, they don't
have as much depth as they had last year. And
I think with the Knicks it's the different. Remember, the
Knicks aren't whole yet. They still you know, they don't
have everything in place, but the core of their team
they're fine. The Knicks are trending upwards. You know, they've
(19:20):
won four in a row. They're a really good offensive team.
I can make the argument because Porzingis is out that
they got the best starting five in basketball, because they
got five guys that can all make plays, and.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
So the Knicks are. The Knicks are gonna be fine. Man.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
I'm telling you, we got a long way to go
with this season. But man, this postseason because of the parody,
and it's gonna be some really good teams that don't
make it right. You know, we not even you talk
about think about Memphis. Don't sleep on Memphis.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
I don't know yet. It's like watching John Moran.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
I know what this brother can do when he's healthy
and he's on the basketball court. And I'm a huge
fan of a guy like a Marcus Smart. But obviously
they made their trade, they made them.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
More, their changes and what have you.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
And I'm wondering about how Memphis is going to look
and then I bring this up about Boston the reigning
defending champions.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Is their real parody ga or.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Is it just looked that or does it just look
that way because Porzingis is not healthy yet?
Speaker 4 (20:15):
No, No, I think there is real parody. I do
think the Boston is the best. I still think even
though Cleveland's had to start, I do think Boston healthy
is the best team. But I don't think that they're
over that They're not. Last year, I thought they were
heading shoulders better than everybody else, and it proved to
be that way with how they played in the postseason.
This year, I still think they're the better team, but
(20:35):
everybody now, once you're the top dog, everybody then starts
figuring out how they got to beat you, and so
they start building out the roster accordingly. And so that's
why I think now while Boston is the best team,
there are a lot of teams that nobody fears them.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Like of the elite teams. You know, New York won't
fear them.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
I don't think Cleveland after even after that loss, the
way they came back in that game and the fact
Darius Garland was three or twenty one, They're gonna feel
like they've gotten closer. Orlando's gonna feel like they've gotten closer.
So and it's gonna be similar in the East. Man,
we've never had this much depth in the NBA since
we've gone to thirty teams. Bro, Wow, we have it.
We've never had this much. Think about who's at the
(21:15):
bottom of the East right now. Philly is two and twelve,
Milwaukee six and nine. No, those are two great young talent,
great team, not young, but great team. Same thing in
the East. In the West. That's you said.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
You're a savanna in that regard, because that's exactly where
I was going. Number one, what the hell are you making?
What on earth is going on in Philadelphia? Not only
is Embiide hurt, not only is Paul George hurt, but
they having team meetings, player only meetings and then diming
out to the media. How Tyrese Maxi called out Joel
Embiid for tardiness and being laid and hurting the team
(21:47):
and what have you. This is not good. What are
your thoughts about that?
Speaker 2 (21:52):
In Philly?
Speaker 4 (21:53):
Well, I give Tyrese, who I know pretty well Max
a lot of credit for being willing to be a leader,
but I think that's part of the problem.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
He shouldn't be the leader.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
And if what we're hearing is true, then that also
means that MB hasn't been a pro because there's just
no excuse for you being late to everything and not
feeling like you completely invested. And I'll tell you what,
quite honestly, I put this on the organization because if
you've allowed this stuff to manifest, then that's on you.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Shame on you that you've.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
Allowed this to happen, because that's the one thing I
learned playing with some truly great players. In fact, like
generally your best players are your hardest workers. Like if
you go to Boston, I guarantee you they will all
tell you that Tatum and Brown are the hardest workers.
If you go to OKC or Golden State, I guarantee
you they will tell you that Steph Curry SGA are
(22:49):
the hardest workers. And that's really the formula for success.
If you want to have a championship level team. You
don't think Joki is the hardest worker in Denver. Like you,
great players set the tone with their by leading by example.
You don't have to have a big voice, but you
lead by example. And the fact that we're hearing that
(23:09):
and we haven't really gotten any pushback, I think their
season is probably I don't see that they will.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I don't think they even will make the plan. I'm
gonna be honest with you, and it's early in the season.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
But I'm not feeling good. And Paul George doesn't look right.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Man.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
These two injuries had it looks like his body is
starting to fail him, you know, because those are injuries
that your body wouldn't normally allow to happen if you're
sharp and you're and you're right. And I just think
he's had a lot of miles is the reason why
the Clippers didn't want to give him that extra those
extra years. And Philly ran out there and did it,
(23:45):
And I just don't know if we're gonna see Paul
get back to that level. I'm pulling for him because
I love the guy. I want to see him get there,
but I'm worried about the city.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
I love him too. I'm worried about his health. I'm
definitely worried about.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
The sixers or and be owned what Ti Max he
said In terms of his accuracy, he said, I gotta
do better, make no mistake about that. And obviously the
only thing that I don't want to hear about the
Clippers damage and then pay Paul George. What the hell
you doing paying Kawhi Leonard either? He just is hurt,
if not more so, So don't get me started with that.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
What's going on with your boy? Doc? Rivers and Milwaukee?
Speaker 1 (24:15):
They won two straight, but they're three games under five hundred.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
They obviously started out slow.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
I don't know how much faith I'm to have in
Milwaukee right now.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Well, I will say this, Steved, and I've said this
on there.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Listen, when your two best players are playing as well
as they are when they're healthy, and you don't win games,
that means your team ain't that good.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
That means the rest of your roster isn't very good.
Speaker 4 (24:36):
Now they don't have Middleton, so that obviously makes a
huge difference because once you if you can, if Middleton
can get back to what we have seen from him,
and I don't know if he can't.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Let's be real, he's coming off two ankles surgeries.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
But if he can get back to even just being
a legit third option, now they get interested. Now they
can get interesting because I feel like Dame and Gianni's
chemistry is really finally where we would have liked it
to be, you know, because you remember, they ain't talked
about it.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
He didn't his first time in his career.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
He didn't really train in the offseason because he was
afraid of getting hurt because he knew he was getting traded, right,
And so now he looks like he normally looks. Gianni's
you know, we talked about Anthony Davis. If Milwaukee had
a better record, Giannis would be the MVP favorite right now.
I mean, he just been off the charts, how good
he's been. So I feel like they're trending in the
(25:26):
right direction. And again because of the parody, you know,
you talk about they're six and nine, bruh da ain't
but three.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Games out of the fourth spot. So they're fine. They're fine.
I'm not worried about it.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
I don't see them as a championship team because I
don't think they have enough athletes or and when I
say basketball players, you know, on a great team, your
guys gotta be great at what you ask him to do.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
And I just don't know.
Speaker 4 (25:52):
If they're supporting Kaz can be great at all those
other things anymore, you know what I mean? Brook Lopez
has got no content slow down there. Young guys aren't
quite quick.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Question.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Put you on the spot.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
What's the chances you think that Jannis asked out of Milwaukee?
Speaker 3 (26:10):
I don't ye after the season, after the.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Season, after the season, I could see it.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
Listen if for them, they may have to make a move,
because otherwise you're gonna waste his ability, you know, if
they if they get knocked out in the first round
this year, and he's brilliant. They don't have a roster
with a lot of flexibility. They don't have a lot
of young guys that others are gonna be interested in.
So it's gonna be really hard for them to make
(26:37):
moves to bost of that roster. Like what we saw
the Knicks just do right. You saw the move and
to get cars of the towns. They had flexibility to
make moves.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I don't think.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
I don't think Milwaukee's flexibility is there, and I think
that you might see a scenario where you'd have to
move him because you're not gonna be able to get
off Dame and they just don't have enough.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Now, having said that, they.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Could still get high and come by the time we
get there and find themselves in the conference finals, because
those two guys are playing at a high level. And
if we see Middleton come back and play at a
high level, then then it's a different ball game.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Two more questions for I'll let you get on out
of here. One. Who's your rookie of the year?
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Oh man, far I'm gonna tell you right now, I
don't have one. I don't think nobody's really separated. I
think we've seen a lot of young guys have flashes.
You know, Recha Cher has had had some good games,
dunk connects, had as good as stretch as anybody.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
That's who I was gonna go with.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Don't you know?
Speaker 4 (27:33):
He came into last night averaging in the last five games.
He's almost twenty five games. That's who with, So he's
up there. But that's my point. Though nobody set them
nobody's differentiated themselves. No one set themselves apart. So I
really don't have a Rookie of the Year right now.
I didn't think it was a great draft to begin with,
and I think that that is yet to be determined.
(27:55):
Like we could talk MVP right you you already have
a sense of that like I do. I don't have
a sense on the Rookie of the Year. And the
fact that you could say Dalton, I think that speaks
volume to the fact that nobody else is really elevated
yet at this stage.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Last question relatively delicate one. We saw Rich climb In
a month ago tweet out about the negativity of the
media and how you know, he wishes things were better
and sports are supposed to bring us together. We saw
yesterday we learned that Lebron James retweeted that tweet from
a month ago and basically announced to the world that
(28:31):
he was stepping away from social media for a little while.
My attitude is this, first of all, I don't want
to hear about the national media being thrown under the
bus when y'all are part of it too, you know,
acting like they ain't a part of it, when you
got podcasts and all this other place, No you in
the moucking mind with the rest of it.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
That's number one, number two. And I want to be
very respectful when I.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Say this as a father, a former NBA player who's
a father and your son is now playing in the NBA.
When I saw that from Lebron James, I'm like, Lebron James.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Approach at age forty is still playing like a top
five player on the planet.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
So ain't nobody talking about negativity towards him? If they're
doing so, they're talking about Bronny and that's what Lebron
must have been alluding to to that.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
You say what I would have to agree.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
Listen, and you know this, we have never had an
athlete as accomplished as Lebron James catches much heat and
vitriol and hate. Is that fair to say?
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (29:34):
Like, yeah, we've never seen anybody. And again I'm not
saying you have to like him, but you gotta respect
what he's done. But even at this stage of his career,
there's nobody that gets more vitrio or hate. And the
fact that he's comfortable with that tells me. The fact
that he's uncomfortable it's because of his son. And I
think that his son hasn't necessarily been able to handle
(29:58):
the height, the expectations and the negativity, and therefore it
has really made him look at it. And I'm speaking
of Lebron in a different way. Right, all the great
players they can handle criticism. Hey, the all these got
they they don't get caught up that Listen. The reality though,
is now everybody's got an opinion.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Right.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
We used to say opinions are like assholes. Right, everybody
got one. The difference was though you didn't hear everybody's
opinion before. Right, you know, most people didn't have the
opportunity to respond to Stephen A. Smith directly and actually
have you hear what was said. And it's not going
to affect you. But I guarantee you as a father,
(30:41):
if that same type of rhetoric or vitriol was directed
at your child, it would affect you differently, There's no
question about it. Listen, Lebron is dealt with more crap
over the last just as he's been in la.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
It is never shot away from it.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
He's always had courage, He's always spoken his mind, whether
you agree with him or not. He's never been one
to shy away, very much like you in that regard. Right,
But it's different when it now becomes one of your child,
your children, because you're vulnerable for them.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Man, you want to protect your kids.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Can I throw this caveat out to you to close
this out? Something needs to be added to that, Especially
one is of your doing because of what he said
about Brownie before he got to the NBA. I want
to play with my son. My son is better than
some of these NBA players in the league right now.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
These are things he said.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
So I think it's one element, which you're absolutely on
point about about his son, But it's another thing when
you instigated it, arguably because of the things you were
saying about your son in comparison to others, and you
put your son unintentionally. He certainly didn't mean to hurt
his son in any way, but that's the unintent consequence
(32:01):
of his acts.
Speaker 4 (32:03):
I think you hit it on the head because the
reality is you assume that your child can handle it
the way you can, and the reality is I think
it's hit him that Broni's struggling with. He's struggling with
the expectations. You know, and I've said this about Lebron. Listen,
there's been in my lifetime, there's really only been There's
(32:23):
been three athletes now that have been this hype and
actually have exceeded the expectations. That was Tiger Woods, Lebron James,
and now Kaitlin Clark. Those are the three because because
Michael didn't come in with that kind of hype. Michael
was the third pick. Kobe didn't come in with that
kind of hype. He's a thirteenth pick, didn't really even
play that much as first.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
You know what I'm saying. Lebron and Tiger came in.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
They were superstars before they had ever even started to
perform at the highest level, and not only did they perform,
they exceeded the expectations, much like we're saying with Kaitlyn Clark,
right and so, But most athletes are given a period
of grace.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
And the problem for BRONI is on his own level.
Speaker 4 (33:05):
He was there was so much hype and expectation around
him and the fact that it just hasn't materialized even
to the point where he's even performing at a high
level in the G League yet. And I think that
has weighed on him somewhat because you can only imagine
the level of hatred and nastiness that somebody you don't
know can spew about your son and have somebody else
(33:28):
pick up on it. And I think that that can.
And it's not just Lebron, it's his wife, it is
his other kids because they gotta deal with that too,
Like they probably are comfortable with all that hate going
at Lebron because that's that's.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
All they know. Course, so so that I agree with
you there, brother.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
My man is always good to talk to you, always
good seeing y'all be watching and listening to you call
a game, and that seeing you on TV tonight, actually
appreciate you so much. Man, hope you well. Wonderful happy
holidays to you and yours.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
But man about you two man be said Man, God
bless the.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
One and only Greg Anthony NBA, TV T n T
basketball analysts extraordinary. Yes, I'm willing to openly admit hell
that man has forgotten more basketball than I ever know.
He used to give me lessons on the sport of
basketball all the time.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
I ain't ashamed to tell you. I ain't a shame
to tell you
Host
Stephen A. Smith
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