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- [00:00]
Brandon Leak
That's your money saying it's time for a McDonald's run. Cause with new McValue at McDonald's you get more than you expect. Like buy a six piece McNuggets and add a McChicken for just a dollar.
- [00:09]
David Dennis Jr.
Your money says let's go get more.
- [00:11]
Brandon Leak
Than you Expect with new MCvalue. Prices and participation may vary, valid per item of equal or lesser value.
- [00:16]
David Dennis Jr.
This is Matt Myron the Podcast Denver.
- [00:20]
Evan Cohen
Nuggets didn't make it easy, taking this series seven games with the Los Angeles Clippers. But they roll on into the Western Conference semifinals after beating LA 120, 101 on Saturday night. It's Sunday morning on ESPN Radio and the ESPN app. David Dennis Jr, Courtney Cronin with you here. The show, as always, presented by Progressive Insurance and David I was expecting theater. I was expecting effort. I was expecting Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray to get on track, which they did. Am I dumb for not expecting that the Clippers would have actually put some effort in here and not made this thing, which it was at one point a 30 point blowout.
- [01:03]
Courtney Cronin
Yeah, let's look, let's peel back the curtain a little bit. Full disclosure here is that we have these wonderful notes for the first segment of our let's talk about the Nuggets and what this means. I thrive on negativity. I want to talk about the Clippers choking for the next again, like this is I could not believe what I saw. I should have believed what I saw. I feel like, like I'm in a toxic relationship with somebody who has told me that things are going to be better and they're not. The Clippers absolutely gagged away Game seven and let's be frank, they gagged away the entire series. This is multiple games they should have won. They should have won game one. They had 20 turnovers, couldn't get the ball inbound and then they lost on that tip in when they had an epic comeback. This series should have been over in five. I still believe when I look at these teams that the Clippers are the better team. And they got smoked in Game seven when James Harden gave you seven points. And Kawhi Leonard who it should send James Harden an edible arrangement this morning for the fact that we're going to talk about James Harden choking away game Sevens with Kawhi Leonard also did not show up for the second consecutive Game seven. Let's not forget in that bubble he also choked away a Game seven against the same Nuggets team. This is an all time collapse From a team that really has no future. And they're going to spend the next few weeks watching OKC take the picks that they gave away and maybe win a championship.
- [02:23]
Evan Cohen
Stop me if you've heard this before. James Harden, a no show act in a do or die situation in the playoffs in another game seven series. Low seven points for him on two of eight shooting. You're taking eight shots in a game seven, sir. And I understand they're tired. I understand they don't have legs right now. They had to go back and play at altitude. But they had enough in game six to get to this point. They forced that Game seven and in the biggest moment, they choked it away. So what went wrong? They count the ways. Let's hear from Ty Lue, Clippers head coach, on his message to the team amid another frustrating loss.
- [03:01]
David Dennis Jr.
Nut just brought it in and I taught the guys individually, you know, a tough loss and like I said, not playing our best game in a situation like this and, you know, a lot of emotions and so just told the guys, bring it in, you know, one last hug, you know, we'll talk tomorrow. But I thought we came out with a, with a decent mindset. They went to that zone and kind of made a stagnant offensively because the way we were attacking them and then I thought, you know, when they went to that zone, it just kind of slowed us down offensively and then defensively we didn't, we didn't really, you know, get into them, get closer to the guys and have that pressure. And so they was able to pick us apart.
- [03:31]
Evan Cohen
So the Nuggets outscored LA after a slow start from, from Jokic and Murray. They each finished with 16. Wasn't a great night for them, but Collectively Denver outscores LA 72 to 40 over the second and third quarters. And they, they got this game. They kicked the door open when they went on that 170 run in the third. Kawhi, to his credit, 22 points last night was the only one who was, you know, really showing up. Even though his disappearing act needs to be talked about. He starts the second half of the three and this is about as close as it got. LA's deficit was cut 58 to 50. So an eight point game. And you brought this up, David, so I think we need to go there. We dog James Harden all the time for not showing up in big games. Did it in Philly. He's done it everywhere he's been in his career. LA, not excluded. @ what point do we have the Kawhi Leonard conversation of it all? Cause I think it's time because for as much as this team overachieved you and I talked about this on around the horn on first take the last month of the season, nobody better in the Western Conference than the Los Angeles Clippers. This was supposed to be their series to win. Yet the same familiar no shows, same familiar mistakes keep popping up for this team and it's frustrating because the window is closing and it doesn't feel like there's that urgency closing.
- [04:50]
Courtney Cronin
I don't know. Do you feel confident that we're going to get this Kawhi Leonard next season? Like you got a Kawhi Leonard that played half the season specifically so that he can come out and give up, give you these 40 minute games, these 40 point games and think about where we started this series. Games two, games three. It was all right. Kawhi Leonard is back. This is the best player in the playoffs. Perk was calling him Kawhi Leonard Jordan or whatever he was calling this guy. And you go out there, I don't care about your 22 points. You need to be better. You need to have dominated this game and give me some sort of effort. Kawhi looked like he was sleepwalking in this game. And now you have to look at the totality of the Kawhi era for the Clippers, right? Two healthy playoffs that he had bubble Kawhi in this squad where you had long breaks in the middle of the season to come back healthy, you blew two series against Denver and then you're injured in the middle of that, you lose Paul George, you get James Harden, you try the Russell Westbrook thing, you trade all your assets, you trade SGA who's may win MVP this year. And this is the legacy of the Kawhi Leonard time in the Clippers. He deserves as much flack as James Harden is getting right now. Because it has been half a decade since we've seen Kawhi Leonard be the playoff killer that everybody has said he has been and you have been primed to do that this year and did not do it.
- [06:13]
Evan Cohen
2019 Raptors version of him is no more. I don't know. I don't know if it can come back, but we have not seen that version in six years. But I don't want to pile on, but I am frustrated with what Kawhi had to say after the game. You got to hear this. This is Kawhi Leonard on why this team lost game seven.
- [06:33]
David Dennis Jr.
I think we could have gave a better effort for sure at the time, I don't think this team was 30 points better than this. I mean, we've seen it throughout the first six games of this series. But you got to give them credit. They came out and fought, ran hard in transition, got easy points, and they made shots.
- [06:49]
Evan Cohen
Fatigue is one thing to say that there was a lack of effort. Are you kidding me? You cannot get in front of a microphone and say we didn't try hard enough. This is a Game seven, your playoff window, your window to go win a championship with this team. Things finally were synced up. You were healthy. The rest of the team was healthy. There was not the Paul George of it all, where you're one injury away from being out before you even start the first round ahead of your first round series. To talk about a lack of effort and, you know, we could have tried harder. That doesn't sit right with me.
- [07:24]
Courtney Cronin
Well, did he lie? That's the problem. I mean, the problem was he was telling the truth. I think that's the bigger issue, is the fact that he. And he was telling the truth. There was no effort there. Like, I'm waiting for, even when the game was close, I'm waiting for the urgency from this Clippers team, and it just never showed up. This team was sleepwalking. They were in quicksand the entirety of this game from beginning to end. At no point did I feel anything that, you know, that looked good from this team. There was no effort there. Kawhi was absolutely telling the truth.
- [07:54]
Evan Cohen
I hate it. I just hate. I hate that he wasn't lying because he's not wrong. They were. Were they a 30 point? Were they a team that was 30 points better than the Clippers? No, because we saw that in Game five. We saw the Clippers being the one to extend this series.
- [08:08]
Courtney Cronin
I'm not sure they were better than the Clippers at all.
- [08:10]
Evan Cohen
Like, game one, it comes down to overtime because Russell Westbrook can't get a shot off in time. And that's a. Like, a close game. Okay, you give them that one. But then game four, the way that that ended, did that take the sail out of the Los Angeles Clippers? Wind? I don't know. Like, are the wind out of their sail? I don't think that's a convenient. I think it's a convenient excuse. Do I think that they were exhausted in the attrition factor? Came in here. I'd buy that more than. I just can't hear. We didn't try hard enough. We could have shown more effort. I would rather hear, look, man, we had no legs. That's all I want to hear because I don't think that this is the way that anybody wants to remember this Los Angeles Clippers season that started with so much promise and ended with the same familiar first round exit. All right, straight ahead, we're going to get into more on this game. Looking ahead also to another Game seven tonight, warriors and Rockets with unsportsmanlike's Evan Cohen. That's next here Sunday mornings, ESPN Radio.
- [09:09]
Brandon Leak
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- [09:48]
Matt Myron
Join the Fantasy Focus Football Team for the ESPN Fantasy Football Ultimate Draft Weekend live in the Bahamas this August at Baja Mar. Enjoy an oceanfront stay, exclusive receptions, dinners and interactive events like our One of a Kind Beach Combine. Mingle with special celebrity guests and NFL players throughout the weekend and dominate your league with insights directly from your favorite ESPN fantasy football experts before your league drafts in style at the huge draft party. Don't miss the ESPN Fantasy Football Ultimate Draft weekend. Visit Bahamar.com Draft and see you in the Bahamas this August.
- [10:31]
Brandon Leak
Game Sevens can be memorable. What about two Game Sevens? We get them back to back. We should have a lot of fun finishing up the weekend. It's Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio and the ESPN app home team Brandon Leak with David Dennis Jr. As well. We got us a game seven with the Nuggets moving on. New coach at the end of the season found a way to power through. And now we get a Game seven tonight with the warriors taking on a hungry Rockets team. Is it the end of the line for the warriors or will old school teach new school something that is always true. Old school never quits Dade. It is one of those things, David, where you got a chance to see a really good game. Last night with the Nuggets taking care of business, they got up to the big lead and another Game 7 loss for James Harden. So when you start talking about legacy, start talking about narratives, you start talking about what you've been able to do over the course of a career, some of those things will start to heat up. And now a Game seven Coming up as we'll get a chance to talk to Evan Cohen from unsportsmanlike, who joins us here on Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio. Evan, thank you so much for your time this morning.
- [11:41]
Stephen A. Smith
It's my pleasure. How are you doing?
- [11:43]
Brandon Leak
Doing all right. We got a great Game seven last night. What are we on tap for tonight? Where it looks like the Houston Rockets have figured some things out with their zone defense. And the warriors have talented players, but they may not have enough.
- [11:57]
Stephen A. Smith
It wasn't a great game last night. I mean, it's great storylines coming out of the game. That's what we don't want, right? We don't want what we saw last night. I think tonight's fascinating because many of us, me included, just assumed, even though the warriors are the seven seed, that they would be able to win this series and obviously up three one. And Houston goes huge at times in game number six, as you mentioned, with the zone with Stephen Adams and Shangoon and Javarti Smith playing together, which is three guys, 611 and above. So that's obviously not great for the warriors, who are insanely small. My gut feeling for tonight is it's a Steph Curry, Curry game or they lose. And that's not a knock on Jimmy Butler, who played for my team in Miami for years. But I just think this has to be a Steph Curry game tonight.
- [12:43]
Brandon Leak
When you start looking at where the corrections need to be made, Evan, you start looking at the rebounding. It's been the rebounding of the Rockets that has not allowed the warriors to get second chance opportunities. Get on big runs. How big is it for the warriors to do a better job on the boards if they want to make it to the next round of playoffs or.
- [13:03]
Stephen A. Smith
Just make more shots running, right? I mean, like, just like, all right, hey, Steph, make more shots. Which easier said than done. But I don't. I don't know that there's a way for the warriors to out rebound them. I mean, you tell me, is there, is there a way for that to happen other than simply make more shots, move the ball more, you know, go old school warriors, go beautiful game like they played forever. Because it doesn't always look like that right now. And I think they have to figure out a way of doing that. The problem is they don't have as much shooting as they used to have. So I'm not sure how they out rebound the Rockets because I don't think they can.
- [13:39]
Brandon Leak
We've counted out the warriors before in different versions of what they put out on the Floor. And at those times there were some differences. There was Kevin Durant out there, it was Klay Thompson out there. Now you're going to ask Jonathan Kaminga to step up. Who can be an X factor outside of all of the other things that the warriors have to overcome against a very well disciplined Rockets team and now a very well coached Rockets team as well.
- [14:08]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah, I mean, you mentioned the name. Kaminga doesn't play. Right. I mean, they change the starting lineup, they put pods on the bench, they bring Gary Payton the second into the starting lineup. Kaminga I know, was sick, but even when he was healthy with this, this new version of the warriors, of Jimmy Butler in the playoffs, he doesn't play. So I don't even know that there's another option. If you're looking for an X factor of someone who could do something different, it's Kaminga because he doesn't play. But I would, I would probably default to Buddy Healed in terms of the shooting.
- [14:34]
Courtney Cronin
Right.
- [14:35]
Stephen A. Smith
I mean, this is one of the great three point shooters of the last 10 years, the NFL, NFL, NBA, percentage wise, but obviously not with this, this team right now. I just think it actually has to be stuff because I think what's happening now is they're trying to ensure that Jimmy gets as many shots as possible. They're trying to ensure that Jimmy is part of the offense and every part of him is like, you know, doing things the way that Jimmy Butler has done. I would look at it a little different. I'd put him in the Iguodala role, like, let him play a little point guard, let he doesn't have to shoot as much now. That puts a lot of pressure on Steph Curry, but I think they need 40 from Steph Curry tonight. Let Jimmy Butler play the Iguodala role and see if Heels could play the Klay Thompson rule. That's what I would probably try to pull off tonight. Again, it goes back to their whole thing with the beautiful games, Brandon, with moving the basketball as much as possible as they did when they had their great teams and their championship teams previous run.
- [15:26]
Brandon Leak
Right now, Evan Cohen from Unsportsmanlike. Unsportsmanlike joining us here on Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio. Now, about the Rockets, we're talking about Golden State. The Rockets, you know, they, they gave a couple of games away at the end. This thing could have been over before game seven. Do they have what it takes? Do they need to do something extra or can they just play Rockets basketball? Even though the Lakers in a different version or the warriors, rather a different version of the warriors are standing in front of them because they played the better brand of basketball consistently for six games so far.
- [15:58]
Stephen A. Smith
I think they got to go big as they've done, and it has to be Fred Van Vliet. Like, he's the one guy that could look across the way and say, oh, yeah, I've beaten this team in a big moment. I want a championship against this team. When he was with Toronto, right, Like he was, he was excellent back in the day with them, and he was excellent in game six with 29 points in 40 minutes. The guy wasn't missing in the second half, and I think it has to be him now. Obviously, Jalen Green is very much boom or bust in terms of his scoring, but keep rotating all of the big guys in there. I would go as big as possible against Golden State, as we've discussed, and I would absolutely rely on Fred Van Vliet to get me through because he's done it before against Golden State.
- [16:38]
Brandon Leak
How much is this is on Steve Kerr as well? Because if you listen to what Stephen Adams had to say, he talked about them really not coming out of their zone, and he said it's a little bit different of a zone because there is a little bit of a helter skelter to how they close out, but they have the athletes to do it, knowing that the game plan is out there and they just been able to execute it. Well, how much is it incumbent upon Steve Kerr to figure out how to find other ways to get to the zone if they aren't making shots?
- [17:08]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah, I would try to do everything I can to make Adams and Shingoon move.
- [17:13]
Brandon Leak
Right.
- [17:13]
Stephen A. Smith
I mean, if you're thinking about. If you're thinking about some of the guys that could play down low for them. Jabari, Smith, Thompson, Brooks. Theoretically, if they're playing in a 2, 3 zone, if they're playing down low, those guys can move there. Insane athletes. But if you have the two centers on the floor at the same time, which they did in the last game, you've got to get them to move their feet a little bit and use their quickness. Problem is, when you're going big up top now, you're trapping the ball as they did previously, you have nowhere to go. And that's where I just think the shooting has to come in with heel. And it has to be a Steph Curry game against the zone. I mean, we hear it like playing two, three zone growing up. It's like, all right, find the high post and then get the shooters on the wing. Well, I mean, that's Steph Curry. Get the shooter on the wing against that zone. If they go to it again. I think we also forget how great of a coach Steve Curry, Steve Kerr is coaching against with even with Steph Curry, like he may. Adoka is phenomenal. I love Steve Kerr, but Ime Adoka is a phenomenal coach. The guy's never been bad as a head coach, in my opinion. Went to the finals a few years ago against Golden State with Boston, obviously, and he is ready for this Golden State team. Steve Kerr understands like how many more years of this is left. I will never, ever, ever count out Curry and Draymond. But the reality is he has to be facing that tonight. A blown 31 lead, which he already has on the resume against Cleveland in 16.
- [18:33]
Brandon Leak
Evan Cohen from Unsportsmanlike joining us here on Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio. Here's the one advantage I think that the warriors have if it is a close game. Now, the Rockets played, they were ahead with a couple of minutes to go in the last game. But if the warriors are in a close game because Buddy Healed has made big shots, because Jimmy Butler has carried a heat to the NBA Finals, because Steph Curry has been in those types of scenarios over and over, that might be the one advantage that the Golden State warriors have against the Houston Rockets, who may not have that experience but do have a couple of players. Where do you see an advantage at all if there's one advantage for the Golden State warriors to get through a Game seven on the road tonight?
- [19:17]
Stephen A. Smith
Brandon, you are right about everything you said, right? Except for Van Vliet, right? As we've discussed, he is, he has had big shots in those big moments. But Thompson, Changun, Jalen Green, Jabari Samanthariss and these guys have never played in big games before, right before this. The advantage Golden State has had since a decade plus 15 years is one guy and that is Steph Curry. There's never been anybody like him. There's never going to be anybody like him. He is completely unfazed in these moments. He is a lead by example player like we have never seen outside of Michael Jordan. He's that good. And Kobe Bryant, like that's what he is. That I will never, ever, ever write him off that they have a guy in those moments who has done it so many times, so many different ways. I even think back to the Olympics over the summer that the singular biggest advantage that they have is number 30. And until he is completely dead, he could be on life support. And I still think he'll be revived. Never write off Steph Curry.
- [20:20]
Brandon Leak
Well, we could be in for a classic Game seven. We'll see if we get that or if we get a team that may be at the end of this run. Evan Cohen, we thank you for your time this morning here on Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio.
- [20:34]
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you, Brandon. I appreciate it.
- [20:36]
Brandon Leak
So we'll get a chance to see if the young guys, if the young crew along with Fred Van Valet, will be able to get past Draymond Green and get past Steph Curry and get past Jimmy Butler in a scenario where you have a lot of people that want to move forward. And I wonder what the NBA really wants. Do you really want this version of the warriors to get through where they may be able to survive the Houston Rockets and then get to the next round? Or are they ready for a young, fresh version, a new version of the Rockets who've been down for a while, a championship organization, give them a chance to get in the second round, play, showcase Jalen Green, showcase some of their toughness, showcase. So it is a very interesting setup for both of these teams where you have a team that is a veteran latent team, not Haggard, but a veteran layton team, against a team that has a lot of youth and a lot of growing to do. And I can tell you this, the Rock is going to learn about a Game seven with Steph Curry in it, without a doubt. You have to figure out he is going to be ready to roll when that ball is out there and he does not want to go home for the summer or head to Cancun. All right, coming up, how much can experience play into tonight's Game seven between the warriors and the Rockets? We'll get to that when we return here on Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio and the ESPN app.
- [21:54]
David Dennis Jr.
Matt and Myron the Podcast.
- [22:09]
Matt Myron
If you've shopped online, chances are you've bought from a business powered by Shopify. You know that purple shop pay button you see at checkout? The one that makes buying so incredibly easy? That's Shopify. And there's a reason so many businesses sell with it. Because Shopify makes it incredibly easy to start and run your business. Shopify is the commerce platform behind 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started. Shopify gives you a leg up with hundreds of beautiful ready to go templates to express your brand style and forget about the code. Tackle all those important tasks in one place, from inventory to payments to analytics and more. Spread your brand's Word with built in marketing and email tools to find and keep new customers. And did I mention that iconic purple Shop pay button that's used by millions of businesses around the world? It's why Shopify is the best converting checkout on the planet. Your customers already love it. If you want to see less carts being abandoned, it's time for you to head over to Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.comnetwork. go to shopify.comnetwork shopify.comnetwork.
- [23:28]
Brandon Leak
This episode is.
- [23:29]
Courtney Cronin
Brought to you by State Farm.
- [23:30]
Brandon Leak
You might say all kinds of stuff when things go wrong, but these are the words you really need to remember. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is they've got options to fit your unique insurance needs. Meaning you can talk to your agent to choose the coverage you need, have coverage options to protect the things you value most, file a claim right on the State Farm mobile app and even reach a real person when you need to talk to someone. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there Rockets have forced game seven 115, 107 the final score back to back wins in win or go home situations.
- [24:11]
David Dennis Jr.
At the end of the day you just got to read the game the way that they're guarding and take what the defense gives you. For us it was just continue to do what we did to get here. If they're going to play a certain defensive lineups, they're going to have some weak links offensively out there. You know that will live with the shots and that paid off tonight. This winner go home. We know how good of a team we are. A couple of it have been here before multiple times. So it's on us to make sure we get it done.
- [24:32]
Brandon Leak
Somebody goes to the second round of the postseason, somebody goes on vacation. Game 7 Rockets and warriors and we are all here for all of it. This is Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app and Sirius XM channel 80. Sunday morning is presented by Progressive Insurance home team Brandon Leek along with David Dennis Jr. Getting ready for back to back game Sevens David as we get ready to see if Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler if that will work out. Jimmy Butler wanted out of Miami. He wanted to go to a place that could make a serious deep postseason run. And now here is his opportunity. Game 7 in front of him with the warriors and you start talking about experience, you start talking about big shot making. You start talking about guys who can put teams on their backs. Well you have that Steph Curry and certainly Jimmy Butler. How Is it going to work tonight when they have been stymied by the Rockets defense the last two games?
- [25:31]
Courtney Cronin
Yeah, this is going to be the thin line between experience and old is what we're looking at here with this warriors team. You have the experience of Stephen Curry, Game 7. Last time they played, he had 50 points in a Game 7. Jimmy Butler went into Boston, beat them in the game seven. Also almost beat them the year prior in the game. So one shot away, ironically, they could have played the warriors that, that year. And Draymond, you can't forget about Draymond. What he can do defensively like that cannot be ignored here. The problem is those guys are looking old and they're looking old against a Rockets team that is hounding them on the boards, especially Stephen Adams, Alfred Shingoon are a at a 45 or so percent offensive rebounding rate. When they are on the floor together, the warriors cannot get the ball out of their hands. That super small lineup is not working. They're just small. They're not fast, they're not super, they're not anything but small. I mean, the team that looks better right now is the Rockets. The warriors though, just have the experience and that's kind of what they're going to have to lean on.
- [26:42]
Brandon Leak
Well, you look at the rebounding statistics and that's where this series has clearly gone in favor of the Rockets. They have just been absolutely monsters on the board. And Stephen Adams, he gave the blueprint, he spelled out what exactly the Rockets are doing it. In his post game presser after game six, he said we're playing zone, but it's a little bit more of a different zone because some of their closeouts are helter skelter, but they have the athletes to do it. So they're playing within what IME Udoka would like for them to do. And now they have to figure out if they can do it in a game seven plus make shots. They're not shot making. Then you have to know Jimmy Butler is going to put his head down at some point, drive through some of that traffic and try to either score or drop off a bucket for one of his teammates.
- [27:28]
Courtney Cronin
Well, the thing about that zone defense that you mentioned, they can be helter skelter because the warriors can't shoot. They only have any shooters on the court. Outside of Steph Curry. Buddy Healed was held scoreless in Game 6. Pods had 10 points. Did not look like the same pods that had 25 and five in game four. Moody is shooting 40% three for the, for the series But I mean, he's been kind of unreliable up and down this, this series. I mean, you can be helter skelter when you're rushing out to close out on Gary Payton the second. Now you don't have Klay Thompson out there to worry about. The warriors are going to, going to hound, you know, they're going to get those shots off. When you do that, the zone works because the warriors do not have enough shooters right now. Somebody's going to have to step up and start making those shots. Jimmy's going to do what Jimmy does. Steph's going to do what he does. They need somebody else to start knocking down shots.
- [28:16]
Brandon Leak
Here's Mark J. Spears, senior NBA writer for Antscape and espn, talking about what experience means tonight, having it and the lack thereof.
- [28:26]
David Dennis Jr.
Staff has played in five of these Game seven. Draymond's played in five these game Sevens. Jimmy is only, Jimmy's played in four and several other guys in this team. Looney obviously played in a few. They have that experience. But I also asked IME about the lack of experience that the Rockets had and he said, hey, they hadn't played in the game one before they did. They hadn't played on the road before they did. Now they've won on the road and you know, they played in an elimination game twice and they won. So game seven, I told him ime's words, this is just another game. So they don't know what they don't know. I mean, the warriors have all this experience, but I mean, experience only goes so far when the matchup is bad. You know, the luck is bad and the health is bad. So game seven will be quite interesting.
- [29:22]
Brandon Leak
What he said was haunting. If the matchup is bad, that's what I took out of that because it feels like this is a bad matchup. Davis, David because everything that the warriors have tried and sometimes what they've gotten away with, when they have bad shooting games, they're not able to get away with with the Rockets. And then you throw in the fact that, that Fred Van Vliet is also a champion. He's also looking to make big shots. He's also looking to put a team on his back. He's also looking to be a dagger maker. So it feels like it's just a bad matchup and it won't just be regular basketball or Golden State ball. They're going to need something very special in order to overcome what they are having to deal with in Houston tonight.
- [30:04]
Courtney Cronin
Yeah, I mean, the Fred Van Vliet point you can't ignore that either. The guy shooting 67% from three the last three games. If you go out there with a player who is going to be shooting like that, sometimes just tip your cat and say, good, good series to the guy. I mean, the warriors are going to have to muddy up with defense. I expect them to make some adjustments. I expect to see more moody over Gary Payton, the second in this. In this game. And I also think Kavon Looney could see some minutes out there. You know, they need to get some rebounds, they need to have a tougher defense. And I think if Looney can keep his feet, keep a defender in front of him like, like a Jalen Green in front of him enough, he can go out there and bang with a Steven Adams or at least get some fouls on the guy and make him shoot some more free throws. But, I mean, the warriors are going to have to come up. They're the team that's going to have to make the adjustments. The Rockets do not have to make the adjustments. They've gotten younger, they've gotten faster, they've been executing better. It's the warriors who are on the ropes that could figure out this out on the road.
- [30:59]
Brandon Leak
Seems to be a calmness to David with the Rockets and with Fred Van Vliet. Here is Fred Van Vliet talking about the mindset and the approach that the Rockets plan on taking tonight in Game seven against the Warriors.
- [31:13]
David Dennis Jr.
I'm not really concerned with, you know, their game plan and what they're trying to do. I think we got to read it however it plays out. But one thing about this team is we've prided ourselves on our balance all season and having different guys that can attack depending on how the defense reads us. So I've just been trying to take advantage of the opportunities when they come my way and step up and make shots when it's in rhythm. So obviously we know who we're playing through. But at the end of the day, you just got to read the game the way that they're guarding and take what the defense gives you.
- [31:43]
Brandon Leak
It feels to me there's too much right for the Rockets. That's to say they have the right big man in Stephen Adams. David, it's the right tough guy in Dillon Brooks. It's the right leadership in Floor General in Fred Van Vliet. It's the right youthful interjection from Jalen Green. Everything is right. You look at Sengun, the right kind of everybody's everyman doing things in the paint and everything. You need Everything seems to be right for the Houston Rock. The right coach who is looking to prove a lot of people wrong after missing out on an opportunity to maybe win a title with the Boston Celtics. Everything to me just seems right about this Houston Rockets team. And it just seems like for the first time in a while, the Golden State warriors are going to need something special. I don't want to say a miracle, but they're going to need something very, very special in order to overcome what's in Houston waiting for them tonight.
- [32:38]
Courtney Cronin
Yeah, I mean, I'm not. I'm going to stop before we go, before we say miracle here because, like, all these things that look right for the Rockets did not look right for the Rockets for the first five games.
- [32:46]
Brandon Leak
Fair enough.
- [32:47]
Courtney Cronin
Serious, right? You know, like they, like we could be looking at a situation if Jimmy Butler doesn't go out in game two. This might have been a sweep. Right. And so one of the things that the warriors have to get back to is that interior defense. They need to figure, you know, they need to get out there and say, you're going to come to the paint. We're going to make life hell for you. Even though we're a little bit smaller, some of those rotations, some of those different players in there may help. Rebounding better will help. But on the offensive side, they've got to figure out this zone defense. And that means putting, I think, shooters, the best shooters you got out on the court to try to figure this out. What they're doing, they are leaving guys wide wide open. The words are 7 for 23 in wide open threes in game six. Which means that the Rockers are saying Draymond GP2. Go ahead, Jimmy. Shoot all the threes you want. You replace those guys with the moody buddy healed gets a little bit hotter. Maybe you get Kaminga out there, like that is the elephant in the room. Why is coming like I understand, Kaminga did not look good in his minutes that he played. He played great against the Rockets in the regular season. You mean to tell me that you can't give me a couple a good Kaminga minutes? He can't give you five good minutes to go out there and rebound. At least put the man in the game to foul Stephen Adams. Do something out there. You, I would expect to see Mick coming. I expect to see Looney. This Rockets team, everything looks great right now. They're one game away from reminding everybody why they were down 3:1 in the first place.
- [34:08]
Brandon Leak
If the warriors go down, is this the end of the ride? Is this the End of the ride. They got an infusion shot in the arm with Jimmy Butler. He does get himself, you know, two more years in Golden State. But now you're starting to Talk about a 37, 38, 39 year old Stephen Curry. Now you're starting to talk about, you know, a 36, 37, 38 year old Jimmy Butler. As they head into the latter parts of their contracts. Unless there's a big splash that they make, could this be the end of the road and how much could it help them get? Garner some other talent if they're able to push through and get to the second round of the playoffs, if they are able to knock off the Rockets tonight?
- [34:44]
Courtney Cronin
Well, I mean we would talk about this warriors into the road thing ever since Kevin Durant tore his Achilles in 2019. He won a championship since then and made some playoff runs. I mean, I'm not betting against that. The thing is, the Jimmy Butler thing has been a great infusion for them, but they don't have a. They haven't had a whole season with this. Right. I think you get a whole season with this, you are able to get some shooters out there, some bigs. There are some rosters to. I mean, because look, this warriors team could still make a deep run in this playoffs. I would, if they got past the Rockets, I would not put it past them to beat Minnesota either. I think Minnesota may will probably be favored, but the warriors would still have a shot either way against these two teams to make it to the conference finals. Now if you go against okc, that's a whole nother story. Nobody's really probably beating that team right now in the west, especially with the teams that have broken through. But I think if you look at this warriors team, they have the makings to make one or two more good playoff runs. No matter what happens tonight, I'm thinking.
- [35:38]
Brandon Leak
You'Re going to need multiple biggies, biggies From Steph, like 35, 38, you'll need about 35 from Jimmy. They're going to have to carry a lot of the load because they just haven't been able to shoot from the outside. They haven't been able to crack the code of the zone that the Rockets are throwing out and they can't rebound. So you're going to have to make your bucket makers take over and that's what it's going to take. I do think the one thing that is in the advantage of the warriors, if it is a close game when things get tight, you've got some guys that have made some big shot on the biggest of stages with Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry and that might be an advantage if they are on the road trying to silence a hostile crowd.
- [36:17]
Courtney Cronin
Absolutely. That that'll be it'll I think it's how Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler comes out the gate early in this game. Steph started off slow in these games. I think you put some of that fear in that team, you make them a little worried. Steph hits three threes early in this game. Everything changes with the way this game seven goes.
- [36:35]
Brandon Leak
Sunday morning is presented by Progressive Commercial Insurance. See if you can save@progressivecommercial.com we get ourselves back to back game Sevens. We get ourselves a chance to see if Steph Curry can move forward. We get a chance to see if the Rockets can be the new kids on the block. Coming up, are we seeing a changing of the guard in the NBA right in front of us? We'll get to that. He's David Dennis Jr. I'm home team Brandon Leak this is Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio and the ESPN app. Matt and Myron the Podcast.
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I'm told it's super easy to do@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com changing of the guard Is that what we are witnessing with this year's version of the NBA playoffs? We'll get into it on Sunday mornings here on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app and Sirius XM channel 80. Ask your smart speaker to play ESPN Radio. Sunday morning is presented By Progressive Insurance home team Brandon Leak And David Dennis Jr. Is it a changing of the guard, Dennis? I'm starting to look at it that way because Kevin Durant didn't make it. So he's out. James Harden is out. LeBron James is out. Ant man is in. Shay Gilders Alexander in. Tyrese Halliburton in. Is there a changing of the guard taking place right before our eyes? As we're seeing, we were just talking about game seven for the Warriors. If they don't make it, it will certainly be a new day for Jalen Green to be in with a changing of the guard narrative that could be happening in front of everybody for these NBA playoffs for 2025.
- [39:23]
Courtney Cronin
I will say this. You including James Harden in that and that list of names, probably the nicest thing anybody's gonna say to him today. I mean, this too. I mean, but. But I think the guard has already been changing. Like, we're looking at a situation where last year was the first time in what, 15 years, something like that, 20 years where LeBron, neither LeBron, Steph or KD made it out the first round. And we could be. We're one game away from potentially having that happen again. I mean, even though they. These guys may be getting out. I mean, I think I always, I thought the most compelling storyline this season was LeBron, Steph and KD all itching to get to that last ring. Now, KD flamed out way earlier than the other two did, but Jokic being, I mean, Doncic being added to the Lakers, Jimmy Butler added. Being added to the warriors. And the idea that these dudes could somehow make one last playoff push was as compelling as anything in basketball. And I think next year, who knows how far either these teams will go, but the idea that these guys are all desperately itching for one more ring because KD is going to be in a better situation next year, theoretically. Like, he's going to be at a team that's competing for a championship. And these guys are all still playing great basketball. Wouldn't you say that? I mean, they're all three probably still top 10, top 15 players.
- [40:37]
Brandon Leak
Oh, yeah, certainly.
- [40:38]
Courtney Cronin
Yeah. And so, like, I think that they're still, from a storyline standpoint, they're still as compelling as anything in the league. Now, if you come out here and Anthony Edwards has eliminated all three of these dudes in one year span and knocked out Jokic and Doncic in that time. We're not just talking about a change of guard today. We're talking about Anthony Edwards taking over as the, the dude who everybody wants to see but is knocking off these superstars one by one.
- [41:03]
Brandon Leak
He's the icon slayer. Last year he knocks off KD and the Suns. Last year he knocks off the Joker and the Nuggets. And if the warriors have a chance to win, they'll have a chance to knock off Steph Curry this year if they're able to make it to the next round of play. I think the conversation is becoming how far does he have to go in order to get the respect you keep hearing? He's the proverbial next face of the league. Here is Stephen A. Smith, ESPN's NBA analyst on First Take, talking about what Ant man has to do in order to get that moniker of face of the NBA. It's not Ant Edwards league until he wins the West. He doesn't even necessarily have to win the championship, but he got to win the West. You don't have to run the championship. Not really, not yet. Because again, Steph is Steph. LeBron is LeBron. And we're certainly not elevating him above them as of yet in terms of cachet. But the cachet has elevated exponentially. There is no denying that. The flip side to it is who is the definitive individual that you're pointing to. I agree with you about Jason Tatum. Jason Tatum deserves so much more love than he received this brother special, there's no doubt about it. But Steve Kerr didn't help Jason Tatum tell you that much. But that's a different subject for another day. In the end, what I'm thinking about with Ant man, the brothers box office. And the more you see him, the more you want to see him. But still in all, if you, if you don't have the championship, they're not going to give it to you. He's not afraid. He's not afraid. He's not afraid to go right at superstars. He's not afraid to go right at criticism. Ant Man, Anthony Edwards certainly has a chance to bolster his already growing fame. 6 seeded team waiting on the winner between the Rockets and the Warriors. I agree with Stephen A. Smith. You do have to do some things that your predecessors did. Luka Doncic for a while, all of the talk of what he was going to be. He did get his team to the NBA Finals, carry the team to the NBA Finals. And I think if Ant man does that early in his career, I think he will be solidified as the face of the NBA moving forward.
- [43:06]
Courtney Cronin
Look, this man done told y'all he don't want to be the face of the league. Now, I said that he may be the best, the future in terms of the best player. This man does not want to be the face of the league. I'm not going to let us go over here and do this thing where we do it with our select, with celebrities and stars, where we tell them, well, they say, I don't want this, I don't want this. And we give it to them anyway. And then when they fumble, we ask them why they fell short. Anthony Edwards has a lot of good race stuff that he does on the court. This man don't want you. When you're the face, people be all up in your business. He don't want folks in his business like that. He don't want people invading his privacy like that. That's the stuff that comes with it. Guy just wants to hoop and be better than everybody else. I want to mark this down as Anthony. When Anthony Edwards say, I don't want to be the face, and everybody's coming out left to right saying, you are the face, don't come back around in five years talking about how he's not handling himself a certain way as the face of the league, which is something that this man has rebelled against ever since we tried to throw it on him.
- [44:00]
Brandon Leak
That's his youth talking. I don't believe him. I don't believe he just wants to play basketball. When he's talking about all the criticism he heard and everybody talking, the Lakers, we're going to do them in five, do them in six, and he's able to immediately throw that right back in his face. I don't believe him. He likes the attention. He likes to be recognized for what a great basketball he is. Basketball player he is. And he wants to be recognized amongst the greats that he walks and has already slayed early in his career. I don't believe him when he says he doesn't want to be the face of the league because his actions and what he says when people criticize him, they speak otherwise.
- [44:42]
Courtney Cronin
So look, all right, I'm just telling you, don't. Don't come around in a year or two years when everybody and be like, how can that. And the elders is not the face of the league because he did. The man don't want it. I'm telling you, the man don't want it. He now, he wants to be the best player in the league. He wants to win the championship, wants to do all this stuff. This man don't want to go out there and. And, you know, shake hands kiss babies and do all that stuff. The man just wants to be who he is, which is a great player, loudmouth player and all that stuff. We are trying to crown it when, well, you know what they, you know, you know what they say when somebody tells you who you are, who they are, believe them. This man is telling you who he is. You should probably believe him.
- [45:19]
Brandon Leak
Well, he's from Atlanta. He is straight atl and he means what he says with every breath in his body and every dribble of the basketball. So we'll see. It is interesting to see what these young folks will be able to do, Shay, Gilters, Alexander, as well as they have been able to run things out in the West. All right. Coming up, what would winning another title do for the Boston Celtics? We'll get to that next here on Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio. Matt and Myron, the podcast rapper Sean Diddy Combs was a king maker. He had wealth, fame and welcome to New York. Until it all came crashing down.
- [46:02]
Evan Cohen
Federal investigators raiding two homes owned by.
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Brandon Leak
Hip hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs. I'm Brian Buckmire, an ABC News legal contributor. As Diddy heads to trial, we trace his remarkable rise and fall. And what could be next? Listen to Bad Rap the Case Against Diddy, a new series from ABC Audio. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.