Hour 1: Happy Mother's Day

Summary

Detailed Summary of "Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron" – Hour 1: Happy Mother's Day

In the May 11, 2025 episode of "Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron" on ESPN Radio, hosts Matt Jones and Myron Metcalf delve into a diverse array of topics, blending sports analysis with personal anecdotes and celebratory messages for Mother's Day. The episode is marked by engaging discussions on the newly elected American Pope, intense NBA playoff battles, and humorous exchanges about personal grooming. A special guest appearance by ESPN analyst Quentin Richardson enriches the conversation with expert insights.

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1. Celebrating the New American Pope

The episode opens with Myron expressing genuine excitement about the recent election of a new American Pope. He draws parallels between the unpredictability of the papal conclave and the suspense in sports playoffs.

• Notable Quote:
  "No one knows who that person is. So no matter who shows up, everyone gets excited. And I think in today's cynical times, the fact that anyone can walk out there and everyone will be excited, I just really enjoyed it. It made my heart full."
  (03:00)

Myron also references the movie "Conclave," highlighting its depiction of the behind-the-scenes dynamics of selecting a Pope, which he finds relatable to the strategic elements in sports competitions.

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2. NBA Playoffs – Timberwolves vs. Warriors

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the NBA playoffs, specifically the recent matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors. The hosts commend Julius Randle's impressive triple-double performance but critique Draymond Green's leadership and late-game behavior.

• Notable Quote:
  "Draymond can't do it, and so. And Kaminga can't do it. You saw Kaminga take terrible shots down the stretch."
  (06:00)

• Notable Quote:
  "I find his [Draymond Green] act tiring. I really do. I mean, I think there's a vision of him where he kind of thinks he's Charles Barkley for the Next Generation, but he's not."
  (08:13)

The discussion underscores the impact of individual player behavior on team dynamics and game outcomes, emphasizing the critical role of leadership in high-stakes matches.

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3. Celtics vs. Knicks Series Analysis

The conversation shifts to the Celtics vs. Knicks playoff series, with a focus on Game 3, where the Celtics secured a decisive victory. The hosts analyze the Knicks' performance, highlighting the indispensability of Jalen Brunson and the team's reliance on a few key players to challenge the Celtics' dominance.

• Notable Quote:
  "They don't have a shot of the Celtics play like that. I mean, you know, to me, what it made me feel like, and I think a lot of people is that like, you know, the Knicks were probably luckier than anything else."
  (16:47)

Guest Quentin Richardson adds depth to the analysis by discussing the Knicks' strategic shortcomings and the need for broader team support beyond star players.

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4. Thunder vs. Nuggets Playoff Insights

Matt and Myron turn their attention to the Thunder vs. Nuggets series, praising Aaron Gordon's clutch performances and critiquing the Thunder's defensive lapses and inconsistent shot selection.

• Notable Quote:
  "Aaron Gordon's been clutch man these entire playoffs and that's why you pay to have depth."
  (25:00)

The hosts debate the Thunder's challenges, including lack of a consistent second or third scoring option and the detrimental effects of key players like Russell Westbrook adopting quasi-coaching roles during critical moments.

---

5. Russell Westbrook’s Evolved Role with the Nuggets

The discussion delves into Russell Westbrook's transition to the Nuggets, where despite shifting perceptions, he continues to demonstrate significant value both on and off the court. The hosts commend his enduring Hall of Fame credentials and adaptability in the modern NBA landscape.

• Notable Quote:
  "Russell Westbrook is a Hall of Famer, and if you look at his career numbers, you are not going to find that many people who can match them over NBA history."
  (30:56)

Quentin Richardson emphasizes Westbrook's positive impact as a veteran presence, countering critics who question his fit in the current NBA era.

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6. Kentucky Derby Highlights and Trifecta Triumphs

Transitioning from basketball, Myron shares his excitement about hitting a trifecta at the Kentucky Derby, predicting the first three finishers in order and securing a substantial payout. The hosts discuss the cultural significance of the Derby and recent trends involving influencers and social media engagement during the event.

• Notable Quote:
  "The Derby has become a cultural icon."
  (43:27)

They also touch upon the implications of Sovereignty's suspension from the Preakness, reflecting on the evolving regulations within the sport.

---

7. Humorous Exchanges on Personal Grooming

Adding levity to the episode, Matt and Myron engage in a light-hearted banter about facial hair, specifically joking about Quentin Richardson's inability to grow a beard. This segment underscores the camaraderie between the hosts and introduces a personal, relatable element to the discussion.

• Notable Quote:
  "I'm jealous. That's it. I thought about getting."
  (09:12)

The humor extends to playful critiques of sports figures' appearances, blending personal anecdotes with sports talk.

---

8. Mother’s Day Celebrations and Messages

Consistent with the episode's title, the hosts extend heartfelt Mother's Day greetings, interweaving them with their discussions. They encourage listeners to celebrate the day, adding a warm and personal touch to the broadcast.

• Notable Quote:
  "Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there."
  (23:30)

This segment reinforces the podcast's community-oriented spirit, celebrating the importance of family alongside sports.

---

9. Guest Appearance – Quentin Richardson’s Expert Analysis

ESPN analyst Quentin Richardson joins the conversation via phone, providing nuanced perspectives on the NBA playoffs. He discusses team dynamics, player performances, and the psychological pressures of high-stakes games, particularly highlighting the Thunder's strategic challenges and the Knicks' reliance on key players.

• Notable Quote:
  "I mean, I'm not surprised by Russ being a good team… As a teammate, as everything, like off the court, Russ is one of the best guys, you know, out there."
  (31:31)

Richardson emphasizes the importance of team depth and strategic planning in overcoming playoff obstacles, offering listeners valuable insights into the intricacies of basketball strategy.

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Concluding Remarks

The episode of "Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron" masterfully balances in-depth sports analysis with personal stories and celebratory messages. From the enthralling election of a new Pope to the intense battles on the NBA courts, the hosts and their guest provide a comprehensive and engaging narrative for sports enthusiasts. The blend of humor, expert commentary, and heartfelt greetings ensures a relatable and informative listening experience, perfectly suited for a Sunday morning sports podcast.

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End of Summary

Transcript

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[Matt Jones]

This is Matt and Myron, the podcast.

[Myron Metcalf]

It is Sunday morning here presented by Progressive Insurance with Matt and Myron. Ready to go on a Sunday morning. After last week both of us were gone. Lots happening. NBA playoffs, NHL playoffs, baseball. We're almost to Memorial Day. The derby was last weekend. Myron is here with me and we are presented by Progressive Insurance. It's easy to bundle home and auto with car and [e-mail] it's time to get started.

[Matt Jones]

Off the top, what are we thinking about?

[Myron Metcalf]

I'm trying to think, but nothing happens.

[Quentin Richardson]

Nothing happens.

[Matt Jones]

Time to find out. This is off the Top with Matt and Myron.

[Myron Metcalf]

There you go. I love the, you know, do that intro and then we get some music and Myron, it's great to be with you today. We log on for this show every morning around 9:30 or so. It's. And you have been talking about the Pope ever since. I've never seen you this excited about anything. You got to be happy about everything happening in the pope world with the new American Pope.

[Quentin Richardson]

Well, I just didn't know the Pope could like do stuff outside of pope stuff. Like, so when I saw pictures of him at a game and stuff, I didn't know that that was like something they could do. So what I didn't know they could do.

[Myron Metcalf]

Did you think like people, as soon as they're a child, they just put the pope gear on them and they're not allowed to have life for the rest of their life?

[Quentin Richardson]

No. I think one thing, once they kind of, you know, get higher in the rankings, like, you know, you gotta be really official.

[Myron Metcalf]

I didn't know you mean the AP top Pope 25. They start rising, they gotta, they can't go to anything.

[Quentin Richardson]

I didn't know, I didn't know you could like take off for a game, man. So I was, I was just surprised, man, to see that he had been to actual events.

[Myron Metcalf]

I really enjoyed it. Like, part of why I think I enjoyed it, you know, everybody saw did you see the movie Conclave that came out last year?

[Quentin Richardson]

I still haven't watched it yet.

[Myron Metcalf]

It's a really good movie. It's a really good movie movie. And it makes it to where it seems like kind of behind the scenes. And I think the same part of our human sports thing that likes when the, like, College Football Playoff rankings come out, the tournament bracket, I think it was like this. But unlike those things where you. The Pope, the sort of pope pick, did not have a Joe Lenardi. Right. Like, we didn't know who was on the bubble, and we didn't know what we're going to be the one seeds. And then all of a sudden, the thing I think I like the most about it is, you know, all those people are gathered there and they'll say, they bring them out. They're like, and our new pope will be. And then this person walks out. And what I think is fascinating is no one there knows who that person is. You know what I mean? Like, no one knows. So no matter who shows up, everyone gets excited. And I think in today's cynical times, the fact that anyone can walk out there and everyone will be excited, I just really enjoyed it. It made my heart full. I'm gonna. I'll be honest with you.

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah. And I think social media probably adds another layer to it. I mean, that's a good reference, like a good metaphor, the Joe Lenardi stuff. Who's on the bubble? I will say I didn't know what obviously was happening in the Vatican, but I knew the black bishop was on the bubble. I mean, I knew. I knew, like, when I saw him, I was like. And people were saying, oh, we might have the first black pope. I was like, nah, he said, he's.

[Myron Metcalf]

There for the photo shoot from Mom.

[Quentin Richardson]

I knew he was there for the photo op, but I knew he wasn't making the final four. You know what I mean? They were going to give him a lovely gift package, but I didn't think.

[Myron Metcalf]

He was like, you know, it's like Virginia Tech under Seth Greenberg, always on the bubble, like, never quite a solid seed in the tournament.

[Quentin Richardson]

I bet a bunch of people were like, hey, man, you're number one on my list. But he knew. He knew he wasn't going down to the final vote.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, he knew when the secret ballot came, what was going to happen. Well, enjoy Pope. Congrats to Pope Leo the 14th. Leo, by the way, not one of the most popular names in the history for popes. This is only the. He called himself Pope Leo the 14th, but I don't think there's been 14 Leos. I think there's only been, like, six. And he just skipped some numbers. He was like, I'm not going to be Leo the 9th. I'm Leo the 14th, so just back off me and let me pick the number that I want. Well, congrats to Pope Leo, and also congrats to the Timberwolves. There's a transition. You don't hear a lot, Leo. To the Timberwolves, who won game three last night. Julius Randall, my guy. 24 points, 1212 assists, and 10 rebounds. A triple double for Julius as the Timberwolves win Game 3 against the warriors on the road. By the end of the game, both Steph and Draymond were out. Steph with the injury, Draymond filing out, and then it looked like the Wolves in the last. Excuse me. The warriors in the last three minutes couldn't get shots off. Let me start with this before we talk about the Wolves, because I do want to talk about the Wolves. Everybody tends to skip over them. Draymond.

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah.

[Myron Metcalf]

Did you think his sort of meltdown at the end was irresponsible and kind of consistent of his career as an NBA player?

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, I mean, it was expected. You know, I mean, he.

[Myron Metcalf]

He.

[Quentin Richardson]

He can be, I think, a very selfish player in those moments, and he just gets so caught up in the. The emotions of things that he can hurt his team. And I thought he hurt his team yesterday.

[Myron Metcalf]

Two points, no doubt.

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, two points. And. And. But it's like he was a great.

[Myron Metcalf]

Leader in Game one when he got the foul after the review, his fifth foul. Do you think Kerr should have taken him out just to calm him down, or is there a thing with Draymond where, like, you're not going to call me down?

[Quentin Richardson]

I think that's. I think they just know, like, what he is. Right. And the thing, what you realize about. About him is that when the warriors are led by Steph, as wild as Draymond can be, there's only a certain level he can go to because Steph's on the court, and Steph's not gonna let it get to that point. And he has a certain respect for Steph, but when Draymond's the leader, anything can happen. You know what I mean? I think that's what you saw in Game two. But he hurt his team down the stretch, wasn't a good player at all in the game, and then hurt them with the way he played in the fourth quarter of a winnable game. So I think his Legacy man is going to ultimately be attached to these things. Not the great defensive player, great mind.

[Myron Metcalf]

But this stuff because he's a great story in theory. Second round pick from Michigan State. Right. Four year college player, played himself into a potential hall of Famer. But at the end of the day, it's going to be. This is probably what he's going to be remembered for. I was watching the game last night with somebody who doesn't usually watch basketball, and they looked at me when, when they. When he got. When he found out and said, is he a coach? He looks like a coach. He looks like an old man out there. And I noticed a couple of things. Number one, his beard is what happens to my beard, which, I don't know. If this happens to you, if you grow facial hair at some point, then it's just not James, our producer, but everybody else, it just becomes gray and you just. It makes you look a lot older than you are. But the other thing is that Draymond, because he looks so old, he should be the veteran, but he's the most out of control dude on the court. And I have to tell you, Myron, I find his act tiring. I really do. I mean, I think there's a vision of him where he kind of thinks he's Charles Barkley for the Next Generation, but he's not. Because I don't find him charming. I don't find him likable, and I find him a detriment to his team when he should be the veteran presence that should be leading the team.

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, no, no, I agree. I mean, the beard thing, I can't grow facial hair, so I don't know what that's like, but I do grow it at all. Not like a real thing. Yeah, I don't have.

[Myron Metcalf]

But you're. I mean, you're in your, what, early 40s and you can't grow. I've never been facial hair.

[Quentin Richardson]

I can't, like, grow up big be. I can't grow.

[Myron Metcalf]

Is it just grow, like patchy?

[Quentin Richardson]

Like, like, like I've never been able to grow out. I could grow out my beard for a year and it wouldn't get much further than this. I've just never been able to. To do it, you know?

[Myron Metcalf]

Wow.

[Quentin Richardson]

So I'm jealous. That's it. I thought about getting.

[Myron Metcalf]

I kind of thought you weren't totally manly. And now this makes more sense.

[Quentin Richardson]

No, no, no. I've been thinking about getting a fake beard, but I've been thinking about, you can get a sew in beard. Definitely should People are doing that. What?

[Myron Metcalf]

There are people getting so in beards.

[Quentin Richardson]

It's a thing in the black community. There are people who are getting, like, these. So in fake beers. I've been thinking, what does that mean?

[Myron Metcalf]

I don't know what that means.

[Quentin Richardson]

It's just fake hair. I mean, it's just like, you know, they put fake hair, but they make it look.

[Myron Metcalf]

And they sew it into your skin.

[Quentin Richardson]

I don't know. Maybe I'm making up the term, but, like, they. They connected to the hair you have now.

[Myron Metcalf]

You know, like you're making it up.

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, but I'm thinking about getting a face.

[Myron Metcalf]

So it's like a hair transplant, but for your beard.

[Quentin Richardson]

I've been thinking about it. Like, I think. I think a beard would change my life. I really do. It would change how people see me.

[Myron Metcalf]

I feel like, what you want it. You want to look like James Harden or James Steele? What do you want to look like.

[Quentin Richardson]

When you walk into a room and you have a beard? People are intrigued. James knows, you know, James knows.

[Myron Metcalf]

What do you mean, they're intrigued? What are they intrigued about?

[Quentin Richardson]

Everything. They want to know who you are. You know, I want to have that quality when I walk in a room.

It's the first time I've ever heard anyone think that anyone be intrigued by me whenever they.

[Myron Metcalf]

I don't think people. I think in general, and especially if it's long. I think there's people who think, like, he either listens to ZZ Top or he's. Or something.

[Quentin Richardson]

There's some other. There's some other negative connotations.

I don't want the ZZ Top one, but I just want a regular one. I don't need that. But can I get a regular one?

[Myron Metcalf]

Okay, so you would like to have a beard so you could be like Draymond. But Draymond, do you find him as exhausting and tiring as I do?

[Quentin Richardson]

Yes. And I thought this week, the problem with him, you know, talking about Barkley, Draymond has gone into the victim act. You know, I don't know if you saw his comments, you know, Game two, where he's like, you know, the angry black man. Listen, man, you've been karate chopping people for 15 years. Like, it's not a narrative. It's just like, what you are. Um, and it's just. It's tiring because he's got to this point, and we talk about this, Matt, with other athletes. When he was really, really good, you said, whatever. That's just Draymond. Now that he's so subpar. The antics are now becoming the story. And you see how harmful he can be to his team when he's not contributing on the court. Like, he's just not worth the trouble at this point. And the Warriors, I'm sure, know it, but they can't do anything about it.

[Myron Metcalf]

And I don't understand why these guys don't at some point process that. When you say things like he says and when you act the way he does, it's going to make officials even less likely to give you the calls that you want. If I was an official and he's flailing around and he's screaming and he's all this, why would you want to reward that guy for that behavior? I've always. I've never understood why people think that, that, that, that works. And last night, specifically, when he had all those antics, the game, like, the warriors were down one point. They needed him. They needed him, and he let them down at the end. And then the moment he went out for all of his antics, for all of his frustration for me, they were a different team without him. He does play an important role. Looney can't do it, and so. And Kaminga can't do it. You saw Kaminga take terrible shots down the stretch.

[Quentin Richardson]

Better overall.

[Myron Metcalf]

He was. But down the stretch, though, like, he can't be the dude you're going to. You're right. He played well earlier. Yeah, but. But he, he, he took like three of the last shots, none of which were close. That should have been Draymond leading that, but he had taken himself off the court. We will talk more about the Timberwolves because I do want to talk about my guy, Julius Randall. The Celtics came out of the darkness and won in a wild pregame scene at Madison Square Garden. And more about Myron's hope for a beard here on Mother's Day. This is Matt Myron on ESPN Radio.

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[Myron Metcalf]

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[Quentin Richardson]

Raise the sails.

Captain, an unidentified ship is approaching.

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[Myron Metcalf]

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[Quentin Richardson]

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[Myron Metcalf]

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[Quentin Richardson]

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[Matt Jones]

Matt and Myron, the podcast.

[Myron Metcalf]

Wow, Chris Canty. Was that a Tupac line in his mother's Day?

[Quentin Richardson]

I wasn't ready for the Tupac lyrics, man.

[Myron Metcalf]

I think he did a Tupac lyric.

[Quentin Richardson]

I wasn't. I wasn't ready for the Tupac.

[Myron Metcalf]

My plan is to show you that I understand.

[Quentin Richardson]

Dear Bob, that's a great song. I just wasn't ready for it to be enough.

[Myron Metcalf]

I didn't.

[Quentin Richardson]

In a promo, man. I wasn't ready.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, I. I was ready. I was ready.

[Quentin Richardson]

Can we do that? Can I put song lyrics in a car to my mom?

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah. So for my mom. Happy Mother's Day. Tag team is back again. Check at the record. Let's begin.

[Quentin Richardson]

Happy Mother's Day to my mom, too.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yes. Happy Mother's Day. You also know when people are married because he threw in his mother in law. I would see, this is why I can't get married. I would never think to say happy Mother's Day to my mother in law.

[Quentin Richardson]

I.

[Myron Metcalf]

Happy Mother's Day to my mom. But I would never think that.

[Quentin Richardson]

The casual Tupac lyrics, though, just. It just caught me off. It caught me off guard. I got hit.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, like, we are here. It's Matt, Myron. Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage with us to the Celtics and Knicks. Yesterday. Played game three in a raucous Madison Square Garden. There were people like. What's his name? Alan Hahn. Is that a person? I think it is. He was outside of the. Of the studio.

[Quentin Richardson]

A person. He works.

[Myron Metcalf]

Does he work at espn?

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah.

[Myron Metcalf]

Okay. Big Alan Hahn fan.

[Quentin Richardson]

All right.

[Myron Metcalf]

I saw that. He tweeted. Well, I just thought. I didn't. Co worker. He's a co worker.

[Quentin Richardson]

I want you to go to, like, I want to. I want us to go together to like an espn. Like, you know, I haven't been.

[Myron Metcalf]

First of all, I live in Kentucky and none of them come here. The only person that ever comes here is Jay Bilis and Marty Smith. Those are the only people I ever see. And when I. And when I go up to Bristol, I don't know anybody. So, I mean, I like, I just go to the lunchroom and get my food, say hi to James and Mikey, and then I'm done. I don't know anybody else, so. But Anyway, Alan Hahn, good, good, good people. Alan Hahn was outside of Madison Square Garden and he said, the whole city is a buzz. And I was like, well, if Alan Hahn says it, then the whole city must be a buzz. And everybody was ready. And then the Celtics came in, and according to coach Joe Missoula, they embraced the darkness and absolutely ran the Knicks off the court. That's what they had to do. Honestly, I thought that's what they were going to do. For me, the Knicks, it's all about game four. Can they win that one? Do you agree and do you think the series is like all Celtics now, or do you still think the Knicks have a shot if they can win the next?

[Quentin Richardson]

They don't have a shot of the Celtics play like that. I mean, you know, to me, what it made me feel like, and I think a lot of people is that like, you know, the Knicks were probably luckier than anything else. In the first couple of games. The Celtics blew two 20 point leads. Like, that can't happen. How does that happen? But the Knicks had to play to their potential, to their absolute ceiling. And Jalen Brunson had to be the starter he is for them to get those wins. Game three was like, okay, you're gonna see a. The real version of the Celtics. They hit threes. They look like the team that we saw most of the regular season, the team that won a championship last year. So I think game four is like, okay, can you match that Celtics team? If they play at a high level, can you beat that team? And that's going to be a, a more difficult task, especially if Carl Anthony Towns. This hand thing is an issue because, you know, I don't know.

[Myron Metcalf]

They, they. He was in a video afterwards and said he wasn't sure if he broke his hand or not. Like, yeah, do we, do we know what the update is on, on Carl?

[Quentin Richardson]

Well, first off, he did the interview with Sunglasses, which in general, it's hard for me to take people seriously when.

[Myron Metcalf]

They, you know, like when they do sunglasses interviews.

[Quentin Richardson]

Sunglasses, you know, But I mean, if you watch the video when he hurts the hand, because it's a, it's an ongoing thing, he looks like. He looks to the sideline and says, I broke it. And then they asked him after the game, people said that you said you broke it. And he gave like a 95 R&B star answer. He said, like, it is what it is. Like, he kept just saying, like it is what it is. But, you know, if he's out or he's not 100% that that's a problem. But I think the Celtics look like the team we expected them to be in Game 3. And the Knicks can't beat that team, so they got to figure something out.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, I mean, I thought this was going to be the result. I kind of always believed that after they won the first two, that the game to go to would be Monday night because it'll be for the Knicks. You know, if you're now a Knicks player or fan, your job is. Okay, we've got game four and game six in the Garden. Those are the two to win the series, right? Those are the two to go and have a chance to pull off what I think would be a major upset. Because, Myron, I kind of agree with you. I think the Celtics are a lot better. You know, they had terrible three point shooting. You could argue that Joe Missoula, pre embracing the Darkness, didn't necessarily have the greatest game plan in the world for those first two games. They went back to Celtics basketball. Yesterday they did shoot a bunch of threes, but it wasn't the centerpiece of their offense. They got to the basket. They exploited the defensive mismatches. So now I think the Knicks have two chances, right? They need one Jalen Brunson going crazy game. And then they need one game where either Carl or one of the role players gives a buddy he old, you know, game like he had for Golden State and goes off. And then you have a chance to pull off what would be a massive upset.

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, I'm with you. I thought game three was a must win for the Celtics and obviously got it to be. Yeah, it does still feel like. It feels like game four is a must win, I think, for. For the Knicks.

[Myron Metcalf]

You think so?

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah. I don't think 2, 2. I think 2, 2. All bets are off. Now you take. Now you're telling the Celtics they gotta win.

[Myron Metcalf]

See, I think two, two, the Celtics are winning the series easy. I think now game four for me is a must win for the Knicks.

[Quentin Richardson]

Well, that's what I'm saying. That's what I said.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, okay. Gotcha.

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, yeah. The Knicks gotta win game four because two, two. I don't think you're gonna beat the Celtics in a best of three series. But like, to your point, I think the other element of this is what chance do the Knicks really have beyond a Jalen Brunson ridiculous game? You know what I mean? But they got to keep it.

[Myron Metcalf]

They got to have that one of these two games, whether it's game four, game six, you need Jalen Brunson to go for over 40 and be unstoppable. And if that happens, then they can win.

[Quentin Richardson]

It does. But you know it's going to be difficult to do that because, well, to me, the challenge on Brunson is that man, he carries such a heavy load, right? And again in those first two games, if you watch the they're down 20 in both of those games. They are getting destroyed by the Celtics in both of those games. And then they launched this miraculous run where the Celtics just couldn't hit a shot. But they were the better team. The Settlers have been the vastly superior team for the bulk of this series. Now you're saying Jalen Brunson, can you do even more? I think it's about the other guys. OG Anunoby has to step up to your point. Carl Anthony Towns, Mikhail Bridges, they need other guys to help Jalen Brunson instead of just asking him to put on the cape and save the day.

[Myron Metcalf]

It's Matt Jones admiring Metcalf his style. You're admiring. But don't be mad. UPS is hiring here on this Mother's Day.

[Quentin Richardson]

I don't want candy. I think we're poking fun because candy's like 6 foot 8. It would probably both of us.

[Myron Metcalf]

But again, I know I run into him, so. And it was a nice Mother's Day greeting. Don't get me wrong, it's Matt Myron here on ESPN Radio.

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[Matt Jones]

Matt and Myron the Podcast it is.

[Myron Metcalf]

Matt Myron here on ESPN Radio Sunday morning. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. If you're spending your day with mom, you should be listening to Matt Myron. She's probably our fan. And the you could send us a message on the text machine. 772-774-5254. One person writes in and says, now thanks to Kanti's message, I'm thinking of rap lyrics to send to my mother. I'm thinking maybe Dos Effects. Wow, there's someone from the past. I don't think you should, if you.

[Quentin Richardson]

Listen, I don't think you should send rap legs to your mom.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, people love their moms in rap music.

[Quentin Richardson]

I know. You know, and Dear Mama's a great song, by the way. I mean, it is a great song.

[Myron Metcalf]

We want effects. Dos Effects doesn't get enough, doesn't get enough love. Today it is Sunday morning here on ESPN Radio. We are talking today. You got Nuggets, Thunder right here on network and then Pacers, Cavs, also real. What about your guy there for the Thunder? You got Aaron Gordon, who has hit two clutch shots, a game winner in game one and then a game tire in game three. Would you have imagined that Mr. Clutch, the Reggie Miller of these playoffs would be Aaron Gordon?

[Quentin Richardson]

No, but, but I also think like this is again another series where you see the value of experience. You know what I mean? Like, Aaron Gordon's won a championship. He's been in these spots and you're watching OKC looks young again, right? Like, look like, look like a team that's going, okay, what are we doing here? Whereas Aaron Gordon is just seasoned and I think that helps so much. But he's been clutch man these entire playoffs and that's why you pay to have depth.

[Myron Metcalf]

Can I make a suggestion to the Thunder? Just like, you know, I'm not an X and O basketball guy. So what's the coach on the Thunder's name? What's his name? He's like, he's like the most anonymous coach in the world. We'll just Bill. How about that? No, I know, but anyway, he, I would say in overtime and this is just my piece of advice to him. In overtime, let's not draw up three. Three straight Hartenstein push shots from five feet away. I, I do not think that's going to work. He air balled two of them. He back rimmed one of them. And that said to me the Thunder really don't have a game plan. You know, the, the, the Nuggets did a great job of cutting off Shay's penetration and it felt like to me the other guys were a little, little hesitant to want to take those big shots. So it ended up in hard Stein's hands three different times from five feet and he couldn't make any of them.

[Quentin Richardson]

Well, I mean the narrative about the Thunder has been all season there's sga but no real number two. Like they got a bunch of them. You know, Jalen Williams should be number. Jalen Williams can be all those guys. But I think this is where the playoffs matter so much. You need to know who's number two. You need to know who's number three. And I think the Thunder not maybe having that consistent person because so many guys have filled that number two and three roles. This is where it gets difficult. But their problem in that last game was defensively when they just didn't rotate on Aaron Gordon in transition. Like Aaron Gordon sitting in the corner and Chet Holmgren's like looking around trying to figure out what he's supposed to do. So I think it's one of those situations where it's like if SGA can't save them now, they get nervous, they get tight, and the Denver Nuggets feast, I think on that.

[Myron Metcalf]

Did you realize that Chet Hole Holmgren talked as much trash as he does? Like I would have thought I covered.

[Quentin Richardson]

Him from the time he was in high school. Oh yeah, I knew that he's a high school.

[Myron Metcalf]

I had no idea. I don't know why. Maybe it was just cause I thought like a seven foot skinny white dude from Gonzaga, he can't talk that much trash. That dude never shuts up. And I did notice for a guy who didn't seem to want to take big shots down the stretch, I was like, man, you know, you ran your mouth a lot during this game and you're right. He kind of made a couple key errors and I thought looked a little timid down the Stretch, which was odd for a guy with so much bravado.

[Quentin Richardson]

I mean, he's been like that since. Since high school. You know, he goes to a black barbershop. Like, I always thought that was a funny fact about Chet Holmgren.

[Myron Metcalf]

But where is there a black barbershop at Gonzaga?

[Quentin Richardson]

No, Minnesota is where he's from. He's from Minneapolis.

[Myron Metcalf]

Where's there a black barbershop in Minnesota.

[Quentin Richardson]

Do you think Kirby Bucket.

[Myron Metcalf]

That's what Chris Rock told me.

[Quentin Richardson]

There's plenty of them, man. But, I mean, you know, Chess always been a confident dude. But again, I think the problem with facing Denver is everyone know it's Jokic. And then Jamal Murray is your two, right? Aaron Gordon is your three. Like, you know, so Christian Brown has played amazing.

[Myron Metcalf]

I mean, you would have. The fact that he is. And then Russell Westbrook.

[Quentin Richardson]

So.

[Myron Metcalf]

Which we got to talk. Well, first of all, let me go back just a second before I talk about Russell West. The fact that the Nuggets won this game with Yokich shooting as bad as he did, that has. I mean, the Thunder. The Thunder have to be disappointed because they're not going to get a game where joke it goes, oh, for ten for three again, they'll net. They'll never get it. There won't be another one of those ever. And yet they still won.

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, I mean, but again, that's the thing. A, you've won a championship, so you have that pedigree and experience. And number two, you know who to go to after that. Like, everyone knows their roles. I think the Oklahoma City Thunder are trying to figure out roles right now in real time, and I think that's a major challenge. You can't do that in the playoffs at their peak. That team we saw in game two can run everybody off the court like OKC has.

[Myron Metcalf]

That team that scored 149 is unbeatable. If you. If you brought that out at the time. Let me ask you about your guy, Russell Westbrook, because he has been the butt of many a joke over the year. If you want to have a drinking game that's going to make it very hard for people, just say, name all the teams. Russell Westbrook has played for last five years, yet he has been everything Denver could have wanted in more. Don't you agree? I mean, a guy who can get you buckets on the second string, and then at the end of the game, it looked to me like he was the coach. He even sat in the coach's chair. I think he kicked the head coach out and he Took was in the coach's chair. Are you surprised about this sort of late career? I don't want to say renaissance because he's obviously been awesome throughout a lot of his career, but not those playoff moments. Are you surprised how well he's done this year?

[Quentin Richardson]

No. I mean, if you remember, you go back to the signing, Jokic loves him. Like when they yic was a big fan of Russell West, Westbrook. So I think coming in, having the star embrace you and want you to be that veteran presence, I think that helped. Here's the other thing, though. First off, Russell Westbrook is a Hall of Famer, and if you look at his career numbers, you are not going to find that many people who can match them over NBA history. His problem is he was really great at disco and then rap became a thing. So like all of a sudden he's not a shooter, he's not a Steph Curry. He's not one of those guys. So people go, oh man, he can't play in this era. Well, actually, he's been incredible his whole career. He just doesn't look like the new guards of the NBA. That's a Hall of Fame guy, man.

[Myron Metcalf]

Talking about disco. Quinn Richardson, ESPN analyst, is joining us on the phone. Quentin, I'm not gonn ask you to comment on Myron's disco comment, but are you. It was. It was a metaphor. Russell Westbrook, sort of for the Nuggets becoming what he's become, which is kind of a consistent fifth or sixth man and also seems to be a good presence on, like off the court and as a teammate. Are you surprised by that or is that something you thought might still be available in his career?

[Quentin Richardson]

No, I mean, I'm not surprised by Russ being a good team. I mean, I've never heard anything different. Despite what anybody on the outside may think or the opinions people may have. Everybody that I know has always loved Russ and as a teammate, as everything, like off the court, Russ is one of the best guys, you know, out there.

Quinn, I'm curious, you see an Oklahoma City Thunder team that I think won the Western Conference by 16 games. We saw what they can do in Game 2, but Games 1 and 3, they get tight. What's the biggest challenge that young teams have to overcome in a moment like this?

Man, I think just going out there and doing it, I don't even think it's really about, you know what I'm saying, The age. Like when you look at them, they've been through the playoffs last year, they've been through these this isn't like the finals or anything. This is just the second round. So it's like, to me, it's not about a big age thing. I think sometimes teams just don't play well. I don't think their team, you could put on youth, as good and as dominant they've been all season. And I think they, you know, I think they'll turn around and prove it.

[Myron Metcalf]

I find Quentin, and I'm not asking you to agree with this, but I find Draymond Green exhausting. And I think part of why I find him exhausting was what happened last night where they actually really needed him. It was a one point game. I think the foul he got that was reviewed was a little unfair. But then, you know, he gets two straight back to back calls. He kind of combusts, and then the team just was not able to function without him on it. How do you look at, like. Like in his. At his age, Draymond should be a leader. I mean, how do you look at what happened at the end of that game last night and just Draymond in general in these situations?

[Quentin Richardson]

I mean, I think, you know, he. He was. He was guarding Julius Randle, who was applying pressure and. And going at him the whole night physically. You know, creating. Creating contact, drawing files, doing things like that. He's a. He's a hard couple when he's going in that mode. And he drew fouls on him. And then I think that last fight he got, you know, that like. Like, I agree with you, that was a tough call. But I mean, I think outside, I think he was doing a good job. I think he had good spirit. He was, you know, he wasn't out there wilding out or anything like that. I think he had good spirit yesterday. I think the fouls and things like that just kind of derailed him. He had. He had a hard game playing against a great player yesterday.

[Myron Metcalf]

But do you think when guys. I mean, you. You. You played a long time when guys are so theatrical in their antics towards bad calls, in their mind, do you think that hurts them? Like, I think referees at that point would just be like, I'm not helping you. You just showed me up. I mean, do you think that's helpful at all?

[Quentin Richardson]

I mean, I think it. I think it goes. I think it depends on who you're dealing with. I think some people. Some people, it does help you like that, and I think others it does. It does put you in a bad position. So I think you just know your.

[Myron Metcalf]

Audience, meaning knowing which ref does what does What?

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah.

[Myron Metcalf]

Who?

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, like, yeah, that's one of the jobs. You've been in the league so long, you know, different reps, you know that, you know how they are. You know, they don't play that or they, you know, they got a short fuse or they gonna hit you up quick or not. You know, all those things. You get to know that he's been around long enough to know different things.

Quinn, if you're in the locker room right now, the Knicks, and they're going to practice, are you telling your guys that this is a must win in game four?

I was telling. I would have been telling them game three was a must win because we know how this, this media world is. And they're in New York right now. The sky is falling in New York. They had all of this, this, you know, all of the hype and all of the build up. But I played in New York, man, I know how it could be. It could be tough to go in that building with those expectations. And if you start off not playing well, the air just builds. It feels like every shot it's a. Oh, it's a gas. Is this, is that so. It's like it's. The pressure is totally on them. And game four is absolutely a must win. I felt like game three was. Even though they were up too.

[Myron Metcalf]

How do you explain in your mind the fact that these teams that were so good in the regular season, Cleveland down 2:1, Boston down 2:1, Oklahoma City down 2:1. I mean, these are teams that just had dominant regular seasons, all three of them, and all of them will go into game four down. Does that surprise you? Is there a common denominator? Why do you think that occurs in series that I think most people thought they would, would roll in?

[Quentin Richardson]

I think it speaks to the, to the parody in the NBA. I mean, you know, everybody, as many people as we had picked going into the playoffs, I still felt there was a. There was a feeling, at least for me, that I won't be surprised if anybody beats anybody, because in the play it shows the difference between the playoffs and the regular season. In the regular season, you can just run through people because you catching guys on back to back three and four different things going on. When the playoffs come down, everybody's focused on the, on their opponent. They got a big old book, a game plan, and they got. They know, they know everything they need to know. If they studying up, they should be ready to go and they should be well to know what's going on and it's not going to be the same type of game and as easy as it was in the regular season.

[Myron Metcalf]

Quentin, before we get you out, I was wondering your opinion on this because we are seeing different names in the playoffs now than the last 10 years. You got your shades, you got your Halliburton, you got your Anthony Edwards. If I'm asking Quentin Richardson today, who are the five best players in the NBA today in order what are you doing? Not their legacy. But today it.

[Quentin Richardson]

Man, I think you probably got to start off with. With Joker at one with the dominance he's been.

[Myron Metcalf]

And you going Shay?

[Quentin Richardson]

I think I might go Giannis.

[Myron Metcalf]

Giannis.

[Quentin Richardson]

Okay, that makes sense.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah.

[Quentin Richardson]

And is in that on that list though, right? And Anthony Edwards has to be on that list right now.

Oh, yeah. SGA and Edwards and Tatum will probably round out that list.

[Myron Metcalf]

That's a good five. That's a good. That was that. That's actually exactly the five. I would have done so. And Donovan Mitchell might be right there, maybe under it. Quentin, great stuff. Thank you for joining us on short notice and we appreciate it.

[Quentin Richardson]

No doubt, man. Anytime, fellas.

[Myron Metcalf]

Quentin Richardson, ESPN analyst. We will do more playoffs plus other things going on in sports. And Myron, I hit the derby trifecta last weekend. Did you see that? I need to brag at you a little bit. Okay, well, that wasn't very. I needed more excitement from you. It's coming up here on Matt Myron on ESPN Radio.

[Quentin Richardson]

Trifecta is.

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[Myron Metcalf]

Hey there, travelers.

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[Matt Jones]

Matt and Myron, the podcast.

[Myron Metcalf]

It is mother's day here on Sunday morning. Matt, myron following the lead of some of the greetings. Spunky Brewster says happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. Hope you get a chance to relax, stop, drop, shut them down, and open up shop. Come on now.

[Quentin Richardson]

Candy. Candy's gonna beat us up, man. Like that dude is.

[Myron Metcalf]

You know, I appreciate it, throwing these. Throwing rap lyrics down as a Mother's Day greeting. I enjoy it. You know, I think if you have Mother's Day greetings, you'd like us to read for your mom that also includes rap lyrics. Text machine is 772-7745254. We went in the break, and I told. I told Myron that I. That I hit the trifecta this weekend at the Derby, and you did not seem impressed because it seems like you don't know what a trifecta is, Right?

[Quentin Richardson]

I don't know the Derby. I mean, I know trifecta. I mean Latin root word tri, meaning three. I understand that.

[Myron Metcalf]

I mean word try, which means three. Yes, I understood it was three, but.

[Quentin Richardson]

No trifecta at the Derby. I didn't know what that.

[Myron Metcalf]

So The Derby has 20 horses in it. The Kentucky Derby, by the way, can I acknowledge James again? I said we. We at ESPN do not cover the Derby enough because of the ratings it gets. 18 million people watched it, the exact same amount as watch the NBA Finals, almost double what Rory's Masters was, and more than any NBA Finals game will be. Just for the record, the Derby got those ratings. Did you watch it, Myron?

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, no, exactly.

[Myron Metcalf]

The Derby has become a cultural icon. But of the 20 horses at Trifecta is when you get first, second, and third place in order. Okay. If you're able to pick who came in first, second, third, in order. And I did that. I had sovereignty journalism. And Biza paid for a $2 bet. It paid like $660, and I had a little more than $2 on it. And so, Myron, we were celebrating in the Matt Jones household.

[Quentin Richardson]

That's. That's nice, man. That's awesome. What, did the. The Sovereignty guy get in trouble?

[Myron Metcalf]

First of all, it's a whores. No, you're talking about the jockey. Yes, yes. So I didn't know that. I actually did not know this rule. They have a rule in horse racing now since 2020, that you can only use your whip on the horse six times in a race, and he used it seven times. And for the extra whip, he was fined $31,000.

[Quentin Richardson]

Yeah, I didn't know that. Yeah, I didn't know that. They Suspended them. Did he get suspended?

[Myron Metcalf]

Suspended for two days of racing, yeah. So, I mean, that's kind of amazing.

[Quentin Richardson]

How do you measure out six times in that kind of.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, I mean, somebody watching counts how many times you. You hit it. And so apparently, I don't know who decided 6 is the amount you can do, and that's how many they. And he did seven. So he is suspended. Now. The sovereignty is not running in the Preakness, which I think is kind of lame for the sport because, like, now there's no chance for a Triple Crown.

[Quentin Richardson]

But is that because of, like, the stud feed thing? Like, he can just go and.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, everybody has different opinions. The trainer says it's because the horse won't be ready in two weeks. Some people think it's to keep the value up. I would argue. I've said this for a long time. They need to push the Preakness back because horses are not trained to run as much as they used to be. Push it back so there's enough time between races so these horses can enter all three of them, because I think that's what's best for the sport.

[Quentin Richardson]

But I mean, when you talk about, like, people not covering the Derby, I mean, the derbies that have been covered the most have been the ones where you thought a horse had a chance to win the Triple Crown.

[Myron Metcalf]

No, you're talking about the Belmonts. The Derby's always the first one at the time. You can win the Triple Crown, but.

[Quentin Richardson]

I mean, the possibility of it.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, but every year there's a possibility of it.

[Quentin Richardson]

No, but if the horse that wins the Derby doesn't run the next race, then there's no chance for them to win the Triple Crown. My point is, in the years where you thought a horse had a chance and they entered in all three races, that was more intriguing.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, no, it's a huge deal for the Preakness, but the Derby is big on. On its own. And. And I. This year, Myron, they embraced at the Derby, the. The Tiktokers. So they brought, like, I can't really do justice, but they brought all these influencers from around the country. So, like, Alex Earl was there and, like, they had all these influencer. And. And when you would look around at the Derby, Baron, all these people were, like, standing around doing dances in the winter circle and st. I genuinely was. No, they did. You could just tell. They were like, get these kids out of here. But I will say the Derby was trending all week afterwards on TikTok, so I actually think it worked. As much as the horse, people hated it.

[Quentin Richardson]

I would love to see some of those. I know a lot of people called the manager like a lot of people made some phone calls to people and said, get these kids out of here.

[Myron Metcalf]

Bob Baffert was having to do the Dougie. I don't think he loved it. Sunday mornings presented by Progressive Insurance and the NBA playoffs are on ESPN Radio. Tune into postseason action today. Thunder take on the Nuggets game for the Western Conference semifinals. It begins at 3 Eastern on ESPN radio and the ESPN app. We will do more on the playoffs. Bill Belichick continues to be in the news and Myron does not know what a Savannah Banana is. That's next here. I'm Matt Myron on Sunday morning.

[Matt Jones]

Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the Podcast. You can listen to the show live every Sunday morning at 10am Eastern on ESPN radio, the ESPN app and on SiriusXM channel 80. Matt and Myron the Podcast.

[Quentin Richardson]

Calling all fun lovers and memory makers, Texas invites you to cheer from our stadiums.

[Myron Metcalf]

And.

[Quentin Richardson]

Dance like no one is watching. Culture seekers can find the art that truly inspires. And from our shopping hubs to our chic boutiques, fashionistas will never leave empty handed. Texas is an unforgettable experience that's waiting just for you. Visit traveltexas.com and plan your trip today. Let's Texas.