Best of The Herd

Summary

Summary of "Best of The Herd" Podcast Episode

Podcast Information:

• Title: Best of The Herd
• Host: Colin Cowherd
• Authors: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Release Date: June 12, 2025
• Description: A compilation of insightful discussions and expert analyses from "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," focusing on top sports stories, particularly the NBA Finals.

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1. NBA Finals Showdown: Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

The episode delves deep into the highly anticipated NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Colin Cowherd and his guest, NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce, analyze the strengths, weaknesses, and pivotal moments defining this championship series.

• Defensive Prowess:

  • Colin Cowherd remarks, “The Pacers with 13 steals. The Pacers with 11 blocks. Who is the great defensive team in this Finals? I can't tell the difference. I have no idea.” ([04:15])
  • Highlighting Indiana's defensive dominance, Pierce adds, “They were aggressive. They were, they were higher in the pick and rolls. They really were just like Coast said.” ([07:09])

• Team Dynamics and Performance:

  • The Thunder are critiqued for their inconsistency on the road, particularly their inability to maintain defensive dominance outside their home arena.
  • Colin points out, “OKC does not travel well. And they're young rotational players. And we know this. Young rotational players and bench players like Indiana's are always better at home than they are on the road.” ([05:30])

• Clutch Performance:

  • Indiana is lauded for their clutch time performance, boasting a 9-1 record in critical moments, whereas Oklahoma City struggles with turnovers and inefficiency in the final minutes.
  • Paul Pierce emphasizes Indiana’s unpredictability and adaptability: “That's what makes them tough to play. Like, what am I doing if I'm OKC and I'm in the locker room saying, oh, we have to prepare for Niecemith and Nemhard. Oh, but they didn't show up yesterday. Oh, but now Matheran goes for 20. It's so unpredictable.” ([43:05])

• Statistical Insights:

  • Colin cites that the Thunder have only a .500 winning percentage in games where their star Shadonna Gordon (SGA) doesn't get to the free-throw line, highlighting their reliance on his performance.
  • “They are 4 and 4 in the playoffs. When SGA has eight free throw attempts or fewer, they're .500.” ([06:00])

2. Star Players Under the Microscope: Shadour Sanders vs. Dylan Gabriel

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the contrasting performances of the Thunder's quarterbacks, Shadour Sanders and Dylan Gabriel.

• Performance Metrics:

  • Colin Cowherd presents a comparative analysis: “Shador Sanders is 34 of 44, nine touchdowns, one pick. The most accurate quarterback easily in camp, 77%. Dylan Gabriel is the least of the four accurate quarterbacks, 54%.” ([29:12])
  • Paul Pierce concurs, highlighting Sanders' efficiency: “Shador is crushing it. 34 of 44. His balls aren't hitting the ground.” ([25:03])

• Background and Development:

  • The conversation touches on their collegiate backgrounds and how it influences their professional performances.
  • Pierce notes, “Shador Sanders has Travis Hunter and a bunch of non-Sunday players, Dylan Gabriel went from powerhouse Oklahoma to powerhouse Oregon.” ([30:00])

• Future Prospects:

  • While Sanders shows promise with his high accuracy, Gabriel's potential remains a topic of debate due to his lower completion rate.
  • Colin remarks, “It's like a standardized test or they're taking the bar to be an attorney, okay, now it's fair.” ([34:00])

3. Coaching Changes and Team Strategies: The New York Knicks

The episode addresses the recent coaching changes within the New York Knicks and the implications for the team's future.

• Firing of Tom Thibodeau:

  • Colin Cowherd questions the Knicks' decision to fire Coach Thibodeau without a clear replacement plan: “If you're going to fire anybody in any position, you got to have a plan. You got to have somebody waiting in the car, ready to come in.” ([34:24])
  • Paul Pierce offers his perspective, suggesting that Thibodeau maximized the roster's potential: “I thought it was kind of unjust based on what Thibbs was able to accomplish this year.” ([34:51])

• Team Depth and Future Moves:

  • The lack of bench depth is identified as a critical weakness that led to the coaching change, with Pierce emphasizing, “They were deficient. They didn't have a bench.” ([35:10])
  • Discussions hint at potential strategies for the Knicks to bolster their roster to compete effectively in upcoming seasons.

4. Rising Stars: Cooper Flagg vs. Jason Tatum

A comparative analysis of rookie sensation Cooper Flagg and established star Jason Tatum forms a focal point in evaluating emerging talents in the NBA.

• Playing Style and Impact:

  • Colin Cowherd draws parallels between Flagg and Tatum, suggesting Flagg’s aggressive playstyle: “I have made the comp that I think he's a more aggressive Jason Tatum.” ([37:24])
  • Paul Pierce counters by highlighting differences in shooting proficiency: “He’s a more aggressive player as far as attacking the basket, because I don't think he's a good shooter as Tatum either.” ([39:23])

• Statistical Comparison:

  • Flagg's impressive average of 19 points per game during his freshman year at Duke is juxtaposed with Tatum’s 17 points per game.
  • Pierce comments on Flagg’s defensive prowess and motor, essential traits for an impactful player: “Offensively, he can knock down shots. Defensively, he’s a terror. His engine is a talent.” ([39:05])

• Future Potential:

  • Both hosts agree on Flagg's potential to evolve into a significant player, with emphasis on his versatility and defensive capabilities positioning him as a future cornerstone for his team.

5. General NBA Insights and Conclusions

Wrapping up the episode, Colin and Paul share their overarching thoughts on the NBA landscape and the dynamics that shape the playoffs.

• Team Dynamics: Emphasis on how team depth, versatility, and the ability to perform under pressure are pivotal in determining championship outcomes.

• Coaching Strategies: The importance of adaptive coaching, as illustrated by Indiana’s approach in the finals, underscores how strategic adjustments can influence game results.

• Emerging Trends: Discussions highlight the increasing unpredictability in the NBA, where young, dynamic teams like Indiana can challenge established frontrunners through versatility and clutch performances.

• Concluding Remarks:

  • Colin Cowherd summarizes the intense nature of the finals: “Indiana lives in these kind of games. They're in these games every night and I, I feel like it's a little bit of a negative with OKC, Paul.” ([41:10])
  • Paul Pierce reinforces the unpredictability factor as Indiana's key advantage: “That's what makes them tough to play. Like, what am I doing if I'm OKC and I'm in the locker room...” ([43:05])

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Notable Quotes

1. Defensive Dominance:

   • Colin Cowherd: “The Pacers with 13 steals. The Pacers with 11 blocks. Who is the great defensive team in this Finals? I can't tell the difference.” ([04:15])

2. Clutch Performance:

   • Paul Pierce: “We are the most clutch team in the playoffs, 9 and 1 in clutch time.” ([35:50])

3. Player Comparisons:

   • Colin Cowherd: “I have made the comp that I think he's a more aggressive Jason Tatum.” ([37:24])
   • Paul Pierce: “He’s a more aggressive player as far as attacking the basket... but I don't think he's a good shooter as Tatum either.” ([39:23])

4. Coaching Insights:

   • Paul Pierce: “I thought it was kind of unjust based on what Thibbs was able to accomplish this year.” ([34:51])

5. Team Unpredictability:

   • Paul Pierce: “That's what makes them tough to play. Like, what am I doing if I'm OKC and I'm in the locker room saying...” ([43:05])

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This "Best of The Herd" episode provides listeners with a comprehensive analysis of the NBA Finals, highlighting key player performances, strategic coaching decisions, and emerging talents that are shaping the future of the league. Through engaging discussions and expert insights, Colin Cowherd and Paul Pierce offer a nuanced perspective on the current state of professional basketball.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Thursday. We are live. It is the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us on a Thursday part of your day. The Pacers with 13 steals. The Pacers with 11 blocks. Who is the great defensive team in this Finals? I can't tell the difference. I have no idea. At this point we found ourselves J. Mac. We got ourselves a little NBA Finals drama. I I think somebody on this show gave out Pacers money line yesterday. I don't remember, you know, but we loved Indiana. I think they're in control of the series. The way they locked up SGA. Oh, love it. Yeah. So we have found OKC's kryptonite. You send this young team on the road in that defense isn't nearly as dominant and they make more mistakes. 19 turnovers and they don't get to the free throw line. The Thunder are an average team, 4 and 4 in the playoffs. When their star SGA has eight free throw attempts or fewer, they're.500. That's all they are. And remember we told you the Celtics were a better road team because they live on the three. You don't need the whistle when you're shooting threes. The three travels well. Yeah, OKC does not travel well. And they're young rotational players. And we know this. We've told you this. You know this. Young rotational players and bench players like Indiana's are always better at home than they are on the road. And they get a little tight. They don't get the home cooking. They commit a few more turnovers. OKC is just okay through the last three series, they're 2 and 4 on the road. And because the Thunder didn't play a lot of close games, remember they won by an average of 12.9 points a game. The downside of that is they didn't play a lot of close games. And the best clutch team in the NBA is Indiana. They're 9 and 1 in the playoffs in clutch games. So in close, tight games the last six minutes of the game last night, the Thunder had One field goal. They weren't even good at the free throw line. So their youth and their depth is a huge, huge edge during the regular season. Right. But they just have huge energy. And the regular season, it's not about preparation. Sometimes it's a back to back. You're watching film in the locker room as you put your uniform on. It's about bodies, it is about energy. And OKC is the best in the league at that. But the playoffs, everybody's equally rested and you face the same team over and over and over. And Rick Carlisle is sitting there thinking, okay, I'm starting to figure this team out a little bit. I'm starting to figure this team out. Late in the fourth quarter, it was Oklahoma City that was gassed. Indiana was getting great looks. Getting great looks. They shot 52% for the game. So we have ourselves a series now. I mean, think about the regular season. The only teams that have ever won as many games as the Thunder in the regular season are the early warriors with Stephen Clay, the best team ever. Michael Jordan's Bulls and the Wilt, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Lakers. You gotta go, you gotta go way back. Those are the only teams that were ever better. And they are built perfectly for the regular season. And they're a very good playoff team. And they may win the finals game Sevens and okc. But today they are mortal. They have a kryptonite that youth on the road allows 117 points a game. That's not all time stuff. Here's SGA after.

[Paul Pierce]

They were aggressive. They were, they were higher in the pick and rolls. They really were just like Court said.

[Colin Cowherd]

More aggressive, more forceful.

[Paul Pierce]

Yeah, we gotta starts with me, but we gotta apply that pressure back. Especially if you want to beat a.

[Colin Cowherd]

Team like that on the road.

[Paul Pierce]

You gotta be the more forceful team for sure.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, let's talk Pacers. And they are, and we've said this, they're a lot of fun to watch. I thought they beat Milwaukee. I didn't think they'd be Cleveland. I didn't know about the Knicks and I took OKC and six. I gotta tell you, they have so many different types of players. Forget the fact that seven different Pacers are averaging double figures in the Finals. Forget that. But I mean they have, they can put crazy length on the floor. Halliburton's the longest point guard in the league. Put them on the floor with Obi, Toppin, Siakam and Miles Turner. They're one of the longest teams. You can go small and quick. TJ McConnell, Naismith they got small quick guys, they got long guys. They have ascending players. How about Ben Mathern? How about that guy? How about that young guy? Got a little Westbrook, right? With a little more refinement. He was a hockey and a football player in Canada. He goes to Arizona one year in college, dominates next year. He's going to be one of the best players in the league. You're going to talk about Cooper Flag and that kid's going to give you 22 a night. He has wild confidence and in per minute I think he may be the Pacers leading score per minute. So they've got ascending players, veteran players like Siakam, rim protectors. There are so many levers for Rick Carlisle to pull. They're unselfish. I don't see ego. I, um, they, they have the requisite three point shooters. Um, I mean last night they had 11 blocks, they had like double the steals. I, I, I, I was saying this on, on my podcast after is that they stole about eight points last night on like inbounds plays or an offensive rebound or a steal or a block. They were just stealing points throughout the game. And remember this is a really bad, here's, here's something that's really bad news for Oklahoma City. So Oklahoma City played the fewest clutch time games in the league, right? And all the pressures on Oklahoma City because they're the favorite and they're one of the youngest teams in the league. And the Pacers are the best clutch time team probably in the NBA. That's a bad combo. A young team with more pressure that hasn't played a lot of close games against the best close game point guard and team in the league. And if you go look at the by quarter scoring, Oklahoma City's best quarters, the first, the Pacers is the fourth. Which one would you take as a head coach? Now game seven is an okc, but the pressure is all on the Thunder. The best thing they got going for them, they're at home and they're good at home. But last night I thought Indiana got better looks. They played more efficiently, they were less sloppy, they were more composed. They were the much better team at the end of the first half and at the end of the game. Remember the Pacers got to the Eastern Conference finals last year. We forget this, we paid so much attention to the Celtics and can Denver get back. And we're always talking Lakers, Kyrie Irving and Luka. This team got to the Eastern Conference finals last year but they weren't very good defensively. Now they're much better defensively with the same great pace and all these ascending players. Like, Halliburton's getting better. You can see this. Naismith. I mean, like, Siakam's always been good, right? But this is a team that's getting better and has more confidence not only year to year, but series to series. And here's their coach after. This is the kind of team that we are. You know, we need. We need everybody to be ready. It's not always going to be exactly the same guys that are stepping up with scoring and stuff like that, but, you know, this is. This is how we got to do it, and we got to do it as a team, and, you know, we got to make it as hard as possible on them. It really matters that Rick Carlisle is a good coach, because I don't care if it's football, basketball, hockey, or baseball. The better the manager, the better the coach. They're better at pulling the right levers. Eric Spoelstra, Steve Kerr, they just. The more levers you can get them to pull in a series, so. And I also think we're overstating. It's. It's bad on me, but I think I. I kind of felt like going into the series, you know, like, OKC's got a better roster. I'm not so sure of it. I'm not. So. I think Indiana plays really good defense, and I. I think they have so many different types of players. Small, quick, long, offensive. I mean, Halliburton, Obi Toppin, Miles Turner. This team had 11 blocks last night. So I, you know, we're all talking about what the Knicks are going to do and wait till Tatum's back with the Celtics. And who are the Lakers going to land? I don't know. I look at Carlisle. An ascending roster, all sorts of shapes, styles and sizes and levers to pull. Got ourselves some NBA drama. J. Mac, this was fun. Last night was fun. And I'll tell you what. If you start looking at what Indiana does in the fourth quarter this year, there was a video that was out. It was. I. I was introduced to it probably about three weeks ago. And they showed Halliburton who you were on, like, two and a half years ago, but they showed Halliburton every shot he took, like a minute or less left in the basketball game to lead or tie. Guy was like 12 of 13. Like, there's always been this feeling among the analytic mavens that there's no such thing as clutch shooters. Like, it all works out with a math that's not true when you watch Indiana and Halliburton play. That guy is so good and so confident in big clutch moments. At some point we have to acknowledge Halliburton is now one of the NBA's elite closers. Is it's not always scoring, but from three point shooting to driving and dishing, he is one of the league's best closers. He was tremendous. I'm surprised you did 10 minutes and we really did not go after SGA. The MVP, the free throw merchant who somehow escaped criticism for a fourth quarter when he had one turnover in one basket. Colin they wore him down seven different defenders on SGA and if you notice when the Pacers were running offense, they were attacking him the same way the Pacers attacked Brunson. Remember Brunson was just getting abused. They went at sga. He had nothing left in the tank. Colin I don't know how they the Thunder changed this. I'm shocked that the line is OKC minus six for game four on the road. They haven't covered a road game this postseason.08 against the spread. How is OKC favored here? I don't get it. Well, I mean it's pretty clear if SGA doesn't get to the line, they are an average playoff team on the road and overall they're four and four when he's not getting to the line over eight times. So that's sort of the key if he does not get the home whistle. And when you and I talked about this yesterday on the show, we both liked Indiana and our takeaway was, and you saw it last night, bench players and young players at home are unbelievable. Indiana's bench last night, it's one of the great bench. The second quarter was insane. They just, they put starters on the bench, brought the bench guys in and they were dominating okc. Indiana's bench is not going to look like that in the road and OKC's bench isn't as dynamic on the road. So this is something we stars Usually you get your points from your Halliburton is going to be good usually all the time. Jokic is, Giannis is. But those rotational and bench guys. Home is a different environment completely. They get confidence, they get energized. Can the Pacers win this in six? Because if they win, they got to win game four. I don't think they're taking two of three from OKC on the road. Right. They got, they're not going to win game seven and okc they'll, they'll get run off the Court. I, I, I, I took OKC in six. I, I would adjust it to OKC in seven. I think they're going to be tough to beat at home in a game seven. Yeah, Pacers got to win this in six. That's why they got to win game four. Ben Matherin, by the way. What a stud. You, so you call him Russell Westbrook last night? No, he, he does. But oh no. So I, I went and I looked up his Wikipedia stuff. He was a hockey guy and a football guy and a basketball guy. He goes to Arizona, is a dominant college player and you know, he's a one and done guy, but he's a guy that what he's on the floor is just instant energy for them. I mean, you can see, folks, you can talk about all these players. We're going to pay attention to Cooper Flag next year and Wemby and the young players. This kid is dynamic, man. He is. He was like that in college. I've watched him like twice in college. Super confident player and he's confident defending SGA game one and game three. He did a great job. He, he's like a physical dude. You can't just push him off like SGA normally does. I'm all about the series, Colin. It's fun. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Summer is here and you can now get almost anything you need for your sunny days delivered with Uber Eats. Now, what do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A day at the lake? That's a no. A Philly cheesesteak? That's a yes. A nice tan. Sorry. A box fan? Happily, yes. What about a day of sunshine? Not happening. How about a box of fine wines? Yeah, that's happening. Delivery's on its way. Okay, how about some clear skies? Nope. Well, how about some french fries? Yeah. So how about a freshly cut lawn? Can't help you there. But a barbecued prawn? Order it and it's on its way. Even throw in some paper towels. Clean up after the feast. 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[Colin Cowherd]

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With DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA, you don't just watch the madness, you live it back. Your favorite team ride with your clutch time killer bet on the buzzer beaters. The breakout performances, the game winning threes player props to same game parlays. This is how you take your fandom to the next level. If you're new to the game, no sweat. Just download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Takes 90 seconds. Bet just five bucks. That's it. Five bucks. If your bet wins, you'll score $300 in bonus bets. It's that easy. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. The code is heard H E R D code herd for new customers to get 300 bucks in bonus bets. If your five dollar bet wins only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort in Kansas. 21. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Bet must win to receive reward. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG co Audio story time. Uncle Colin. So There were these two scientists back in like the 60s for 3M, the company 3M, and they were trying to create this super strong adhesive for the aerospace industry. But even though they're scientists and smart guys, they ended up creating a much weaker adhesive that was very removable. And that became post it notes, which are probably more important anyway. But the point being is they stumbled into wild success. And I think that's what the Cleveland Browns have done. The coach and the GM did not want to. They didn't want to draft Shador Sanders and they did in the fifth round. Two rounds after Dylan Gabriel, and he's crushing it. He's their best quarterback in camp. Colin. He's facing backups. Yeah, he's throwing to him as well. Sometimes you stumble into success. It's not a straight line. It's not linear. Brady with the Patriots, Brock Purdy to the Niners, Kurt Warner to the Rams. It's not always a straight line. So the staff, because they picked and the GM because they picked Dylan Gabriel third round and Shadour fifth. They're Gillen given Dylan Gabriel most of the first team reps, but not all of them now. Not all of them. The coaching staff cannot deny what's happening. And here's the difference. Let's forget Flacco for a second. He'll probably start. And Kenny Pickett's not the future. Let's concentrate on the two kids. Shadour Sanders is 34 of 44. Nine touchdowns, one pick. The most accurate quarterback easily in camp, 77%. Dylan Gabriel is the least of the four accurate quarterbacks, 54%. Okay, so I'm sorry, they're all thrown to the same guys, same protection, same coaching staff. And that's why you got to be careful about Dylan Gabriel. If you just talk about Shador Sanders and Dylan Gabriel, they did not have similar college experiences. Shador Sanders has Travis Hunter and a bunch of non Sunday players, Dylan Gabriel went from powerhouse Oklahoma to powerhouse Oregon and Oregon. Outside of Ohio State, Texas and Georgia, Oregon had the most guys drafted. They had 10 guys drafted. NFL receivers, left tackles, right? So. So Dylan Gabriel's playing with pros. Pros everywhere. Receiver. Rams drafted their tight end, the receivers, their left tackle, pros everywhere. Great staff. One of the highest paid staffs in the country. Shador Sanders had Travis Hunter, who got doubled and tripled. So it's just like you and I. You can't compare a Yale GPA to a community college gpa. But if you give them a standardized test or they're taking the bar to be an attorney, okay, now it's fair. So that's why I think I don't want to hear about what Dylan Gabriel did in college. Shedeur didn't have that experience. The OTA and the minicamps, that's the standardized test. That's same guys, same staff, same calls. One guy's complete and almost 80%, one guy 54%. And you know, again, I go back to what the scouts say, like Lance Zirline, if you go back and look at the scouting report, you know, they acknowledge that Shador didn't have a great arm, but Dylan had size, arm release, mobility, as all sorts of questions. So I don't care that he dominated at Oregon. You know, it's like, it's like a lot of quarterbacks crush at Oregon. They've got great. They've been a powerhouse for 20 plus years. Shador Sanders on just, you know, humbly trying to work his way up the depth chart. You could view things as you're not getting reps in a negative way, or you could view it as, okay, when is my time to get out there? Let's be proactive and let's get warm, let's get going. So there's no excuses because when you get out there, nobody cares how many reps you got whenever you get in.

[Paul Pierce]

The game, nobody cares if you took a snap before you know, like they care about.

[Colin Cowherd]

Everybody cares about production.

[Paul Pierce]

So that's the main thing.

[Colin Cowherd]

When you get out there, you got to be able to produce sounds like a. Sound like a franchise quarterback to me, like what I'm hearing. But again, same place, same receivers, same tight end, same protection. Put that graph up again. The numbers are the numbers. Shedeur is crushing it. 34 of 44. His balls aren't hitting the ground. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Hey, we're Covino and Rich, Fox Sports radio. Every day, 5 to 7pm Eastern. But here's the thing. We never have enough time to get to everything we want to get to. And that's why we have a brand new podcast called Over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly, because this guy is over promising things we never have time for. Yeah, you blubber lips blaming me. Well, you know what? It's called Over Promise. You should be good at it because you've been over promising women for years. Well, it's a Covino and Rich after show and we want you to be a part of it. We're going to be talking sports, of course, but we're also going to talk life and relationships and. And if Rich and I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time, it will continue on our after show called Over Promised. Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make sure you check out Over Promised and also uncensored, by the way, so maybe we'll go at it even a little harder. It's going to be the best after show podcast of all time. There you go. Over Promising. And remember, you could see it on YouTube, but definitely. Join us. Listen to Over Promised with Covino and rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Summer is here and you can now get almost anything you need for your sunny days delivered with Uber Eats. Now, what do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A day at the lake? That's a no. A Philly cheesesteak? That's a yes. A nice tan. Sorry. A box fan? Happily, yes. What about a day of sunshine? Not happening. How about a box of fine wines? Yeah, that's happening. Delivery's on its way. Okay, how about some clear skies? Nope. Well, how about some french fries? Yeah. So how about a freshly cut lawn? Can't help you there. But a barbecued prawn? Order it and it's on its way. Even throw in some paper towels. Clean up after the feast. So while you can't get fun in the sun delivered, don't worry because you can get pork buns delivered. Uber Eats can definitely get you that. Get almost, almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See app for details.

[Rachel Nichols]

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[Colin Cowherd]

There's only one team that can call themselves NBA champs. Only one player that can call themselves the number one pick in the NFL draft. Well, there's only one electric SUV worthy of the title. The ultimate. The all electric BMW ix. What I love about the IX is that it delivers legendary BMW performance while its sleek design exudes innovative style from the inside out, not to mention how much space and utility it provides. Over 75 cubic feet of cargo space, the IX is completely changing the game with an all electric suv. The greatest legends of sports never compromise any part of the game, so why would you settle for anything less from your suv? After all, there's only one ultimate the BMW ix. Everything you love about the Ultimate Driving machine Electrified if you're an inventory specialist in a warehouse, Grainger knows you've probably faced a situation like this before. Your forklift, your facility's workhorse, is leaking hydraulic fluid and with a full schedule of shipments on the docket, this has the potential to cause a major delay of game. But you're not worried. You're prepared for this type of situation and you have an ace in the hole. Grainger Grainger offers professional grade products for every industry from hydraulic oils and hoses. So much more plus next day delivery so you can be confident that you'll have the product you need on hand to fix that forklift and get it back in the game. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. One of the things I really like about Tyrese Halliburton Burton is how comfortable he is with TJ McConnell taking over the game or any other young player getting his. And I, I think that's hard. Like, like Point guards, Steph Curry's like that, but Steph always gets his. So I just. There's an iq, eq, self awareness with Halliburton. I mean, last night, like he was T.J. mcConnell's biggest fan. Paul Pierce, 19 years the hall of Famer, is now joining us. Not every, not every teammate, Paul, is like that. Not every teammate's happy when you get yours. In Boston, you guys were stars. You're a star. Rondo wanted the ball. You had Ray Allen, you had kg. Halliburton generally appears joyful on winning more than everything in your career. Is that common?

[Paul Pierce]

Wow, that's. That's a great question. It depends on type of leader you got in the locker room and depends on what's. What's driving them. And it depends on, like, what's the goal? What are we trying to accomplish? You know, people talk about winning, but are they willing to do the necessary things to help them win or is it just more about them? And I don't see that about Halliburton, it being about him. He just wants to win. And the thing. And I said this yesterday on the speak, I said, like, his play is uncommon in today. His play is unorthodox, which is, which is strange because when you look at the common point guards of today, he's a traditional point guard in my era. Today, he's unorthodox.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Paul Pierce]

You know what I'm saying? Like, he's a passport first point guard. And that's why people don't look at him like a superstar. And that's why. But his effect on the game is the same as a superstar. And that's what I've been trying to tell people.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Was. You know, it's funny, I. It is the playoffs, especially these playoffs, you don't get the whistle. I mean, they're going to let you play. I thought a big part of this last night was SGA didn't get to the free throw line. This team is 4 and 4 in the playoffs. When he doesn't get 8 or more free throws. Some of this is. And James Harden was totally reliant on the whistle. You weren't. Kobe wasn't. But that's not a knock on sga. But the record is clear.

[Paul Pierce]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Because Homegren's game is still a little uneven. You're never quite sure what you get. Last night, Lou Dort hit threes. I think SGA is a little whistle dependent. Is that fair?

[Paul Pierce]

You know, it's 50, 50 with him because some nights he gets the whistle. I mean, he's still good for 25 to 30. You know, I mean, look, think about it. He had 24 last night, didn't get the whistle. I mean, he could still put the ball in the bucket, but I think he's just getting worn down, Colin. He's getting worn down. Did you see at the end of the game, they were picking him up full. They're playing the long game. They're like, all right, he may get us in the beginning, but we gonna pick up full court. By the time that fourth quarter come, he's gonna be so worn down because he has to do it on both ends of the court. He has to defend. Cause Indiana's making them defend, too.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right. That's right.

[Paul Pierce]

You know, they throwing picks on them, they fouling them pretty hard, and they're picking up full. That wears on you. I've been on other games, like just getting picked up full court or somebody just on your body at all times, that wears you down throughout the course of the game. And in the fourth quarter, when you gotta do so much for your team, it's draining. It's draining. When you. When you got those guys who don't hit the shots. Now you got to get back on defense, it's draining when they score and then you take the ball out. I get it, and I'm the point guard, and they picking me up baseline to baseline. And that's what I'm seeing right there. They're getting tired. It's clear.

[Colin Cowherd]

I want to shift to the New York Knicks. Rachel Nickel was on an hour ago. Rachel Nichols. I. My take is if you're going to fire anybody in any position, you got to have a plan. You got to have somebody in the. Waiting in the car, waiting in the sedan outside, ready to come in. It doesn't sound like the Knicks had a plan. What was your kind of take on the firing at Tibbs?

[Paul Pierce]

I thought it was kind of unjust based on, you know, what Tibbs was able to accomplish this year. You know, he got him to the conference finals, and I think he maxed out the team because everybody saw the Knicks for what they were throughout the regular season. And everybody was like, okay, yeah, they're a second round exit team.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right, Right.

[Paul Pierce]

They made it to the conference finals, won a lot of games in the regular season. But I think their roster, based on the other rosters I'm looking at in Eastern Conference, I think he maxed them out. They were deficient. They didn't have a bench. And even if Tibbs didn't play them when he did play them, I mean, how productive were they? Because when you look at the likes of Indiana, when you look at Bost and teams of that nature in the Eastern Conference, these guys had depth and that's something that the Knicks were front heavy. So I think he maxed out the roster. So I don't think a coach coming in the roster is what the roster is. The coach is not the coach. You're going to have to get more pieces for this team to get over the hump. I don't care who you bring in. You can bring in red or back, you can bring in Phil Jackson. This team maxed out.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, Paul, it's interesting. We forget they had HARTENSTEIN and Dante DiVincenzo last year. And Dante is a great three point shooter. How many times in the next series did we go, God, they need one more guy to hit a three. They had him. He's off to Minnesota. So they lost really valuable pieces and it showed up against Indiana, man, I'm.

[Paul Pierce]

Telling you, I tell people this. If they didn't make no trade and stood pat, they were injured last year. Yeah, all they had to do was stand pat. If they stand pat, we're not. We're probably talking about the Knicks in the Finals because you would have had depth, you would have had more experience from a year ago. Randle would have gave you pretty much what Cat gave you on both ends of the court. But you would have had the depth, you would have had guys off the bench that you can depend on. So you know it is what it is moving forward. I don't know where the Knicks go from here as far as coaching, but they're right there. Take nothing away from they're right there. They're a piece away. No matter what coach you bring in, they're a piece away.

[Colin Cowherd]

So this is one of the better domestic drafts. Last year was a heavy international draft. We got, we got Duke players, Rutgers players. There's a lot of American kids in this draft. Cooper Flags the overwhelming favorite. I have made the comp that I think he's a more aggressive Jason Tatum. Maybe not today, but that's how I see the comp. You don't like that comp?

[Paul Pierce]

Colin, if you don't get out of here with that talk about Jason Tatum. So you telling me that Cooper Flag's offensive package is equivalent to Jason Tatum, a guy who's averaged 30 in the league? 28, 27. You think Cooper can do. I love Cooper and I love what he's done. You know throughout his career. He's a young guy too. I look at him more of like a Andre Karolenko, you know, he can play both ends, maybe a little more offense than Karolenko. But you gotta understand, Karolinko was an all star in this team, in this, in this league. Do I see him as a superstar? I don't know yet. I'm not quite sure yet. You know, how is he in the pick and roll? How is he initiating offense? How is he. You know, I look at other things when I look at primary scorers and guys who lead their team. How is his playmaking? You know, off the dribble, when he's getting trapped, when he's in different situations. Now, he's still young and he'll learn these things. But I saw those things from Jason Tatum at Duke. Already playing to pick and roll, playing on the ball, initiating offense. Off the ball, on the ball. So will he be an impact player in the league? I believe so, because he does too many things to not be an impact. Offensively, he can knock down shots. Defensively, he's a terror. His engine is a talent. And that's something that people don't talk about. Having that type of motor is a talent in this league. Because when I think about motor, there's only a certain few guys that have a motor that, that's head and shoulders above everybody. When you talk about Antetokounmpo and guys like Westbrook, you know that that's just that extra oomph and he has that.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, Cooper averaged 19 a game at Duke as a freshman. Tatum averaged 17. So they were very similar. I, I do think even Tatum's dad has mentioned this. I think Cooper's a more aggressive player and that's just, that's almost DNA stuff. I can't explain it. They're just guys that want the shot.

[Paul Pierce]

I agree with that. He's a more aggressive player as far as attacking the basket, because I don't think he's a good shooter as Tatum either, though. That's fair, you know, so you take one, give one. Like I was more like Tatum probably was. Well, I wouldn't say a better shooter, but I like to attack the basket. I mean, you know, it just like you said, it's in the DNA and it's also what the coaches are allow allowing these guys. You know, when I look at the Celtics, I mean, they're a three point heavy shooting team. And I was thinking about it this morning when I watched the finals, Colin, I saw that both teams combined to shoot. I believe it was like 27 threes and 20 like 49 threes combined. And I've seen on multiple occasions, you know, The Celtics shoot 50 plus threes and it's just like, wow.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, do you think the Celtics go for Giannis? Make a big move, move Jaylen Brown, like what is your feeling on what Bost? You have a, you have a sense of that culture.

[Paul Pierce]

I'm not sure it'd be necessary to go for a Giannis as long as Jason Tatum is out and I don't know the timetable on when he come back. And even if he does come back, he won't be the Jason Tatum that we saw leaving the playoffs. You know, it's going to take some time to get back to that. You know, if it were me, I kind of like let the year play out and make decisions. I wouldn't be too fast to make decisions. I'll see where the team is and what direction we're going in and if there's something I can do at the trade deadline that's going to benefit, benefit them in the long run or even in the now, I'll make that move. But like I wouldn't just be like, well, Jason's hurt, let's throw away the year. I'm going to sit back and see and be patient because most of the times when you make these hasty decisions and decisions that are too quick, you most likely make the wrong decision on the team. So I hope they just sit back and be patient and see what they need.

[Colin Cowherd]

So you have the most all time game winning buzzer beaters made or assistant on regular and postseason. Indiana is the most clutch team in the playoffs, 9 and 1 in clutch time. Oklahoma City, because they won by an average of 13 points in the regular season, is a really young team that hasn't been in a lot of close games. I thought down the stretch the last six minutes last night I thought Oklahoma City shot creation was bad. I didn't think they got good looks. I thought Indiana just got better looks. And I thought to myself, Indiana lives in these kind of games. They're in these games every night and I, I feel like it's a little bit of a negative with okc, Paul. It's like a football team that blows. I always feel about the Baltimore Ravens with Lamar. They blow so many people out in the regular season. They're not used to a one possession game. And I think OKC looked a little off late last night.

[Paul Pierce]

Well, yeah, those teams are front runners, Collins and there's Nothing wrong with that because I've seen front running teams win. It's just that they're not used to being in that situation when you're blowing teams out at a historic rate. Now when the game is close and tightness starting to set in, they panic. And that's what we call front runners. I mean, look at the numbers. If you just look at the numbers in the fourth quarter alone in this series, it's drastic how Indiana is out playing in the fourth quarter when the game is tight. Indiana got better and it just. Look at last night. They missed free throws. They don't normally miss.

[Colin Cowherd]

I saw.

[Paul Pierce]

I saw Jalen. I saw Jalen miss, what, three. Was it three or four straight free throws? And then it was like, whoa, it was obvious. If it wasn't obvious before, it was obvious last night, just at the free throw line alone, that you were like, whoa, it got tight in there. And to their credit, they're a young team. And I said this, this is why I picked the Indiana Pacers. People don't understand, like, when I watch them top to bottom coaching their stars and you ask me, like, what, who are their stars? That's right. We don't know because it's a different star every single night. And that's what makes them tough to play. Like, what am I doing if I'm OKC and I'm in the locker room saying, oh, we have to prepare for Niecemith and Nemhard. Oh, but they didn't show up yesterday. Oh, but now Matheran goes for 20. It's so unpredictable. And that's why I picked them, those teams for me, Colin, when we, you know, it's the toughest games for me to play in. Say, like, we played a team and the star was out. So now you're like, oh, it's easy to prepare for what. I know. I know what he is. It's easy to prepare for that. But when now the unpredictability sets in. It's like anybody can go off. And that's who Indiana is. It's so unpredictable. It's tough to prepare for them.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, if. If Siakam had 29 points next game, it would. You wouldn't be surprised by that at all. No, and if he had seven, you wouldn't be surprised. I mean, look, TJ McConnell took over the game in the second quarter.

[Paul Pierce]

It's crazy, right? They have so many unsuck heroes. I'll tell you this story. We were at the end of the year in 2010, and we were asking, we were positioning ourselves for the playoffs. And we were like, all right, should we win these games or lose these games? Should we rest and get ready? It was our seating was on the line and we got into the meeting, me, Rondo, Ray and kg, he said, who would y' all rather play in the second round? I think it was like Orlando and Cleveland because Orlando was like a two seed and Cleveland was the one seed. We were like, let's play the number one seed in the second round. With LeBron, it's easier us. It's easier for us to prepare for him because we know it's all about him now. That Orlando team was a little more unpredictable. Yeah, they got Dwight, but they got Turgulu, Rashar Lewis, Jameer Nelson. They got all these other guys. That's like a little. I don't know who's going to be the next star on any given night. LeBron in Cleveland was easier to prepare for, even though they were the number one seed and won 66 games.

[Colin Cowherd]

Paul Pierce, the Hall of Famer, he's on Speak after us. Good seeing you as always, my man. Always looking to transform your business through better HR and payroll Meet Paycor, a paychecks company. The powerhouse solution that empowers leaders to drive results. From recruiting and development to payroll and analytics, paycor connects you with the people, data and expertise you need to succeed. Their innovative platform helps you make smarter decisions about your most valuable asset, your people. Are you ready to become a Better Leader? Visit paycor.comleadership to learn more. That's paycor.comleaders Summer is here and you can now get almost anything you need for your sunny days delivered with Uber Eats. Now, what do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A nice tan? Sorry. A box fan? Happily, yes. A day of sunshine? No? A box of fine wines? Yes. Uber Eats can definitely get you that. Get almost Almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See app for details. BMW didn't just design an electric suv. Every detail of the BMW IX was crafted with passion and precision. With a BMW ix, you'll experience unmatched power, utility, spaciousness, versatility. My favorite feature. Cloud based navigation. Monitors charge levels, locates nearby charging stations so I can drive electric with the ultimate ease. BMW lets performance do the talking. And the scouting report is in. Experience the all electric BMW IX and witness dedication in every detail. Hi, it's Colin. I've been around long enough to know quality. When I see it. Or in this case, when I taste it. Tito's handmade vodka. Good stuff. No flash, no gimmick. Smooth, clean tasting. Made the right way. Tito's. Made in Austin, Texas. Real attention to detail. I like to keep it simple. Tito's soda, one lime, lot of ice. Refreshing, easy. Summer, winter, spring. Totally versatile. Always works. Listen, baseball season's here. The perfect time to kick back with some Tito's. It's what I pour. You should, too. Distilled and bottled by 5th Generation Inc. Austin, Texas. 40% alcohol by volume. Savor responsibly. This is an I Heart podcast.