Best of The Herd

Summary

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The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Best of The Herd

Date: March 11, 2026
Host: Colin Cowherd
Notable Guest: Robert Horry (NBA Champion, Laker Analyst)
Location: Live in Chicago

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Episode Overview

This episode of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" delivers sharp commentary on a wild night in sports, focusing on Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point game, the failed Max Crosby trade, and the trajectory of the Lakers without LeBron James. Colin is joined by seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry for a thoughtful, open discussion about player legacies, team chemistry, and the state of basketball, both in the US and globally.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bam Adebayo's 83-Point Night and Reactions

Timestamps: 02:46–07:56, 29:57–30:37

• Historic Scoring Feat:
  Bam Adebayo drops 83 points, a stunner considering his defensive reputation (“If you’d have given me 15 NBA stars and said one of them's gonna drop 83 points, he’d have been number 15.” – Colin Cowherd, 02:55).

  • Context: Historic single-game scoring like Wilt’s 100 or Kobe’s 81 often comes against struggling teams.
  • Cultural Take: In America, rapid success invites immediate skeptics and detractors; Colin asserts “The minute there’s success, we got to tear somebody down. 83 is 83 and he’s an excellent basketball player.” (03:23)
  • Game Context: Bam’s night was aided by facing the tanking Washington Wizards — “It was essentially a college team, and not necessarily a great one.” (05:42)
  • Legitimacy: Colin defends the legitimacy of Bam’s feat, pointing out precedent for teams feeding stars during potential historic games (e.g., Kobe, Wilt).

• Robert Horry’s Apology and Analysis:
  Robert Horry clarifies previous comments doubting Bam’s achievement, offering an on-air apology after reviewing the highlights:

  • "I want to apologize for Bam saying it should be an asterisk. Bam, you deserve what you got. ... It should be no asterisks by your game... More importantly, his teammates should be proud of it because they got him that astronomical number." (29:57)

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2. Max Crosby Trade Saga

Timestamps: 08:00–11:31

• Deal Fallout:
  The anticipated deal sending Max Crosby to the Ravens collapses after reported physical or front office cold feet.
  • Colin debunks overreactions, likening it to relationship breakups and reconciliations—“People break up all the time... who knows, maybe they’ll get back together.” (09:29)
  • Suggests the Raiders could shop Crosby to the Bears as an NFC team, fitting better with their youth-oriented rebuild and giving Max a fresh context.
  • “Max Crosby next year is going to be highly effective, disruptive. ... I would want him on my football team.” (11:20)
  • If Crosby returns, he’s not bitter, echoing the cyclical nature of NFL star-team dynamics.

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3. The LeBron–Lakers Dilemma: Fit, Chemistry, and the Future

Timestamps: 11:40–16:10, 18:26–24:55, 30:37–38:30

• Team Fit without LeBron:

  • In LeBron’s absence, the Lakers (with Luka and Austin Reaves) have a strong winning record (“They’re now 10–2 when Luka and Austin are playing and LeBron’s not.” – Colin, 12:43)
  • The conversation shifts from LeBron's greatness to fit and evolving roles.
  • Colin: “It is a fit and an age thing... It’s not a shot at LeBron.” (12:48)
  • Defensive improvements and team energy surge when the younger core leads.

• Robert Horry on Team Dynamics:

  • “Luka and Austin are kind of the same. And then you throw LeBron in there, he’s similar. But... they’re not great defensive players. ... When you have those three in the game, you got to have really good defensive players.” (31:24)
  • Championship teams under Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich always maintained elite defenses.

• LeBron’s Legacy with the Lakers:

  • Colin examines the transient nature of modern NBA stars like LeBron: “Michael Jordan made the game global. LeBron empowered players... But he doesn’t feel like Magic to me as a Laker.” (32:55)
  • Robert Horry: “If he does get a statue out there, he’s deserving. ... Sometimes it’s not about the wins. It’s about the butts you put in the seat, and wherever he goes, he puts butts in the seats.” (33:51)

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4. Austin Reaves’ Ceiling and Team Defense

Timestamps: 35:11–36:14

• Can Reaves Be a Title Team #2?
  • Horry: “I love Austin. I think he can be [a #2], but ... if that other number one out there can play defense. ... What you do with a great offensive player, you go at him defensively to try to wear him out.” (35:23)
  • The importance of defensive anchors around offensive playmakers is stressed.

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5. Star Hierarchy and Team Chemistry

Timestamps: 36:14–38:30

• Iconic Alpha Presence:
  • Colin draws an analogy: “You could put a bunch of young actors in a room, but if Denzel Washington walked in... It’s Denzel’s room.” (36:14)
  • The presence of a superstar like LeBron naturally shifts attention, sometimes to the detriment of younger stars’ assertiveness.
  • Horry: “You sacrifice your game for the betterment of the team. ... AR has finally gotten to that point after coming back from the injury, saying, ‘You know what? LeBron, I have the mismatch.’” (37:18)

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6. NBA Trends: International Takeover & Player Development

Timestamps: 38:30–41:37

• International Stars Taking Over:

  • Colin notes, “Wemby looks like he’s going to take over the league. He’s an international player. The last six or seven MVPs have been international players.” (38:30)
  • Horry credits the overseas academy system for superior fundamentals: “Our AAU system... is flawed. ... International players’ form is almost perfect.... We’re not able to teach players [here] because players now are so sensitive... sometimes you need a kick in the butt to get you started, not a pat on the back.” (39:05)

• Wemby’s Emergence:

  • “Wemby [is] extraordinary... I see Dirk Nowitzki at 7’6”. ... Even though Dirk didn’t play no defense... Wemby is a game changer.” (40:38)

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7. Personal Legacy: Playoff Heartbreak

Timestamps: 41:37–43:00

• Robert Horry on Tough Losses:
  • Remembers “haunting” playoff series loss as a Laker vs. Spurs in 2004.
  • Missed a crucial game-winning shot:
    “If I make that shot, you know, we probably win that series because it gives us life. But ... the Lakers don’t pick up my option and I lose a lot of money.” (42:16)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“The minute there’s success, we got to tear somebody down. 83 is 83 and he’s an excellent basketball player.”
– Colin Cowherd (03:23)

“I want to apologize for Bam saying it should be an asterisk. Bam, you deserve what you got… More importantly, his teammates should be proud of it because they got him that astronomical number.”
– Robert Horry (29:57)

“It is a fit and an age thing. … They’re now 10–2 when Luka and Austin are playing and LeBron’s not. That is not a shot at LeBron.”
– Colin Cowherd (12:43)

“You could put a bunch of young actors in a room, but if Denzel Washington walked in... It’s Denzel’s room.”
– Colin Cowherd (36:14)

“Our AAU system... is flawed. ... International players’ form is almost perfect.... Sometimes you need a kick in the butt to get you started, not a pat on the back.”
– Robert Horry (39:05)

“Wemby [is] extraordinary... I see Dirk Nowitzki at 7’6”. ... Wemby is a game changer.”
– Robert Horry (40:38)

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Segment Timestamps for Key Discussion Sections

• Bam Adebayo’s 83-pt Game Explained: 02:46–07:56, 29:57–30:37
• Max Crosby Trade Drama: 08:00–11:31
• Lakers without LeBron – New Chemistry: 11:40–16:10, 18:26–24:55, 30:37–38:30
• Robert Horry Interview (Full): 29:57–43:33
• International Basketball and Wembanyama: 38:30–41:37
• Personal Reflection: Robert Horry Playoff Loss: 41:37–43:10

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Tone and Style Recap

• Colin Cowherd: Witty, direct, sometimes playful, invites big-picture thinking.
• Robert Horry: Humble, honest, reflective, insightful about team and player psychology.

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This episode offers a sharp blend of sports analysis, historical perspective, and insider anecdotes – putting Bam Adebayo’s monster game, star egos, and NBA globalization in contemporary context.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

I'll say it up front. I don't usually endorse supplements. Most promise shortcuts. Anybody who's done real work knows shortcuts fail. But I like EmDrive. Every morning I put that protein powder in my coffee. It's practical. As you get older, energy dips and weight comes easier. That's biology. M Drive boost and burn support steady energy metabolism and fat burning, so effort actually counts. Clinically tested ingredients find that it sprouts. Amazon or M Drive mdrive for men who still show up. Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. 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's a Wednesday live in Chicago. It's the Herd. What a crazy night. Team Italy beats Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. The Max Crosby deal to the Ravens is called off and Bam out of bayou. If you'd have given me 15 NBA stars and said one of them's gonna drop 83 points, he'd have been number 15. He's player, five time all defense, two time Olympian, three time all star. So Bam scores 83 points last night. Everybody now is attacking Bam Adebayou. Everybody's ripping him. Well, I mean, come on, he got to the free throw line 43 times and they were foul. First of all, this is what we do in America. The minute there's success, we got to tear somebody down. 83 is 83 and he's an excellent basketball player. When Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points against that terrible New York Knicks team, do you realize his warriors were fouling the Knicks to get wilt extra possessions? When Kobe scored 81 against an awful Raptors team, the Lakers led by 15 with four and a half minutes left and Kobe scored 11 points after that. I mean, Bam had 31 in the first quarter. 62 after three quarters. It was totally legitimate. Yeah. Do I think Miami doctored it up a little bit late? Yes. But every star in this league has had an opportunity or three to play the Cruddy Wizards and they didn't drop 83. So there are just certain things in sports that are true. You don't see pass interference on Hail Marys in the NFL. You could, but refs get out of the way. If a baseball pitcher has got a no hitter or a perfect game in the seventh inning, expect that pitcher in the eighth and the ninth to get the corner to get the black. And if A guy's got 62 points and is going for an all time historic night, yeah, his team's going to probably doctor it up a little bit to see if he can pass Kobe or get close to Wilt. It's just, it's baked into sports. Wilt, Kobe and Bam are not going off against good teams. The team Wilt scored 100 against, I looked it up this morning, 18 games under.500. In Kobe's 81 point game, the Raptors were 12 under.500 and he scored again. They went to the fourth quarter. Only a couple Lakers in the entire fourth quarter even got shots. And I doubt Smush Parker was one of them. So, I mean, you know, last night, the Wizards. Listen to the Wizards starting five last night. It's a tanking team. And I think the NBA gets too caught up on dynasties. If they happen, they happen. And too caught up on tanking. I think their big issue is too many three point shots, too repetitive. And Bam didn't have that many three point shots. But the Wizards starting five was 20 years old. 20 years old. 20 years old, 19 years old and 21 years old. It was essentially a college team and not necessarily a great one. So here's Bam sitting next to his girlfriend, WNBA star Asia Wilson, and Kevin Durant after.

[Robert Horry]

To have 83 the first game she's here is very special. You know, the behind the scenes and the workouts and the conversations, they're very motivating. And obviously you see what she does and you get inspired every day by that. So I'm thankful to have her in my life. I couldn't believe it when I was hearing it in real time.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's like, you got 30 in the

[Robert Horry]

first quarter and that's 70. Congratulations to Bam. Know how much work he puts in? I looked at the stat sheets. Pretty crazy. 40 shots, 40 free throws, 23.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's done it.

[Robert Horry]

That takes a lot of stabbing a man. It takes a lot of energy to go out there and put those shots up, but also make them.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I mean, listen, if you have 31 points in the first quarter of an NBA game, the coaching staff, when you're playing a terrible team, the coaching staff, the teammates, everybody kind of looks around at halftime, everybody kind of looks at the sheet and you're like, oh. And then all of a sudden into the third quarter, it's like 62 points. It's like, let's get him to 80 again. Kobe playing a horrible Raptors team, lakers led by 15 with four and a half minutes left. Kobe scored 11 points after that. So, and I guarantee it, Wilts got doctored as well. That's just one of those things in sports that we all kind of smile and we know it's true. Nobody's calling pass interference on Hail Mary's and the umpire, it's giving you the corners. If you got a perfect game in a seventh, eighth inning, they're going to give you the corners on a three and two pitch. They're not going to go the other way and have a walk. They're going to ring it up. Okay, so the Max Crosby deal sounded like a great deal. And then suddenly people are saying, well, Eric DaCosta, the Raven GM, he got cold feet. Well, Max didn't pass his physical and so the deal's off. So people are freaking out. And my takeaway is if I was the Raiders, hey, I'd stay on the phone, Chicago Bears. But if I had to take him back, I'd take him back. People break up all the time. I mean, Dak just broke up with his fiance. Max Crosby just broke up with the Raiders. Who knows, maybe they'll get back together. It happens all the time. Last year Myles Garrett's like, get me out of Cleveland. And he went on to have his best year as a Cleveland Brown. Stuff happens. Listen, Max, this has been talked about. This deal been talked about for six months. So it didn't catch Max off guard. Max is a pro. The Ravens offered two first round picks. Max isn't dumb. It's a great deal, especially at Max's age. He got dinged up last year. Everybody in the room loved Max. Max had a 15 minute, you know, soliloquy. He went out there after getting traded and said how much he loved the Raiders and the Raiders loved him. And no, you know, people break up all the time. It happens. By the way, the Raiders are a better team or at least a better roster than they were the day they traded Max. So as Max Crosby, I don't know, I wouldn't be opposed to going back. So the Chicago Bears still need a pass rusher. Raiders should get on the phone and they're not going to get two firsts. Maybe they get a second and a fourth. So, I mean, it happens. If it was in the middle of the season, at the trade deadline, I'd be like, whoa, this is chaos. We got nothing but time. All I know is this, Max Crosby next year is going to be highly effective, disruptive. 12 sacks, you know, 20 tackles for losses, he'll bat down passes. I would want him on my football team. The other thing is, and I had said this, I wouldn't have traded Max, but once I got two first round offers, then it's a deal. But The Raiders have 11 picks, so the Raiders are going to be so young. Max is one of their only veteran stars. Colton Miller, the left tackle who got dinged up last year, he's coming back. If Max came back and they couldn't find a trade partner, I mean, the whole team, Spy Tech clearly knows what he's doing. They're getting very, very young. And so I think it's okay keeping Matt Cross, Max Crosby or getting him back. But I mean, you say, well, I mean, they broke up. It's weird, it's odd. Again, it's not in season. People go off, they go to Costa Rica, they work out. Then he's not going to rookie camps and rookie symposiums. He'll show up if he's a Raider and he'll be a relentless pass rusher in a great division. So here was Max over the weekend after the trade when he thought he was going to be a Baltimore Raven. I bleed silver and black. That'll never change. And I'm ready for life and I truly want to finish when it's all said and done, you know, in a Raiders jersey, whenever that time comes. Yeah, I see no bitterness. People break up, they get back together. Miles Garrett hated the Browns then. He loved them. Got a new deal. This is the way the world works. And all I know is Max Crosby next year. I'd love to have him on my football team. I still, I thought the Bears were a better fit than Baltimore because Baltimore's got to pay. Lamar Jackson wants a new deal and Caleb still on that rookie deal. So I thought the Bears were a perfect fit. Plus the Raiders would love that because now he's out of conference. I mean, if you really, if you're the Raiders, you'd. You'd prefer to not trade him in conference, certainly not in division. So shipping him off to the Bears, to me was a great fit. You're not going to get two first. Can you get a second? Can you get a third and a fifth? Whatever. That's where we are today. And J. Mac, I know J. Mac, you know, we talk, We've been Talking about the LeBron Luca, Austin Reeves thing, and I'm going to get into it next. I think J. Max coming around on this is that nobody, I argued this yesterday. Nobody is arguing that. Jaden McDaniels of the T Wolves is a better player than LeBron today. But I. But I said this yesterday. If you just swap them on their teams, the Lakers would be a better team with Jaden McDaniels because he's a catch and shoot guy, which LeBron isn't. And he's an elite defender, which at this point, LeBron isn't. So LeBron did not play again last night, and for the second time in like three days, the Lakers beat a really good team. They're now 102 when Luka and Austin are playing and LeBron's not. That is not a shot at LeBron. It is a fit in an age thing. And I know, you know, I think. I think J Max coming around.

[Robert Horry]

Wait a minute.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let's not make this. You're right. This is not about LeBron's slander, right? This is just a fit situation. Like they tried it most of this season. Reeves people were injured. And now, yeah, Carl Anthony Towns is a very gifted offensive player. I don't think with Brunson, Jalen Brunson's defensive limitations, it's a perfect postseason fit. But on any given night, Cat can give you 32 points and look like the best player in the world. He's a great offensive player. By the way, Austin Reeves kind of unlocked now with the ball in his hands more. He looked tremendous last night. And Anthony Edwards, a quote unquote face of the NBA. He struggled for 15. Yep, he struggled. Lakers are back, baby. Yeah, it was a wild night in sports. I mean, Italy beat baseball, Team USA, Bam at a Bayou, had 83 points. And the Lakers without LeBron are like beating the T Wolves and the Knicks. And it's like, oh, we, we've got. And the Max Crosby deal unravels. It was a crazy Tuesday night in Chicago. We also had the craziest lightning storm for two hours I've ever seen in my life. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the iHeartRadio app Stigatz here. I have a podcast empire. It continues to grow and I have brought it here to iHeart. I'm also doing a live radio show from 3 to 5pm Eastern because my wife wanted to kick me out of the house. It's called Stagats and company Live, which is available in podcast form right when the show finishes. Every single day. Some of the biggest names in sports, a lot of phone calls. I love you guys show.

[Robert Horry]

It's one of my favorites.

[Colin Cowherd]

A lot of interaction. Guys not taking themselves too seriously. Those are just some of the things that you could expect from Stugots Co. And Stugots Co. Live. So listen to Steugaton Co. Live and our original podcast. Please subscribe, rate and review the Stu Gatson Company and God Bless football. Taylor's livelihood depends on it. Do it today and you can check all of those out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. All right, Two Truths and a Lie. Here we go. I went to college with college football coach Jim McElwain, I began my broadcasting career doing play by play for the Las Vegas Stars, and I've been a Verizon customer for 15 years. Okay, I lied. All three are true. Verizon isn't as expensive as you think. In fact, if you bring in your ATT or T Mobile bill to a Verizon store, they'll give you a better deal. That's right, a better deal on the best network with the most ways to save on plans, streaming and phone deals. So take that AT and T or T Mobile. Build to your local Verizon store today, get a better deal and start saving based on root metrics. Best Overall Mobile Network Performance U.S. 2nd Half 2025 All Rights Reserve must provide recent consumer Mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Pay around the Corner and around the Globe Apple Pay is accepted at millions of places worldwide. Wherever you see the contactless symbol in stores or the Apple Pay button online and in apps. Whether you're checking out on iPhone or Apple watch, just double click pay and be on your way. Add your debit or credit card to wallet and you're good to go. Pay the Apple Way Terms apply.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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From Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage, Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service with triple protection against cybercriminals, data deletion and ransomware, Wasabi has taken the lead in big league data storage. Remember, Wasabi is up to 80% less than the other guys and doesn't charge a cent for businesses to access their own data. Wasabi is another chance Championship story. Check them out [e-mail] Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage proud partner of the Volume Podcast Network welcome back. What a nutty Tuesday night. I'm sitting here in a lightning storm for the ages and I'm watching Italy beat Team USA Max Crosby deal. Bam's got 83 and the Lakers beat the Knicks and now the T Wolves HAMMER Both without LeBron. And it's very hard to conceptualize because for 20 years, every time LeBron played for a team, he elevated everybody around him and now suddenly he gets in the way with Luca, his best teammate. Austin Reaves is better. Austin Reaves feels freer. Luka doesn't have to kind of worry, although he won't say it about getting LeBron touches. They're 10 and 2 without LeBron. When Austin and Doncic play and and so and they're much better defensively, it honestly feels like this young Laker team, which isn't really that young but younger. When LeBron doesn't play, it's like they're telling the new owners, hey, we're good here. We don't need the chaperone. We love dad. But we're good on our own now. They're playing much harder defensively and a lot of you won't believe this. Since acquiring Luca, the Lakers best net rating and best defensive ratings are. When LeBron doesn't play, it is hard to contextualize because the last 20 years it was the opposite. But just against the T wolves this season, three and oh, without LeBron last year with him in the playoffs, they couldn't even compete. So it's. And clearly there's a young guy energy. LeBron is so big. And it's different in football. Like Tom Brady, quarterback at 45, because Tom didn't play defense. But what happens in the NBA is even great defensive players hit like 36 and they're wearing a knee brace and they just can't stop the young guy. NBA is a young man's game. It's never been more international and it's never been twitchier, and it's never been more athletic and it's never been younger. And that makes LeBron feel really old. Brady's not playing defense. Matt Stafford's not playing defense. Aaron Rodgers not playing defense. So these old quarterbacks, I mean, maybe they don't move as well as they once did, but Stafford and Brady don't move anyway. But in basketball, the old guys, LeBron's now the second slowest guy in the league on the floor. And I'm not denying he's an asset to the league. He's been a star of the league. I've been a big fan. I mean, I've had people tell me the. To this day, I live in Chicago people. One of the things they say, be nicer to Caleb Williams. And you're wrong on LeBron and Michael Jordan. I'm a pro LeBron guy. But LeBron has made six, all defensive teams, all of them in his 20s. There aren't very, I mean, very rarely, maybe Kareem. Very few great defensive players in their 30s. In the NBA, the game is young. It's a young man's game. And it's never been younger and it's never been more international. And I think it feels like this team is kind of telling J.J. redick, telling the new owners, guys, we're good here in Austin. Reaves. LeBron is so great that he kind of takes up a lot of oxygen, even though he's a good teammate. But it's like if a bunch of stand up comedians were in a room and Seinfeld walked in or the late Johnny Carson. You just kind of like let them talk First, I mean, that. It's. Honestly, if you're an actor and all of a sudden here comes Sean Penn into the room, or, you know, here comes Denzel or Hanks into a room. The young actors. Oh, those guys can. Yeah, I mean, I'll just sit down and watch Denzel do his thing. Right. Like, there is something about LeBron's greatness that Austin Reaves, who is. I mean, Austin, last night was unstoppable because he doesn't feel like he has to make sure, you know, get the old guy touches. And I know you think I'm banging on LeBron, but JJ Redick, you know, it's. It's. It's a different vibe when LeBron's not on the floor. And here's JJ after another win, told

[Robert Horry]

the guys at halftime to just keep

[Colin Cowherd]

trust what we're trusting in what we're doing.

[Robert Horry]

We end up with a 153 offensive rating in the second half. So.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thought that end was really good, but really, it was.

[Robert Horry]

You know, our defensive game plan was fantastic. They executed it. You know, Randle takes 11 shots, 14 points. Edwards goes 2 for 15. Certainly, I think he missed a couple of those threes that, you know, he.

[Colin Cowherd]

He can make, but I. I thought the majority of his threes were tough, contested threes. Yeah. So, I mean, it. It since Luca was acquired, best net rating, best defensive ratings when LeBron's not in the floor. So we have a. We got a sample size here. And by the way, the Knicks are really good team. Lakers all over him defensively. And then here comes Ant and the T wolves. Ant was 2 for 15, had one of his worst nights of the season, and the Lakers still aren't a great defensive team, but, man, they play hard, and, man, they move better without the chaperone. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio. FS1 and the iHeartRadio Apple. All right, two truths and a lie. Here we go. I went to college with college football coach Jim McElwain. I began my broadcasting career doing play by play for the Las Vegas Stars, and I've been a Verizon customer for 15 years. Okay, I lied. All three are true. Verizon isn't as expensive as you think. In fact, if you bring in your AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store, they'll give you a better deal. That's right, A better deal on the best network with the most waste to save on plans, streaming, and phone deals. So Take that AT and T or T Mobile Build to your local Verizon store today. Get a better deal and start saving based on root metrics. Best overall Mobile Network Performance U.S. 2nd Half 2025 All Rights Reserve must provide recent consumer Mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Security usually means extra steps and complications, but with Apple Pay, Secure payments are simple. Your transactions are authenticated with Face id, Touch ID or Pay passcode so security is built in when you check out. Plus, your name isn't shared with merchants and they don't see your actual card number. Whether you're shopping in store online or an app, protecting your money should be simple. Pay the Apple way. Terms apply.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Robert Horry]

Yeah, correct. You know, for me, you know, we all make mistakes sometimes and the information I was given about the game, I jumped to conclusions. So I want to apologize for Bam saying it should be an asterisk. Bam, you deserve what you got. You know, after watching the highlights and showing the work you put in, I apologize. You put in the work. It should be no asterisks by your game because you know you, I'm a big, big Bam fan because he's only one of the guys that can play a few guys that can do it on both ends of the court. So what he did was a great accomplishment. So, you know, he should be proud of it and Miami Heat organization should proud of it. More importantly, his teammates should be proud of it because they got him that. They got him that astronomical number.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So Robert, I was talking about this earlier is that for 20 years when LeBron played with Adrina Silgaskas, got him to the finals when he played with D. Wade and Bosch four finals. And then, then he, you know, he plays with Anthony Davis and it works. And so I just thought naturally, oh, he And Luca would be great together. But the net rating since Luca arrived and the defensive ratings, Luca and Austin are better when LeBron's not on the floor. So I thought the Luca thing, well, they both pass well. They're both smart players. It'll work. The data's in. They're not great together on the floor. Why? Tell me why. What do you notice that worked other places? That doesn't work here.

[Robert Horry]

I think when you. One of the terms I like to use for basketball players is specialists. When you look at all the other formulas that he had, those guys were specialists. Luka and AR are kind of the same. And then you throw LeBron in there, he's similar. But the problem is when you have those three in the game, they're not great defensive players. And you consider LeBron's a good defensive player and Luka and Ar, okay, you got to have really good defensive players when you put that mix in the offense. Because at the end of the day, you have to be able to stop someone. And I know a lot of times in this game it's about you stop me first. And then we just, you know, let the cars fall where they may on the other side of the court. But you, at the end of the day, you think about it, when you got that situation where you got to score, you got to have some type of defensive scheme. And I think that was one of the things that is not talked about enough, is about how well you play defense.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I mean, you play with Pop and Phil Jackson. We think of Phil Jackson for the triangle offense. But how much did Phil Jackson preach defense at practice?

[Robert Horry]

All the time. If you go back and look at every championship I won, we were probably top five defensively every year. And you think about when you have that guy in the middle, like a Shaq, like a dream, like a Tim Duncan where you can get up on guys and run them off the three point line. You got that big dog in the back to block shots and guard the yard. It's easy. But you look at the Lakers and you look at who, who's guarding that yard. Deandre Ayton is up and down. You know, Jackson hazes up and down and there's nobody back there that can really guard the yard like I had. We know with Shaq Dream and Tim the.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, I've said before it was different with Magic or Kobe, they're Lakers. But, and I say this, I always defended LeBron for being mobile and bouncing around the league on his terms. I defended him, he empowered players. It's sort of the LeBron empowerment of players. Michael Jordan made the game global. LeBron empowered players. You guys go look around the league. And so the downside TO that for LeBron is that there's not a feeling like magic. Like, Magic is a Laker. When he shows up to the games, people still stand. Instead of crypto, it's like, oh, my God, there's magic. Is that. I do think maybe I'm wrong, Robert, but you could move off LeBron, give him a statue. I don't think Laker fans would be outraged. Like, I think they realized he always. He was a mobile guy. He went to the best situation, he did what was good for business. He doesn't feel like magic to me as a Laker.

[Robert Horry]

I think a lot of times fans forget that it's a player's choice to go where they want to go, and we get caught up in, oh, he's a Laker, he's a Cavalier, or he's a he. You think about when guys in the real world, they don't like their job, they move to another job. If they don't like to pay, they go to another job. But when as an athlete, it's kind of, you know, it's like, no, you can't do that because you're this and that. And I think the choice. I think LeBron, you know, him, KD, those guys have had the choice. You know, everybody wants somebody to be like a Dirk and a Kobe and stay for 20 years and Tim Duncan. That ain't the case with everybody. They want to explore options. And I think if he does get a statue out there, he's deserving. He should get a statue in Cleveland, he should get a statue in la, he should get a statue in Miami. Because you think about what he's done for every organization. Sometimes it's not about the wins. It's about the butts you put in the seat, and wherever he goes, he puts butts in the seats. And so he's iconic in that situation. So, you know, I think he should be, you know, praise more than he is. I think we give him a lot of grief because of the passes he makes sometimes, like, he shouldn't have did this. But think about it. The dude's been in the league longer than half the league's been living. You think about it, all the guys are in the league now. He's been. They were born with the day he stepped on the court. And I think that's one of the things we have to look at in Marvel. He's Just a great athlete. He's a great human being, and more important, he knows how to keep himself ready for each and every game.

[Colin Cowherd]

At 41 years old, Austin Reeves, can he be a number two star on a championship team, or do you need another guy and he's a three? How do you feel about Austin?

[Robert Horry]

I love Austin. I think he can be. But it's going to be very important that when you have Austin on the floor with someone, if that other number one out there can play defense, it's very important. You know, you look at why San Antonio is so good, you got Darren Fox, who's kind of like Austin. He can create his own shot, but he has Wimby and Vassal and all those guys who can play defense that makes them able to shine. And I think that's the one thing that you can go back and look at a couple series like when Dallas would play Lakers and they would just ISO and go at ar, because what you do with a great offensive player, you go at him defensively to try to wear him out. So his legs are tired and he can't shoot as especially as good as he normally does. So I think that's one of the things that a lot of players like to do at Luka and ar, because they're not great defenders, and if you go at them, it kind of makes his legs a little tired. So their shots aren't as effective.

[Colin Cowherd]

The. You know, the numbers are pretty clear when Luka, LeBron and Austin are on the floor together. It doesn't work for the. For the. For the reasons you've mentioned. They don't have a defensive stopper. But I also think there is something. You know, I was saying this. You could put a bunch of young actors in a room, but if Denzel Washington walked in, all the young actors, and they could be the hottest people in Hollywood, they would look at Denzel and they'd all say, okay, he. It's Denzel's room. Because so, yeah, LeBron is such an iconic figure that I feel that sometimes, and it's just not LeBron's fault. But when Austin and LeBron are on the court together, like, Austin's not as aggressive. It's like, well, LeBron, I mean, he grew up watching idolizing LeBron. And so this is not a LeBron fault or nor would it be a Denzel fault with a room full of young actors. But I do think it's time to make it Luka's team and Austin's team. And LeBron kind of takes the oxygen out of the room sometimes because he's so big. Is that fair?

[Robert Horry]

Well, you know, the sports. A lot of teams have the hierarchy. Who you gonna go to? What you do is you go to a guy who has a mismatch, and nine times out of 10, LeBron has a mismatch, and you sacrifice your game for the betterment of the team, you know, and if you look out, you know, you think about Dwyane Wade sacrificed his game. Steph Curry sacrificed his game for kd. And you know, the great players do that in order for those guys who are exceptional, you know, the upper echelon problems like LeBron to be able to shine. I think sometimes it's up to the, you know, if, you know, sometimes LeBron be like, no, go. You cook, you do your thing. But it's up to the player to look at or sit on the bench and say, yo, man, I got the advantage tonight. I'm hot. Let me cook. And I think AR has finally gotten to that point after coming back from the injury saying, you know what, LeBron, I have the mismatch. You know what, Luka, I have the mismatch. Even last night's game, Luka kind of was like, okay, do your thing. Because we know how ball down the Luke could be because he has the advantage nine times out of 10 when he has the ball offensively. So I think that's a big factor in the communication part of the players to say, yo, you know, I'm not. I'm not getting in your way. I'm gonna go stand in the corner and knock down this three if you pass it to me. So I think that's what they have to do.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, are you surprised? Wemby looks like he's going to take over the league. He's an international player. The last six or seven MVPs have been international players. The academy system overseas puts a lot of young players against older men. So they come in to America, they've played against older dudes, they are highly skilled. That doesn't mean we don't produce great young player. Cooper, flag. Aunt Edwards. Are you surprised, however, over the last decade how international players have taken over the NBA?

[Robert Horry]

Not at all, because I think the way they have their system set up is so great. I think our AAU system and our coaching system on a high school level is flawed because the great guys, you just roll the ball out, then you let them play and you get out of their way and you think about how many international players you look at just take their form when they shoot the ball. Their form is almost perfect. You look at American players, coaches are so afraid to coach now because the parents are in the ear, like, don't touch my kid's shot. Don't dis. And then they don't like what's happening. They jump ships. They go to another school. You know, you think about in college, and I was making guys jump school. Nobody is learning the game. They go in for their money. They going for the best situation for them. And that's why I like coaches like Izzo. Izzo. He has a situation where he's trying to teach players. He's, you know, getting players to be. To, you know, go to the next level. And for me, I just think we're jumping ships so much because when we face adversity as players, we don't like, we want to go to the greener grass, and the grass is not always greener on the other side. And so it starts at the bottom in our farm system. So to say that we're not able to teach players because players now are so sensitive. When you yell at them or try to teach them, they think you're being mean and they want to move on. When someone's going to pat them on the back all the time, sometimes you need to kick in the butt to get you started. Not a pat on the back.

[Colin Cowherd]

So you played with Akeem, you played with Duncan, you played with Shaq. What do you make? What do you make? A Wemby. This is the new iteration of the big man. What do you make of it?

[Robert Horry]

Wembley is extraordinary. You know, we keep saying using the term alien, and when you watch him, he's getting better and better. You think about how he started the season now, you know, he was more trying to take a lot of jump shots. And, yeah, we know you can shoot the jumper, but you six, seven. I mean, seven, six, just jump hook someone, get paints, you know, do everything, because you can do everything. And it's hard to find players like that. You know, when I look at Wemby, I just. I see Dirk Nowitzki at 7 6. He's able to handle the rock. He's able to. Even though Dirk didn't play no defense, but when he does, he's able to block shots. He's a game changer, you know, And I think when you look at systems and you look at the coaching staff over there, and, you know, you talk about culture and you talk about what was cultivated in San Antonio, where guys just play hard each and every night, that's why that team wins, because those young Guys came into a situation where they know the culture in San Antonios. Play hard each and every night and good things are going to happen.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Robert Ori, 16 year, seven titles. 16 year NBA veteran. You won, you won almost 70% of your game. So you, you won. I'm going to look this up again. This number. J. Mac, you couldn't believe this number. So hold on. Third. Okay. Third most career playoff series wins. 39 all time. Give me. Man, that's a lot of series wins. What? Give me the, the loss. Give me a series loss that you, that for years and years you couldn't get over.

[Robert Horry]

Oh, man. My last game as a Laker. Remember I went to my last series that we was playing San Antonio back in 2004, the year they won it. You know, I had, I, I would think I was like 3 for 39 from 3 for the series, for the, for the playoffs. I wasn't shooting it very well. I remember Kobe kicks it to me in San Antonio in my favorite spot. I missed the shot at the buzz. We lose that game, then we go home to LA for game six. The spurs beat us and they go on to win the championship. And that haunts me for a bunch of reasons because if I make that shot, you know, we probably win that series because it gives us life. But on the other flip side of that, the Lakers don't pick up my option and I lose a lot of money. They let me go.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, yeah, hell of a career. Yeah, I watch it regularly on all the Lakers stuff. And congrats on your success and thanks for coming on, my man.

[Robert Horry]

Thanks for having me. And also, you know, I want to appreciate you for having me. You know, I always been a big fan. I used to always kid you about Alabama stuff, man. So I want to appreciate you for letting me come on and have this platform.

[Colin Cowherd]

You played for four years for Wimp Sanderson. I remember, I remember that's when guys actually stayed in college. Didn't bounce around. I remember it well. Good seeing you.

[Robert Horry]

Yeah, good to see you, brother.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, big shot Bob. Robert Ory, seven time champ. That is just an insane number to me. 39. Playoff wins. Playoff series wins. It's incredible. Think Verizon is expensive? Think again. Anyone can bring their AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal. So bring us your bill. Walking, running, hogo, sticking, teleport. If you can ride on the back of a rollerblading yak or flying on the wings of a majestic Falcon Any way you can bring your AT and T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal on the best network based on RouteMetric's best overall mobile network performance US 2nd half 2025. All rights reserved. Must provide very recent postpaid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Whether you want to maximize your performance or form healthier habits this year, knowing what your body needs can help put you on the right path. With Quest, you can buy your own lab tests [e-mail] no doctor visit required for purchase. Quest has a huge selection of tests, including the new Elite Health Profile, a panel made for men and Women and tracks 85 plus health markers affecting the heart, liver, kidneys, hormones, metabolism and immune system, delivering a ton of insights in one snapshot. For a limited time, save on select lab [e-mail] with code herd10. That's herd10 at checkout. Terms apply I'll say it up front. I don't usually endorse supplements. Most promise shortcuts. Anybody who's done real work knows shortcuts fail. But I like EmDrives. Every morning I put that protein powder in my coffee. It's practical. As you get older, energy dips and weight comes easier. That's biology. M Drive Boost and Burn support steady energy metabolism and fat burning, so effort actually counts. Clinically tested ingredients find that it sprouts Amazon or m drive for men.com mdrive for men who still show up this is Julian Edelman from Games With Names. I want to take a second to talk about something that's personal to me. I've had the privilege of working closely with Robert Kraft for a long time, and one thing I've always respected is how seriously he takes up standing up to hate. As a Jewish athlete, my identity is something I am proud of, but I also know what it feels like to be singled out for it. That's why this new commercial for the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate that aired during the Big Game really hit home. It's about showing up for someone when they're targeted, even if you don't have the perfect words. And sometimes standing next to someone is enough. And you can show support by sharing the Blue Square Wasabi is purpose built to free your business from skyrocketing storage costs and fees from the big guys. Wasabi is the go to provider for professional and collegiate sports teams around the world. Check out Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage. Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service with triple protection against cybercriminals. Wasabi driving innovation in data storage for up to 80% less than the other guys try for free at wasabi.com, wasabi hot cloud storage proud partner of the volume podcast network. This is an iheart podcast.

[Robert Horry]

Guaranteed human.