Paul Pierce (3:21)

Now let's get this party started.

Colin Cowherd (3:22)

You're listening to FOX Sports Radio. I don't know if you guys know this, that the Fox Sports Paul Pierce, the hall of famer, 19 years in the NBA has the most game winning buzzer beaters made or assisted on all time. First of all, did you know that?

Paul Pierce (3:47)

Yes, that was, I was made aware of that at some point. I think it's like seven or eight game winners and five assists in that moment also something like that.

Colin Cowherd (3:56)

I do think there are golfers and basketball players who get anxious in big moments and I think there are, I mean I've seen quarterbacks get nervous and, and golfers get nervous. So I want to start with you and then we'll move to Halliburton.

Paul Pierce (4:12)

Okay.

Colin Cowherd (4:12)

Why? I mean you obviously played a long time. You obviously were comfortable as a closer. Why?

Paul Pierce (4:20)

I think at those moments I became more relaxed. I just remember like down the stretch of games, down the stretch, when the close game, it slowed down for me. You know, I envisioned me making a play or making a shot. I always knew what I wanted to do and I trusted my instincts. But like once I learned to breathe and just relax, you know, when the time is winding down, it was easy for me, you know, as a kid. You know, you always put yourself in your, in these moments and you picture it in your head but then you actually out there doing it. And believe it or not, I probably, I missed way more game winners or you know, game, game passes than I, than I made. But you know, I came up pretty big on a lot of them, so. But you got to go through the fire first.

Colin Cowherd (5:05)

Yeah. What did you make of Halliburton? He could have scored in a layup. Turns around, looks at the clock on the other end. I mean, I mean, would you have done that? What did you make of that?

Paul Pierce (5:16)

Man? It looked like he was going to, he wanted to attack. You know, he. The thing I like about Halbert, he doesn't predetermine what he wants to do he plays off his instinct like he drove. You see, he lost the ball and the help came. So he turned, looks at the clock and say, shoot, I'm going. Just go for the win. And he went for it, and his instincts just took over. When I watch Halliburton, he has a high iq, man. It's just he understands the moment. He has the iq, he understood the stage and he goes for it.

Colin Cowherd (5:45)

Yeah. You know, he reminds me a little bit of a lanky or taller Steve Nash, where you always felt, even if Nash won an MVP scoring 15 a game, Steve controlled the game. Even if he scored 13 points, Halliburton Brunson scored 43. I believe Halliburton controlled the game last night. How did you see it?

Paul Pierce (6:05)

Yeah, he plays with pace. I mean, think about it. Even on makes, he's pushing the ball. He's throwing what I love about him, he throws the ball ahead. And you don't see that a lot from these guards anymore. And on any given night, you know, you don't understand when you. When your players actually touch the ball, it feels good just to touch the ball, you know, but when you have a point guard who comes down and you always stand in a corner, you're not involved in the offense, and then by the time you get the ball, you ice cold. And so that's why on any given night with this Indiana team, anybody could be the hero. Last night, obviously, it was nice. Smith the next night, it could be Nim Hard. He can certainly get hot on certain occasions. And then don't forget about Siakam. And we seen the big fella.

J. Mac (6:50)

He, he, he.

Paul Pierce (6:51)

He can light it up, too. So that's what makes this team hard to guard. That's what makes them unique. It's his pace and the confidence and the swagger he plays with. And I love the fact that he's embracing being the villain. He reminds me of myself a lot.

Colin Cowherd (7:05)

Yeah. By the way, the choke sign. What would you think if you were a New York Knick this morning on that?

Paul Pierce (7:11)

Oh, man. Oh, man. I just. It comes with it, man. If I was a New York Knick, I'm like, man, we put ourselves in this position, it's nothing you can do about it. And hey, that's on us as Knicks, because, you know, right now, the Knicks are America's team, and everybody is looking at the Indiana Pacers as villains. And, you know, everybody. I mean, listen, the New York Knicks, they had a parade after getting to the conference finals. I'm like, come on now. Come on, it's just something about the Knicks. When players come in there, everybody wants to play well, everybody wants to give their best. Like, some of my best games ever played was in that building. And I told Kevin Garnett this other day, like, when I played in the Garden, it didn't feel like a roll game. It didn't. It really doesn't. Because people, like other teams embrace going into Madison Square Garden, the environment, the celebrities in front rows. And like, when you. Like a road game is when you go to Indiana, that's a road game. You know what I'm saying? You're gonna have the signs up, you gonna have somebody behind the bench talking, talking about you talking about your girl or something that's gonna try to get under your skin. Where New York is the Mecca basketball. And it just doesn't feel like. You feel like you're on stage and you want to put on a show.

Colin Cowherd (8:30)

Yeah, that's what Channing Fry said an hour and a half ago. He said, when you go to New York, New Yorkers, maybe it's Rucker park, maybe it's Broadway. They appreciate if you drop 40.

Paul Pierce (8:44)

Yes.

Colin Cowherd (8:44)

They love you. And that's what you're saying, basically.

Paul Pierce (8:47)

Yeah, basically. I mean, you over there, you even the opposing team. I remember being in the layup line. Oh, there goes Spike. What's up, Spike? You know, I'm not doing that with nobody in Indiana. I'm not doing that with nobody in these other arenas. You know what I'm saying? I see Chris Rock or, hey, what's up, y' all? Like, what other arena are you doing at outside of New York and the crypto?

Colin Cowherd (9:11)

Yeah. So let me ask you though, and I think we're gonna have a great series. I do wonder when. I mean, Boston was a great example. They blew a 20 point lead. I thought it got into their head the rest of the series.

Paul Pierce (9:23)

Yeah.

Colin Cowherd (9:24)

Do you worry that this game is now in the Knicks head?

Paul Pierce (9:28)

I think it has to be, Colin, because, like, it happened when it happens to you. It could be traumatizing because, listen, this has happened on three other occasions which Indiana prevailed, not at this magnitude as the Knicks, but he snatched victory away from teams that pretty much had it in their hand. When he did it in Milwaukee in that series, and then in the last series, he did it where they were playing. Who are they playing? Cleveland. He did it in the last minute and now he does it again here in New York. So this has to be like, you have to start throwing this in the scout report. The game is never over. Guys, like, play until the end, right? You know, and Indiana has shown you that on three occasions.

Colin Cowherd (10:12)

Now 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 almost 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. 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. At the end of the season, 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 own a home, here's an interesting fact for you today. American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity. That's the part of your home you own outright. The value you can tap to fund other life goals. In fact, the average Rocket Mortgage homeowner has about $170,000 in untapped equity available now. Rocket Mortgage can help you understand what home equity is and how to use it wisely for what matters to you. They've made it easier than ever to turn your home equity into cash with Rocket Mortgage. So now the home you work so hard for can work hard for you in plenty of different ways. Home equity can help you fund a home renovation, pay for your kids college tuition, or pay off and consolidate high interest debt from credit cards. To learn more Call 804 Rocket or visit Rocket.com today. Rocket Mortgage LLC. Licensed in 50 states nmlsconsumeraccess.org 3030 $178,000 Average equity is based on internal Rocket mortgage servicing data. Hey everybody. You've heard me talk about Green River Whiskey, the official whiskey of the Herd podcast. And if you know anything about me, I love a good metaphor. So the team at Green river challenged me to come up with a perfect metaphor to describe their incredible bourbon and rye whiskeys. And with the playoffs upon us, the answer is clear. Green River Whiskey is like a big playoff win by your favorite team, always sure to raise your spirits. So pair the thrills of this playoff season with Green River Whiskey. And with four core products in their starting lineup, there's something to suit any taste. To find Green river near you, head on over to greenriverwhisky.com here's the green River Whiskey. Raise your spirits. A product of Green River Distilling Company, Owensboro, Kentucky. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com, please drink responsibly. Yeah, so I want to ask you about SGA and the whistle. So my take is there are certain players. Karl Malone got it. James Harden got it. Jokic gets it. D. Wade did some flopping. There are players that lean into it. D. Wade was, you know, he played big. Brunson gets the whistle.

Paul Pierce (14:16)

Yeah.

Colin Cowherd (14:16)

But it seems to drive players crazy with sga, who by all accounts is a really cool dude. Like, he was such a nice guy. When you watch him, does it drive you crazy, the whistle he gets?

Paul Pierce (14:30)

You know, listen, I'm always a believer. Like, listen, you go, you're going to have to stay aggressive. If you stay aggressive all night, then you're gonna have to make the referee make a decision. And he just constantly, he puts pressure on the refs every play. Like Brunson, it's like you damn near could call a foul every play. Because think about his body type, too. When you look at Shay Gildrich, he's skinny and strong, and so every little bump is gonna knock him off balance, like he's getting fouled.

Colin Cowherd (14:59)

Right.

Paul Pierce (15:00)

You know what I'm saying? And when you got that type of strength as a guy Who's. Who has a thin frame, but you're aggressive with it, sort of like Allen Iverson. You know, there's going to be nights where you get the benefit of the call because of that. Because you. You're so aggressive. In one little bump, you can make it look like it's like knocking you way off balance to where it's like, wow, come on, call the foul, ref.

Colin Cowherd (15:22)

Yeah. When you. As a former player and a Hall of Famer, it. It's. I picked Indiana to win an okc to win.

Paul Pierce (15:30)

Yeah.

Colin Cowherd (15:30)

Just. Just looking today, Indiana, okc. If they played tomorrow, there's some similarities. Deep roster, dominant guard. I mean, I'm not saying the series is over, but if New York's going to allow that pace that plays right into Indiana's hand. We saw it last year. The Knicks got tired. When you. I look at OKC is the best team in the league. I'm not sure Indiana is that far behind. What say you?

Paul Pierce (15:56)

No, I agree. I mean, I said this all season long. I said, man, Indiana is going to be a problem. You know, I watched them in the conference finals versus the Celtics, and they gave them everything they wanted. They want to. They're one of the few teams that can run with anybody. They're. They're one of the few teams that go 10 deep and. And they got dogs. They got dogs. Colin. I'm telling you, they got about four or five guys that I could say they can. I can say, hey, listen, it's. I could put him on anybody on the court. And I. And I confident that they can guard or I'm confident they can make shots, or I'm confident that it can be their night. I mean, you look at the way they. The one they played, they picked up full court every. All night last night. I was like, wow, they're trying to wear their Knicks down all night. They picked up, whether it's Nemhard, niece, Smith. I call the point guard home alone, Ma.

Colin Cowherd (16:50)

Yeah, McConnell.

Paul Pierce (16:51)

Yeah, McConnell. I call him home alone. So.

Colin Cowherd (16:55)

So, I mean, think about this. Pascal Siakam's a great player.

Paul Pierce (16:59)

Yes.

Colin Cowherd (16:59)

Like last night, you don't even notice them. Right. Their guards take over. So it's like, you know, you're a good team. That's what I said about the Celtics last year.

Paul Pierce (17:07)

Yeah.

Colin Cowherd (17:07)

You know, there are nights that Jalen Brown and Derrick White were the offense, and you're like, tatum's the third option. Like, I look at Indiana and I'm like, I don't know. I think offense. I think OKC is Better defensively, I think Indiana is more lethal. Offensively, I think they're a handful.

Paul Pierce (17:24)

Yeah, that's. That's hard to scout because, like, ideally you're saying, okay, Siakam is our second option. But there's nights where, like, I was watching the game yesterday and I was like, they don't go to him. Like a second option. No, you know, like, you know, okc. Okay. Jalen Brown is. I mean, Jalen. Jalen Williams is their second option for sure. He's their all Star. And on other nights, it's going to be chat, chat hunger on Indiana. I don't know on any given night who is going to be the guy who's going to step up. And that's what makes them unpredictable. It's easier to guard a team like, okay, the Knicks. When we go. When I go into the locker room for the scout report, Jalen and Cat, this is the head of the snake right here. And I know how to prepare for that. How do I prepare for any other team that runs, that throws it ahead? Nobody cares who gets the credit. Extra pass, extra pass. Play for one another. At the end of the day, we'll see where we're at. How do you scout that?

Colin Cowherd (18:25)

Finally, OKC is young and getting better with a ton of draft picks. Yeah, Indiana is mostly young, and the last two years they're getting better. If the Knicks lose this in five, let's say they give a good fight, but they just. They can't win that. Do they have to go? A big move, Giannis, A smaller move, kd.

Paul Pierce (18:45)

What?

Colin Cowherd (18:45)

What, What? When you watch the Knicks, is there one thing you watch right now and go, listen, you ain't beating OKC in Indiana the next three years. There is something you gotta fix. Do you see that?

Paul Pierce (18:56)

Well, yeah, I think it's depth at this stage. I think if you talk about this starting five, I think it's one of the best starting fives in all of basketball.

Colin Cowherd (19:03)

Yeah, agree.

Paul Pierce (19:04)

Yeah. And so I think they need that one player that I can count on off the bench. Whether it's like a. A guy like Grant down in Portland, I think he could have helped the playoff team this year. A big wing that can play defense and knock down threes that you can count on. Somebody that you can just count on every night. Like any given night, he can get you 15, 10 to 15, but you can count on that and you can trust him. If somebody go down, he can fill in as a starting spot. You need a guy like that off the bench, and I think that's what the Knicks are missing when you're trying to make long, deep playoff runs because at this point everybody's banged up and you need that guy off the bench who can give you a starter type minutes.

Colin Cowherd (19:44)

Yeah, no, it's a little bit like the Denver Nuggets. I love their starting five, but they just wore down. And I feel the same way with the Knicks. They both need a really good dynamic bench player that can give you 14 every night of the year.

Paul Pierce (19:56)

Absolutely.

Colin Cowherd (19:58)

Paul, as always the hall of Famer. Buddy, it's great seeing you. A wild night.

Paul Pierce (20:01)

Good to see you always, Colin.

Colin Cowherd (20:03)

All right, Paul Pierce. Yes. Most game winning buzzer beaters made her assistant on in NBA history. J. Mack with the news. No, no, no, no.

Paul Pierce (20:12)

Turn on the news.

Colin Cowherd (20:13)

This is the herd line news.

J. Mac (20:16)

All right, Colin, let's start with your Detroit Lions. You claim this team's one of the best in the league. Well, Aiden Hutchinson is going to be back with them. Look at him here on the video saying he's fully cleared and ready for action. He looks kind of ferocious in this video. Here's Aiden Hutchinson on returning to the Lions.

Colin Cowherd (20:34)

I got cleared a while back and now I'm just, I'm rolling with the boys now and it feels like, feels like I'm back to being myself again. And yeah, I'm really looking forward to the season. I'm looking forward to. I mean, I think this is the most excited I've been for OTAs in my life. This is the biggest hiatus I've had without playing ball. So I am, I'm pumped.

J. Mac (21:00)

We talk about windows opening and closing in the NFL. Lions have had a really strong two year run, Colin. Can they extend it or do you think that window's closed? Losing Ben Johnson.

Colin Cowherd (21:12)

Well, they're, they've already paid Panay Sewell, Jared Goff, Omaron St. Brown. They've got key players paid. They are not paying Hutchison yet. They have mostly been an offensive franchise. So if you're arguing, here's what I would say Detroit's done. They have figured out. Kansas City's done this. The Rams have figured this out. If you're going to pay players in this league, pay the offensive players keep your defense young and inexpensive and defensive players statistically get hurt more. So you want guys that are young and recover faster. So I think Detroit spent their money on offense and I agree with it. They have struggled on cornerback a little bit drafting it. That's been the kind of the miss for them. Everybody has one. But I think overall I'd say Anytime I think you have a top three offensive line and a top five front office drafting, you're not going anywhere.

J. Mac (22:01)

So, unfortunately, I'm looking at the schedule for the Lions, Colin. A lot of outdoor games early. These are three of the quarterbacks they have to face before Halloween. Okay? Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Patrick Mahomes, all of them on the road. And that's for a defense. Detroit, which, I mean, he got shredded at home in the playoffs by Jaden Daniels. I think they gave up like 45 points.

Colin Cowherd (22:23)

If you're going to beat great quarterbacks, the one thing that helps you is an offensive line that you can play keep away. And Detroit's the second best in the league. The second thing that helps you is an elite pass rusher. Aiden Hutchison. Detroit's actually built to beat really good quarterbacks. Doesn't mean they're going to, but they're built. They've got a pass rush and they've got a formidable O line and the best running back combination in the league to keep the ball away from your star. So I think they're fine.

J. Mac (22:53)

I mean, they're coming out of the gate facing a lot of teams who were in the playoffs last year. Colin, you know, we're going to, you know, you know, the narratives. If the offense just pulls back a little and the defense pulls back a little, I see.

Colin Cowherd (23:04)

Wait a minute.

J. Mac (23:04)

They're four and four.

Colin Cowherd (23:05)

I see a lot of wins. That's what I see. Baltimore's a loss. The rest number wins.

J. Mac (23:12)

Yeah, sometimes. I love your optimism, Colin. All right, let's go to the NBA. Listen, hey, Austin Reeves has been a huge talking point for us, specifically you. You are, you know, not as sold on Austin Reeves as I am. I had Dave McBenaman, who covers the Lakers, on my podcast, and he basically kept it real on the Reeves trade front. Floating a name you haven't heard yet.

Colin Cowherd (23:33)

Potentially for Reaves, there is a big Austin Reaves question. But Austin Reaves, in my opinion, will only be moved if someone like Yanisa Takounmpo says, I want to play in LA and LA only. And then, then the Lakers, of course, got to figure something out, and then they need pieces in order to make that happen. I am still very curious to see what Jaylen Brown does. Um, does he want to be a part of what seems to be kind of a rebuild on the fly in Boston, or will he say, you know what? I don't. I don't know if this is something that's for me. And then if Jaylen Brown becomes A name that's available then I think, yeah, that's. That's something that could be. There's no way off a Tatum injury. I'm giving up Jalen Brown for Austin Reeves and picks. No way.

J. Mac (24:21)

Just know that the Celtics are going to be selling some big money guys now. Jaylen Brown, obviously very good, played at Cal, albeit for one year. There's a world where Austin Reeves has not moved unless it's for a superstar of that caliber. And when you hear that, do you start to believe, oh, maybe the Lakers know something about Reeves that we. That I don't? No.

Colin Cowherd (24:42)

I. Again, I think Minnesota's defense was truth serum. Is that when you put big, athletic, long players on him, he struggled to even get to the free throw line. So, again, I think you. I think the Lakers are overvaluing Austin Reaves. I think he's a really good player. He is a 4 on an NBA championship team. He's not as good as Derrick White, who's a 4 on the Celtics. He's not as good as Derrick White.

J. Mac (25:10)

I hope Austin Reeves is watching. Look at the numbers that he had coming off the best season of his career. If this was 1993, he would have been an all star. Okay? But now the league is stacked 24 and 5 and basically carried the Lakers at times this season when they had injuries. Come on, man. Because he couldn't beat Anthony Edwards, all of a sudden, he's not great. So disrespectful. Anyways, let's go to a guy you love. From Austin Reeves to Jonathan Kuminga. All right, now, this one's hard to believe, Colin, but former NBA guard Keon Dueling, kind of bounced around the league. Good guard. He went on a podcast and said if Jonathan Kuminga is traded this offseason, he could follow the career path of a Hall of Famer. Take a listen.

Paul Pierce (25:56)

If you trade him, he'll be like how Tracy McGrady was when he got traded from the Raptors. And he'll be like, on the cusp. If not an all star, he'll be a very, very talented lead scorer in the NBA type guy.

Colin Cowherd (26:10)

No.

J. Mac (26:12)

When I first heard that, when Zach came to me with that, I was like, Keon, dueling said this. You see the reaction from Matt Barnes. There was no like, are you crazy? Like, if you had said that, could Kaminga be Tracy McGrady?

Colin Cowherd (26:26)

No.

J. Mac (26:26)

I would have thought, like, what are they giving you?

Colin Cowherd (26:28)

Listen, if he ends up. If you told me that he goes to any. You pick a team, he goes to Washington averages 24 a game. Yes, absolutely. He's never going to be a one. He's a three on a championship team.

J. Mac (26:42)

Wait, wait. Maybe, maybe. Is, is, is he going to ever make an all star team? Just the barometer. Can he, can Kuminga be an all star?

Colin Cowherd (26:51)

Could he make an Eastern Conference all star team? Yes, I think he probably could. Yes. Yes.

J. Mac (26:57)

There's no chance.

Colin Cowherd (26:58)

A3 would not west, not out west, but out East.

J. Mac (27:01)

Remember, Steve Kerr basically benched him for like two months. Like he doesn't work in our system, which is essentially the best system in the NBA. I.

Colin Cowherd (27:13)

J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the Herd lie news. All right, we're off tomorrow. Tomorrow's headlines today. I love these. Next, be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Hey, it's Steve Covino and I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich. Summer is almost here and you can now get almost any 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. At the end of the season, 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 own a home, here's an interesting fact for you today. American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity. That's the part of your home you own outright, the value you can tap to fund other life goals. In fact, the average Rocket Mortgage homeowner has about $170,000 in untapped equity available now. Rocket Mortgage can help you understand what home equity is and how to use it wisely for what matters to you. They've made it easier than ever to turn your home equity into cash with Rocket Mortgage. So now the home you work so hard for can work hard for you in plenty of different ways. Home equity can help you fund a home renovation, pay for your kids college tuition, or pay off and consolidate high interest debt from credit cards. To learn more, call 804Rocket or visit Rocket.com today. Rocket Mortgage LLC licensed in 50 states nmlsconsumeraccess.org 3030 $178,000 average equity is based on internal Rocket Mortgage servicing data. Hey everybody, you've heard me talk about Green River Whiskey, the official Whiskey of the Herd podcast. And if you know anything about me, I love a good metaphor. So the team at Green river challenged me to come up with a perfect metaphor to describe their incredible bourbon and rye whiskeys. And with the playoffs upon us, the answer is clear. Green River Whiskey is like a big playoff win by your favorite team, always sure to raise your spirits. So pair the thrills of this playoff season with Green River Whiskey. And with four core products in their starting lineup, there's something to suit any taste. To find Green river near you, head on over to greenriverwhisky.com here's the green River Whiskey. Raise your spirits. A product of Green River Distilling Company, Owensboro, Kentucky. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhisky.com Please drink responsibly.

J. Mac (32:05)

Coming up next on FS1 after the herd, it's first things first. Live from Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of the big race.

Colin Cowherd (32:17)

All right, J. Mac. It's my favorite time every week. Usually on Fridays, but occasionally tomorrow. You know, we got Indy racing stuff, so that's what Fox has, the Indy 500 proudly. And so we are off tomorrow and hope you have a big weekend planned. I'm getting. I'm just doing a bunch of stuff. And thank God I live next to good restaurants because I'll be hanging out. But we. You never sleep on your headlines. Tomorrow's headlines today, T Wolves Thunder series. All right, what do you think?

J. Mac (32:49)

You know, listen, obviously this is huge. Timberwolves, Thunder. We didn't see good ratings, but it's a huge matchup between Anthony Edwards and SGA. Even though the Thunder rolled in Game 1, the headline for the series will be go bear or go home. Wolves pack mentality pays off. I'm sticking with my pick of Minnesota. I'm on an island here, by the way. The line has gone from 8 to 7. So everybody does believe in the zigzag theory here that Minnesota will show up tonight. You kind of got to have this one. And I do believe Gobert will have to be a factor. We saw the Thunder dominate in the paint. They got whatever they wanted. I think you got to play a little more Gobert. But more importantly, the way they defend SGA has to be smarter. They've also got to attack the rim. Colin, Anthony Edwards taking one shot in the paint. I. I mean, I know he's a cocky young guy and he's laughing, looking at the box score after getting blasted by 20 in game one. Hey, Ant, time to lock in. Remember, they lost game one to the Warriors.

Colin Cowherd (33:46)

Yeah.

J. Mac (33:47)

Then Steph Curry got hurt and they rolled the rest of the way. But they did steal game one from the Lakers this is a team that has showed up on the road. I think the Wolves get it done and take down okc.

Colin Cowherd (33:56)

Tomorrow's headlines today, Pacers, Knicks. What's the headline?

J. Mac (34:01)

Well, come on, I'm a Knicks guy. You know, like I picked the Knicks before the series. I have liked the Pacers for a minute. Colin, the headline will be tip me baby one more time. Knicks pop. Pacers culture. I'm going to stick with the Knicks in the series. Again, you lead by 16 in the fourth at home. You got to close that out. There's no excuses. I will say the role players like Colin, did you have Aaron Neesmith hitting eight of nine threes? Honestly, is he duplicating that? He had six threes alone in the fourth quarter. I know the odds of him doing that again are infinitesimal. I do believe the Knicks have the better team. Paul Pierce made a good point. The Pacers are deeper. But did you notice the Knicks, they played an eight man rotation. Really? Instead of seven. I thought campaign McBride and Mitchell Robinson gave good minutes. And again, this arrested team. Brunson had 43. You want an obscure bet that I made really good odds that Brunson would score 45 or more points in one game. He almost got it in game one. He's unguardable. They don't have a guy to match up with him. And I still like the Knicks in the series. They're going to take it in six or seven.

Colin Cowherd (35:10)

Okay, now let's just pivot to some NFL stuff. Brock Purdy's new contract. Among other stories. Tomorrow's headlines today. What's the headline going to be for The San Francisco 49ers and the Brockmeister this year?

J. Mac (35:26)

So we like to pull the curtain back a little to show the audience like what's going on. Initially, when the numbers come out on these contracts, they're massive to make it look like the agent in a grand slam got his client all the money. But soon you start peeling layers back. Colin, we've seen the Purdy deals favorable. The headline will be Purdy fly for a pricey guy. Brock gets dollars and delivers. Colin, this deal is so favorable to the Niners. Now that doesn't mean Brock got jobbed. Okay? But when you look closely, it's essentially a three year deal for 116 mil, which averages to about 38 million a year. Heavily front loaded, guaranteed money. They are going to be able to manage the salary cap the next three years. I know on the surface, 53 million. They're screwed. They can't add defenders that's just not the case. They structured this very well. They have a smart front office. And I do believe that. And I don't know how to say this nicely, your Disdain for the Mr. Irrelevant from a few years ago is clouding your judgment here. The schedule is favorable. Christian McCaffrey is going to be healthy. Trent Williams is still breathing. Kyle Shanahan still a genius. Colin, this is a 12 or 13 win team this year. I'm sorry.

Colin Cowherd (36:46)

That'S a lot. Tomorrow's headlines today, how rosy is the outlook for the Chicago Bears?

J. Mac (36:55)

So earlier in the week, you know, the Caleb Williams book story popped. Not, not great. But that was the last regime. Maybe things will be different this year. The headline for the Bears will be putting the mid in Midwest. The Caleb Williams story. I'm sorry, apologies to my middle school kids who always say the word mid. I don't see it this year. I think this is going to be a transition year, Colin, for them with the new regime, Ben Johnson coming in, it's not like it's going to click like that. You know, things don't work that quickly. I think he's going to have to change some habits that Caleb Williams has.

Colin Cowherd (37:31)

Fair.

J. Mac (37:32)

And you know, the offensive line is new and it's talented, but that stuff rarely gels overnight. I don't love the schedule. I think this is a. An eight or nine win team max. And I don't see playoffs. I see improvement for Caleb, but I don't think it happens this year. I don't think there are 11 wins and in the playoffs.

Colin Cowherd (37:50)

All right, fair enough. Nine wins. I got him at 10. Finally, tomorrow's headlines. Today, I better get invited to the Belichick Jordan Hudson wedding. I'm for it. What say you on the headline in the future of those two?

J. Mac (38:01)

I mean, at this rate, you may officiate the damn thing. Goodness gracious. You're saying so many things about it, Colin. I. This story makes me leery. I'm just going to present it. The headline will be Bella Chick Magnet. Bill Stops playing the field. Colin, this is a tough one. Honestly, like, I'm kind of happy for them. It's a great story for Belichick. You know, I think it was Edelman who pointed out, at best, he does. Belichick does not like distractions and noise. And that's all this is. There is some chatter from one of our guests, I forget who. That said, North Carolina is not happy with this spotlight. I think it's going to be okay. The schedule is kind of weak, but I don't know too much about the North Carolina talent on that team. I just trust Belichick, Michael Lombardi and company to get it done.

Colin Cowherd (38:51)

Yeah.

J. Mac (38:51)

And I think all this negative press in the summer will probably go away during the season as soon as North Carolina starts winning, right?

Colin Cowherd (38:59)

Well, yeah. I mean I don't know if we have Carolina's schedule. I think the great advantage to Deion Sanders going to Colorado is the Big 12's weak.

J. Mac (39:07)

Yeah.

Colin Cowherd (39:08)

Right. Like, like what would they do in the Big Ten or the sec? They'd be like a three win team. The ACC right now is the worst big conference of the four. It's the worst. I mean and it'd be different and I respect the hell out of Clemson, but they're not playing nil games so that, that they have a really good quarterback this year and a great coach. But they're not, they're not paying for the players like Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, lsu. So when I look at North Carolina, as long as they're competent at quarterback. Richmond, Charlotte. I mean this would, this would be a tougher basketball schedule. Ucf, Cal, Syracuse, Stanford.

J. Mac (39:49)

See you in the opener. They should be four and oh heading into Clemson.

Colin Cowherd (39:52)

Right. This, these are really good academic schools. Wake Forest Stamp. This looks like a rating of the top 10 academic schools. Wake Forest, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Cal. This is a nine win schedule.

J. Mac (40:06)

Well, North Carolina is a great academic school and institution.

Colin Cowherd (40:08)

Yes.

J. Mac (40:09)

And I think probably why people not great.

Colin Cowherd (40:12)

What's the, what's their unwinnable road game at Syracuse? They don't have, they don't have a road game. They won't be a seven point dog in any of these games. I think Clemson will be favored by a touchdown. That's about it.

J. Mac (40:25)

You can just roll into Berserkley in October and.

Colin Cowherd (40:29)

Yeah, yeah, I think you can. I think everybody has my entire life. I mean that, that is as easy as a college football schedule gets.

J. Mac (40:36)

It's favorable. I, I mean I, I said they would be on the fringe of the playoff. I, I don't know. We'll see how that Clemson result is if you, you're very high on Kade Klubnick, huh?

Colin Cowherd (40:46)

I think he's pretty good. Yeah. I mean I don't know. Again, a year ago you guys all told me Quinn Ewers was a first round pick. He's a good college quarterback. He, I think the kid at Penn State, the kid at Clemson and Arch Manning are your three guys when yours.

J. Mac (40:59)

Went to back to back college like he, he's a damn good college Quarterback.

Colin Cowherd (41:03)

That's right.

J. Mac (41:04)

I, I think Club Nick's okay. The supporting cast, like you said, they're not really heavy on the.

Colin Cowherd (41:09)

Yeah, I'm just saying when I watched him, I thought, that's an NFL quarterback. I don't know what it is, but it looks like, you know, I mean, listen, Will Howard went like in the fifth round or something like that. He's better than Will Howard.

J. Mac (41:20)

Yes, I, I would agree on that. Yes. Certain.

Colin Cowherd (41:22)

Yeah. All right, JMac, good stuff today. Paul Pierce stopped by it. Both Channing Fry and Paul Pierce said the same thing and they got a lot of games in New York. Channing Fry's career started there. Is that when you're an opponent, going to New York does not feel like a road game. It feels like you're on Broadway or you're at Rucker Park. The audience in New York is a very smart, savvy sports audience. Similarly, they are with plays and the arts and literature. And I think when you go to New York, NBA has been a star driven league. NBA appreciates stars. Jordan had some of his great games there. Kobe loved to play there. Go ask any NBA player. It's show off time. So. And that was one of the things last night. Which team was loosest? It wasn't the Knicks. The road small market Pacers played much looser basketball. They had their legs because they have so much depth. So their long range shooting was great. They played loose basketball because they play up tempo and that's how they play loose. Everybody touches it. The Knicks at home got tight and looked a little tired. When you struggle to hit threes, that's usually an indication you didn't forget how to shoot. You're tired, you've lost your legs. Like Denver shooting poorly late in games, they were tired. So wow, fun show. First things first in Indy next couple of days. Looking forward to seeing that. See you next week. It's the herd. Summer is almost 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. You've heard me talk about Green River Whiskey, the official Whiskey of the Herd podcast. I love a good metaphor. So here's one for you Green River Whiskey is like a big playoff win by your favorite team. Always sure to raise your spirits. So pair the thrills of this playoff season with Green River Whiskey. To find Green river near you, head on over to greenriverwhiskey.com here's the green River Whiskey. Raise your spirits. A product of Green River Distilling Co. Owensboro, KY. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com Please drink responsibly. Just like how true champs master both offense and defense, the BMW IX masters both ultimate performance and unbeatable space. Love mine. The greatest legends in sports never compromise in any aspect of their game. So why would you settle for anything less from your suv? What I love about my BMW IX is that it redefines the electric vehicle experience seamlessly integrates powerful performance. It's bold, daring design, a refined interior, details, cutting edge technology. Basically pushes the boundaries of innovation. Thousands of details went into creating the ultimate electric suv. Compromise. Not one of them. The following heartwarming yet informative scene is brought to you by Trust and Will. Son, your grandpa and I used to work on this car together, and when I'm gone, I want you to have it. Wow. Thanks dad. Doesn't count. What you need is a will. Luckily, trust and Will makes it easy. Designed by attorneys but customized by you, you can easily create a state specific, legally valid document that actually counts. Now let's let the engine do the talking. Am I right? Start your will@trustandwill.com use offer code count for 20 off and make it count. Trust and Will is an online estate planning service. For details, see trustandwill.com you're listening to an iHeart podcast.