The Herd with Colin Cowherd (Guest Host: Jason McIntyre)

Hour 2 – Luka Doncic’s 60-Point Performance, NBA MVP Race, and Giannis’ Milwaukee Future

Date: March 20, 2026

Guests: Rachel Nichols, Derrick Queen

Episode Overview

In this compelling Hour 2 of The Herd, Jason McIntyre fills in for Colin Cowherd alongside guest Rachel Nichols. The conversation centers on Luka Doncic’s astonishing 60-point game, a spirited and nuanced breakdown of the shifting NBA MVP race, and critical NBA news—most notably, the Milwaukee Bucks facing a crossroads with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future. Special guest Derrick Queen, New Orleans Pelicans rookie, joins to talk about his first NBA season and shares unique insights from inside an up-and-coming young team. The hosts also touch on NCAA tournament upsets, World Baseball Classic buzz, and media narratives around NBA stars like LeBron James.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Luka Doncic’s Historic 60-Point Night & MVP Case

[04:53]–[11:44]

• Jason McIntyre vigorously argues that Luka Doncic is the current frontrunner for NBA MVP after his back-to-back scoring explosion, including a 60-point game less than 24 hours after a 40-point outing.
  • “I’m going to show you some stats that are going to blow your mind comparing SGA to other guys on this list… Luka legend. His stats this month are staggering... He had 40 on Wednesday and less than 24 hours later he had 60 guys.” (05:38–06:40)
• Jason’s updated MVP rankings (lowest to highest):
  5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA)
  4. Nikola Jokic
  3. Jaylen Brown
  2. Victor Wembanyama
  1. Luka Doncic
• He points to team dynamics when their stars are absent—most notably, how the Lakers flounder without Luka (highest usage and most pronounced impact).
• Notable criticism from Rachel Nichols regarding Luka’s defensive effort in the regular season:
  • “There isn’t a question though that for a big chunk of the season he decides not to play defense...with a bunch of these other guys, Wemby, SGA—they are two-way players. It does matter what you do on the other end.” — Rachel Nichols [10:04]
• Lively debate over the MVP landscape, with Rachel noting it’s really between SGA, Luka, and Wemby.

2. Interview: Derrick Queen, New Orleans Pelicans Rookie

[11:44]–[18:38]

• Derrick Queen reflects on his rookie season with maturity and optimism. He’s loving New Orleans, likening it to his Baltimore roots in its vibe and people.
  • “[New Orleans is] close to Baltimore—everything’s so close, food is good, people say southern hospitality, that’s good.” — Derrick Queen [12:45]
• Describes the young Pelicans’ roster dynamic and veteran leadership:
  • “We actually got one old guy, DeAndre, but we all like—they still got years in this, teach us a lot...been fun learning from guys that’s older than me, but kind of all in the same age bracket.” — [13:41]
• Gives high praise to Zion Williamson both on and off the court:
  • “Every game he got me on the bench shaking my head…he funny…and a great vet…he tell us the real about the team, the league, and how he got through it.” — [14:40]
• On matching up with Wembanyama:
  • “You have to keep him out the paint or he’ll probably go dunk on you...very tough matchup.” — [15:37]
• Friendly talk about trash talk (he doesn’t get much unless he initiates it himself) and team goals (vision for Pelicans improving and making playoff leaps soon).
• Prediction for the finals:
  • “I actually do like the Spurs,” and for the East, “probably say the Celtics. So the Spurs and Celtics.” — [18:22]

3. NBA News: Giannis’ Contract & Milwaukee’s Ownership Dilemma

[27:09]–[34:48]

• [Rachel Nichols] details reporting from Ramona Shelburne on the Bucks’ troublesome ownership structure and Giannis’ murky future:
  • Bucks can’t afford to lose Giannis for nothing; owner says, “Either Giannis is going to sign an extension or we’re going to trade him.” — [27:12]
  • The team’s leadership is split between two equal owners who rotate decision-making, leading to league-wide confusion about who’s actually in charge.
    • “They’re not even close to being ready to make a decision like that.” — Rachel quoting team source [28:34]
• Golden State reportedly offered four unprotected first-rounders for Giannis—a massive, but arguably short-sighted, offer.
• Lively, speculative discussion about what Giannis’ trade value is at 31 years old, with mounting injuries—can the Bucks get a true “haul”? Rachel argues, “Teams are always more desperate around the trade deadline… should they have moved him earlier?”
• Possibilities for suitors (Knicks, Lakers, Magic, Thunder, Spurs) and how control over where he goes shifts as his contract enters its final year:
  • “By waiting until his contract was expiring, Giannis now has a huge say in where he goes.” — Rachel Nichols [32:44]

4. NBA: LeBron’s Role and the Media Critique

[34:48]–[38:02]

• Jason and Rachel assess LeBron James’ recent red-hot play, with 49 points on 21-26 shooting across two games, and LeBron pushing back on narratives that the Lakers might be better off without him.
  • “No one is more criticized than LeBron for reasons that I don’t understand…he’s been an ambassador for the league…everywhere he goes, he wins.” — Jason McIntyre [37:01]
• Rachel:
  • “The question is not whether a team is better or worse with LeBron on it. It’s whether LeBron is willing to fulfill the role that he is clearly now willing to fill in just the last couple weeks of the season…” — [35:27]
• The complexity of veteran stars sharing the ball and adjusting roles as they age.

5. Other Notable Sports Stories

World Baseball Classic Ratings & NCAA Tournament Cinderella Upsets
[25:06]–[26:52]; [44:25]–[46:16]

• World Baseball Classic:
  • Massive surge in ratings (11 million for final), with players like Kiké Hernández and Aaron Judge suggesting it means more than a World Series to them. “[Winning a Baseball Classic title] would mean more to him than winning the World Series...This is a guy who has been to five World Series and won three of them.” — Rachel Nichols [25:06]
• NCAA Basketball:
  • High Point’s upset over Wisconsin and the broken non-conference scheduling model is lamented.
  • Coach Flynn Clayman criticized the lack of opportunity for smaller schools: “We won 22 of our last 23 games, didn’t move up one spot in the metrics, not one...It’s a bad system, but that’s how it is.” — Jason McIntyre [45:41]
  • Rachel suggests solutions might involve de-emphasizing strength of schedule as a metric.

6. Bam Adebayo’s 83 vs. Luka’s 60: Which Was More Impressive?

[48:02]–[53:59]

• Jason frames Luka’s 60 as more impressive than Bam’s 83 because it came on a back-to-back, was efficient, and in a high-stakes context with no gimmick fouling or “stat-chasing.”
• Rachel’s perspective:
  • “If it was easy, everyone would do it...It is hard no matter how he got it...But do I think Luka is eventually capable of scoring more than 83 in a game? Yes.” — [50:47], [53:20]
• Fun, competitive banter about whether stars around the league are tracking each other’s point totals and vying for the next “big one.”

7. MVP Balloting & Criteria

[53:59]–[55:44]

• Rachel explains the ranked voting system (top-five), and how factors like team record and games played weigh in—citing last year’s tight SGA/Jokic race, where team wins swayed the outcome.
  • “Winning—if it’s certainly...not always the most important thing, but it certainly is a tiebreaker and it is a very important thing.” — Rachel Nichols [55:22]
• Discussion of SGA’s slightly diminished numbers and durability in comparison to last year.

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “Luka legend. His stats this month are staggering...He had 40 on Wednesday and less than 24 hours later he had 60, guys.”
  — Jason McIntyre [06:40]

• “There isn’t a question though that for a big chunk of the season he decides not to play defense...Wemby, SGA—they are two-way players. It does matter what you do on the other end.”
  — Rachel Nichols [10:04]

• “By waiting until his contract was expiring, Giannis now has a huge say in where he goes...right now it’s an expiring contract. If you trade for him in an expiring contract, you’re probably not going to give up four first-round drafts.”
  — Rachel Nichols [32:44]

• “No player that good I have ever seen in my career criticized as much [as LeBron James]...for him to be able to sort of look in people’s faces and go, ‘How you like me now?’ It’s kind of fun.”
  — Rachel Nichols [38:02]

• “If it was easy, everyone would do it...So it is hard no matter how he got it.”
  — Rachel Nichols [50:48]

• "[About NCAA upsets] That’s just how it works. There’s zero incentive for the big dogs to play the small guy.”
  — Jason McIntyre [46:16]

Key Timestamps

• [04:53] Jason McIntyre reveals his MVP list; deep dive into candidate evaluation.
• [10:04] Rachel Nichols pushes back on Luka’s MVP case regarding defense.
• [11:44] Derrick Queen joins the show — insight into rookie year, Pelicans culture, Zion, and Wemby.
• [27:09] Rachel breaks down the Giannis/Bucks contract extension and ownership saga.
• [34:48] Discussion on LeBron’s role, criticism, and team impact.
• [45:41] High Point’s coach critiques NCAA scheduling & Cinderella runs.
• [48:02] Luka’s 60 vs. Bam’s 83-point game — contextualizing greatness.
• [53:59] MVP balloting, games played, and statistical nuance for SGA/Luka.

Tone & Style

The conversation blends smart, analytical sports talk with humor, candor, and occasional playful jabs—especially between Jason and Rachel as they contest opinions and dissect narratives. Derrick Queen brings a calm, earnest rookie perspective, contrasting with the hosts’ veteran media banter.

This episode is essential listening for NBA fans following the MVP debate and the evolving power landscape, and sports lovers tracking tournament surprises and superstars’ narratives.